My Yakuza, A.J. Llewellyn [best book clubs TXT] 📗

the Coroner’s office is questioning why the body of slain New York City Detective, Kono Takumi, was never sent to their office for an official autopsy, which is required in the case of homicide. Legal experts say that it would be highly unlikely to pursue a murder suspect in court when they didn’t have the results of the autopsy confirming that the victim died of the gun shots that took his life.”

“Oh shit…” Kono said.

“Because of this information and the quick cremation of the deceased officer’s body without a formal funeral, Channel Nine is looking into all of the circumstances surrounding the death of Takumi. We’ll keep you updated as we find out more.”

“That’s just fucking great! This, plus the fact that they can’t find you in the system anywhere, is going to lead them to conclude this is all a setup. Why didn’t we think of the Coroner in all of this?”

“What are we gonna do?” Shiro asked with a worried look.

“Nothing different. They still haven’t concluded anything and we’re still safe here even if they do arrive at the conclusion that I’m alive. It’s up to the department to handle all that, not mine.”

“So, I take it that I should forget about any chance of you coming to Hawaii with me after this nightmare is over?”

“I just don’t see it happening, Shiro. It’s not that I don’t care about you because I do. It’s just that it’s a major life change and I don’t think I’m either ready for it, or motivated enough to make that change.”

“I’m plenty motivated, but that’s fine. I’m gonna lie down for a bit,” Shiro said.

He left the room and Kono didn’t stop him. He felt bad for throwing water on Shiro’s plan for happiness, but he was overboard thinking that Kono would just leave his job and move to an island to restart. Or was he?

They stayed apart for the rest of the afternoon, leaving each other to think and get over any hurt that they were feeling. He put a call through to Jerrell. When he didn’t reach him, he left a voice mail message.

* * * *

Jerrell called him back a couple of hours later, jerking Kono awake. Dusk was closing in on him and he felt disoriented at first, wondering where he was. Then he remembered. He was at the safe house. He must have fallen asleep on the sofa. His first thoughts went to Shiro.

“Speak,” Jerrell said.

Kono laughed in spite of himself. “Did it sound as irritating when I said it?”

“Not at all. It’s my new thing now,” Jerrell said. “Speak.”

“Oh…well. I’m wondering about the news reporter with the comment from the Coroner.”

He padded over to the bedroom. The door was still closed. He tried the handle. Locked.

“Kono, it’s going to be obvious you’re not dead when you turn up at the court house. She’s fishing. Everyone’s fishing. We’re going to start steering the attention away from you and onto the Yakuza. They want a fish, I’ll give ‘em a nice big shark! Hey, I’ve got some news for you. We found Siono.”

“You what?”

“She was in an apartment with six other women who’d paid the Japanese equivalent of a coyote to get them out of Tokyo. She’s in the hospital and she’s in pretty bad shape, but she’s alive. Don’t say anything to Shiro, yet. I want to give him the good news.”

“Okay, boss.”

Keeping a secret from Shiro however, felt wrong.

Shit. I do have feelings for him!

 When it got close to dinner time, Kono knocked on the bedroom door.

“Shiro, are you okay? You’ve been in there for a few hours now.”

After a moment, the door opened and Shiro put his arms around Kono.

“I’m sorry if I was pushing you to do something that you’re not interested in doing. Let’s just get through this mess and we’ll go our separate ways.”

Kono hugged him tightly and whispered, “I don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow let alone after the trial. Just give me some breathing room, okay?”

“Sure, take all the time you want. I’m not going to push you to do anything. Shall I start dinner?”

“That would be great, if you don’t mind.”

* * * *

They ate a pasta dinner, watching television on the sofa. It felt weird after their hot time in the sack the past few days to be sitting side by side, not touching. Kono complimented Shiro on the meal. Shiro thanked him, his tone subdued. Kiro longed to set things right. He opened his mouth to speak, but Shiro had reached over to the coffee table, picked up the remote and changed channels. Once again, the story from the Coroner’s office led the news. The way Channel Nine and now other stations were reporting the story led the public to believe that the department was covering up some aspect of Kono’s death. There wasn’t, however, even a hint that someone thought he was still alive. After all, the shooting had been caught on tape by a passing mother of three and played repeatedly for the next news cycle.

“Do you think this will pass?” Shiro asked.

“No, I don’t. They’re like dogs fighting over a bone. They won’t give up until they uncover something. In two weeks, it won’t matter because they’ll see me in court. We have got to put you somewhere you’ll be safe. Any thoughts yet?”

“Yeah. Kauai.”

“I fucking hate that idea.”

Shiro grinned. “Where will you be?”

“Not sure at this point. Maybe my office on a cot!”

“Well, anything short of that, I want to stay with you. We’re in this together and I’d rather not loose you in the middle of the climax to this whole thing.”

“Climax?” Kono smiled.

“Dear Lord, are you horny again?” Shiro asked with a hopeful smile.

Kono leaned over and gave Shiro a kiss on the lips, the soft kind that he hoped conveyed to Shiro that Kono not only wanted to make love, but that he wanted to make slow, unhurried, passionate love.

Shiro seemed in the mood to