DANGER ZONE | Kenzou Tenma

Chapter 16: Night Drive

As expected, the Detective was a hopeless workaholic.

Seriously, she and Lunge could be related. I understood her drive to get things done because I used to be just the same - during my studies and at the hospital, too. But she didn't eat anything today, and I was concerned about her condition, so I decided to head over to her room.

"Detective."

She finished writing the sentence and faced me, sitting at her table. I continued.

"There will be lunch soon. Eat with us. Your work won't run away."

She shook her head. "Thanks, but it's okay." "You didn't eat anything today." I tried to convince her, but to no avail.

"I just don't felt like having breakfast today. It's like that sometimes. Don't worry." She turned back to her notes and squinted slightly during the movement in her neck. That was a clear sign to me.

"Do you have a headache?"

She remained silent. I couldn't help but sigh internally.

"That's not surprising if you work so much. I guess you and Inspector Lunge share the same workaholic tendencies." I stepped into the room, getting closer to her. "I used to be like that as well, but it's harmful, Detective. Take a break. Please. You don't look okay."

She was about to give in, I knew it. But shortly before she'd finally said yes, she noticed something in the corner of her eye, quickly pulled her gun and pointed at an objective on the outside. She startled me immensely when she did that, using her gun out of nowhere.

"There is someone!" She squinted, breathing heavily in panic. "That man... I know him. Roberto!"

Roberto? I looked through the window, observing the path that lead down the mountain. But I couldn't see anyone.

"Detective... there is no one."

She looked at me, surprised. Then, when she realised she had made it up, she placed the gun on her table, chuckling quietly as she supported her head with her hand. Her breathing was still unsteady, as if she was feeling unwell.

"I'm losing my mind. This can't be true... I apologise, Doctor." She said these words with effort.

"No, it's alright. But don't you think you- Detective?"

She stood up from her chair, stepped close to the bed, but was rather stumbling than walking. Her eyes were dull, she had trouble keeping them open. I was confused by her sudden change. Even her voice was weaker than normal.

"I guess I need to rest. Give me just a minute... I'll... take a short nap and-"

I winced. "Detective!"

Without further warning, she fell onto the bed, unresponsive. Luckily, she didn't hit her head against the edge of the bed, because that would have been painful. Slowly, I walked towards her, checking if she was alright. For a moment, I was worried she was unconscious - but she was actually asleep. I remembered when I fell asleep just like her, when I came back from my night shifts and emergency surgeries. Back when everything was normal...

Well, was it normal, really?

I left the Detective in her room to sleep and joined the others for lunch. Little did I know that this was the last conversation I'd had with the Detective for a while. Because she didn't wake up that day. The whole day, when Eva and the man called Roberto came to the mountain, she was deep asleep. I wondered from where she knew Roberto, but that was a question that could wait until next time. And the following day, after I treated Eva, I had to leave with Dieter, because I knew where to go now - to Munich.

It was dark, endless rain drops hit against the windscreen. I listened to the sound of the car, watched the dark highway as we drove through the night. It was pitch-dark outside, only lit up by a few streetlights beside the road.

My mind was completely blank. I doubt it had been so blank before. I was merely observing, sitting on the passenger's seat like an empty shell.

Big hands on the steering wheel... I can't remember his facial expression for sure, but I recall he wasn't smiling for once. It was unusual for him. He was as silent as me, his eyes focused on the road.

"You did what you had to do."

I felt like these words weren't addressed to me, as numb as I was.

"It's okay, Ellie. It's okay."

A song played in the background. It was a new and popular song, but I couldn't seem to remember... it was as if the night sucked the last bit of energy out of me. My memory was fading.

When I woke up again, it took me some time to process that I had slept for about 24 hours. And what was that dream even about? It was strange that I remembered this moment all of a sudden... but it felt as if something was still missing. I stood up, feeling way better than yesterday, to look what was going on inside the house.

When I went through the house, still half asleep, I noticed that Doctor Tenma, Dieter and Heckel were gone. Instead, I encountered another person - a blonde woman I only knew too well.

"Miss Heinemann."

She looked at me, squinting as she sat in the wheelchair in the living room.

"I know you from somewhere. Aren't you that policewoman who is around Lunge a lot?" "Yes, I believe we've talked before. I am Detective H."

Miss Heinemann did not seem delighted to meet me.

"What are you doing here? What business do you have with Kenzo?"

"Kenzo? You mean, Doctor Tenma?" I took a glass of water. "I'm just doing my job. This is part of my investigation." I glanced at her leg. "What happened to you?" She grit her teeth. "I was shot." That leg looked quite injured, indeed. I assumed Doctor Tenma had treated her. "Who did this to you?", I asked her, but then, someone came to my mind. "Was it Roberto?" Eva frowned. "You know him?" "Yes. He has been watching you for a while. And I have been watching him." "And you didn't do anything against him? Even when you knew what kind of man he was?" "I did not have the opportunity. He didn't make a move while I was watching him. But I guess that has changed now." I placed the empty glass near the sink. "Anyway, I'll travel back to Düsseldorf today. Perhaps we'll see each other again. Get well soon, Miss Heinemann."

She immediately stopped me.

"Don't get high hopes to end up with Kenzo."

I turned around to her. She raised her eyebrows, her eyes glaring coldly.

"He's not into manly women like you. He likes women of elegance and high status."

I kept looking at her, not sure what to say at first.

"Thanks. I'm not interested."

With these words, I left the room, leaving her dissatisfied.