Chapter 38They had to take three cars. The chief rode with Sakaguchi and Akiko in his swank chief’s car. Osaki drove two more detectives and Sugamo drove Hiroshi, Takamatsu and a new detective. Takamatsu kept turning around to talk to her, breaking her in with a stream of light-hearted sarcasm and long-ago stories. Hiroshi and Sugamo ignored him, but the new detective had no choice but to listen.
“Do you know how to use your retractable baton?” Takamatsu asked, flicking his out so Sugamo had to put up a hand to keep it out of his face.
“I took the training, and I did kendo for many years,” she replied.
“So did Hiroshi, but he can’t remember to bring any protective device with him ever,” Takamatsu said.
The rest of the ride was the young detective nodding politely and responding to Taka
