A Haunted Love - 10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

“Kazuma Daiko is back in the fold,” Jin said, studying the photographs in his tablet. “He drove up yesterday morning and hasn’t left.”

Jin looked at the woman he both loved and feared. She stood by the windows in his office at Club H. Her slender frame wrapped in a long fitting black dress. Her long hair dark as midnight, and slick, he loved sifting his fingers through the soft strands…when she let him. He couldn’t remember a day when he hadn’t loved her. She glanced at him now, and his heart squeezed when he saw cold determination in her eyes. He wished she would forget the past, and choose to live in the future.

“Do you think Kazuma is in charge of security again?”

She gave him a small smile.

“Riku is cautious,” she said. “He won’t let Kazuma run the show yet. The opening is still good.”

“You mean Haru’s house,” Jin said.

“Yes,” she nodded, walking to his desk, she came to lean on the desk right beside him. “Kazuma is discerning. He is a better bodyguard than the current one because he connects fast. I’m sure by now he is suspicious of Haru. That is why we need to move fast.”

“If Kazuma is suspicious of Haru, I wonder what he thinks of me,” Jin said with a sigh.

“You made your choice, Jin,” she said. She sunk her fingers into his hair, her caress gentle, stroking through his hair. “Thanks to you, I am about to repay back the pain the Takada family dished out on me and mine. You’re very important to me.”

Jin placed the pad on the desk and sighed.

“I moved the money two days ago. We’re set to go.”

“Good job,” she said, using her gentle hold in his hair, she tilted his head up and leaned to kiss him. Jin closed his eyes in bliss, ready to pull her into his arms. However, the kiss was short, too short.

She broke away as fast as she’d initiated contact. She caressed his jaw and smiled.

“I need to go meet the other three. Find Haru and get him to invite Hideki to his house, although with those two, there’s no need. Hideki will go looking for Haru on his own,” she said. “After this is over, we’ll have more time, Jin. Loads of time to do whatever you want.”

She pushed off the desk and walked around his desk.

“Be careful,” Jin said.

“Always,” she said.

Jin watched her leave his office without a backward glance, and wondered if his choice was really the right one.

***

Kazuma was happy to be back in the security room at the Takada estate, though it annoyed him that he wasn’t in his original position. Rui was out with Hideki for the afternoon. Hideki had a meeting he couldn’t avoid with a supplier.

Shifting his seat, Kazuma studied the picture of Hideki, Haru and Jin on the overhead screen. Turning on the connection to Sora, he brought up Club H’s accounting records on the overhead too.

“Sora, perhaps we have been looking at this the wrong way.”

“I was about to call you,” Sora said, her tone light. “Phillip asked me to check Naoki’s whereabouts on the days Hideki had his accidents. There is nothing connecting her to the kidnap attempts: no phone calls, no emails, and no messages. She is cleared, Kazuma.”

“Yes, I figured,” Kazuma said. “I have been thinking about Hideki’s schedule.”

“What about it?”

“We’ve been so involved with Hideki’s past, all the people who would want to hurt him, or his father, and we’ve forgotten to look at this case as we would every other.”

“Kazu, I haven’t had a decent meal in days. I’m running on strong coffee. Can you please talk sense?”

“Following evidence,” Kazuma said.

“I thought that’s what we were doing?”

“How many people know Hideki’s schedule in advance?” Kazuma asked.

“Three?” Sora said. “Sometimes four, depending on where he is going.”

“His father, the secretary at the office, and his main bodyguard,” Kazuma said. “Everyone else gets a call ten minutes before he has to show up at whatever location.”

“Yes, I know all that,” Sora said. “What about it?”

“The first accident Hideki had was at the race track in the Tokyo Arc Club,” Kazuma said, his gaze back to the picture on the screen. “The club is exclusive. Jin and Haru have membership through Hideki.”

“According to the schedule logged by Daniel and Patrick, Hideki was supposed to have a meeting at his offices that day. He changed it last minute, and ended up at the club,” Sora said.

“Who was at the club with him?” Kazuma asked.

“Daniel and Patrick of course,” Sora said, and then with a soft sigh of realization, she murmured. “Haru was there too. What are you saying?”

“I think we’re casting the net too wide, when we need to be looking closer to home.” Kazuma shook his head. “Haru and Jin—

“You’re fixated on them,” Sora said.

“I’m going with my gut feeling,” Kazuma said. “Have your team check on Club H’s finances. This time, you’re looking for accounting discrepancies.”

“Money?” Sora asked. “Something so basic?

“Why are you so shocked?” Kazuma asked, getting up from his seat. He stretched his arms above his head, stretching his muscles. “Money is always behind everything, the second reason is always love, and both are at play here. Let me know what you find, Sora.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Sora said. “I’m disappointed. I was looking forward to a fight against revenge wielding maniacs.”

“You need sleep,” Kazuma said. “Your dark side is showing, Sora.”

“I need food,” Sora said. “I’ll call you.”

The connection ended abruptly and Kazuma started printing out the accounting documents she sent him. Hideki was out of the estate, having a meeting with a supplier. He missed seeing him. He hated the hours apart. Might as well spent his time reading through numbers.

***

“I want to go on a trip with you,” Hideki said, late in the afternoon when he got home.

He had found Kazuma in the living room. Kazuma sat on the couch surrounded by documents. A surge of happiness filled him when Kazuma glanced up from his reading to look at him. He loved the way Kazuma looked at him. It made him feel like he belonged. This feeling…belonging to someone, he loved it, didn’t want to lose it.

“Where would we go?” Kazuma asked.

Hideki sat in an armchair, touching the papers closest to him on the coffee table with a smile.

“I know it looks like I rely on my father, but I’m not without means of my own.”

Kazuma chuckled.

“I don’t doubt that, Hyde.”

Hideki nodded.

“With all the security trouble, it’s easy to forget the little joys. I bought a little house a year ago, off the coast of Malaysia, a sort of hideaway. I haven’t been able to go check it out. We can…go together.”

“That sounds like a vacation,” Kazuma said, studying him. “Are you planning to dazzle me?”

“I want to entice you to stay with me,” Hideki said, his fear that Kazuma might disappear after his problems were solved real. “I want you to stay with me, Kazuma.”

“I’m here, Hyde.”

Hideki held his gaze for a moment, wishing he could express to Kazuma how much that meant to him. When he couldn’t find the words, he looked away and sat back in the armchair.

“Should we get something to eat?” Hideki asked, looking at the papers surrounding Kazuma.

“Aoki will bring a tray in here,” Kazuma said. “Why are you so worried about me staying?”

“Shouldn’t I be?” Hideki asked, getting up, he went around the coffee table to sit next to Kazuma. “When this is over—

“I want you to show me your hideaway,” Kazuma cut in, shifting on the couch to face him.

Hideki grinned. “Do you mean that?”

“Yes,” Kazuma leaned closer and gave Hideki a light kiss. “I’ll even bring my swimming gear.”

“The property is private. You won’t need any,” Hideki teased, his breath hitching with excitement.

Kazuma kissed his chin, stroking a finger down Hideki’s jaw.

“That sounds enticing enough,” he said. “Stop worrying.”

Hideki smiled, his gaze shifting to the papers around them.

“What are you doing?” Hideki picked up the pile of papers closest to him. He scanned the contents, a frown creasing his brow. “These are Club H’s finances. Why do you have these?”

“Hyde,” Kazuma started.

“You suspect Jin, again. This is getting tiring, Kazuma. Jin and Haru are my friends. They’d never—

Kazuma took his hand.

“I have investigated everyone close to you, including your mother. I want this to end as much as you do. This is not a mistake.”

“I don’t understand.” Hideki dropped the papers he held on the coffee table. “You cleared them. Why are you back to Jin? Kazu—

“Do you remember your first accident?” Kazuma asked him.

Hideki got up from the couch. He ran fingers through his hair, looking around the bright living room. Moving away from the couch, he paced around the coffee table. He couldn’t forget the day he lost his motorcycle. He’d thought he was going to die that day, all that fire.

“What does that have to do with this?”

“I have run your schedule. Security keeps it tight, even before I showed up, no one outside the team knew where you were unless you made an exception.”

Hideki glanced at Kazuma, afraid of what Kazuma was going to say. He’d suspected it, but hoped he was wrong. Somehow, someone in his team was leaking his schedule, otherwise how would his assailants know where he was.

“Your personal schedule is revealed to three people. Your driver, your head of security and your father,” Kazuma continued. “Even Aoki who cooks your meals doesn’t know what time you’re coming home until ten minutes before.”

“What are you telling me?” Hideki asked in a whisper, the hollow feeling inside him growing.

“That day you went to ride your motorcycle,” Kazuma said, “Who outside of Daniel, Patrick and your father knew you’d be there?”

Hideki took in deep breath.

“I don’t know. I—I cancelled a meeting. I was tired of work. I left the office wanting to head home, but I changed my mind on the way. I wanted to ride my motorcycle, get rid of stress…I called Haru because he likes the gym at the Tokyo Arc.”

Hideki met Kazuma’s gaze.

“The exception,” Kazuma said in a gentle tone.

Hideki shook his head.

“I trust Haru.”

“I know,” Kazuma said.

Hideki closed his eyes remembering the sight of Haru in the middle of his bed. Heartbroken, betrayed…he had hurt Haru that morning, and hadn’t gone to check on him. Hideki opened his eyes and moved to the armchair. He sat down and met Kazuma’s gaze.

“Explain what you are doing with Club H’s finances?”

“Hyde,” Kazuma started to protest.

“It’s better if I know,” Hideki said. “It will make it easier to take, please. I need to know every detail.”

Kazuma reached for a stack of papers on his left. He held them out to Hideki.

“Those are the club’s expense accounts. They go back three years. Our team noticed a recurring account called Maintenance and Refurbishment.”

“I created that account,” Hideki said. “I asked Jin to be responsible for keeping up the building.”

“I understand, and all the suppliers in that account check out, except for one. Tara P Wholesalers. Your manager pays Tara P every month like clockwork. The amount started at thirty thousand dollars three years ago, but it has increased steadily over the following years. The total tallies to about 2.5 million.”

Hideki placed the papers he held on the coffee table.

“Jin is embezzling money from my club.”

“Tara P Wholesalers is a ghost company. It doesn’t exist.”

“He’s not the first one to steal from me,” Hideki said, though deep inside, betrayal grew. He trusted Jin, loved him as he would a brother. “Stealing money is no reason for him to want to hurt me. I hope you have a stronger motive.”

“Hyde.” Kazuma started to get up.

“Don’t stop,” Hideki said. “Continue.”

Kazuma sighed.

“I believe that someone discovered Jin’s little hobby and is using it against him to get to you.”

“Why would anyone look at my club’s finances?” Hideki scoffed.

“You don’t think serious kidnappers would seek out weaknesses around you? Your friends, your employees, your family…anyone can have a weakness that a kidnapper could exploit—

“Enough,” Hideki snapped getting to his feet. “What you’re saying is that everyone close to me can be coerced into betraying me.”

“Not all,” Kazuma said.

Hideki shook his head.

“I want to talk to Haru.”

“You shouldn’t,” Kazuma said.

“It’s not a request,” Hideki said, meeting Kazuma’s gaze. “I need to talk to him, Kazu.”

Kazuma got up.

“I’ll come with you.”

“The sight of you will annoy him.”

“I don’t care.” Kazuma grabbed his arm, stopping him. “You might trust Haru, but I don’t. I don’t trust anyone with you. It’s killing me watching you leave with Rui.”

Hideki turned to face Kazuma. “Then come back to the team, no one will stop you.”

Kazuma wrapped his arms around Hideki.

“Not yet,” he said. “We’re close to finding these bastards. When we’re this close, we need to be vigilant, and careful. That means not doing everything we want.”

“Are you sure about Jin?”

“I’d be relieved if I was wrong. They are your friends, and if I’m right it will hurt you,” Kazuma said, stroking his fingers through Hideki’s hair. “Worse, whoever is doing this is using Jin, Hideki. Jin and Haru could get hurt.”

Hideki closed his eyes and held on to Kazuma, afraid.

“I don’t know that I can do this.”

“You can,” Kazuma said, kissing his temple. “You have no choice, Hyde.”

***