Tantei wa Mou, Shindeiru - Volume 6 - Chapter 3.2

May 2 Kimihiko Kimizuka

Just after midnight, I was lying on the hotel bed, half asleep, when the phone by my pillow alerted me to a call.

The caller was—Danny Bryant.

With a small gasp, I went over to the window, then tapped the TALK button.

“Hey there. You’re over here, aren’t you?” The voice from the receiver sounded more appalled than angry. As I hesitated, not sure how to answer, I heard a heavy sigh. “There’s nobody nearby, right? You’re alone?”

I looked around to make sure. “Yeah. I’ve been alone since I was born, including now.”

“Ha-ha. Good answer. I give it sixty points.” Danny laughed. He’s a pretty tough grader. “—So? Why did you come out here, too?” His voice suddenly dipped. He was slightly angry after all. “I’m pretty sure I told you to watch the fort.”

I remembered what Danny had said three nights ago, that he was headed out to do a hairy job, so he wouldn’t be home for a while.

I’d spent the next day as usual, just as he’d told me…but then I’d reconsidered and tried to follow him as best I could.

“Geez, brat. Do as you’re told, wouldja?” Well, I hadn’t. On the other end of the line, I could tell Danny was stumped.

“I’m here by coincidence. I got this intense craving for some Toyama black ramen.”

“Sure. Well, there’s a ton of instant ramen in the cupboard. Go right back home and boil some water. I recommend letting it sit for two and a half minutes; the noodles are nice and chewy then.”

Okay. So he wasn’t going to truly respond until I was honest with him. “You were the one who said I’d have to be a con man who could fool cops and detectives.”

I thought I heard a little gasp on the other end of the line.

“I’m not the police, kid.”

“It’s just a metaphor. Whatever you are, it doesn’t matter to me. I just…” I couldn’t seem to get the words out. “Where are you right now?” I asked instead. I knew he had to be close, but where was he exactly? And also… “What’s this hairy job of yours? Does it have something to do with whoever’s been after you lately?”

I fired one question after another at Danny.

He stayed silent, and then… “Why are you asking me all that now?” His voice was perfectly calm. “We’ve never had a serious conversation before. We’ve never meddled in each other’s business. Those were the rules. Why would you break them?” He wanted to know what was behind my change of heart, but he’d just said it himself.

“You’re always wandering off, and I never know what you’re doing. Even when you went somewhere for a job, you didn’t go out of your way to tell me. And yet this time, you said the job was going to be tricky…and you also said you wouldn’t be back for a while. Why?”

Maybe it was just a hunch, something I couldn’t trust. Back then, though, Danny had sounded like he was steeling himself for something. “I’m going to ask you one more time, Danny Bryant. Where are you? I’ll meet up with you right away,” I added.

“What can you do?”

“I dunno. Maybe nothing.”

“Then why would you come here?” Danny sighed, sounding irritated.

I gave it a little thought. “You’re the reason I’m like this, and I want to know what’s happening to you.” I also wanted to see it through to the end. That was all.

After half a minute of silence…

“…We’ll meet up in twenty hours. I’ll contact you with the location later,” Danny said. I’d worn him down. “You’re even more of a pain now than you were when I first met you.” He seemed fondly exasperated now.

“Is it okay if I take that as a compliment?”

“Go study Japanese, read some books, and underline all the characters’ feelings.”

“What do I do when the narrator’s unreliable? The protagonist might be a con man.”

“Ha-ha. You’ll just have to read between the lines. Brush up your communication skills and work on reading emotions.”

Hm. After so many years living alone, this could be the highest hurdle I’d faced yet.

“If you can’t do that, then gather evidence.”

“Evidence? You’re telling me to look beyond what they’re saying?”

“Right. If you don’t know what a guy is thinking, start by observing. Look, listen, talk, and collect information. He’ll probably lie sometimes; people do that. So don’t go taking everything at face value. Weigh objective testimony, evidence, and facts.”

Danny’s words gradually grew more intense.

“Analysis, theory, and thought: Those are always important. Think of what that person has done. Think about what it really means. Don’t get stuck on words; don’t be fooled. If you don’t understand the human heart, then trust what you see. What you should believe is reality. Learn about people that way,” he finished.

“If I do, will I understand them someday?” I was sure I still didn’t understand half of what Danny just said. I asked anyway, in case.

“Yeah, I think you will,” Danny said, showing a strong amount of confidence in his theory. “But. If you ever find yourself in a situation you really can’t handle, I bet you’ll run into somebody who’ll give you a better answer.”

“What, so you’re just passing the buck in the end? Again?” I broke into a joyless smile.

“Ha-ha. Well, don’t stress out about it. For now, just tuck the idea away in a corner of your mind.” His tone grew uncharacteristically soft. “Don’t worry. Whenever you’re driven by necessity, you’ll meet the people you need to meet. That’s true now and forever.”

It almost sounded as if Danny was trying to give my problematic predisposition new meaning. “I’ll call you again,” he said, and hung up.