Someone must have let him know. Less than ten minutes after the explosion, Jeff returned to the sheriff’s office. It was just about the time we were getting over the shock of the murdered body in the cell, and were thinking about examining our exploded vehicle.
Dozens of onlookers had squeezed in to take a peek from outside the sheriff’s office. Jeff had to push his way through the crowd of townspeople before he could return to his own office. His hat was a bit bent, and the collar of his shirt was opened up, revealing a good part of his chest. The tension caused a small part on the cheeks of his chiseled face to turn white, and his expression was hard to read. However, there was a sharp sparkle in his pupils, though his lips were pursed tightly. Without speaking, he looked quite brave, and these sorts of events seem to bring out the best look in him. Oh yeah, I had completely forgotten about the incident and was just staring at Jeff.
“What in the hell happened?” asked Jeff, looking around at his office which was ravaged by the blast. Right in front of him a one-meter diameter puddle of blood had formed. In it lay the old man whose neck was bitten and torn apart.
“There was an explosion…,” Yuri said, butting in. Gazing upon Jeff, I had opened up the door for Yuri to pipe in unnecessarily one more time.
Within a split second, I was on the move.
“Jeff—”
I did a little spin and gracefully staggered over to him. I pretended to be a sensitive girl, weak from the sight of the bloody mess. Well, it wasn’t a total fake-out. I really am a sensitive girl!
Knocking Yuri down in the process, I reached my hands out to Jeff.
“Be careful, there!”
Jeff’s firm and powerful arms reached out and caught me by my shoulders. Perfect. Just how I fantasized it would go. Mugi caught Yuri. That’s fine. That’s a better match for her, anyway.
“I’m so sorry. I was just taken aback by this terrible scene…,” I said panting heavily, my voice going in and out.
“Let’s lay you down on the sofa.”
Jeff picked me up and carried me to the sofa. I completely let go, letting Jeff to do with me whatever he may.
“Just take a rest for the time being,” said Jeff, looking into my eyes. Oh, very nice! This is it. This is how I want to die!
“All right, then.”
Jeff popped up and turned from me. He went to talk to Yuri.
“So let’s hear it. Tell me everything.”
No, no, no! That wasn’t how it was supposed to go! I was about to scream. But, I wasn’t in time. Having been put to rest on the sofa, there was nothing I could do about it. Jeff stood in front of Yuri.
Standing only about eighteen centimeters from each other, they began their conversation. That’s too… that’s too close. Terrible thoughts cascaded through my head.
“It happened just after you left on patrol…,” Yuri began as she glanced over in my direction with a triumphant smile spread across her face. Dammit! I bit my rosebud-like lips, and decided I would have to put up with this cold-blooded behavior from Yuri for the moment. I turned into the tragic heroine.
The torture lasted for another full five minutes. The tactless Yuri didn’t realize that other people’s things can’t be snatched so easily. I would return the favor slowly and over a long period of time. Man, this was so irritating. How she got his attention, I couldn’t understand what Jeff was thinking.
“Hm. I think I understand what happened now,” said Jeff nodding after Yuri finished her little speech. Hmph, how could she make any sense? He was probably just being polite, and planned on asking me to explain what happened later.
“So it was the car exploding that made you go outside, right?”
“That’s absolutely right,” said Yuri. “I am not sure how they tricked us, but whoever killed the old man didn’t want us to see it happen.”
“And on top of that they didn’t leave any room for error.”
“Right.”
Yuri and Jeff both looked straight at each other. What in the world was going on?! This was no joke. This couldn’t be happening.
Losing my patience, I sat up. Enough. No more sensitive girl.
“Jeff!” I called out. I don’t think he noticed the sharp tone in which I said it.
“Kei!” he called out in return.
“Are you all right? How are you feeling?” he asked kindly.
That’s right. You need to talk nice. The kind words of the world were meant to be used when talking to me.
“I’m okay now.”
I stood up and planted myself right between Yuri and Jeff. And that was in an eighteen centimeter space. I gave Yuri a push with my shoulder and hip slyly, and she didn’t say a word.
“Say,” I said to Jeff, in the sweetest voice I could muster. “Who was that old man? He said he was the owner or manager of something but I couldn’t really understand him. Is it true he got that drunk in order to get sent to the detention cell?”
“Now, hold… hold on here a second.”
Jeff broke his silence at my barrage of questions.
“If you don’t slow down, I can’t give you any answers. Now let’s try again, one at a time.”
“I’m sorry,” I apologized meekly. “I am still a little worked up…
I shook my head as if I was frightened.
“Oh… no… it’s okay,” said Jeff, his face turning red. He was so cute! What a reaction!
“Well, all right. Just one question—” I said, planting my two balled fists on my chin, and extending the pointer finger of my right hand so delicately, so lovingly into the air.
“Who was that old man?”
“He was…”
Jeff’s eyes went to the corpse that lay on the floor. Hey! Hey! Don’t look away!
“He was a miner, and up until recently was the manager of Mine #16. His name was Galbaldy.”
“Same as Landis…”
They were both bitten by some mysterious creature. Without even realizing it, I slowly leaned in closer to Jeff. Oh, his gorgeous face was just right there! Should I get things started with a little kiss?
“Around here, four out of five people work in the mines. It’s harder to find someone who doesn’t, you know,” Jeff said as he shrugged his shoulders, dismissing this similarity they shared. Even though he was telling me something I already knew, it was a fact. Chakra wasn’t much more than a mining planet.
“Old Galbaldy was pretty famous around here,” Jeff continued. “He was an inquisitive old fart. He stuck his neck into everything that was going on. Then he would run around screaming and yelling about what everyone was up to. Anyone in Aslaville who didn’t know him must have been just passing though, they say.”
“He said he had his very first drink of alcohol two or three days ago,” Yuri said from over my shoulder. Gutsy. And not in a good way. Jeff’s attention shifted, and now he was looking at Yuri. I leaned my head sideways, blocking his view.
“I am not really sure, but I guess it’s possible,” said Jeff. Yuri gave up trying to stay in his line of vision, and I propped my head back straight up.
“We probably put up three of four folks a night here, but this was the first time for the old man.”
“He thought someone was out to get him,” I told Jeff.
“That’s impossible,” denied Jeff firmly. “That’s why I am so shocked at what happened.”
The door to the sheriff’s office opened. A couple of middle-aged men in gray uniforms walked in. Their shirts each bore a mark of a medical examiner’s office. Jeff had just called them a few moments ago on the phone. Galbaldy’s body would be taken to the hospital and an autopsy would be done. But, Aslaville didn’t have anything fancy like an official autopsy department.
A wheeled stretcher was pushed into the room, its wheels squeaking as loud as a bulldozer. We stood back, giving them room. Of course, I waited right next to Jeff.
“That reminds me…,” said Jeff, whispering into my ear. “There was one piece of good news.”
“Good news?”
I looked up at Jeff. Good news like, you were going to invite just me out to dinner? That you arranged a fancy dress just for me? You were going to pick out a diamond ring, just for me… ?
“You can see Landis,” said Jeff.
“Really?!” Yuri and I said in chorus. It wasn’t exactly what I was hoping for, but this truly was a piece of good news.
“Yeah, I just happened to run into a friend of his. He’s here every night.”
Jeff dug out a business card and showed it to us. It was for a nightclub.
And what he was doing there was—
“Professional wrestling?”
Yuri and I both read the print on the card, then stared at each other.
Look out wrestlers! Here we come!