Rin led us down into a dark room, housing a huge computer. Several screens were lit up with various video images, and a few screens were paused at seemingly relevant places. “This is just… Just like the way He does it.” Rikku looked at me oddly, and I smiled slightly. “L.” Rin walked over to a large filing cabinet and took a folder from the top drawer, handing it to me. “Jones-Mitsu connections.” I read, and looked down at the folder. It was thin, with only a few files inside, and would take mere minutes to read. But as I knew, it would take longer to decipher. I smiled. “My first real case as L. Let’s get started, shall we?”
I pored over the file as Rikku and Brother left to brighten the upstairs atmosphere. Rin sat beside me as I read. “So, you’re with George now?” I held my hand up to silence him. “Don’t.” He frowned slightly and looked down to his lap. I continued to read… “23:17, Mrs Jones makes a call to Mitsu’s apartment. 23:18, she hangs up the phone. 00:02, Mr Jones enters Mitsu’s apartment building.” Rin looked up at me, and I shook my head. “So far, all it proves is they knew one another. This isn’t proof of any form of alliance between them.”
Rin stood up and placed his hand gently on my shoulder. “I’ll leave you to it.” I nodded and rubbed my temples, focusing hard. There had to be a definitive flaw in the plan, there always was. L could always find one. I continued to read through. All the files contained were lists of meeting times and places and conversation times. No true evidence, nothing concrete. Though the timings suggested that every time something bad, or something involving Mitsu, happened, Mr and Mrs Jones had contact with him before and after the event, but even still, it wasn’t very convincing. Then I finally found the one piece of evidence that swayed the facts in my favour. “Source of Information: Anonymous.”
I clicked my fingers and smiled widely, this broke the foundation of the argument against my parents. Without a credible source, the information was worthless. If I could decipher the source, it would be perfect. I noted the handwriting of the information, scripted with a feminine curve: Female. The wording also showed some emotion at times, another mainly-female trait. I flipped through the files to the photographs, all taken through glass, a window, into the street below. I recognized the view, but only slightly. I flipped through again, checking everything out. And then, like lightning, it struck. I jumped back, the thought overwhelming my senses. No… it couldn’t be…
I grabbed a taxi and gave the cabbie the name of Mitsu’s street. He drove at a leisurely pace, infuriating me, but it seemed to take less time than the last time that I made the journey. At the other end, I threw a ten pound note over the seat and jumped out of the car, sprinting away before he could ask for the rest of the money I owed him. My legs couldn’t seem to carry me up the stairs fast enough, and yet even at my slow run I was worried I would trip or fall. At Mitsu’s door, I paused slowly before bracing myself and pushing it open.
Mitsu’s flat seemed emptier now that it was devoid of all life. My fingers traced the back of the sofa, stained with a red blossom. It looked like some kind of ominous flower of death. Sighing, I checked the room for any of his personal belongings, but found nothing more than cleaning supplies and food. The bedroom only yielded a few items of clothing, which I draped over the back of the sofa. I didn’t bother to check the bathroom; I had exhausted every cupboard in there before. Resigning myself to the lack of anything, I was just about to leave when a mysterious door caught my eye. It stood alone in a corner of the room, but I had never been in there. Come to think of it, I hadn’t seen Mitsu go in there – not that I had been watching very closely the last time I was here. Another regret…
Unable to staunch my curiosity, I pushed experimentally on the door, surprised when it swung open easily. I had been expecting it to be locked. Inside, the room was darker than the rest of the apartment. Two large windows hung in one wall, with thick blinds blocking out the light from the street. The walls were covered in a dark, wooden panelling and against the window wall, two desks were pushed together, covered in papers. I floated over to them unintentionally, my eyes travelling over the discarded papers.
Nothing really caught my interest until my name jumped out. Checking back, I saw a thick envelope with Mitsu’s handwriting on the front. It simply said my name, but inside were two separately folded pieces of paper saying ‘Open first’ and ‘Open second’. I opened the first one, as instructed. At the familiar hand covering the paper, I had to sink into a comfortable chair, knowing that otherwise my legs would simply fold beneath me.
‘Charlotte, I know that I have not acted as I should. I wish that I could undo every wrong so that you may find someone better. And yet if you are here, reading this, you have forgiven me – unless you are simply curious?
In any occasion, this is simply a letter from one dead man. The other paper contains information on all the orders I received. This paper…I suppose you could say it is my indulgence. It may be selfish, I may not deserve any peace of mind…but to know that a piece of me, no matter how small, has stayed with you…it means more than words can say.’
I scanned the rest of the paper, my hands delicately tracing the curves of his delicately signed name at the bottom of the letter. I read it three times before unfolding the second paper. It contained lists of dates and times of orders he had received, and at the bottom was one name. My hands trembled as I read the name again, stunned. That…didn’t seem right. I couldn’t see any way that it could have been her. And yet I would trust Mitsu with more important matters than this.
Really, I knew that I should have taken the information straight to the flat. But I couldn’t help scouting around the room that held Mitsu’s last words. In here, I found many more of his things than I would have thought existed. Letters to and from him were stashed in a drawer; scrapbooks and photos were in another; his childhood toys and plushies lay abandoned in a plastic bag; his books and CDs stacked neatly in tottering piles on the floor. I gathered everything up, carefully stowing it in a sports bag that had been conveniently nearby – along with all the papers that littered the desk. Following that, I added the clothes from the living room, and went to leave.
I couldn’t go without hesitating. I paused at the door, my heartbeat slowing and my breathing constricting as I surveyed the room that could have someday held my own life, somehow intertwined with that of the man I loved…With one last allowance of nostalgia, I closed the door behind me with a definitive click. Deciding to walk back home, I figured I would simply lay the paper bearing her name somewhere that I knew Steven would find it…I wasn’t sure that I could hold a civilised conversation with anyone yet…
I grabbed my phone and called Rin’s, packing up the files. “Rin, it’s L. I know I’m only downstairs but I need you to go, right now. Check Mitsu’s apartment. Check it from top to bottom, leave no stone unturned and no door unopened. You’re looking for…” I bit my lip, scanning my notes quickly, “A note, or a phone, or a piece of paper, with a girl’s name on it. It’s related to the case and I need to know that name, right now. Please, hurry, I’m getting ready to go now, if I leave I can catch…my suspect… before she leaves.”
I heard three people leave the apartment, praying inwardly, and took the papers upstairs. I walked into the living room and George looked at me curiously. “Where’s everyone going?” I shook my head and smiled at him. “I can’t say. But could you come with me for a second?” He nodded and followed me as I entered my room, closing the door behind me. His eyes flipped to the bed and back to me, and I laughed. “I didn’t mean that, Mister Excitable. Though I will need some assistance.” He tilted his head to the side and walked closer to me, stroking my hair. “What is it you need?”
I smiled. “I’m going to make this interesting. I’m going to stand here, totally still, and you’ll do exactly what I tell you.” George blushed slightly and nodded, standing beside me and saluting. I laughed, and began. “First, unbutton my shirt and take it off.” He swallowed nervously and started to unbutton my shirt, standing close to me and breathing slowly, I could feel it on my neck. He slid it off my shoulders and lay it neatly on the bed before turning back to me. “Next, my trousers, they need coming off too.” He blushed this time, standing before me and kneeling down, unzipping my trousers and sliding them down my legs. I stepped out of them and he folded them neatly, placing them beside my shirt.
“Okay. That’s as far as it goes. Now, in my wardrobe, find me a pair of jeans… any will do, as long as they’re a dark-ish blue colour.” He rummaged around for a few seconds, finding and comparing a few pairs before picking one that would, I assume, look best on me. He handed them to me, and I pulled them on, zipping them up and looking in the mirror. Just the right length. I smiled and clicked my fingers. “Next, I want you to go back to my wardrobe and find me… How to describe it… It’s like a white, long-sleeved t-shirt, thin fabric, long arms and wide neck, quite baggy?” He nodded and looked around, finding it in seconds.
He held it up and I nodded, and he walked over to gently lift my arms and slide it over me. I did so gracefully, determined to please him, feeling his chest against my back as the t-shirt arranged itself. I nodded and turned to him. “Next, I want you to ruffle up my hair. You can do it in any way you want, but you only have one minute. Starting… now.” He blushed slightly, looking around the room for a few seconds, before looking back at me uncertainly. “Any way you want,” I repeated, and smirked. He took my hands, gently pushing me back against the mirror, and wrapped one hand behind me, placing it on the small of my back. Keeping me against the mirror but pulling me tight against him, he ran his other hand through my hair, tilting my head slightly to nibble at my neck. I gasped, squirming slightly, and that only made him bite harder. I bit my lip, closing my eyes and felt him tight against me, felt his bare chest against me through the fabric. The minute passed far too quickly. He pulled away and bit his lip, looking at me hungrily. I brushed myself down and turn to face the mirror, checking my hair. “Perfect.”
“I look just like Him… Now, you’re coming with me.” George looked surprised, so I began to explain. “I need to go somewhere, and I want you to be there with me.” I gently brushed my hand over the red mark that had appeared on my neck. “I’ll need you to be there…for me.” He nodded and took my hand, lacing his fingers with my own. “Where would this be, my Love?” I smiled softly and tapped his nose. “You’ll know when you get there. However, I’ll need you to call your Jaguar… I fear that Rin has taken the Aston.”
I didn’t bother to wait for a taxi this time around; I simply walked home. It was a long way, but I didn’t mind much. The cold wind numbed me the way I felt inside. But as I got back to the flat, I saw Steven and George clambering into a Jaguar. I sprinted over, but they had already started to drive away. Almost angry, I launched a stone at the car. It hit the back with a satisfying bang, leaving a long scratch and a definite dent. They didn’t stop – not that I had expected them to.
Sighing heavily, I threw my bag down and collapsed on the pavement. Everything was so tiring these days; I had no energy left again after the sudden burst that had carried me to Mitsu’s flat. Wondering mildly if these hollow feelings would ever pass, I stared dejectedly up at the sky. The sun was low in the sky already, and yet I had achieved next to nothing today. Although, I supposed it was more than I had managed to do over the last few days combined…Realising that my thoughts were making no coherent sense anymore, I sighed again.
“Are you okay? You look a little down.” The unfamiliar voice surprised me, and I looked up to see a tall, athletic man with dark hair peering down at me. I shrugged with a pathetic attempt at a smile. He beamed back, holding out his hand. Feeling a little reckless, I took it in mine and let him hoist me up to my feet. I felt his warmth in my cold fingers, reminding me of…him. “Um…I don’t really ask random strangers that I find on the street, but…do you wanna go and get a drink with me?” I smiled then, nodding. What harm could it do?
The man walked with me to a pub down the street. He sipped at three pints successively while I threw down countless hard spirits. “Shall we go?” he asked after another shot. I nodded violently and jumped to my feet, swaying a little unsteadily. He grabbed my arm to support me, and once again I smiled at his touch. It didn’t seem to matter that I didn’t know this man or even his name; in fact, that fact barely even registered. Outside, the cold wind hit me, and I noticed that the gloom of night was falling over the sky. “Do…you…want to go…back to my place?” he asked. I noted the carefully measured hesitations, the perfect act, and yet I still nodded – against my usual sense of conscience and judgement. But then I stopped, holding up one finger. Smiling at his incomprehension, I took his hand securely in mine and led him back to the flat.
We scaled the stairs – me just managing to stay on my feet – and I unlocked the door, fumbling with the keys a little. Once inside, I slammed the door, dropped my bag and turned to the stranger in front of me. A strange smile was teasing over his face as he took my hand again. I looked away for a minute, but he caught my chin and pulled my face upwards to look at him. “Is anyone else home?” he whispered. I shook my head, only stopping when his lips brushed against mine. He tasted of beer, but that didn’t stop me from reciprocating; I threw my arms around his neck as he pushed me onto the sofa, melting into me properly.
His hands rested momentarily on the bottom of my spine before working up and knotting into my hair. He was constantly trying to push his face closer to mine; I was always tugging him nearer even though it made little difference. I slid to the side until I was lying sideways, him on top of me, never releasing my grip. It was all happening too quickly – and yet I wanted it to be faster. My fingers played at the collar of his shirt, unable to use my hands as I wanted. Realising my intent, the stranger unbuttoned his shirt, his mouth constantly on mine. As his hands skimmed my ribs, I flung my legs around his waist, clinging on tightly. It seemed as though he could not hold me tightly enough.
“Charlotte,” a velvet voice murmured in my ear, making me gasp in shock. I never thought I would hear Mitsu’s voice again, and yet here he was, whispering to me. My hands froze for a moment. The man I was with ignored it, reaching down to the zip on his trousers. “Charlotte!” a very different voice bellowed. I ignored that, remembering why I was doing this, and let my hands drift down to meet his. “Charlotte?” yet another person asked.
At that, I finally gave up, wondering if the interruptions were ever going to stop. I pushed him off me, disengaging my hands as I straightened up. Even as I stood up, my lips still tingled from the bruising pressure of the continuous kiss. I stared at the newcomers; Steven stood in the front, his eyes watery. Behind him, Rin had laid a comforting hand on his shoulder. And at the back, Rikku and Brother hovered with shocked expressions. I hitched my jeans up a little more securely and adjusted my top before strolling into my bedroom without a word, leaving the random on the sofa asking me a stream of ignored questions.
