InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Closing the Case ❯ Chapter 6 ( Chapter 6 )

Closing the Case

Chapter 6

"Sango please! You need to calm down and rest! You are going to hurt yourself!"

"Shove it, Miroku. I am not letting some two-bit, city-requisitioned, just-got-out-of-medical-school bimbo take over my case. Especially when a screw up could mean that-that-that monster would go free!" Detectives and uniforms alike scrambled out of the way as the M.E. and homicide investigator stormed through the precinct. Inuyasha and Shippou, Max at their heels, followed at a safe distance.

"They're kind of scary…"

"Just be glad you don't have to work with them every day like me, Runt." Shippou stared after the two arguing forms and shook his head.

"You are a brave man, Yash. I'm so glad my partner is easy to work with. A few treats and scratches behind the ear is all it takes to make him happy."

"So you two have that in common?"

"Bite me."

"No thanks, I got work to do. And you're going to help me." Inuyasha took the younger detective by the arm and pulled him towards a back room. Max followed, panting happily.

"Me? What?"

"I either get to ask you or I get to ask Sango, and frankly you're safer."

&&&

The doors to the morgue opened with a loud bang as Sango stormed in. A young, blond M.E. stood, scalpel poised over Kohaku's body, her eyes wide in surprise. Sango growled deep in her throat. The blond's surprise turned to annoyance. Miroku stepped in, managing to catch the free-swinging doors before they hit him in the face, only to find himself in the middle of a stand-off. It was the blond who finally broke the silence

"I don't know who you think you are, but I am working on a serious investigation here. You will have to leave." Sango growled and Miroku took a step back.

"This is my case, my morgue, and my brother. Now get out!"

"So, you are the delinquent who abandoned her job and left me to clean up the pieces." The blond gave her short hair an arrogant flip. "Well, I'm sorry, but you can't just change your mind on a whim. There are peoples' lives at stake and I'm sure the chief will be relieving you of your duties soon anyway. So why don't you move along, so I can get back to work." Miroku's eyes widened and he reached out to catch Sango's shoulder before she had to be charged with assault.

"Mrs…?"

"Kesler, Miss. Norma Kesler." The blond replied, sauntering around the table and extending her hand to him. Miroku's eyes drifted down to the woman's ample chest, before they snapped back to her face. With an angry Sango well within arms reach, he did not want to test his luck.

"Miss. Kesler. My name is Detective Priest, and my partner and I are the investigating officers for this case. And, while I'm sure you are wonderful at your job, it is rather important that Sango complete this autopsy." The woman seemed to puff up before his eyes.

"And why is that?"

Because I value my life. Miroku thought dryly. "Because it is a serial killer case and she has examined the other bodies. Therefore, she knows what to look for to confirm if this body belongs to the same case or if it is a copycat."

"Fine. But when she skips out on you again, just look me up. In fact," Norma scribbled something onto the edge of a clipboard before ripping it off and handing it to him. "Call me anyway." As the swinging doors closed, Miroku unfolded the paper to see a phone number written in fine script.

The young detective had the slip of paper halfway to his pocket when the feeling of eyes burning holes in his skull stopped him. He raised his eyes to meet Sango's. With his most charming smile, and an inward sigh of regret, he tossed the scrap of paper in the trash.

&&&

Inuyasha closed the door to the small back office as Shippou took a seat at the folding table. The procedure was fairly normal; he often gave statements when one of his missing persons turned into a homicide. The table was covered in papers and files, stacked in a semi-neat order. Across from him was a map of their jurisdiction. There were thumbtacks of different colors stuck in it without any pattern. Shippou knew from experience that the red tack marked the body location, the blue marked the place they were last seen alive, and the green was the victim's home address.

Next to the first board was a rolling chalkboard that was empty, for the most part. Two pictures, one of Tony Hillard already dead and one of Souta playing in the park, were taped to the board. A thin line connected the pictures with the word "friends" written along it.

Shippou waited silently as Inuyasha moved to the map and placed a red tack near the park along the river, then moved to the chalkboard and taped the picture of Kohaku next to Souta's. Finally, he took a seat opposite Shippou and extended his hand expectantly. Shippou placed his report in it without protest. Inuyasha opened it and began flipping through it, before standing up and placing a blue tack and a green tack on the map as well. When Inuyasha returned to his seat, he turned his chair so he could see the two boards.

"All right. Tell me what happened." The homicide detective instructed. Shippou took a deep breath and told him everything from the time Kaede had sent him out, until the moment Sango had fainted. Inuyasha chuckled when Shippou recounted the incident in the general store but waved off the younger detective's questioning look.

"Now what?" Shippou asked.

"First, we have to wait for confirmation that this is really the same guy and not a copycat. Then, if it is the same perp, we'll see if we can establish a pattern."

"What are you going to do until then?"

"The autopsy should take a few hours at least. So I'll probably grab some lunch, check on Kagome, and bring something back for Miroku. You?"

"Probably go pick up my little girl and take her out to lunch."

"Wait, when did you have a kid?" Inuyasha almost choked, "Hell, when did you get married?"

"Last week, and I didn't. I adopted. I wanted a kid and got tired of waiting for the right woman to come along." Shippou answered with a shrug. "The papers went through last week. Here." He pulled out his wallet and handed Inuyasha a picture. "Beautiful, isn't she? Her name is Kirara."

In the picture was a little girl about 7 years old with short straw-colored hair and large blue eyes. She was clutching a stuffed cat in one arm and had the thumb of her other hand in her mouth. The little girl was dressed in a cute blue sundress.

"She's a doll. You know, Miroku's niece is about her age."

"Really? Maybe we can set up a play date. Kirara could use some friends."

&&&

Miroku came home exhausted. He had spent the better part of the day trying to keep Sango from running herself into the ground. He understood that different people handled grief in different ways, but he had never seen anyone dive into their work with such vigor. It made him want to solve this case that much sooner.

The autopsy had proven that the case was connected to Souta's, but they were finding a pattern hard to pinpoint. The boys were different ages, went to different schools, and ran in different social circles. Granted they both came from an oriental background, but the other boy, Tony, was of Italian descent. Though Inuyasha had pointed out that said boy seemed to have just been in the wrong place at the wrong time. The only other connection was that they both had somewhat abstract connections to their precinct, a connection they were not willing to accept just yet.

Miroku hung his coat on the coat rack near the door before moving deeper into the apartment to locate his niece. It did not take long to find her. She was sitting on her bed with a Game Boy Advanced cradled in her hands. Her tiny, pale fingers tapped away at the buttons. White hair framed dark eyes and a pale face. The GBA binged and squeaked as she worked the buttons.

Miroku did not have to ask what game she was playing. He had bought her the Pokemon Ruby cartridge just last week as a present for getting through her first full month with a new therapist without event. She had been playing it nonstop ever since. It had actually been a good choice. The need to trade and interact with other players to complete the game gave her a chance to interact with other kids her age. That, more then anything, had allowed her to become social again. After a moment she placed the game down and looked up at her uncle.

"Did you have a good day, Uncle Roku?" Miroku smiled softly and crossed the room to sit on the edge of her bed.

"It was as good as it could have been, Kanna. How was school?"

"It was fun. We colored pictures. And did crafts. And I got my first homework assignment."

"Really? What is it?"

"I got to read this book." She climbed off the bed and toddled over to her backpack. A moment later she returned with a limp, brightly colored paper book. She climbed back onto the bed and placed the book in his lap. He looked down at the large, block letters: 'Jane and the Big Blue Cat'

"Is it any good?"

"I have to read out loud to you."

"Ok, you read to me and then we'll order some dinner. How does Chinese sound?"

"Can I get noodles?"

"Sure. Now," He lifted her up to sit on his knee. "Let's hear you read to me. I bet it's a good book." Kanna opened the book on her lap to show her uncle the large pictures and big bold words.

"Jane had a cat. It was a big cat. It was a blue cat. Jane l-l-loved her cat." Kanna turned the page. "The cat loved Jane too. They loved to play in the sun." Kanna turned the page again just as Miroku's cell rang.

"Hold on, sweetie, Let me answer this." Kanna nodded and began to study the new picture before her. "This is Miroku, talk to me."

"Hey, Miroku, it's Yash. The press has gotten wind of the murders and Kaede wants us to prepare a statement for a press briefing tomorrow."

"Can't we do it in the morning; I'm helping Kanna with her homework."

"Sorry, the briefing is scheduled first thing. Why don't you bring her over? Kagome can help her with her homework while we work and I'll get Shippou to bring his little girl over to play as well."

"Shippou's little girl? When did he get married or have a kid?"

"He adopted."

"Oh." Miroku blinked in surprise, "Are you sure it's ok, with Kagome I mean?"

"Yeah, it's fine."

"Hold on, Yash." Miroku turned to look down at his niece. Kanna had made her way to the end of the book looking at the pictures. Now she was looking back at her video game with yearning. "Kanna, how would you like to go visit Uncle Yasha and Aunt Kagome?"

"Can we make cookies?"

"I bet Aunt Kagome will make cookies with you, after you finish your homework."

"Yay!" Miroku brought the phone back to his ear.

"I think that's a yes. We'll be there in a few."