I got back in the car, and Grace looked at me with a longing look on her face. I can tell that she is still worried for her close friend's whereabouts and safety.
"So, did you find anything?"
"Sure, Miss Delaney."
"Please, call me Grace, Takumi." Grace blushes.
"Alright Grace, it seems that she really did rent the car here. And she seems to be desperate and in a hurry. You don't have nothing to know about that, do you?"
"Now that you mention it, she seems a little panicked this morning before we set off. And then during the drive I saw it, a black car behind us, sounding their horn for us to stop. I told Grace to stop, and she had to as we don't want to get attention. That's the last thing I remembered before I got hit in the head, and everything went black."
As she explained, I looked to see that she shivered a bit due to the cold from today's weather, which is windy. Her wearing that sundress is a bad idea. She then saw me looking at her, before covering her chest.
"I-Is something wrong?"
"W-What? No, I'm just wondering if your head feels fine right now."
"Oh, Gods above, I thought you were looking at these."
"I would never, Grace. I still have morals."
The drive continued on until we arrived at our destination at 10:25 A.M. It is a cheap 2-story apartment building that has seen better days. We opened the front door which then crumbles forward.
I looked at Grace awkwardly, and she chuckled a little.
"The door is always broken, and you just used a bit of excessive force."
"Sorry for the damage… Now, which flat is the one that the both of you lived in?"
"Upstairs, flat number 4."
'4? That's a bad omen' I mentally said, with a scowl on my face.
"Is something wrong, Takumi?"
"Ah, no! There's nothing wrong!"
We ascended the stairs to the second floor, and headed into flat number 4 which is surprisingly unlocked… And the doorknob broke off after opening the door itself. I looked at Grace again, who scratched the back of her head, chuckling.
"Mind if I take a look around?"
"Sure. I'll pack up my stuff." Grace said.
I took a walk around the cramped flat with creaking floorboards, finding nothing out of the ordinary in the kitchen and living room, until I entered the bathroom, which is even filthier than most of the sections in this apartment. I can see swams of ants on the walls, and there are black marks on the bathtub which I dare ask.
However, there is an envelope on the sink, opening it I find a torn letter from a "Russ Kirkman".
I read it, "To Leah Simpson, Where the hell are you? I want to have more good times with you, and you keep avoiding me. Don't make me come after you, and if I find out about what happened to our child, I will—"
The letter ended there, as the rest is torn off. However, I looked the envelope again to see that Russ, probably an idiot, decided to write his address on both the letter and the envelope itself.
"Fork Hoff Apartments, Market Street, Apartment 29. That's not too far from downtown."
I called Grace over, and we headed back to the car before driving off to the address that Russ conveniently left on both the envelope and letter.
"So, who's Russ Kirkman?" I asked Grace, as I drove gently to the address.
"Russ? Oh, he's a jock back during high-school, got dropped out after having his way with the school janitor. Now he worked as a carpenter."
"Anything else?"
"He's been visiting the flat often until last month. He's been sending letters ever since."
We finished our conversation there, as I continued to drive for a couple of minutes to reach our destination, Fork Hoff Apartments. Unlike Leah and Grace's apartment building, this one is a little better looking, the wooden walls had been recently painted white. Let's just hope that I don't break the front door this time.
I exited the car, before turning around to talk to Grace.
"Wait here. I have a bad feeling about Miss Simpson this time."
"Alright, Takumi. Be careful."
I closed the driver's door, and walked towards the building. I open the front door, and it didn't break down. Letting out a sigh of relief, I walked inside, and took a look on the mailboxes. The flats start at number 10, although the numbers 11 and 13 were absent. It looks like the people in this world are also superstitious, like the America in my world.
"Apartment 29, it's right upstairs."
Taking the stairwell at the end of the hallway, I walked up to the second floor, and navigated for room 29, which is at the other end up there. I approached the door, and gave the door three gentle knocks that is still loud enough to be heard.
Opening the door, is a man with a buzz cut, towering an inch over me with blue eyes, and a muscular body build. He's simply wearing a gray undershirt and a pair of shorts. He must be on a break from work or something.
"Russ Kirkman?"
"Who's asking?"
"Keiji Takumi, Private Investigator. I am here on the inquiry of Miss Leah Simpson's disappearance."
"Leah? Never heard of her." He gave me a sneery smirk after that reply, but I have evidence that he is lying.
"Stop spewing lies. You know her."
"Oh really, wise guy? You got proof?"
I showed him the envelope, with the letter inside, to his face.
"Heh, asshole."
I widened my eyes, as he then went for a jab to my stomach with his right fist, but I reflexively evaded the punch by taking a step backward, and delivered a right hook to the side of his skull, knocking him down immediately. I flicked my right wrist afterwards, before heading inside, over his unconscious body.
Upon entering, I find myself in the living room of the flat, with two opened doors. One leading to the bathroom on the right corner end of the flat, and the bedroom on the other end. The kitchen is right next to me. I walked over to the bathroom, and sure enough after opening the door I was met with a gruesome sight.
The corpse of a blonde woman, lying inside the bathtub filled with presumably her own blood. A paint can lies next to the tub, mostly empty, but still had the sticky remains of blood inside it.
The case is closed at this rate. I walked back to the living room, and used the telephone on top of the kitchen counter to call it in.
"Operator, give me dispatch."
"Putting you through now."
"Private Investigator Keiji, reporting."
"How can I help you, Detective?"
"I need the coroner, and some uniforms at the Fork Hoff Apartment building, Market Street, Apartment 29. I have apprehended the suspect behind the Tram Station Abandoned Car Case."
"Affirmative Detective. They will be at your location in a minute."
"Thank you."
A while later, the police arrived, and the coroner brought the corpse of Leah to the morgue van. I tipped my hat downwards after seeing Grace breaking down at the sight of her deceased friend.
"I gave you a traffic case as your first case, and you brought me first degree murder. I like the way you're working on this, Keiji."
"Your welcome, captain."
"Here's your payment for a job well done. 500 Credits."
"500? Isn't that a lot—"
"Oh, maybe I should change my mind about…"
"I'm kidding, Captain! Thanks!"
"Don't mention it. Now go home and get some rest."
Now, what are credits, you may ask? That's the special kind of currency only republics like Ameria uses. It is very similar to the dollars in my previous life, as it comes in coins and paper. However, monarchs, which are kind of rare in this time and age, still uses the copper, bronze, silver, gold, and platinum coins. 5 Credits equal one copper coin, while 50 is one bronze, 100 is one silver, 350 is gold, and finally, 500 is platinum... Well, at least until some sort of economical inflation happened maybe they will change.
I turned my back towards Grace, and stood over her kneeling form as she sobbed non-stop.
"Grace... It's alright. We got Kirkman in the can, at least now you can have some closure of these events."
"Yes... Still, thank you so much, Takumi."
"Don't mention it. Anyways, I'm serious about that offer, if you want to stay in my office as long as you want."
"Really!?"
"Oh, what's that? I think I changed my mind--"
"I mean, thank you! I'll gladly accept it! I'm in your debt for everything you've done to this young woman who has lost everything in her life!"
I gave her a small smile, and I wrapped my arms around her to hug her, as to comfort her from the remaining grief and to give her company. She hugged back, and I can feel her warm tears seeping through my right shoulder which is where she buried her face onto during the hug.
This case is just the beginning, and I can feel more difficult ones are coming to either challenge or haunt me. But whatever it may be, I am ready.