Chapter Thirty-Eight: Everything is Crumbling:

Tomoe laughed to herself.

“You know something, Detective?” she asked.

“What?” Alex asked. Tomoe tossed back her head.

“These people in this town are a bunch of liars. They never cared about me. Not once,” she said.

“That’s not true,” he said, shaking his head. “They all felt your pain when Midori died.” Tomoe snorted.

“Bullshit! That was just pity,” she said. “They didn’t care!” Alex turned his head when he heard the gunshot.

“What was that?” he asked. Tomoe didn’t speak with the knife in her hand. The detective pulled out his radio.

“Honda-san come in! What’s going on? What was that?” Alex asked. “Come in! Come in!” A crackle came through his radio.

“Honda-san?” the detective asked.

“He’s been shot! He’s been shot!” his partner shouted.

“What did you say?!” Alex said with big eyes. Tomoe looked up with an angry look on her face.

“I had my eyes off of him for one minute,” Honda-san said. The other detective sighed and smacked himself in the forehead.

“Shuichi!” Alex shouted. “You didn’t!” Tomoe raised an eyebrow as she tilted her head. The detective threw back his head and groaned.

“I’m sorry, hang on,” Honda-san said over the radio. Alex glanced over at Tomoe as he tapped his foot. She had a curious look on her face as another thought floated into her mind.

“Come on, please don’t be dead,” the detective said under his breath. His radio began to cackle again.

“Shuichi?” Alex asked.

“He’s alive but barely,” Honda-san said. The other detective breathed out.

“Good, can you stop the bleeding?” Alex asked.

“I’m trying,” his partner said. “It looks really bad. He’s been shot in the chest. His chest seeping into the floor.”

“Okay, I will try to call for help right away,” the other detective said. “Keep him from dying!”

“Roger that!” Honda-san said. “Over and out.” The radio clicked off. Alex rubbed his forehead. What the hell happen in the few minutes that he was dealing with Tomoe? He didn’t have time to think about that.

“Is there a phone in this store?” Alex asked. The clerk trembled as he nodded. The detective pointed at him.

“Call an ambulance,” he said. The clerk didn’t move at first.

“Move it!” Alex shouted. “There is a man dying outside! Call an ambulance now!” The clerk turned and picked up the receiver. Tomoe lunged at him but Alex grabbed her arm as fast as he could. She whirled around with her free hand.

“Let me go!” she screamed. “Get off me!” Alex grabbed her tighter as the deranged woman kept fighting him off. The clerk dialed the emergency number. Tomoe turned and butted Alex on head. He still wouldn’t let up.

“Right, that’s assaulting a police officer,” the detective said. Alex grabbed both of her wrists and handcuffed her. He pulled out his radio.

“Where is that back-up?!” Alex shouted.

“Get off me!” Tomoe shouted. She tried to push herself up but the detective held her down. The clerk talked to the operator on the other line. He covered his ear and shouted up over Tomoe’s screaming.

“What’s happening?” the clerk asked.

“There’s been a guy who’s shot and dying!” Alex shouted. Tomoe gritted her teeth and growled.

“I swear, if you don’t get off me…” she said. The crazed woman rolled over onto her back and kicked Alex on the knee.

“Ow! What the hell?!” he shouted. She glared at him with the eyes of the devil. Tomoe struggling to sit up on the floor. The clerk finally hung up. Alex looked up.

“Well?” he asked.

“They are on their way,” the clerk said.

“Good,” Alex said as he rubbed his shin. Tomoe looked ready to spew venom. She seemed to be muttering something under her breath.

“What did you say?” the detective asked. She shot him a death glare.

“Nothing!” the woman shouted. Alex held back his tongue when he heard the doors open behind him.

“Tsurui police!” a man’s voice boomed. “Is anyone hurt?” Alex stood up.

“We don’t know, but only me,” he said. “Suspect is custody.”

“Assholes!” Tomoe screamed. “Assholes, all of you!” Three officers rushed into the store. Two of them seized the irate woman and pulled her to her feet. She spat at Alex as she was pulled away. The detective sighed and rubbed his forehead.

“God damn,” he muttered. He looked up at the hostages. “Is everyone okay?” They all nodded.

“Is anyone hurt?” Alex asked. Everyone shook their heads. He put up his hand.

“Alright, I will have someone check you out as soon as the medics get here,” the detective said. No one said a word as he sat down on the floor.

“No wherever to go but up, I guess,” he muttered to himself. Alex looked up at the hostages staring at him.

“Right?” he asked no one in particular.