Jane Grey

Chapter 44: Through a Child's Eyes

I sat there behind the house for an hour, just thinking and observing the children who were running around and playing. They paid no mind to me, not like they would in the first place, and so I just allowed myself to fade into the wall behind me. Just seeing these children so full of life and hope in spite of all that they may have been subjected to, or will be subjected to, in this big wild world was enough to make even me feel panicky. The desire to protect what had not yet been tainted a strong feeling in my heart. I didn't even hear someone come up next to me and sit at my side before they even spoke to me;

"You look upset, Miss," it was one of the children, a little boy around the age of six I assume with scruffy brown hair and the most adorably freckled cheeks I had ever seen. I gave him a soft smile and shook my head, "I'm not sad, just frustrated,"
"With what?"
"Big people problems," he scoffed at that, kicking the dirt below him, "Adults always say that. I bet I can solve your problem and I'm not big people yet!" he suddenly gained a lot of energy and began bouncing around on the spot. I raised my eyebrow at him, considering the thought. I mean, I've encountered the supernatural and a super intelligent detective who ate nothing but sugar all day and night, how crazy would this be?

"Alright kiddo. Say you had a toy, and that toy made you really really happy, but you had to give it to someone else to make them happy," He nodded along, understanding what I was saying seemingly, "And someone gives it back, and then you give it away again, who would you have given it to?"
"Thats easy, someone who's sad," I then flicked his nose,
"But if there's a million and one people who wanted it and you didn't know who, then how would you get it back?" That seemed to stump him for a while. He hummed, tapped his chin, and then sparked an answer out of thin air;

"I would ask whoever really really REALLY wanted it. Like a best friend or a girlfriend, or in your case a boyfriend!" suddenly it clicked.
"Oh my god...You're a genius!" I thanked the kid and sprinted back into the building - not before tripping on everything and falling over my own feet. First, I checked my bags, everything I could search. Every pocket, every zip, every compartment. All I could find was a measly bit of paper in my back pocket of my trousers and even then it was blank, but it certainly sent sparks whirring in my head. Next I barged back into the main workroom where the boys were disputing their findings. I shoved past them right to the computer and began logging in my own personal details. I had to search. Emails, texts, even the university roster just looking for anyone who either looked like me or had similar ambitions. And from then on I would check any of their social medias, their own texts, their own emails.

At first my hunch came up with no profit, and the boys at each side of me were every bit as confused as I had let them be until Near left to take a phone call with someone in Japan - my guess is that it was probably Light acting as a poser in my stead.
"So what are you looking for, exactly?"
"Someone, anyone, with an affinity for Criminology or Law,"
"That could be anyone, princess, after all To-Oh has an excellent law programme so I've heard."
I groaned when no student that I could find matched what I needed. In that moment, Near returned to me stating that he had met my substitute L. I growled at the thought, how dare he even take the name let alone sit in his chair. "Because we have now made contact with L the Second," I flinched, but let him continue, "We must approach him cautiously, I still think he may be Kira,"
"Well no shit Sherlock,"
"Watch your language Mello," I reprimanded.
"You can't tell me what to do, you're not my mom,"
"No but I'm much older than you and I'm telling you to shut up,"

More digging of the files, more frustration, I'm almost certain my cufflinks were beginning to wear already because of how much I fiddled with them out of anxiety and frustration. Matt then chimed in with his two cents, chucking his jacket over to the couch nearby and taking the keyboard from me, "Why don't you look at the teachers instead? Might be easier to profile,"
"As if Light would go for older women in his stead,"
"I never said look at the women."

Oh you bastard. You genius bastard. My mind brought back a conversation I had with Harrison about Harper whilst Light was still chained up to L when he was alive, I had thought he was asleep at the time but perhaps not.

"My sister was very much unbothered, she would go for whomever she wanted regardless of sex,"
"But that's still very much illegal in America,"
"Didn't bother her. In fact in her 'wild days' as I like to call it, she like to...hang out with this officer chick. Naomi I think her name was. Can't remember her last name," Misora. It was that Misora woman, I remember her fondly alongside her fiancé, may they both rest peacefully, "Anyway. Sleeping with her was the best thing she ever did. It saved her from a death sentence by hanging it over her head and even managed to get Naomi to defend her in a witness statement"
"Thats horrible but immensely tactful" L chimed, biting into his sundae.
"Never said it was a morally good thing, just said it was what saved her,"

So the bastard was awake and used that? "Matt you are a genius!"
"I know I am, but why?"
I didn't answer, but I switched the tab to a law firm closest to To-Oh. It was a good ways away, not close enough to be linked but enough to get to places like Sakura TV.
"Attorneys?"
"My sister did something like this once, I have a feeling our KingPin Kira is copying her..."
Picking up the phone, I dialled the number, put it on loudspeaker for the boys to hear, and thats when I knew exactly who my own main suspect was. Whether or not he was Kira meant little at the moment, it was a matter of he MAY end up as a Kira.

"This is Mikami Teru speaking, what's your enquiry?"
"Hi, my name is Jane Moreaux, I'm looking for a homicide lawyer."