Ch.150The Fourth Entanglement – Elegy for the Vigilantes (11)

Getting paid means the job is over. After wrapping up the business with the reporter so neatly, I had personal matters to attend to, and this job needed to be finished here.

There was one thing the detective hadn’t erased. While this police officer only cared about killing the names in that ledger, and the reporter cared about the serial killings, the detective’s concern remained personal.

He grabbed the still-terrified Officer Leonard by the collar and lifted him up. Holding him easily with one hand, he locked eyes with him. He cupped the back of the man’s neck with his palm, implying he would break it if Leonard didn’t look at him properly.

“And if the God-President gave you a mission, wouldn’t it have been to protect those children? Where are the children?”

If he could answer this question, the detective would at least spare him this one death. They weren’t at his home. The detective had never seen any children other than Leonard’s own at that house.

Leonard froze completely at that moment. He had been so busy talking about purification that he couldn’t remember where he had put the children. No, it wasn’t a matter of memory. He simply didn’t know.

He hadn’t even thought to find out. He kept his mouth shut, but the detective, as if he’d already heard the unspoken story from those sealed lips, pulled his grip higher to grasp the man’s throat.

“Do you really not know anything? Not even a single clue? That would eliminate the reason I’ve been so obedient to that reporter, which you wouldn’t want. Try to remember something. Quickly?”

To the detective, this wasn’t a murder case. Nor was it a serial killing. It was only a serial killing to the reporter who was experiencing the same thing the detective had when he caught the Rat-Catcher.

Leonard knew that this detective could snap his neck like a flower stem in an instant. Yet for a moment, he almost wished the detective would just break his neck right now.

Not because it would be an escape from fear. It was self-loathing for having forgotten about the children while chasing after those who had done unspeakable things to them.

A sense of responsibility that had remained in a corner of his madness-infested mind finally spoke up. He tried with all his might to remember, and barely recalled what he had said on the day he was dispatched.

“I… I handed them over to Officers Suriel and Judiel. I don’t know where they went after that…”

The footsteps of angels approached the warehouse. Now was the only chance to divert the detective. Inspector Leonard decided to do what he should have done all along.

Finally, he could see clearly. He didn’t see a city deserving judgment, a 20th century Sodom or Gomorrah. He could now see his own madness that had become a lens and a filter.

Only then did he realize he had never been cured. He wrapped the detective’s hand that gripped his throat with his small elven hands and whispered pleadingly:

“Can you escape…?”

“It won’t be difficult if you confess and stall for a bit of time. Have you finally come to your senses?”

Everyone had forgotten. While talking about meaningless things like murder, truth about murder, and justice, no one had remembered what came before the murders.

“I’m… sorry. I’m so sorry… To the children too…”

They didn’t have much time. The police officers summoned to wrap up business with the reporter had nearly surrounded the warehouse. An angel’s voice called from outside.

“Police! We received a report of an armed suspect inside! Disarm yourself and walk out through the main entrance! Don’t think about resisting!”

At those words, the detective threw Inspector Leonard aside. Though he had a gun at his waist, he grabbed the ledger from the table. He headed toward the main entrance.

Inspector Leonard didn’t look back at the detective. Only the clunking sound of a ventilation window high on the warehouse’s second floor revealed where the detective had escaped. A police officer holding the ledger came out through the main entrance.

His vigilante colleagues had already been rescued. Though rescue would soon become arrest. He waved the ledger he held in his hand, then threw it down in front of the police. A trembling voice escaped his lips.

“This is Inspector Leonard Price. I have my police badge on my left waist. And… that ledger should contain the victims of this serial murder case. Do you understand what that means?”

What was written in the ledger was no longer a calling. What was written there was jealousy and delusion, something that should never have been in his hands. An angel officer approached, checked his badge, and picked up the ledger.

The detective, who had jumped up to grab the second-floor window he’d been hanging from outside until now, stood on the windowsill and threw himself with twice the force. He grabbed onto the roof of the adjacent warehouse and climbed up.

His car was parked at the dock, but there were many cars there so it wouldn’t arouse suspicion. However, making a noticeable phone call nearby while angels were gathered wouldn’t be wise.

Where was a good place nearby? He needed to make a call first. Both names ending with “el” meant they were angels. And Yehoel lived in an apartment complex exclusively for angels.

Since they built separate buildings sized for angels, most angel residences were nearby. If he contacted Yehoel, he could find them. Inspector Leonard heard urgent footsteps running across the roof.

Looking at where the police cars had entered, he ran in the opposite direction and lightly jumped down to a street where people were disappearing. It wasn’t even high enough to strain his knees.

The detective headed straight for a public phone and picked up the receiver. He had memorized Yehoel’s home number. At this hour, he would normally be with a prostitute or at a bar, but today he would be home.

He had kept him tied down talking about the next few days. As expected, the call connected quickly and Yehoel’s voice came through. The detective wasn’t someone who needed days.

He was a detective who completed all his work in a day, even when paid by the day rather than by the job, and that wasn’t about to change.

“Ugh… Who is this in the middle of the night? This is Officer Yehoel of the New York Police Department…”

“It’s Husband. Judiel and Suriel, do you know these angels?”

Yehoel’s usefulness was limited to his friendly face and social skills, but most worldly matters could be resolved with those two things. That’s why Yehoel was a relatively convenient collaborator.

“Uh… those guys who work with non-angel cops? Why? They were the vigilante case perpetrators… Ah, you son of a bitch… You already caught that vigilante bastard, right? Seems like you’re calling about cleanup.”

Though not intelligent enough to betray, he had enough brains to figure out how situations were unfolding. The detective smiled slightly at Yehoel’s voice as he finally started to catch up.

“You’re a bit slow, but your instincts are decent. Are they in the same building?”

“Yeah, just two floors below. So, what kind of cleanup? Do I need to go slip them some cash and pick something up, or do I need to arrange a meeting with the God-President? If it’s the latter, I can’t guarantee anything, so is it the former?”

It was indeed a terribly tangled affair. Usually, calling Yehoel didn’t resolve matters this easily.

“I’m going to pick someone up. Don’t worry about money. There are enough high-class patrons behind this to pay well and have plenty left over. I’ll make a few more calls and come by, so wait for me.”

He hung up without waiting for Yehoel’s goodbye. Next, he called Pandemonium. Since the detective was the only one who could directly ask for Madam, she answered the phone.

“I’ve finished the job, Madam. I caught that cop and the ledger won’t be a problem. And… I think I’ve found the children too. Can you put me in touch with your patrons?”

Part of why Madam had called the detective was a moment of guilt. While explaining the case details to Inspector Leonard Price, she had been so focused on keeping Pandemonium uninvolved that she had neglected the children. She wanted to make that right. Madam’s voice now sounded a bit more at ease.

“This is why I can’t use any detective but you, darling. The patrons will be pleased. Where are you, dear? Just tell me your location and they’ll contact you through flame communication. They’re not demons for nothing.”

After the detective gave her the public phone number, he hung up. Not long after, a demon’s voice began to ring in his head. Having a demon’s voice in your head without it being madness was not a common occurrence.

“I received a call from Elise. Are you that detective?”

That was Madam’s real name. It was indeed her patron who had contacted him. There was no need for pretense with demons. They were a race for whom demonstrating ability was more important than putting on airs.

The detective sighed. This time, his work needed to be twice as clean as usual. Only after clearing his throat did he answer.

“Yes, noble patron. I’m Michael Husband of the Husband Detective Agency. You must have confirmed my name properly from Madam. Have you heard who I am?”

“I have. You were guaranteed our protection, stormed that shop, beat everyone to death, and escaped with the children. Are you being pursued for that? Do you want our protection? If that’s what you desire, we would gladly provide it. Calling lawyers and sending them to your location would cost…”

The demon made a sound like tapping fingers on a desk, as if calculating overtime and night pay. Providing a battalion of lawyers would cost quite a bit.

“No, they don’t even know I did it. I just need someone to take care of the children. I’d like you to compare the price you just calculated with the cost of looking after the children for a while.”

The demon clicked his tongue briefly. His voice suggested he both liked and disliked the direct approach of contracts and negotiations.

Surely taking care of children would be more expensive. If the demon refused, he could persuade him. It wasn’t good to show all your cards from the beginning.

“Children are expensive. It’s obvious that keeping children would cost more than calling lawyers for one night and assigning them work. We are Pandemonium’s patrons, not philanthropists.”

“If you weren’t philanthropists, you wouldn’t care who stands in front of Pandemonium’s brothel. And a high-class patron with that level of moral standard wouldn’t tell me to leave those children with Pandemonium or an orphanage that can’t properly care for them. Let me ask one more thing: are you too old to fear risky investments?”

Demons were a proud race. Provoked by those words, the demon immediately responded.

“Of course not.”

“Then make the investment. You must know that the serial killings happening now are related to the ledger I dealt with and made disappear. The police who took that ledger were diverting it and acting as vigilantes. Meanwhile, the children are being completely neglected. When will people care about the missing victims?”

Whether the police lost trust or not was none of the detective’s concern. Handling this personal matter was enough. So the detective willingly tipped the demon’s scales.

“After catching the culprit. From the way you speak, it seems you’ve already caught them. Demons protecting victims everyone else had forgotten…”

“I don’t know if you’re a businessman or not, but if you are, you’d be willing to spend money protecting those children. Even if you sell the same products as your competitors, people will pick up your items saying, ‘That company’s president is the one who protected those children.’ If you’re a politician… do I really need to explain?”

The demon connected through flame communication made a sound like stroking his beard, then spoke with a satisfied voice. Success.

“The scales have tipped. Contact me when you secure the children. I will gladly protect them.”

At least there would be no shortage of money. There would be enough wealthy patrons to say goodbye to crumpled, smelly ten-dollar bills. Cash was the only way to pay for happiness.

Even if those two angels the police officer mentioned were protecting the children, the situation wouldn’t be bad, but being protected by demons would still be better than being protected by other angels.

Taking a roundabout route back to where he had parked his car, the detective headed toward the street of angel apartment complexes. An angel with a slightly weaker flame in his left eye was standing on that street waiting for the detective. He was in pajamas.

His gold-crafted wings shone despite receiving only the dim light of the street lamps. When the detective stopped in front of him, Yehoel folded his wings. He yawned lazily and said:

“There’s no better place to hide people than here. You know how soundproof it is, right?”

“Judging by how you haven’t been disciplined despite living with two of Iris’s prostitutes at a time, it must be quite soundproof. Lead the way.”

The reporter wondered why the detective hadn’t returned. Since the inquisitor hadn’t called again, perhaps he had succeeded in his mission and disappeared as usual.

The reporter would realize by the next morning. Around the time he discovered his thought that Uncle Leonard had disappeared and only the inquisitor remained was wrong, he would figure out what the detective had done that night.

The detective headed to the two angels’ home with Yehoel. Since their homes were adjacent, there was no need to walk twice. Leaving Yehoel standing, the detective knocked on the door.

After knocking a couple of times, footsteps were heard from inside. It seemed like someone had been pretending to sleep. The creaking of the floor under the characteristically heavy body of an angel was heard, but they didn’t immediately approach the door.

Soon, a door too large for the detective opened, and an angel with curly blonde hair stood with arms crossed, wings spread to block the view inside, looking down at the detective. He yawned but didn’t look sleepy.

“What business do you have at this hour, Officer Yehoel? And who is this human? I’d appreciate an explanation.”

His immediate wariness transparently revealed he was hiding something inside. There was no need for many words. This angel would remember bringing a child from Pandemonium.

The detective stomped the floor once with his metal-plated heel. Only after drawing attention to himself rather than Yehoel did he speak.

“Pandemonium’s patrons sent me. They want to express their gratitude for protecting the children, and if it’s alright, they’d like to protect them themselves. Being demons, they’re probably trying to manage their reputation…”

“They must have money to burn. With Pandemonium protecting children and all… I hope it’s true. Can you let me speak with these patrons? I don’t trust people easily.”

Good, he’s reasonable. The detective, uncharacteristically, gave a word of praise before connecting Officer Judiel with Pandemonium’s patrons at the public phone in front of the apartment complex.

The detective wasn’t a person accustomed to giving compliments, but he could willingly offer unfamiliar words to someone who quietly did their job and acted like a decent human being.