Work Text:
Susato loved working at a law firm with her brother and brother’s boyfriend, really, she did, but sometimes she wondered if her clients were more often the same circle of people close to these three people than anyone else.
You’d think with three highly competent (at their jobs, anyway) defence lawyers, they’d manage to defend themselves or sort some of these cases out for her, but no, Susato always ended up taking up some sort of role in these trials. Even if she was only acting as Defence Counsel. It would be nice to take this as a compliment... But Susato also had a feeling it was also down to the number of times there had also been arrest warrants put out for the other lawyers and friends and family of said lawyers, at Naruhodou-san's law firm. Was she really the only one never to have been arrested in such a manner?
Ultimate legal dream team
[16th Feb.]
Sooze-at-your-defence-o
Can we postpone movie night until tomorrow? Maybe even a few days time?
Forget-me-not Collector
Why????
Did something happen? :(
Sooze-at-your-defence-o
You could say that
Guess who got arrested again?
--->Sooze-at-your-defence-o Can we postpone movie night until tomorrow? Maybe even a few...
Inspecting my own crimes
noooooooooooooo sooozeeeeeeee
also you know a lot of people ‘oo ‘ave gotten arrested
specfics???
Forget-me-not Collector
Gina why are you still not typing h’s
Inspecting My Own Crimes
its part of a bet
Sooze-at-your-defence-o
Well, it’s Kazuma-sama
I just got a call to say he’s at the Detention centre, again
Inspecting My Own Crimes
Lmaaaooooo
Forget-me-not Collector
AGAIN again?????????
Inspecting My Own Crimes
Wait
‘e's gonna beat my record!!!!!
Sooze-at-your-defence-o
Gina, if you end up arrested tonight as well, we just WON’T HAVE a movie night
Forget-me-not Collector
Are you goign to defend him Su?
Sooze-at-your-defence-o
I’m not sure yet. I’ll probably end up as counsel to Naruhodou-san, if I had to guess
Inspecting My Own Crimes
10 quid ‘e drew karuma on somone again
Forget-me-not Collector
No! I bet it’s all a big misundertsanding!
Inspecting My Own Crimes
sounds like your in on the bet Ori
Forget-me-not Collector
You’ll definitely pay up right?
Not like last time?
Inspecting My Own Crimes
Sure
Forget-me-not Collector
...I’m in
Sooze-at-your-defence-o
I’m heading down to go check on him now
Wish me luck...
Forget-me-not Collector
Good luck! Ily!!!
Inspecting My Own Crimes
good luck
…
though...
sooze if want choice next movie night...
tell us about ‘is arrest later, yeh?
Down at the Detention Centre, Susato found Naruhodou looking rather distraught. He had evidently arrived to greet her brother before her, then. Though... said brother was nowhere in sight... Coincidence, or was he hiding?
“Naruhodou-san, where is he?” wearily, she sighed.
Her colleague jumped at the sound of her voice. He seemed relieved to see her, but still upset in general, of course. She couldn’t blame him. It was almost amusing how often her brother got taken in for all kinds of minor things, probably resulting from his complete lack of chill and overreliance on a katana, but she still worried whenever she got a phone call about another arrest.
“Oh, Susato-san when did you get here?”
She grimaced. There went his usually exceptional powers of observation...
“Just now, actually. What about you?” politely, she answered.
“Well, I don’t know how long ago it was... But they said he was still in questioning,” nervously, Naruhodou spoke as his eyes darted around the room.
At least she had an answer to her original question. This lent credence to Haori’s theory about Kazuma-sama's reason for arrest, then, now that she thought about it. Not that she was involving herself in her girlfriends’ bet, but it was good to be aware of these things. You know, so she knew who to ask to pay for the next movie set. If they ever got a movie night. (Please, no one else get arrested this week...)
“Did they at least tell you what he’s in here for this time? I just got the ‘Your brother’s been arrested’ speech again,” Susato lamented.
“Uhm, I think it might have been property damage,” cringed Naruhodou.
Oh? And Gina’s theory was gaining headway!
A guard appeared behind the two lawyers, startling Naruhodou again, to announce that Kazuma would be sent through shortly. Susato prepared her sternest glare and stared at the wall of glass in front of the area her brother would be allowed into. He’d better be ready for the storm that was coming this time...
Shiftily, clearly embarrassed, Kazuma entered the visiting area through stiff strides. He refused to meet either of their eyes for the first few seconds. That was, until Naruhodou slapped himself loudly on both cheeks and prepared to start a new case. Ah, they could play this ‘Good cop, bad cop’ with him, then!
“...Hello, you two,” he winced.
“Yes, hello, Kazuma-sama... Care to tell me why I got called away from my movie night with my poor, lonely girlfriends to come visit you in here again?” through a thick smile, laced with just enough to judgement to scare him, she greeted in turn.
“Uh, partner! Lovely to see you!” he ignored her steadily deepening glare in favour of talking to his boyfriend.
“Kazuma... What are you doing!?” Naruhodou hissed, “I’m sure Susato-san's ready to kill us both, now!” he cast a few suspicious glances off his shoulder towards her.
The third member of their little firm turned slowly towards his sister and winced again at her glower.
“Well...” he began, “I promise it’s not as bad as it sounds! But... I may have been in a bit of a fight... Self-defence! I assure you, but someone called the police and they happened to arrive just as I was breaking the window and subsequently exiting through it,” breezily, he exposited.
“Why’d you break the window!? You could have just used the door!” Naruhodou groaned and ran his hands through his spikes.
“Because he’s dramatic,” Susato announced, tiredly.
Kazuma fiddled with the cravat still around his neck (Had he really gotten into a fight in his work clothes!?) as he sat down. She could tell that he seemed genuinely sorry for the trouble he’d caused, but Susato was still going to give him a bit of a hard time over it; she could have been curled up on a sofa with Gina and Haori right now! But, alas, he was her brother, so she wasn’t going to just leave him here. Even if she hypothetically could, because Naruhodou in all likelihood could handle the case on his own for the time being.
“So, I’ll be the one to bite – which one of you two is defending me this time?” good-naturedly, Kazuma asked.
“Well, Susato-san-”
“How about you do it yourself for once? Don’t tell me you’ve spent so much time prosecuting lately that you’ve forgotten how!” she teased.
Because of course. Due to some slightly dubious circumstances that landed both Susato and Naruhodou in their current careers, her brother had gained a prosecuting qualification as well. He tended to flaunt both his badges on his lapel on that nightmarish white suit that looked straight out of Victorian London. He technically only actually worked part time at their firm, due to this, and spent the rest of the time being bossed around at the prosecutor’s office by Chief Prosecutor van Zieks.
“And don’t tell me you’ve spent so long acting as co-counsel you’ve forgotten how to be the main attorney yourself!” Kazuma threw back with a hearty laugh.
Oh, he was so receiving a Susato Takedown next time they were on the same side of this pane of glass...
“Naruhodou-san!” derisively, she announced, “I shall be leading the defence on this one!”
“Uh, okay, if you’re sure. Do you want me to do the paperwork?” a little lost, Naruhodou asked.
“Ah, no, it’s no problem. I’ll sort it on my way out,” she declined courteously.
From where’d he’d stood up, ready to go and make himself useful, her colleague sat back down and faced his boyfriend. He offered Kazuma a regretful smile, likely in way of sympathy for Susato’s incoming wrath.
“So... You should probably fill us in properly, Kazuma,” sheepishly, Naruhodou stated.
“Fill you in properly,” she corrected, “I only want to know one thing,”
Her brother crossed his arms and looked at her expectantly, “Which would be...?”
“Did you or did you not use Karuma at any point during this crime?” solemnly, she questioned.
With a confident smirk, he brought a certain recognizably patterned hilt up into the air so that it was just visible above the glass, “I snuck it in,”
“Kazuma!” Naruhodou cried.
Dusting herself off as she went, Susato stood up.
“So, that’s a no, then?” she affirmed.
His smirk only grew, “If any witnesses had reported it, then I don’t think it’d be here with me. So, yes, I mean I didn’t use it this time,”
Interesting...
“Thank you for the information, Kazuma-sama,” she bowed before calling back as she left the room.
Very interesting... If neither of them won, what happens? Did both Gina and Haori have to pay her...? She opened her phone slowly, just outside the visitor room.
Ultimate legal dream team
[16th Feb.]
Sooze-at-your-defence-o
You both lost.
He broke a window in self-defence
I’ll be expecting ten pounds from each of you :)
###
Some matter of only a few weeks later, Susato’s theory gained yet more evidence when movie night was once again lost. Though, this time... There was little chance of recovering it for that week... After she’d got her brother to pay for her Netflix as consolation for defending him and everything!
She entered the Detention Centre this time with a firm frown set on her face. Kazuma being arrested may not have been good, but at least she could see the amusement in that. Seeing her poor, sweet girlfriend (Haori, not Gina. Calling Gina sweet would be a bit of a stretch.) behind that pane of glass was a lot more troubling...
It clearly hadn’t quite set in for Haori what was happening, based off of the shocked, wide look in her eyes and tear stains on her cheeks. Gina was right on the money with immediate action, though. Susato winced in sympathy for the poor guard currently receiving an earful for it. At the very least, Haori was occasionally chuckling at these antics, from what the lawyer could tell.
“Oi! You listen right ‘ere! ‘Ori would never, and I mean never kill a guy, got it!? I don’t care wot they say, she didn’t do nuthin’!” the inspector got all up in an officer’s face and yelled.
Perhaps it was simply a marvel that Gina was still here, ‘bargaining’, rather than taking the crime scene by storm. She could tell from the warm look in Haori’s eye that the medical trainee at least appreciated it. That and, well, Gina certainly had a point...
Haori was training to be a doctor, still enrolled in medical school as of late, and for as long as Susato had known her, which was rather a long while, had never so much as expressed any desire to anything but save human lives. Yes, she had been known to get physical when needed, but that was usually to stick up for herself or her girlfriends or if she got too caught up in aiding Gina. The most Susato had really seen the woman do was throw a boy across the school canteen for insulting her when they were both sixteen.
“Listen, ma’am, I didn’t actually make the arres-” the officer tried to argue.
There was his first mistake.
A hungry glint shone in Gina’s eye as she stood up on the tip of her boots to shout just a little louder at him, “Yeah? And!? Why aren’t you getting the papers ready to let ‘er go? There ain’t even a question, ‘ere! She didn’t do it!”
Calmly, Susato took the centre-most stool facing the glass that Haori was currently confined behind. She smiled softly at her girlfriend.
“Gina’s yelling about murder, so I assume that’s the charge?” the lawyer clarified.
“Yes... They say I stabbed someone... Su! I didn’t! I swear!” Haori cried.
Susato winced at the volume of both her girlfriend’s yelling at once, but took it in stride and nodded. She began to make a mental file of the case as she went along.
“Don’t worry. I believe you. And Gina definitely does too,” the attorney sighed, “Speaking of... How long has she been at this?”
“Er, I would say at least ten minutes. She’s very romantic...” dreamily, smiled the medical student.
“Well, yes, it is very nice of her, but I think for the sake of everyone’s eardrums, I’d better quieten her down a tad. Just give me a moment,” Susato affirmed.
And then she took out her phone. She wanted all hands on deck for this case, and that meant calling the whole firm down to the Detention Centre! Not exactly calling, she supposed, as that would be rather silly, given to current conditions. It would be impossible to discern what she was saying, in all likelihood!
Susato-san, Kazuma changed the chat name again
[3rd March]
Sooze-at-your-defence-o
@NaruHOLD IT, @Kazoo Appreciator, I require you both down at the Detention Centre
Preferably ASAP
NaruHOLD It
Whos been arrested this time????
*Who’s
Sooze-at-your-defence-o
Please, just use the edit feature...
--> NaruHOLD IT Whos been arrested this time????
Sooze-at-your-defence-o
Haori-chan
And Gina might be about to be arrested herself for harassing one of the guards
NaruHOLD It
I’ll take the next bus there!
Sooze-at-your-defence-o
Thank you.
--> Sooze-at-your-defence-o Please just use the edit feature...
NaruHOLD It
Wait that’s a thing?????
It was quite possibly strange that her brother was not responding, but she had enough faith in Naruhodou to assume that Kazuma would figure it out one way or another. For now, she had one girlfriend to stop yelling at a police officer, and one to stop crying. Because Haori had started sobbing softly in the background, and Gina had in no way stopped her screaming match.
“Gina,” she tried to no avail, “Gina!”
“Huh? Oh, ‘ey, Sooze! You gotta tell ‘im ‘Ori ain’t a killer!” the inspector demanded.
Gently, Susato strode over, claimed Gina’s hand and walked them both back to the stools. She sat them both down and then gave Gina the most disappointed glare she could muster. It had its intended effect, and the detective promptly dropped her fight. In its place, there was a rather deep scowl, but that was to be expected, what with Gina’s extreme stubbornness.
“How about we not yell at the nice officer and instead work on trying to prove that, Gina?” suggested Susato.
“I guess you’re right...” the inspector sulked.
“I can tell you about the incident if you’d like!” Haori posed.
The lawyer shot her a grateful look as that then got the three of them talking in a less shouty and more productive manner. The combined wit of an attorney and detective, and the devout honesty from their girlfriend, made a clinical truth emerge rather easily. In all honesty, it didn’t seem too hard a case to disprove, though she wouldn’t be surprised if the prosecution had something up their sleeve. Some decisive evidence, perhaps.
Gina looked between the two other women, deep in thought. Susato hoped that meant she was using her rather brilliant deductive mind to figure out some arguments for court, and not figure out some arguments for that police officer.
“So... You take one break day off and they instantly assume this was premeditated!? Like you couldn’t ‘ave any other reason to go to the beach!?” incredulously, the inspector questioned.
“I suppose they thought it was suspicious because it’s still winter...” Haori reasoned sadly.
“What was the victim doing there, anyway?” frowning again, Susato chimed in.
“I didn’t know her personally... So I have no idea,” the medical student clasped her hands together and admitted.
Add to the fact that Haori told the two of them she was only at the beach earlier today for a walk, and this case seemed to be on very thin ice! What kind of a motive had they made up for Haori? And when exactly were they assuming she’d supposedly killed this woman if she’d only seen the victim for a few moments as she passed by? What a strange case! She, or Gina, would have to find out the details directly from the police department.
Just then, a rather flustered looking Naruhodou entered the room. He seemed a little short of breath and skittish, but not more than poor Haori behind that glass. Confidently, she nodded at her colleague and gestured for him to sit down. To her surprise, he opted to remain shiftily near the doorway.
“Naruhodou-san! That was quick!” she greeted.
Her fellow lawyer grimaced and fiddled with the sleeves of his suit.
“Ah, yes... I got driven up...” he paused in his explanation and peered out into the corridor before snapping his gaze back to the three women, “By Kazuma...”
Gina snickered loudly, “It’s a wonder you ain’t the victim now, ‘Oddo!”
“Where is Kazuma-sama, then?” she asked with a glare into that same hallway.
Naruhodou dipped out of the room for a moment. Fortunately, he was only gone for that single moment and brought her brother inside the visitation room with him. For some reason, Kazuma was staring dead at the floor and refusing to make eye contact with anyone. So, he'd done something... She narrowed her eyes at him, but he didn’t notice.
They all sort of waited there for him to speak for a moment. After it became apparent that he was resolute to keep his silence, Haori broke the ice with a timid question.
“Kazuma-san, why were you waiting out there?” she stuttered, “I’d rather have all the lawyers here I can get...”
“Well, you see, I was just... checking some scheduling out at work for this case. Checking... some details and such,” not quite evasively, but definitely whilst omitting some details, her brother explained.
Naruhodou looked apologetically at Kazuma before he translated, “He’s the prosecution,”
The fallout was instantaneous. Both Susato and Haori simply gasped, but the prosecutor braced himself when he saw a furious Gina barrelling towards him. She had that kind of defiant spark to her eyes, like a single cloud in a blue summer’s sky, as she stormed at him at full speed.
“You!” the inspector accused, “You traitor, ‘Soggy! You’re even worse than these bloody idiots ‘o done arrested ‘er! You think she’s guilty, do you!? Well, Sooze is really gonna show you up!”
Tiredly, Kazuma finally looked up and attempted to justify himself, “In my defence-”
And that’s as far as he got.
“Kazuma-sama, I am very disappointed in you! Would you do that same if I was behind bars?” she put a little fake sob to the end
“Chief Prosecutor van Zieks put me on it, okay? I had no choice! I would have been happy to defend you, Murasame-san, if I could,” he snapped.
Susato shook her head discouragingly whilst Gina balled her fists in his face.
All in all, this actually probably was an advantage. Having a prosecutor they could trust to not pull anything dirty did help. But none of them were just going to let him off the hook for this on principle, so... Well, let’s just say she knew who was paying next month’s Netflix subscription too.
###
@Dr Flowers
[March 29]
Dr Flowers
Susie? Can I stay with you tonight?
Sooze-at-your-defence-o
What happened, Iris? Is Mr Sholmes okay?
You can stay though, if you need
Dr Flowers
I’d rather explain in person
Can you come down to the detention centre?
Sooze-at-your-defence-o
I’ll be right there!
Are you alone right now?
Dr Flowers
I can take of myself if needed, Susie
Sooze-at-your-defence-o
That doesn’t answer the question
Dr Flowers
Well, yes, but it hasn’t been long!
Sooze-at-your-defence-o
Just wait right there, then. I’ll be along ASAP!
When Iris called Susato down to the Detention Centre that evening, she had little to no idea what to expect of her basically sister. The girl was fifteen now, so technically she had been right; she was old enough to take care of herself. In any case, though, something serious must have happened if she needed to actually stay with Susato. This was the daughter of a renowned detective who’d been writing best-selling novels and cooking since well before Susato had met her at age ten...
Cautiously, she walked into a little room just outside the visitation room they were usually all in at her law firm and found her pink-haired little friend slumped dejectedly on a chair. Iris looked, as she’d already noted, rather glum. Had Mr Sholmes really been...?
“Hello, Iris. How are you doing?” kindly, Susato smiled.
“Oh, Susie! Hello!” the author perked right up and flounced over to greet her.
Warmly, she embraced the now teenaged girl, who was clutching her like a lifeline, and grinned softly. She could feel some tears vaguely padding her suit that she hadn’t noticed in Iris’s eyes. Sometimes, the pink-haired girl’s smile could be so infectious, you didn’t notice her hurt.
“So, what happened? I’m guessing Mr Sholmes...” she flinched at Iris’s dark expression and didn’t finish her sentence.
“Hurley... Daddy... They arrested him... Said he was stealing Government secrets!” she huffed and put her hands on her hips, “But that’s silly! He was only reading Government secrets!”
“But... that is still a crime, right?” fearfully, the lawyer questioned.
Iris winked, “Not one they can actually catch him for! There’s no evidence! But now they claim he stole them!”
A shadow darted out from behind them. Subconsciously, Susato stepped in front of her sister, frowning slightly. Iris tried to peer around her, but to no avail.
“Iris-”
“’Ey! Don’t you go ignoring me!” huffed an all too familiar voice.
Whoops. It appeared they’d made a bit of a mistake. Slowly, as she formed her apologetic grin, Susato turned around, ready to face her (hopefully) amused girlfriend. Sure enough, there was Gina, blonde curls unruly as ever, and trench coat still on her shoulders, implying she was fresh out of work. The inspector smirked and flashed her badge.
“Ginny! You’re here too!?” gasped Iris.
“Uh, yeah! Didn’t Sooze tell you?” Gina smirked and looked Susato in the eye.
“I didn’t know you were coming,” amused, but still in a deadpan, the lawyer responded.
Still smiling broadly, the detective approached them with a raised hand. Iris responded in turn by giving Gina a solid high-five. They flashed each other grins. In all honesty, Susato probably was glad her girlfriend was here. That doesn’t mean she knew how or why though...
“Wot!? Really!? You sent that message to our chat, and then nobody was respondin’ to the Baker Street one, so I just came down ‘ere instead,” Gina huffed.
“Aw, Ginabean! That’s really sweet,” Iris giggled.
Gina flushed, wrinkled her nose, and looked away, “Yeah, yeah... Wotever... We goin’ in to see ‘im or wot?”
“I do suppose we must be,” Susato nodded in affirmation.
It was quite evident that there was a very difficult man behind the glass in the visitation room from the moment they entered: the usual guard was huddled in a corner, avoiding looking over at the accused at any cost. And whilst Mr Sholmes was certainly a close friend of Susato’s... She couldn’t say she didn’t understand the sentiment.
To put it simply, the detective did not look like someone who had just been arrested for spying on the government...
“Ah! Iris!” he looked them over a few times with an obnoxious grin before flicking his hat, “I deduce that you are here... to visit someone very dear to you! The small little frown on your lips gives you right away, my dear! And you two!” he grinned knowingly at the two other women, “This situation is quite disrupting to both your regular routines, and troubles with a certain youth you know! All because of a strange and unfounded arrest!”
“So, you noticed, did you?” wryly, she gestured to the glass pane separating them.
“Very astute, Miss Susato! I do appear to be this source of disruption who had been arrested!” he laughed, rocking back and forth in the stool on the other side of the room.
“Yeah, yeah, alright, enough of that. Wot ‘appened, Sholmes!?” Gina crossed her arms and glared.
Mr Sholmes stood up from his seat, smiling widely, and snapped his fingers to a point, aimed at the other detective. Susato cringed a little bit. At least Iris looked a little livelier now that she was allowed to see her father... Nothing against Mr Sholmes, of course (She was a big fan!). But this was hardly the time for dramatics.
“An excellent question, my dear madame! And one I believe best answered with one Herlock Sholmes’s famous ‘Logic and Reasoning Spectaculars’!”
“Do you really need a dance of deduction for your own-” dubiously, (but from fond exasperation, of course) Susato began, only to be interrupted by a certain young girl.
“Oh, Daddy, can I do this one!?” Iris gasped, excitedly.
“Now, ‘old on there, Iris. Don’t tell me you buy into this ‘ole-” Gina’s eye twitched dangerously.
Who was more likely to snap first, here? Her at no one taking the situation seriously, or her girlfriend at... everyone’s nonsense? Dear, this was probably why they needed Haori so much. She was at least a little better at mediating. When she wasn’t too fired up herself, of course.
“Why, of course, my dear!” laughed the detective behind bars.
Grinning, Iris bounced up onto the tips of her feet and posed with her pointing finger poised upwards. Gina groaned and pushed her hat down over her face. Eagerly, Mr Sholmes watched, clearly excited to see his darling daughter use his technique to unearth some clearly extremely well-hidden truth.
“In that case, Iris Wilson is proud to present her ‘Logic and reasoning Spectacular’!”
The pink-haired girl spun around until her back was firmly to the glass, with her front now facing a most disgruntled Gina. Iris snapped her fingers at the inspector. Of course, the usual black magic was worked, and a spotlight-like beam shone down on Susato’s girlfriend.
“The first thing of note here is given away by Ginny’s very presence here!” presented Iris, rather matter-of-factly.
“Wot!? It’s like I said! You lot weren’t replyin’ on the Baker Street chat!” argued Gina, huffily.
Disappointedly, the younger girl shook her head. Then, instead of flicking at her braids like she usually would, Iris reached out and tapped the inspector’s cap upwards as she announced her next finding, “This must be a high-profile case that she found out before we started acting suspicious, because she came here straight from work! All is told through the detective uniform she is still clearly wearing!”
Both Susato and Gina jumped at this deduction. The lawyer exchanged a glance with her girlfriend. Was it true...? Defiantly, the inspector averted her eyes. Ah. That was a yes, then. The alleged stealing of government secrets by Mr Sholmes was big news, prompting Gina to worry when no one replied to her. That... And she was probably already coming. Not that she’d ever admit to it.
“In contrast...” Iris changed directions, the spotlight following her. It now landed on Susato. What a delight... The author tapped her forehead and began again, “Susie, here, clearly came straight from home, as she is not wearing her badge! This implies that she knew nothing of the case until I briefed her...”
She darted back to her original position. The spotlight was now on her. Iris propped her leg up just like Mr Sholmes was so, ah, notable for doing, and grinned, “This can only mean one thing! Daddy’s innocent!”
Mr Sholmes clapped loudly behind the glass. Gina blinked, confused. Hesitantly, Susato raised a hand to just below her chin. Had Iris, ah, picked up some of her father’s more peculiar habits? Particularly when it came to deductions. That was a rather vague conclusion...
“I don’t mean to intrude, Iris-chan, but why?” cautiously, the lawyer affirmed.
“Because he didn’t call anyone but me for help! That means he knows he’s innocent!” she giggled.
“Yeah, but why!? Don’t innocent people wanna call for ‘elp or wotever? Y’know, not get accused of a crime they didn’t commit ‘nd all that. I know I wouldn’t stand for a loada rubbish like that!” accused Gina, loudly.
Dramatically, Iris made a show of sighing. She wasn’t offended by their, uh, lack of enlightenment, then.
“Well, if you’re really going to make me say it...” the pink-haired girl shook her head lightly, “It’s because he’s going to break out. If Hurley had actually committed the crime, he would stay in his cell,” she paused, “Probably. But he didn’t call you, Runo or Zumie in because he was planning on breaking out before you ever got the chance to come,”
Flabbergasted, Mr Sholmes collapsed off his chair backwards, waving his arms around wildly. Huh. A spot-on deduction. The Great Detective had been planning on avoiding all charges by pulling what everyone expected Gina to do in jail and slip the key. Certainly achievable for a troublemaker like Iris’s father.
“But then you asked to stay with me, so I had to come down to the Detention Centre, anyway,” Susato noted, wonderingly.
Iris nodded, “Exactly. I suppose Daddy didn’t quite predict that,”
“In my defence, my dear madams, it seemed indubitable at the time that Iris would stay with Mr Reaper!” from somewhere on the floor, out of sight due to the wall surrounding the glass between them, Mr Sholmes groaned.
“Oh, Uncle Barry? Yes, that would have made sense, wouldn’t it... I suppose I assumed he would be too busy at this time of day,” the author pondered aloud.
Yes... Barok van Zieks. Chief Prosecutor for the district, Kazuma’s boss at the prosecutor’s office and also Iris’s uncle. Not that anyone but Mr Sholmes had known that last one for any particularly meaningful length of time.
In that respect, Susato couldn’t really blame Iris for calling her, not the girls’ uncle. If she had a rather intimidating, to say the least, man like Van Zieks suddenly be revealed as a close relative, the lawyer doubted she’d just suddenly be able to form a close bond immediately. But Iris was a bit of a special case. Even if the Chief Prosecutor had only found out about his niece shortly before Iris herself had been informed of the connection, it was clear he cared for her deeply.
“But you thought Sooze wouldn’t be?” pointedly, Gina asked.
To her credit, the author looked guiltily down at the floor, “I suppose I didn’t consider that...”
Mr Sholmes had regained his composure and seat in sight of the visitors, now. He examined them airily. He flicked at his hat exaggeratedly. Gina gave him the evil eye.
“It seems to me, that this would all be solved if one of us simply informed Mr Reaper about all of this,” knowingly, he suggested.
“Oh, of course!” Susato gasped.
She nodded thankfully at Mr Sholmes. This prompted her girlfriend to give in with the death stares and simply resort to an eye roll. Iris laughed cheerily at the three of them. At least she seemed much happier than when the lawyer had spoken with her through text or during the first section of their conversation here at the Detention Centre.
“Alright, ‘o wants to be on sacrifin’ dooty to tell the reaper ‘is niece’s father’s in prison. Pro’lly not for the last time,” Gina snickered and glanced meaningfully and Mr Sholmes, who spluttered in response.
Susato sighed, “I shall do it, dear. Perhaps you and Iris-chan could ask Mr Sholmes for more details in the meantime?”
“That sounds wonderful, Susie!” Iris beamed.
“I’ll just be over in the corner, then,” the lawyer pointed at a rather more quiet section of the room before venturing over there.
At least she didn’t particularly mind the task she’d been assigned. At least Iris’s family outside of just Mr Sholmes and herself would know where the girl was, in this case. Perhaps this could even turn into a bonding exercise!
@Baroque
[29th March]
Sooze-at-your-defence-o
Iris will be staying with me, Ms Lestrade and Ms Murasame tonight, sir, as Mr Sholmes is experiencing some legal difficulties [Edited]
Just to let you know in case something came up
You could call her about it later, if you’d like
Baroque
Thank you, Ms Mikotoba.
I shall be looking into the matter personally.
And I will call Ms Wilson later, if she’d like.
Sooze-at-your-defence-o
I think she could use a little bit of comfort, yes
I could inform her you’d like to speak, if you’d want...?
Baroque
I would be much obliged.
Susato smiled warmly. Iris would be pleased to hear from her uncle at a time like this, the lawyer was sure of it. The girl was a social butterfly; she would crave all the contact she could get from her extended family. And, as he'd said, Prosecutor van Zieks would be happy to oblige her. As if that wasn’t already evident before she’d even started the conversation, simply from the fact that he hadn’t changed his name back from the silly idea Iris had entered to the minimalist ‘BVZ’ he’d sported before.
###
Suffice to say, this was really getting old. Very fast. Could everyone she knew just stop being so, for lack of a better term, sus!?
From what she’d heard from an, ahem, ‘anonymous tip’ from the police department (Translation: Gina was worried but too embarrassed to admit it) that Naruhodou had been taken into custody. Knowing his track record, it was another murder charge. As long as he hadn’t picked up another gun... She was not dealing with that this week... Or any other week, for that matter.
This meant precisely one other thing, though. She was going to have to deal with a provoked Kazuma-sama. Oh, gosh, what if he was already down there threatening people!?
Pre-emptively, she decided to check the Baker Street group chat. If ever there was something wrong, her brother's first move was usually to rant on there about it. Dramatically. Very dramatically. The amount of walls of text about Prosecutor van Zieks was ungodly... Why exactly did he choose to work under this man, again? And was that really a smart place to write such things when Prosecutor van Zieks was himself on this chat!?
Anyway, she was getting off track. Naruhodou-san was the priority, here. And probably also damage control of a potential fallout. Assuming this was all true.
221B Gang
[30th April]
Sooze-at-your-defence-o
I don’t suppose anyone here has heard from Naruhodou-san?
Dr Flowers
Oh, no, not since this morning, Susie
Sooze-at-your-defence-o
Iris, aren’t you supposed to be at school?
Dr Flowers
Well, yes, but I know all of this already
So I’m bored
What happened to Runo????
Inspecting My Own Crimes
Didn’t I already tell you sooze
‘e got ‘imself arrested
Indubitably a great detective
he turned himself into the police?
finally! He owns up to stealing the biscuits, iris!
Dr Flowers
Uhm, Daddy, I don’t think they can arrest you for that
Indubitably a great detective
blast! they can’t!?
Sooze-at-your-defence-o
No, Mr Sholmes
Inspecting My Own Crimes
Its murder, im telling you
Forget-me-not Collector
Comma splice, G
Inspecting My Own Crimes
Ain’t you lot got better stuff to be doin’ that correcti me grammar
Indubitably a great detective
evidently not, miss Lestrade!
Kazoo Appreciator
Wait WHAT happened to Ryuu here
Inspecting My Own Crimes
‘e got arrested
Innit obvious
Kazoo Appreciator
Shhoot [Edited]
I’ll be there in 5 minutes, Ryuu!
Hang in there partner
Sooze-at-your-defence-o
Kazuma-sama, Iris is on here. Watch your language
Kazoo Appreciator
Desperate times call for desperate measures
Which cell?
Baroque
Worry not, Mr Asougi, I am already here and interviewing the suspect. The case is in good hands.
Kazoo Appreciator
FUDGE [Edited]
RYUU PARTNER IM COMING
HANG IN THERE
--> Kazoo Appreciator FUDGE
Sooze-at-your-defence-o
KAZUMA-SAMA
Language!
Inspecting My Own Crimes
Lmao
Kaz shes got you now
@Forget-me-not Collector wanna meet me at the scene?
you got a good eye for forenzicks and stuff
Forget-me-not Collector
Sure! <3
Ryuunosuke-san, when you can read this, we’re all here to help you!
Indubitably a great detective
except mr reaper!
it would appear he’s prosecuting!
Hahahahaahahahahahahah
Dr Flowers
Not the time, Hurley
By some miracle, Susato must have been closer to the Detention Centre than her brother, because she made it there before him. She could only hope this wasn’t the time he’d finally been caught for crimes against road safety.
As he’d stated on the chat, Chief Prosecutor van Zieks was currently interviewing Naruhodou for himself when she arrived. They seemed to be perfectly civil. A situation that could not exist if Kazuma was here, then. She sighed at the thought and then approached, cordially.
“Hello, you two, I trust everything has been going smoothly so far?” nodding politely, she asked.
“Ah, Susato-san! That was fast! I was expecting Kazuma,” sheepishly, Naruhodou admitted.
Prosecutor van Zieks pinched just above the scar, at the forefront of his temples. Both the defence attorneys in the room grimaced. Yes, it was probably for the best that she was her, not her brother.
“Perhaps you should be grateful for that, Mr Naruhodou,” somehow perfectly in a perfectly even tone, the prosecutor stated.
“Ah... Perhaps indeed...” winced Susato’s senior attorney and technically boss, “Is everything alright at the office, then, Susato-san?”
The office? Well, presumably, but Susato spent most of her time in it filling in paperwork or taking cases for this misfit group she called her friends and family there. If he meant about Kazuma, though, her brother was once again at the Prosecutor’s Office that day. Unless he was on an unexplained absence and had been sulking at home before presumably taking his foray into testing if a car could break the sound barrier.
“Certainly no worse for wear than when you left it. Though I shan’t imagine that will last if our star employee is locked up in here...” with a twisted expression, she gestured at their surroundings and frowned.
“Right, of course...” Naruhodou chuckled uncertainly.
Prosecutor van Zieks stood up, steadily.
“I trust you would rather be interviewed by an actual attorney, now then, Mr Naruhodou. I shall be returning to the Prosecutor’s Office to sort out the arrangements for your trial tomorrow,” mercifully, he explained.
“Thank you, Prose-” started Naruhodou.
“Hold it!” a new voice cried, furiously.
Uh oh. This measly Detention Centre visitation room was soon to turn into a war zone, then. Perhaps she should evacuate? Take Naruhodou-san with her too, if only that were allowed. Susato refused to turn around to give him the time of day, but she did, unfortunately, know exactly who this fourth person was. To be fair, he was a rather predictable arrival.
“Ah, Mr Asougi,” grimaced Prosecutor van Zieks, “I was just leaving,”
“Oh, really!? Really now!?” Kazuma unsheathed Karuma and looked directly at Naruhodou, “Did he ask anything too intrusive, partner!? Nothing hurtful!?”
Carelessly, as if this weren’t a well-monitored building with an active police officer already in it, Susato’s brother waved his katana around, dangerously close to Prosecutor van Zieks. The man somehow didn’t actually flinch at this display. Was it... a regular occurrence, then?
“Ah, yes, really... He was just asking me about the case, is all. So... Maybe you could put that sword away now?” staring straight at Karuma’s sharp edge, Naruhodou laughed nervously.
Susato snorted in mirth. The three other occupants of the room gave her looks, ranging from curious to livid. No need to think too hard about who the latter was.
“But that’s not a sword, Naruhodou-san – it's his soul!” mockingly, she shook her head and stared straight at the glass.
As if he thought this was some new interrogative technique that would make Susato and Naruhodou crack, Kazuma looked between them, sharply. Naruhodou groaned and Susato chuckled to herself, but neither elaborated, much to her brother’s frustration. But that was his problem.
“Is this some kind of joke I don’t get?” derisively, he asked.
Prosecutor van Zieks walked out of the room whilst he still could.
“No!” yelped Naruhodou.
“Maybe...” Susato smirked, at just the same time.
Kazuma rolled his eyes, but miraculously didn’t push the issue. The fact that his usual stubbornness at this kind of situation didn’t extend to questioning a silly inside joke between her and Naruhodou was really only a testament to the gravity her brother viewed the situation with.
“So,” sprucely, he turned to Susato, “Are we co-counselling this one, Susato-san? You can lead if you want, and then I’ll sneak the prosecution’s plan out of Van Zieks because he can’t deny me if I’m technically not the main attorney,”
“That, ah, sounds a little underhanded, Kazuma-sama. I’m happy to take the role of main attorney, however,” she responded, correcting his more... extreme tactics as she went.
“Ryuunosuke?” Kazuma affirmed.
Naruhodou jumped at the sound of his name.
“Ah! Sure thing, Kazuma! Do whatever you want!” wildly, he insisted.
“Naruhodou-san!” hands on her hips, Susato scolded.
“Wait, maybe don’t do anything illegal! Just... Uh... do it the regular way?” amended the senior attorney.
What was she going to do with these two... She wasn’t this bad with Haori or Gina, was she? No, she wouldn’t be! Maybe she should charge them both for this kind of trouble. The Disney + subscription payment was needed soon... And she would probably end up missing another movie night for this case...
“I believe what Naruhodou-san is trying to say, Kazuma-sama, is that, if he’s truly innocent, you shouldn’t need any questionably legal tactics to bring the truth about the situation to light!” proclaimed Susato.
“You’re quite right there, Mikotoba-houmujoshi,” Kazuma nodded.
“I do believe you’ve set me as the main attorney for this trial, Kazuma-sama,” she huffed.
“Right, of course, my apologies, Attorney Mikotoba,” he smirked at her.
That insufferable brat... Fine, fine, if he was going to give her the respect she deserved, then Susato wasn’t going to complain – no matter how backhanded his method was. She would not stoop down to his level! Not yet, at least... Give it a few more months with this nonsense and maybe...
“So, uh, can we talk about my murder charge, then?” Naruhodou interrupted.
Susato sighed and gave her brother a meaningful look, “I’m going to go file the paperwork. Make some good notes, please, Kazuma-sama...”
“Shouldn't you be doing that and I the paperwork, seeing as you’re the main lawyer here, Attorney Mikotoba?” faux-thoughtfully, her brother mimed, his finger on his chin.
She stalked out of the room and didn’t look back. Her brother was an insufferable, cheeky, downright incorrigible man... But as long as he did his job as she trusted him to do... She let out another long-suffering sigh.
###
Susato got a call from an unknown number. Perhaps she wasn’t typically in the habit of picking up one of these calls (they were usually scams), but she was in the office, and this was the office phone. Throwing caution to the wind and immediately picking up the phone, Kazuma had listened for a few seconds before passing the device over to Susato, with a grim expression on his face.
She didn’t much like that expression. On occasion, her brother had been known to act rather convincingly, and she sincerely hoped this was one of those occasions. In other words, she sincerely hoped this was some prank call Kazuma had organised and was holding a straight face for. But she didn’t think so. The number may have not been saved into the office phone, but Susato had a feeling she knew it anyway...
“Ah, hello? Susato Mikotoba from Naruhodou Legal Consultancy,” coolly enough, she greeted.
“Hello, Ms Mikotoba, you are the emergency contact of Gina Lestrade, yes?” an even voice, almost bored, entered through.
“Well, yes, I should be one of them...” growing steadily more and more anxious, Susato responded.
“She has put in a request to inform you that she has been detained. If you wish to visit her, visiting hours are currently open,” matter-of-factly, the Detention Centre employee droned.
Gina had been...?
“Yes, I know...” bitterly, she muttered about the comment on visitation hours.
“Sorry, ma’am?”
“Thank you for your time,” she gritted before restoring the landline to its rightful stand and rushing out.
Hesitantly, Susato paused just before the door. Surely... They couldn’t mind, could they...? She dashed back into the main room of the office, brushing off her colleagues' questions, and swiped her brother’s car keys. She could explain later.
The legality of stealing her brother’s vehicle was questionable, but he wouldn’t mind, and it wasn’t as if she were without a licence. And she couldn’t possibly drive the damn thing any worse than its true owner... Perhaps she could end up using a little bit of that inexplicable ability to avoid any consequences for iffy road safety.
Susato realised in the car park of the Detention Centre that she should maybe explain what exactly was going on. Technically, this was later... And Kazuma and Naruhodou were undoubtedly concerned over why she had just unceremoniously jumped ship out of the office and fled. She needed a moment to collect herself, anyway.
In all honesty, the lawyer had just been planning on using her work group chat, or perhaps just calling the desired recipients of her messages, but someone had evidently beat her to something, as there was very clear activity occurring on the Baker Street group. Well, she might have thought this was unrelated if she couldn’t see in big, red, bold lettering that she had been specifically asked for, through the form of an @.
221B Gang
[16th May]
Kazoo Appreciator
@Sooze-at-your-defence-o Care to explain whats going on???
Whyd you just leave like that
Did something happen?
NaruHOLD IT
Kazuma, she took your keys too
Seriously, @Sooze-at-your-defence-o what happened???
--> NaruHOLD IT Kazuma, she took your keys too
Kazoo Appreciator
WAIT SHE DID WHAT [Edited]
Okay which one of you lot called her away
My sister always WALKS to work!!!
NaruHOLD IT
@Indubitably a great detective...?
Indubitably a great detective
My innoncence in this case is assured, mr naruhodou
i assure you
NaruHOLD IT
And he spelt innocence wrong and everything...
Forget-me-not Collector
Wait, did something happen to Su?
Is she okay???
NaruHOLD IT
We don’t really know, Haori-san
Kazoo Appreciator
She ran out of our office earlier after taking a phone call
Didn’t say a word
Forget-me-not Collector
@everyone Have you heard from Susato?
Baroque
I can report that she is not at the Prosecutor’s Office
Kazoo Appreciator
Well, we diddn’t think she was there
Van Zieks
Idiot [Edited]
Baroque
Such crude language is hardly appropriate for this chat, Mr Asougi
Kazoo Appreciator
Yeah, well, my sisters missing [Edited]
I don’t really give a damn [Edited]
NaruHOLD IT
Susato-san will have your head for that later
Kazoo Appreciator
…
Gorey Knives
I know where Mikotoba is.
NaruHOLD IT
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Kazoo Appreciator
Gorey??? You do????
Indubitably a great detective
ah ms Gorey
I must confess I rather forgot you were on here
--> Kazoo Appreciator Gorey??? You do????
Gorey Knives
Probably.
Lestrade is under arrest.
I am at the Detention Centre with her as we speak.
She called most of you some rather rude names when she heard about Mikotoba’s fortune.
Kazoo Appreciator
Can you tell us if she goes there?
Well, Kazuma had been right about one thing, at least. She was going to have his head if those suspicious edited messages contained what she suspected they might... But, alas, that was for later. Gina was not alone, then. That was a small bonus she supposed. Honestly, Susato hadn’t even known Gorey knew her girlfriend that well, but then again, they were colleagues, and her other girlfriend had almost certainly worked with the coroner in the past.
221B Gang
[16th May]
Sooze-at-your-defence-o
Ah, that won’t be necessary.
I apologise for scaring you, Kazuma-sama, Naruhodou-san
But I am fine
Kazoo Appreciator
Then WHERED YOU GO
Sooze-at-your-defence-o
As Ms Gorey quite rightly predicted, to the Detention Centre
I am in the car park right now.
Your car is there
NaruHOLD IT
Do you need us to come down to????
*Too
Kazoo Appreciator
Partner we cant
She stole my car, remember?
--> NaruHOLD IT Do you need us to come down to????
Sooze-at-your-defence-o
If you wouldn’t mind
Kazoo Appreciator
Nvm, Ryuu were getting the bus
Forget-me-not Collector
Is it true then, Susato-chan? About Gina!?
Sooze-at-your-defence-o
I’m afraid so
Forget-me-not Collector
I shall get there at once!
Sooze-at-your-defence-o
I should think not, Haori-chan!
Don’t skip your lecture for this
Gina would be most displeased
Gorey Knives
Yes, she is yelling for you not to as we speak.
Forget-me-not Collector
But I can come down later, right?
Sooze-at-your-defence-o
Of course!
Conversation resolved there, Susato dashed straight back into the all too familiar building. There was little question for why she was there for any of the staff present. Rather fortunately, she was admitted to see Gina almost immediately. Small blessings, she supposed.
Gorey was there, just as she’d said she’d be. As soon as the coroner noticed Susato, she pulled back out her phone, covered in a delightfully creepy case decorated with purple butterflies and what she really hoped was some kind of perfectly innocent red stain. Presumably, this was to inform the group chat of the lawyer’s presence, as promised.
Where the coroner made no obvious move to acknowledge Susato’s arrival, Gina, contrastingly, gasped in delight and waved. Then she noticed the glass in front of her, separating the two and visibly winced. Right, of course... This was Gina... Whilst there was surely more to the story than whatever they’d charged the inspector with, there was also no doubt in Susato’s mind that her girlfriend had done something...
“Lumee... That was quick, Sooze!” shiftily, Gina reported.
The lawyer merely nodded, “I came as soon as I got the call. In any case, Gina, dear,” tiredly, Susato pinched her forehead, “What happened?”
“Nothin’!” squeaked the inspector.
Eyeing both of them suspiciously (Unfair!), Gorey shook her head violently to one side. She also fiddled with the tips of her fringe. Susato got the distinct impression that if they were in the coroner’s lab right now, Gorey’s plague doctor-esque mask would have been pulled firmly down over her face.
“Lestrade was accused of illicit dealings and robbery,” supplied the coroner.
“It ain’t true, though!” Gina hurriedly added.
“No. How was it that you put it...? She was simply ‘interviewing witnesses’, I believe,” Gorey amended.
Susato shot her girlfriend a simultaneously questioning and disappointed look. Yes, she did have an inkling as to where this might be going...
Gina happened to have a bit of a habit of conversing with criminals, as it were. As a woman who grew up in that kind of underworld of society, the inspector certainly knew how to navigate it. No, that was hardly the concern. Susato had always been worried a day like this would come. For a lot of the people Gina interviewed happened to be rather dubiously on the side of the law.
“Yeah... You got it... It was the guy I let go last week...” Gina looked pointedly at the lawyer, “Y’know, the one ‘oo didn’t do nuthin’ much bad, but was under fire any’ow? ‘E witnessed another case I’m workin’ on, but I was worried ‘e might get inta trouble if I let ‘im be called by the prosecution,”
“So... You interviewed him yourself?” thoughtfully, Susato nodded.
“Right on, Sooze. I thought I could just keep it as general civilian opinion ‘nd all that. Didn’t really work out all that well... Some rich cove reported us on account on us lookin’ ‘ella odd. Like, odder than ‘Oddo...” elucidated the inspector.
To be fair, it wasn’t as if a day like this had never been expected to come, but these circumstances still seemed more than a little strange. Even if they had all expected Gina’s nefarious habit of bending the law for certain individuals to cause trouble, where were the other charges coming from? They made her girlfriend sound like a dangerous individual!
“But why the robbery? And ‘Illicit dealings’? Surely, they couldn’t assume all that from an out-the-way conversation!?” the lawyer frowned.
“I dunno, really. I think some big place got ‘it just before I was seen, and it was in the right area... They pro’lly thought I was ‘anding off the goods, or wotever...” Gian crossed her arms and groaned.
“Then it should be even easier to prove that you had nothing to do with it!” Susato grinned.
“Yeah, ‘opefully...” Gina looked up, cap off and eyes wide, “Just... Can you do me a favour, Sooze? The guy I was interviewin’... ‘E’s been deemed complicit... Can ya get ‘im off the ‘ook too? I couldn’t bear it if ‘e took the fall is all...”
Oh... She hadn’t thought about it like that... Well, this was why their firm had three lawyers, not two, right? If worse came to the worst, Haori could co-counsel for her, and Kazuma and Naruhodou could deal with the other half of the case. It wasn’t a problem.
“Of course! Kazuma-sama and Naruhodou-san should be getting here soon, so we can ask them then! We’ll manage, Gina, don’t worry...” Susato assured the inspector.
In a rare moment of softness, Gina let her guard down to smile warmly at the lawyer. Not that Susato minded as such, but it was a little bizarre... her girlfriend feeling comfortable enough to be this open was a delight, yes, but... Perhaps she’d simply forgotten that Gorey was still there. Oh, speaking of...
“Actually, one more thing...” she began.
“Uh? Yeah?”
“I don’t mean to be rude, but why exactly are you here, Ms Gorey? I was Gina’s call and you still arrived here before me,” reasoned the lawyer.
“Oh, ‘er?” Gina started.
“Lestrade, just hand it over...” Gorey sighed.
Hand what over? The coroner was aware that Gina was detained with no way of making contact, right? Why exactly did this seem to be her motive!?
“I would if I could, ‘Ria... They musta slipped it from me when I got searched though... I ain’t got it anymore...” Gina growled, frustrated.
“What? Slipped what from you?” Susato interrupted.
“My autopsy. Lestrade claimed it from me before departing,” the coroner scowled, “I came primarily to retrieve it, but it appears it is not in this room...”
Well, that at least made sense. As much as Gorey and Gina were colleagues, and likely friends, it had seemed most peculiar that this unlikely pair would be here together before Susato. Taking after her mother, though, and focusing on coronary work was certainly in Gorey’s forte, after all.
“I never said I couldn’t get it for ya, didn’t I? Try the first drawer in the evidence room, ‘ere. That’s where they done stashed my gear,” Gina smirked knowingly.
Without losing more than a single moment, the coroner strode swiftly out of the room, presumably to find her missing autopsy. Gina waved airily as she left. Mostly, Susato was just a little bewildered at the scene. Gorey was a strange woman.
“How most peculiar...” she murmured.
“Yeah, ‘Ria’s a great bit peculiar. She means well, though. At least, that’s what I think,” the inspector shrugged and tapped her forehead.
Susato giggled, “I must agree, really. I couldn’t imagine coming all this way for a bit of paper!”
“Yeah, me neither... ‘Onestly, this is why I keep tellin’ them to just make the bloody autopsies digital! But I guess it is kinda cool bein’ all traditional like this,” babbled her girlfriend.
The lawyer grinned to herself and stuck up her right hand against the glass pan separating the two. Gina paused, examining this new development. Then she shook her left hand around loftily before it joined Susato’s, albeit from the opposite side of the dreaded glass. Honestly, Susato could really do with not seeing any of her family on that side of it again...
“I’ll get you out of this, Gina. That’s a promise,” she vowed.
The inspector smirked, “Never ‘ad a doubt, Sooze,”
###
Well.
This was quite the predicament.
To... put it lightly...
Was this how everyone she’d defended felt when she’d come to interview them at the Detention Centre!? In that case, she really ought to stop whining about having to do her job for her family so frequently. They deserved every second of her attention for such an ordeal!
Right, an explanation...
Much like Naruhodou-san and Haori-chan before her, and as previously stated, Susato found herself in quite the predicament. This time around, she was the one behind that insipid pane of glass after being accused of a most dastardly murder.
She had also been told just recently to enter the visitation room, because, well, presumably she had a visitor. However, no such person had shown up, so the lawyer was currently just sitting in the little temporary cell of sorts, waiting for someone, anyone, to show up. She’d given the office phone number to the prison to call, so presumably Kazuma or Naruhodou should be here... But not as of yet...
And then someone entered the room.
Just, ah, not in quite the way one should really expect for the Detention Centre visitation room.
Kazuma, in all his foolish glory, strode mightily in through the very door Susato herself had come through. In other words, he’d joined her on the side of the glass reserved very much for the accused. She glared incredulously at him. The prosecutor just looked rather smug, in all honesty.
“Kazuma-sama!” she scolded, without really knowing what he’d done yet. But this was her brother, and he was in prison with her, so it was clearly something...
“Mikotoba-houmujoshi, fancy seeing you here!” he greeted, brightly.
With the grace of a man quite defiantly not in a visitation room jail cell, he took his place seated next to Susato. Like the accomplished professional accused he was.
She scanned him carefully for any traces of what might have gone down to have left him in such a position. None. There wasn’t a single fibre out of place on that ridiculous white suit of his. And the smirk he wore wasn’t giving away any hints either. Surely he should be, Susato didn’t know, upset to be in detention again!? Or maybe even concerned!?
“What are you doing here!?” she hissed.
“I believe I could be asking you much the same question, Susato-chan,” he responded proudly before flicking a hand out to the side and tilting his head, “But there wouldn’t be much to that when I already know the answer,”
“Yes, well I certainly am in the dark as to why my esteemed brother has miraculously ended up in a jail cell with me approximately five seconds after my arrest!” she scowled, not letting him off the hook in the slightest.
Kazuma looked at her disappointedly and shook his head. Oh, haha, laugh it up Kazuma-sama... Was he enjoying torturing them both so? Well, actually, he probably wasn’t torturing himself, so did he enjoy torturing her so!?
“It was more than five seconds...” a little hurt and indignant, he remarked.
“Fine, then! But it’s still only been an hour or so! What on Earth did you do!?” volume gaining with every word, Susato exclaimed.
“That’s actually rather complicated to-” evasively he began.
“He finally got caught for his crimes against traffic laws,” a new voice sighed.
Both siblings whipped around. Naruhodou was standing sheepishly in the doorway, surveying them both. Finally, someone capable of giving her a reliable answer! Susato gave one more disappointed look at her brother and then directed her full attention at their new visitor.
“Ryuu...” Kazuma groaned.
Ignoring the mess of a human being he called his boyfriend, Naruhodou turned and looked apologetically at the youngest member of their little agency, “I’m sorry for eavesdropping, Susato-san. But I couldn’t just leave him to be cryptic,”
“No, no, it’s quite alright. I’m happy to see you’re here,” she nodded amicably.
“Hey! Why weren’t you this nice to me when I came in!?” offended, Kazuma protested.
“Because you were in jail!” she huffed.
“So were you!” he bit back.
“Yes, well-”
“Okay, okay, you’re both in jail. How about we go back to important matters,” hand behind his head with a silly grin, Naruhodou suggested.
Right, of course. She shouldn’t have let herself be distracted by such inconsequential things. This was all Kazuma-sama's fault anyway, though. It could hardly be held against her. But it was still in her best interests to just let her colleague not currently on the wrong side of law speak if she wanted the truth behind her brother’s latest transgression against road safety...
“Oh, you are so right, Naruhodou-san,” she bowed, apologetically, “I am sorry for my misconduct,”
“I wasn’t wrong, though...” Kazuma muttered.
If they weren’t both in prison right now, she would toss him to the other end of this room...
“Don’t worry about it, Susato-san. Prison can be very stressful,” understandingly, Naruhodou accepted her apology.
“You’re never this sympathetic to me...” muttered her brother once more, clearly jealous.
He would just have to endure two Susato takedowns when they got out of here, then...
“A-Anyway! As I was saying... Kazuma,” he looked pointedly at the man in question, “Decided to try and break just about every traffic law in existence on his way to get here and come see you. Suffice to say, they caught him...”
Now there was a development! Kazuma-sama, be caught for his crimes!? Impossible! They’d never once taken him in for his demolition of the Queen’s English, sorcery with that hachimaki of his, or even these road misdeeds oh so relevant to this current situation! Just how obvious had he been!?
“I hate to be the one to point out the obvious, but why exactly is he here rather than simply serving fines?” disgruntled, she brought up a rather valid point.
“Ryuu, partner, I am begging, yes, begging you-” Kazuma pleaded.
“They decided he was a hazard to society and thought it best to keep him in here for a while,” solemnly, Naruhodou expounded, “And since he knows exactly what he did, I trust he’ll have no problems defending himself if necessary?”
“Brutal... A brutal betrayal by my dear partner...”
Melodramatic brat... Three takedowns it was...
“Though, really, Kazuma-sama, did you truly get yourself arrested racing here to see me?” Susato reprimanded teasingly.
“Well, of course! They’re claiming that you murdered someone! But you would never!” he gasped loudly and ruffled her hair.
She gave him a deathly glare worthy of Prosecutor van Zieks’s approval. He backed off.
“But why the extreme means?”
“I panicked, okay!?” scowling, he admitted.
Aw, the infallible Kazuma panicked and broke some laws? More likely than you’d think, actually. But still, it was an undeniably sweet gesture. She looked at him thankfully. Her brother may be an idiot, but he was a sweet idiot at heart. Below all those thick layers of ego and sword-obsessed lunatic, he was still the man she’d so readily taken on as her brother. Actually, never mind.
He’d been a prideful dork the entire time she’d known him.
“Yeah, whilst I was in the passenger’s-”
Before Naruhodou could be allowed to finish his attack on Kazuma’s dubious passenger safety, a fourth person burst in, scarcely allowing anyone time to breathe.
“Susato-chan!” Haori cried.
“A-ah! Haori-chan! You’re here!” a tad surprised, Susato jumped and smiled at the sight of her girlfriend.
The medical student rushed straight up to as close to the glass as she could get, sparing no time for Kazuma or Naruhodou. Neither of them looked particularly surprised or hurt at this.
Haori’s dark eyes scanned her almost clinically, likely looking for any traces of injury. When she found nothing, the woman retreated ever so slightly, satisfied. Saying that though, the concerned look upon her countenance did never quite leave. Susato was reminded rather strongly of how she must have looked to Haori and Gina when it was their respective turns to be stuck in this cell.
“Of course, Su! I came as soon as I got the chance! Though...” she held up a long sleeve, shyly, “It looks like I was beat here...”
“Oh, pay no mind to them. Kazuma-sama's only here after he got arrested, anyway,” she laughed lightly.
Both men complained. Her brother’s outraged cry was much more audible though. And she didn’t think that had anything to do with the glass Naruhodou was on the other side of.
“Susato-san! Do you want me to defend you or not!?” exasperatedly, Naruhodou asked.
“I only jest, Naruhodou-san. I would be delighted if you were to take my defence,” she nodded politely and spared him a small smile.
“Hey, why aren’t you offering to defend me, partner?” sharply, but only in Kazuma’s usual dramatic way (Funny to think that this was what made some people see him as such a hero...), her brother argued.
“You committed your crime fair and square, Kazuma! And you can defend yourself!”
Wordlessly, Haori looked between the three of them. Susato shrugged and watched her brother and his boyfriend banter over the fairness or lack of fairness of this situation. She wasn’t like this with either of her girlfriends, was she!? (Had she asked that question before?)
“I didn’t realise you’d be here again, Kazuma-san,” interrupted the medical student.
Kazuma scowled.
“Neither did I, Haori. But I suppose it was only outside of prison who were informed,” shrugged Susato, weary of the prosecutor’s nonsensical antics.
“Oh...” thoughtfully, Haori hummed.
Susato’s brother looked over to her to explain, but she was just as clueless as he. Naruhodou, on the other hand, looked perfectly in the know for once. Now, when did this little swap happen!? Very curious... The student looked up and saw evidently two too many confused faces.
“It’s just that it’s strange is all!” hurriedly, she explained, “Everyone’s fussing over you, Su, but I hadn’t heard about Kazuma-san,”
“They are?” she gasped.
“But not over me!?” Kazuma frowned.
“Oh, yes!” Haori affirmed passionately, “Everyone’s on your case, Susato-chan! Ryuunosuke-san left immediately with Kazuma-san to defend you, I came as soon as I could too, G ran out with Mr Sholmes as Iris to investigate... Prosecutor Van Zieks said he was going to find the best prosecution to make sure the truth is found for you! And I do believe Ms Gorey is out doing something in her lab to help clear your name too!”
That was a lot of people all aiming to help her... Although... She’d defended most of them personally in such situations, hadn’t she? Was this a return of the favour? Good karma, if you will. Susato smiled proudly at the family she’d formed here in Britain.
“Gosh, nearly everyone, then... How did you manage to catch them all?” inquisitively, she questioned.
“I didn’t, silly! They all sent messages to you on the group chat!” giggled her girlfriend.
“Everyone-”
Haori had darted into her bag, still smiling prettily, and pulled out her phone before Susato could a word in edgeways. Soon enough, a screen filled with concerned messages from the Baker Street chat filled her vision. It really was a group effort, then, huh?
221B Gang
[17th June]
Forget-me-not Collector
Alright, @everyone I’m going to visit Susato-chan
I’ll show her anything you have to say :)
Dr Flowers
Oooo, Susie, don’t worry! We’ll have you out of that silly jail cell in no time!
It’s time for Iris, Hurley and Ginabean’s ‘Logic and Reasoning Spectacular’!
Hang in there!
Inspecting My Own Crimes
Yeah sooze what iris said
We're comin’ to ‘elp!
‘Ori’ll keep you company in the meantime im sure
Later <3
NaruHOLD IT
I’ll probably be there before Haori anyway, Susato-san, but I just want to say I belive in you!
*believe
Actually, Kazuma taught me how to edit messages
See? [Edited]
Indubitably a great detective
my dear madame we’ll have you out in a jiffy!
Worry not
for there are three great detectives on your side today!
Indubitably a Great Tap Dancer
Susato, dear, I shall stop by later, if you’d like
I could bring a book for you too...?
(I’d be much obliged if you could relay her opinion to me too, Haori)
Baroque
I offer my condolences, Ms Mikotoba
It is not fun to stand accused of murder
I shall personally ensure this case is over quickly and painlessly for you
And for you, Mr Asougi, I hope this shall be a lesson for you...
Gorey Knives
You can’t have killed this man, Mikotoba.
The wound is much too... experienced.
You will be freed.
Oh, gosh... How delightful! Even her father had activated his account to come and wish her luck! This wasn’t nearly everyone... It was everyone!
“Oh, my mistake, Kazuma-san. It appears they did mention your incarceration,” trying to hold in a laugh, Haori reported.
“Hm?” Kazuma queried.
“Yes, Prosecutor van Zieks says he hopes this shall teach you something,”
Susato’s brother looked livid. He muttered something, likely an extremely vulgar curse, under his breath and contorted his features. Right, then... Five takedowns it would be! How dare he use such language as she presumed he had in front of two fair maidens and his boyfriend!
She looked around the room.
“Thank you for showing me this, Haori-chan,” when it seemed no one else would speak, Susato added softly.
“No problem, Su! We’re all with you!” Haori smiled.
“Absolutely!” Kazuma smirked and tried to hold up his sword, before he must have finally realised it had been confiscated this time. Perhaps Chief Prosecutor van Zieks was right. Perhaps her brother would learn something.
“I’ll do my best for you, Susato-san,” gravely, Naruhodou assured her.
Tears welled as Susato grinned, this time.
“Thank you all ever so much...”
And there it was. Susato’s family may have been a bit of a group of misfits perpetually in trouble, and it may have felt like she was defending them more frequently than she ever was a regular client, but she would happily defend them any day! After all, if in the right position, they’d clearly all do the same for her...
Oh... Though there was one more thing...
At least at this point it could no longer feel as though she was the only one among them never to be arrested like this...