One of Every Color
Chapter 11
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Saiban, its characters and settings, are property of
NC-17 for adult male/male content and some violent material.
Chapter 11
21st, 2019
"You can't keep me from
seeing her,"
growing increasingly frustrated with the guard on duty, and the man's cold,
unimpassioned face wasn't helping any.
"I'm her attorney.
her."
"I'm afraid I can't do
that," the guard said once more.
"Miss Gander is in questioning."
"She was in questioning
all of yesterday evening. What could
they possibly have left to ask her?"
The guard shook his head
stubbornly. "I'm sorry, Sir, but
I've been ordered not to allow any visitors.
You're going to have to leave."
good. After fifteen minutes of arguing
he finally gave up and stalked out of the detention center in as poor a mood as
he'd entered it. How am I supposed to prepare for court on Monday if I can't even talk
to my client? he thought sourly.
even sure what this new evidence means.
He sighed as he made his way back to the bus stop, hoping he hadn't
missed the
burn the building down knowing he was in there?
And why hide it?
hurried to reach the stop.
is somehow hiding it from Chassie, too.
son, would she still be protecting her?
There has to be truth in here somewhere.
The bus halted, and
whisper his name to another passenger. At
least his fame was going to last a while longer.
distastefully. If I confront Urami with this new evidence,
she might reveal something. Or get me
killed. He rolled his phone back and
forth between his hands as he considered.
But Edgeworth
said to trust him. Freeing
Nailing Urami is his
His phone rang, startling
familiar but unexpected number, and he sat up a little straighter as he
answered. "Hello?"
"Nick!"
ear. "What's going on there?
working for the mob!?"
to hear from her. "You know it's
not like that. She's just a
client."
"A
client who works for the mob!?"
around--nothing she said now could bother him.
"No, Maya, she just got caught up in something too big for
her. It's turning into…quite a
complicated case."
"Really?
have told me sooner," she pouted at him.
"I'm not so busy I can't give you a hand, you know."
He was tempted to take her up
on that--another welcomed, familiar face would probably do him a world of good
just about then. But he remembered
quickly enough just what he was up against.
If Miles did manage to find anything against Urami,
things could become ugly very quickly, and the last thing he wanted was for
Maya or even
tonight
swallowing back the little flutter in his stomach.
concerning Miles and him to Maya was almost as unappealing.
"It's all right,"
he assured her. "This case has
some…dangerous people mixed up in it. I
don't want you to get in trouble for helping me."
"I'm not scared of the
mob," Maya insisted.
"I know, I
know."
"But…I'm already in pretty deep.
You know I always appreciate your help, Maya, but this is something I
have to finish on my own. It's important
to me. Okay?"
Maya was quiet a moment, and
when she spoke again her voice had lowered somewhat.
"Thanks,
Maya." She really is growing up, he thought.
added. "It's good to hear from
you. Maybe once this case is over I'll
come visit you and
"It's boring here--
times, okay?"
"Yeah…yeah, we'll do
that."
was. "Listen, my stop's coming
up. I'll call you once this has all
blown over."
"Sure
thing.
"Thanks, Maya.
They each hung up, and
towards his stop. It was only a short
call but he felt energized somehow, with that brief renewed contact.
he thought as he pushed himself up.
those I care about.
The bus slowed to a halt, and
have to be ready for…just about anything tonight.
to collect his thoughts.
Clouds were rolling in off
the horizon, thick and dark and huge.
Their steady approach was already sending a cold chill into the air, and
supposed to be some kind of omen? he thought with
a dry smirk.
*****
Miles stood with his arms
crossed in a corner of the lab as he watched the technician go about her
work. He could tell he was making her
uncomfortable, but he wasn't about to wait outside for these results.
The machine made a dull ping
noise, and at the other end of the room a printer spat out the finished report.
scanned the page.
"Well?" Miles asked
impatiently.
"We have a match,"
she reported with relief--probably more pleased that Miles would be leaving
than with the actual results. "The
baby that died in the fire was the son of Jack Hoff and Chassie
Gander."
She handed the paper over for
Miles to see. He nodded to himself.
Good work."
"Thank you, Sir."
Miles took the report with
him as he exited the lab, and returned to the lobby where Gumshoe was waiting
for him. He related the news.
"So 'William Gander'
really was her son, huh?" Gumshoe said thoughtfully.
"Just because I'm a
prosecutor," Miles replied, "does not mean I understand what a
criminal thinks. Who knows?"
they turned to head for the door.
"She tried to keep the birth a secret, so there aren't any records
about the baby, let alone some kind of custody battle.
Gumshoe watched him as they walked
to Miles' car. "Do you…still
believe it was her?" he asked carefully, wary of offending him.
own son was in the building…she couldn't have started the fire…right….?"
"I still have another
day to decide what I believe," Miles said, keeping his gaze straight
ahead. "There's more evidence out
there--I know there is. We just have to
find it, and put it together."
"If only we knew where
to look…."
Miles smirked at him.
you, Detective?"
"N-No,
Sir!" Gumshoe was quick to
answer. "Not at
all!"
"Good.
help."
They climbed into Miles car,
but before he started the engine Miles paused, frowning to himself.
watching the back of his palm. "Can
I ask you something?"
"
suddenly cautious tone. "Sure,
Pal."
"What do you…
at him sideways. "…usually eat for
dinner?"
Gumshoe blinked.
"Yes, you know--the meal
after lunch, before dessert. What do you
"Um…."
Miles frowned.
does buy that cheap beer, so chances are he eats cheap, too.
bringing hot dogs or pizza
"Let's say you were having dinner with…someone else," Miles
tried again.
"Like a date?"
Gumshoe immediately jumped to conclusions.
He looked at his companion with something nearing shock.
"No--not a date,"
Miles corrected quickly.
not very convincing. "What
would you want to eat?"
Gumshoe's brow furrowed in
deep thought, giving much more consideration to the question than Miles thought
was necessary. "Gee, I
the other officers get food, it's usually either at the deli or a bar and grill
kind of joint. Steaks
and burgers and such."
"I see."
all. "What horrible
nutrition…."
Gumshoe shrugged
helplessly. "Uh…sorry?"
"Never
mind."
belt. "One of these days, I'm going
to take you out for real food, Gumshoe.
Your life expectancy will thank me."
"Oh, um, all right!
They pulled out of the
parking lot and merged into traffic, heading back towards the police station.
*****
Just after five in the
evening, Miles called to ask what
He sounded rather irritated
about something, so
up.
cleaning his apartment from top to bottom.
He didn't normally entertain company, but he had decided he might as
well make the effort to look presentable.
It had turned out to be a more strenuous endeavor than he'd had in
mind--every surface in the apartment needed to be dusted, and every window was
hopelessly spotted. He hadn't vacuumed
in so long he'd forgotten the thing was broken anyway.
and did the best he could.
This last hour of
preparation, however, he devoted to wardrobe.
He could think of few things more emasculating than standing in front of
his bathroom mirror, changing in and out of the few decent shirts he
owned. I feel like a teenage girl, he thought with a dry wince as he put
the blue one on again.
this? I'm sure Edgeworth
puts too much thought into his clothes.
Probably has a full length vanity and everything.
couldn't really afford nice clothes anyway.
He had gone with Mia to lunch a few times, to grab a bite to eat while
talking over court strategies, or sometimes even to meet a friend of hers in
their same profession; but it was always work related, and he always wore his
suit. This non-date scenario was,
therefore, rather new to him, and he had no idea what would be deemed
appropriate.
wasn't wearing his cravat the last time he came over.
something, I guess
finally decided he should try to look nice.
He picked a blue dress shirt and navy slacks, darker than he usually
wore. Ten minutes before Miles was
supposed to arrive he added a tie.
last time. I should look…nice, right?
spikiness and hurried to open the door.
Miles stared back at him
through the open doorway. He had come
dressed far more casually, in khaki pants and a pale pink button-down
shirt. He glanced over
know."
Miles' lips parted in a grin
as he stepped inside, handing
him. "You cleaned," he noted,
glancing about on his way toward the kitchen.
"It looks good in here."
"Gee, thanks."
his tie as he followed. He tossed it moodily
on a chair. "Not like I was at it
all day or anything." As annoyed as
he felt with himself for overdressing--and Miles for commenting on it--he had
to admit, it was better than feeling awkward and shy.
headed for the cupboards for dishes.
"Oh?
"Well…the place needed
it anyway."
"Lasagna."
emptying the bags, and the smell of meat and cheese quickly filled the small
kitchen and started
"I know a good carry-out place not far from here.
remarked as he dug out some silverware, remembering that Miles had been cooking
spaghetti the last time he was over.
Mile shrugged.
explained. "I usually make a lot
and eat the leftovers for lunch at work.
But Lasagna is too much effort to feed one person, so I only eat it when
I dine out."
Miles pulled a bottle of wine
out of one of the bags;
blinked at it in surprise. "You
brought wine?"
"To
repay you for the beer last time." Miles smiled as he retrieved a
corkscrew for it.
"That looks…a little
more expensive than the beer I brought…"
Miles shrugged, pleased with
himself. "I figured you could use
some real alcohol for once."
had been a long time since he'd had real wine.
"I…don't have any wine glasses," he remembered suddenly.
"No?"
troubled. "Well, I suppose anything
will do."
As he uncorked the bottle,
the closest he could find. He didn't own
that many glasses. Living alone usually
led to him drinking from cartons or cans instead of bothering with a cup, and
those he did still have were cheap, plastic things his parents had gotten him
for college. After a bit of digging he unearthed
one of the tall promotional cups Maya had insisted on getting during a lunch
trip.
"Here."
Miles stared at them for
nearly a full fifteen seconds, his brow furrowing.
it might bite him. He looked to
want to drink red wine out of a plastic Steel Samurai cup?"
"Why
not?"
into the trash. "I thought you were
a big fan."
Miles opened his mouth,
into the cups.
"I almost have a full
set,"
"They're…great."
dividing up the food. The uncommonly
casual banter between them was slowly erasing all his worries from the
day. As far apart as they'd grown since
childhood, there was still something comforting about being in Miles' presence.
"You really went all
out,"
He took a sip of the wine, and despite not figuring himself stuffy
enough for such expensive tastes, he found he rather liked it.
collector's cup. "This couldn't
have been cheap. I thought you said you
don't date."
"I don't," Miles
replied easily. He paused for a bite of
salad before continuing. "I just
brought carryout and repaid you for the alcohol the other night.
"And I would have worn a tie."
"You
It's…charming."
he didn't mind. It was good to see him
so relaxed. "Then I'm surprised you
didn't come in your jeans again," he said.
"You know, I didn't think you would even own a pair until I saw
them."
"They
admitted. "I only wear them when I
don't really want to be recognized."
"Does it work?"
"Sometimes."
lasagna. Everything was delicious, so
much more filling and refreshing than the box dinners and fast food he was used
to. "Do you really get that much
attention as a prosecutor that you have to…go in disguise?"
"Don't you?"
dialogue along the sides. When he
noticed
it. "I would have thought by now
the paparazzi would be banging your door down."
"At the office,
maybe,"
"They don't usually come by here.
I guess the apartment's not exciting enough for them."
"They might after this
case, for as high profile as it is."
"Yeah…."
particular topic. Tonight they were
supposed to be relaxing, and…talking, about each other.
personal moments with discussion about the trial to which they were inevitably returning.
concerning the evidence Miles had uncovered the other day.
in questioning all day, chances were Miles had gotten something out of her.
can't uncover
"After dinner,"
Miles told him, as if having read his mind perfectly.
tell you everything I know."
Relieved that he understood,
We're still working on this one
together. That's how it should be.
They returned to lighter
topics as the meal slowly diminished.