nearly three months go by and i finally update please forgive me! stay tuned to the author's note at the end! enjoy!
Chapter 5-Interviews
October Day 3, 5:23 P.M.
Mai's eyes watered in the middle of the page she was reading. She had been at the library for hours now, neck deep in useless information. She almost regretted insisting on disobeying her employer and tagging along, but she knew there must be something hidden amidst the knowledge before her.
Rubbing her eyes she stood up. "I'm going to take a break, give my eyes a rest," she said, the boys she had accompanied barely registered her declaration with a grunt of okay.
Mai wandered her way to the café, after ordering a coffee and a muffin, in hopes of the caffeine and sugar giving her some energy. She knew that she was right, Kagome Mai really was contacting her and why would a twelve year old lie about something that that? And her being put into that place, why was she diagnosed with schizophrenia? Something just wasn't right about this case. Then again, how many cases has she been on where things were right?
Finishing her muffin and nearly finished her coffee, Mai gave a sigh. There's gotta be something here, she thought. Something, anything! Anything that might prove she didn't do this. At least, not intentionally.
Tossing her trash away, Mai headed back toward her friends and more work that needed to be done. "Excuse me, Miss?" It was one of the librarians that startled out favorite petite brunette.
"H-hai?" Mai stopped and turned to see the elderly lady.
"You're with the young men looking into the history of the old asylum, yes?" she asked, Mai smiled in reply.
"That's right, we're looking for more information about what happened there when it was running," she answered.
"Well, I actually have a friend who was a nurse there at the time and she-"
"That's her! Her case is so severe she fights as though she were a grown man!" The memory distracted her and her eyes lit up. Why didn't I think of that! She cursed herself. A former employee is just the person I need to talk to!
"Is there a way you could give me her name and address?" she quickly requested.
Stunned, the woman hesitated. "I-I can't remember her address, but her name is Kita Haru, I don't remember her address, I would gladly go through our records to find it for you but that's would be against policy," she answered with a shrug.
"That's okay," Mai replied with an apologetic smile. Then an idea hit her. "Do you happen to have any phonebooks? Preferably recent ones?"
"Over in the back," she answered, turning away.
"Arigato!" Mai called quietly. She rushed and grabbed the most recently printed phonebook she could find and hurried back to the table where her friends were practically losing their minds. She tapped Monk from his reading.
"What is it, Mai?" he answered rubbing his eyes.
"I need to borrow your cell phone," she answered.
"What for?" he asked, pulling it out of his pocket anyway.
"Following a lead," she replied as he checked his phone.
"Uh=oh, looks like Naru's not happy you left, he's been calling me…" he muttered to himself.
"Here, use mine," Yasuhara offered, handing her his phone.
"Thanks, Yasuhara-san!" she said quietly and headed for an area she would be able to make a phone call. She ended up having to write down the phone numbers of the seven Kita Harus she found in the phonebook and having to go outside to make the calls.
Outside, the air was getting colder as the sun had already set and Mai placed herself at one of the benches by the front door, under the light of the building. She dialed the first number. "Moshi moshi?" she greeted into the phone. "My name is Taniyama Mai, and I'm wondering if a Kita Haru-san is home?"
"Hai, this is she," the woman on the other end answered.
"I was looking into the history of a certain building, you didn't by chance happen to work at the insane asylum in the Ibaraki Prefecture?'
"There was a psychiatric hospital there?" the woman sounded flabbergasted. "Look, I only worked in a restaurant in that area for about a year and that was twenty years ago!"
"Never mind, thank you for your time," Mai finished and hung up the phone. "This is going to take a while.
The next two had never even traveled through the Ibaraki prefecture, and the two after that were much too young to have remembered anything from forty years earlier. The next one was a man, and even he didn't what she was talking about. Just one more on the list and Mai was filled with as much hope as she was with despair. She dialed the final number.
"Moshi moshi?" answered a man, Mai's heart sank.
"Moshi, moshi, I am Taniyama Mai and I'm looking for a Gina Haru, I just need to ask a few questions," Mai tried disguise her disappointment.
"Hold on, I'll get her." Mai'd heart raced.
"Moshi, moshi, Kita Haru desu," answered a woman.
"Moshi, moshi, my name is Taniyama Mai and I'm doing some historical research on an area in the Ibaraki Prefecture," Mai introduced herself. "You wouldn't have happened to have worked in the area a while ago."
"My, that had have been over forty years ago!" the woman laughed. "Not sure if I'll be much help."
"That's perfectly fine, if I may ask, where did you work during that time?" Mai could hardly contain herself, this had to be it! This woman had to be her ticket to the proof she needed!"
"I was a secretary at a local insurance building, does that help at all?" the woman sounded like she had hoped to have given the correct information. Mai's heart stopped. It sank as soon as it began beating again.
"Actually, I was looking for information about the old psychiatric hospital in that area back then," Mai answered truthfully.
"Oh, that horrible place? I'm sorry, I tried to stay away from that building as much as possible when I worked in Ibaraki. I'm sorry I couldn't have been much help." Mai assured her that it was perfectly fine and hung up the phone, disheartened.
She couldn't believe it! Another dead end! Naru was going to be even more pissed off that she left the investigation for a wild goose chase! She mournfully made her way back to her friends completely discouraged. That woman was possibly her only ticket to the proof she needed and she had no way to contact her and the librarian who gave her the information had just left the building, probably to go home. What was she supposed to do?
Once finding her friends still neck deep in information, Mai sat down with a quiet groan. "Dead end?" the college boy asked as Mai rested her head on the desk with a nod.
"What the-" Monk stopped himself from cursing upon realizing the youngest of their team had materialized at their table. "What the hell is 'My Mom Married an Alien' doing in these files!"
Mai bolted up. It hit her. "What did you just say!" she tried in vain to keep her voice down ignoring the shushing librarians.
"What the hell?" Yasuhara offered, annoying the brunette.
"No! After that!"
"'My Mom Married an Alien?'" Monk repeated.
"Yes!" Why didn't she think of it before! "Where's the phonebook!"
Yasuhara pointed and the girl flipped through pages until she found what she was looking for. She jotted down several numbers and raced out in under a minute, startling the men. "What was that about?" the college student asked earning a shrug from the monk.
Outside Mai shakily dialed the first number she had wrote down. Why didn't she think of this! Kita Haru could be her married name! If her husband's name is Kita then Mai can still find her! She just hoped that Kita was her married name not her maiden name. "Moshi moshi?" a male's voice answered.
"Hai, my name is Taniyama Mai, and I'm looking for someone by the name of Kita Haru? I was told she might be able to help me out," Mai asked, deciding to change her story.
"I'm sorry, Miss, but there's no one in this house by that name. And I don't know of anyone of that name as well," the man apologized. Mai thanked him for his time and crossed his number off of her list.
One down, nine to go…Her mind reeled as she dialed the next number. "Yes, my name is Taniyama Mai and I'm looking for…"
The next five phone calls ended the same way, either there was no one of that name or someone went by that nickname, but still could give her no information. One phone call lead to a Kita Haru, only to find out that she had moved out of Ibaraki when she was in high school and now lived on the outskirts for the last ten years. Now she had just a couple sets of numbers left and though her hope was fading she refused to give up until all options were exhausted.
The dial tone was sure to be ringing in her ears before the night was over but it was only a moment before she heard the rasp of an older man's voice. "Moshi moshi?"
"Yes, my name is Taniyama Mai and I'm looking for a Kita Haru, I was told that she might be able to answer some questions for me," she asked as sweetly as she could having sat outside in the could for a good while now.
"What kind of questions?" the man inquired. Mai was going to have to get creative.
"I'm doing a history report on one of the buildings in the Ibaraki Prefecture and I was wondering if she might be able to help me out."
"Hold on." Mai's heart leaped into her throat. She knew she shouldn't get so excited, this happened over five times already!
"Moshi moshi, Haru desu," a kind older woman's voice rang through the phone. Mai's heart stopped.
"Yes, my name is Taniyama Mai and I was told you might be able to help me," she began, it seemed as though her heart would only beat again if this woman was the one.
"Well, I'll certainly try, what is it you were looking to find out?"
"Did you live or work anywhere in the Ibaraki Prefecture?"
"My goodness, that was so very long ago! At least thirty years, are you sure that I'll be of help?" Mai's heart leaped with anticipation.
"I assure you, any information will be helpful." She tried to keep her excitement at bay. "Where exactly did you work back then?"
"Oddly enough, I worked at the psychiatric hospital as a nurse trying to get a job at the local hospital. It had been a bad year for jobs and there were just none in the area!" the woman almost laughed. Mai contained her squeal and jumped around. "Taniyama-san?"
"Hai! Actually I was looking into the history of that very hospital," Mai replied. "Might it be all right if we set up an interview? I have a few questions that would be easier to explain face to face rather than a phone call. Would tonight be too soon?"
"Tomorrow would be better, but so long as you come before eight and keep it brief it should be fine. My time working there is not something I like to remember," Haru accepted, proceeding to give the girl her address.
"I assure you, I'll keep it as brief as possible, a friend who is helping me with the research will drive me over, however if you're not comfortable with him coming as well, he can stay in the car."
"Oh, it's fine, I guess I'll see you in a little bit." The two said their goodbyes and hung up the phones. Just in time too. Yasuhara's battery was nearly dead.
With new vigor, Mai raced inside, skipping her way to her friends. Only to find Yasuhara still at the table cleaning up. "Looks like someone had fun," he teased, putting their notes in a separate pile.
"Find out anything?" she inquired, noticing the small amount of notes they had taken.
"Not much more than we already knew, just a little more about the treatment of the patients, when it actually closed down and stuff like that," he answered as she returned his phone. "Geez, Mai, how many calls did you make?" She held up a paper with the address on it. "What's this?"
"I need you to take me there, preferably tonight," she told him, he gave her an odd look. "She was a nurse who had worked in the psychiatric hospital when it was running. She said that I could interview her about it."
"Well, looks like you had much better luck than we did, but how did you find out about her? Monk and I were looking for records of employees but we couldn't find any."
"The librarian who helped us find information told me her friend used to work there and gave me her name and after searching the phonebook I found her number." She replied than gave an innocent look. "Please can you drive me over there when we're done? It's seven now and I'd like to finish up the interview by eight."
"Sure, Naru might not be too happy, but he'll get over it if we get some information from her," Yasuhara agreed just as Monk came back.
"Whatever scheme you two were plotting, you're going to have to reschedule," Monk told them. "Naru wants us back immediately."
"Monk, please, I need to interview this woman, she just might have the proof I need!" Mai begged.
"Naru's already pissed because you disobeyed him, but that's not why he wants us back right now." Monk shoved his phone into his jeans.
"Why does he want us back so urgently?" Even Yasuhara was confused.
"Fukuoka-san died this afternoon."
"Due to the passing of Fukuoka-san earlier, solving this as quickly as possible is even more of a priority," Naru explained once everyone minus John and Kiko were in Base.
Mai had given Kita Haru a call and rescheduled their interview to the next morning. With the glares she was receiving from her employer she knew she was in for an earful. "Do we know the cause of his death?" Yasuhara inquired.
"When the paramedics arrived they found Fukuoka-san just as we did, collapsed, unconscious and appeared to be having difficulty breathing," Lin replied. "At the hospital, the doctors did everything humanly possible to regulate his breathing and try to get him conscious, only for him to go into cardiac arrest. He was revived seven times, the eighth time, he wasn't so lucky."
"What caused him to have an attack like that?" Mai found herself asking.
"According to the doctor, he was on certain pain medication, however, his dosage yesterday seemed to have been too little or too lately given," Lin answered, repeating what the doctor had told him. "Fukuoka-san was on a strict schedule for his medication and it is possible that Ruriko-san's fall yesterday and a new nurse delivering the medication combined, caused the man's death."
"So, Kagome Mai was behind his death…" Ayako announced, Mai's heart stopped.
"No…" Mai whispered. She felt so attached to this little girl. Even if she was behind the deaths, there had to be some sort of reason, this girl didn't mean to do any harm. It's like saying Kenji wanted another child to die on Christmas Eve last year.
"Did you say something, Mai?" Shouta asked, earning a shake from the brunette's head.
"No, nothing at all." Knowing it was a lie, Shouta just let it go.
"Did you find out anything at the library?" Naru asked earning a shrug from the college student.
"Not much more than we already knew, just a little more detail on the treatment of the patients and the exact date the hospital was closed," he answered.
"I see." Assuming his thinking pose, Naru glanced back at the monitors and returned his gaze to his investigators. "Monk, I need you to prepare for an exorcism, alert Father Brown as he will be needed as well. Matsuzaki-san, I'll need as many charms as you can make before tomorrow. I want this case closed by tomorrow afternoon so we can be back home before it gets too late." He took a moment to glance at his petite assistant. "Now, if you would not mind, I'd like a word with my assistant, alone."
Almost immediately the room emptied. Mai felt a little anger boil in the pit of her stomach. "You're having them perform an exorcism in the morning?" she asked, trying to keep her emotions at bay. "Naru, you can't-"
"Why did you go with Takigawa and Yasuhara-san to the library?" His voice was a calm rage. Mai couldn't hear his anger but knew it was there. "You were to stay and help Matsuzaki-san."
"You told me last night I had no proof to support my claim, so I took it upon myself to find some," she replied after a deep breath.
"That wasn't your job, you were to stay here-"
"What's up with you?" Mai blurted out.
"Excuse me?"
"You have been known in the past to at least take into consideration what my instincts were telling me. Ubusuna, Yasuhara's school, Dai, Jinru and her family. Why are you so hell-bent on not believing me?" Her emotions were about to get the better of her, but she had to keep control.
"Mai, this isn't the time to talk about it. The exorcism will happen tomorrow morning, unless you have evidence of your theory and have a better plan. Do you have evidence?" Even Naru began to lose his composure, his voice was raising.
"No, but-"
"Then the exorcism will take place without delays!"
"But I was about to get proof!" Mai's temper finally found the better of her. "I found a former employee, Kita Haru, who was willing to do an interview tonight, but you called us back so I had to reschedule to tomorrow. Can you delay the exorcism until I get back?"
"Who was planning to take you to the interview?"
"Yasuhara offered. Please, Naru!"
Naru paused, then shook his head. "I'm sorry, Mai-"
"Did I do something, Naru?" she interrupted. "Are you angry with me because I haven't made you enough tea or something? Did I do something wrong and because of that you won't believe me?"
"Mai-"
"I'm sorry if I did something, but that doesn't mean you can boss me around and ignore what I say just to spite me! My gut is telling me that Mai is not directly at fault for all of this!" Mai's heart was racing as she finally stood up to her boss. Literally. At some point in their discussion both parties had stood up.
"My intention was not to ignore you, but to teach you that you can't always just take a leap of faith with your instincts, without anything to back them up. Unfortunately, I cannot delay the exorcism unless you have something to back up your instincts!" Naru was near yelling.
"Please, Naru! Just an hour, that's all I need," she pleaded, her breathing had become heavy and she thought she might faint at any second.
"What time is your interview?" Naru finally asked after a second.
"Nine."
"You have until ten to find the information and be back here with a damn good reason to delay a much needed exorcism." Mai winced at his curse, he rarely cursed. "If I have no word before ten, the exorcism will commence."
"Thank you, Naru, that's all asked for," she said, turning to leave. She needed food or she was definitely going to pass out.
"Mai, one last thing." She stopped in her tracks. A shiver ran up her spine. "If you ever disobey my orders again, I will not hesitate to terminate you."
"Understood." A sweat drop appeared on her forehead and she walked out, knowing she was on thin ice.
"So, what happened?" Monk asked as they were hanging out in the living area. "That was a hell of a conversation, we were down the hall and could hear you guys yelling."
"Yasuhara, you can still take me to the interview tomorrow right?" Mai asked, ignoring the monk.
"Yeah, sure, you need to be there at nine, right?" the college student replied, Mai nodded.
"Thanks, I was able to strike a deal with Naru. We need to find out if I am right, and be back before ten. It's not much time, but it's a compromise," she explained taking a seat on the couch next to their client's nephew. "How's Chiyoko taking things?"
"She's a little shaken up after what happened earlier today she's contacting Fukuoka-san's children and making preparations for a funeral. This isn't the first time someone here has died but it doesn't make it any less tragic," Shouta answered. "So, he's giving you an hour to find out information or else he's having Monk and Father Brown exorcise the place?"
"That's right," Mai replied, wishing the boy hadn't changed back the subject.
"I really don't like this," the priest responded. Ayako said she would watch over Kiko and start making the charms. "What happens if Mai is right and Kazuya still demands an exorcism?"
"You're a Catholic priest right?" Shouta asked, after a nod from the blonde he offered, "Can't you offer a blessing to the property?"
"Now, there's an idea," Yasuhara agreed. "Naru will probably have Monk do the exorcism first, but that's only if we don't get back in time. I'll keep an eye on the time during the interview and if we run late I'll call Naru and explain if whether or not Mai was right on her theory. Sound like a plan?"
"A little out there, but I guess that's our only option." Monk leaned back with a sigh. "Anybody else think this case is going by fast?"
"I was just thinking that," Yasuhara answered. "We've been here three days and we know the cause of the attacks and what we need to do to stop them." He earned a glare from Mai. "Or what is the most likely cause and what appears to be our only option. Anyway, something just seems a little off."
"Now that's unusual." Monk commented, earning a confused look from their client and their youngest investigator.
"What is?" they both asked together.
"Think about it, Mai, since when does Yasuhara have feelings like this?"
"That's right," John answered, agreeing. "This is more of something we'd expect from you, Mai."
"You do have a point, and this case has gone by quickly," Mai replied. "Why do you think there is something off about this case?"
"Not sure, maybe it's because you and Naru keep hitting bumps in the road," the college boy shrugged, earning a glare. "Too soon?"
"Too soon." Mai gave a sigh. "How is Kiko doing anyway?"
"She's doing better, she's probably pestering Ayako to discharge her from being bedridden," John teased.
"Sounds like her," Yasuhara smiled.
October Day 4, 4:12 A.M.
"Uzuki-san! No!" Mai leaped out of her bed and out the door. She ran down the hall and down a set of stairs.
Desperately, she searched for the right room, only half awake, but knew she was close. "Uzuki-san! Uzuki-san!" she repeated, flying through the halls. It was only when she hit a warm wall did she finally stop.
She fell to her knees with the wall managed to grab her shoulders. "Mai!" She thrashed her arms as she felt her shoulders being shaken. "Mai! Wake up! It's just a dream!"
Her eyes finally began to focus as she looked into the hazel eyes that had believed her from the start of this case. She blinked a few times. "Shouta?"
"Hey, what's going on? Mai, how did you end up over here?" she heard Monk's voice and looked around to see all of her friends and several occupants staring at her.
"I-I…" she didn't know what to say. Why was she running around screaming like a banshee? She saw a certain face and it all came back. "Uzuki-san! Are you okay!"
"Mai-chan, I'm fine, but are you?" the elderly woman asked, placing a hand on her shoulder.
Mai let out a sigh of relief. "I must have had a nightmare, I'm sorry for having woken everyone," she apologized as Shouta helped her back up.
"Okay, everyone! The excitement is over, back to bed!" Chiyoko ordered placing a hand on Mai's shoulder. "Come with me, sweetheart, I had Suzune put on a pot of tea. It will help calm you down."
"Thanks," she replied, watching as the occupants made their way back to their rooms. "I'm really sorry, guys."
"It's all right, girlie," Monk replied with a yawn, patting her head. "Let's go get you that tea and try to figure out what happened."
October Day 4 8:10 A.M.
Mai rolled out of bed when she heard the alarm clock go off. She glanced at the time from the floor. Must've hit snooze…she confirmed to herself. She got up and dressed herself to head down for breakfast. She recalled being in the kitchen just a few hours earlier.
"Mai, were you dreaming that Uzuki-san died just like Yuina had said?" John asked, once she had settled down.
"To be perfectly honest, I don't remember much," she replied taking a sip. "Just a bad feeling that Uzuki was in danger, the next thing I knew, I was on the ground with Shouta shaking my shoulders."
"You haven't had a single dream this case?" Lin asked.
"What about you, Kiko?" Ayako asked, looking to their incognito investigator. "You and Mai have had similar dreams and visions in the past, anything?"
"I may have been asleep most of this case, but I haven't had any dreams significant to the case," she replied. "Mai, you never answered Lin."
Mai gave a sigh, may as well come clean. "I haven't been able to remember my dreams recently," she confessed, now that she thought about it, she hasn't seen Naru in them as well. "Except one…" Luckily, Chiyoko had gone back to bed upon request from Shouta. Mai explained her dream to everyone.
Why didn't you tell us earlier? Mai remembered Naru's voice as she walked into the dining room and not surprised he was missing. It was nothing we didn't already know. Now if you guys don't mind, I'd like to try to get some more sleep.
She was given a plate of food as soon as she sat down. They really had been waiting for her. "As soon as you're finished, we'll head over to your interview," Yasuhara explained, with a smile. A nice gesture after a tense week.
Mai only nodded and ate her food. Not much conversation happened, everyone in some shock from the orders given by their ringleader. The tension felt throughout this case was wearing on them all. It was no secret that after their last few cases have taken a toll on all of them. Even their narcissist of a boss. Mai quickly put her concerns out of her head as she finished her meal and headed for Yasuhara's car.
"Are you all right? Did you remember something from your dream last night or something?" the college student asked once he drove onto the main rode. Mai just shook her head.
"Like I said earlier, I don't remember anything from it," she said with a sigh. "I just know that if my hunch is wrong and we don't find out anything from Kita Haru, I'm screwed."
Yasuhara just kept his eyes on the road slightly shocked at her bluntness, but kept to himself. He silently prayed that this woman they were going to interview had the answer his petite friend was looking for.
October Day 4, 10:06 A.M.
Shibuya Kazuya was more than lenient. He even allowed her extra time. Two of his investigators have yet to return to the nursing home and he had yet to receive a phone call with any sort of information. Even if the college student's phone had died there were numerous ways for him call with any sort of information.
The president of the psychic research business turned off his phone and turned to the exorcists before him. "Begin."
I really am sorry for the lack of an update I was actually hoping to finish up this case before my semester started, but that did not happen. There is but one chapter left to this fic and then I will be taking a break from this fic. I have lost my touch I think. I need to take a break and just leave this story for a little while. I really do have some awesome ideas, that hasn't changed. My delivering of them has. Luckily I will be going on a vacation soon and will hopefully spark my inspiration again. If anyone has any suggestions to help me get my mojo back feel free to leave a review with them! I need to focus a little more on school for now and work and my learning outside of school. However any advice that might help me get my creativity flowing again I'm up for it. Anyway, you might not hear from me for a while, at least not for Ghost Hunt. I have decided to take a peak at my old fics that I have left untouched for a while, so you just might see some very old fics being updated. Anyway leave a review and see you guys next time!
Jaa nee! :)