InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Love's Smirking Revenge ❯ Break, Mend, Repeat ( Chapter 28 )

Love's Smirking Revenge

- Chapter 29 -

Break, Mend, Repeat

 

The driving rain pounded the pavement and showed no signs of letting up. The storm was winter's last kick in the balls. Soon the clouds would break and the country would be awash in sakura blossoms and sunshine. He'd never been one for sakura, but it'd be nice just the same to set aside thoughts of snow, driving rain and bone numbing cold for another year.

Kouga quickened his pace down the waterlogged street and eventually stopped under a large overhang. He took his time shaking the water from his jacket and towelling off. If it were anyone else he wouldn't have come, but the call was so unexpected (and out of character) that he'd found himself accepting before thinking it through.

It was an invitation for drinks, a request both simple and innocuous until you knew the source. And it was the source that'd captured his interest. What did the bastard have up his sleeve this time? Eager to find out, Kouga draped his jacket over his arm and slid open the door to one of Tokyo's many back alley izakaya's.

Aji-Tasuke was a neatly decorated hole in the wall but it did a decent business. The din of chatter and sounds from the kitchen enveloped him the moment he stepped inside, along with the faint haze of cigarette smoke lingering in the air. He breathed in the scent of grilled meat as he slipped out of his shoes and his stomach rumbled appreciatively. At the very least he'd be eating a good dinner tonight.

The mutt was waiting for him, hunched over a drink at the bar. He turned at the sound of the staff's welcome greeting and waved him over.

“I was starting to think you weren't gonna show,” he said, getting up out of his seat.

Kouga shrugged and tossed his jacket over the back of the chair.

“I wasn't sure I'd get through the door without you aiming another right hook at my jaw.”

That earned him a smirk. Inuyasha waved over one of the waitresses and she escorted them to a booth.

“What're you havin'? It's on me.”

“What've you got?” He nodded at the snifter in his former partner's hand.

The mutt considered his drink a moment before taking a slow sip. “A bit of this an' that.”

“I'm good with beer.”

He watched Inuyasha place their drink order with a careful eye. The last time they'd crossed paths they were rolling around the floor of the 29th precinct trying to beat the living shit out of each other and now they were what? Drinking buddies?

“I was surprised you called,” he prodded, hoping to get something out of him.

Takahashi shrugged.

“Was overdue for an apology, I guess. What happened at the Precinct... I was outta line.”

Ten years working the beat and this was the first time he'd heard Takahashi apologize - for anything. He laughed out loud and the mutt scowled.

“Somethin' funny?”

“Yeah, that piss poor excuse of yours. You wouldn't condescend to apologize to me if you backed over my mother with your squad car. So either you're a changed man, or you want something. Which is it?”

Takahashi blew out a quiet sigh and finished off what was left of his drink. He set it down heavily at the end of the table before meeting his gaze.

“I wanted to run a case by you, you know, to get some perspective.”

He nodded and sampled his beer. It was ice cold and did a decent job of washing away the taste of the rain. Setting it down, he leaned back and waited.

“The Supe's given me this arson case to work on. It never should've wound up in Homicide but that's how it goes, I guess.”

The waiter passed by their table and he took a moment to place an order of grilled meat and rice. His stomach hadn't stopped growling since he'd stepped through the door. If he was going to spend the night listening to the mutt bitch and moan, it was going to be on a full belly.

With a fresh drink securely in hand, Takahashi continued, “I'm trying to work out a motive but I just can't wrap my head around it.”

“Anyone of interest?” he drawled, feeling bored and a little distracted.

Kagome hadn't called him back - three days and nothing. She'd given him fair warning - “This week is going to be pretty hectic at work so sorry if I'm not around” - but it still didn't sit right. He was worried about her. Was it even healthy to be throwing herself back into work so soon? He supposed it was good in a way since it gave her a much needed distraction, but at what cost?

He glanced at the haggard looking hanyou across the table and tried to rouse enough interest to care about what was coming from his mouth. It was getting harder and harder to care about him at all these days.

Takahashi fished a worn pack of cigarettes out of his jacket pocket and toyed with it in front of him, tapping the box distractedly on the table.

“A witness from the cafe gave us Yoshi Ishii and he copped to the arson pretty quick.”

“Yakuza huh?” he commiserated and took another swig of his beer.

“Seems like it, `cept I can't find the connection. Ishii was acting on orders but the cafe owners are clean.”

“Sounds like a vendetta. What about the staff?”

The mutt took his time lighting a cigarette and soon the air around their table was filled with the rich scent of burning Marlboro.

“They had some broad working there,” Inuyasha answered with a dismissive wave of his hand. “She's the one that pointed us in Ishii's direction. I've been over her background with a fine tooth comb - no priors, no gambling debts, no family connections - she might as well be a ghost.”

Kouga shook his head and took his time placing the meat on the grill. This was exactly the kind of case every cop hated to work - no leads, no one's talking, nothing's easy. It was obvious that the girl was the heart and soul the case. Whatever her connection, once they found it they'd have their answer.

“Why do you care anyway? If Ishii copped to it you've got your man. Why go stirring up trouble?”

Takahashi gave him a strange look and grabbed a slice of meat off the grill.

“Can't explain it. You know how it is. Having Ishii behind bars doesn't mean squat if I don't know who's pulling the strings. If someone's after this girl, better to find out now then when it's too late.”

Kouga understood exactly where he was coming from. A detective's dogged insistence on finding the truth was one of the best and worst parts about the job. Sometimes a case would follow you for years, keeping you up at night, all because you couldn't wrap your head around the `why'.

There weren't always answers either, at least not ones that came easy. There were some cases he knew he'd go his whole career without ever solving.

“So who's the girl?” he wondered, more curious now than he wanted to be.

“She gave an alias at the station but I managed to track her down - Rin Aomori. She's working for Goldstar Entertainment these days at some hostess club downtown.”

“No kiddin'?” Kouga whistled low and shook his head as he turned the meat on the grill. “Doesn't take much these days, I guess. Which club?”

“Money talks,” Takahashi added with a hint of bitterness in his tone. “If my sources are right, she's workin' at VOSS.”

VOSS - he'd been there before. It was out of the way, on the other side of town, and nothing worth writing home about. He'd flirted with many a sad, doe-eyed Daddy's girl there, and even taken a few home, but the place had no class and neither did its `talent'.

“She got any family that could be getting in with the wrong people?”

The mutt took a long sip of his drink and thought it over.

“She's got a grandmother living in Miyagi-ken but the woman's got one foot in the grave and the other's halfway there. Her parents are dead, died in a car wreck about a decade ago. She had a brother too at some point but he got caught up in the student riots in North Korea. The army put a bullet in his head, or so the story goes.”

“What about a boyfriend? The young ones are stupid like that. They'll do just about anything if they think they're in love with a guy.”

Ain't that the truth, he muttered to himself, feeling cynical.

Kagome had been one of those girls - blind in love and naive - and it'd nearly gotten her killed. Just remembering her case file from the Takeda homicide was enough to make his blood boil. The things that guy had done to her... and she'd kept going back for more!

If anything good had come of it, it was that she was safe now. As long as she was with him she didn't have a thing to worry about. He'd take care of her in every way the mutt hadn't and gladly dismember any sonofabitch that tried to lay a hand on her.

A smirk played at his lips as he remembered the hot little number she'd been wearing the last time they went to dinner. It'd been tight and black, just how he liked it, and damn her ass had felt perfect in his hands. He'd been patient, Kami knew it, but he'd never pretended to be a Saint. She couldn't hold him off forever.

Despite his attempt to hide his smirk with a long drink, Takahashi noticed and lifted an eyebrow.

“Daydreamin'?”

Kouga chuckled and shook his head.

“So I was plannin' on visiting this broad tomorrow to see if I can get any more out of her. You in?”

He popped a piece of sizzling beef into his mouth and chewed it over. In the end he figured it was best to keep the girl, the case and the mutt at arm's length. Less trouble for everyone that way.

“What, and steal all your glory?” he joked. “Thanks, but I've got my own cases to worry about.”

Takahashi snorted, “Just figured I'd ask.”

He watched him down what was left of his drink and press the buzzer to order another. The waiter brought it around quick. Maybe they'd already had it ready and waiting. Made him wonder how often the mutt came around this place.

“I thought you were riding the sobriety wagon these days?” he wagered, eyeing him carefully.

Inuyasha rested his head against his fist and gave him a bleary-eyed look, “Sobriety ain't my thing.”

“Neither's responsibility.”

“Speaking of which,” he interjected, perking up a little, “What the hell were you doing nosing around in my old cases?”

Kouga's expression darkened. Somehow he'd known it would eventually come to this. He hated being in this position but there was fuck all he could do about it now. Leaning forward he lowered his voice and answered, “I was asked to.”

“You reek of bull shit, you know that?”

With a quiet snort of frustration he gestured to the line of empty glasses at the end of their table.

“The Admin. Bureau heard about your...problem. They wanna make sure all your cases are in order. You know how these things are. One bad conviction and they all look bad. No sense giving the Defence lawyers any ammo they don't need.”

“The fuck? The last thing I need is the goddamn Admin. breathing down my neck. Since when did you start working for them?”

“Since I volunteered. I knew you had a problem and I knew it'd come back to bite you in the ass. I'm just trying to minimize the damage. I've got your back.”

“The hell you do,” he snarled with an accusing glare.

Kouga shrugged. “Look, think what you want but I'm on your side. You know how they are. They'll make a mountain out of any molehill. I'm just making sure you haven't got so much as an ant hill for them to sniff at.”

Takahashi took his time processing that one and finishing off his drink. Shaking his head in disgust, he slammed the empty snifter down on the table and grabbed his jacket.

“You leavin'?”

“The stench of rat is gettin' thick. I need some air.”

Kouga shrugged off the barb and relaxed back against the seat cushion. He watched the mutt angrily pull on his jacket and throw down a wad of yen. It was more than enough to cover his share; looked like he was still treating.

He waited until he turned to leave before adding, “Kagome's doing good these days, in case you were wondering.”

It was a low blow at best, but he was in the mood for a little payback for the sucker punch and the rat comment. Ungrateful bastard.

He watched the mutt's shoulders tense and his fist curl up tight. He hovered between their booth and the door and Kouga could almost hear the internal debate raging inside his head. Hit or walk away. Hit or walk away. The alcohol was helping, telling him to hit. One hit was all he needed.

It was a long moment before the mutt's shoulders relaxed and he jammed his fists into his jacket pockets. Turning his head he muttered a quiet “Fuck you,” over his shoulder and then pushed his way out the door.

xXx

Club VOSS wasn't the worst establishment he'd ever been in, but it was damn near the bottom of the list. Inuyasha breathed shallow to avoid the stench of stale smoke and alcohol on the air and sought out his target.

This was going to be a strict in and out meeting. He had a hangover from hell and wasn't keen on beating around the bush. Thankfully she saved him the effort of looking for her. Looking as guilty as Sin, she quickly made her way over to him and pulled him aside.

“How did you find me?” she hissed, keeping her voice low.

“It wasn't hard. Cop, remember?”

She scowled at his self-satisfied smirk and crossed her arms in front of her chest.

“Well, what do you want?”

He shrugged and leaned casually against the bar. It was better for her if it looked like she was entertaining a guest rather than being interviewed by a cop. If she was smart she'd know enough to play along.

“I came to tell you that we arrested the guy who torched the Cafe. His name was Yoshi Ishii. It ring any bells?”

Following his cue, she leaned back coyly against the bar and fingered her hair.

“No. Should it?”

He eyed the large, finger-sized bruises that ran up the length of her pale arm without comment. Ishii hadn't just been bragging then. A part of him still hoped that his kind was all talk, but they continued to prove him wrong.

“You tell me,” he pressed. He picked up a drink menu off the bar and pretended to read it. “The yakuza don't burn down buildings for no reason.”

The girl visibly paled. “Yakuza?”

Seeing her discomfort he pressed on, “You know any reason why they might be after you?”

She shook her head and swallowed nervously. “I... I don't know.”

“Well, that guy Ishii? Someone hired him so whoever's after you's makin' it personal. Think hard. Do you have any friends who might be in with the wrong people? A boyfriend maybe?”

She hesitated before shaking her head. It wasn't much but it was long enough that it tipped him off. She was hiding something. Maybe she didn't even realize it, but whatever she knew was either going to keep her safe or get her killed.

“Rin. Think.”

“I don't know!” she confessed, looking exasperated. “I don't know why they're after me. I don't know any yakuza!”

Her reaction seemed legit. He'd seen many a performance in his time but there was real fear in her eyes. The moment he'd mentioned the yakuza she'd started shaking. If she was involved with them she didn't know it. Either that, or she was the best damn actress he'd ever seen.

“Why are you here interrogating me?” she blurted out, her tone coloured by anger and frustration. “I don't know anything! You should be out there looking for whoever hired that guy to burn down the cafe!”

“I'm trying. Just figured I'd cover all my bases.”

She shot him an exasperated look and rolled her eyes. All her flailing had caught her manager's attention and he was watching them like a hawk from his corner of the club. Time was up. Having boyfriends was strictly forbidden - the first rule of any good club. The longer he lingered the more suspicious he seemed.

Smiling at her, he pulled out a business card and set it on the bar.

“If you think of anything, give me a call will ya?”

She sniffed dismissively and didn't make a move to pick it up.

“I'm only tryin' to keep you out of a body bag.”

With a begrudging look she picked up the card and tucked it into her bra. He lingered at the bar and took his time setting the drink menu back in its holder.

“You know,” he added with a long look at her arms, “it's not too late to tack on an assault charge.”

She hastily pulled down the sleeves of her sweater and looked away.

“I don't know what you're talking about,” she muttered.

“Well, if you change your mind you've got my number.”

She nodded hesitantly and cast a nervous glance at her manager. It was clear he'd overstayed his welcome. Offering her a quick tip of his hat, he sauntered out the door.

She hadn't given him much but at least it was something. If there was a yakuza connection she didn't know a thing about it. It was like trying to play connect-the-dots with most of the dots missing. Damn near impossible unless you already knew what the picture looked like when finished.

He had his work cut out for him but hell, this kind of thing was what he lived for.

xXx

Back inside the club Rin returned to her station behind the bar and snatched a glass from the drying rack. She took to it like a dog to a bone, showing it no mercy whatsoever. Kagome waited as long as she dared before emerging from the back room and sidling up beside her.

“Who was that?” she inquired, taking up a glass of her own from the drying rack.

“Just some cop being nosy.”

A hot rush of panic spread throughout her body. Struggling to keep her expression neutral, she uttered a soft grunt of commiseration.

The second he'd walked through the door she'd hid. Her brain hadn't even had time to process that it was really him before she felt the wall at her back and her heart in her throat.

It'd been months since she'd last seen him. She'd watched his back walk right out of her hospital room and out of her life. Every day since had been a struggle, something else she had to endure. It was a never-ending gauntlet of wondering and coping and convincing herself she was over him.

And it'd only taken seconds for him to undo every shred of progress she thought she'd made. So much for that.

What the hell was he doing snooping around the club anyway? And why now? Why couldn't he have come to her weeks ago when it mattered?

Even as messed up as she was, she couldn't turn off her reporter's instinct. It demanded to know what the connection was between Inuyasha and Rin. Was he using her to get information? Had he tracked her down to VOSS? Were they lovers?

“Did he...ask about me?” she wondered hesitantly.

Rin glanced up, surprised, and gave her a strange look. “You? Why'd he be asking about you?”

She was quick to wave off her new friend's concern with an easy smile. “Just curious. You never know, right?”

Inwardly, she wasn't sure how to feel. A part of her wanted him to find her just as badly as the rest of her was terrified of the prospect. She hadn't stopped loving him. Even now, she couldn't stop which only made the realization that he'd moved on cut deeper.

Rin laughed at her comment, though it wasn't a happy sound.

“Yeah, you never know.”

What tied them together? Was it the club? One of his cases? She nibbled at her bottom lip and thought it over. There had to be a way to get the information from Rin without giving herself away. She just needed to word her questions the right way. The number two rule of journalism - “It's not what you ask, it's how you ask it.”

She noticed Furukawa-san ogling them out of the corner of her eye and it made her skin crawl. He took his time sidling up to the bar. He was looking especially cheap in an unfashionable pin-stripe suit. His shoes were all wrong, too. That look had been in style ten years ago. It said a lot about him.

With a leer he complimented them both on their hard work before pulling Rin aside. Kagome's hand stilled and she strained to hear their conversation.

“You've got a private guest booked for tomorrow,” Furukawa-san said, sounding very business-like. It was unusual for him. He didn't like to come across as too serious. Everything was fun and flirtation when he was around. Not today though. Today he was as serious as she'd ever seen him.

“I don't need to remind you that this club runs on the yen of its regulars so you better not screw it up.”

She noticed Rin's dutiful nod at his thinly veiled threat and made a quiet sound of disgust. The man was a pig. It made her sick to think of how many girls like Rin he'd taken advantage of. He loved them naive and nearly innocent. He said those girls were the best talents. What he meant was they were the most easily manipulated.

She strained to hear the rest of their conversation but it was muffled by the god awful electronica that was pumping out of the stage speakers. Eventually Rin returned wearing the biggest smile she'd seen on her all week.

“What are you so happy about?” she sniffed, trying not to sound too interested.

Rin took up two cocktail glasses and placed them on the shelf behind the bar. The coloured back lights shone through them creating a rainbow of red and purple glass.

“I've got my first private customer tomorrow night,” she answered with a grin.

Singing to herself, Rin sashayed off in the direction of the dressing room. Kagome waited until she was out of sight before rolling her eyes and letting her shoulders drop in defeat.

Oh Lord, but they were in trouble now.

 

Author's Note: Long break, I know, I'm sorry :( I hope this chapter was worth the wait.

While I was away LSR won 1st Place at the IYFG Awards for “Best Action/Adventure”. I still can't believe it. Thank you so much to all of my loyal readers and nominators :)

I need to extend a special round of thank yous to Frieda, Devil Dog 2027, LuxKen27, Ai Kisugi, doggieearlover, landofthekwt, Kinky-Hoe, Em Wolf, -artanimelover-, SessInSunglasses and Doggie.Boy.Lover. Your nominations and kind-hearted reviews have been incredible. Thank you so very much :)

Happy reading!