At the Heart of Justice

Chapter 12: Rose

Naomi wasn't quite sure what woke her. One minute she was sound asleep and the next, she just... wasn't anymore.

She sat up slowly, the blanket falling from her shoulder as she looked around the room. L was nowhere to be seen.

Naomi swung her legs over the side of the couch and sat for a moment before standing to her feet. She must have slept for awhile because she was hungry again.

Then again, all she'd eaten in almost 24 hours was a bowl of applesauce.

She made her way to the kitchen and fixed herself some oatmeal and a smoothie.

She was on the couch finishing up when L appeared in the doorway on the other side of the living room. His black hair was wet and he had a fluffy towel draped around his neck. Naomi knew that he was really particular about getting anything on his shirt- even if it was just water.

"Feeling better?" he asked as his bare feet walked into the room, his hands in his jeans pockets.

Naomi nodded. "I really am," she said. "I know I'll be sore for awhile, but the dizziness has really gone down."

"Mm," L nodded approvingly as he hopped up into the armchair next to the couch. Little water droplets clung to the ends of his bangs. He peered at her through them and commented, "You do look a little better."

That said, he removed the towel from around his neck and draped it over his head. He rubbed it over his thick mane thoroughly and vigorously before tossing it carelessly onto the floor. His now damp hair stuck up every which-way in odd little tufts and spikes.

The fact that he had taken the time to shower could only mean one thing: he had solved the case.

"So, who is The Bishop?" Naomi queried.

With one thumbnail in his mouth, L passed Naomi a single sheet of paper.

"Jasper Broussard," he announced triumphantly.

Naomi scanned the document she'd been handed. It contained information on a French man by the name L had given. He was a computer technician who worked in forensics at the Police Department. This fit the conclusions L had come to, but the real confirmation was the scanned drivers license displaying a photo of the very same man who had lifted the yellow tape for them at the crime scene.

"Yep, that's him alright!" Naomi said, nodding. "How did you find him?" she asked as she handed the paper back to L.

L took the paper, keeping one thumb between his teeth. "Well, sure enough, his personnel file was not among those sent to me by the police, but he was listed as having received income from the Paris P.D. over the last four years."

"Good work," Naomi commended.

"And!" L continued, holding up an index finger and reaching for another sheet of paper, "Look at this."

Naomi accepted the new document and read it over. It was a court case file on a fatal car accident that had occurred almost three years ago. The only victim had been a young woman by the name of Rosella Leveque.

"I don't see how this connects..." Naomi said slowly.

"Do you see the section that lists the case's jurors?" L hinted.

Naomi's eyes moved to the list of names under the word "Jury." She nodded.

L waited, his thumb trailing along his bottom lip. He had every confidence that his agent would figure it out.

And then she saw it.

"Oh!" she exclaimed. "The Bishop's victims! These aren't their names, but most of the last names listed here match the last names of our victims! The Bishop is killing family members of the jurors of this case- that's the connection!" She was so excited, she bounced a little on the couch cushion as she voiced her deductions.