Case 29 - Frenzied Drama Part 1


    Lisa Philips stared at Keiko Takashi, her eyes registering a mixture of pity and frustration as the Japanese former assassin spoke.  Keiko was telling her about the night before at her home, when she slept with Sean.  Only there wasn’t much sleeping going on.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I think it was a bad idea,”  Lisa summarized.  She sipped her cup of tea.  Keiko had one just like it - the two were sitting in a nice hotel room in downtown Garden City.

    They were up on the fifth floor, high enough so the city outside looked like a vague dream, but low enough that some faint sounds of traffic could be heard.  The room was appointed well enough with plush carpeting, tasteful art on the walls, and wood furniture so it could be mistaken for an apartment.  But the distant sound of the elevator and people walking in the hallway left no mistake that it was indeed a hotel.

    Keiko continued staring at Lisa, trying to prompt more elaboration of her last statement.  She sat across from Sean’s former wife at the small dining table in the room, feeling comfortable around her in spite of Lisa’s obvious animosity toward Sean.

    Fortunately Lisa did decide to elaborate.  “Maybe you think you’re rewarding him, but...it’s like giving a hyperactive kid candy.  He’s just going to want more.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Lisa--”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“No no, don’t tell me he’s changed, or this time is different, or any of that stuff.”  Lisa continued.  “None of that makes any difference.”

    There was a long pause while Keiko made sure Lisa was done talking this time.  She then replied, “It wasn’t about him.”

    Lisa raised an eyebrow but didn’t respond.  She sipped more tea patiently.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“It was about me.”  Keiko sat up and put her teacup down.  “I wanted it.  He’s very good at it, and I wanted to reward myself for doing well establishing a reputation as a private detective.  I happened to choose him because he’s been good to me...and he’s all I have.”  That last part came out sounding a little sad.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Hm,”  was all Lisa replied with.  She sipped more tea.

    Keiko didn’t need much more than that.  She already knew Lisa’s opinion of Sean, and already received the lecture about making an effort to find someone who’s not so...poisonous.  Keiko was used to silence, and didn’t try to prompt any kind of response.  She simply sipped her own tea briefly, and put it down.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I haven’t upset you, have I?”  Lisa suddenly said.  “I didn’t mean to, I just want you to...I think of you as a friend, Keiko.  If you saw me heading for certain disaster wouldn’t you try to stop me?”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Yes,”  Keiko replied plainly.  She shifted in her chair and placed her hands in her lap so she wouldn’t fidget and appear nervous - though she was, because she didn’t like arguing with friends much.  “I appreciate the advice.  However, it’s something I already know.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Are you aware of how sad that is?”  Lisa asked.

    The Asian nodded.  “Not quite as sad as being much more lonely,” she replied quietly.  “I know we’ll never agree on this, so let me skip to a part we can agree on.  When Sean finds another girlfriend, and he will, I’ll step aside for her, and let him do whatever he wishes.  If I find someone else I’ll force Sean to step aside.”

    Lisa nodded.  “That’s good.”  She gave Keiko a look that implied she was relieved the Asian assassin hadn’t totally lost her mind.  “So how is it, working away from him?”  she asked.

    Keiko shrugged and leaned back again, seeming more relaxed answering that question.  “I miss working with him,”  she said.  “But maybe it’s better this way.  I have to learn to be less reckless, and if he’s not watching me I don’t raise his blood pressure.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I guess that much is true,”  Lisa agreed.  “What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him.”

    Keiko sat up and then leaned forward, watching Lisa carefully.  “So what brought you to Garden City if you’re obviously not here to try and speak to Sean?”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I came here to see you.”  Lisa said with a smile.  “Not just on a friendly basis though, I heard you were a private detective and I have some work for you.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Oh?”  Keiko leaned back again, showing obvious interest.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“If you haven’t heard yet, Keiko, Frederick is being turned into a resort town.  My mom’s a veterinarian, and I work with her, and my dad’s a contractor.  We can barely afford to live there anymore, because costs have gotten so high.  So we were thinking about moving into Garden City.  Only my mom’s veterinary practice is having trouble finding a place which will rent to us.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“That’s interesting.”  Keiko sounded curious.  “There’s plenty of real estate available.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“And there are two large veterinary hospitals in town, owned by the same person.”  Lisa finished.  “They have contracts with the owners of the shopping centers they’re located within, and those owners own other shopping centers.  It’s like all other vets have been shut out.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“That would be illegal,”  Keiko noted, “if someone could prove it.”

    Lisa smiled.  “That’s where you come in, Keiko.”


---


    Sean watched through the blinds of his office.  They were mostly closed to avoid having the person he was watching see him.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Something going on out there?”  his new partner Christopher Smith asked.  The new partner was a street cop newly promoted to Detective.  Sean was both jealous of him, and pitied him at the same time.  It was tough being so green on a new job, but Chris also took some of the attention of the females they came into contact with.  At least until he opened his mouth.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“No,”  Sean replied absent-mindedly.  “I’m just thinking.”

    He was lying, of course, to prevent Chris from figuring out what he was looking at.  Karen Kreeger had just dropped by to bring Matt something.  Sean was admiring the curves of her body from afar, and wishing he could touch them again.

    Sean suddenly let the blinds snap back to closed when he saw someone else he recognized.  Keiko had just entered the floor from the elevator.  Even though it would be very difficult for anyone to spot someone inside Sean’s office from the elevator, Sean couldn’t help but suspect that ultra-observant Keiko would be the one to do it, even wearing sunglasses.  She seemed so confident this time, having legitimate business at the department rather than having to sneak around.
    
    Keiko arrived a moment later and politely tapped on the office door.  Sean opened it after a slight delay, hoping Keiko would be fooled into thinking he walked to the door from his desk, rather than standing there all along.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Hello, Sean.”  Keiko greeted him as she finally removed the sunglasses.  She hung them from her shirt, and glanced at Sean’s new partner, who seemed mesmerized.  “Who’s this?”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Keiko, this is my new partner, Chris,”  Sean told her.  He stared at his partner, saying his name again to get his attention.  “Chris?”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Oh, sorry.”  Chris said, snapping back to reality.  “Pleased to meet you.”  He suddenly knocked over his chair as he stood.

    Keiko smirked slightly, but didn’t say anything.  She turned to Sean and asked, “Do you mind if I get some water while your partner composes himself?”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Sure, go ahead.”  Sean smiled and partially closed the door as Keiko vacated the room.  “What’s with you?”  he asked Chris.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“She’s so hot,”  Chris whispered.  “She’s an Asian goddess.  Can I ask her out?”

    Sean shrugged.  “Your funeral,”  he said.  He opened the door again when Keiko returned a minute later with a small bottle of water, no doubt stolen from Matt’s office mini-fridge.  “So what brings you here?”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I was speaking with Lisa.”  Keiko began.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Oh.”  Sean sounded defeated with that one syllable.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“That wasn’t the only topic,”  Keiko continued, reassuring Sean that he had nothing to worry about.  “I was speaking with her, and she has a case for me.  A fairly interesting one.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Oh good.”  Sean replied.  “So you’re doing her a favor?  I don’t think her family can pay you much.”

    Keiko shrugged and sighed.  “I thought about that.  However, aside from the satisfaction of helping a friend I may also get publicity, which I need to get more clients.”

    He finally smiled as he realized just how happy Keiko seemed about this new assignment.  “So...you need my help?”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I don’t know yet.”  she admitted.  “I thought I’d see your reaction first, though.  I don’t want to find out halfway into the case that you don’t approve of my helping Lisa.”  She narrowed her eyes and asked, “Why is your new partner staring at me?”

    Sean turned around and looked for a moment.  “I don’t know,”  he replied as he gave Keiko his attention again.  “I think he wants to ask you out or something.”
    
    Keiko smiled at Chris.  “I suppose we should get to know each other since you’ll be around Sean a lot.”

    Chris looked excited and hopeful.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“But I have some work to do.  Even Sean has to deal with me leaving quickly.”  Keiko continued smiling, and gave him a little wave.  “I’ll see you two later,”  she said as she left.

    Keiko has a veterinarian to visit.
    

TO BE CONTINUED
    


-- Story written and copyrighted (C) 2008 by Jason Froikin, and may not be 
--    reprinted without permission.  
-- World Class and all characters therein are property of 
--    Strike Two and Jason Froikin.