Lupin III Fan Fiction ❯ Daddy's Girl ❯ Bombs And Fallout ( Chapter 22 )

Daddy's Girl

By Bekka Mouri-Hibiki

(Lupin isn't mine. Lupin's letters reach their intended parties as Lupin decides to check out Ryousuke for himself.)

Part Twenty-Two: Bombs And Fallout

" If everything checks out, you will be released from the hospital this evening or even late this afternoon. I'm sure you're tired of this place, " The doctor said to Zenigata. " I heard you are a very active man and you seem healthy. With any luck, you may heal sooner than the six to ten weeks I said at first. "

" You think so? " Zenigata asked the doctor. The man was right. He was tired of lying in bed and doing nothing. He hoped he would heal faster than expected for he knew he'd go insane of he laid around for too long.

He was also worried about Toshiko and her being around Lupin. He felt he could at least halfway trust Goemon to keep her safe but he didn't like the idea of her being in the same house as his nemesis. " I hope you're right because I'm already itching to get back to work. "

" The itching is probably just the cast, " The doctor said absently as he looked at the charts.

There was a knock at the door before one of the young nurse opened it. She stepped into the room, " Inspector Zenigata? "

" Yes? " Zenigata looked around the doctor so he could see the woman.

" A letter just arrived for you, " The nurse held up an envelope.

" Really? Who is it from? " Zenigata was puzzled then wondered if it was from Toshiko.

" I don't know. I turned around to answer the telephone and it was there when I turned back to the desk. "

" Bring it here, " Zenigata's sixth sense started to buzz. He knew the phone call tactic a little too well. The nurse handed him the envelope and he opened it. As he pulled out the folded letter, a photo from an instant camera fell face down on the floor.

" I'll get that, " The doctor said. He leaned down to get the picture but dropped it. He reached for it again, stopping. " Oh my goodness. "

" What is it? " Zenigata tried to look over the edge of the bed but the way his leg was propped up kept him from moving enough to see the picture.

The doctor snatched up the photo and looked at it closely. " What do you think caused that kind of scarring? " The nurse said as she looked at the picture as well.

" If I'm not mistaken, " The doctor started but Zenigata snatched the photo away.

" This is mine, remember? " He snapped then looked down at the picture. It took a moment for it to register what he was looking at, his jaw falling open when it finally clicked. " No way… I have to be wrong. "

" Is that someone you know? " The doctor asked.

" It's my daughter, " Zenigata muttered as he opened the letter and read it…

Dear Pops,

How are you doing, old man? I heard you were laid up in the hospital but you'll be happy to hear the guy that shot you isn't going to be a problem any more. Let's just say fate is a bitch. That's not why I'm writing you though.

Enclosed you will find a photo of Toshiko. Don't get your boxers in a bunch because I didn't see anything. Goemon threatened to gouge my eyes out if I even looked at her funny. You made a good choice picking him to keep an eye on her.

By now, you've probably looked at the photo and are thinking 'what the hell?' That's that I thought too when I saw those scars on your daughter's back. Once again, please don't get bent because she's the one who showed them to me. From what I was able to find out, this is the handiwork of her stepfather.

According to sources that will remain anonymous, this was the result of her forgetting to bring the wash in off the line and failing a test. There was something also mentioned about her room being dirty but that's just a teenager for you I guess. They tend to be messy. My sense of righteousness became uncontrollable at the sight of this atrocity so I have decided to keep your daughter with me until arrangements we both approve of can be made.

I do not want thanks for keeping your daughter safe from harm for that is Goemon's job. I actually don't need any thanks at all because there's really nothing you can do if you disagree.

Yours Always,

L

Zenigata looked at the picture again then looked at the doctor. " What were you going to say this was caused by? " He pointed at the marks on Toshiko's back.

The doctor took the picture again and looked at it closely. " I was going to say this looks like it was caused by a lacerating of the skin with some kind of strap. "

The sound of running footsteps could be heard coming up the hallway. A moment later, a very upset Toshi appeared in the doorway. " Koichi… " She panted.

Zenigata quickly hid his letter under the blanket. " Could the two of you please leave? I have a feeling this is important. "

The doctor and nurse gave each other puzzled looks then walked out past Toshi. She walked into the room and kicked the door shut behind her. She looked like she had been crying for her eyes were red and puffy. She walked to the bed, " Koichi. "

" What's wrong? " Zenigata asked her.

" Today. In the office mail, " Toshi reached into her briefcase. " I found this letter. Toshiko's being held somewhere and they refuse to let her go. "

Zenigata took the letter from Toshi's trembling hand. He opened it up and read it…

To Whom It May Concern,

You don't know me but I am taking care of your daughter. It seems she needs to be somewhere away from her normal life because it is killing her. I know all about her two suicide attempts, as I am sure you do. I do however know something you may not be aware of.

I want you to think back to when she ran away the last time. What was the cause of it? Are you so certain? Enclosed you will find a picture of the real reason (or the results thereof) she ran away.

By this time, you are probably wondering where those horrible scars came from. I can tell you but you will not like it. Have you prepared yourself?

It was her stepfather.

I have been told that this severe punishment was the result of her forgetting laundry on the line, failing a test and having an untidy room. I do not know how you feel about it but I feel it is abuse and I will not return your daughter until something is done to rectify the situation post haste.

I will stay in touch…

Zenigata arched an eyebrow, finding the letter Lupin sent to his ex-wife to be dark and foreboding. " Where I the picture? " He asked her.

Toshi reached into her briefcase again, holding it out to him face down. " I can't bear to look at it. I looked at it when I opened the letter and I became sick to my stomach. "

Zenigata flipped it over and found it was almost an exact copy of the photo he had gotten. " I got one as well, " Zenigata held up his copy of the picture.

" You did? " Toshi's eyes grew wide. " Did the letter say the same thing? "

Zenigata nodded slowly, " Yes. It said it was Ryousuke. You haven't shown him the letter, right? "

" No! I don't dare. It will make him angry, " Toshi shook her head. " He has a terrible temper. "

" I can see that, " Zenigata muttered. He recalled the man said he was going to hire a private investigator so he asked Toshi about it.

" Yes. He said the private investigator is the best he could find. He said this man can find a needle in a haystack, " Toshi sighed. " I just hope he can find Toshiko. The person who sent the letter didn't even sign it. "

" Ah, " Zenigata looked at Toshi's letter again. He hoped she didn't ask about his letter.

" I don't understand how it got into the office mail either. The envelope doesn't have an address, just my name. There are no postmarks or anything. "

" This is very odd, " Zenigata got the envelope his letter came in. All it had written on it was 'Inspector Koichi Zenigata'. " Mine is exactly the same way. "

" I've went over it a thousand times, " Toshi grabbed the bedrail.

" The letter? " Zenigata asked.

" No. It's the claims in the letter, " Toshi sighed. " I know Ryousuke has a temper but I don't know if he would go that far. "

Zenigata looked at Toshi, " Has Toshiko ever had bruises she can't explain? "

Toshi shook her head; " All of the bruises I have ever seen on her were one she gave herself from climbing trees. That is what I assumed anyway. I thought she'd stop after she fell out of that one when she was thirteen but she said she climbed because she still liked it. "

" She fell out of a tree? " Zenigata was surprised. " You never told me that. "

" I didn't think you'd want to know, " Toshi muttered. " I thought you were too busy. "

" She's my daughter, Toshi. I want to know everything that happens to her, good or bad. Tell me about the tree incident. "

Toshi gripped the bedrail tighter, " She climbed up this big tree and fell. She said it was an accident but I found a suicide note in her school bag. I met Ryousuke at the same time and he said he'd take care of us both. "

" Were there any more times she tried to kill herself? " Zenigata had remembered Toshiko had mentioned Tokyo Tower but he just could flat out ask Toshi about it because she would become suspicious.

" There was one other time, " Toshi sighed. " I'm surprised you didn't read about it in the newspapers. She climbed from the highest observation deck of Tokyo Tower to the three hundred meter mark. "

" Holy shit, " Zenigata gasped. " She was that high up? She could have fallen and died. "

" I know that, " Toshi shook her head. " All I could think of when I got the call from the police was if she had fallen and how stupid I was to teach her how to climb. "

" If I ever see her again, I'll have to let her know how disappointed I am that she tried such a stupid stunt, " Zenigata said with conviction. He wasn't really going to say such a thing to Toshiko because she didn't need any more strife but he at least wanted to make Toshi know he cared.

" How do you think it made me feel? It was made worse when I had to work my ass off to keep her out of jail for trespassing, " Toshi gave Zenigata a dirty look. " The court wanted to send her to juvenile detention for it but I bargained them into letting her have five years probation and therapy. "

" Does her probation officer know she's missing? " Zenigata knew that it meant a straight trip to jail if the girl missed her appointments. Toshiko looked a little scrappy but he knew she couldn't stand up to the breed of girls that inhabited detention centers.

" He was notified the day the missing persons report was filed, " Toshi nodded.

" That's good, " Zenigata was very relieved. His mind jumped back to their original discussion and wanted to get back on the subject. " Now, is there anything else that may have seemed odd to you? "

" Such as what? " Toshi asked. " Toshiko withdrew into herself after her first suicide attempt and became very combative. She tried to run away a few times but Ryousuke put a stop to that. "

" When did you marry Ryousuke? " Zenigata wasn't exactly sure when it had happened. He just knew he was getting letters with both their names on the return address.

" I married him about six months after Toshiko jumped from that tree, " Toshi said. She stopped, looking like she was thinking about something. " Wait. I see a connection. "

" Was it after the wedding when she started behaving that way? " Zenigata arched an eyebrow.

" Yes. It was, " The color drained from Toshi's face. " Oh my God. "

Zenigata watched helplessly as Toshi fainted and fell on to the floor.

**

Lupin sat in the main office of Ninomiya Sontoku High School but to look at him, no one would know it was anyone special. He wore a pair of glasses and had his hair slicked down. He had on a suit that screamed 'working class' and carried a briefcase. He had requested a tour of the school, telling the secretary he was moving to the area soon and wanted to see if the school suited his teenage daughter's needs.

He glanced around the office, noting nothing unusual besides a copious amount of awards for being an excellent school. His eyes were drawn to a nameplate on the door the secretary had opened. " Takahashi Ryousuke, " He muttered to himself. A moment later, the secretary stepped away from the door and Lupin got to see the face of Toshiko's abuser.

He tried to remain calm as he stood up, Ryousuke walking towards him with a smile that belied his true nature. Lupin could tell Ryousuke was a strict man from his sharp features, precisely pressed suit and perfectly polished shoes. He definitely exuded the air of an authoritarian not to be tussled with. He bowed to Lupin, " It is a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Nakamura. "

Lupin bowed in return, " It is pleasure to meet you also. "

" Mrs. Saito tells me that you wish to tour my school because you may have a student attending here after summer break. Is that so? " Ryousuke arched an eyebrow.

" Yes, " Lupin nodded. " I am checking out all of the schools in this area. My daughter is very bright and will need some place that can keep up with her. "

" I see. Well, we expect our students to be dedicated to their studies and well organized. With class sizes of thirty-five students to one teacher, efficency is our number one priority. I also demand a high amount of respect from the students and anyone who breaks the rules is punished. "

" Hmm. I see, " Lupin nodded. " How do you go about punishing the students who misbehave? "

" The usual ways, " Ryousuke shrugged. " They have to clean up after school or restrict them from extra-curricular activities. The most severe offenders are given corporal punishment but no one dares to go that far here. "

" Ah. It sounds like you run a very tight ship. "

" Our students never misbehave if that's what you mean, " Ryousuke nodded.

" Good. I want my daughter to attend a school with as little distractions as possible, " Lupin smiled. " You know how easily distracted they can be. "

" Indeed I do, " Ryousuke motioned towards the door that led out of the main office into the rest of the school. " Would you like to start the tour now Mr. Nakamura? "

Lupin nodded, " Sure. "

The secretary cleared her throat, " Would you like me to get you a registration packet sir? "

" I still have three other schools to visit. If I choose this one, I will come back for the papers, " Lupin put a hand up. " I would hate to take a packet when I haven't made up my mind yet. "

" I understand completely, " Ryousuke said. He walked to the door and opened it for Lupin, " After you. "

Lupin stepped out into the hallway, the mingled muffled voices of teachers echoing quietly through the hall. " This place is spotless, " He commented.

" We take great pride in our image here, " Ryousuke said. " In order for us to be the best school, we must be good at everything. "

" Does this include sports as well? " Lupin arched an eyebrow.

" Of course. We believe having a healthy body is the key to having a brilliant mind. Students are encouraged to keep their physical activity up as well as their grades, " Ryousuke motioned to an exercise yard that was visible through the long row of windows. A group of thirty-five girls were there participating in a physical education class.

Lupin couldn't help but stare for the girls were in white shirts and gym shorts. He also noticed that most of them were very pretty. As he looked at them, he noticed something past the fence line of the school that deserved more attention. " That's one big tree, " Lupin pointed at a tall tree that had a sparse amount of branches.

Ryousuke didn't look, " Yes it is. A young girl was injured after climbing that tree. I have asked the property owners to cut it down for the last three years but it is to no avail. It is a safety hazard and I have instructed the students to stay away from it. "

" That's good, " Lupin nodded then continued down the hall with Ryousuke. ~That must be the one Toshiko climbed, ~ He noted.

" We have excelled in every possible field of education, " Ryousuke continued to talk as they walked down the hall. " Students from this school often go to various competitions and win. "

" That's great. My daughter is a genius when it comes to history, science and math. She is also a pretty good mechanic and is always inventing things. Do you have any mechanical courses? " Lupin asked.

Ryousuke frowned, " If you wish to encourage that she will need to go to another school. We do not teach things that will not give our students an advantage. Mechanical and shop courses are for those who only strive to lead a mediocre life as a factory worker. We are striving to educate future world leaders here. "

Lupin felt his anger rise but he fought it back. He returned Ryousuke's frown, " I see. "

" I can't give you too much more of a tour since class is in session but I do hope you decide on this school for your daughter's education. Could I ask her name so I can welcome her if she does come here? "

Lupin nodded, " Sure. Her name is Toshiko. "

Ryousuke's eyes went wide then he got a hold of himself. " My. That's a name you don't hear very often. I have a stepdaughter with that name. "

" Really? " Lupin arched an eyebrow. " My daughter is name after her grandparents on her mother's side. "

" Ah. My stepdaughter is named after my wife and her ex-husband, " Ryousuke said.

Lupin looked a his watch, " Look at that. I have to get going so I can get to another appointment. Thank you so much for your time. "

" It's been a pleasure, " Ryousuke gave Lupin a forced smile. " Have a good day, Mr. Nakamura. "

" Mr. Takahashi! " The secretary was running down the hallway towards them. She was white as a ghost and panting for air.

" What is it? " Ryousuke looked puzzled but not very concerned.

" St. Luke's International just called, " The lady panted. " They said your wife collapsed while visiting a patient there. "

" Is she okay? " Ryousuke arched an eyebrow. " Did they say what happened? "

" They didn't say, " The secretary said. " They wanted me to get you as soon as possible. "

Ryousuke looked at his watch and frowned, " I will call them but I see no point in going until after school is out. I have things I need to do before I leave today. "

The secretary looked at Ryousuke with a confused expression on her face. " But … "

" She is at the hospital and in the care of doctors. There is no need to be excited and fear the worst when everything is probably going to be okay. Toshi is a very healthy person so I feel she will be just fine. "

Lupin frowned, " But if she's so healthy how come she collapsed so suddenly? "

Ryousuke leveled a cold glare at Lupin, " Mr. Nakamura. "

" Yes? " Lupin felt his blood really start to boil. Ryousuke was worse than he thought if he was going to wait until the end of the school day to see his wife. For all intents and purposes, he felt Toshi was also a victim.

" I believe this is none of your business, " Ryousuke said.

" Pardon me for intruding, " Lupin said. " I was only showing concern. "

" I don't need your concern, " Ryousuke retorted. " Now, I believe you know the way back to the parking lot. "

Lupin clenched his hand around the briefcase but said nothing. He nodded and turned on his heel, grinding his jaw as he walked down the hall. ~Fucking jerk. This is one time I hope the justice system comes through and they throw the book at you. ~

**

Jigen lifted up his hat when he heard someone moving around, " Who's there? " He called.

" It's just me, " Fujiko said. " Can you give me a hand? "

" Why? " Jigen sat up. He frowned but Fujiko wasn't sure if it was at her outfit's lack of fabric or at the two large suitcases she had. " What the hell is this? I thought you were just going over there to change your clothes not take them off and what's with the damn suitcases? "

" The lock on my door was broken. It looked like no one went in though. I packed all my stuff and told the landlord I wasn't coming back. I have four more suitcases out in the car. "

Jigen growled, " I guess that means you're moving in here. "

" Lupin asked me to. He said I'd be safer here, " Fujiko turned her nose up in the air. " It will probably only be temporary since I can only tolerate you for so long. "

" I love you too, " Jigen muttered sarcastically. " I wonder if Goemon will let me move in with him? "

" You wouldn't survive, " Fujiko scoffed. " He doesn't have a couch or a television. "

The sound of the sliding glass door drew both Jigen and Fujiko's attention to it. Goemon stood there; his rucksack slung across his shoulder and two more in his hands. Jigen threw himself back down on the couch, " Oh God. Don't tell me… "