As Kim Kitsuragi drove his Coupris Kineema back to Precinct 57, he reflected on his past few days in Martinaise. He had not expected an easy ride, but he did not find himself as eager to return home as he expected. The smell from the corpse that accompanied him in the back of the motor carriage was less than pleasant, but it had to be done.
It first appeared to be an open-and-shut case. A stranger causing trouble in town, harassing their women, killed by the status quo. The Hardie Boys had admitted to it, all of them, collectively. The simple way of solving this case would be to pin it on one of them, perhaps their ringleader. It would not be wrong, but it wouldn't feel very right either.
His partner from Precinct 41 wasn't satisfied with that solution. Kim had seen unorthodox detective work before, but Harry Du Bois (assuming that was his real name) was something else. Kim found himself smiling. Alone with the corpse he didn't need to keep up his act of dispassionate professionalism, although Harry had already caused him to drop the act. Several times in fact. It was easy to get swept up in Harry's wake. It was difficult to believe a person like him existed in the real world. Kim felt like he had stepped into a Dick Mullen novel.
He had expected his time in Martinaise to be a grim and difficult trudge, but he actually found that he was relieved when they discovered further complications to the case that meant they would need to stay in town longer. Kim had let Harry take the lead, believing that would be the best way to foster inter-precinct relations, but that meant wasting time as Harry got sidetracked talking to people about all manner of unrelated things and poking around in the most bizarre of places. Not to mention his long tangents about the nature of reality, politics, history, and whatever bits of his memory seemed to come back to him at the time. Kim's direct reports were fond of complaining to him about their problems and that became tiresome, but Harry seemed interested not only in asking what Kim thought about things, but in his answers too. It was refreshing. He realised he probably shouldn't, but Kim found himself actually enjoying working with Harry Du Bois.
Because it had taken so long for them to actually get the corpse down from the tree and carry out the post-mortem, Kim was keen to get it back to the station before further decomposition could take place. But Harry had insisted on a further examination. Ignoring Kim's other suggestions, Harry had asked the scruffy kid who seemed to live in the yard where they could find a refrigerator. Kim would have preferred to avoid Cuno and his twin or adoring fan, whichever she was. Listening to them hurl slurs and insults at them as they examined the crime scene was quite enough for him. But Harry somehow got an answer out of the boy, whose words seemed to grow a little less barbed, insults a little less vicious. The unorthodox method was working for him. And time was of the essence, so Kim had to commend him for that.
Getting the corpse down to the allegedly-cursed basement of the bookstore was one thing, watching Harry push his whole hand into the corpse's mouth was quite another. It was not something Kim would have contemplated doing himself, even while wearing gloves. But Harry came out with a bullet, evidence that the case was far from solved. Did he possess some sort of extraordinary insight, or did he just do whatever came into his head and get lucky?
Oh no, Kim was smiling again. He would have to get this out of his system on the drive. His coworkers back at Precinct 57 would probably not notice, but Harry would immediately, and start asking all-too-personal questions of him in that disarming way of his.
But Kim couldn't help it. Something about Harry filled him with hope and optimism. It would be wrong to call Harry a ray of sunshine. He was more like a flare in the night, singular, vibrant and defiant. There was a great darkness within him, but he had an indomitable spirit and refused to let that darkness consume him. And that was more admirable than if there had been no darkness in him at all.
Kim should have been thinking about the things he had to do when he got back to the station. Sign the corpse over for processing. See how things were going while he was away, quickly deal with any urgent matters. Then go home and have a proper wash in a clean bathroom, then half a night's sleep in his own bed and drive back to Martinaise in the early hours.
In his mind he was already on the drive back, ready to meet Harry for another day of investigation. Had they met almost any other way…
No, he couldn't let himself think like that. That road only led to disappointment if he was lucky, disgrace and doom if he wasn't.
But was there ever a good way for a detective to meet someone? Although, most of his coworkers seemed to have managed it. But it was far easier for them, wasn't it?
Part of Kim was annoyed that he had let himself be so charmed by someone he had just met. He had been expecting nothing but trouble, and he supposed that was what he had got, but not in the way he had been expecting.
In their investigations they had encountered the usual people who had looked straight through Kim, or made their bigoted views towards him or others perfectly clear. Harry didn't seem to agree with the popular prejudices of the day, which was another tick in his column, but that was not to say he would be open minded to every way in which a person might be different. Kim wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer to that particular question.
No, he should just try his best to quietly enjoy his time working with Harry. They were just two detectives from rival precincts. Oh no, now that sounded like what would be written on the back of some sordid paperback. Just drive, Kim.
Kim walked into Precinct 57 to nods and grunts. Nobody shot finger guns at him or asked his opinion on a succession of esoteric subjects. The office was as mundane as he had left it. He spoke to processing about the corpse, and oversaw its removal from his vehicle. Then he spent some time cleaning and deodorising the Coupris. The smell hardly bothered him, but it would sink into the fabric of the seats and his clothes and only a small subset of people wanted to speak to a detective who smelled like a cadaver.
When he was done with cleaning, he returned to the office. He spoke to one of his deputies, who had nothing of note to report, and seemed more interested in digging for info about the case in Martinaise. Kim kept his answers carefully vague and boring. His other deputy was out, so Kim sat down at his desk to attempt to make a dent in the top layer of messages, memos and other correspondence that covered it.
"There has been a report of an officer down in the plaza area at Martinaise," one of the girls on the switchboard called from the other side of the room.
There was a rumble of conversation between the other officers, but unusually nobody volunteered to attend to the matter.
Kim stood up from his desk. "I'll go," he said. "I was heading back to Martinaise anyway."
Kim's deputy popped his head up from his own desk. "Mighta known the guy from 41 couldn't cope on his own, eh lieutenant?"
"It could be any officer passing through," Kim said, but his gut told him it was Harry.
Kim Kitsuragi did not, as a rule, speed. But now he was driving towards Martinaise a little above the speed limit. He did not expect to be stopped, but he imagined the thrill of being pulled over and waving off the officer with "important RCM business".
He wondered what had happened to Harry. The man was chaos personified, so it was difficult to guess. Kim had seen Harry swig alcohol and pop pills as they worked, seemingly with no ill effects. If left to his own devices, perhaps he didn't know when to stop. Perhaps it was as simple as that. But in reality, anything might have happened to an RCM officer alone on the streets of Martinaise.
Fear crept into Kim's mind. He pictured the faces of the nastier residents, and wondered if Harry had had a run-in with one of them. Kim sighed. He had advised Harry to be careful.
Kim put his foot down. Now he could no longer pretend he had slipped over the speed limit by accident. This wasn't anywhere near the Coupris Kineema's top speed, but it was the fastest speed that he had ever pushed it to. It was exhilarating to zoom past the other vehicles on the road.
As he rolled the Coupris toward the spot by the Whirling-in-Rags where he had parked before, he saw Siileng hurrying over to him, waving his arms.
"Detective, detective! Over here!" the man called amiably.
Kim got out of the motor carriage and followed Siileng to where he had propped up Harry against one of his crates of dubious goods.
"I don't know what to tell you, detective. I heard some wailing and shouting and I went to look and found him on the ground," Siileng said as Kim knelt down beside Harry. "I found this too." Kim looked up briefly to see Siileng wave Harry's blue clipboard in his face.
"Yes, thank you," Kim said, and turned his attention back to the other detective.
Harry was barely conscious, making only a feeble attempt to open his eyes when Kim patted his shoulders and called out to him. Kim took his hand, which felt abnormally warm and dry considering the weather. He pinched the skin on the back of Harry's hand and that confirmed it.
"He's just dehydrated," Kim said.
"Ahh, I have just the thing for you! Premium brand bottled water, special price just for you!"
"How much?"
"Just two reál, usual price is three."
Kim put his hand in his pocket. That was expensive, but his other option was to leave Harry and get something from the hostel.
"Excellent doing business with you, sir!" Siileng said, handing a bottle of water over as he accepted the money.
Kim tucked Harry's clipboard and the bottle of water into his jacket and zipped it up, then tried to assess the best way to move Harry. It was starting to rain, and he would rather not let any of the other residents see Harry like this.
"Wait," Siileng called as Kim took hold of Harry under the arms, and Kim thought he was going to offer to help. "As you are here would you like to take a look at my other items? I will do special deal!"
"Maybe later, Siileng," Kim said. "Thank you for your help, the RCM is indebted to you."
"Ah, you are very welcome, detective! Please don't forget where I am if you are ever in need of superb quality items!"
Kim braced himself and used all of his strength to haul Harry up. He was a dead weight, and his eyes had fallen shut again. Kim took a step backwards, and then another, slowly dragging Harry back to the motor carriage. He soon found himself out of breath, but he forced himself to continue. If he stopped, he'd never get going again.
When he finally made it back to the motor carriage, it occurred to him that he would need to open the door. He put Harry down as carefully as he could, but he slumped against the wheel. Kim took a deep breath. He felt lightheaded. Bending over and putting his hands on his knees, he took a few more breaths.
Harry was mumbling something to himself and his eyes moved behind closed lids. Kim remembered the water and took the bottle from under his jacket. Opening Harry's mouth was disturbingly similar to manipulating a corpse, but at least he was warm. Half of the water Kim tried to give to him slopped down his shirt, but it was better than nothing.
The rain was coming down heavier now. Kim needed to get Harry into the motor carriage. He opened the door, and assessed the situation. Taking a few deep breaths first, he lifted Harry to his feet and wedged him into the motor carriage, shoving him inside until he was lying across both seats.
Kim leaned on the doorframe of the Coupris. "Never make me do that again," he said breathlessly to an unresponsive Harry.
Squeezing into the motor carriage with him, Kim tilted Harry's head forward and gave him some more water.
Harry coughed, splattering Kim with water. But his eyes were open, and he looked more lucid than before. His brow creased as if he was having difficulty comprehending what was going on.
"Detective?" Kim said, deliberately softening his voice. "Don't try to get up. You collapsed, but everything is okay."
"Huh? Kim?" He frowned and blinked, eventually managing to focus on his partner. The redness of his eyes made them look more green than usual.
"Yes, it's me."
"What happened?"
"I responded to a report of an officer down in Martinaise. I suspected it would be you."
Harry smiled, but then dropped it. "Thought you were meant to be…" he waved a hand and attempted to click his fingers, evidently unable to articulate the rest of that sentence.
"Yes. I had to change my plans and come back."
"You got here quick," Harry said, without any evidence that was the case. "Did you… speed?"
"Of course not," Kim said, but his smirk betrayed him.
Harry pointed at him. "Badass," he said in an awed whisper.
Kim felt an odd flutter of pride in his chest. He suddenly felt conscious of being inappropriately close to Harry, as he was leaning over him in the motor carriage, holding himself up with one hand on the seat. He felt a flush of heat overcome him and edged backward out of the vehicle and stood up, rubbing his aching back.
"So tell me detective, what happened to you?" Kim asked, grateful for the cold splashes of rain cooling down the heat in his face.
Harry tried to sit up, hit his head on the roof of the Coupris, and resolved to lay back down again. "Uhh, dunno."
Kim felt the clipboard shift under his jacket, and he took it out and handed it to Harry. "You dropped this."
Harry took the clipboard and looked at it, his mouth forming an O. He clutched it to his chest and stroked its front page, closing his eyes. "It's warm."
"Hmm," Kim said, trying to pretend he was not affected by this. "Are you sure you don't remember anything? Siileng heard you 'wailing and shouting'."
Harry's eyes flew open. He seemed to consider saying something else, but then said, "I haven't been drinking enough water lately. That's it."
"Okay," Kim said, blinking as rain ran into his eyes. "As I am back here, I will tag along with you for the rest of the day if you don't mind."
"Oh. Yeah, 'course not," Harry said. "Was getting lonely on my own."
Kim's heart jolted at Harry's expression of sentiment, and he quickly told himself it was probably nothing to do with him personally, and everything to do with his partner being an irrepressible extrovert. "Has that got anything to do with your collapse?"
Harry didn't answer straight away. "No. Don't think so."
"Well, when you are ready, detective. The rain is really starting to come down, we should get moving."
Harry managed to get himself up to a seat inside the motor carriage. "I think I'll just sit here for a minute," he said, and patted the seat beside him.
Kim paused, but then climbed into the Coupris. He took off his waterlogged spectacles and dried them on his shirt as Harry drank the rest of the water. "Please try to stay hydrated from now on. Alcohol alone is not good enough."
"Yeah, point taken," Harry said. "Thanks. For coming for me. I mean it."
"That's what partners do," Kim said, putting his spectacles back on.
"Oh come on Kim, don't be modest. You're a real one."
"A real what?"
"It's… just a saying. It means you're one of the good guys."
"Oh. Thanks."
"I don't know what I did to deserve you, but I'm glad of it."
"It's the least I can do."
"I didn't interrupt your business at your precinct, did I?"
Kim shook his head. "Nothing happening there other than the usual. I was going to go home and sleep in my own bed tonight, but that does not matter now."
Harry's face fell. "Oh. I'm sorry. I'm such an idiot. I thought it'd be safe enough to look at my clipboard."
Kim frowned. "Did you... trip and fall?"
"Not exactly." And suddenly Harry had his head in his hands. The rain beat down, making a rhythm on the roof of the Coupris.
Harry was running his hands over the clipboard. He stopped abruptly and held it tightly as if traumatic memories were contained within. "No. I can't look again. I won't."
"It's all right. You don't need to tell me."
"Why does it hurt so much? Everything I remember about my past, it hurts so much. I can't bear it. Maybe there's a reason I forgot?"
"Maybe," Kim said. "But you can't run from your past forever. It is a part of you."
"Yeah? Well maybe I don't wanna know who I am. Maybe I want to reinvent myself, be someone else. Be someone people actually like."
"We all have that thought from time to time."
"You do too? Why?"
"I simply meant that it is a common sentiment."
"Damn. Thought you were about to let me in on some new Kim lore."
Kim looked at Harry over his glasses, it was easier to lie when he couldn't see properly. "I am afraid I'm really not that interesting," he said.
"And that's exactly what the most interesting man in the world would say."
Kim allowed himself a small smile. "Well, I don't like to brag."
Harry grinned. Kim loved when he did that. The lines on his face deepened, it made him look older but it suited him. Despite everything, he was still alive, still kicking. Harry Du Bois stood in defiance of all that had tried to destroy him, including himself.
"So what's so terrible about you that you want to run away from it?"
Harry's question caught Kim off guard. His breath caught in his throat. "This is not about me."
"So you don't want to take the focus off my misery?"
"By concentrating on mine?"
"So you admit there is something."
Damn! If Kim managed to make it out of this conversation unscathed, he would have to ask Harry to teach him his negotiation techniques. Kim took a breath and thought carefully before he spoke. "No. Not really. I am quite satisfied with my life in most respects."
"But not all?"
Kim shrugged. "Who is?"
"Not me, it seems. I was so fucking miserable I tried to forget everything."
"So that is what happened to you? You did it to yourself, deliberately?"
"I don't know. Just a theory I'm working on."
"Detective, you don't strike me as someone who is entirely fucking miserable."
Harry's eyes darted around, before settling back on Kim's face. "Kim, is it wrong to have fun investigating a murder?"
Kim pretended to cough to hide his smile. He glanced at Harry from the corner of his eye. "If it is, then I am in the wrong also."
Harry breathed a sigh of relief. "Maybe this is why I became a detective?" he wondered aloud. "I'm learning all kinds of fascinating things." He tapped his head. "In here, it's a nightmare, but out there…" He spread his arms wide, and Kim shrank back to avoid being hit in the face. "Sorry. Out there, the world is a beautiful place."
Kim felt a swell of emotion that made it hard to breathe for a moment. "You have no idea how happy I am to know someone else feels that way. It's not perfect, but it's worth defending."
"Yes! Yes! Maybe that's what life is all about. Is that what life's all about, Kim?"
"Who can say?"
Kim inhaled sharply as Harry slipped an arm around his shoulders, and his knee bumped against his carelessly. "Let's solve this murder, then we'll fix the rest of the world's problems."
"That sounds overly ambitious," Kim said, working hard to keep his voice calm and level.
"That's what they said to all the mavericks of this world… I imagine. Come on Kim, I thought you were with me in this dream."
Harry was saying let's fix the world's problems together. He was saying he wanted to fix the world. He was saying he wanted to be together. Kim wasn't sure which was crazier. Harry always found a way of surpassing his expectations.
"Fine, let's do it."
"Hell yeah!" Harry said, pumping his other fist in the air, coming perilously close to the Coupris's roof.
Kim turned to him. They were very close now. Harry's eyes sparkled, full of passion and joie de vivre. Kim's attraction to him was becoming unbearable. It was rarely safe to discuss these things in the open, so Kim had always relied on his intuition. And right now his intuition was telling him to go for it. This was too soon, but who knew how long it would be until they were separated forever? Letting his eyes fall shut, he tilted his head and kissed Harry.
"Huh?" Kim felt Harry's whole body tense up and Kim knew he had messed up.
"Sorry!" Kim said, pushing himself as far away from Harry as he could, leaning against the door of the motor carriage. "I meant it in a friendly way," he attempted in desperation. He was sweating and his face felt like it was burning red, so he didn't expect Harry to believe him. But maybe he'd pretend to, if only so they could bear to be together to drag themselves through the rest of the murder investigation.
Harry didn't say anything. There was a strange look on his face, like confusion mixed with sadness. He held his arms out, and despite this invitation, Kim wasn't sure if he dared. Harry gave him a tight, unsure smile that was so unlike him, and nodded in encouragement. Kim hesitantly shuffled over to him and Harry's arms snapped around him like a carnivorous plant.
Kim buried his face in Harry's chest and wrapped his own arms around him, twisting his hands into Harry's damp jacket. Harry was warm and soft and his tight embrace was reassuring. Kim didn't remember the last time he had cried, but the rollercoaster of emotions had him on the verge.
"New Kim lore unlocked," Harry whispered in his ear.
Kim sniggered. "Harry, you're ridiculous." He looked up to see Harry smiling too.
Harry reached up to stroke the back of Kim's head, trailing his fingers down to curl around the back of his neck. Kim shivered. Harry was leaning towards him. He stopped suddenly.
"Wait. You were lying when you said you were just being friendly, weren't you?"
"Putain de merde! Yes!"
Harry cringed but laughed at the same time. "Sorry, just wanted to be sure!"
Kim took Harry's face in his hands and kissed him again, not holding back this time. Harry kissed him back enthusiastically, but like someone who wasn't sure what he was doing. Another casualty of his faulty memory. But Kim was so thrilled to be kissing Harry that it didn't matter. Harry tasted of alcohol as much as he smelled of it. Kim suspected he must have spilled some on his jacket at one point and not washed it since. It had become a familiar smell that he associated with Harry, not bad, just a part of him. Everything about Harry became arcane, transcendent. And then Kim realised that Harry's 'Kim lore' was not as silly as he first thought. It was an expression of affection. Harry wanted to know everything about him.
Somehow Kim had found himself on Harry's lap, and felt his hair brush the roof of the motor carriage. He kissed Harry once more and then placed his hands on his shoulders, leaning away from him, afraid of how fast this was going. "We should continue this later," he said.
"Yeah," Harry breathed. "To be honest my mouth is really dry."
"This is why you need to drink more water."
"Oh, so this is the real reason you want me to drink water," Harry said, trying to keep hold of Kim as he climbed off his lap and returned to his own seat. This resulted in him falling over sideways and leaning on Kim.
Kim shook his head. "Of course I would not say it for your own good."
"Never."
Kim removed Harry's hands from around his waist and kissed them before letting go of them.
Harry took his weight off Kim and sat up properly in his seat. "Why did you freak out back then?"
"Freak out?" Kim repeated, clutching his hands together in his lap. He knew what Harry was referring to but he was stalling because he didn't know how to answer.
"Yeah, it looked like you were… scared of me. You didn't think I'd hurt you, did you?"
Kim looked down at his hands, not wanting to see the horrified look on Harry's face. "No. I don't know. Violence towards people like me is common and considered socially acceptable in many circles."
"I wouldn't. I'd never hurt you."
Kim glanced up at him. "No."
"And no-one else will hurt you while I'm around."
"I can look after myself," Kim said reflexively.
"Yeah. 'Course you can. I meant we'll look out for each other."
Kim smiled and nodded. He laid a hand on Harry's arm, squeezing gently and rubbing his thumb against the material of his jacket. "I thought I had made a mistake. It was arrogant of me to assume you would be receptive to my advances."
"Oh no, no, no. Kim, you're incredible. Anyone would be so lucky for you to even look in their direction."
Kim closed his eyes and shook his head. "You flatter me too much."
Harry took hold of Kim's hand. "It's not flattery, it's the truth. You've done so much to support me and help me understand what's going on. Holy shit, you've been so patient with me. You're smart and funny and kind, not to mention really really cool."
"Oh, stop," Kim said, but he couldn't stop the smile from spreading on his face.
Harry's forehead crinkled and he got that far away look in his eyes. "I'm surprised you think I'm good enough for you."
Kim squeezed Harry's hand. "Let me be the judge of that."
"I'll work on being a better man. Tell me what I need to do to be good enough for you."
Harry leaned over and kissed Kim on the cheek, making Kim shiver as his moustache brushed against his skin. Kim closed his eyes and let out a sigh. "Just be yourself," he said.
"That's what's got me in this mess."
"I don't know, you seem to be doing pretty well from my perspective, considering everything. But I may be biased."
"You really think so?"
"Are you forgetting the breaks you have made in the case already? And the fact that you have quickly become my favourite person."
"Your favourite?" Harry's cheeks were suddenly redder than normal.
Kim smiled. "You really think I would take such a risk if that wasn't the case?"
"You're my favourite too, Kim."
Kim's heart leapt. He stroked his fingers over the back of Harry's hand. "Do something for me?"
"Anything."
"Try to look after yourself better."
"I might need some help with that. I don't have the best track record."
Kim leaned his body against Harry. "I'll be here to remind you of your good qualities. And to drink water," he said, leaning his head against Harry's too.
Harry leaned back against Kim. "Thanks."
"We must not forget, we have a murder to solve," Kim said. He didn't really want this to end, but there was always the chance that a passerby might look in the motor carriage's window and that could make things so much harder for them.
"Oh yeah, that. We can multi-task."
Kim smiled. It was going to be a challenge not to gaze at Harry adoringly as they interviewed suspects. He consoled himself with the fact that there were many alleys and secluded areas in Martinaise where they could hide and steal a quick kiss.