Reckoning - Chapter 11

The next afternoon, Kaori was in her office, removing any last vestiges of data from the tablet that had been waiting on her desk when she’d come to work, while keeping one eye on her computer screen showing three split images of the entrances to Cat’s Eye, Saeba’s apartment building, and Reika’s office building next door since the tunnel between the buildings was still there.

She had no compunction in having installed—temporarily, that is—the cameras. Invasion of privacy or not, she had to know what was going on if she had any hope of preventing any or all of them from butting their noses into police business—into her business—until she was ready. Until everything was ready.

If she had to follow through on her threat of arresting the lot of them, so be it. She had no problems with being a bitch. They had absolutely no idea just what a bitch she could be.

Her private laptop beeped, indicating the tablet’s disk was fully formatted and squeaky clean. At the same time her burner phone rang.

“Yeah?” she answered in lieu of the regular reciting of her surname. There were only two people who knew this particular number. And one of them was dead.

“Who knew four years under would make you sloppy.” Ito’s voice was low, but there was no mistaking the bite in it.

She rolled her eyes. She could act like a brat; the man couldn’t see her. “Excuse me?”

“Get your butt to the Koto Toyosu hospital ASAP.”

She frowned. What in the hell for? “Why?”

Ito exhaled impatiently. “Because the Coast Guard just fished a blonde woman out of the bay. Want to venture a guess as to her identity?”

“Shit.” She hadn’t counted on Mary going solo. She hadn’t counted on the woman to suddenly make an appearance in Japan in the first place.

“A very appropriate choice of expression,” Ito agreed. “She’s on her way to the hospital, since her diving suit’s been, according to my buddy with the Coast Guard, riddled with bullet holes.”

“Fuck.”

“Crude, but, again, appropriate. Good, I’m head of the division, so he called me, instead of dispatch.”

“Where are you?”

Ito sighed. “I’m in a meeting with the brass, so you’re on your own for now. Better hurry to the hospital and hope my buddy’s eyesight is failing.”

Kaori frowned. The timing wasn’t ideal—she could’ve used another night—but it wasn’t critical. She’d manage. “On my way.”

She disconnected the call, grabbed her keys, and, holstering her gun, strode out of her office. It was almost time.

 

Fifteen minutes later, she maneuvered her car under the overhang in front of the hospital, taking over one of the three spaces obviously reserved for taxis and quick drop-offs. As she shut the engine down, a slightly overweight security guard by the main door hiked his pants a little higher around his waist and made a beeline for her.

Kaori scoffed, opened the door, and flashed him her ID. “Police business, won’t take long.” And she left him there, probably scratching his head.

Inside the hospital, she strode purposefully to the admission desk. “I’m looking for the woman that’s been brought to your ER. Blonde, in a torn diving suit, found by the Coast Guard.”

“Are you her next of kin?” the petite, round-faced administrator asked without lifting her gaze off her computer screen, her fingers flying over the keyboard.

“Sort of.”

“It is either yes or no. She had no ID on her, so if you’re her next of kin, we’ll need some sort of proof, ma’am.”

As always, being called ma’am set Kaori’s teeth on edge. She leaned over the counter and stuck her ID in front of the woman’s face. “Will this do?” She smirked as the woman paled.

“Po-police?”

“Nice catch.” Kaori cleared her throat, reining in the bite in her tone. “She’s from America, in Japan visiting friends. Before I contact her family, I need to make sure your Nanashi-no Hanako is who I think she is.”

“Ummm…” The administrator munched on her lower lip. “I’ll call the department director.”

“Much appreciated. Tell him or her I’m coming.” And she followed the signs to the ER without acknowledging the administrator’s sputtering protests.

X Y Z

Nogami Reika entered the Showa University Koto Toyosu Hospital, apologizing profusely to the older gentleman she hit with the giant teddy bear she was carting around. She hated hospitals, but one of her boyfriends had just come out of surgery for his ruptured appendix, so a visit was expected. She’d probably end their fling while she was there, hence the teddy bear.

Cold, probably, but she had no inclination to become stuck in a stale relationship.

She peeked under the teddy bear’s arm to locate the administration desk to ask for directions when she saw Makimura Kaori round the corner, obviously coming from the ER.

It was the first time Reika saw the woman after having learned of her deception, and the difference was rather obvious.

Unlike the demure, often shy and slightly clumsy Kaori-chan, agent Makimura moved with a self-assured, purposeful stride, head held high, gaze focused and intense, one russet eyebrow slightly arched as if in defiance. Unlike the girl she’d pretended to be, this was a woman confident in her own skin, uncaring of what the world thought of her.

She better be, because Reika thought much of her. And none of it was nice. Not now. Not anymore.

Hiking the teddy bear a little higher, she kept peering under the stuffed animal’s arm, keeping Makimura in her sights. Instead of leaving, the woman stopped by the giant decorative plant just shy of the entrance and pulled her cellphone out of her pocket.

Reika grimaced at the glimpse of the badge. Ooh, aren’t we special?

“Can I help you?” the administrator inquired, as Reika was literally loitering in the lobby, but she quickly shushed her. It might’ve been rude, but she didn’t care. She needed to hear what was going on, because Makimura didn’t look very happy.

“Mr. Williams? I’m sorry to bother you in the middle of the night.”

Reika frowned. Who was this Williams fellow? Where was the middle of the night? And why was Makimura speaking English?

“This is Makimura Kaori. Mary’s friend. We met briefly when you were in Japan.”

The name finally clicked. Williams was Eric Williams, Mary’s fiancé. The man Kaori had helped Mary save the last time she’d been in Japan. But why was she calling him?

“I’m really sorry, but Mary’s been in an accident.”

Reika blinked. Saeko had told her Mary had appeared out of nowhere yesterday and walked with her part of the way to the police station. It hadn’t been an entire day since then. What happened? What accident? Where?

“She’s fine, a little scraped and bruised, but they’re keeping her sedated for the time being just to make sure.”

Mere scrapes and bruises didn’t warrant sedation. What happened? And what wasn’t Makimura saying?

“She’s at the Showa University Koto Toyosu Hospital. She had no ID on her, but I gave all the data to the ER director. He’ll appreciate a call.” Makimura fished her keys out of her back pocket. “There’s no need for you to fly over here, she’ll be as good as new before you know it. But just in case, you now have my number.”

Reika rolled her eyes. How freaking noble.

“Don’t worry too much, Mr. Williams. She’s tough. I’m sorry, but I have to go now. Goodbye.”

As Makimura slid into the driver’s seat of a pretentious black Ford Mustang, Reika dropped the teddy bear unceremoniously on the floor and fished her own cellphone out of her purse.

Her sister picked up on the third ring.

“Saeko, you’ll never guess who I just saw at the hospital.”

X Y Z

“What the hell are you playing at?!”

Hearing the angry tone, Kaori lifted her gaze off her computer screen. “Hello to you, too,” she said to Saeko, who was seething in the doorway to her office. “Come on in.”

Saeko took two steps in and slammed the door behind her.

Kaori winced. “Easy.”

“Mary’s in the hospital,” Saeko hissed.

Kaori sighed. So Reika holding a giant teddy bear hadn’t been a figment of her imagination. “I thought I saw your sister in the lobby.”

“When were you planning on telling us?”

Kaori leaned back in her chair. “Her husband’s been notified.” Saeko gasped and Kaori smiled. “You didn’t know that she was married, did you? Anyway, her husband knows, why would I tell anyone else?”

“We’re her friends!”

“Loose term. Not family, though.”

If she looked like she was seething before, Saeko was in enraged territory now. “She went after Kaibara!”

“Keep your voice down,” Kaori snapped. “Yes, she did go after him. Alone. After I specifically told all of you to stay clear.”

“We had the right to know,” Saeko hissed. “Ryo has the right to know.”

There it was. Kaori gritted her teeth. “And why is that?”

“She needed him to know something. She was trying to say something before she collapsed.”

The ER director sure was a blabbermouth when a police ID was shoved under his nose. “She said there was something on the ship, that Ryo had to be warned,” Kaori repeated what Mary had supposedly said before losing consciousness. “Since he’s not getting anywhere near Kaibara, it’s a moot point.”

Saeko clenched her fists at her sides, visibly trembling. “Ryo needs revenge. The bastard has to be stopped. He killed Hideyuki!”

“Twice, now.” Kaori slowly stood, rounding her desk, every movement measured and precise, keeping a tight leash on her emotions, lest she do something she might regret later. Like kicking Saeko’s ass. “You still want him to do your dirty work, huh?”

Saeko started, seemingly taken aback. “Excuse me?”

“You don’t give a shit about Ryo and his need for revenge. You want revenge. And as always, you’re planning on using Ryo to do it for you.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Saeko snapped.

“Don’t I?” Kaori took a slow, measured step forward. “You forget where I’ve been these past four years. I’ve been there every step of the way, I’ve seen it all, heard it all.” Another measured step forward. “You came in, flaunted your wares, promised him a fuck, knowing he’d do anything you wanted. Not for the fuck, but because you were friends. Because Hideyuki loved you, because, in his own way, Ryo loves you. But unlike him, who views you as a friend, to you he’s just a tool. A means to an end, a cheap, blunt instrument for the so-called dirty jobs beneath a police detective.” Another measured step forward. “Not even cheap, free. Because you never delivered on the fuck, but you never paid him either. You view him as not your equal, you don’t even consider him human most of the time, do you?”

Saeko took a step back, her eyes wide, frightened.

Kaori wondered just what the woman saw on her face. If it was even a tenth of what she really felt, the fear was more than warranted. “You think he’s beneath you. He’s just a criminal to you.”

“He is a criminal,” Saeko snapped, and Kaori wanted to rip her throat out. To think Hideyuki had actually loved this bitch.

“Did he ever get an opportunity to be anything but?”

Saeko scoffed. “Please, he had every opportunity to change.”

“How?”

“What?”

Kaori crossed her arms over her chest. “How could he change? What opportunities did he have?”

“Well, he could try to be normal. Get a normal job.”

“He grew up in a fucking jungle, fighting for his life every day since infancy only to be betrayed by the man he trusted most. To him, what he does is normal. To him, his is a normal life. He has known no other. Black and white. Life or death. Kill or be killed. As for the so-called normal job, how would he go about getting one? He has no documents, he has no identity. He doesn’t exist! But instead of helping him, because you owe him, because the fucking MPD owes him, you keep using him, exploiting him incessantly, over and over again.”

“You’re in love with him,” Saeko interrupted.

Kaori rolled her eyes. “Of course, I’m in love with him. Haven’t you been paying attention? Why wouldn’t I be?”

“But he’s a—”

“If you call him a criminal again, I’ll throw you out the window,” Kaori snapped, at the end of her tether. “I’ll claim it was a suicide and have a couple of witnesses to corroborate. Don’t push me, Saeko.”

“It’s true, then. You really are trying to protect him.”

“I’ll do my best. Whatever I can, whatever’s necessary. It’s the least I can do.” She glared at Saeko. “Don’t interfere, Saeko, or so help me.”

 

Half an hour after Saeko’s defeated and sullen departure from her office, Kaori was in her apartment, changing and gathering supplies.

Saeko might’ve promised not to tell Ryo about Mary, but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t say anything to the others. Besides, she wasn’t the only one who knew.

Kaori would bet anything that Reika would jump at the opportunity to run her mouth.