Murder House (Part Two)

Tokuko Kitagawa

The bar I was invited to is a decent place with decent bartenders but they have to upgrade their security if they want the place to flourish. Sitting down on one of the stools, I nurse my drink whilst trying my hardest not to let the smell of alcohol get the better of me.

'Tokuko Kitagwa, I am sure that name rings a bell.' I push the buttons on my phone and wait patiently for the results. 'Well, now...'

"Hey, sweetheart? Wanna buy you a drink?"

Refusing to look up at the man's face, I shake my head.

"Oh come on!" I felt another body sit next to me bringing along the terrible stench of alcohol with him. "How about I buy you a refill? It's on me!"

My sixth sense knew they weren't going to leave me alone so I stand up and go sit in a quiet corner. The men complained but I ignored them and read the information on my phone.

"HEY! IS THERE ANYONE I KNOW?" a shrill but familiar voice yelled. I look up and see it was Tokuko Kitagawa and she was still wearing the dress she wore last night with a fresh batch of make-up on her face.

The men cheered and hollered as she greeted them one by one, sometimes giving them a kiss on the cheek.

'Wow, she really knows how to spend her days.' I turn off my phone and raise my hand up to get her attention.

Tokuko looks up, sees me, and grins. "I got to go guys. Got some money to make."

They all 'awwed' as she walked over to where I was sitting.

"Seriously? This is where you want us to sit?" she ran her finger over the table. "You have poor taste!"

"I should be telling you that. This was the bar you picked as our meeting place." I say.

She scoffed and took a seat. "I hope the dust doesn't ruin my dress though. It is an imported one from America after all."

My quick eyes spot the frays along with the fake jewels missing from her dress and roll my eyes. 'It is either that or she ruined the dress in her drunken stupor.'

'Let's go with the latter.'

"So, what do you want to know?" she asks putting her elbow on the table. "And how much are you willing to pay?"

I was shocked. "Pay?"

"Why yes." she rubs her fingers together in a money-making way. "I wouldn't be telling you this for free would I?"

A wave of annoyance washed through me but I bite my bottom lip knowing this was going to happen. Dipping my hand into my bag, I take out a ward of money and hand it to her. Her eyes glowed with excitement and with a quick gesture, she swipes it from my hand leaving a small scratch in her wake not like she cared for she was busy putting the money in her purse.

"So? What do you want to know?" she asks.

"About Mr. Yamada's relationship with the late Osana Najimi," I reply. "What do you know about them?"

She rolled her eyes. "The Highschool Tsundere and Mr. Oblivious."

A vein was about to pop out of my forehead.

"Well, I am not sure about Osana but what I did know back then is Taro was trying to be a playboy." she began. "His plan was to act bland and pliable to attract girls and he got it after Osana started dating another guy."

My eyes widened at that. "Really?"

She nods. "It all started when I was accidentally locked up in the boys' room during P.E. Hiding behind one of the lockers, I overheard two boys talking about girls as usual but was shocked to notice one of the boys was Taro."