Chapter Forty-Four: Haruka’s Invitation:

So much can happen in three days.

Tsuzuki put his hands on his head and sighed. “I am so sorry you got dragged into this.”

Anna tiled her head. “Why?” He shrugged his shoulders.

“How did she call you over here?” Tsuzuki asked. “Was it a text? Voicemail?”

“Text,” she said. “Here.” Anna showed him her phone. Tsuzuki pulled up the message.

“We caught someone in connection with the Eda-Kimoto clan. Come down to Ju-Oh-Cho immediately! It’s really serious,” he read. “How did Isabel get your number?”

“No idea,” Anna said. She shook her head. “Oh dear. We made a mess again, didn’t we? I mean, I know Haruka wants to kill me, but what does she want with you?”

“I have no idea, but I don’t like it.”

“Me neither,” his wife said. “Now what?”

“I have no clue,” he said. Tsuzuki happened to glance down at his desk and noticed a folded up piece of paper. Hm?

“Who gets the case now?” Anna asked. “Isabel killed the shinigami working on it and the same thing might happen to another division.”

“They might reassign the case to someone else,” Tsuzuki said, picking up the paper. He unfolded it and read it. “Hey, Anna.”

“Yeah?”

“Come look at this?”

“What?” Anna came around for look. “It looks like some sort of an invitation.”

“You are invited to a viewing party in Tokyo,” Tsuzuki read. “Come down by Ueno Park at seven in the evening. You may bring one more guest with you. Signed, Haruka.” Anna clenched her teeth.

“It’s a trap!” she snapped.

“Yes,” Tsuzuki said. He flipped over the paper. “Hey, there’s more.”

“What?”

“I know you think it’s a trap. It might be. It might not. You’ll have to come out and see for yourselves.”

“Like hell we will!”

Tsuzuki rested his hand on her shoulder. “Take it easy.”

“How can I?!” Anna barked. “She’s just evil!” The couple looked up when they heard a knock on the door.

“I’m sorry, is this a bad time?” Watari asked, peek in.

“No,” Tsuzuki said.

“Yes,” Anna said. Watari cleared his throat.

“If you are ready, I have something to show you,” he said.

“What is it?” Anna asked. Watari grinned.

“You’ll have to come and see!” he said.

“We’ll be there in a second,” Tsuzuki said. Watari turned and headed back to his lab. Tsuzuki turned his focus on Anna.

“You up for this?” he asked.

“Not really,” Anna grumbled. Nevertheless, she followed Tsuzuki to Watari’s lab.

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Meanwhile, Haruka and Aki sat on the porch of their house watching the autumn leaves. The kitsune looked up at her mistress.

“Do you think they will come?” Aki asked. Haruka patted her on the head.

“I know they will,” the old lady said. “I will see to it that they do.” She took another sip of her hoppy.