Running into her

Chapter 2 - The 54 Carat Diamond

The police people try to tell him to get out, but he explains that he's my guardian and that I'm a minor to the lady who seemed to understand english so they let him stay. Of course, I'm trying to ignore all of this background noise while I recover from the stress of being dragged off and screamed at by the supposed 'protectors of justice'.

Three. Two. One.

“Okay, I’m recharged now. Get your hand off my head, and yes, you did mess up and something bad did happen. We’re at the police station, is that not bad enough for you?” I dab below my eyes to make sure no tears are threatening to leak, then start giving instructions to him while I set myself back straight. His familiar presence has managed to bring me back to my usual self.

“Jonathan, call the Rhinehart Ginza branches’ lawyers, tell their best one to come here straight away. Then freeze all my credit cards. My bag’s been stolen.  Get a gag order on all witnesses and get cooperation from the police to properly protect suspect identity or privacy or whatever it's called. There weren’t many witnesses on the street, I don't think, but we need to keep information away from the reporters that'll be trying to hound the station. So check the CCTVs properly and meticulously.” I stop, realizing something, “But Jonathan, how did you find me and know I was here?”

He stops mid-pressing the call button on his cell and slowly turns his head towards me.

“A-about that… I didn’t tell you because I knew you’d be against it. I mean obviously—“ I interrupt with a glare.

“Spill it.”

“That.” he hesitatingly says indicates towards my bracelet.

I frown, “What about ‘that’? My bracelet?”

He admits sheepishly, “there’s a tracking device in it.”

Upon hearing that, the fingers on my right hand instinctively find their way to his triceps (the inner part of the arm which has sensitive skin) and pinch and twist as painfully as they can. The suppressed pain on Jonathan's face brings me some satisfaction at least. Call me childish all you want, but my anger needs to be subsided somehow. Privacy is something I value greatly. Even if it's in the name of protection, stalking me with tracking devices is not acceptable.

What ruined it all though, is the fact that Jonathan doesn't have much of what can be called flesh that's pinchable. His biceps/triceps/muscles are hard, which makes the grabbing meat part difficult.

I'll have to get my revenge on the mat later on. Mwahaha. Jonathan, you just watch. I'm gonna throw you till you dislocate you shoulder and cry for mercy.

***

Four hours later, I can finally leave the station. The verdict? I’m innocent until proven guilty. However, I am not allowed to leave the country, until the real criminal is found, and if I do, it will be counted as an admission of guilt and I will become an international criminal. Great. It's not every day I get a chance to become wanted by the Japanese Police Force.

How it feels being accused of being an accomplice to a 2.5 billion yen, approx $ 25 M, heist? Not so good, since you get treated like trash. It makes me wish I really were an accomplice, at least then all this hassle wouldn't be for no reason and I would have gotten to know the thrill of an organized heist. At least my life would have been a bit more interesting then.

I couldn’t even show them my passport for proof of identity because it was in my stolen bag. But no worries, the lawyer and a call to the American embassy more or less settled that. I didn’t really know what was going on, because it was all in Japanese, and my Japanese is mediocre at best, but the gist of it is that I'm free. Except to leave the country, that is. But not being held in a cell does count for something, especially with the way the police were behaving.

I guess it didn’t help that I almost broke an officer's nose. They were especially hostile because of that. Oh and there was the other cute guy who was finding it hard to walk because of my kick between his knees. Whatever their excuses are; I was only defending myself.

What did help though, was that the actual CEO of the almost-robbed Sakura's Precious jewellery store (yeah I finally found out what it's called), Akiyoshi Eguchi-san, upon hearing who I am, apologized with a deep bow for the inconvenience. Unlike the police, who couldn't get enough of accusing me.

“I do feel sorry for that assistant attorney though. He had to run around for so many errands.” I sigh, now in the car on my way back to the hotel.

“If you have the time to feel sorry for him, you should feel sorry towards me first. I run your errands all day every day,” Jonathan says, stopping the car at the red light.

“Eh whatever, you were only on the phone all day long today. The nerve. Hmph. Relaxing after losing me because you sneaked a tracking chip on me. Pervy stalker.” Although I'd planned to have his head for monitoring my every move, after the tiring day we've just had, I let it go. I look out the tinted window at the foreign streets. Everything, except a few shop signs are in Japanese. As much as I love travelling, I have always hated this inability to read simple street signs.

“I did apologize about that, but you tend to disappear sometimes. As your bodyguard and PA, I need to know where you are, especially in a foreign country, and it's not like I report back to your uncle, so what is the problem? And about your other comment, I can only assume that you didn’t want me to call the lawyers, freeze your cards, lie to the hotel director about why we need attorneys or call the embassy?” he asks sarcastically, glancing my way.

The corners of my lips turn to an involuntary smile, “Why so modest? Mention ordering a new cell phone, ipad, make-up set and hotel room keys as well.”

“I thought I’d try it. The modesty thing.” he smirks at the rear-view mirror as he accelerates at the green light.

“Well, you fail at it.” I say as I lie back on the backseats and try to make myself comfortable on the black leather seats. I yawn. “By the way, do you not want to hire an assistant or anything? Jamie’s not here and I think we might have to stay here for longer than the scheduled week.”

“Ah, don’t worry about it, I’ve already hired a few lackeys around town. I didn’t expect you to find your hidden brother or sister within a week anyway. Who do you think delivered your make-up, iPhone and iPad?”

“Lackeys around town?” I ask in disgust, “That sounds like you hired thugs. I thought you were past all that. I don’t want to be tied to criminals.” I mentally bite my tongue. That last bit wasn’t smart.

He glares at me through the rear-view mirror, “I can’t be past something I’ve never been part of. Stop making up things about my life. The lackeys are from an errands agency. It’s perfectly legal. Besides,” he chuckles, “you’re already tied to criminals. You haven’t forgotten about the almost-stolen 54 carat diamond have you?”

I cover my face with my hands and groan, “I take it back, I take it back! I don’t ever want to hear the word thief, robbery, heist or any synonym of those words ever again!”

“Once upon a time, I there was a rich little thief—“  I kick the back of the of the driver’s seat.

“Shut up!”

***

[5] Onegaishimas- Please

[6] Wakarimashita- I understand