The Veil: Reimagined

Chapter # 23

(Name) sauntered down the dimly lit hallways of the apartment complex, the hallway was narrow and there was a nasty odor in the air.

"There it is, apartment no.68." she checked the piece of paper to be certain that she was at the correct address. Raising a hand, she gently knocked.

The door opens with a creek, "how may I help you?" a feminine voice asked from behind the door.

"Hello, I am here from the police department," a lie, "you might have heard of the murder of your co-worker, Emila Kaof?"

"Yes,"

"Do you mind if I ask you a few questions regarding her?" (Name) tone was friendly and harmless.

"Not at all, but wasn't the male Officer here a few days ago? Wasn't that interrogation enough?"

"It wasn't a thorough interrogation, Do you mind if I come in?" (Name) is only able to see half of the woman's face but she can tell she was conflicted, "or we can go to the department for further questioning?"

"I did not know Japan was hiring non-Japanese Officers nowadays..." The woman muttered in Persian and moved aside, letting her in, "Alright, come in but mind your steps the place is messy."

The apartment was smaller than (Name) imagined it to be, even the broom closets she saw were bigger than this. There was no place to sot than a small bed in the further corner.

"I will appreciate Officer if you ask whatever you want, I have places to be." The woman was uncomfortable in her presence; fidgety and not meeting her eyes.

"Alright, miss Mwana, as you know your coworker died mysteriously in an alley. But the police department also found a baby girl along with her, do you perhaps recognize this baby?" (Name) asked in Persian to the unsuspecting woman and pulled out a photo of the Ame, handing it to the woman.

"Officer, I do not know who this is..." when she gets over the shook, the woman looked uninterested, she peered at the photo of Ame.

"Alright, perhaps you know someone who had an ill relationship with your friend?"

"No, Officer, I'm not aware of anyone who may harm Emila, she was a nice woman. She had good associations with everyone at work." (Name) observed the woman closely, and from her mannerisms, she seemed to be telling truth.

"You know, Miss Mwana, you became a primary suspect to the department considering you were the last person leaving her house that day."

"I know that Officer, but I said times and times again that I was to help her clean her place because she was going through stuff," annoyed, she spoke.

"Alright, miss Mwana, but do shed some light on what your friend was going through?" (Name) is already aware of what her answer is going to be.

"Because of her work, of course."

"That's all, Miss Mwana. Thank you for your time." (Name) bowed and turned to leave; her eyes darting to the wall that was holding a few photo frames. Her eyes scanned the photos, landing on a particular one. Mwana and some of her coworkers were celebrating a party but that's not what caught her attention, it was the background of the photo.

(Name) immediately turned on her heels, "Miss Mwana, mind telling me who is this person in the background talking to your friend?"

"Who?" She started at the photo (Name) was pointing at, "I don't know who you are talking about?"

"See, the woman with burn scars, who was she to your friend?" (Name) pressed, awaiting anxiously for her response.

"I don't know..."

"Are you sure, Miss Mwana? It feels like you know something..."

"No, officer, I don't know her..." (Name) glared, she was getting uncomfortable. If it was in the sorcery world, (Name) would've slapped the answers out of the suspect but alas it was the non-sorcery world; she was expected to follow particular rules.

"Alright, Miss Mwana, I hope you are not lying because that woman right there helped kill your friend..." (Name) trailed off.

"she is alive?" She whispered, if it wasn't for (Name)'s enhanced hearing she would've missed it.

"So, you do know her?" (Name) asked, the woman was a blubbering mess.

"No, I don't---"

"Look, miss Mwana, by denying you are digging yourself deeper into this hole. The police already suspect you of murder as it is." (Name) looked her in the eyes, "answer my some questions honestly, because it is the key to you being free at the end of this."

She was conflicted, after fiddling with her hands and looking around for some kind of answer, she said, "The woman you are asking for was a savior to us poor migrants; she got us jobs and gave us money for necessities when we were living on the street."

"When did you meet her?"

"It was two years ago. She used to talk about a man, and from her words, it seems she loved him. She used to talk about nonsense most of the time..." Mwana spoke, her voice faint, "One day, she brought a few days old with her and told me and Emila to take care of her for some time so she can work on something with the man he used to talk about and she paid a hefty amount of money as well. From that day we started babysitting the little girl. A few weeks ago, she left her with us as usual but never came back to take her back. I and Emila were horrified, we did not know what to do with the baby. Nervous, we decided to leave the baby at an orphanage."

"But why there were not any signs of a kid living with Emila at her apartment?"

"Because the day Emila was supposed to take the child to the orphanage we cleaned her apartment, getting rid of everything." Mwana fell silent after that, looking up at her Officer, "Officer, you Okay?"

(Name) turned around, stepping towards the door with lightning speed, "Yes, thanks for your association, Miss Mwana."

(--------------------------------------)

"Satoru!" (Name) found him in Jujutsu tech along with his students, "I need to talk with you right now!" she pulled him with her ignoring the snickering of the students.

"(Name), slow down," Satoru stopped her from dragging him wherever she was planning to.

"You will need to sit down for this!" (Name) excitedly jumped on her spot, grinning, "I have news of a lifetime for you!"

"Shhh..." he placed a finger over her lips, "let me guess, are you finally confessing your love to me?"

"Uh, no," She grasped her hand, pulling it off of her lips, "I've successfully located Saomi Geto."

"What..." that caught him off guard, his grin slipping off of his face, "where is she!? We need to leave now, why are we standing around!?"

"Calm down," (Name) grasped his arms, "and to answer your question, she is here at Jujutsu tech,"

"I don't get it,"

(Name) grinned widely, "Ame's real identity is Saomi Geto/Sumi."

"You are kidding, right? Is this some joke---" Satoru fell silent when he gazed at her, her face was stone serious. He rubbed his face, taking off his blindfold, "I don't even know how to thank you, but thanks."

(Name) smiled brightly, "no need to thank me---" She was pulled into a hug by Satoru. His arms encircled her waist and his head came to rest on her shoulder.

"You are amazing and I hope you know that." He mumbled When the shock of being held so intimately wore off, (Name) hugged him back; her arms encircled his neck, "so wonderful..."

"Satoru?"

"Yes?"

"Can you let go now? What if your students saw us like this---" (Name) lets out a dry laugh, his proximity was just so unbearable for her; making her feel certain emotions that were completely new to her. he wanted to embrace her a little longer. But it was a public space and anyone can walk in on them. Satoru finally lets her go, planning on hugging her again after the reach a private settlement(AKA: his office😏)