Chapter Text
I was standing by the door of the unhinged detective, about to ring the bell, when the door suddenly opened on its own. Ron was standing on the doorstep, as if he had been waiting for me there the whole time. With a wide smile, he exclaimed:
— Did you bring me a case?
Caught off guard, I lost my balance and almost fell, but Ron managed to grab my hand just in time, keeping me from falling. His expression instantly changed to one of concern, and he asked:
— Sorry, did I scare you?
— Well, yeah. No “hello,” no “goodbye,” Ron. And yes, I did, — I replied with a smile, replaying the whole strange situation in my head.
Ron relaxed, and the smile bloomed on his face again. However, he didn’t seem to have any intention of letting go of my hand.
— So where are we going? — he asked eagerly, closing the door behind him while still firmly holding my hand.
— To the Museum of Fine Arts. There was supposed to be an exhibition there today, but they found a body, and—
I didn’t get to finish, because Ron immediately pulled me along and rushed down the stairs.
— Then what are we waiting for? Let’s hurry!
To avoid falling, I had to rush after him.
All that time, while we were walking, Ron didn’t let go of my hand. In fact, it felt like he was holding it even tighter.
We didn’t say a single word after leaving his house. And only when we reached the crime scene did Ron reluctantly let go of my hand.
I noticed his reluctance, but decided not to say anything.
An officer called out to me:
— Officer Isshiki!
An officer ran up to me to explain everything they had been able to find out before our arrival.
— We questioned the witnesses, and… according to the museum staff, just a few minutes before opening, they discovered the body of one of their colleagues and called the police.
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Ron quietly approaching the body without saying a word. I, however, continued listening to the officer.
— According to the staff, their colleague was alive yesterday. Judging by the state of the body, the woman died not long ago — about seven or eight hours ago. She was discovered just over an hour ago in the security office. Suspicion immediately fell on the security guard, but there isn’t enough evidence. That’s all we have.
The officer fell silent, and I immediately asked the main question:
— And the cause of death?
— Well… the cause of death—
— From massive blood loss. Two gunshot wounds to the abdomen. And, if I’m not mistaken, the murder weapon still hasn’t been found. Correct?
Ron interrupted the officer, crouching down next to the body. His calm, almost lazy voice caught us off guard. The officer’s surprised face confirmed that Ron was right. But the absence of the murder weapon still unnerved me.
— Y-yes… that’s correct… But wait, who are you anyway? And what are you doing on the floor next to the corpse?!
I involuntarily rolled my eyes. It seemed I was the only one used to Ron’s oddities, and now I had to come up with an explanation.
— Uh… he’s examining the evidence. He’s my… partner.
— Partner? Buddy, we’re on a date, — Ron suddenly said with an unshakable smile, appearing next to me.
I froze, then felt my face flush. What’s gotten into him today?! The officer gave us a strange look, clearly confused.
— Okay… then I guess I’ll leave you two, — he said.
— No, wait! You’ve got it all wrong! That was a joke! We’re not a couple, and this is not a date! — I blurted out, waving my hands nervously.
Ron, noticing that his words had led everyone in the wrong direction, said calmly:
— Alright, alright, I’m joking. He’s my partner. It was just a joke, Toto.
— That’s not funny! Don’t joke like that again! — I protested, trying to look serious.
But Ron seemed not to notice my tone. The officer had already left, and I could only hope that the colleagues wouldn’t start teasing me.
— Alright, Toto, let’s get to work. It’s time to investigate this murder, — this time his voice was serious.
— You’re right, — I agreed, sighing as I tried to focus.
We spent several hours gathering evidence and questioning everyone who had interacted with the victim the day before. All of them were her colleagues, including the security guard, who remained the main suspect.
Although I doubted his guilt.
The victim’s name was Molly Hunter. She worked as a tour guide in the museum and knew the history of the exhibits thoroughly.
She had no family. Her colleagues described her as a calm and kind woman who had devoted her entire life to her work.
I felt sorry for her.
The only thing we could do for her was to find the killer and bring them to justice.
Ron and I walked through the entire museum, including the staff areas. All the while, we were silent, each lost in our own thoughts.
At some point, I turned into one of the offices to catch my breath because all the questioning had worn me out. Ron followed me.
I was tired, rubbing my eyes with my hand, my head buzzing with questions — who could do such a terrible thing, and why?
— Hey, Ron… this case is much more complicated, isn’t it? The guard is certainly a suspect, but… I feel like he—
I thought Ron would, as always, say something idiotic or “Well, it’s obvious, Toto.” But…
— Toto — he called me. I turned to him, a little tired.
— Hm? — I thought he wanted to say something, but he suddenly hugged me.
I froze at the unexpected embrace, and the fatigue seemed to vanish instantly. I was confused.
— Ron? What are you—
— I know who the killer is, Toto. — In one sentence, Ron shut me up and made it clear that now was not the time to relax. His tone was serious.
Especially since the culprit still hadn’t been caught.
— And I think he might be watching us right now through the cameras — Ron’s warm breath brushed against my ear, slightly tense. I glanced at the office mirror, and through the reflection, I saw a camera, its red light indicated it was on.
— We can’t let the killer escape, Toto — Ron was still holding me close, but his tone was lightly tense.
— What should we do…? — I guessed the answer, but Ron could always surprise me.
— Nothing… just keep your voice down until we find a place where I can explain everything about this case to you. We should do it as soon as possible. — After saying this, Ron let go of me.
But I was still remembering his embrace.
I realized that before this, Ron and I had never hugged.