Elijah couldn't help a small laugh at his own certainty, because even without the confirmation, Eiji being involved was the only answer that made sense. "Call it father's intuition." Eiji had also come forward in the negotiations as a representative for Artemis alongside Roan, which had made that clear enough, but that was being kept quiet for the moment. "Maybe it's dramatic, but my family's recent history hasn't exactly been calm. I can't really speak to his motives conclusively though, as I said we haven't been in contact so I have no idea what he's thinking."
He shrugged, not missing the way she corrected him about using her name rather than her title but deciding not to harp on it. "I'm happy to throw a message into the void but I can't guarantee anything. You might have more luck putting something up on bulletin boards around town or posting it somewhere norex recommends. It might even sound better coming from another human rather from someone supernatural. Possibly even more so if it seems to come from you directly rather than the police" If Elijah was their most direct link to Eiji, then that presumably meant that they weren't looking at Rei as a link. He would prefer to keep it that way. "What sort of message would you want me to send?"
Jo's brow furrowed faintly. "Father's intuition?" she repeated. The phrase lingered for a moment before she tilted her head slightly. "Your father's intuition told you to tell a police officer with absolute certainty that your son is involved with a major criminal organization without any actual proof?" She didn't press the point further. If Elijah wanted to walk back the statement, he could. If he wanted to continue pretending that certainty and intuition were interchangeable concepts, that was his prerogative. Jo had already learned what she needed to from the answer.
"That is simply not how these things work." The suggestion of bulletin boards and public posts was so spectacularly counterproductive that for a second she wasn't entirely sure whether he understood what she was offering or whether he was deliberately pretending not to. "I'm not asking you to publicly advocate on behalf of the police. I'm asking you to discreetly pass along a message." Her expression remained neutral. "The department is willing to talk. That's it. If Eiji wants nothing to do with us, then he can ignore it. If he wants to hear what we have to say, then he can make that decision himself. Either way, broadcasting it to the whole city completely defeats the purpose. The second that offer becomes public, it's worthless. Best case scenario, Artemis decides he's become a liability. Worst case..." She paused. "It gets him killed."
Her gaze lingered on Elijah a moment longer. Long enough to wonder whether he actually believed any of the things he was saying or whether this entire conversation was simply another exercise in seeing how many ways he could avoid helping while still claiming cooperation. She had arrived willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. That reservoir was draining rapidly. "Can I ask you a personal question, Professor?" She said at last. "Off the record."
















