Detective Tezuka - Chapter 15

[tacuma]

This chapter is for everybody who's birthday is in November! I'm sorry I can't write seperated stories for all of you, but NaNoWriMo is keeping me so busy >_<;;


Title: Detective Tezuka chapter 15 – Back at One
Writer: Tacuma
Pairing: Perfect Pair
Chapter: 15/ ?
Genre: AU, romance, angst, crime
Word count: 2621 words
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: I do not own Prince of Tennis

Previous Chapters: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |

Chapter 15 – Back at One

Tezuka rang the doorbell. Next to him stood Sengoku. They waited until the door opened, and a small guy with dark hair and glasses appeared. He had a questioning look on his face.

'Are you Nomura Takuya?' Tezuka asked. When the man nodded, Tezuka showed him his badge. 'Detective Chief Inspector Tezuka and Detective Sergeant Sengoku. We'd like to ask you a couple of questions. Can we come in?'

Nomura let the two policemen in, and offered them a cup of tea, but Tezuka refused. They were here for answers, not for tea.

'You heard about the death of Akazawa-san?' Sengoku asked.

'I did,' answered Nomura. 'I don't understand it, though. Why would anybody want to hurt him? He never did anything wrong.'

'Where you aware he used anabolic steroids?' asked Tezuka.

Nomura's mouth fell open. 'He used drugs? No, no I didn't know that. I always looked up at him, because he got so strong and muscular from practicing a lot. I can't believe it. Did he really…?'

'Yes, there is no doubt about that. We're searching for Akazawa-san's friends so we can find out more about his personal life,' said Sengoku. 'We heard you often talked to him after practice. Did you meet him outside of the gym as well?'

'Now and then. Not very often. I wouldn't say we were really friends, just people who knew each other. I looked up at him, but he looked down on me. Hearing he used anabolic steroids makes me realize he had no reason to. At least I tried to get stronger without drugs.'

'How would you describe the relationship between Akazawa-san and Mizuki-san?' asked Tezuka.

'Not good,' replied Nomura. 'Akazawa hated Mizuki-san. He never showed it at the gym, but he once told me. Mizuki-san forced Akazawa to do all kinds of jobs. He used him as a slave. He made him sing when the radio broke down, he made him buy him lunch, and made him bring expensive coffee. Akazawa even bought razors once so he could shave Mizuki-san's legs for him. I'm sure Akazawa felt humiliated. I also often caught him with presents he left in the office. I saw him bring bags and very pink shoeboxes.'

'How do you know all this?' asked Sengoku as he wrote everything down.

'Once Akazawa complained to me that Mizuki-san made him do so much annoying jobs. I didn't really dare to ask about it, but later I noticed he often brought presents to the office. It happened more and more often, so I guessed it might have something to do with blackmail, but I was afraid to ask Akazawa about it. He got angry once when I asked him about one of the presents. Now I heard he used drugs I guess Mizuki-san blackmailed him with that, is that right?'

'Mizuki-san did know about the anabolic steroids, so it might be,' answered Tezuka. 'Thank you for answering our questions.'

With that Tezuka and Sengoku said goodbye to Nomura, and stepped in the car. Tezuka drove them back to the police station.

'What do you think?' he asked.

'I think we should go talk to Mizuki-san.'

'That's for sure, but why would Mizuki-san kill Akazawa? He had his own personal slave that got him everything he wanted. Why would he kill him?'

'Maybe Akazawa didn't care anymore about the world knowing he used drugs, and he wanted to go to the police?' guessed Sengoku.

'Might be, but is it a reason to kill him?'

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

Tezuka sat behind his desk. He had ordered Yagyuu and Ohtori to bring Mizuki-san in. It seemed like the owner of the gym hadn't realised that this was a murder inquiry, and he was a suspect. If he wanted to stay out of custody, he would have to tell the whole truth now.

On his way back to the police station Tezuka had realised he needed to talk to Fuji about Mizuki-san. Fuji had known him, and he might be able to tell him something about the gym owner that they didn't know yet. He was already holding the telephone in his hand, ready to call, when Inui entered the office.

'We found some fingerprints in the gallery,' said Inui. 'On the photo that was damaged. We compared them with Fuji-san's prints, the prints of the owner of the gallery, and the people who carried it into the gallery, and hung it on the wall. None of the fingerprints matched.'

'I want you to take Mizuki-san's fingerprints as soon as he gets in,' said Tezuka. 'Check them while we're interrogate him, and let me know if they match.'

'I will,' said Inui, and he left.

Tezuka still had the phone in his hand. He dialled Fuji's number, and waited for his lover to pick up. Tezuka didn't have to wait long.

'Fuji, I want to talk to you, can we meet tonight?'

'You sound serious, Tezuka. Are we meeting up for fun or work?'

'Work,' replied Tezuka. 'I want you to tell me some more about Mizuki-san. But after that we can make it fun.'

'All right then. I'll cook you dinner tonight,' answered Fuji. 'I'll see you at your place when you're done working. Don't be late!'

Tezuka smiled. 'I won't be late if I get to eat your cooking. See you tonight.'

When Tezuka hung up he noticed Sengoku was watching him.

'What kind of fun things are you and Fuji-san going to do tonight?' he asked. 'Something naughty?'

Tezuka glared at him. 'If we were than at least one of us would get laid tonight.'

'That is low, Tezuka,' said Sengoku, but he had a smile on his face. He knew his boss was joking, even though he didn't look like he did. At that moment Yagyuu and Ohtori walked in.

'We got him. He is waiting in interview room 3,' said Yagyuu. 'He wasn't very pleased he had to come with us.'

'Is Inui taking his fingerprints?' Tezuka asked.

Yagyuu nodded. 'Yes, he came as soon as we brought Mizuki-san in.'

'Good,' replied Tezuka. 'When he is done we will wait for half an hour before we will question him again. Maybe he will realise he should tell the truth if we keep him here as long as we can.'

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

'You used Akazawa-san as your slave,' stated Tezuka when he sat down on his chair in the interview room. 'Why?'

'Tezuka-san, I was very disappointed when I heard that my Akazawa was using anabolic steroids. I was always so proud of him, because he worked so hard, and got so strong. If it would come out it would ruin his good reputation. And mine as well, of course,' answered Mizuki.

'You didn't answer the question,' said Yagyuu a bit impatient.

'I wasn't pleased that he had done that,' continued the gym owner. 'But he seemed even more terrified that it would come out. He almost begged me not to tell anyone, and to let him stay a member of my gym. Like I would tell anybody! So, being the kind man I am, I promised him I wouldn't tell. But he would have to do some things for me, so I could see if he was really trustworthy. He said he would do anything, so I made use of that. Wouldn't everybody?'

'You blackmailed him,' stated Tezuka. 'What did you make him do?'

'Different things. I made him buy me presents, simple things, like shoes and jewellery. I made him take me to expensive restaurants and clubs. When I noticed he couldn't afford it anymore I gave him tasks, like cleaning my house, and cooking my meals. Not too often, just once a week.'

'You humiliated him by letting him shave your legs,' said Tezuka.

'I don't shave my legs!' said Mizuki indignant. 'I wax them, so he had to do it only once. I can't do it myself!'

'Anything else you made him do that we need to know?' asked Yagyuu. He was disgusted by the things this man had done.

'Nothing big,' replied the black-haired man. 'I made him polish my shoes, download illegal music from the internet, and dye my hair. It's a shame he is dead. It's about time my hair gets dyed again.'

'We will charge you for blackmail,' said Tezuka. 'Is there anything else you forgot to tell us that we should know? Maybe something about the person who killed Akazawa-san?'

Mizuki shook his head. 'No, not that I'm aware of. Just that I would never kill Akazawa. He was…useful.'

'I'm sure he was,' muttered Yagyuu as they walked out of the room.

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

Tezuka sat in the office with his colleagues. They were discussing the case. Now that Mizuki-san had confessed he blackmailed Akazawa-san, he didn't have a motive to kill him. There was no reason why he would kill his personal slave.

'Maybe he committed suicide,' said Ohtori. 'If he didn't have many friends, and the gym was one of the only places he liked to be, he didn't have much left. He got blackmailed and humiliated every time he went to the gym. Maybe he had enough of it, enough of his life.'

'I'm not sure,' answered Yagyuu. 'From what I heard about him he was a proud man. He didn't seem the type who would commit suicide.'

'We should ask Inui if it's possible he stabbed himself,' said Tezuka. He took the phone and called said man. A few minutes later Inui entered the office.

'You had a question?' he asked.

'Yes,' said Tezuka. 'Is there a possibility that Akazawa-san committed suicide? Everything made it look like a murder scene, but our main suspect doesn't have a motive.'

'I've been thinking about that possibility as well,' replied Inui. 'But it's not possible. The angle of the stab wound shows clearly that somebody else had to have been holding the knife. He couldn't have done it himself.'

'So there is no possibility he made it look like a murder scene, hoping we would suspect Mizuki-san. Some kind of revenge for blackmailing him?' Sengoku asked.

'There is a 2.1 per cent change he stabbed himself.'

'We'll have to forget about Mizuki-san then, and try to find somebody who does have a motive. Yagyuu, find out which groups practiced on the evening of the murder. Sengoku, try to find out of there is CCTV anywhere around the gym. Ohtori, Oishi, find out what the members of Akazawa-san's group did that evening. What they did before, and after practice.'

'I have more information about Mizuki-san's fingerprints,' said Inui before any of them could leave. 'They do not match with the fingerprints we found at the gallery.'

'So we don't know anything about that either?' asked Tezuka with a sigh. After days of work they still had gained nothing.

'That reminds me,' said Sengoku, 'weren't you supposed to go and have 'fun' with Fuji-san? He won't like it if you are late!'

When all his colleagues stared at him, eyes full of questions they didn't dare to ask, Tezuka glared at Sengoku. 'I am aware of that,' he said shortly. He stood up and started to pack his bag. When he noticed they were still looking at him, he send them another death glare.

'You're all dismissed,' he said, hoping they would leave.

'We're just interested in the 'fun' things you are going to do,' said Yagyuu innocently.

'Maybe we should just leave him and Fuji-san alone,' muttered Oishi, but everyone ignored him.

'A 98 per cent chance the 'fun' things aren't what we're expecting.'

'Alright, I asked Fuji if he could tell me some things about Mizuki-san, since he knew him from middle school. He will cook for me, and we'll be having dinner together. That is all. Satisfied now? Go home.'

With that said he left the office.

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

Tezuka opened his front door, and entered his apartment. He could smell that Fuji already started cooking, so he quickly took off his shoes and went to the kitchen. There he found his lover, listening to his mp3-player, and softly singing along while he was stirring the food. He didn't seem to notice that Tezuka got home, so the DCI watched him for a moment.

Tezuka walked into the kitchen, and wrapped his arms around Fuji's waist from behind. 'Tadaima,' he whispered, even though he knew Fuji couldn't hear him.

Surprised Fuji turned around, but at soon as he noticed it was Tezuka he stopped the music, and wrapped his arms around him. He pulled Tezuka down a little, and they shared a short, but passionate kiss.

'I didn't expect you would be home so soon,' said Fuji as he turned back to the food. 'But I'm glad you came home early.'

'Sengoku reminded me, and then my colleagues tried to force me to tell them what kind of 'fun things' we were going to do. I escaped as soon as I grabbed my things, and just told them it was about work.'

'But this was about work, right?' asked Fuji. 'You said you wanted me to tell you more about Mizuki.'

'I did, but he is not a suspect anymore. He doesn't have a motive for the murder, and the fingerprints in the gallery aren't his.'

'Then I'm glad we don't have to talk about him. It would ruin our evening.'

'He used the man who was killed as his slave. He blackmailed him. He made him buy presents, and let him do all kinds of humiliating jobs. I don't think Mizuki-san would kill him.'

'That sure sounds like him,' replied Fuji. 'Always making other people do things for him. Now set the table, the food is ready.'

Tezuka did as asked and quickly set the table. Fuji spooned some food on their plates, and soon they were enjoying dinner together.

'It's very good,' said Tezuka after a few bites. His lover was a great cook. 'I want to eat your cooking more often. When will you move in? I already started to clean the second bedroom for you.'

'You're eager,' said Fuji with a smile. 'I like your enthusiasm, because I feel exited too about moving in here.'

'Have you started packing already?' Tezuka asked.

'I have. I will move in when you solved your murder case, so you will actually have some time to help me move my things in here.'

'I better hurry with that murder case then.'

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

The next day Tezuka was at the office early. He wanted to get this over as soon as possible. Not only because Fuji would move in with him, but also because they knew nothing about Akazawa-san's killer.

He read all the reports with the results they had until now. They must have forgotten about something. There must be a clue that would lead them to the murderer. He looked at the profiles of everybody they had talked to. Who could it be, and why would anyone have Akazawa-san dead?

Then he noticed something. He checked and rechecked. He stood up, and was about to walk out of the office when Yagyuu walked in.

'Good timing, come with me, we have to talk to Nomura-san.'

Yagyuu raised an eyebrow. 'Why?' he asked.

'Akazawa-san was killed by someone who was smaller than he was,' replied Tezuka. 'Everyone we talked to was taller, except Nomura-san. I want to know more about his relationship with Akazawa-san.'

'His group did have practice that evening,' said Yagyuu. 'And Sengoku told me he had seen on CCTV that Nomura-san stayed behind longer than the others of his group.

'We have to talk to him, now,' answered Tezuka and they walked out of the door.


To be continued



PS: After 15 chaps, I wonder how many of you noticed something about the titles of the chapters?