Confession ~Juuzou x Reader AU~

Chapter 6: Mrs. Warner

"Mrs. Warner?" I say, sliding into the seat across from her. "What are you doing here? I mean, not that I'm not happy to see you."

She smiles, "Hello, dear. I'm here to... Well, oh, my...I didn't expect this to be this difficult to say."

Juuzou spins the chair at the head of the table, sitting on it backward. He glances at me. "It's okay, Mrs. W, I'll tell her."

Mrs. W? Did I miss something? What is going on? I just glance between the two, confused. Why is Mrs. Warner here? Why is Juuzou talking to her as if he knows her?

"Y/N," Juuzou says, "remember when I told you we had an anonymous informant?"

I nod, "Yeah. I remember." It only takes a moment. Just a brief minute. I look at Mrs. Warner. "Wait, was it...was it you, Mrs. Warner?"

She suddenly acts shy. "Yes, it was."

I just look at her. "How?"

"Dear Mrs. W here was quite helpful," says Juuzou, tilting his chair. "Turns out she knows a few people that had some insight on where they were keeping the kids."

"But how?"

I glance between the two. This makes no sense. Mrs. Warner – sweet, sweet Mrs. Warner – is the anonymous informant? But how? There's no way.

"Mrs. W?" Juuzou encourages, looking at the elderly woman.

She fidgets, then swallows, "I'm sorry I never told you this, Y/N, but... Oh, my. I'm quite nervous telling you this."

Nervous? What could she have to say that is making her this nervous? I mean, this is Mrs. Warner. For three years, she has been this consistent force in my and Rui's lives. She's always been chipper and bright. Always smiling.

But now, she appears so much...different. She looks the same. She's even dressed as she usually is, her grayed hair neat and nails polished. But her features and posture sport this emotion that doesn't suit her. It twists her expression. Her aged face looks so much older. This is worrying her.

"Do you want me to tell her?" Juuzou asks.

She shakes her head. "No. She should hear it from me."

Hear what? Hear what? I want to press her – to pry, but I don't. I stay seated remaining calm. I wait. Finally, she speaks, keeping her voice soft.

"I never thought I would have any reason to tell you this, Y/N." She looks at me. Her eyes are so big and seem so...sad and...scared. "But before I do, please know that I adore you and Rui. I absolutely love having you both at the complex." I know that, of course. She is like a grandmother to Rui. "So, when everything happened, you can imagine how it shook us all. I know you were devastated – so was I."

She fiddles with her thumbs. "After the break-in and after Rui was taken...I reached out to...some old friends of mine. Acquaintances, more than anything. But I reached out to them and started to do some digging. One of them started to direct me in a few different directions. Those three locations – the two warehouses and the airport. But none of us knew... Those poor girls. They were close to your age."

Janelle and Sterling and Gabriella.

Mrs. Warner doesn't need me to answer. She can already tell. She continues.

"After that, my...friend told me about the restaurant – the one they showed on TV. I knew I couldn't be hasty. So, I called and left another tip."

"We acted immediately," Juuzou interjects.

She nods, "Yes, and because of that, the children were all rescued."

I hear all this. She says it and I hear it, and most of it I know. I know about the tips. I know about the three locations. I know about what happened to Janelle and Sterling and Gabriella. I know about all of that, but I still don't understand.

"I'm still so confused," I say. "How...how were you able to get all this information? Who was this connection you have?"

She fidgets. "I... Well, I suppose I should just say it."

That's what I want. That's what I need. But I sit and wait.

"Goodness. Alright. Now's as good of a time as any." She looks me directly into my eyes and swallows whatever anxiety she's feeling. "The reason I have connections and the reason I was able to help is because I'm a ghoul."

**Hello, lovelies! So, Mrs. Warner. She's a ghoul. Thoughts? Concerns? Don't worry! More on this topic coming in the next chapter! So, stay tuned for that! So, I just finished reading E. Lockhart's, Family of Liars and all I can say is wow. All the twists and turns that book took. Yes. Loved it. 10/10, do recommend. That said, I recommend reading We Were Liars first. Anyway, thank y'all so, so much for everything! Y'all are coolio! Wuv yous!! <3**

-Noel Ross