InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Love's Smirking Revenge ❯ Getting Down to Business (Part 1) ( Chapter 5 )

Love's Smirking Revenge

- Chapter Five -

Getting Down to Business

The lines of text on the computer screen blurred and floated into one another until they became one solid mass of text. Kagome blinked her eyes wide to clear her vision. When that failed, she pushed her creaky office chair back from her desk with a defeated sigh and leaned her head back against the worn leather. Closing her eyes she rubbed at them gently with her fingertips to rejuvenate them, or at least bring enough life back so she wasn't seeing double. The muted hum of computer monitors, ringing telephones and hushed conversations of the Asahi Shimbun newsroom lulled her into a daze and she gratefully took a moment to relax.

She'd been pouring over articles all afternoon and was nearly drowning in a pile of newspaper clippings and printouts. She couldn't understand her fascination with this particular case. It wasn't the first murder she'd ever heard of. She didn't even know the victim or anything about her life apart from what she'd read in the papers, but she continued to be drawn to her. Her eyes drifted back to the computer screen and focused on the brightly coloured image set alongside yet another news article about the victim. She was happy; her face was smiling, her eyes were bright, she looked like a woman with a future and a purpose to her life. Like a memory frozen in time her picture was a sad reminder of a life that had been cut too short.

Kikyou…

Her story, her life, everything about her, it was almost a compulsion - she just had to know. That was why the Detective had piqued her interest. When the case first broke half a decade earlier she'd still been in college. She remembered being riveted to the television screen as the news flashed their cover story for the night - another young woman tragically murdered in her own home. Was no place safe anymore? She should've been studying for a chemistry exam but for some elusive reason she couldn't bear to pull her eyes from the screen. She'd stayed up the rest of the night scanning the channels for updates and recaps.

Kikyou Inokuma. She'd only been twenty when she'd died. Had she lived they'd be the same age now. Their striking resemblance to one another didn't escape Kagome either, but her fascination with the dead girl went far beyond any outward similarities. She felt for her on a personal level, perhaps more than she should have given the fact that she was a complete stranger. She'd spent years following up on the case only to find out that it'd gone cold. No leads, no suspects, no evidence except the body. It was tragic really, that the system had utterly failed one so young. She'd barely had time to enjoy her life before it was taken from her.

The Detective was the key, the missing link. He knew the case better than anyone. He understood its nuances and idiosyncrasies in the same way one knows the plains and valleys of their lover's body. If anyone could help fit the pieces together it was him. Kagome needed to know what he knew, only then would her driving curiosity be satisfied. She had a feeling the Detective needed closure as well. She also got the distinct impression he wasn't the type who would take well to the idea of working with a partner.

Kagome leaned forward, the leather of the chair creaking with her movements, and extended one finger to press it against the computer screen. She ran it over the dead girl's face, a troubled frown creasing her forehead.

“Don't give up. We'll find him,” she whispered in a low voice, only belatedly realizing that she must've looked completely nuts. Shifting her eyes nervously to the desks in her vicinity she noted, with a breath of relief, that apparently no one else had witnessed her brief slip into insanity.

The shrill cry of a cell phone pierced the air, smashing the comfortable lull of office white noise. With her heart racing she flashed an annoyed glare down at her purse. She could see the screen of her cell phone inside, the electric blue light of its screen winking at her. With an irritated huff she snatched the bag off the floor and pulled out the device, simultaneously flicking the hand set open and flipping her hair over her shoulder in one graceful move.

“Yes?”

“Higurashi! Are you waiting for the second coming or what? Get your ass out here!” came the barked response from the other end. The lines of annoyance that had settled around her mouth softened as she opened it in a look of stunned confusion. How the hell had he gotten her number? Oh right…he was a cop…he probably knew everything about her from her social insurance number to what part she played in her 5th grade production of the “Sound of Music.” She was still convinced she was the best damn Liesl von Trapp that school had ever seen.

“Takahashi?”

“Who else?” he snarled.

She could clearly envision the way his dark gaze would be glowering at her in annoyance if he were there. Her eyes dropped to the clock on the bottom right hand corner of her computer screen and she let out a strangled gasp. SHIT! She was already fifteen minutes late for their meeting! Reluctant to admit she'd screwed up she cleared her throat and tried to sound cool and collected.

“Well you might as well come up. I need to drop something off at the Editor's office on the 12th floor before we head out.”

Like hell she was going to apologize. Kagome gnawed at her bottom lip and silently cursed her own stupidity. Great…just fucking great. She couldn't very well bust his balls for being an incompetent ass when she could barely keep her own mind straight. First the near-tumble down the stairs, now this….she was really losing her touch.

“Keh, whatever,” was all she heard before the line went dead. Her phone snapped shut and she let it slip listlessly from her fingers into her purse.

Easing back against her chair with a tired sigh she stared thoughtfully at the computer screen. Why should she give a damn what he thought? She didn't understand why she let herself be so affected by him. He was a wash up, a nobody, and a complete asshole to boot. Even still…she couldn't ignore the annoying fact that the more she saw of him the more she found herself wanting to see him.

“This is stupid,” she muttered to herself as she bent her head and began digging through the contents of her bag. Pursing her lips she scanned the array of make up, notepads, pens, and loose change until she found what she'd been searching for. Pulling out her compact mirror she snapped it open and glanced sceptically at her reflection.

Seriously, seriously, stupid. Who cares what you look like?

Ignoring her nagging voice of inner reason she frowned at the haphazard state of her ebony hair and the way her make up from the morning had worn off. Her toffee coloured eyes dropped distractedly back down into the leather purse sitting open atop her desk. After a moment of hesitation her hand delved into its depths once more and emerged triumphant with a tube of lipstick. Rolling her eyes at herself she twisted it open and hastily applied the berry hued stain to her lips.

It's like I'm back in high school, she mused cynically. Only the boys aren't as nice, but then again…neither am I.

Smoothing her lips together she tossed the mirror and lipstick back in the bag, twisted her hair up into a casual bun at the nape of her neck and pinched some colour into her cheeks for good measure. It wasn't perfect but it was the best she could do given the circumstances.

Right on cue, she glanced up to see the Detective step through the glass double doors of the news room. He glanced around the myriad of desks, his gaze distant until he caught sight of her. An unexpected electric shiver raced down her spine and her heart jump in her chest as their gazes connected across the room. She blinked in surprise and he hastily averted his gaze.

Kagome lowered her head and tried to catch her breath as she collected her various articles and file folders together for the Editor to review. What was that just now?

She watched him advance toward her from beneath her lashes and distractedly shuffled papers from one side of her desk to the other. The midnight blue v-neck sweater he wore clung to his torso, defining the muscles on his otherwise trim frame. The worn out pair of relaxed fitting jeans he had on would've given the impression of casualness were it not for the fedora seated atop his head. The taupe coloured Dick Tracy style hat had a wide brim that did an excellent job of shading his eyes from view.

Kagome cynically thought that it more than likely also hid the fact that he hadn't bathed at any point in the past few weeks. He constantly reeked of booze and cigarettes. Even if he showered five times a day she doubted the smell would ever come out.

What's with the hat anyways? she wondered suddenly. When she thought about it she realized that she'd never seen him take it off. Whatever, she cut her thoughts off sharply, borrowing a line from the Detective's limited vocabulary. It's just a hat.

Zipping her purse closed she slung it easily over her shoulder and simultaneously slipped her stocking clad feet into the pair of black heels hiding beneath her desk. She stood up just as the Detective reached her desk and gave him a thin, tight-lipped smile. He cocked an eyebrow at her as if to ask `ready?' Feeling a flush rise to her cheeks as his eyes studied her features, Kagome hastily side-stepped him and headed towards the elevator.

“This will just take a minute!” she promised over her shoulder.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes as he listened to the rhythmic click-click of her heels against the tiled floors. Take a minute my ass!

He'd already wasted fifteen minutes standing in the lobby like a moron waiting for her and wasn't too keen on having to do any more of it. His stomach grumbled, loudly demanding to be fed. Knitting his brows together the Detective shot his gut a warning glare before falling in step behind the reporter.

As they walked towards the row of elevators at the end of the news room he allowed his gaze to unabashedly skim over the delicate curve of her hips. He curvy figure was accentuated by the black knee-length skirt that hugged her body in all the right places. Considering how covered up she was compared to the last time they'd met, he couldn't understand why he couldn't take his eyes off of her.

An unexpected vision passed though his mind and brought him up short. The two of them…alone…in the elevator. One minute they're mum, the sexual tension resonating between them and the next he's pushing her against the wall, hungrily devouring those delicate ruby lips to the sounds of her broken moans. That damn skirt would be gone, on the floor in pieces…

Inuyasha blinked rapidly and swallowed hard as he came back to himself. Where the hell did that come from?

He glanced up to see her waited impatiently next to the elevator with her hand holding the doors open. He glowered at her and shoved his hands into his pockets as he stepped across the threshold. She stepped in after him, the click of her heels dying away as they reached the carpeted floor.

With a tiny sound she cleared her throat and reached across him to press the number 12 button, which lit up beneath her ruby glazed fingertip. Her perfume lingered after she'd retreated to her own side of the elevator and he found himself hungrily pulling the scent of it in.

Shifting his shoulders in his jacket he tilted his head up to watch the numbers count up to their destination.

3…4…5…

He'd been on edge all day and it had nothing to do with feeling hung over. An overwhelming sense of panic had gripped him in the middle of the night while he slept, wrenching him from his dreams like an ice cold bucket of water. He'd woken up shaking, with cold chills shivering across his body. Even now he couldn't explain it. He hadn't been able to get back to sleep after that. The early hours before dawn were spent drinking cup after cup of black coffee while he watched the sun rise over the horizon.

Sitting casually across his apartment balcony, with one leg hanging precariously over the edge and the other tucked into his chest, he'd taken the time to appreciate the sun rise. It was easy to forget how beautiful it could be to watch the impenetrable black of the night sky fade into mauve, bleed to red and then lighten to a brilliant orange before the entire sky turned golden. The sun rose triumphantly, unfailingly, over the horizon, bringing with it a new day and a new start.

He couldn't remember the last time he'd been awake to see the sun rise. The feeling of unease, the near panicked anxiety that'd awoken him had haunted him throughout the day. He watched the girl suspiciously out of the corner of his eye. Maybe she was the one throwing his senses out of whack? He studied her in silence for a moment as the dim chime of the bell announced their assent. The file folders were clutched tight to her chest and her eyes were downcast as she tried to ignore the heavy, awkward silence between them.

6…7…8…

He couldn't deny the allure of her dark expressive eyes, nor the way she constantly challenged him. Not too many women could hold their own against his razor sharp tongue. She had a great body too. If he was honest with himself he had to admit he wouldn't have minded seeing more of it, but there was more to it than that. He found himself asking the same question over and over again as errant thoughts of her invaded his mind - What am I getting myself in to?

It struck him as more than a little odd how much she resembled her. It'd been five years and yet the pain of her loss was still so fresh, the guilt still unrequited. He hadn't protected her…he'd failed her and she'd paid for it with her life. He couldn't protect anyone which was why he worked homicide. Dead people didn't need protecting…they were already gone. No guilt in that.

9…10…11

In a split second, in that very moment before the elevator chimed again and they stepped out onto the twelfth floor, the cold unforgiving panic was back. His instincts were telling him to get out, but his mind reminded him logically that he had nowhere to go. Reaching out for support he grabbed tightly to the brass railing that lined the elevator.

One quick glance at the girl told him she didn't suspect a thing. Was he losing his mind? He briefly toyed with that idea. Perhaps his years of alcoholism had finally caught up with him? In an instant he knew with a sinking sense of foreboding that he was most definitely wrong. He heard it - the deep throaty rumble that came up from the bowels of the earth…soft at first and then slowly louder until it resounded like a deafening roar in his ears.

“Shit…” the curse slipped from his lips before he had a chance to silence it. Glancing up at the lit numbers over their heads he noticed anxiously that they seemed to be frozen at eleven.

Kagome looked over at the Detective, surprised by his sudden outburst. Seeing his eyes widen as they looked at the panel overhead she followed his gaze, her brow creasing with lines of confusion. Then she understood…they both understood the moment the elevator came to a screeching halt and went pitch black.

The unrelenting tremors of the earth rattled them in their tiny prison and they were powerless to do anything but wait. The quake lasted maybe two minutes at most, but each second brought a new wave of panic and fear washing over them. All it would take was one faulty brake for them to plunge to their deaths.

That unspoken thought hung heavily in the air between them as they listened anxiously to the creak and grind of metal upon metal above them. The elevator swayed to and fro in a gentle rocking rhythm, like the pendulum of an ancient grandfather clock. When at last the rumbles subsided and the elevator slowly became stationary again, its occupants let out a unanimous sigh of relief.

Kagome brought a trembling hand to cover her lips and felt her knees go weak. She'd been in several earthquakes before, they were nothing new, but she'd never had the unfortunate experience of being stuck in an elevator during one. She heard horror stories all the time on the news of innocent people plunging to their deaths during a quake because they had the bad luck of stepping into an elevator just beforehand. At twelve stories up they didn't stand a chance.

With the room still pitch dark Inuyasha couldn't see the girl but he could smell her - her fear, her panic, her tears…they hung thick in the air and clouded his senses, adding to his already nagging anxiety. He wondered absently if he should try to comfort her but quickly decided against it. She was a big girl, she could handle herself. He didn't have the patience to coddle her like a child.

“You okay?” he demanded gruffly into the pitch black expanse. Even with his enhanced vision he could barely make out the faint outline of her body against the wall. Didn't these damn things have emergency lights? He felt her nod and her voice wavered only slightly as she responded with a distant sounding “Yeah…”

With a flicker and a faint hum the emergency light finally sputtered to life, filling the elevator with a dim, orange hued glow. Its occupants glanced hesitantly at one another, only to reassure themselves that they weren't alone, before hastily looking away again. They stood in pensive silence for several tense moments, waiting for something to happen. The only problem was nothing happened. The elevator didn't move, the emergency call button that Kagome pressed several times out of frustration appeared not to work, and the lights remained dim.

Kagome braved a glance at her travelling companion out of the corner of her eye and noticed him leaning casually up against the wall, hands eased into his pockets. How could he look so calm? Didn't he realize the danger they were in? At any moment the cables above them could snap and send them plummeting twelve stories to their deaths!

With a stifled `hmph', she slid her back down the wall until her backside rested against the plush carpet. Letting out a soft sigh she slapped her folders down onto the floor and straightened her legs out in front of her. If they were in for a long wait she figured she might as well get comfortable. The Detective remained standing for a few moments longer until he too resigned himself to the floor. He ignored her completely and kept his eyes glued to the number panel above their heads.

“Is it getting hot in here or is it just me?” she asked after a few moments and fanned herself gently with a folder from her pile on the floor. Her voice sounded nasally and high pitched in the small confines of the elevator and she cringed at the sound of it. It could've just been a result of the stress of their current situation, but she felt her body temperature rising as well. A thin film of sweat had broken out along her hairline, forcing her to tilt her head forward so she could fan warm air against her neck in earnest.

The Detective grunted out a non-committal response but shirked off his jacket just the same and tossed it against the opposing wall. Leaning back he pulled one knee up to his chest and rested his arm casually over top. Using his other hand he pushed the brim of his had down low over his eyes and rested his head against the wall.

Kagome openly glared at him and quickened the pace of her make-shift fan. Seriously? He's going to sleep?! We're stuck in an elevator and who knows for how long and he's going to try and SLEEP?! Like Hell he is!

“Well since we won't be making it to our lunch date, we might as well conduct our little interview here,” she began, her eyes pinning him down with a determined glare.

Well that got his attention. Using the tip of his index finger he pushed the brim of his hat upwards to fix her with an unimpressed look. For a moment she was certain he was going to pull it right back down and return to his little cat nap, but to her surprise he pushed himself upright.

“On one condition,” he bargained, his eyes flashing with a sense of determination. His gaze dropped meaningfully to the purse at her side and she glanced down at her bag confused. He tilted his head towards it and lifted his eyes to meet hers.

“Do you got any food in that thing?”