A/N: Anyone else out there who doesn't like their writing and yet to other people it seems okay?

Disclaimer: Me no own Majin Tantei Nougami Neuro; I'm just going to use the characters for a bit.

--Chapter 3: Below and Next to…--

Due to the lateness that Yako slept farther into the day then she meant to. In fact, she wouldn't have even woken up for another couple of hours if it wasn't for the sunlight that hit her eyes. Even then, forcing her eyes open was a loooooong, and rather painful process.

"Ugh," Yako groaned as she pushed herself upright. It had been a long day yesterday. First a grand jury and then meeting a freak who just might help her out of this; maybe. Yako put the rag doll she had a habit of holding to sleep in her lap. It was a really old doll to tell the truth, so old that the face had already completely faded away. Though the nice braid of hair it had was, by some miracle, still in good condition. "Well, Akane-chan," she said to the doll, "I guess another day is here."

"My, you still play around with dolls?"

Yako fell out of her bed with a scream, sending Akane flying through the air. The speaker caught it. "And it's so old too."

"Neuro!" she yelled furiously, "How the heck did you get in here?!"

"Hmm…" Neuro tossed Akane back to Yako so quickly, it smacked her in the face. "I recall answering that question yesterday. I got in through the front door because your lock is horrible. I also recall telling you to get a better one, which I see you have not done.

"Have you no sense of privacy!?" snapped Yako heatedly.

Neuro continued to smile his annoying smile as he replied, "Of course I do! I'm staying 6 whole feet away from you right now!"

Yako gave a groan of annoyance and nearly pulled out chunks of her hair. Just why was it so impossible to reason with this guy? "What are you even doing here right now?"

"Well," he took the clock from Yako's bedside and pushed it into her face, "It's already 12:30, see?" Neuro nudged the clock a few more times into her face, "So, we might as well start the investigative work. Hurry and get dressed, you lazy worm, time is being wasted."

--x--x--x--x--x--

Yako was in a bad mood. First, that monster just broke into her house; again. Then, he had the nerve to only allow Yako enough time to eat 10 eggs on bread before dragging her out! Didn't he know that wasn't enough! To top all that off, the monster was now pulling her by the head down the stairs.

"I can walk, you know," said Yako, trying to pry his gloved fingers off of her head.

"You move with the speed of a green caterpillar, that just wastes time." The hand remained firmly lodged, and Yako just gave up.

"Where are we headed first?"

"Are you so stupid you need to ask that?" Neuro stepped off the last step from that flight of stairs and turned to the nearest door. "Employ your useless brain cells," with that, he tightened his grip around Yako's temples, making her sound a chorus of 'ows'. "And think about it. Who was there before police investigations? The answer is you, two police, a man named Shirota," Neuro knocked on the door before them and then finally set Yako down, "And also, your neighbor," the door opened, "Aya Aizawa."

"Hello?" said the woman at the door, "May I help you?"

"Ah, good morning Miss Aya! I was just wondering if you would be kind enough to spare a few minutes and answer some questions." Neuro said politely. Wait, politely? Yako stared disbelievingly at him, was he actually being polite? She pinched herself. Nope, definitely not a dream.

"Eh? Who are—'' Aya's eyes fell on Yako, "Oh, good morning, Yako. Come in." They did, and the door shut behind them.

"Do you want anything to drink? Water, coffee…?" Aya said as they sat down.

"No, no, Miss Yako and I do not wish to impose on you," Neuro answered with a humbled air.

"What the heck? Does he have multiple personalities or something?" thought Yako, glancing suspiciously at Neuro.

Aya shrugged and sat down on the couch across from them. "It's just a drink, you know? Anyways, I don't recall meeting you. Who is he, Yako?"

Yako started, "He's a creEEP—mph!" Without success, Yako tried to pull Neuro's hand off of her mouth.

Neuro acted as if nothing had happened and continued to speak cheerfully. "I am but a lawyer, whom Miss Yako has so kindly decided to allow the handling of her case."

"I see…" Aya said hesitantly, eyeing at the hand clamped over Yako's mouth. "Err, no offence…um…I never caught your name?"

"Oh! How rude of me! Just call me Neuro."

"Okay, Neuro. No offence, but Yako; were you in a good state of mind when you decided to let this man take over? Or were you really sleepy?"

With the hand finally removed from her mouth, Yako was about to answer, 'Yes I'm sure,' but after thinking about it a bit more, she realized this: She was extremely tired when she made that decision. Oh well, no backing down now. "Uh, I think it should be okay."

Aya cast a skeptical look at Neuro, who put on a blankly innocent face. Personally, Yako had to agree. The guy was dressed in BRIGHT blue and had triangles in his hair, who'd think he was lawyer material at all? "Your judgment surprises me, Yako. It will take a miracle worker to prove anything for you, and even then, you may still lose the case."

"Have no fear, Miss Aya," Neuro said happily, "Miss Yako's case is in good hands."

"Sure, sure."

"Alright then!" Neuro clapped his hands together and leaned on them. "Let's begin with the questioning."

Aya leaned back. "Go ahead."

"You were the one who alerted Miss Yako of the sudden sounds, were you not?"

"Yes."

"Can you tell me what time that was?"

"I think about…1:30 in the morning."

"Fits well with Miss Yako's times. What were you doing at that time anyways?"

"Sleeping. It wasn't until I heard crashes that I woke up and ran up to see if anything was wrong."

"Can you describe the sounds?"

"There was pounding on the floor, or roof in my case; my bedroom is just about under Mr. Katsuragi's workroom. Then there were sounds of things crashing onto the floor."

"Anything in specific that you could tell were crashing?

Aya paused thoughtfully before answering, "Actually, yes. I recall there were two sounds that sounded just like pottery or china shattering."

"I see…did you know that Miss Yako was home?"

"No, it was a surprise to see her answering the door."

"One last question; did you see anyone that did not belong in the neighborhood on the way up?"

"No," said Aya with a shake of her head, "I only heard sounds and then came up the stairs, and I saw no one there."

Neuro stood, starting to head for the door. "Thank you for your time, Miss Aya!" He turned to Yako, "Time to go, Miss Yako."

Yako, who had stayed silent the whole time, didn't get up. Her eyes were kept on the floor as she asked, "Miss Aya, do you think that I murdered my father?"

"Hmm? What does it matter if I believe you did or not? You know the truth for yourself, and whether it'll haunt you or give you hope, it's what you know."

Yako kept staring at the floor. "I-I just want to know."

A small smile appeared on Aya's face. "Based on your reaction that night, I must say, you either must have been a very good actress or genuinely in despair. I suspect the latter."

--x--x--x--x--x--x--

"Okay, the only people left to investigate are the police and Mr. Shirota. And since Mr. Shirota is closer, it'll be him first, correct?" Yako turned to Neuro to gain affirmation.

When Yako saw him, Neuro had a face filled with disbelief. "Amazing."

"Wh-what?" Instinctively, she backed up.

"You actually got it right! Congratulations, Yako! You have been promoted to…" dramatic pause, "Earth worm!"

Yako's face relaxed and fell. "Earth worm? Being promoted to earth worm is a good thing? Because I think—'' Yako stopped, realizing what she was saying. "Wait, since when did you have the right to classify me anyways?"

"Hmm," the former turned away with a smirk, "It's only natural, Yako, that someone or something higher or more intelligent than you have the right to classify."

A groan came from Yako. "You sound like a bigot, you know that?"

"Perhaps."

"Anyways, I need lunch, so can we stop?" Right on cue, Yako's stomach released a long growl. "See?"

"No. You can eat later, besides, hunger can be kept down for a while before it kills you."

"I'd rather be alive."

"Then keep it down." Neuro stopped in front of the building directly next to Yako's own apartment building and looked up to it. "Is that room on the top floor, the one with the window facing your father's workroom window, part of Shirota's apartment complex?"

Yako followed his line of sight and blinked. "Yeah, how'd you know?"

She was ignored as Neuro continued into the building, mumbling to himself, "3 meters from that balcony." Yako sighed and ran to catch up.

--x--x--x--x--x--x--

Mr. Shirota's reception to the two of them was less than warm. In fact, he even glared at Yako while Neuro jabbered on cheerfully.

"…and so, I hope you do not mind answering a few questions, Mr. Shirota! It would indeed be most beneficial to Miss Yako's case!" he concluded.

Shirota's reaction? A scoff. "How would anything I say help that little murderer? The jury will find her guilty no matter what I say."

Yako's face rose to a livid color. "Murderer! I didn't do anything to my father!" Yako spat vehemently, "How could you even think that!"

Shirota rolled his eyes. "Please, you say that now that you are practically free from any debts with all that money you inherited."

"I'll pay off my own debts with my own work, thank you," she said icily.

"With that appetite? Please, do try. Perhaps it'll do you some good to stop eating all those disgusting pieces of rot you call your cooking."

"If my father would rather eat it over your's, I say that mine tastes better then!"

"Please!" Shirota scoffed disdainfully, "The way you handle the food! It makes me sick."

"My way makes you sick?!" Yako pointed an accusing finger at Shirota, "Your food shouldn't even be eaten, must less called food!"

"Ooh! You kitchen is quite vast!" commented Neuro, who had wandered over as Yako and Shirota argued.

"Of course, I am a world-class chef, the kitchen, for me, must be among the best of the best," Shirota bragged. He thawed a little after that comment.

"And," Neuro turned with a satisfied look on his face, "What a nice view of the room Mr. Katsuragi was murdered in it has."

He froze right back up. "Whatever do you mean?"

"Simply this, the person who could have gotten in through the window and into that room most easily, was you, Mr. Shirota. It only a 3 meter distance from here to the balcony, a distance you could have easily crossed over if you jumped far enough."

Shirota narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "What are you getting at? The window was locked, wasn't it? That's what made her," he jabbed a finger at Yako, "The murderer."

"Not exactly," Neuro completely dropped his pleasant manner, "I have found a way that the real murderer could have made the window seem locked, and later really lock it once he or she returned. The reality is, Mr. Shirota, anyone could've gotten in through the window and murdered Mr. Katsuragi. If they returned later, before police investigations, to get rid of the trick, then there would be no suspicion of the room being anything but locked. Who could've had this opportunity? Why, there is Miss Yako, but also a neighbor, a few policemen," he turned and gave a taunting grin at Mr. Shirota, "And you!"

Color drained from Shirota's face. "You can't honestly—I didn't—I couldn't have…"

Neuro sat down lazily on a chair in Mr. Shirota's kitchen. "Perhaps you didn't. So, how about cooperating and just answer four simple questions." It wasn't a question, it was demand.

Shirota glared at the floor, as if it would actually do him some good. At last, "Fine."

Yako stared. Wow, he was good.

"So, what were you doing at the time before the murder took place?"

"I was sleeping."

"Really?"

"Yes, really."

"Alright then, next question. Did you see anyone suspicious?"

"Pfft, do you expect me to be in my kitchen, staring out the window, and watching somebody climb out of that room at 1 am in the morning?"

"Is that a no? So, why did you go over to Miss Yako's apartment if you didn't see anyone? She said you had gone over to check a few things."

"I heard noises, crashes, why else?"

Neuro made a skeptical face. "Fine. My last question," Neuro leaned forward, "Do you truly believe that Miss Yako is the murderer?"

Yako raised an eyebrow. What the heck did that have to do with anything?

Mr. Shirota stiffened. "Of course she is. There can be no other person."

"Is that so?" Neuro gave a knowing smirk, "Do you know what I think? I think that you want to believe that Miss Yako is the murderer, but you know that the truth is she didn't."

"I have now idea what you are talking about."

"Are you sure you don't?"

"I have answered your four questions, now get out." He pointed a finger at the door.

"It would be my pleasure," Yako said, already heading out the door.

--x--x--x--x--x--x--x--

"I just want to hit that guy! Calling me the murderer like that, as if he knew everything!" yelled Yako in frustration.

"I don't believe he told us everything he could have."

Yako wanted to ask why, but in the fear that Neuro would attack her again if she did, she held her tongue.

Neuro continued down the street, even after he passed Yako's apartment complex. "We are done for today. So, go ahead and go eat some of that garbage you call food."

"Jerk."

A/N: SUSPICIOUS! Or is it really?