My Dearest Ernestine,
You will be glad to know that my trip was uneventful. I have taken up residence in suite 327 at the Old Trimble Long-Stay. The few of the other attendees I have met so far seem kind and we briefly discussed the fact that the weather is well suited for the task at hand.
I do however have some slightly alarming news to share with y-
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Is that blood?
Yes ma’am, I’m sorry.
We don’t mean to be back here again during this horrible time, but we do have some new evidence.
Did you find out who could have done this to him?
Well, no ma’am, not yet.
You see, he was attacked while he was writing you this letter. Stabbed repeatedly 12 times in the back.
Oh my!
Yes, ma’am.
The killer or killers seemed to have snuck up on him in his room, and he didn’t see it coming. They then dragged him to the hotel kitchen on the first floor
-Poor Haruki...
Yes, ma’am very sad. You see, we know this because there was a trail of smeared blood all the way to the walk-in freezer of the restaurant.
Brace yourself ma’am- they then hung him from a meat hook. We have reason to believe that’s where he succumbed to his injuries.
You mean he didn’t die in his room, he was still alive?
Yes ma’am he died on the meat hook.
Oh dear! My poor, poor Haruki.
And ma’am we know he was alive you see, because, it seems the killer or killers stopped on the 2nd floor staircase to maybe rest, we’re not exactly certain as to why they stopped, but they did and your husband, he took this time to scrawl a heart with an arrow through it and the letters E and H in his own blood.
Here’s a picture.
-My lord!
Yes, ma’am
And ma’am you see there? He wrote an E and an H?
Well the H we assume is for Haruki, but since your name is Julia
-well yes that is true, I can see why that would be confusing, my middle name is Ernestine. Haruki used my middle name in his letters, He said it made the letters seem more authentic.
Uhm…my name is Julia Collins
Julia Ernestine Collins- Nakamura to be exact.
Oh!
Yes, see, so he put an E instead of a J because in his own sweet way he was finishing the letter he had started, the only way he had left to him.
Writing letters till the very end. He always wrote me what he called “traditional letters”, he thought it was cute, I thought it was endearing, ya know?
Yes, ma’am.
I asked him once, I said Haruki, you know you could just text me, email me even, why do you feel like you have to go all out with the hand written letters?
He simply smiled and said he enjoyed writing them.
Sometimes he’d only be gone overnight and he’d still write me a letter, and he’d get back home before the letter even arrived.
-that’s very endearing ma’am. Do you have any of the old letters?
Ya- That was my Haruki.
He was a huge fan of the Ken Burns Civil War documentary, you know the one where the soldiers would write home to their loved ones?
Yes ma’am, I’ve seen the documentary.
Have you seen it, Detective Weathers?
Yes, Mrs. Nakamura, I’ve also seen it.
He was a Japanese immigrant, you understand?
He came here when he was only a child. He loved America and American traditions.
Gosh, I’m very sorry detectives, this is all just too much, you know?
Yes, ma’am.
I’ll never get another letter from him again.
Ma’am speaking of the letter, do you know what he could have meant when he wrote that he had some slightly alarming news?
Haruki’s letters were always a bit on the dramatic side, for all we know his hotel room didn’t have enough fresh towels.
Yes, ma’am -but why would anyone have reason to kill your husband?
Did he have any enemies that you know of?
My husband was an accountant by day and on weekends he loved playing disc golf and maybe once a month he would travel to tournaments or for work. Outside of some squabbles on the course, my husband didn’t have an enemy in the world.
I’m sorry, is it okay if I answer the door?
Yes ma’am of course
I’m sorry about that, detectives, neighbors have been bringing food since yesterday. Would either of you care for some ambrosia salad?
No thank you ma’am.
How about lasagna?
I still have 4.5 trays of the stuff.
No ma’am. Thank you, again.
PRE-CONFESSION
Detective Shirley. I loved my husband, he was in fact the love of my life. When I met him I was in a bad place. A very, very bad and dark place. You understand?
What do you mean?
I was hanging out at bars, sleeping with every low life that would look my way, I was experimenting with marijuana -
it’s all public record. I’m sure you’ve spoken with your counterparts here in Los Angeles and are well aware of my youthful indiscretions.
No? Yes? Okay I’ll spell it out for you.
I was arrested for drunk and disorderly a number of times, indecent exposure once or twice and I have a DUI on my record. There! I paid my dues and have not had a drink in 6 years. And Haruki has - had everything to do with that!
That man saved my life.
He was a generous, and patient man. And he single handedly saved my life!
He was a hero! My Hero!
Now if there isn’t anything else. I still have a funeral to plan.
Just a few more questions Mrs. Nakamura and we’ll be on our way.
Mr. Nakamura was a freelance forensic accountant. Does he work out of the house full time, does he have an office?
He works from home full time. But he would travel for work when the account necessitated it. Conducting interviews, reviewing accounting procedures, reviewing the books. You know, accounting stuff.
Would you mind if we look around in his office?
I’m not certain how that would help catch the people who killed my husband, detectives. Anyway, don't you need a warrant for that?
Yes, ma’am. If you don’t allow us access to his office, I suppose we would need a warrant.
Fine!
I suppose you would be derelict in your duties if you didn’t insist.
This way.
It’s not like we have anything to hide. We pay our taxes and donate to charity.
Just last week Haruki bought 5 chocolate bars outside the market from a young man who is saving up for college. Five! He didn't have to do that, am I right? He could have just-
Ma’am did your husband keep long hours?
Not particularly. No.
Oh the bed?
You guys want to read into that, do you?
The office doubles as a guest room.
There’s a glass of water on the nightstand.
And that’s a hamper with clothes in it.
Have you had guests recently?
I don’t see how that’s any of your business.
Ma’am was Mr. Nakamura sleeping in here?
Detective Weathers, you know your cologne is awfully pungent almost to the point of being offensive. Frankly it’s downright nauseating.
Detective Shirley on the other hand -
Mrs. Nakamura, it’s critical you remain cooperative with us.
Were you and your husband having relationship issues? Is that why he was sleeping in here?
Haruki was sleeping in here, he had been for the past 3 months.
Then, if I may ask… why was he writing you a letter from his golf retreat?
I don’t know! I don’t know! Okay?
Mrs. Nakamura, do you know who Emily Malone is?
She’s a nobody.
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