The Murders that Bind Us [S. Sakamaki]

Arrogance

Jessamine Clarke had been leaning back in her office chair, reading a thick, leather-bound book with furrowed eyebrows. She wore her usual uniform, with a black bowtie this morning and her coat draped upon a silver hook by the door.. Her desk was clean, save for the pile of papers stacked to the side, a bottle of ink resting beside a beautiful, black quill held in a silver holder. A silver plate had been screwed into the desk with the words: 'Detective J. Clarke'.

"What does the 'J' stand for?" Shu's voice was rough as he sauntered into the small room, his hands in his pockets, tucking the long tails of his dark coat behind him. He tilted his head to the side, raising one of his eyebrows as he stared at the Detective who'd been lost in her book.

Her eyes met his when he sat himself in the leather chair opposite her desk. "I shall let you know when you share your knowledge with me." He huffed with amusement, crossing one long leg over the other as he removed his hat, balancing it on his knee. "So, Primary, what are we doing today?"

"What would you suggest, Detective?" She closed her book, placing it on the desk as she straightened, leaning her elbows on the desk. 

"Take me to the crime scene," he said, licking his pale lips.

"It would have been cleaned by now."

"Some evidence cannot be erased, Clarke."

That's how they ended up opposite one another in the cramped cab.

His knee was leaning against hers, touching her mid-thigh as the carriage turned. Jessamine said no attention as she focused her eyes on his which stared directly at hers. "I thought detectives had those large moustaches."

"You are a detective too, are you not?"

"In London, at least."

"What else do you believe about London?" She flexed her fingers on the holt of her cane as she leaned forward, leaning her chin on it.

"You are all obsessed with tea."

"Incorrect." She smirked as his eyebrows raised slightly. "I deteste the stuff."

"You and I both," replied Shu, "hm… the weather is terrible."

"Correct," Jessamine nodded, straightening her back as the carriage jolted.

"I believed that one to be a false stereotype." Jessamine's chuckle was small. "You do laugh."

"What do you mean?"

"You always look miserable - everyone in this City looks miserable."

"Matching the weather, it seems."

Her cane was loud against the cobblestone floors leading to the alley they'd found Ophelia Linnens. "We did not find much," she said, wincing as she stumbled, "though she had only recently died - hit her head against the stones." She pointed to a scrape in the brick walls. "Stabbed in the chest with one of his daggers, you were shown those, yes?"

"His? Do you not believe a woman could have committed these crimes?" Jessamine looked up at him, her lips dry as she ran her tongue along her lower lip.

"Are you sharing information with me?"

"I am merely getting your brain to think, Detective." Shu crouched to the spot Ophelia had died, his hand hovering above where her heart would have been that night. "Detectives do not eliminate any possibilities."

"I doubt a woman would have size twelve feet."

"Perhaps it was a woman wearing her husband's shoes," Shu stood, "your mind is not as open as it needs to be." His gloved finger poked her forehead, causing her to scowl.