Konoha Vice - Chapter 15

    Konoha’s sex industry was big business, one which Shino had come to learn more about than he had ever intended growing up.  It was no coincidence that Kiba had passed this task off, as it meant visiting Madame Shijimi and her cats.  Wife of a former mayor, who had since passed away; she seemed to be completely on the level, but Vice had tied her to quite a few big cases.  Problem was prosecuting those cases would be hard between private Cayman Island accounts and key witnesses who were out of country.  Rather than go after her, they had worked out an understanding – information on important cases for relative autonomy.

    After a patdown from her goons, she gave a wave to let him into her parlor.

    “It’s been ages Shino dear.” Tilting her head to either side; she looked like she was trying to size him up, “You’re so thin boy.  Have you been eating properly?”

    “As much as usual Madame.”  Seeing that the only other chair was occupied by four cats, Shino grabbed a wicker stool and took a seat next to her on the veranda.  He’d have to approach this carefully.

    “So what brings you to me today?”  It was a warm for a late morning in March, and it was clear she was already looking forward to lunch.  Likely Shino would only have a few minutes to say his fill and get out, unless he wanted to be stuck here with her cats.

    “Murder case.  Girl was killed in the Fontainbleu Hotel the other night.”  Handing a picture to one of her boys, who then handed it to her made for an awkward exchange.  “We’re not clear on all the details, since she had a run in with cops a few years back we lost track of her and don’t know where she was working.”

    “I rarely see any of the girls myself, but this one looks familiar; definitely not a street walker.  Started working as an independent contractor a while back, after her pimp was dumb enough to get arrested she improved her image and started working uptown.  If she was at the Fontainbleu… Phil, get me my calendar book.”  One of her ‘boys’ brought her a black book that she started flipping through.  “Yes, there was a society party the other night down in that area.  Kenoh, that Union Boss, was showing off his new yacht.  It’d be a short hop from there to the Fontainbleu.  That’s the best lead I’ve got for you, though if you’d like to stay a little longer, I’m sure I could find something more useful.”

    “As generous an offer as that is Madame, I’m afraid I have to decline.  Chief needs us to finish this case so we can start another one.”  That was as polite a refusal as Shino could manage at this point while hiding his nervousness.

    “Sigh, another time then.  Pierre, you may start on lunch now.  I’ll take it in my drawing room.”  Before Shino got out of the room she called out as though she forgot something, “Oh Shino darling, I almost forgot.  There’s a young Spanish gentleman who has been trying to get a foothold downtown in the business, normally I’m fine with competition, but I’m pretty sure he’s dealing on the side.  Do be a dear and look into it for me.”

    Shino had heard reports about this particular character, and up and comer in the industry.  If Madame Shijimi was right about his dealing, it would be good press for the department, cut into her competition, and send a message about dealing to the other pimps in the city.  It was a good deal.  Giving her a nod, he made his way out to his car. Driving through the gardens and out the gate, he was only too happy to be away from the rich part of town.  Something about dealing with the Madame always made Shino feel a little dirty, and it wasn’t just the cat hair on his suit.

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    After finding Patricia’s personal details, Kiba hovered over his phone for a good five minutes before dialing the number.  There was nothing he hated quite as much as calling the relatives of someone who had died, especially when there was information he needed.  The dial tones sounded more like funeral chimes than anything else to him.

    “Hello, Goro residence.”  A woman’s voice answered the phone.

    “Yes, Mrs. Goro.  My name is Detective Inuzuka out of Konoha.  I’m working on a case out here involving your daughter-”

    “Patricia?  You found her?”  There was hope in her voice shattered Kiba, it was a strange contrast.

    “It is both my duty and my sorrow to have to tell you, but your daughter Patricia passed away last night.  She was attacked at the hotel she was staying at and died from a head wound.  I’m sorry.”  Over the phone, there was the sound of a rustle, followed by muted sobbing and talking.

    “This is Mr. Goro,” a clear voiced, elderly Japanese accent spoke, “I understand you’re calling about our daughter.  We did not part on the best of terms.  Were there questions you needed to ask for your investigation?”  Despite the stoic sound of the man’s voice, Kiba’s ears picked up a slight quiver in it.  Still, it was interesting how quickly he transferred focus away from his personal grief, even when Kiba had not mentioned an investigation.

    “Right now we don’t have many leads to go on.  We know she’s been in the area for four years and we know she’s been trying to clean up her act.  There is one detail we’re not sure about.  A ring was stolen from her finger after she died.  Is there anything she took from home that would fit that description?”

    “Shinju.  A family ring with a pink pearl she received from her grandmother.”
“Valuable?”

    “The pearl was a gift to my grandmother from the Empress Shoken.  The ring itself was not made until the 30s, but the pearl has royal connections.”

    It was hard to get a read on this guy, but that was no cause for suspicion.  Finishing the call as politely and delicately as he could, Kiba wrote “follow the ring” at the bottom of his notes, grabbed his jacket, and made his way back to his office to make a call to a jeweler about the ring, just in case it was a red herring and the ring was stolen after the murder but before the body was discovered.  Five seconds after telling the details Kiba knew the answer was no sign of the ring, but the pawn broker loved to chew the fat and kept Kiba talking for five minutes about sports cards and collectible coins before he could sense the cop’s frustration over the phone.

    Shino returned as Kiba put the phone down.  “Please tell me you’ve got something.”  Without a word Shino handed his partner a list that looked like a passenger manifest.

    “Girl was on a private yacht with some high rollers the other night, card games, bar, even a roulette table.”

    “Doesn’t sound like the kind of operation that keeps a passenger manifest.”

    “It doesn’t, but I greased the palm of one of the staffers and he wrote up every name he could remember.”

    “You didn’t need to get every name, just the name of the one who left with the girl.”

    “That’s why I took the list to one of the dealers, shady card shark who deals because he’s one of the better cheats in town.  After an early morning visit and the right encouragement his memory proved to be more useful.”  Pulling a photo from his jacket, Shino dropped it on the desk.  “Drew Freeman, minor real estate broker in North Konoha area, initially financed by his family’s money, his financial records read like a checker board.”

    “Either loaded or bankrupt.  Guess this yacht trip was part of his on-going business plan.”

    “Yeah, but the other night didn’t go so well for him.  Things went south on the scale of close to a hundred thousand.”

    Letting out a drawn out whistle, Kiba sat up in his chair.  “So dealer fingers this as the guy who left the yacht with Patricia?”

    “Yeah, and it seems to match the description we finally got from the night clerk at the Fontainebleau.”

    “All right then, let’s get on the move.”  Picking up his white hat and jacket, Kiba jumped up from his chair and followed Shino out of the office and down to the garage.  Not only were they in a race against time on the case, but likely as not they would wind up in a race to get Freeman before he skipped town.