Hi everyone! It's been a month since my last update, I'm sorry to keep you waiting. I hope that this chapter would prove to be worth your wait, though.^_^
R&R please.
~Ino Ishii
Ino put on the best fake smile she could manage, and while easing her right hand to her slide holster, she flashed her engagement ring to Sasori.
"Naruto and I are getting married." She added some excitement to her tone, as well, and she didn't totally have to fake that part. There was excitement racing through her all right, and it wasn't all related to that kiss Naruto had just laid on her. There was something downright spooky about the way Sasori was acting.
Was the man about to go psycho on them?
Naruto must have considered that as well because he too adjusted his position so it would be easier for him to het to his weapon.
"Congratulations are in order," Sasori finally said after a silence that was too long and too much uncomfortable. "Come this way, we'll celebrate." He continued.
Ino didn't relax yet. Hopefully, celebrating was all he had in mind. She stayed side by side with Naruto as they started down the hall toward the reception area.
"Say, wasn't that Dr. Tomoyama who just left your office?" Naruto asked, sounding remarkably casual.
There was nothing casual, however, about Sasori's response. From over his shoulder, he gave Naruto a chilly, "Yes."
Ino ignored the frosty tone since they needed more info from him that that solo affirmative.
"Wow. He's practically a local celebrity. I'm in therapy, you know. In fact, my therapist thinks I've gone off deep end by getting engaged to Naruto. But I know it's the right thing to do. That's why we don't want to wait." She paused only long enough to draw breath. "Wonder what Dr. Tomoyama would have to say about that?"
It was a weak attempt to get Sasori to open up. And an unsuccessful one. He didn't say a word about therapy or Tomoyama. But his silence told her loads. That shouting session with Tomoyama had upset him, no doubt about it, but he was keeping it inside for the most part. No fists through walls. No profanity. A still-waters-run-deep kind of person.
So how would a man like that kill?
Would he gun down happy brides and grooms because his own fiancée had crushed his hopes of having an equally happy life? If so, how could Naruto and she stop him from trying to kill again?
As those questions ran through her head, Sasori paused at one of the doors. Knocked once. And opened it. Kabuto was seated at a desk littered with computers and other equipment.
"We need champagne." Sasori advised him. "Meet us in reception."
Ino's gaze connected with Kabuto's. His disapproving gaze. She made a mental note not to sample the champagne in case he decided to poison it.
"Something tells me they've done this before," Naruto muttered to her as they watched Sasori assemble an impromptu celebration.
Their host motioned for the four other clients and the receptionist to join them. Which they eventually did. The clients put their questionnaires aside. Kabuto appeared with the champagne and a stack of plastic fluted glasses. Sasori popped the cork and began to pour.
"So a lot of your matched couples get engaged?" Naruto asked Sasori.
He lifted a shoulder. "Some."
Ino pressed for more. "I'll bet you keep press releases and such of your success stories."
"Not really." And with that, Sasori stepped away to pour more champagne.
"Okay, what's wrong with this picture?" she heard Naruto whisper. He slipped his arm around her and launched into a mock cuddling session so they could continue their discussion without being overheard.
"The clients," Ino immediately offered. "I was alone in here the day I did my questionnaire. How about you?"
"Me and one very old guy."
Theses people weren't old or even socially desperate-looking. They were young and practically buzzing with energy.
Ino bit off a groan. "They don't appear to be drunk or high so that probably means they read the article in the newspaper."
"Adrenaline junkies," Naruto added.
A moment later, one of the female clients confirmed their suspicion. Ino heard her talking almost breathlessly about the possible link to the sniper. "Isnt it exciting?" She heard the other girl say.
Great. Sickos. Just what they didn't need to blend with the rifle-firing sicko they already had. However, it did gave Ino something else to consider. The shootings had perhaps boosted business. A business that had recently been sagging. Sasori couldn't have been unhappy about that particular side effect, but was he smart enough, calculating enough, to have known it would happen?
Because Ino had her attention on the group, she didn't miss the nudge Kabuto gave his boss. Sasori turned, aiming his gaze in the direction of the reception doorway.
The still waters became a little turbulent.
Ino followed his narrowed gaze to a tall, attractive redhead. A woman she recognized because she'd studied her file and accompanying photos.
Hisagi Karin.
"I see her," Naruto whispered.
"Just the person we've been looking for."
From the look on Sasori's face, he didn't feel the same. He handed off the champagne bottle to Kabuto, and whispered something terse and then stormed straight for the woman. Fortunately, one of the other clients stopped him, but that diversion wouldn't last long. Ino could tell from the look in Sasori's eyes that one way or another, he intended to het Karin out of here.
"We'll intervene and talk to her," Naruto insisted.
"Something tells me she wont go for the 'let's-be-gal-pals' ploy. You need to put some moves on her before Sasori whisks her away," Ino suggested.
Naruto's eyebrow lifted. "Moves?"
She nodded. "Trust me, you've got some good ones."
Great ones, in fact. The kiss had proven that.
He didn't seem flattered. "I don't guess Karin will consider those moves bottom-feeding gestures since I just announced my engagement to you?"
"Let's hope not. You occupy her, and I'll take care of Sasori. Maybe I can put him in a more talkative mood and learn names of any recently engaged Perfect Match couples."
Naruto caught her arm when she tried to step away.
"Please tell me you're not going to rile him enough so he'll come after you."
Ino tried to look offended. "You think I'd do that?"
"Yeah, I do," he said without hesitation.
If it wouldn't have blown the lovebird façade, she would have scowled at him.
"Are you saying divide and conquer is not a good idea?"
Several muscles stirred in his jaw, a definite sign he agreed with her plan but probably wouldn't approve of her methods.
"You've got ten minutes max," he finally said. "Get everything you can from him. I'll do the same to Karin. Just don't shake things too much, okay?"
This time, it was Ino who stopped.
"I'll say the same to you. Karin's the one with a hostile history, not Sasori."
In fact, this divide and conquer investigative approach suddenly didn't seem like a good idea. Even more, Ino didn't want to explore why it occurred to her that it wasn't good.
Shit.
She was worried about Naruto.
A man who could clearly take care of himself.
"Are you about to quote regulations about approaching a potentially violent suspect without proper back up?" Naruto asked.
"You wish."
He stared at her several long seconds, and cursed.
"It's about that kiss?"
She nodded. "Probably."
But when she repeated that to herself, it didn't seem so much like a probably as a definitely.
Praying she was wrong, Ino turned to head Sasori off at the pass.
Naruto made it to Karin before Sasori did. Thanks to Ino. She latched on to Sasori and somehow brought him to a stop. Who knows what she was saying to him, but she seemed to have captured his attention.
Karin offered him a tentative smile when Naruto approached her. The smile vanished when she glanced in Ino and Sasori's directions.
"Namikaze Minato." He extended his hand, and she shook it. Not a delicate grip, either. She could probably hold her own in an arm wrestling competition.
"Hisagi Karin." She slid her gaze over him and up. "I haven't seen you here before."
It was almost certainly a lie. She'd been watching the place the night of the icebreaker.
She moved slightly to the side, probably so she could keep her eye on Sasori. He did the same, angling his body so he could watch Ino. Since she was the only platinum blonde in the room, she made a great visual target. The skirt helped, too. She had the best pair of legs in the room.
Maybe the world.
And maybe he was still recovering from the effects of that kiss, because everything about her suddenly seemed damn incredible. Thankfully, she'd probably do something to rile him before the night was over. That would get his mind back to where it belonged.
"So you know everyone here?" Naruto ased Karin. Not exactly chitchat, either. It was an opening to bring the subject around to Sasori, the man who was glancing in her direction as much as she was glancing in his.
"No. Just Kabuto and Sasori."
Naruto skipped right past the Kabuto part and went for the jugular. "Sasori's a friend of yours?"
She gave an unnecessary adjustment to her gold hoop earring. "Something like that."
In other words, 'nothing like that'. She was either Sasori's former, present or even wannabe lover. With the way she kept eyeing Ino, it was highly likely that it wasn't the latter.
Interesting.
"How about you?" she asked. "Are you a new client, or are you with someone?"
"I'm with my fiancée, Ino." He pointed to Ino but made sure he only showed minimal interest in the woman whom he'd supposedly asked to be his wife.
"Old flames reunited thanks to Perfect Match. Things happened pretty fast between us."
And he let Karin fill in the blanks. Maybe she'd think he was having second thoughts. Or maybe she'd just think he was a bottom-feeder. Either way, she didn't seem turned off with the idea of an engaged man chatting her up. But then, maybe she was trying to make Sasori jealous. Or something.
There were a lot of dynamics going on in the room, and not all of them were limited to Sasori and Karin. Some of them were obviously happening between Ino and him.
Since Naruto could feel his self-imposed time limit ticking away, he took a pen from the receptionist's desk and passed it to Karin. He discreetly put out his hand, palm up.
"In case things don't work out with Sasori, or Ino, why don't you give me a number where I can reach you? I'd like to give you a call sometime."
That got Karin's attention. Man, did it. She gave him several more once-overs, not exactly carnal ones, either.
There was some disgust. Some loathing. Even a hot flash of anger in her eyes. That's why it surprised Naruto when she scribbled some numbers on his hand.
That was it. No sultry invitations, no warm goodbyes. No explanations as to why she'd give a man her number when she obviously disliked him.
"If you'll excuse me, I need to speak with Sasori." Karin tossed the pen back on the desk and stepped away.
Sasori moved toward the redhead at the same time he left Ino and walked toward her. Sasori said something. Something harsh, judging from the way she reacted. She looked as if the man had slapped her. Then, she angled her eyes in Ino and Naruto's direction. Sasori's gaze followed.
Oh, yeah.
Sasori was definitely suspicious of them, and their latest round of unofficial questioning had probably made it worse.
Karin gave Sasori a not-so-friendly-glower, turned on her heel and headed for the door. Sasori aimed a similar facial expression at them and went in the opposite direction toward his office.
"Should we follow one of them?" Ino asked in a whisper.
"Not with that camera looming over us, We've already peaked their interest too much for one night. Way too much. Did you learn anything new?"
"No. he's not as flirtatious or chatty as Kabuto." Ino glanced around the room. "Speaking of the devil, where is he?"
"He left not long after you started talking to Sasori."
She made a sound to indicate she didn't care for that. Neither did Naruto.
"Maybe we should follow him instead?" she suggested.
"He went in the same direction as Sasori. Besides, we have this." Making sure he was out of the camera angle, Naruto flashed the number that Karin had given him.
She blinked. "You got her number that fast?"
"Maybe. It could be a fake."
"Yeah, right. It's not a fake."
Naruto wasnt sure if he should be complimented by that, but unfortunately it felt like a compliment.
"So what's the deal between Sasori and her?" Ino asked. "Are they involved?"
"That'd be my guess. It's also my guess that one or both isn't too happy about that."
"Sasori, maybe. It might explain why he had the guard here the night of the icebreaker. Maybe he wanted to keep her away from the place."
"It's possible. Sasori certainly wasn't happy to see her. I'll call her tomorrow and see if I can arrange to meet her somewhere."
"With proper back up, correct?" Ino whispered.
Since it didn't sound remotely sarcastic, he stared at her. "Why this sudden fixation with back up?"
She dismissed it with a wave of her hand. "I don't know. There's this little buzz in the back of my head. It's making me antsy."
"Then obviously it's a good time for us to get out of here. We'll come back tomorrow and invite them to the wedding."
After he called Karin, of course. If he got lucky, that number would be real so he could continue their discussion.
They went out the door. Not alone, either. Two other clients were right behind them, and the woman was still chattering about Perfect Match's possible connection to the sniper. If the sniper had indeed been inside that reception room and heard her, it would have no doubt made him or her nervous.
Or maybe not.
Maybe that's exactly what the nutcase wanted.
Publicity. Recognition. A moment in the spotlight, even if that moment meant people dying.
All four of them headed toward the parking lot. Unlike the night of the mixer, Naruto hadn't managed to get a decent parking spot. They were almost a full block away.
In the dark.
"So did you learn anything new when you talked to Karin?" Ino whispered, presumably so that the couple behind them wouldn't hear.
"Like maybe, how many eyelashes she had? You probably had a chance to count them when she was fluttering them at you."
Naruto geared up to give her a smart-ass comeback, if it not for the glint of movement he saw. The glint he caught out of the corner of his eye.
But it was too late.
The shot rang out before he could get Ino out of the way.