This was the first time Teruo heard Shinji speak about his family. So his parents weren’t in the picture anymore and he seemed to have no siblings. Now he understood why Shinji said there was nothing left for him in Hiroshima, but he was still curious to find out more about Shinji’s life there.
“I know so little about you,” Teruo said, then caught himself. He hadn’t meant to say the words out loud, but they slipped. The truth was, he shared little about his personal life as well.
Shinji’s eyes widened. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be secretive, but so much of my life revolves around ghosts that…”
“Don’t worry.” Teruo smiled, trying to be reassuring. There was no point in forcing things and ruining their relationship from the get-go. “We’ve got time. We’ll get to know each other better.”
Shinji nodded, looking relieved.
“Is it safe to share what Superintendent Yoshida is looking into?” Teruo asked with a cautious tone, ready to be rejected.
“Myreiryoku’s effect on you.”
Ah, there it is.“And he found nothing.”
“Yep.” A tinge of disappointment etched on Shinji’s answer.
Teruo didn’t press Shinji and his attention turned to the personnel files on the desk. “I’ll check on Suzuki.”
He needed to see if she was okay, if she really was in the hospital or if she was hiding somewhere doing weird magic. Tapping on his contacts list Teruo’s finger hovered for a second over her personal number before he pressed it.
Two rings and then, “Hello?” a male voice answered. Suzuki’s husband.
“This is Hayashi, from the TMPD,” Teruo said.
“Ah, yes. My wife can’t speak right now.” Exhaustion was clear in his voice. “She’s at the hospital.”
Teruo felt guilty of suspecting her, even for a second. “How’s she feeling?”
“Not very well,” the husband said. “Her food was contaminated with some sort of chemical.”
“Chemical?” Teruo repeated, then exchanged a look with Shinji.
“Yeah. Something from her workplace dropped in her food. Nothing lethal, but the doctors pumped her full of meds.”
“I’m very sorry to hear that,” Teruo said. “Are you sure it was a chemical? Maybe the food expired.”
“No, they had her blood tested. Wasn’t the food.”
Teruo didn’t like the sound of that.
“Thank you,” Teruo said. “Could you keep me updated on the situation?”
“Of course.”
“I’ll send two officers to stay there with you. Is that all right?”
There was a pause, then the husband asked, “Why? Is my wife in danger?”
“We’re in the middle of a situation. It would be safer for the both of you.” Teruo tried not to make Suzuki’s husband panic, but he didn’t have the luxury to offer long explanations either.
“Sure,” the husband said. “I appreciate it.”
“What happened?” Shinji asked after Teruo hung up.
“Suzuki was poisoned with a chemical of some sort. She had nothing to do with the energy inside the fourth victim’s house. I think the criminal wanted to eliminate her.”
“But Dr. Suzuki’s not dead. Intentional or just a miscalculation?”