By the time Sei and Amy got to the pier, RAPT and the NPA had cordoned off the area, uniformed cops from both agencies controlling access to the area while forensics experts combed the scene for clues. Sei could tell from their body language and snippets of conversation that they were coming up with nothing.

As Sei read the writing on the container, Jo sidled up to her and whispered, "All right, Sei, what the hell is going on?"

"Your guess is as good as mine, Jo."

"This thing isn't coming after *us,* Sei. It's coming after *you,* and we're going to be caught in the crossfire-"

"Jo-" Sei looked around and then lowered her voice. "I swear to you, I don't know what is going on or why this thing has fixated on me. If I did know, there would be no risk to you and the others because I would deal with it personally." She looked past Jo and saw two unmarked police cars coming though cordon; she recognized one of them as Suzuki and Bando's cruiser. "Oh, boy," Sei muttered. "Here we go…"

The other car was driven by Suzuki and Bando's commanding officer, a Captain Daizo Kobayashi. After he introduced himself to Sei, he said, "Given your history with one of my detectives, I have decided to take a personal interest in this case, to avoid any missteps. My only interest is in bringing a perpetrator to justice, regardless of who the victim is."

"Captain. I appreciated your professionalism. My employees and I will cooperate as much as we can without divulging proprietary information."

"As long as that doesn't compromise my investigation."

"Of course."

They walked a few steps closer to the containers.

Kobayshi said, "'Sei loves little boys.' First question: Is there any truth to that?"

"No, of course not."

"Why would someone say this about you?"

"No idea. Who are you investigating again, Captain?"

"Merely doing my job, ma'am. So do you think this thing is trying to…soil your good name?"

"It's trying to gain my notice. Fine. I've noticed. The best way to play a game like this is not to overreact."

"And you have no idea who is behind this."

"No."

"Yet it seems very…personal. Do you have any enemies who would do something like this?"

"No one who would stoop this low. And all of them would no better."

"Yet you say this thing has been after you for weeks, Sei?"

"Yes, Captain."

"Then you have a stalker." He turned to Suzuki and Bando. "Detectives. Take the girls' witness statements."

"Witness?" Suzuki stammered. "We're treating *her* as the victim?"

Sei said, "And I am not inclined to let the police do more than they have already. I can handle this."

Kobayshi said, "Detective Suzuki, we do not have the luxury of determining who does and does not deserve our assistance. This woman has a stalker, and that puts this case under our purview. If you can not do your job, I will assign this case to someone who will. Understood?"

Suzuki nodded. "Captain."

Kobayshi turned to Sei. "And as for you. I don't like you anymore than my detective does, and if I could run you out of Tokyo, I would do it in a heartbeat. But I have seen firsthand how devastating stalking can be. No one deserves that, no one. I am sure your … computer expert will tell you that so far this year in Tokyo alone, 18 women have been murdered by stalkers. No matter how much distaste I have for you personally, I will not have you become a statistic, not on my watch."

"I am no ordinary woman."

"You appear to have no ordinary stalker."

Sei relented. "No proprietary information."

"As agreed."

As the girls gathered with Suzuki and Bando, Kobayshi turned back to the containers and muttered, "And so the trip down the rabbit hole begins."