Chapter 108 - Name and Reality 31 {Combined 56/57} (131-132, 133-134: Headquarters Chief Yasumura's Unexpected Confession)
Koyabu, Mitani, and Tegoshi remained silent, glaring at Yasumura for a while. They were likely stunned by such a strong assertion, which was utterly unthinkable given Yasumura's usual humble demeanor toward his subordinates, despite being a career officer from the central administration.
Finally, Koyabu spoke up, though his tone was blunt and did not hide his dissatisfaction.
"Well, if the Headquarters Chief goes that far, we have no choice but to comply... but we ask that you handle the communications with Sapporo (Prefectural Headquarters) and Tokyo (National Police Agency) yourself, Chief."
"Of course. Then, we are in agreement? Now, Assistant Section Chief Nishida, regarding the raid—as soon as possible?"
Yasumura ignored the friction and asked Nishida for his opinion.
"Immediately! Considering that the detention extension deadline for Higashidate is August 3rd, my honest wish is to do it as early as possible. Since we have already solidified the case or separate charges against the three suspects, I'd like to carry out the arrests simultaneously. At the latest, it must be August 2nd... Since the 3rd is a Saturday, Friday the 2nd is effectively the final day Higashidate can be indicted..."
"I see, I understand perfectly. Then please proceed with the response immediately! Criminal Investigation Director Koyabu, Section 1 Head Mitani, and Management Officer Tegoshi, please provide full support. I'm counting on you! Especially Section Chief Mitani, I'll leave the request for arrest warrants to you."
Pressed by Yasumura, the three reluctantly replied, "Understood."
"Then, let's adjourn. If necessary, we shall meet again!"
After saying that, Yasumura added, "Oh, that's right! Assistant Section Chief Nishida, please stay behind. I have something to discuss with you."
After his three superiors left the room, their backs clearly showing they were suppressing what they wanted to say, Nishida remained seated stiffly on the sofa. Once Yasumura had dismissed his direct staff as well, he finally broke into a smile.
"There's no one else here, so please, relax," he said gently.
"Thank you for the cover fire earlier. It was a great help," Nishida expressed his gratitude at the first opportunity.
"No, no. For my part, it was more of a... mandatory response I had to make, in a sense..." Yasumura said as he slid open a cabinet.
"I have Japanese tea, black tea, and coffee. Which would you like?"
"Uh... well, Japanese tea, please."
"Understood. Well, none of it is anything special."
As he spoke, he put a tea bag into a teapot, added hot water from a kettle, and returned to his seat with two teacups. He poured the tea for Nishida and himself. Then, slowly, he began to speak.
"By the way, Assistant Section Chief Nishida, do you remember Criminal Investigation Director Ootomo, who used to be here at the Kitami Regional HQ and worked with you?"
"Ah... uh... yes. In the investigation (T/N: Yama—slang for a case) seven years ago, Ootomo-san was the head of the investigation headquarters, and I served under him, so of course I remember, but...?"
Caught off guard by the unexpected question, Nishida was momentarily confused but managed to answer.
"I see... By the way, what did you think of Ootomo-san? Did you have some... feelings about him?"
Since he was abruptly asking about his feelings toward Ootomo again, Nishida hesitated for a moment, unable to discern his intent. Moreover, the phrasing "feelings about him" clearly carried a negative connotation.
In fact, given the history where Ootomo had directly ordered the effective withdrawal from the investigation, it couldn't be said that Nishida had no "feelings" at all. However, it wasn't a decision Ootomo made alone... or rather, since there must have been instructions from even higher up, it was also true that he didn't hold a particularly strong negative image of the man. Nishida decided to convey his feelings frankly.
"To be honest, he was the person responsible for the final decision to remove the Engaru Station—where I was at the time—from the support of the shooting investigation we're currently chasing, so I can't say I don't feel some resentment. Even so, in the series of investigations up to that point, there were times he relatively accommodated our requests, so looking at the whole picture, I feel more like I'm grateful to him."
"Is that so..."
After responding to Nishida's answer, Yasumura brought the cup to his lips and quietly sipped the tea. Watching him, Nishida began to wonder strongly why Yasumura had brought up the name of Ootomo, the Criminal Investigation Director from seven years ago, at this stage. Had he read the investigation files and seen Ootomo's name there? Even if so, it didn't seem to connect directly to the question he asked Nishida. Just as Nishida was about to take the plunge and ask the reason, Yasumura, having set down his cup, spoke first.
"Actually... Ootomo-san and I worked together three years ago... To be precise, I worked as Ootomo-san's subordinate."
It was a sudden confession, but rather than being surprised, Nishida felt a stronger sense of things clicking into place.
"So that's why you asked those questions," Nishida nodded deeply, though he couldn't yet see the full picture.
"Exactly. Ootomo-san was the Headquarters Chief of the Fukui Prefectural Police. I served as his Criminal Investigation Director. Ootomo-san had been appointed there first, and though we only worked together for about a year, we got along well—or rather, after work, we often went out together and he treated me to meals. Naturally, we got to know each other well, our friendship deepened, and when we had a few drinks, we'd even grumble to each other. And so, about this case too..."
Having said that much, Yasumura glanced at Nishida.
"In my case, unfortunately, there was such a gap in our positions that I wasn't on such close terms with Ootomo-san, so I didn't have much opportunity to know his character to that extent," Nishida replied with a light, self-deprecating laugh.
"That's not true! Assistant Section Chief Nishida! Ootomo-san certainly remembered you well; your name came up in conversation several times."
At these unexpected words, Nishida nearly spat out the tea he was drinking.
"Really? Wow... I wonder if I left an impression because I snapped at him or something."
Nishida tilted his head, but Yasumura spoke with a regretful tone, as if he were the man himself.
"It wasn't anything like that. It was simply that he felt sorry he couldn't respond to your hard work..."
"He felt sorry?"
The reason for Ootomo's feelings had already been broadly stated by Yasumura, but because that part had completely slipped past Nishida, he ended up having to confirm it once more.
"Yes. Most of Ootomo-san's grumbling was about how the investigation here in Kitami was left half-finished due to pressure from above. After all, the case (T/N: Yama) you and the others were chasing, Assistant Section Chief, was undoubtedly a case that left him with considerable regret in his police career... And he felt he had caused great trouble to the local detectives who were working hard to get to the heart of the matter... That he couldn't protect them. Among them, the names of the people from Engaru Station—especially Nishida and Takeshita—were ones I heard often."
Setting aside Takeshita, who had snapped at the upper brass even more than Nishida back then, it was an honor for Nishida that his name had been remembered. And now, belatedly, he felt ashamed that he had ever harbored even a slight grudge against Ootomo in his heart. It was clear from Yasumura's words that even though he was the one responsible for the investigation, in the grand scheme of things, he had been suffering, caught in the middle as a middle manager.
"I see... So Ootomo-san had his own feelings of chagrin (T/N: Jikuji—shame/regret)... No, I had a faint inkling that might be the case, but I prioritized my own circumstances and emotions over that..."
He trailed off, feeling miserable, but Yasumura consoled him with a smile.
"That's only natural. If a detective on the front lines has to check with the higher-ups for every single thing, the case will never be solved! You should only think about your own investigation."
He continued, "After that, during my tenure, Ootomo-san retired at the end of his term as the Fukui Prefectural Police Headquarters Chief. It was before the mandatory retirement age, but he said, 'Having made it to Prefectural Police Headquarters Chief is enough.' He turned down all offers for re-employment, and since his children are now independent, he wrote in this year's New Year's card that he's living a life of leisure with his wife."
"He didn't take a second job?"
Nishida was surprised by this career move, which was unusual for a career officer.
"It's embarrassing for me to say, but it's rare for a career officer who retires without any particular problems not to take a second job. It's criticized as 'Amakudari' (T/N: 'Descent from Heaven'—the practice of retired bureaucrats taking high-paying jobs in the private sector), but in reality, you get a decent salary for work that isn't even that difficult, so it's hard to resist the cash. But Ootomo-san turned it down. Claiming his back was bad or something... He didn't say it to me directly, but even if his back really was bad, it shouldn't have been at a level where he couldn't work; it was clearly an excuse. In a way, I feel like that was his way of finally taking responsibility for his life as a police officer in Kitami."
Yasumura, who made a gesture as if gripping his knees tightly with both hands, stood up after saying that.
"Would you like something to eat? I only have some rice crackers (T/N: Senbei), though." He asked Nishida, as if trying to smooth over the awkward pause in the conversation.
"I appreciate the thought, but Headquarters Chief, isn't there something else you really want to talk to me about?"
For Nishida, while the story so far had been well worth hearing, it felt somehow separate from the reason he had been kept in this room, so he dared to prompt the other man to get to the main point.
"Heh, you saw through me? As expected of a detective active on the front lines, you're quite sharp! Well, it's not entirely unrelated to what we've been talking about."
The young superior, scratching his head to hide his embarrassment, handed Nishida a small plastic bag of rice crackers and sat down again.
"It was around the time I was listening to Ootomo-san's stories. I had a senior two years above me whom I knew well, who was the Criminal Investigation Director at the Prefectural Police Headquarters at the time. I had him secretly copy the investigation files of the case Ootomo-san lamented, and I looked into the details of the incident. Of course, I knew about the case to some extent from the news, but Ootomo-san didn't specifically say why the pressure was applied... When I looked, the investigation files didn't record anything specific either. I had no choice but to plead with that senior to look into it further, and it seemed that there were rumors that a certain politician was involved, not just in the shooting but also in the newly discovered murder by Motohashi... And that's when I learned the mastermind was Ooshima Kaiji. It's unacceptable for a politician to pressure an investigation and leave a case unsolved! That's just common sense."
Nishida had known before that Yasumura had some knowledge of the case, but he had never even considered that he had grasped the situation even before arriving at the Kitami Regional HQ. And then, something came to mind.
"Originally, the Kitami Regional HQ Chief position isn't for a career officer from the center, but a position for a local Prefectural Police officer (T/N: Proper—non-career). I heard when I first arrived that due to various circumstances, Headquarters Chief Yasumura was dispatched. Could there be some causal link between the fact that you were investigating the case and your sudden dispatch?"
"Acha—you saw through that too? I'm beat! ...Actually, the person scheduled to take the post at the Prefectural Police had some trouble and passed away, so they requested a temporary career dispatch from the National Police Agency. At that time, I raised my hand myself, hoping to break this deadlock. It's awkward to say this in front of a 'proper' officer like you, Nishida-san, but from the perspective of the career track, the position of a Regional HQ Chief in the Prefectural Police seems quite ambiguous, so once I raised my hand, it was decided immediately."
Yasumura gave a wry smile.
"I'm sure the realization of justice was in your mind, but did you also have a desire for something like... taking revenge for Ootomo-san?"
To Nishida's question, Yasumura replied, "Hmm, it's not that that wasn't part of it, but there were several other reasons. Actually, my maternal grandparents were from Hokkaido. It seems they even lived in Abashiri... I have two aunts, one of whom was born here, and both grew up here. My mother was the youngest and was born after my grandparents had already gone to Tokyo, so she had almost no connection here, but during the war, my mother and grandmother had evacuated from Tokyo as children. I'd heard the stories, but having grown up in Tokyo myself, I'd only visited once briefly on a trip. With that kind of connection, I also had a bit of a curiosity-driven desire to try living here for a while."
"Is that so... But compared to Tokyo, for an elite city dweller, it must be quite rural and boring, isn't it? It might be fine at first because it's novel."
"Setting aside the 'elite' part..."
After that preface, he took a sip of tea.
"It's true that compared to Tokyo, Hokkaido has a powerful sense of 'nothingness'—not unlike the lyrics 'It's a spring with nothing' from the song 'Erimo Misaki.' Without fear of being misunderstood, the sense of 'nothing' is incredible. Once you step a bit outside Kitami or Abashiri, there are almost no people, just fields and great nature. In winter, everything is covered in snow. Even in a big city like Sapporo, that doesn't change once you go toward Minami-ku or the suburbs."
After saying that, he took a crunching bite of a rice cracker, then crushed it further and swallowed.
"...But, as the person who wrote those lyrics probably felt, 'nothing' isn't synonymous with 'emptiness'... Tokyo is a big city and has everything, but it's also visibly filled with an unavoidable sense of emptiness. The 'nothing' of Hokkaido has something—I don't know what—that can be strongly felt from the air that should be a void. It's a shame my expressive power is lacking and I can't describe it well... but I like that about it. To the people living here, it might feel like I'm making fun of them, but I absolutely don't mean it that way!"
The way he put strength into the word "absolutely" seemed to Nishida to reveal the man's sincere character.
"I'm sorry for getting sidetracked again."
Yasumura laughed after speaking that much, but Nishida apologized, saying, "It's because I brought up a strange topic," and Yasumura began speaking again.
"There's no point in being roundabout, so shall we get to the main point? Assistant Section Chief Nishida! No, it's a bother—Nishida-san! You think you came to the Kitami Regional HQ at the request of Police Affairs Director Kurano, who was the Section 1 Head here seven years ago and retired this spring, don't you? However, the truth is that calling you here (T/N: Koko—Kitami) was my own decision! Of course, from what we discussed, Kurano-san also had his own feelings about that case, but I was the one who pushed and asked him! It was the result of thinking, based on the files and Ootomo-san's stories, that your cooperation was essential for the investigation. The person named Takeshita had unfortunately already quit the police, so there was nothing to be done there... Well, I could have asked you directly, but since you couldn't be appointed here without Kurano-san's discretion anyway, I had it framed as a proposal from Kurano-san. I thought it would be much easier for you to understand than being asked by me, someone you had no acquaintance with at all."
Once again, Nishida was bewildered by a fact he had never imagined. He had learned that Yasumura had not only desired his appointment but had also staked so much on this investigation. However, considering that Yasumura's own appointment was a year ago and was itself intentional, it could be said that pulling Nishida in was a natural fit.
"Was the fact that you accepted my assertion earlier also because of that background?"
"Of course. There's no point in wavering now. The reason I came to Kitami, and the reason I called you, was precisely for this investigation!"
In contrast to the humbled Nishida, Yasumura let out a bold laugh, unlike his usual self. Then he said,
"You have already responded to my expectations more than enough. Regarding the hospital shooting case where Ooshima is likely involved, you've already arrested the perpetrator, and the investigation will proceed further from here. And in the case of Sada Minoru, especially in the investigation as of 1995, while there were various problems, I've heard from Director Koyabu that you even deduced that the true identity of Ooshima Kaiji—who was thought highly likely to be Kuwano Kinya—is actually his cousin, Onodera Michitoshi, who was supposed to have died before the war. Finally, we're just a step away from Ooshima."
He bowed his head. Nishida, also humbled, replied,
"Headquarters Chief, please stop that! ...Even so, for someone like me, a common man, it's utterly incomprehensible that a Headquarters Chief would go so far as to stake his own career to bring down a series of cases."
"As I said earlier, besides wanting to conduct a proper investigation, carrying on Ootomo-san's will, and wanting to live in Kitami... there is actually another reason. It might even be taken as a personal grudge (T/N: Shien)."
"A personal grudge?"
At the unexpected word, he asked unconsciously.
"Yes. Because it might be taken that way—though it's absolutely not just a personal grudge," he prefaced with emphasis.
"Nishida-san, do you know that Ooshima Kaiji succeeded Kaito Takumi, the politician elected from this regional district?"
"Yes. I'm not well-versed in that area, but I've had opportunities to hear about his character during investigations, and I've heard from those who knew him that he was a quite respectable politician. To begin with, the 'Kai' in Ooshima Kaiji's name is said to be a professional name for elections, meaning he would carry on the 'line' (T/N: Ji—road/path) of 'Kaito' Takumi... And that Ooshima took his name from former Prime Minister Ooshima Kenichi, the head of the faction Kaito belonged to, or something like that."
Nishida answered from his existing knowledge. Hearing this, Yasumura's expression softened slightly.
"Whether he was a respectable politician or not, you know it well. Yes. Ooshima inherited Kaito's power base. And then he ended up in this pathetic state..."
As he spoke, the expression of the previously smiling Yasumura clouded over. Then,
"Actually... my maternal grandfather was that Kaito Takumi. I am Kaito's grandson from his daughter's side. My mother, Kaito's biological daughter, married into the Yasumura family, and I was the one born to them."
He began to speak of something that was hard to believe at first.
Nishida's head was in a whirl. After all, the name of the politician "Kaito Takumi," whom he had dealt with as a complete outsider's matter, now existed before his eyes in such a close form.
"Eh? W-Wait a minute!? Is that a true story? It's rude of me to say this, but it's not a bad joke, is it?"
Nishida inadvertently blurted out something disrespectful to his superior, even if the man was younger.
"Of course it's true! Is there any reason for me to tell such a stupid lie now? My mother is Kaito's third daughter, Michiko (T/N: Author's Note—Already mentioned as a foreshadowing when the old man Koshiba recalled Kaito's family structure in 'Correction: Light and Shadow 43'), and she married a man named Yasumura Mitsuhiro; I am the grandson born between those two. It is an undeniable fact! My name is written as 'Takumi' (T/N: Author's Note—Already mentioned in 'Correction: Name and Reality 2'), but this is because my father named me to become a person like my grandfather, 'Takumi' (T/N: Written with a different kanji)."
Now that he mentioned it, it was true that Yasumura's name was written as "Takumi." Nishida, with a renewed sense of gravity, concentrated on the rest of Yasumura's story.
"My father came from a poor family and worked as a printer with a middle school education after the war, but he met my mother, who had graduated from a junior college and started working at a publishing house, through work, and they fell in love. Naturally, because the other party was the daughter of a Diet member, they thought they'd be opposed because their 'origins were too different,' but he reportedly accepted them warmly, saying, 'If he's the person my daughter chose, I have no right to complain, and he must be the right one.' Impressed by that, and wanting me to 'become a person with insight (T/N: Takumi—same pronunciation as his name)' like my grandfather, and also playing on my grandfather's name 'Takumi'... well, that's how I ended up with such a grand name."
He laughed without reservation. Then,
"Unfortunately, since he passed away around the time I entered kindergarten, I have almost no memories of my grandfather. Well, to be honest, my father, who probably had an academic background complex, became a so-called 'education papa' out of a single-minded desire for me to become like my grandfather... When I was young, I rebelled in various ways against my father, who was always nagging me to study. Ah, before I knew it, I've been talking about myself and family matters for a long time. My apologies."
He spoke, and as he talked at length, he seemed to return to his normal self and bowed his head slightly, looking embarrassed.
"I see..."
Nishida, having heard Yasumura speak of his roots, found himself unable to find the next words, partly due to a slight sense of deep emotion.
"No matter how much he's called respectable or whatever, the fact that he designated such a man as his successor is a clear blunder on my grandfather's part... As for having produced a figure of the level who occupies a certain position as a major politician who distorted Japanese politics, I feel a responsibility as a blood relative. From my grandfather's perspective, having one of Kaito's daughters or one of their husbands inherit the power base might have been the height of folly as a privatization of politics, but in the end, once someone like that became the successor, even that meaning was lost... It's very regrettable. Therefore, I also have the purpose of fulfilling my grandfather's responsibility now by performing my own duties. From the world's perspective, it might be seen differently, but it's not like that."
Nishida sensed a strong determination in Yasumura, who was staring straight at him with a powerful gaze, different from his earlier manner. Indeed, it seemed he viewed it not as a personal grudge, but as part of his social responsibility.
"With various complex thoughts and beliefs intertwining, I feel a strange sense of fate (T/N: En—connection/fate) that I am having this conversation with you, Headquarters Chief Yasumura, right now."
To Nishida's words, Yasumura replied,
"Fate? No, such a casual word won't do. It's an inevitability. 'Fate' makes it sound like a coincidence. Both you and I have feelings toward this investigation. That has led to this encounter. I'm not a fatalist, but in a sense, I believe so. Of course, since I've intentionally involved you, you might feel it's a nuisance."
"If it's this kind of nuisance, in a sense, you're welcome to involve me anytime."
Nishida said this and drained his tea in one gulp.
"That's encouraging. Then I'll rely on you without hesitation! And Nishida-san, please rely on me without hesitation as well."
As he spoke, he thumped his chest and extended his right hand to Nishida. Nishida responded, and the two exchanged a firm handshake.
"However, even if we bring in Ooshima's secretary, the two young men from the Isaka Group, and Isaka himself, whether we can reach the main stronghold... I still can't say for sure. To be honest, it's a headache..."
Because he had received Yasumura's passionate feelings, Nishida bared his own heart, but Yasumura made his stance clear, never flinching from that reality.
"Isn't it fine? Even if the summit is hidden by fog halfway up the mountain trail, you have no choice but to climb the cliff in front of you step by step. That's all there is!"
"You're right..."
Nishida deeply agreed, adding his left hand to grip Yasumura's hand even more firmly. It could be said that he couldn't think of anything else but to agree.
"Your feelings toward this investigation (T/N: Yama), Headquarters Chief Yasumura, have been well conveyed to me. I feel even more braced for this! However, even this time (T/N: Ma—interval/time) is a waste, so I'll be heading back to the investigation headquarters soon."
Nishida slowly released his hand and announced.
"Yes, please do! I'm sorry for keeping you so long. I just felt I should convey my feelings clearly once."
As he spoke, he stood up along with Nishida and opened the door before his subordinate, intending to see him off. At that moment,
"Ah, that's right. May I ask one thing?" Nishida asked, as if remembering something.
"What is it?"
"Have you told Ootomo-san about this?"
"I haven't. He's no longer a member of the police, and it would only be a bother if I told him now. However, whether I tell him or not, I'm sure he would have the same thoughts as I do."
Yasumura asserted firmly.
Nishida left the room, and after confirming the door had closed behind him, he stood for a moment in the empty hallway. Not far from the door, he leaned his back against the hallway wall and took a deep breath.
The concrete wall felt unusually chilly. His state of mind in taking such an action was likely due to the sudden weight of what he was carrying, having learned that Yasumura—with whom he had had almost no direct contact until now—actually had great expectations for him.
But even more than that, it was certainly because he felt he had grasped a certain weight of history upon learning that Yasumura was actually secretly and deeply involved with this case by virtue of his origins.
Regarding Kaito Takumi, seven years ago, during the investigation process chasing Kuwano Kinya, Takeshita and Kurosu, who had been dispatched to Tokyo, had obtained various information from the old man Koshiba, the former Vice-Chairman of the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly. They had learned that he was a respectable politician in reality, even more than what was generally known, and Nishida had heard the term "Kaito-ism" (T/N: Author's Note—Mentioned in 'Correction: Light and Shadow 43') second-hand from Takeshita.
However, that Kaito-ism was unfortunately not passed down to the "nominal" successor, Tadokoro Yasuo, also known as Ooshima Kaiji—or rather, Onodera Michitoshi. Instead, ironically, the ideological "substance" had been passed down through time to the blood-related grandson, Yasumura Takumi, without going through the "transfer of the power base" to a blood relative, which Kaito had likely avoided.
And now, that Yasumura, though he likely had no way of knowing such a term, was about to challenge his grandfather's "negative legacy," staking the restoration of "Kaito-ism" on it. He himself was also involved in it—no, he was choosing to be involved.
Thinking of that flow, he felt a truly strange sensation. He himself was also secretly involved in a great, unknown tide of time that transcended eras. Nishida felt that way.
"Kaito-ism still lives here... huh."
Muttering that lowly, Nishida pushed off the wall and began walking briskly down the silent hallway toward the investigation headquarters (T/N: Chouba—slang for investigation HQ).
Considering the journey ahead, especially whether they could charge Ooshima for the murder of Sada Minoru, even though the investigation had begun to move significantly again, the situation was such that they couldn't yet see a way to grasp the beginning of a prosecution. Indeed, thinking of the future, it was true that his heart was still quite heavy. Yet now, strangely, his footsteps were light. Of course, it goes without saying that Nishida knew the reason why all too well.
August 1st, 6:00 AM. Detectives from the investigation headquarters and supporting detectives divided up and visited the homes of Secretary Nakagawa, Isaka, and Isaka Group employees Sakamoto and Itagaki, respectively, with arrest warrants obtained in the middle of the night.
Regarding Nakagawa, since the harboring of a criminal was past the statute of limitations (as was the case for Sakamoto and Itagaki), and because his involvement in the execution of the murder was quite strong, the arrest charge was directly for joint principal in murder.
For Isaka Masamitsu, the Kitami Regional HQ Investigation Division 2 took the lead, charging him with forgery of a private document with seal for the fraudulent entry of receipt amounts from a partner company.
For the remaining two, arrest for the "crime of discharging a firearm, etc." in the shooting at the construction company was considered, but since there were unclear points at this stage and their involvement in the Kyoritsu Hospital shooting was also thin, it was deemed impossible to prosecute them as joint principals in murder, so they were arrested on suspicion of aiding and abetting murder in the Kyoritsu Hospital shooting.
Then, the four who had been sleeping were taken into custody, and simultaneously, raids (T/N: Gasa-ire) on their homes were executed (T/N: Author's Note—Generally, when a person is arrested at their home, a search can be conducted without a search warrant).
Sakamoto and Itagaki were still single, but since Nakagawa and Isaka had wives and children at home, and it was early morning, the raids seemed to have caused considerable confusion. However, all four were taken to the Kitami Station without any particular resistance.
Meanwhile, at Ooshima's office, from the morning, a lineup of detectives including Nishida, Yoshimura, Sanada, Mayuzumi—who had already scouted the place—and Miyabe, whom Nishida had designated from the Kitami Station, along with a total of four forensics experts led by the veteran Kawakita, were staked out. On the other hand, Section Chief Mitani was taking command of the raid on the Isaka Group.
As expected, no one had come to Ooshima's office yet, so they waited for the staff to arrive. Needless to say, they were firmly securing the perimeter to ensure no one entered from the back and did anything suspicious.
Since Mayuzumi had infiltrated the office, Nishida had his subordinate investigators stake it out until today, but there shouldn't have been any clear movement so far.
Nishida had confirmed the securing of the other three via mobile phone, so he was concentrating his mind on the raid of the Ooshima office. Whether that mark was a bullet hole or not would have a major impact on the investigation.
If the same components as the bullets used in the incident were detected from the part where the hole was in the wall material, it would undoubtedly become easy to prove that the three—Kagami, Higashidate, and Ohara—had been hiding there with the intent to cause the incident. At the very least, it would be harder for Secretary Nakagawa, who had been looking after them, to claim he "didn't know."
Conversely, if that couldn't be proven, they would have to rely solely on Higashidate's testimony to prove they were practicing shooting on the top floor, and proving that Nakagawa knew about it would also depend on Higashidate's testimony.
Against a normal opponent, that might be fine, but when the opponent is Ooshima's right-hand man, they had to consider to some extent that a strange "judgment" might be made in court. That was precisely why he hoped that mark would be a bullet hole.
*
Past 7:30 AM. Finally, a person who appeared to be a veteran female office staff member appeared at the front entrance and was about to unlock the office. Information about Nakagawa's arrest should have been blocked by the police, so neither Ooshima Kaiji nor the office staff should know anything yet.
"Alright, let's go!"
With Nishida's shout, the investigators who had been waiting in a van on the street scrambled out and surrounded the female staff member all at once. To the woman who stared at Nishida and the others with a stiff expression full of fear and stopped moving, Nishida showed his search warrant and badge and spoke in a small but clear voice so as not to be heard by the surroundings, as they were facing the sidewalk.
"Police. Sorry for the early hour, but we will be searching the office thoroughly on suspicion of murder by your Secretary Nakagawa."
As it was starting to hit the commuting hour, people who appeared to be salarymen passing by on the sidewalk were looking suspiciously at Nishida and the others as they formidably surrounded the woman. After having Nishida show her the warrant up close and confirming it, the female staff member looked unconvinced but reluctantly guided them inside.