DISCLAIMER: Woot! I recently claimed ownership of InuYasha and all its characters...Then I lost the papers. So now I'm InuYasha-less. Boo hoo.
The Twisted Hands of Fate:
Chapter 3
"As you can see, his fingers are twisted backwards at an unnatural angle; this indicates that he was tortured before he died. I have also concluded that the wounds on his face and body are all pre-mortem." Dr. Taisho glanced at Kagome through the corner of his eye before turning back to the body. "He was probably in a lot of pain." Sango and Miroku were staring at the body, their faces pale and their lips both drawn into thin lines. Dr. Taisho's voice, however, was cool and professional as he blew through his report, and the stunning amber eyes that now looked down at the brutalized victim on the table showed no sign of any horror, nor pity or remorse. Kagome felt a surge of anger at his cool, unfazed attitude, but swallowed it as soon as he began again. "By the look of his body, he was killed roughly a week ago, so his neighbor found him three days after he was murdered. The police scanned the crime scene and took pictures, which I now have in my possession. We are free to visit the crime scene at any time we wish. Now, they say that they have not found anything to indicate who the killer is, but we all know that they don't know where to look." This gained an amused snicker from Miroku, and Sango pinched him lightly and glared solemnly at him, reminding him to act professionally. "Tomorrow, we are all taking a visit to Mr. Nishimura's mother for some questions. Everyone should clear their schedules accordingly." No one objected, so Dr. Taisho went on. "Very good. I will hand out to everyone copies of the pictures from the crime scene. You can take them home and inspect them, but I suggest you don't show them to anyone else. This is an investigation, so I trust you will all act that way." He locked eyes with Miroku, who shuffled his feet and kept his gaze leveled at the ground. Dr. Taisho strolled to his desk, rummaged in his pocket for a minute, held up a shiny silver key, and unlocked the top drawer before delicately fingering the pictures. He handed them out to each of his partners, and Kagome quickly shoved them in her pocket- she wasn't ready to look at them now. "You may all go." He dismissed them with a wave and turned back to his desk, his hair shifting softly as he moved. Kagome stayed behind and watched the retreating forms of Sango and Miroku before she spoke.
"Dr. Taisho?" He cocked his head to indicate that he was listening and grunted. "How long have you been working in this field?" He peered up at her through black, rectangular glasses.
"Twenty five years." He replied shortly, obviously not grateful that Kagome was asking questions that were even remotely personal. Kagome nodded exaggeratedly, as if he had answered a very important question.
"Do you normally act so coldhearted around brutally murdered patients?" She hadn't really meant to say it, but it had really irked her that he had shown no emotion to the body as he had given the report. He straightened as she said this, and pinned her with a stare that sent shivers down her spine, as if he were examining her soul. For some reason, she worried if he disliked what he saw there.
"Do you normally faint at the sight of every victim, Higurashi-san?" He retorted smoothly as he flicked a strand of hair from his shoulder. Kagome bristled at his tone, though she knew she was being overly-defensive.
"No, but I don't act like an emotionless fish who feels not even a speck of remorse, either." Her voice shook with rage and her teeth clenched and unclenched unconsciously as she spoke.
"What I feel when I am examining a patient is none of your business. I would very much appreciate it if you would leave." Kagome could hear the tense curtness in his deep tenor, and knew she had said too much and pressed too far.
"I-I'm sorry, Dr. Taisho. I meant no offense. I suppose I'm just shaky and caught a little off guard right now. Gomen nasai." She bowed lowly before meeting his eyes. They were cold and distant, as if his mind were in a different world.
"I will see you tomorrow at his mother's house. Eleven o'clock on the dot, Higurashi-san." He didn't accept her apology, but his voice was minutely softer than before. Kagome nodded and said goodbye before shambling out of the hospital and into her car.
She had a little background check to do on Dr. Sesshoumaru Taisho.