Chapter 5 -But Aizawanna Be On the Case
National Police Agency Headquarters, Tokyo, 2015
Shuichi Aizawa sat back and massaged his eyes. He was tired. Dead tired.
The phone rang. Aizawa waited until Mogi had answered it. Then he opened his eyes.
Mogi put his hand over the receiver and leant. "It's L."
Aizawa snapped his fingers. Matsuda nodded and pulled a headset on, tossing Aizawa another. He pulled it over his head.
He turned back to Mogi and raised a thumb. Mogi took his hand from the receiver.
"Mogi speaking."
"This is L. I expect the others are there."
"We're here, L," Aizawa acknowledged. "What do you want?"
"You know what I want."
The voice sounded irritable. Aizawa sighed.
"Thirty-three dead. All heart-attacks," he said, slowly.
"All the same time of death," Matsuda added.
"Yes," Near said, quietly. "That."
"You think he's back?" Aizawa grunted.
"Of course he's back! It's Kira!" Matsuda yelled, waving his arms. Aizawa pouted.
"It is the only logical conclusion at this stage," L agreed. He sounded irritable again.
"What do you want the NPA to do?" Aizawa asked, carefully. Putting everything to Near. Again. Just when Aizawa had thought it was over. Just when he'd thought it was time to do some real policing.
"I don't want the NPA to do anything," L said, calmly. Aizawa clenched.
"What?" Matsuda demanded. "What did he say?"
"You can't be serious," Aizawa said, slowly, struggling to contain himself. This wasn't what he'd expected. This wasn't...he hadn't wanted to be dragged into the Kira case again, but...but this?
"I am serious," the distorted voice said, bluntly. "I don't want the NPA involved this time. I have everything under control."
"That's why you called us?" Matsuda yelled. Aizawa winced, and turned to throw a pen at him.
L's reply was brief. "Yes."
Aizawa hesitated. He didn't want to be dragged into the Kira case. Not again. He had family. Maybe this...he shook himself.
"Near, are you there?" he asked, quietly.
There was a silence. "L is here."
"Is L sure he has it under his control?" Aizawa intoned.
"Yes."
Aizawa sat back. "Then the NPA will not act."
Matsuda gaped. Aizawa looked into Mogi's eyes. The man raised an eyebrow, carefully.
"Thank-you."
The phone went dead. Aizawa tore the headset off. He turned his chair, thinking.
Matsuda gaped for a moment more. Aizawa knew what was coming.
"Don't," he said, definitely. "Mogi, where's Ide right now?"
Mogi looked blank. "Europe...London, I think. Diplomatic work."
"Tell him to get to Cardiff. That's where the deaths were centred."
Mogi hesitated, then nodded. He dialed the phone. Aizawa turned to Matsuda.
"Matsuda, you're going to take a vacation."
"What?" Matsuda burst. "I'm not being left..."
"You'll do as your told. Take a few weeks. I heard Britain was nice this time of year."
Matsuda gaped for a second, then grinned. He winked.
"Britain. Yes, Chief."
Aizawa nodded, interlocking his fingers into a bridge that he rested under his nose. Chief. Still didn't sound...deserved.
"Maybe you'll see Ide there. For that matter, tell Ide he's on vacation too."
Mogi nodded. He looked back to the phone.
Matsuda disappeared from the room. Aizawa closed his eyes again.
Chief. Damn, it still wasn't right. And what L had said...
Chief Shuichi Aizawa wasn't being left out of the Kira case. If anyone had earnt the right he had. His eyebrows furrowed, slightly.
Time to catch Kira. Again. This time without L's help.
Time to be a Chief.