Chapter 14 - Straying 1 (1–10)
Summary so far:
Early morning in June 1995, the body of Yoshimi Tadayuki, a company employee residing in Kitami City who had come to take photographs of trains, is discovered along the tracks near the Ikutahara-side exit of the Jomon Tunnel on the JR Hokkaido Sekihoku Main Line. There was a high probability that the camera he should have had with him had been taken by someone moving around the vicinity. While the possibility of murder was considered, it was largely judged as an accidental death due to tripping over a tree root and hitting his head on a stone. However, the reason for the fall was thought to be the influence of a mysterious person who appeared to have taken the camera.
At that time, there had been sightings of a "hitodama" (will-o'-the-wisp) around the site for a short while (information provided by Aida Izumi, the boss of the small restaurant Yusen, which Yoshimura frequents), and it was thought possible that the fall occurred because Yoshimi was flustered after witnessing it.
Later, through Yoshimura's introduction, a veteran JR driver provided testimony denying the credibility of the series of witnessed hitodama, and Nishida and his team judged the hitodama phenomenon to be the work of a human. Based on the nightly actions in the mountains and the appearance of wanting to erase their presence, they judged that the person was acting quite suspiciously, and the entire station began to search around the site.
As a result, they discovered numerous monuments and grave markers for the tako-beya laborers who were sacrificed during the construction of the Jomon Tunnel, as well as several traces of digging. Ultimately, from among those, they discovered the body of Yoneda Masatoshi, a university student and railway enthusiast who had gone missing in the vicinity three years ago. Based on the condition of the body, it was determined to be murder. An investigation headquarters was set up at the Engaru Station with detectives from the Kitami Regional Headquarters Criminal Investigation Division Section 1, the superior organization.
The investigation initially faced difficulties with no clues. However, the case began to move from an unexpected direction. Information about a planned collection of remains of victims around the site, organized by a group called the "Jomon Tunnel Research Group" which uncovers the history of tako-beya labor, had been published in the local community newspaper, the Kitami Tonden Times. Through Yoshimura, who heard the story from the boss of the small restaurant Yusen, the possibility surfaced that the "remains collection plan" had influenced the case in some way. In other words, exploring the vicinity of the site was inconvenient for the mysterious person, and they might have wanted to dig up the hidden body before that plan took place.
Through an inquiry with Matsushige, the organizer of the research group and owner of the hotel Shochikubai in Onneyu Onsen, Rubeshibe Town, Tanaka Kiyoshi, a former JNR track maintenance worker, surfaced as an important person. Furthermore, during that inquiry process, they became acquainted with an old man named Okuda Mitsuru, a former colleague of Tanaka's residing in Kunneppu Town.
Meanwhile, around the same time, Kosaka, a veteran detective and support investigator from the Kitami Station who was paired with Takeshita, revealed that in the disappearance case of a Sapporo company manager named Sada Minoru that occurred in the autumn of 1987, the late Isaka Daikichi, the former president of the Isaka Group whom they were scheduled to visit for an inquiry, had been a person of interest. The reason was that Isaka had been at a dinner with Matsushima Kotaro, a Prefectural Assembly Member, just before Sada's disappearance. And it seems Oshima Kaiji, a powerful Member of Parliament from the ruling Minyu Party who represented the local area and for whom Isaka was an influential supporter, had obstructed the investigation. That matter had passed eight years without knowing if it was a disappearance or a crime, leading to the year 1995.
The investigation was still difficult, but before full operation, from the data during the trial operation of the newly installed N-System (Automated Number Plate Recognition System) located on the Kitami-Rubeshibe border, a man named Kitagawa, an executive director of the Isaka Group, surfaced. Kitagawa was the son-in-law of Tanaka Kiyoshi, a long-time member of the Jomon Tunnel Research Group, and was the person who responded when Takeshita and Kosaka visited the Isaka Group for an inquiry. They suspect that Kitagawa achieved a rapid promotion within the Isaka Group after Sada Minoru's disappearance, and that this is related to Sada Minoru's case.
The investigation headquarters, together with the Mobile Unit of the Kitami Regional Headquarters, thoroughly marked Kitagawa and, at the end of July, arrested him for a separate charge of personal injury accident due to driving under the influence. It was also confirmed from Yoshimi's fingerprints collected from the camera that Kitagawa had taken Yoshimi's camera from the site.
On July 26th, in the third meeting room of the Kitami Regional Headquarters, where long desks and folding chairs were lined up, Nishida and his team were waiting for the investigation meeting to begin. The clock already pointed past 11:00, but the figures of the investigation headquarters' top brass were not yet visible. Looking outside, it was scorching hot, and the temperature seemed to be rising steadily.
"It looks like it'll exceed 30 degrees," Nishida spoke to Kitamura beside him.
"Right. But it feels crisper than yesterday, and the perceived temperature isn't that hot, so it helps," Kitamura nodded.
After a few rounds of such idle small talk, Sonoyama, the Director of the Kitami Regional Headquarters, entered the room first, followed by Otomo, the Criminal Investigation Director of the Kitami Regional Headquarters and the Investigation Headquarters Chief; Makita, the Engaru Station Chief and Investigation Vice Headquarters Chief; Kurata, the Section 1 Head of the Kitami Regional Headquarters and the Investigation Headquarters Senior Staff; and Hiruma, the Manager of the Kitami Regional Headquarters Section 1.
As soon as he took his seat, Headquarters Chief Otomo's first words were,
"Sorry for being late. Forensics contacted me, so I was spending time on that. First, regarding the fingerprints on the camera... it seems Yoshimi's fingerprints were detected."
The room buzzed slightly, but Otomo continued without concern.
"It seems Kitagawa's fingerprints weren't found, but whether that's because the person who was given it, Hirao, wiped it, or the man himself wiped it before giving it, we won't know until we hear the witness statement from Hirao. In any case, we have to conduct a witness inquiry at an early stage, including the testimony of receiving the camera. Also, Kitagawa's fingerprints were detected from the shovel in the car. This is as expected. Now, Kurano will explain the rest."
Senior Staff Kurano, who was thus prompted, said,
"Then, for the schedule confirmation..." and as he said so, he hesitated and tried to find materials from the file he brought with some haste. He searched for about 20 seconds, but successfully found them and regained his composure.
"Excuse me. The Kitami Station Traffic Division is scheduled to send Kitagawa to the prosecutor at noon today. It seems they originally intended to send him in the morning, but it took time to create the witness statement for the restaurant where Kitagawa drank the day before his arrest, so it's slightly delayed. Well, the prosecutor will likely make a detention request today, so the judge will probably grant the detention tomorrow. What we should care about is what happens with meetings with family during detention. Naturally, we are asking the prosecutor to request a meeting ban, but whether the court will grant this... Unfortunately, the grounds for granting a meeting ban even with family are weak. Even though it's a drunk driving accident, it's minor and the man himself isn't disputing it. But if that's the case, it seems things will get a bit troublesome. If the family finds out that an interrogation for a separate charge is being conducted, there's a possibility that some act of evidence destruction related to his own crime will be carried out by the family. In the case of a lawyer, they wouldn't take such a risk, but it's different with family. Well, probably, the intention that it's a 'separate charge' will have been conveyed to the judge somehow, so I think it'll be fine, but..."
He spoke fluently, and once he got that far, he took a breath and moistened his throat with tea.
Originally, if a suspect does not dispute the facts in a minor crime, there is no point in detaining them unless there is a risk of flight or evidence destruction (in this case, regarding the separate-charge drunk driving accident), but in reality, it is rare for a court to reject the claims of the prosecutor or police. In this case, although it was a minor accident, it was a case of driving under the influence and professional negligence resulting in injury, so it can be said that the detention itself has become a common means as a kind of administrative "punishment."
Also, as a practical matter, even in a considerably minor case, regardless of whether the suspect admits it or not, if it has the nature of a separate-charge arrest, it is a reality that unnecessary detention is often decided entirely at the whim of the prosecutor or police. The prosecutor and police do not make this public, but it is clear that the court also understands that intention, as seen in the cases where members of radical groups or Aum Shinrikyo followers were arrested and detained for considerably minor crimes that would normally be impossible (typical examples being the so-called 'stumble-and-obstruction' where a police officer deliberately falls exaggeratedly just by touching the opponent's body, or possession of a cutter knife in violation of the Swords and Firearms Control Law).
Regarding Kitagawa's traffic accident, although it was a kind of separate-charge arrest, the investigation headquarters also recognized that as a separate single case, it was a case of a nature where detention would be decided for the reasons mentioned above.
Then, after clearing his throat, he began to speak again.
"So, finally, the full-scale interrogation will begin tomorrow afternoon. It goes without saying that the battle starts from here. Now then..."
Saying so, Kurano went to the whiteboard and began to explain in detail.
"First, there are roughly three matters and cases to confirm with Kitagawa, so let's briefly review the summaries of those. The first point is the reason for Yoshimi's death and the theft of the camera, this is it. Also, I'll tell you in advance, I'll take questions all at once later."
While turning his back to the investigators, he pasted Yoshimi's photo on the whiteboard and began writing necessary items with a marker. He then turned the talk to Sawai.
"Section Chief Sawai, is the Engaru Station's view on Yoshimi's death correct in that you see it mostly as an accident?"
The investigation headquarters treats Yoshimi's matter as an important case as part of the series of cases including the young Yoneda's murder, but basically, the primary objective is the investigation into the murder of the young Yoneda. There was a strong sense that Yoshimi's death was the trigger, and for this matter alone, it could be said that the Kitami Regional Headquarters, the superior organization, had almost left it to the Engaru Station until now.
"Basically, yes. However, if he was chased around with some kind of threatening act and Yoshimi tripped because of that, there's also the possibility of injury resulting in death (Author's note: The concept of 'assault' under the Penal Code is broader than the general concept, and even if there is no direct physical contact, it constitutes assault. And if death or injury occurs due to assault, if there is intent for assault, it is common to be charged with injury or injury resulting in death even if there is no intent for injury), and although it's unlikely from the situation of footprints at the scene, if he directly slammed Yoshimi against a stone, it goes without saying it would be murder. In any case, unless Kitagawa admits it himself, I think it's quite difficult to prove it objectively. Also, what we have to be careful about is that the media has not reported on Yoshimi's suspicious death at all. This is related to the suspect's revelation of a secret, so I want to keep that in mind during the interrogation."
"I see. However, we don't need to investigate on the premise that it was an accident... Even if the probability of an accident is high, keep the possibility of a crime open. Interrogation must also be conducted with that intention. The matter of media reporting is also important. Please be careful of this during the interrogation as well. Next, regarding the camera, since we've already concluded it's Yoshimi's, this means Kitagawa either stole it from the living Yoshimi or (embezzlement of lost property) embezzled it from the dead Yoshimi. According to the autopsy results, the probability is that he died instantly or close to it, so depending on the results of the interrogation, embezzlement seems more likely at this point. Also, in the initial stage of the interrogation, it's highly probable he'll make excuses like 'I found it dropped somewhere' or 'I received it from someone I don't know'. There, we'll need proof that he was at the scene of Yoshimi's death. Since the footprints already match, there should be no problem if we pursue him thoroughly with physical evidence like the soil components from the NRIPS... this includes the shovel too. Uh, and next, what we have to care about is the whereabouts of the missing film and what was captured on it. Section Chief Sawai, please give the Engaru Station's view on this again."
In response, Sawai began to speak again.
"Basically, it's presumed that when Kitagawa was lurking at the site trying to recover Yoneda's body, although it's within the realm of speculation how much Yoshimi understood, he noticed suspicious movements and took a photo. Naturally, since it was night, the flash was fired, and Kitagawa might have noticed it. Since Kitagawa was doing something he shouldn't be seen doing, he either tried to prevent it or confirm it and approached Yoshimi's direction. Yoshimi, noticing that, either was surprised or tried to run away, tripped and died. Of course, as I said earlier, various things can be considered for what the situation was like. So, Kitagawa took the camera from Yoshimi, who was dead or barely breathing."
When Section Chief Sawai finished the explanation, Nishida raised his hand to supplement.
"Nishida, do you have something?" Kurano designated Nishida and permitted him to speak.
"Regarding that Yoshimi matter, I also want to consider the high probability that Yoshimi did not see Kitagawa as a human. That place is the Jomon Tunnel, a mecca for paranormal phenomena, so based on movements and lights, Yoshimi might have seen it as some kind of paranormal phenomenon like a hitodama and tried to photograph it with his camera."
"I've heard that, but if that's really the case, Yoshimi was truly unfortunate. It's a shame that since he's become a Buddha (deceased), we can only know through speculation. However, either way, the idea that Yoshimi took some kind of photo of Kitagawa and that triggered his death is probably close to the reality. Anyway, up to this point, we're at a level where we can sufficiently re-arrest Kitagawa just for the crime regarding the camera, so we should be safe."
Kurano said this, flipped through the materials, and after finishing writing necessary items and pasting the photo of the victim Yoneda while he was at it, he opened his mouth again.
"Now, finally, regarding the murder of Yoneda. It goes without saying that the solution to this is the primary objective of our investigation. I think everyone understands this particularly well, but let's confirm it just in case!"
He looked down at the materials again and began to read.
"August 10, 1992. Yoneda Masatoshi, then 23 years old, left the minshuku 'Yamanosato' in Ikutahara where he was staying, saying 'I'm going out to take photos near the Jomon Tunnel. I'll be back by dinner,' and went missing without returning. After that, a mountain search by the Engaru Station and local residents was conducted but he was not found. That was June 15th of this year, when he was discovered by investigators from the Engaru Station who were searching near the site in connection with Yoshimi's death and the theft of the camera, and this investigation headquarters was set up as a murder case."
He raised his eyes from the materials once and looked from end to end as if to confirm the state of the investigators, licking them with his gaze. Then, as if relieved to see that the investigators were concentrated, he continued.
"Thinking with common sense, the fact that he knew the place where the body was abandoned means there's a high probability he was also involved in the murder and body abandonment of Yoneda, and Kitagawa is, needless to say, also a person of interest regarding the murder itself. How was he involved? If he was also involved in the murder, the clarification of the motive is also a very important factor. After all, there's no reason at all for the victim (marugai) to be killed. For now, an investigation on the premise that he was caught up in some case would be appropriate. If Kitagawa knows the factor for the murder, it's essential to hear it out properly. This might be related to what I'll talk about next, but let's talk about it there."
Kurano flipped the materials.
"Returning to the talk, please conduct the interrogation with the thought that the factor for the murder might lead to the discovery of a new crime. In other words, if we consider the possibility that he killed Yoneda to silence him, the reason for silencing him is linked to some other crime. Also, whether there was an accomplice. This is also important. Uh, then, let's move on to the next talk. Since this contains detailed information we haven't had until now, I'll talk after distributing copies of the materials. Well, I think you'll understand the details if you look at those."
When Kurano finished saying this, he took a bundle of papers out of an envelope among the materials he brought and began distributing them to the investigation headquarters executives and investigators. The content was investigation materials written at the time by the Kitami Station and Kitami Regional Headquarters regarding the aftermath of the disappearance case of Sada Minoru in 1987. The summary was as follows.
At noon on September 23, 1987, Autumnal Equinox Day, Sada Minoru, then 65 years old, a food wholesaler manager residing in Higashi-ku, Sapporo, arrived at Kitami Station on an express train that departed Sapporo early in the morning. Before that, Sada had been frequently contacting Isaka Daikichi, then 67 years old, the previous president of the Isaka Group, by phone. According to the interrogation of Isaka himself, the content was about providing funds for Sada's business difficulties. Isaka himself described his relationship with Sada as "old acquaintances," but no corroboration at all could be obtained from Sada's surroundings that there was an old acquaintance with Isaka. The bereaved family also knew that Sada was going to Kitami, but they apparently didn't know it was to meet Isaka. Incidentally, they probably had never heard the name Isaka itself, either as a person to receive funds from or otherwise.
Among Isaka's surroundings, the only one who reinforced Isaka's claim was the testimony of Matsushima Kotaro, then 62 years old, a Prefectural Assembly Member from the Kitami City electoral district at the time, who appears later.
After arriving in Kitami, Sada stayed at the "Kitami Central Hotel" in front of the station. He also frequently contacted Isaka Daikichi from his place of stay. Then, two days later on September 25th, Sada had a dinner with Isaka and Matsushima as a witness at the Japanese-style restaurant "Furin" in the "Grand Kitami Hotel" in Kitami City, in the "Matsu-no-Ma" room. And after that, he returned to the Central Hotel.
The next morning, September 26th, he was confirmed to have checked out of the Central Hotel, but it was confirmed from the reserved seat boarding confirmation form by the conductor of the relevant train that he did not board the express "Otori" from Abashiri to Hakodate at Kitami, which he originally planned to take to return to Sapporo.
A missing person report was filed by Sada's family on October 3rd. The Community Safety Division (the department in charge of disappearances, etc.) of the Kitami Station, the local station in charge, first began the investigation. It was confirmed from the family's testimony that the cash flow of Sada's company was not very good, but at the same time, on the night before the disappearance after the dinner, there was a phone call from Sada to the family around 11:00 PM saying "I have a prospect for fundraising," making disappearance for that reason unlikely. Considering the low probability that he ran away from home, given that he left words at the hotel front desk when checking out like "I'll be coming back here eventually," the possibility of being caught up in some case was considered. On October 6th, cooperation was also requested from the Detective Division.
The Detective Division identified Isaka Daikichi from the analysis of phone call destinations from the Sada house and Sada's company. Considering the possibility that he knew something about Sada's disappearance, they requested a voluntary interrogation, but he initially refused. Since Isaka was an influential person in the Kitami area, the Kitami Regional Headquarters Criminal Investigation Division Section 1, the superior organization, also began to move.
The Criminal Investigation Director at the time personally requested the voluntary interrogation from Isaka's corporate lawyer. Although a voluntary interrogation became possible somehow, Isaka insisted he knew nothing at all about Sada's disappearance. He testified that the talk during the dinner ended amicably and that the fundraising talk was settled. The relationship between Isaka and Sada was as claimed above. Matsushima, who was the witness, was also interrogated, but he only followed and reinforced Isaka's statements.
Both the Kitami Station Detective Division and the Regional Headquarters Section 1 reached the conclusion that the investigation into Isaka should be continued, but here Oshima Kaiji, a powerful Member of Parliament from the ruling Minyu Party from the local area for whom the Isaka Group was an influential supporter, intervened from Tokyo. Matsushima was a subordinate-class Prefectural Assembly Member to Oshima and had a deep relationship with him, and Oshima claimed, "Since Matsushima, a Prefectural Assembly Member, is testifying that there is no problem with President Isaka, there is no greater evidence." He also put pressure on the Hokkaido Police Headquarters, and had the Hokkaido Police Headquarters directly issue an order to "withdraw from Isaka if concrete evidence does not come out by October 20th."
In the end, because concrete evidence that Isaka was involved in Sada's disappearance did not come out by then, the investigation stalled, and both the Kitami Station and the Kitami Regional Headquarters stopped treating it as a criminal case, with the possibility that he disappeared voluntarily. After that, it was treated as a voluntary disappearance case by the Community Safety Division. His whereabouts remain unknown even now.
"Everyone, did you look at the content properly? Good, no problem?"
Kurano continued speaking after confirming that the investigators' faces were up.
"I think you understood to some extent after hearing from Team Leader Kosaka of the Kitami Station at the investigation meeting the other day, but the details of the case from eight years ago involving the Isaka Group are as written in the materials I just handed out. So, this time, it's truly a coincidence, but the suspect Kitagawa achieved a sudden promotion within the Isaka Group owned by Isaka Daikichi after this Sada disappearance. And it's almost certain that Kitagawa is involved in the murder of Yoneda three years ago. While the motive for Yoneda's murder and the relationship between Kitagawa and Yoneda are unclear, there is a time lag of about five years, but our concern is whether there is any relationship between Sada Minoru's disappearance and this murder."
Saying so, Kurano turned around to glance at the whiteboard and opened his mouth again.
"By the way, when I inquired with the Community Safety Division again this time, I received an answer that in September of last year, seven years after the disappearance, a declaration of disappearance (Author's note: Civil Code Articles 30 and 31) was made by Sada's family, and he is already treated as deceased under civil law. The Kitami Station also seems to be in a state of resignation that they will never find Sada's whereabouts. They see a high probability that he is dead—or rather, even killed. The company he managed also went bankrupt after its cash flow hit a dead end. It's a double whammy for the family, but well, there's nothing that can be done now..."
Kurano, perhaps having become hot while speaking passionately, used the materials as a fan to fan himself two or three times.
"So, roughly, I've just reviewed that there are three matters to pursue. We'll interrogate Kitagawa about each of them from now on, but first, regarding the first matter of Yoshimi, since we're at a level where we can sufficiently arrest him even now, it's appropriate to finish that off first. What do you think, Headquarters Chief? It's fine to leave this entirely to the Engaru Station, right?"
"I don't mind that," Otomo said in a single word.
"Then, Section Chief Sawai, for that reason, I'm counting on the Engaru Station for the first spear."
"Understood. I won't go so far as to say leave it to us, but we'll do our best. I intend to proceed with Nishida, the star of this time, at the center."
Nishida was startled because the Section Chief suddenly brought up his name. Since the series of investigations up to the discovery of Yoneda's body had been conducted by all the detectives of the Engaru Station, not to mention Nishida himself, he was a bit embarrassed to be specifically recommended by the Section Chief, but he was also purely happy. It had been over ten years since he became a detective, but this was his first experience being involved in a major case in a way that led the investigation, so the sense of fulfillment was different. He was well aware that if he could clear this case, it would greatly influence his future career.
On the other hand, unfortunately—or rather, as expected—it was decided that the interrogation regarding the murder of Yoneda and the disappearance of Sada would be conducted under the leadership of the Kitami Regional Headquarters team. To be honest, since the Yoneda case was also a matter that the Engaru Station had grasped and uncovered, Nishida thought they should naturally be actively involved in the interrogation as well. No, more than that, since this case was uncovered precisely because Nishida and his team moved actively, he thought they should have the right to be involved even more than in Yoshimi's suspicious death. However, it is common in the police for the superior organization to take priority, and Nishida also could not deny the fact that he was grateful just to be entrusted with Yoshimi's matter.
Also, Kosaka, who had been participating in the investigation, was to join the interrogation regarding Sada's disappearance, as his past experience was valued. It is very rare for a support detective from another station to be primarily involved in an interrogation, but Nishida took it that Kurano might have valued Kosaka's experience, skill, and familiarity with the case more than the organization's face. If so, it could be said to be a good attempt by Kurano to break the precedent-following principle.
However, from Nishida's perspective, there were also things that were not necessarily welcome. It had been decided that Michishita Kozaburo, the Team Leader of the 3rd Violent Crimes Unit of the Criminal Investigation Division from the Hokkaido Police Headquarters, would come as an advisor to support the interrogation. This Michishita was a detective quite famous among Hokkaido police detectives, the type called by the epithet "The Interrogator," and had a track record of making criminals confess in numerous case interrogations.
However, he was a detective of a type often heard of among older detectives who was prone to strong preconceptions, and was apparently a quite stubborn artisan type. A detective's intuition or unique methods can make a great contribution to solving a case, but conversely, there are many cases where the investigation becomes rigid and goes in an unexpected direction. In severe cases, it can even lead to the occurrence of false charges. Especially in the 1950s and 60s, many famous false charge cases occurred with this kind of investigation method.
The fact that such a detective was coming meant there was a risk that the direction of the interrogation would be decided arbitrarily, and there was a possibility it would become very difficult to work. Especially since he hadn't participated in the investigation until now, if he pushed his personal ideas without understanding the background or flow, it would be unbearable for the side that had been investigating. This was a feeling not just for Nishida but for the entire investigation headquarters. Kurano, the Senior Staff, also made it clear when he announced Michishita's participation in the investigation, saying,
"It might become a bit difficult to work, but since it's an order from the headquarters (honsha), we can't refuse. I think there will be times when you'll have to bear with it."
In any case, considering that they had been able to investigate quite freely until now, Nishida reconsidered that they were still quite blessed, and decided to switch his mind to how to conduct the interrogation from tomorrow and try to make his feelings positive.
At 10:00 AM on July 27th, Nishida was at the investigation headquarters inside the Engaru Station, preparing for the "expedition" to Kitami from the afternoon. In the afternoon, the court will likely issue a judgment granting the detention request. However, regarding the detention, since Kitagawa has completely admitted the facts of the crime, there is a possibility that the lawyer will file an objection through a quasi-appeal (request for cancellation), claiming detention is unnecessary. But on top of that, the investigation headquarters saw that Lawyer Matsuda would likely make a quite realistic judgment on that point.
First, from experience, it was almost never the case that the court's judgment was overturned. They were betting that Matsuda was not a human rights advocate, so he would likely avoid such useless disputes over principles. In fact, his past defense actions showed such a tendency.
In that case, if things go smoothly, interrogation should be possible by evening. Therefore, he was preparing to head to the Kitami Station from Engaru as soon as the detention request was granted. Of course, preparation included confirming the interrogation procedures. Interrogating with him was Senior Staff Takeshita. Komura was selected as the recorder. Section Chief Sawai was to watch the interrogation from behind and give instructions in some cases.
Meanwhile, before noon, the fax machine operated. Kurosu took it out and immediately copied it and handed it to each member of the Engaru Station. The content was Hirao's interrogation statement and complete information on Kitagawa's family and social relationships. The background check on Kitagawa had been fragmentary because they couldn't do it very openly before the arrest, but after the arrest, it was probably because it became possible to grasp it completely.
Reading Hirao's statement, it said that after receiving the camera from Kitagawa, he cleaned it thoroughly, which was presumed to be the reason Kitagawa's fingerprints were not found. However, Nishida felt that since the camera was wrapped in a paper bag at the point it was handed over by Kitagawa, there was a non-zero possibility that Kitagawa had already wiped off the fingerprints at that point. And the fact that Yoshimi's fingerprints remained on the attachment part of the lens to the camera body had to be said to be quite lucky, given Hirao's wiping act.
The information on Kitagawa's other associates might be useful during interrogation, so Nishida decided to memorize it in advance, and after finishing reading Hirao's statement, he began to look at it carefully at his seat. However, within less than a minute of starting to read, his eyes became glued to a certain name.
"Hey, are you serious?!"
Nishida accidentally raised a loud voice, so even though it was originally a monologue, the other detectives all looked at Nishida at once. However, Nishida didn't even have the leeway to respond to each of them. He stared at the name again, but there was no mistake.
"Tanaka Kiyoshi." Not only the name but also the address matched. It was undoubtedly the long-time member of the Jomon Tunnel Research Group whom he had once treated as a suspect. That Tanaka was Kitagawa's father-in-law—in other words, Tanaka's biological daughter was the wife, Kanako. Nishida was confused for about 30 seconds, but after that, the scene of the previous interrogation of Tanaka immediately came to mind. Certainly, when Nishida asked Tanaka if there was anyone who could testify whether he actually investigated the Ikutahara side during the JNR era, there was a scene where Nishida cut Tanaka off just as he was about to say "son-in-law." And it had already been investigated before the arrest that Kitagawa was a JNR employee before working for the Isaka Group. Tanaka was also a JNR track maintenance worker during his active years. There was a connection between the two beyond just being in-laws. No, the reason they became in-laws might have been because they were senior and junior at the workplace.
And Nishida, as if remembering, roughly pulled out his desk drawer and took out a copy of the memorial ceremony booklet from there to confirm the attendees. As he traced with his finger from the top and confirmed each one, it didn't take long to find the name "Kitagawa Tomoyuki" in the column for JNR track maintenance workers. The reason Nishida had somehow recognized Kitagawa's name before was likely because his name was in this booklet and he had unconsciously recognized it.
Nishida let out a breath that could be taken as either a long sigh or a deep breath, and cast his eyes on another attendee there, "Isaka Daikichi." Tanaka, Kitagawa, and Isaka. Among these, Tanaka and Kitagawa were connected as in-laws. And Kitagawa would later come to work under Isaka.
The place where Yoneda went missing and the place where he was murdered and buried are almost the same spot where the ceremony was held. Is there something there? Nishida's mind was instantly exploring various possibilities. However, it didn't take long for him to realize that a little thinking here wouldn't produce the correct answer.
"Section Chief, a strange fact has come out!" Nishida called out to Section Chief Sawai after regaining his composure.
"It seems something happened?"
"Do you remember that I previously interrogated a person named Tanaka Kiyoshi from the Jomon Tunnel Research Group?"
"Yeah. It was a post-report, but the guy who was clear (shiro)."
"Yes. He's the person who insisted there was no need for the remains collection investigation on the Ikutahara side and tried to stop the investigation."
"There was no problem with that, right?"
"Yes, at that time, certainly. However, surprisingly, that Tanaka was Kitagawa's father-in-law—in other words, Kitagawa was the husband of Tanaka's daughter!"
"Hey now, Nishida! Is that true?!" Sawai also showed a quite surprised expression. Takeshita and the others who were there had also heard the exchange and were watching before they knew it.
"Yes, there's no mistake. The address also matches the Tanaka Kiyoshi in this material."
"Does that mean Tanaka and Kitagawa were in cahoots?"
"That's still quite delicate. From both Matsushige's talk and the talk Tanaka gave, it didn't feel like Tanaka strongly insisted on stopping the remains collection... If Tanaka had insisted on stopping it for the purpose of obstruction, I think it wouldn't be strange if such a part was visible."
"But that's just your impression, right? You have to confirm it properly."
"I know. I'll confirm with Matsushige-san right now how Tanaka said it." Nishida said this, immediately turned his body away from the Section Chief, and picked up the receiver.
Fortunately, Matsushige was caught immediately. He was just in the hotel lobby. Before Nishida could speak, Matsushige started by saying,
"Nishida-san, I was thinking of calling you, is it okay to do the research group's remains collection? Given the case, I had wiped the schedule clean and was holding back?"
Nishida remembered that it was originally planned for July. "Ah, it slipped my mind. I'm very sorry for making you wait. But I'd be grateful if you could wait a bit longer. The case hasn't been solved yet."
"...I see. But in that case, does it mean it might be impossible for this year at worst?" He confirmed with a tone that sounded truly disappointed. To Nishida, he felt like he was "prepared" to some extent.
"No, I don't think it'll come to that." Naturally, Nishida's reply was because he was confident that if he broke Kitagawa, the case would be largely solved.
"If that's the case, then fine... I understand. I'll wait for a while. It's not something we're in a hurry for. When the problem is gone, please call me, Nishida-san."
"I understand about that matter. So, the reason I called is not about that, but about that Tanaka-san..."
"Wait, that should have already been no problem?"
"Yes. It should have been. But... a new problem has arisen. So let me confirm a bit."
"I don't mind," Matsushige said, but he seemed to find it a bit troublesome, but Nishida ignored it and began to speak.
"When Tanaka-san said to Matsushige-san that there was no need for the investigation, what was it like?"
"Even if you say what it was like... It wasn't a talk where we met directly, it was a phone conversation." Saying so, Matsushige seemed to be thinking for a while. He was probably trying to remember the state of the conversation at that time. Then,
"Hello? Excuse me. When I said 'This time the investigation will focus on the Ikutahara side,' Tanaka-san said, 'No, there's no need for that. We did it properly in the past'."
"Yes, I heard about that last time. The problem is how he said it—Matsushige-san insisted on doing the investigation even after hearing that, right? So what was Tanaka-san's attitude?"
"'To be honest, I don't expect much in the way of results, but if the Chairman goes that far, I won't stop you either,' he said, I believe."
"Does that mean he backed down easily?"
"Yes, he should have listened to my opinion quite obediently."
Hearing that, Nishida felt quite complex. If he had persistently requested to stop, the possibility that Tanaka cooperated with Kitagawa would emerge, but based on Matsushige's testimony, that possibility becomes low. He thought that if he had made such a statement to prevent his son-in-law's crime from coming to light, he would have held his ground more.
"I see..."
"Is something bad? If it's that." Matsushige probed, perhaps sensing that Nishida was stuck for a reply.
"No, it's not bad. I just wanted to confirm. I understand. Also, regarding the date of the investigation, I'll contact you if there's any progress. It's an irresponsible way to say it, but I'm busy with the investigation, so I might have forgotten, so if Matsushige-san gets irritated because no contact comes, you can inquire here."
"Yes. I understand. Good luck with the investigation. We can start our activities sooner, so I'm praying for a solution." The words were polite, but Nishida felt Matsushige was slightly irritated. But it wasn't a time to worry about it.
"I appreciate your feelings, really... Anyway, sorry for bothering you when you're busy. I'll take my leave for now..." Nishida said this and put down the receiver.
As if waiting for that, Sawai, who was already by Nishida, spoke.
"How is it? Did you find out anything?"
"At least, after Matsushige insisted on doing it, he didn't hold his ground and seems to have backed down just like that." Nishida conveyed the content of the conversation as it was.
"Hmm... Even so, for his son-in-law to be the suspect and for him to have said something that would be advantageous to the suspect (marubi) in a matter that could involve the case... Can such a coincidence really exist?" Sawai did not hide his confusion.
"Whether such a coincidence exists or not, to be honest, I don't know myself. However, when I met Tanaka himself, Tanaka was trying to tell me about the existence of his son-in-law. At that time, I was the one who cut him off. If Tanaka had tried to stop the collection investigation to protect Kitagawa, would he go out of his way to reveal Kitagawa's existence to a detective?"
"Why did the talk about Kitagawa come out?"
"I explained to the Section Chief before that the reason Tanaka said the collection was unnecessary was because there was a remains collection by JNR officials in 1977, right? At that time, I asked if there was anyone who could prove that. In response, Tanaka initially hinted at Kitagawa's existence, saying 'I have a son-in-law'. I denied it at that time, saying a relative wasn't appropriate as a witness, and the talk didn't go any further..."
"I see. At that time, Tanaka had already mentioned Kitagawa to Nishida, but if he knew of Kitagawa's crime, he wouldn't do something like deliberately giving 'bait' to the police himself, is that what you mean?" The Section Chief confirmed with Nishida as if he understood well.
"Yes. And above all, looking at Tanaka's attitude—it's just my impression—I don't think he was facing me while knowing about the criminality."
"Is Nishida's intuition saying so... Your intuition isn't always correct, but I suppose Nishida has a certain amount of conviction. But I think we have to interrogate Tanaka once more regarding this matter. Right?"
"That's true. We have to be doubly sure." Nishida also agreed.
"I wonder when would be good. The timing is difficult. Today is impossible."
"How about it? Since it's currently an arrest for a separate charge, should we hear from relatives after the arrest for the main case?"
"That might be safest. At the stage of a separate charge, if we do a witness inquiry of a relative—even if it's an in-law—various things might leak." The Section Chief sounded a bit uneasy.
"Well, either way, they already have a lawyer over there. Even if we designate the meeting (Author's note: The principle is that a lawyer and a suspect can meet at any time, but the police can designate the date and time of the meeting for the purpose of police investigation and witness inquiry. Relatives can meet unless there is a meeting ban, but there are many restrictions), we can't keep them from meeting forever. It'll be found out before long. The first priority is to re-arrest him for Yoshimi's camera and bring him to Engaru. If we do that, we can do the witness inquiry of Tanaka without worrying about anything."
"Right. For now, what we have to do is corner Kitagawa regarding Yoshimi's matter. Let's focus on that." Sawai said this, corrected his posture from leaning on Nishida's desk, and tried to return to his seat. Watching him,
"Understood," Nishida said, and tried to pull himself together and focus on what to do for the interrogation, but as expected, the new fact that Tanaka and Kitagawa were in-laws did not completely leave his mind.
At 3:00 PM, contact finally came that the detention request was granted, and the four members—Section Chief Sawai, Nishida, Senior Staff Takeshita, and Komura—left the Engaru Station and headed for the Kitami Regional Headquarters. Matsuda apparently didn't file a quasi-appeal as expected. From now on, they will have a light meeting at the Kitami Regional Headquarters building first, then head to the Kitami Station next door to hear from Kitagawa, who is in detention.
It took about an hour, partly because they sped a bit, and when they went to the meeting room, Kurano was waiting with materials.
"No, no, good work. However, there's some good news. Just a while ago, contact came from the SIL, and it seems the soil components definitely matched those around the site. Now he won't be able to make excuses. Also, meeting with family is banned as per our request." He told the four proudly.
"You made it in time. That's a help." Sawai received the materials from Kurano, and while saying so, he briefly confirmed the content and passed them to Nishida. Nishida also checked briefly and handed them to Takeshita.
"Senior Staff, how far can we push? Can we even hint at the Yoneda matter?" Nishida asked.
"It depends on how things go. I won't say ask actively, but when searching for the purpose of being at the site, it's unavoidable that such talk will come out in the flow. However, don't delve into the details regarding the murder of Yoneda."
"Is that advice from Team Leader Michishita of the Hokkaido Police Headquarters?"
"No, it's not. Michishita-san will arrive tomorrow. It's my judgment, Nishida."
Nishida reconsidered that even against an advisor from the Hokkaido Police Headquarters, and even though it was a regional headquarters under the Hokkaido Police Headquarters, it was unlikely that a Section 1 Head would be at their beck and call, so he asked back,
"So you want to keep the division of interrogation clear?"
"To put it simply, yes."
"I see. Understood. I'll follow instructions." Nishida was temporarily convinced by Kurano's crisp reply.
"Ah, right! Senior Staff, about the talk of that old man Tanaka I interrogated before..." Nishida had almost forgotten to report that Tanaka and Kitagawa were in-laws.
"What about Tanaka?"
"Actually, I noticed earlier, but he and Tanaka were in an in-law relationship."
"What?! Tell me that sooner!" Kurano hurriedly searched for the same material that had been faxed to the Engaru Station from on his desk, and pointed to the Tanaka part of the paper, asking,
"This one? It's not someone with the same name, is it?"
"The address also matches. There's no mistake."
"In that case, what on earth does this mean?" Watching Kurano excitedly talking to himself, Nishida conveyed the summary of the exchange with Matsushige earlier. After hearing that, Kurano said,
"I understand it less and less... Do you understand, Nishida?" he asked back. Nishida could only say,
"I don't suspect Tanaka much now, but to be honest... It's only certain that after the investigation of Kitagawa is settled, we'll have to re-investigate that side too."
At 6:00 PM, Nishida, Takeshita, and Komura were packed into an interrogation room at the Kitami Station. Behind the one-way mirror, Sawai, Kurano, and Manager Hiruma were positioned to monitor. Takeshita had already met Kitagawa, but for Nishida and Komura, this was their first meeting. While waiting for Kitagawa to be brought from the detention cell, the three felt a subtle restlessness with each other.
During an interrogation, one feels a unique sense of tension when facing any suspect or defendant. Naturally, Nishida had already been a detective for 12 years, but that feeling had not yet disappeared. Especially when the opponent is a suspect in a major case.
After ten minutes, Kitagawa entered, led by a Kitami Station officer. He looked a bit tired, but as Takeshita and Kosaka had said before, he felt like a perfectly ordinary middle-aged man. As soon as he entered the interrogation room, he showed a bewildered attitude, perhaps confirming the figures of the two he hadn't seen before—or perhaps he didn't even remember meeting Takeshita—but when instructed to sit in the chair, he complied meekly.
"You're Kitagawa Tomoyuki, right?" Nishida broke the ice. He nodded silently.
"We're meeting for the first time today, but from the Engaru Station, I'm Nishida, next to me is Takeshita, and over there is Komura. You should know Takeshita."
When he said that, he could tell he was saying in a small, downcast voice,
"I have such a memory."
"Well, regarding the accident the other day, it seems detention was granted today, but actually we also have a few things we'd like to ask, so we're visiting here today."
Kitagawa remained downcast at Nishida's words. Takeshita, who was watching the situation, finally got to the main point.
"Do you remember what you were doing from June 8th to the 9th? According to our investigation, it seems you went out through the middle of the night."
Kitagawa, who hadn't shown any particular reaction until now, showed a slightly restless expression when he heard this question. Then he raised his eyes, looked at the detectives in front of him, and said,
"I don't really remember." He answered blandly. ...No, it would be more accurate to say he pretended to be so.
"I see. Actually, we're following a certain case, and we have a suspicion that you were at that site."
When he heard that question from Takeshita, he could no longer hide his agitation. Nishida, who was watching that, this time threw a question.
"Specifically, in the early hours of June 9th, at a certain place, a person named Yoshimi Tadayuki was killed..."
Although there was a high probability that it was an accident rather than murder, Nishida dared to say murder to probe Kitagawa's reaction. Just as Nishida thought, he showed a gesture as if leaning forward for a moment, but he feigned composure, saying,
"Is that so?" As expected, if he strongly protested here, "It's not murder! That was an accident!", it would be like confessing (gero) that he was at the scene himself. But there's no way a detective would miss that momentary movement. Nishida took the shoes of Kitagawa he brought from behind the chair and placed them on the desk with a thump*.