Chapter 12 - Rumblings 7
Since the stakeout on Kitagawa was being conducted 24 hours a day even after he returned home, several teams of investigators were always stuck in Kitami, and the entire investigation headquarters no longer gathered together. For this reason, it was decided at this point that the support team from Kitami, including his partner Kitamura, would not return to Engaru every time but would commute directly from home. Normally, if there is a distance to the local station where the investigation headquarters is located, the support team takes lodging near the station. On the other hand, if the distance is short, it's a commuting pattern, but the distance between Kitami and Engaru was in a delicate geographical relationship that could be taken as either, so both options were possible. In this case, until now, everyone had been coming to Engaru by commuting. Since the main investigation had moved to Kitami, the policy was changed. Because of this, when Nishida and Kitamura were on stakeout, Nishida would head to Kitami from Engaru by car and meet up with Kitamura at the Kitami Regional Headquarters.
"Team Leader, aren't you sleepy?"
Kurosu called out to Nishida, who had been on stakeout in Kitami until 7:00 AM this morning and had returned to the station immediately after being relieved.
"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't."
As he said this, a yawn escaped him involuntarily.
"I'm on from after noon today, so it's somewhat easier for me." Komura joined the conversation.
"I wonder how long the stakeout will last. Is it over a week today..."
Nishida looked at the calendar again at Kurosu's statement. Indeed, today was July 20th. It was the eighth day since the stakeout began. It was around the time when one's sense of the days of the week starts to disappear.
"The brats of the world are about to start summer vacation. I'm jealous. Over there it's noisy at the beach, and over here it's a murder case (yama) and a raid (gasa)—it's too much of a contrast. Oh right, from next year, this 20th will be a new holiday called 'Marine Day' or something. A holiday right before summer vacation is ridiculous."
Oba said this as if spitting it out while reading the newspaper, using a clever play on police jargon. As for the other members, Yoshimura was off duty today, and Takeshita's team and Sawada's team were in Kitami, having swapped with Nishida's stakeout time.
"Don't say that. You're usually plenty idle, so think of this as being busy for that amount."
"The Team Leader is right. If you were working in Sapporo or somewhere, you wouldn't even have time to complain about this!"
Komura, the eldest among them, followed Nishida's lead and admonished Oba.
"Komura said a good thing! You guys want to work in Sapporo or Asahikawa in the future, right? Then this is a good experience."
Oba heard Nishida's statement and said,
"Sorry, I was irritated from lack of sleep," and stood up with a half-grin, bowing exaggeratedly. He knew well that the two weren't truly angry.
"Team Leader, you're married, so you must have plans to go somewhere with your kids for summer vacation, right? I want to solve this quickly. Well, but is it too late now..."
Kurosu suddenly changed the subject.
"By the time we get this far, as you know, whether it's solved quickly or not, the summer vacation period will be completely crushed, so I'm in a state of resignation. Even if he 'falls,' how long will it take from corroboration to document preparation..."
Nishida lamented as if looking up at the heavens.
"It's been almost a month since you went back to Sapporo, hasn't it? Your wife must be worried. Since there's no sign of Kitagawa doing anything for now, it'll take a while. However, fortunately, we don't feel any movement like he's destroying evidence for now. That's the only saving grace, I guess."
"But you know, Komura, if he disposed of various things before we started marking him, even if there's a matter we can pull him in for, it's already too late."
Nishida's concern was also the concern of the investigation headquarters. If they couldn't get corroboration here, the probability of the investigation so far being wasted would increase.
"Let's try not to think about that. It's tiring to think about it." Komura smiled wryly.
"Even so, I've been curious lately, I feel like I've heard Kitagawa's name somewhere before, but I can't remember when... Haven't you guys heard it?"
"I haven't. Team Leader, didn't you hear it from Senior Staff Takeshita before?"
"No, Oba, I didn't hear it from Takeshita at all. There's no doubt I heard it for the first time at the investigation meeting the other day."
"Then it's some kind of misunderstanding. In the first place, there's no need to worry about it. The fact that you've heard it before doesn't mean anything in itself." Oba said bluntly.
"That's true, but..."
Nishida felt a slight sense of loneliness as if he were being treated lightly by his subordinate, but at the same time, since there was work to be done in front of him, he reconsidered it as a sound argument and decided to stop worrying about it. And when he glanced at his wristwatch, it was already past 9:00.
"Is it already this time? I'll head home and sleep quickly."
"You should do that, Team Leader! It's a battle of stamina. Excluding the Section Chief, you're the biggest old man, so it'll be a problem if you collapse." Kurosu teased him with plenty of playfulness.
"Yeah, just as the young man says. Old soldiers never die, they just go home."
Nishida replied with self-deprecation, then continued grandly,
"Well then, young people, I leave the rest to you," and left the investigation headquarters.
"Did I say too much?"
Kurosu made a face as if he'd "done it" while watching his back, but Komura spurred his junior on, saying,
"He's not the kind of person to get serious over something like this. More importantly, work, work!"
On July 25th at 6:30 AM, the duo of Takagi and Yoshimura parked an unmarked patrol car on the back street near the Kitagawa residence and continued their stakeout from late at night. Having entered summer vacation, a group of children likely heading for radio calisthenics passed by the car noisily. On the main street, the Mobile Unit should be keeping a sharp eye as usual. It had been nearly two weeks since they started the stakeout, but during this time, Kitagawa had not shown even a hint of going out in the middle of the night. For this reason, investigators assigned to the late-night shift spent a lot of time just watching without anything moving, so it had become recognized as a "miss" mission.
The normal time Kitagawa headed to the company was around 7:30 AM in his own car, which was an early commute for an executive, so it had become a rule before they knew it to swap the stakeout around 7:00 AM. Since that time was approaching, Takagi and Yoshimura, while lacking concentration due to drowsiness and lethargy, were squeezing out their last strength to fulfill their duty.
Kitagawa had left the company the previous day and had been eating and drinking at a club in the Kitami entertainment district for entertainment until after 10:00 PM, and they had received a report during the handover that he returned home around 11:00 PM. Unfortunately, perhaps because he had drinking plans from the start, he used taxis for both going to work and returning home yesterday, so they couldn't pull him in for drunk driving or the like. Even until now, when he had plans to drink, he always used a taxi from the time he went to work, and if he didn't originally plan to drink, he was thorough in this point, such as leaving his car at the company and using a taxi. The enemy doesn't show any weakness. The fact that he had previously received a fine for drunk driving might be making him do so.
"What should I do? Should I eat in Kitami before going back, or return straight to Engaru..."
Yoshimura was starting to worry about breakfast.
"Wait, didn't you say you'd eat in Kitami during the previous late-night shift?" Takagi spoke up.
"No, I couldn't easily find a place that was open."
"True, I don't know many places in Kitami that open from early morning. In port towns and such, they're often open. When I was working in Hakodate before, I sometimes ate at the market after night shift and went home."
"Hakodate, huh... They have morning markets there, don't they?"
"There should have been a wholesale market in Kitami too. I don't know if there's something like a cafeteria, though."
"Is that so? There's one in Engaru too, and there's a cafeteria there. Well, it's my hometown, so I know the eateries in Engaru that open from the morning..."
"How about it? I can't make anything particularly delicious, but do you want to come over and eat something my wife made?"
Since Takagi was a detective from the Kitami Regional Headquarters, his residence was also in Kitami. He seemed to be showing consideration for his junior.
"No, I can't intrude from the morning. Your kids are home for summer vacation too, right? It's really too much to ask."
"I don't mind at all."
"Even if you don't mind, Takagi-san, it's a matter of your wife."
"My wife likes entertaining people, so don't worry about it."
"Hmm, if you go that far, I'm grateful, but..."
Just as Yoshimura was hesitating to deceive him, thinking that a "home visit" would be inwardly stressful and troublesome, a contact came in over the radio.
"This is Mobile Unit 103. The target's car has moved west from the main street. Based on the suit, it's likely a commute, but starting pursuit now. Over."
Yoshimura, who was pulled back to reality all at once from the relaxed conversation, hurriedly took the receiver.
"Understood. We're moving too. Over."
After saying so, Yoshimura quickly started the engine.
"The guy is earlier than usual this morning. I wonder if he's stopping somewhere?"
"Who knows. Since he's wearing a suit, I think he'll eventually go to the Isaka Group, though."
Yoshimura stepped on the accelerator without worrying about the tea in the holder that spilled a little from the shock of one wheel that had been on the shoulder dropping down.
"It looks like the relief will be a while away..."
Takagi muttered this and wiped the tea that had splashed on the gear with a tissue.
The Mobile Unit and Yoshimura's team began the pursuit, but the route was as usual. On the sidewalks, children who looked like they were returning from radio calisthenics were noticeable everywhere.
"It seems he's going to the company just like this. They said he's wearing a suit. I wonder if there's some work he wants to finish early? If it's just that, I wish he'd stay home. It's an anticlimax."
Yoshimura talked on and on while driving.
"It doesn't feel like there's anything in particular. Oh well. I guess we'll swap in front of the Isaka Group. That won't be much of a time loss."
Just as Takagi was saying that, with a screeching sound of brakes, the Mobile Unit's unmarked patrol car ahead suddenly put a red light on top and sounded the siren.
"Wait, what's that? Did something happen?"
Yoshimura said this and leaned his upper body forward from the steering wheel to investigate. Takagi also opened the window so he could put out the red light immediately. However, the siren stopped immediately, and at the same time, the car was parked on the shoulder, and a detective was seen jumping out from inside.
Yoshimura and his team also parked their car immediately after and went outside. In front of the Mobile Unit's unmarked patrol car, Kitagawa's luxury car was parked, and the man was talking to a boy who looked like a lower-grade elementary school student sitting on the ground. Around them, children who appeared to be friends of the same age were surrounding them worriedly. It seemed he had hit a child. That said, looking at the child who was hit, although blood was coming from what looked like scrapes on the knees and arms, it didn't look like a very major accident. Even considering the speed of the tailing side, Kitagawa's car shouldn't have been speeding. At the same time, it wasn't a place with a crosswalk.
"Son, are you okay?"
While Kitagawa was calling out, a veteran detective named Shimura from the Mobile Unit began to ask about the circumstances while showing his police badge. Another young detective named Ota was requesting an ambulance via 119.
It was a very well-timed appearance, but Kitagawa didn't seem to care. Or rather, it would be more accurate to say it wasn't a situation where he could care.
"We're the police, were you looking ahead properly?"
"No, this child suddenly jumped out... I stepped on the brakes, but it seems I hit him a little."
"I see. Son, did you jump out here?"
The child was nodding while crying. If it were an ordinary person, it might be a scene to scold the child, but legally, the responsibility lies mainly with the car side, and the police deal with it on that premise. Especially since the opponent is a suspect in a major case.
"Well, it's unfortunate for the driver, but since you hit him, it's a personal injury accident, so I have to hear the circumstances," Shimura announced. Kitagawa had an expression of "this is bad," but to Yoshimura, it didn't seem to be from the realization that the police were marking him for a separate charge. He just seemed to regret causing a traffic accident. Meanwhile, Ota confirmed the child's name and address and was reporting via police radio to also contact the parents.
"Ah, right. I feel like it smells like alcohol while talking. Since we're at it, I'll have you checked with this."
Shimura said this and took out an alcohol breathalyzer from inside the car. Indeed, considering the drinking from the previous day, even if the public perception was that "the drunkenness has worn off," there was a high possibility that numerically it was in a state of about "driving under the influence." Yoshimura felt from Shimura's tone that he probably didn't really think it smelled like alcohol. Kitagawa had a surprised expression, but when Shimura said,
"This is a mandatory test, so you have to do it," he complied obediently. He seemed to think the alcohol had cleared. When he blew his breath into the testing device as told, Shimura stared at the numerical value, and his mouth seemed to loosen slightly.
"0.27 mg. This is driving under the influence. Uh—7:02 AM. Arrested in the act for professional negligence resulting in injury (in 1995, the crime of negligent driving resulting in death or injury did not exist) and driving under the influence!"
He declared this toward the stunned opponent while checking his watch. Seeing that, Yoshimura snapped back to his senses, ran to his car, and quickly reported to the investigation headquarters,
"Target secured in flagrante delicto in Kitami City!"
After that, in about ten minutes, officers from the Kitami Station Traffic Division and an ambulance arrived. Since the victim child was taken straight to the hospital by ambulance, the Traffic Division conducted an on-site inspection while taking photos of brake marks, the place where he was hit, and the parts of the car that seemed to have hit, based on the statements of the arrested Kitagawa and the eyewitness accounts of the victim child's friends. The two from the Mobile Unit were also testifying about the situation at the time of the arrest.
And when that was over, the two returned to their car and started having a smoke. Meanwhile, the two from the investigation headquarters team began to look around inside Kitagawa's car. The two from the Mobile Unit were just watching them from inside their own car. This wasn't because they weren't working, but because they were thoroughly following the "rule" of not touching work "outside their jurisdiction." Their job this time was basically already fulfilled at the point they arrested the investigation target.
The Traffic Division officers also knew in advance that Kitagawa was being marked by the investigation headquarters, so they ignored the movements of Takagi and Yoshimura even while they were having Kitagawa accompany the inspection. Since he was arrested in the act, the police can seize the car without a warrant. In other words, a detailed investigation wasn't necessary at this point, but they thought they'd check if there were any noteworthy items for the time being.
When they checked the trunk first, a shovel with "Isaka Group" written on the handle with a marker immediately came into view. Near it were two lanterns and a powerful flashlight called a Maglite.
"There's a high probability these were used," Yoshimura whispered to Takagi while putting on gloves, and he replied,
"Yeah, we'll probably end up analyzing the soil components on the shovel too."
"If he really used them, it's a help that he didn't throw them away."
"Yeah, really. Since these aren't directly related to a crime, he probably didn't care much. Also, there'll be soil on the floor mats, so we have to do those too. When we take it to the station, we have to have the Traffic Division folks drive with plastic over their shoes..."
While having such a conversation, they closed the trunk and moved to the search inside the car. They also looked lightly inside the dashboard and such, but unfortunately, from the perspective of the two, nothing that seemed particularly related was inside.
"The rest is whether anything remains on the floor mats..."
After finishing the investigation in about ten minutes, Yoshimura said disappointedly while roughly taking off his gloves.
"It's still at the car stage. After this is the raid on Kitagawa's house and the raid on the Isaka Group."
As Takagi said that, Shimura, who had been observing the situation, came out of the car and spoke as he approached.
"How is it, was there anything?"
"Well, just one or two things. I guess the rest depends on the raid on the house and the company."
To Takagi's reply, he just left a word,
"I see. That's a shame," and quickly returned to his own investigation vehicle.
Yoshimura was watching that, and when he confirmed Shimura had moved away from Takagi, he voiced a doubt about Takagi's previous statement.
"Aside from the raid on the house for reasons like suspicion of further drinking at home, can we also do the Isaka Group for driving under the influence?"
"The headquarters (chouba) will definitely do it. They have to do at least that much." The senior detective stated firmly.
Ten minutes later, Kitagawa was taken to the Kitami Station in a patrol car by the Traffic Division officers who had finished the inspection smoothly. Then Takagi and Yoshimura had a business communication with the officers who remained for the aftermath about precautions when seizing the car. Shimura and his team were having a meeting about subsequent testimony regarding the personal injury accident. When all the work was over, the four silently saw off the Traffic Division staff as they left the scene with Kitagawa's car, along with a strange sense of accomplishment. Shimura and his team from the Mobile Unit, who stayed until the end, said,
"Well then, we'll head back first," got into their car, and started the car to return to the Regional Headquarters. Then they suddenly stopped quietly in front of Yoshimura and Takagi, who were still outside the car. Shimura, sitting in the passenger seat, lowered the window and said,
"For now, we've successfully handled the job we were given. Now it's your turn. Generally, a 'clean' thing like an arrest for a personal injury accident and drinking is not something you easily come across in separate-charge matters. In that sense, there's luck too. Make use of that luck! Well then, until the day we meet again! Farewell!"
With that, he lightly raised his left hand and left a line reminiscent of Yanagisawa Shingo, then drove off with a rough sudden start that didn't seem like a police vehicle. Takagi, who was silently seeing off Shimura and his team as they gallantly moved away in front of the two illuminated by the morning sun, said,
"Just as those people said, now it's our turn. Now, we have to do our best!" and re-energized himself while tapping Yoshimura's shoulder several times, and the two returned to their car.
The investigation headquarters at the Engaru Station, which received the contact from Yoshimura, became suddenly busy before 8:00 AM and fell into a hectic situation. Since Kurano, the practical investigation supervisor, had not arrived from Kitami and would likely remain in Kitami to take command of the investigation, at this point, Section Chief Sawai was managing the scene, just as before the investigation headquarters was set up. Furthermore, since the few remaining members of the Engaru Station had to coordinate and communicate with the Kitami Regional Headquarters and the Kitami Station Traffic Division, everyone was occupied with responding. Not only the Detective Division but even staff from the Police Affairs Division were called in for support. In the room where faxes and phones were ringing, Nishida, who was on the afternoon shift but was called in urgently, was talking with Section Chief Sawai about the general flow of the future investigation.
The raid that was naturally planned to be conducted would ostensibly be for the arrest for the personal injury accident and driving under the influence, so the Traffic Division would conduct it, but naturally, investigators from the investigation headquarters would also accompany it. Manager Hiruma would likely handle the coordination, but to finalize the talk, it was thought necessary for Kurano to contact the Section Chief of the Traffic Division directly. The Traffic Division had already requested a search warrant for Kitagawa's residence from the Kitami Branch of the Kushiro District Court.
Also, regarding the interrogation, first the Traffic Division will lead the interrogation about the personal injury accident, but after sending the case to the prosecutor within 48 hours of arrest (practically, usually the day after arrest), a detention request will be made by the prosecutor in charge to a judge at the Kitami Branch of the Kushiro District Court within 24 hours. At the stage when a 10-day detention is granted by the judge after the detention questioning, it will likely gradually switch to interrogation by our investigators.
Of course, if evidence related to the original target case is seized in the raid, a re-arrest request can be made for this case at that point. Whether to hold off on the arrest for this case until just before the detention for the separate charge expires to use the detention period for the separate charge to interrogate for as long as possible, or to switch immediately to the arrest for this case, depends on the conditions at the time, but if it becomes an arrest for this case, Kitagawa's custody will be moved to the investigation headquarters in Engaru.
"Aside from the house, will we also raid the Isaka Group?" Sawai asked Nishida with a contemplative face.
"Section Chief, what is Kurano-san saying?"
"It seems Kurano-san is also hesitating."
"Well, I suppose so. If we raid there too, it will become somewhat large-scale, and since they likely have a corporate lawyer, a raid on the company for an executive's drinking accident might lead to quite a bit of trouble."
"That's true. But there might be something at the company too."
"Also, there's that disappearance case that the previous president is involved in. That certainly has the possibility of involving the whole company."
"It would be great if we could delve that far. But if a Member of Parliament and a Prefectural Assembly Member put pressure on us at that time, it'll likely be a headache this time too."
"It's ironic that once we start moving, we're already dreading what's ahead."
Nishida shrugged his shoulders at his boss. However, there was no doubt that light had begun to shine from the state of groping in the dark. His tone was quite bright.
*
Kitagawa, who was placed in the custody of the Traffic Division, had requested a meeting with Lawyer Matsuda, the corporate lawyer for his employer, the Isaka Group, who had a law office in Kitami. Matsuda was famous within the police under the jurisdiction of the Kitami Regional Headquarters as one of the few influential lawyers in Kitami. He wasn't a human rights advocate, but he was a capable lawyer in criminal cases and was disliked by police officials. However, in the case of a personal injury accident due to driving under the influence, even if it was a minor accident, he likely saw the arrest as appropriate, as he stayed within normal advice during the meeting and left the station without openly complaining to the police. He might have emphasized the response to the victim after the accident.
The investigation headquarters also judged from this movement that neither Matsuda nor Kitagawa had realized it was actually a separate-charge arrest. For now, the investigation will start moving visibly to the opponent regarding this case after the detention is finalized.
Before noon, the search warrant for the residence, which the Kitami Station had requested immediately after the arrest, was issued by the district court branch, so the investigators decided to raid Kitagawa's house from after noon together with the Traffic Division investigators from the Kitami Station. It had already been confirmed that his wife was at home. As expected, it would be harsh to have the son, who would likely be at home for summer vacation, witness it.
On the other hand, regarding the raid on the Isaka Group, even after 10:00 AM, the request for the warrant itself had not been made. As Sawai said, the investigation headquarters was still hesitating. Senior Staff Kurano, after careful consideration with Kitami Station Traffic Section Chief and Headquarters Chief Otomo, first consulted with Tono, the Kitami Station Chief. Tono said advice from the Kitami Regional Headquarters was necessary, so they finally decided to seek the decision of Terashima, the Chief of the Kitami Regional Headquarters, and Terashima gave the go-ahead before 11:00 AM. As a result, the Kitami Station Traffic Division was to request a search warrant for the Isaka Group from the district court, just as they did for the Kitagawa residence. Before they know if this is granted, the search of the residence will likely be over.
Regarding the reason for the search of the company, the one adopted was: "Since the suspect uses a car for commuting, there is a possibility he was habitually driving under the influence, and to investigate his health condition, it is necessary to check if there is alcohol in the company's private property, and to check his work status and health insurance." His past fine for driving under the influence was also to serve as supporting material. Also, the fact that work status was one of the important corroborating investigations in Kitagawa's involvement in the case this time also had an influence. The search of private property naturally includes checking if there is anything related to the case, centered on Yoshimi's camera.
At exactly 1:00 PM, they started the raid on the Kitagawa residence with a 12-person team, which was unusual for a personal injury accident due to driving under the influence. In a general residential area, even if they were detectives, 12 suspicious men arriving in three vans must have looked like a suspicious sight to the surroundings.
The members consisted of two from the Kitami Station Traffic Division, and from the investigation headquarters, led by Sugawara, the Team Leader of the Kitami Regional Headquarters Section 1 Violent Crimes Unit, six from the Kitami Regional Headquarters support team including Kitamura, and four from the Engaru team led by Section Chief Sawai, including Nishida, Komura, and Kurosu.
At the appearance of a person identifying as police over the intercom, a person who looked like the wife, who showed surprise as everyone does and looked outside from the room and was surprised again, could be confirmed by the investigators through the gaps in the lace curtains.
"What is this?!" she voiced with a stiff expression as soon as she opened the front door. Sugawara replied coldly,
"You are the wife, Kanako-san, right? You know that your husband caused a personal injury accident this morning while driving under the influence, don't you?"
"Y-yes," she let out a thin voice under the pressure of the detective.
"For that investigation, we will now search your home. This is the search warrant, and we have permission from the court. Since it has compulsory execution power, unfortunately you cannot refuse. If you try to block it, you may be arrested for obstruction of official duties," Sugawara pressed while showing the warrant.
"I understand that... but why are you searching our house for driving under the influence?" Her voice was slightly trembling. To Nishida, Kanako looked to be in her mid-40s. She was a neat type of woman.
"Your husband left the house this morning and caused an accident immediately after, and at that point, alcohol above the standard value was detected in his breath. Naturally, there is a possibility that he drank alcohol at home and it remained, so this will be a house search in connection with that."
Sugawara stated the reason he had prepared from the start as if it were second nature. Of course, he also presumed that Kitagawa had drunk alcohol at the entertainment the previous day and that part probably remained slightly, but he acted as if he didn't know that.
"My husband drank outside yesterday and didn't drink alcohol at home," the wife protested with all her might.
"Well, we'll investigate that from now on. The wife will be required to witness the search, so we look forward to your cooperation." Sugawara's way of speaking was starting to show slight irritation. A person who looked like the son, Hiroyuki, also came down from the second floor and was watching the situation worriedly.
"Anyway, it has legal compulsory power, so please!" Sugawara gave the ultimatum to the wife, who was silently troubled.
"I-I understand..."
At the same time as hearing that voice, Sugawara lightly bowed his head and said,
"Then, excuse us," and gave the command to the investigators behind him,
"Alright, go in!"
At that signal, the investigators swarmed into the room in search of prey, giving light greetings while passing the wife and son who were standing still.
Naturally, since it was ostensibly to gather evidence of "driving under the influence," they searched places where alcohol was likely to be, such as the living room and kitchen, but the target was the discovery of the camera that went missing at the time of Yoshimi's death and shoes that would likely match the footprints found around the body. Since the shovel and lanterns thought to have been used when digging up the body had already been seized, those were the target items. Needless to say, items that could be directly seized in this search were those originally targeted by the warrant—evidence of the separate-charge arrest for driving under the influence—but the scenario envisioned by the investigation headquarters was that in the process, along with the N-System matter, some evidence of another crime happened to be found, and they would request a warrant for this case once more. This was because if they seized them with the current warrant, there was a possibility they would be certified as exceeding the scope permitted by the search warrant.
While Kanako was just watching the raid restlessly and worriedly, Traffic Division investigators and Komura, Kurosu, and several from the Kitami Regional Headquarters were collecting sake and whiskey bottles and empty beer cans. While the wife and son were paying attention to that, other detectives were checking places where a camera might be and the shoe rack.
Although the search inside the house was permitted, since it was on the premise of seizing evidence related to driving under the influence, it was an investigation in a quite gray zone. Even though the opponent was an amateur, if they "trashed" the place conspicuously, there was a possibility of trouble later. Kitagawa also had a capable lawyer.
Nishida and Kitamura were looking for the shoes Kitagawa likely wore at the Ikutahara site at the shoe rack in the entrance. However, shoes matching the footprints they brought were not found there.
"Team Leader Nishida, what should we do... They're not here. They weren't in the car, were they?"
"That's what was in Yoshimura's report. This is bad. If they're not here..."
He looked around the entrance, but there was no place that seemed to store shoes in particular. That said, rushing would only waste time. Thinking if there was any way, the two sat on the edge of the entrance floor to devise a plan. Meanwhile, Sawai and his team had entered the bedroom-cum-study of the Kitagawa couple, claiming there was a possibility of a nightcap, and were looking for the camera.
"Does it look like it's here?" Sugawara asked Sawai in a low voice.
"I don't see it. We might find it if we turn the whole house upside down, but that might lead to trouble later."
"I guess we have to skillfully guide them..." Sugawara said this and restlessly tapped the upper part of his elbows with his index fingers while his arms were crossed.
Nishida was the first to move. He went to the wife, Kanako, in the living room and started like this.
"Ma'am, excuse me for a moment. According to the police investigation, your husband seems to have been going out night after night since around late May?"
"Y-yes," she replied timidly.
"So, do you know where he went at those times? For us, we have to consider the possibility that he drank alcohol at a bar or somewhere and was driving under the influence..."
"That's absolutely not true!" the wife suddenly spoke sharply.
"Why can you say that?"
"Why... My husband said at that time, 'A thief entered the material storage in Rubeshibe of the company in the middle of the night, so I have to go on patrol,' and he went out about two out of every three days for about two weeks. When he came back, he didn't smell like alcohol!"
At this point, Nishida was inwardly thinking "Heh heh" as the talk was proceeding to his advantage. Also, he was able to confirm that Kitagawa had made such an excuse to his wife and had gone out to the Ikutahara site. On top of that, he pressed further.
"I see. But do you have evidence that he went to the site?"
"Even if you say evidence, I was at home..."
"For example. The fact that he went to a site in the mountains means that if there are shoes he wore at that time, analyzing the soil on those shoes would help prove that your husband was doing his job properly. If he went to a site in the mountains, it's hard to imagine business shoes."
It was an elaborate guidance. If they didn't come out with this, they probably weren't here or had been disposed of. It is common sense from Nishida's investigation experience so far that a full-time housewife often grasps information throughout the house.
"Ah, yes. Indeed, they weren't his usual shoes, but shoes he wore for things like picking wild plants. If it's those, I saw my husband putting them away in the storage shed in the back a little while ago."
Nishida felt like doing a victory pose at Kanako's testimony, but he substituted that by clenching his fist tightly.
"Then ma'am, could you bring those out?" he said, pretending to be calm.
"I understand. This way."
While following Kanako, Nishida sent an OK sign to Kitamura behind him. If she voluntarily submitted them, it meant a warrant for seizure wasn't necessary for this piece of evidence. If they obtained them in the form of compulsory seizure in the search by the current warrant, in the worst case, there was even a risk of the evidence's admissibility being denied as an illegal investigation. If it were a capable lawyer like Matsuda, it wouldn't be surprising if he attacked that point. Of course, they were thinking of re-requesting a warrant afterward to avoid that, but if it's voluntary, that trouble is also saved.
The target shoes were placed casually right by the door of the storage shed. From the look of it, it seemed to Nishida that Kitagawa hadn't put them in the shed to hide them, but simply put them there because he wasn't using them. He glanced around the storage shed from behind Kanako to see if there was anything else related to the case, but nothing particularly caught his eye. Perhaps a search would be conducted here later for the reason of this case, but Nishida judged that there were no items requiring emergency at this point. When he checked the soles of the shoes handed over by Kanako on the spot, he could immediately confirm that they matched the footprints around Yoshimi's body, including the size. After having her sign a document stating that the shoes were seized voluntarily, Nishida and Kitamura suppressed their urge to dance for joy, went to Sugawara and Sawai with the shoes, and while pretending to be calm, said simply,
"They matched. And it's voluntary (submission)."
Sugawara's mouth loosened.
"Voluntary? You did that quite skillfully."
"By the way, what about the camera?" Nishida immediately turned the talk to the camera, leaving the shoe talk aside.
"Unfortunately, it's not coming out. I thought about whether I should turn the whole house upside down, but what do Sawai and Nishida think? It's safe to assume he stole the camera, right?"
Sugawara was not stuck at the investigation headquarters for this investigation but was a spot support participant, so he didn't fully grasp the investigation status. In that sense, the investigation was proceeding while confirming with Sawai and Nishida.
"We've seen it that way from the start, and since information about (Kitagawa's) words and actions at the company has also come in, that should be fine," Sawai answered.
"I feel like the shoes weren't hidden, but just put away. If he took the camera from Yoshimi, there's criminality, so I don't know about that, but I don't think he hid it in a troublesome way," Nishida also said following that.
"The words and actions at the company—that's the talk about him trying to push the camera onto a subordinate or give it to them, right, Sawai?"
"Yes, that's right."
"In that case, there's a possibility it's at the company. If the camera hasn't been disposed of yet, that is."
"I suppose it would be like that," Nishida said to Sugawara while watching the investigators searching the room further.
"I see. Then let's just take a light look at the son's and daughter's rooms..."
To be honest, Nishida felt Sugawara's judgment was soft for a detective in a responsible position, but he also felt it was bad to turn the rooms upside down as much as possible. This was because he didn't feel any intention from the family to hide anything. Also, looking at the storage status of the shoes, Kitagawa might not have felt much fear of the investigation reaching him at the time of the inquiry by Takeshita and Kosaka. Kosaka also reported that while he felt a sense of incongruity that the executive himself came out when he confronted Kitagawa, he didn't find any suspicious points in the man's behavior or words. Indeed, it should be hard to imagine that the investigation would ripple to himself just from the subscription to the Tonden Times, which was the business of the inquiry. Even for the investigation team, if there hadn't been information from the trial operation of the N-System, it was delicate whether they would have investigated Kitagawa's work status just from the match of tire tracks. Of course, since the investigation was at a standstill, the possibility that they would have eventually investigated so thoroughly cannot be denied... Anyway, thinking that way, the possibility that he would go so far as to hide the camera in his own children's rooms was low.
"I'll try to bluff the wife again," Nishida said, and went back to the living room to ask Kanako again.
"Ma'am, sorry to bother you again. Did your husband buy a camera recently?"
"A camera? We have a camera at home, but we've been using the one we bought when our child was born. Does it have something to do with this case?"
"Ah, I see. No, I thought your husband might have a hobby of photography. People who take photos of things like stars, the morning sun, or railroads often drink because they're bored while waiting for the shot. In my experience, they often get caught at checkpoints."
The time Kitagawa was caught this time was not at a checkpoint, but on his way to work. There's no way there's a story that people with a hobby of photography tend to drive under the influence. Nishida knew he was becoming incoherent, but he tried to push through with a strong attitude.
"My husband doesn't have a hobby like photography, and he's never gone out to photograph anything!"
Kanako seemed to not be convinced by this question, and her tone became slightly irritated. On the other hand, Nishida had the intention of wanting to find out if there was any sign of a camera being brought into the house, and at the same time, wanting to know why the camera was taken from Yoshimi's hands. Because he tried to satisfy both at once, it became a question that wasn't well understood. Unlike the time with the shoes, it was a cold-sweat-inducing inquiry. However, as far as hearing this answer, he could be certain that there was almost no possibility that Kitagawa himself was interested in the camera. After all, he likely thought he was photographed doing something—or more specifically, probably searching for the body—and tried to conceal it.
On the way back to Sugawara and Sawai, he whispered to Kitamura,
"It seems he thought he was photographed, or was actually photographed, by the camera."
"So that's what that question meant," Kitamura had an expression of understanding, but voiced a doubt, "But if that's the case, wouldn't just the film have been enough?"
"No, I don't think so. If he only took the film, it would be even more obvious than taking the whole camera that 'he tried to erase something because he was photographed'."
"Ah, I see. It would backfire, wouldn't it... For Yoshimi, light was flickering over there in the middle of the night. Thinking 'What, a ghost?', he pressed the shutter, and the flash revealed his presence to Kitagawa. We don't know what happened after that, but Yoshimi tripped and died. Kitagawa, thinking he was photographed, tried to conceal it. In the end, this scenario seems fine." Kitamura nodded to himself.
"Probably, Yoshimi was flustered thinking he saw a ghost, or Kitagawa, the true identity of the ghost, was confirmed to be approaching Yoshimi by light or something, and the surprised Yoshimi couldn't see his feet in the middle of the night, tripped over a tree root himself, hit his head on a stone, and died. That's the most likely story for now regarding Yoshimi's death. If there was an act like Kitagawa chasing Yoshimi to harm him, we could also prosecute for that, but that won't be so easy to prove. It would be great if we could do that, though."
Nishida also judged that proving that far would be quite tough.
While having such a talk, they returned to the bedroom and reported to Sugawara,
"Probably, from what I heard from the wife, I don't think Kitagawa brought the camera home. It should be fine to just finish the second floor quickly."
"I see. Then let's do that. For us, let's be satisfied with finding one trophy..."
Sugawara said so, went to the son, Hiroyuki, asked a few questions, and had him show the room lightly. Looking at the son's expression, he didn't seem to be lying, and the camera wasn't found, so he finally gathered the investigators and instructed them to withdraw. Naturally, they were also seizing alcohol to "make it look like" it was related to driving under the influence, which was the "justification" for the search, but in reality, it probably wouldn't even be used for the drunk driving prosecution.
After the other investigators left the house, Sugawara, Section Chief Sawai, and Nishida gave perfunctory greetings to Kanako and Hiroyuki. Naturally, the gazes of the two seeing off the detectives, who were uninvited guests, were cold. Having one's house "trashed" feels bad for any human being. That is something the investigating side also feels, except when the opponent is a veteran, and that feeling is especially strong when the influence reaches a family that seems completely unrelated to the case, as in this time. The only saving grace was the achievement of being able to seize the shoes.