Like a dog I shake my head to rid it of the rain outside. The front desk just stares at me. He’s seen me before, just last week.
“They’re just down the hall. I’ll show you.” He tells me.
I put up my hand, “I know where it is.”
So I go to the usual meeting room, the one that’s always been reserved for me when I used to have official business here. I throw the door open and Tamesaburo and Saya is there.
Saya runs up to me immediately, “Any news?”
I shake my head. “Just this. Evidence.” I say and give it to her. “keep it safe.”
I simply look at Tamesaburo, I know they already did what I asked after all they are here now. I go to a window and look out, the rain has gotten worst just like how I’m feeling. I look at my watch, it’s going to be 6PM soon but it might as well be 8PM at how dark it is outside. “I saw the road blockades earlier.” I tell Tamesaburo, I’m not sure why I’m telling him this. Perhaps so that we can feel better?
But if none of those worked, then perhaps they either left very early in disguise or went by one of the many water ways in Kyoto. I didn’t ask them to place checkpoints there too, mostly because it’s almost impossible to do so and I didn’t think about it until now since there was no news.
I rub my temple a bit and then start smoking by the time Saya returned. “Saya I need someone to look through the police files…” Crossing my arms I glance at Tamesaburou “A man whose last name was Asato was found in the Kamo river, 5 years ago. Apparently the police interviewed the Yagi’s but nothing came out of it. I’d like to see the files and any pictures of the scene especially of the corpse and sword wounds.”
I don’t know why I’m asking this, it’s a long shot. It’s probably another dead end. It was a -long- time ago. After Saya leaves again, I turn to Tamesaburou “Did Toshio-san help in eliminating some of the suspects on your list?” Of course if he tells me it’s still as long as before I wouldn’t be surprised.
(Tamesaburou)
I saw the road blockades earlier.
I nod. “I wondered about waterways. The way south is not ideal, until this rain came – it’s been dry for a few weeks in the northwest mountains so the Katsura has been sluggish – to get south to Osaka by boat would involve roads to get to where it’s been flowing better once it joins up with the Kizu and Uji river to become the Yado.” The police should know this, and I’m certain Saitou-san knows all of our waterways…
Apparently the police interviewed the Yagi’s but nothing came out of it. I’d like to see the files and any pictures of the scene especially of the corpse and sword wounds
I lean back in the chair and close my eyes. The man is smoking… arg.
“I remember that – it was unusual for many reasons. The police come to us for -political- trouble they think we encourage, not murders. The murderer hey used Hijikata-san’s thrusting technique – you know how effective that can be – but it was done left-handed.” I sit up in the chair, and start sketching out the rough outline of a human form.
“I had wished for oneesan at the time – she could “read” these things pretty good and would know if it was Shinsengumi-related or not. The way they described it – Asato was a very tall man, and the attacks were done by someone -short-…. which could also explain some of the injuries – his genitals were mutilated.” That detail I spared my wife… as I mark up the figure I’m drawing. “But the pictures they showed me – it looked like a clumsy attack.”
It’s funny, how one gets used to -not- seeing dead bodies, after growing up with ones on the street being a part of life. This one stuck in my mind.
Did Toshio-san help in eliminating some of the suspects on your list?
I pull out the list, and read the markings I made. “The gold hunters… most of them are excluded, the false “Okita” of that group – who is a 300 pound man – is currently behind bars on another larceny charge. He pretends to be Tokugawa Iemochi’s long-lost illegitimate son for another scam, so that got more attention.” I mean, if you’re going to be a bastard Tokugawa, be one whose existence wouldn’t have changed the course of history – like one of Tokugawa Yoshinobu’s twenty-something offspring.
“Of the collectors, Muraoka Takayuki died just last month, old age, according to the police, but his place was robbed sometime between when he died and when he was found.” I pull a newspaper out, “and as I said, Kato Hayato has been overseas but returns Wednesday. A few minor ones I ran by the police but they’re clear – and like the bulk of the gold hunters, don’t have two sen to rub together, much less travel by train to Tokyo.”
I push my hair back, I’ve had enough. “Can I have one of those cigarettes?” I finally ask. Then… “even when it’s not someone… like Hideneesan, when it’s just a case, how do you do this, the clues everywhere that seem to lead nowhere, all while a life may be in danger?” I sigh. Real estate law has its own “chases,” but without these stakes. “The frustration of it all…”
(Yuunosuke)
Makimachi-san just breezes by the front desk. “Hi, guys, I’m expected!” They all greet her with a friendly wave.
“We’re here for the Yagi Hide investigation,” I add. This new precinct is huge, and perhaps Makimachi-san knows where to find Saitou-san and my brother (and Saya-san?)…. the man at the desk nods. “Just down the hall, sir – ”
“The meeting room? I know where that is, come on,” Makimachi-san tells me, as she nearly runs down the hall. “I -told- you I’m very helpful so I’m here a lot.” Her eyes flash impatience at me as she looks back over her shoulder.
I catch up, as she opens the door and walks in with only the briefest of knocks. “Saitou!” she calls out, stepping into the room. “This guy here says you need my assistance!”
Is my brother smoking?
Then he starts talking about the murder, that Asato was tall and the murderer was short. The Battousai did say it looked like Okita and Okita was short… But Okita is -not- left handed, nor would he go for a man’s sex. Only a man bereft of honor or sanity would go that far.
He gives me an account of the people on the list, one about a Tokugawa heir, which at one point would make me laugh but I’m in no mood right now as I blow a long stream of smoke across the table. Then the others that I thought may be probable like Muraoka died and Kato, has been overseas… But that doesn’t eliminate him. He could be orchestrating from the distance and will use being out of the country an alibi. Besides I am looking for someone with some means.
“Can I have one of those cigarettes?”
I shrug and pull a new pack out of my pocket. “You can have that. Hide always keeps me stocked.” I grin slightly remembering but it falls away as I realize, I still have no clear idea where she is. She’s likely out of Kyoto unless they hide well. They managed to slip past me but they can only go South at this point, since I’ve made sure each town North of Kyoto is aware and is looking for them.
“even when it’s not someone… like Hideneesan, when it’s just a case, how do you do this, the clues everywhere that seem to lead nowhere, all while a life may be in danger?
That’s what they’d call a rhetorical question correct? But I answer him, “I’d do this much better if it wasn’t her.” I say and put out the cigarette and start a new one.
Saya comes in with the files and I look them over, mostly to collaborate what Tamesaburou described. It’s difficult to ascertain precisely what clumsy attack means, until one actually looks at the stab wounds. But he’s right, the wounds are not very precise unlike what a Shinsengumi stab wound would be. In fact I can’t even call this Okita’s 3-form stab attack with the wounds so far apart that they might just be 3 -individual- stabs. I look closely at one of the wounds under the light, one can see the where the opening is and although it does favor a left handed wielder, the blade was facing in the wrong direction as the opening is much larger than it would be for a stab, so it was pulled out awkwardly.
It’s then that the door once again goes wide open and there she is. I knew she’d come even if I didn’t ask.
“Saitou!” “This guy here says you need my assistance!”
I manage to grin a little longer this time. “How are you weasel girl? Long time no see.” Standing up I remember the adventures we had together, which led me to try to vie for her in the past but ended up with Hide instead. “You remember Hide?” I don’t add, the one during -those- days “I need the Oniwaban’s perfect information network to locate her. Just that and I’ll take care of everything else myself.”
(Tamesaburo)
You can have that. Hide always keeps me stocked
I nod, and notice that grin, that starts out like that of a man, well-satisfied with the sort of wife who he has wrapped around his finger (but who is actually wrapped around -her- finger), that falters. It’s seeing this man… I look away, and with hands that only shake a -little-, light the cigarette and take a deep drag. “Thank you, Saitou-san.”
And his answer to my next question… well, that’s the only answer, isn’t it?
He examines the pictures of the corpse closely… like he can read the assault that lead to the man’s death.
How are you weasel girl? Long time no see.
I look up at the pretty young lady that makes a face at the name Saitou-san calls her. So this… is the famous head of the Kyoto Oniwaban group? But a -weasel-?
—
(Misao)
“Weasel girl?” I grin back at him, but wow… he looks -bad-… but I keep my grin back at him up. “You stick to those old names, huh?” I shake my head, rolling my eyes. “Way to be creative, Saitou.”
I can’t help but see Yuunosuke-san go to the side of the pretty lady cop. Saya-san is a great person to work with but who knew that he was her sort of guy?
You remember Hide?
“Oh yeah – I remember -exactly- the one you’re talking about,” I answer, thinking of my old “roommates” in the wilderness. “Her brother here filled me in – kidnapped at home in Tokyo, and you’ve tracked her here. What else do I need to know?” I pick up the file on the table, my eyes narrowing as I take in the images of butchery. “Is this related?”
I need the Oniwaban’s perfect information network to locate her. Just that and I’ll take care of everything else myself
“We’ll do what we do – although we’ve had our hands full with the sudden collapse of a notorious human trafficking ring.” I look at him, it was all a little -messy-.
I go over and stand in front of the map of Kyoto, looking at it thoughtfully. “I noticed the checkpoints, but are they being -careful-? It’s harvest season so the place is full of farmer’s carts coming to market and the train depot, and if they’re not searching the cargo, well, there’s a way out.” Toshio-san does his best, but a lot of the recruits are… low quality. “We’ll start there,” I say. “We run several of the roadside restaurants that come in from the countryside, after all.”
“Way to be creative, Saitou.”
Had it been another time I’d jump on that but I settled for, “Old dogs knows no new tricks Itachi.” I say somewhat seriously.
“Oh yeah – I remember -exactly- the one you’re talking about,
“Good.”
“Is this related?”
“Likely, that man is the husband of the a woman named Asato who I believe is involved in Hide’s kidnapping.” Of course I don’t add, that this was a love triangle. Of all things…
“We’ll do what we do – although we’ve had our hands full with the sudden collapse of a notorious human trafficking ring.”
She looks at me and I know she knows I had something to do with it. But that wasn’t really my purpose, so it was messy but I knew the Kyoto police would handle it one way or the other. I’m sure the Oniwaban wouldn’t mind in the long run, one less thing to worry about.
“I noticed the checkpoints, but are they being -careful-? It’s harvest season so the place is full of farmer’s carts coming to market and the train depot, and if they’re not searching the cargo, well, there’s a way out.”
Saya raises an eyebrow but keeps quiet. I know the weasel girl has a point but the truth was, “The Kyoto police probably did do a thorough job but I was a bit late getting things together here in Kyoto.” I inhale a bit of the smoke before continuing, “They won’t be able to get back on a train and all stops in between Tokyo and Kyoto are being watched. Since Hide is likely injured, I doubt they can get through the mountains so that only leaves a few escape routes going South. If they rented a cart, maybe we can find the owner.” Though the truth is, I think that’s the slow route. I’m convinced they went down the river but where did they get off?
I look at her, “What do you need -me- to do?” I need to move. The only thing that’s stopping me from heading straight to the next big city, is a comment Hide made about my not being careful nor deliberate.
Old dogs knows no new tricks Itachi.
I roll my eyes at that. “You’re an -old- dog but I’m sure you can do better if you work on it,” I tell him. He seems to enjoy the banter, -good-.
Saya-san gives a little -look- about my comment at the Kyoto police, but she’s like Saitou – she thinks that if she’s everywhere at once she can cover for the faults of the department. It takes more than one! I’m a -great- Okashira but I need all of my Oniwabanshuu to make it all work!
The Kyoto police probably did do a thorough job but I was a bit late getting things together here in Kyoto.
“Trains and telegrams only go so fast,” I say, dismissing -that- with a wave of my hand. “Even our pigeons can only do so much. And until this storm passes – ” I look out the window, “that network is out.”
I doubt they can get through the mountains so that only leaves a few escape routes going South
“There’s Lake Biwa,” Yagi Yuunosuke speaks up, “those are good roads there now, up to Yamashina Ward then out to the Lake.”
I nod. “We’ll check there…. but even with the river being low until the border with Osaka, that’s still the easiest route out of town.” I go over to the map again.
What do you need -me- to do?
“Have Toshio-san to reach out to his counterparts in Osaka and Shiga prefectures.” It can’t be yet 10, so there’s time…. “Get that flyer with Yagi-san’s picture out on the last train to Osaka to Chief Kanemoto so it can be circulated there, but it’ll be slower to get to Otsu, the first city when you reach the lake.” But I still consider Biwa a long-shot – after all, there’s a lot of cops and a lot of our allies in the area right now cleaning up the mess from the other week….
I notice him looking at me. “What? I -do- this now.” I say. “You, do that, then meet me at dawn at the Aioya so we can get the pigeons out – we’ll have some returned by later in the morning if the skies are clear.” And maybe, maybe, he’ll get some rest so he’s not barking at everyone tomorrow. Probably not, but a girl can dream!
She tries to dismiss. Nothing I can do about that, I know this since several of my cases before had a lot to be desired. But this isn’t one where failure is an option.
Yuunosuke suggest Lake Biwa and I feel like we’re back tracking. It would be difficult to go upstream much less on the Northern roads unnoticed. But I have to consider that possibility.
“Get that flyer with Yagi-san’s picture out on the last train to Osaka to Chief Kanemoto so it can be circulated there, but it’ll be slower to get to Otsu, the first city when you reach the lake.”
“The flyers been circulated in Otsu already but I haven’t heard any news. Each train stop leading to Kyoto has been covered.” I tell her, “I’ll speak to Toshio-san about speaking to the local heads in Shiga and Osaka…” I don’t mention that I’ll get the flyers to the train leading to Osaka myself.
“What? I -do- this now.”
I nod. I always knew she would in any life. Of course our paths diverged a long time ago.
“You, do that, then meet me at dawn at the Aioya so we can get the pigeons out – we’ll have some returned by later in the morning if the skies are clear.”
I almost groan. Dawn? That’s too long. What does she expect me to do? Sleep?
“Alright everyone should get some rest then. Yuunosuke and Tamesaburou, get back home. Remain alert.”
I look at Saya. “You too. There’s not much that can be done now.” Oh i know I said -that-, and it’s likely true which makes it all the more frustrating. Puffing on my cigarette, “I’m going to speak to Toshio-san.”
The flyers been circulated in Otsu already but I haven’t heard any news. Each train stop leading to Kyoto has been covered
I nod. Good, he’s still sharp, even with all of -this- going on.
I can tell he wants to protest about morning. “I can fly them in the rain, I can fly them in the night, but not both,” I tell him. Being Okashira means… like earlier, I can’t make everyone happy.
He dismisses the others. “I’ll take the flyers to the train – I know who to talk to at the station,” I tell him.
So I lied to the Yagi fellow about having business here. I -do- but this, for now, takes priority. I never resented her for what happened, unlike the other one sometimes did. Good for her, I thought. Those in the wilderness tried to grind me down, too. Good for -both- of them – they found each other in that place.
Meanwhile, the others can focus on our still-important job of cleaning up the Tanaka mess. Maybe even get Gramps on it. I keep telling the old man to stay active!
As I leave with a stack of wrapped flyers, I add, “rest – she’d want you to, you know.” And then I grin at him. “And Itachi-sama says so,” I wink, stealing his nickname for me.
(OOC – the Yagi brothers have exited and Misao will unless stopped)
“I can fly them in the rain, I can fly them in the night, but not both,”
“Do what you need.” I understand but in this, I know she knows best.
“I’ll take the flyers to the train – I know who to talk to at the station,”
Was I too obvious? But I give her the flyers. I do trust her.
“rest – she’d want you to, you know.” And then I grin at him. “And Itachi-sama says so,
I can’t help but snort a little at that old name for her. “I have a hime-sama now, you know.” I smirk a little at her. Does she know who my hime is? Probably.
I let her leave and give the message to Toshio-san as I fidget with the key in my pocket.
(OOC: Close)