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Chapter Twenty-Four: Doubt:

Tsuzuki walked Anna home like a gentleman. Hisoka gave them all the grim details of Yumiko’s once he calmed down. A few minutes ago, Tsuzuki looked dead on at Hisoka.

“So how did she die?” he asked. His partner stared at him dead on.

“She was kidnapped on her way to school,” he explained in a trembling voice. Everyone looked in shocked.

“Kidnapped by whom?” Anna asked.

“Yasuo…” Hisoka said as with his voice breaking down. He breathed heavily as he recollected everything he saw from the corpse. Tsuzuki patted him on the shoulder.

“Take your time if you need to,” he said softly. Hisoka nodded, took in another deep breath, and slowly went into detail about Yumiko’s last days before her life was snuffed out. Everyone went pale when Hisoka finally stopped talking.

Now, Tsuzuki tried to lighten the mood.

“You think she did the same to… Kirika?” he asked. Anna didn’t speak and Tsuzuki went quiet as well.

“Okay…” he mumbled. They made it back to Kimoto Manor. The pair was surprised to see Rihoko standing at the front door waiting for them. She had a small piece paper in her hand.

“Rihoko,” Anna said. “What’s going on?” The young mother waited until they were close enough.

“You had a phone call, Anna,” she told her. The woman raised an eyebrow at her.

“A phone call?” she asked, “From who?”

“Some lady,” Rihoko replied.

“Which lady?” Anna asked.

“She wouldn’t give me her name,” the busy roommate said, “But she told me to give you this.” Rihoko handed Anna the note. The other woman took and read it with Tsuzuki.

“Check tape entry #26,” the note read. The pair looked at each other for a moment.

“You sure you want to do this?” Tsuzuki’s eyes asked Anna.

“Yes!” hers replied. With that, the Shinigami and woman raced right into the house. Rihoko looked around confused.

“Guys, what’s going on?” she asked following them to Anna’s room. Tsuzuki and Anna dug through the box of tapes. They found tape entry #26. Tsuzuki put the tape in the player and pressed play.

-Tape Entry #26-

March 29th, 1983.

My name is Kimoto Daisuke. I am eighteen years old and a single dad. Anna-chan reminds me so much of Kirika-chan. Both were quiet little babies; they were only hussy when they were hungry. Both my sister and daughter looked like smart babies. I thought Kirika would be a doctor when she got older. I think Anna will be a doctor when she grows up, or a teacher; so many possibilities.

He paused on tape.

Something still bugs me about Kirika. Haruka came back with her without dad that March morning. We still don’t know what happened to him. Haruka won’t tell us anything. Some people think dad is dead. He hasn’t called or written to us since he and Haruka left us all alone. I have to wonder.

He paused on tape again.

Saying all of that brings me to my question, who is Kirika’s father?

-End of Tape Entry #26-

Tsuzuki, Anna, and Rihoko all looked at each other silent.