Chapter 142 - Name and Reality 65 {93 Solo} (221-223 Takeshita Responds to Nishida's Request and Heads to Kansai)
On the other hand, the person called Kuboyama in the letter was confirmed from the explanation in the letter and the detected fingerprints to be "Kuboyama Wataru," born in 1955, a former member of the Ittou-gumi, an affiliate of the Aoi-ikka. In 1978, he had ambushed the young head (wakagashira) of the Yuasa Group, which was then in conflict with the Aoi-ikka, while he was walking alone in Nishinomiya City. After shooting him in the leg to immobilize him, he approached to shoot from close range to finish him off, but fled while hesitating, and later turned himself in at the Ashiya Station.
Naturally, the police suspected the involvement of the Aoi-ikka, but Kuboyama faced the trial while remaining completely silent on that point. Although his intent to kill at the stage of the initial sniper attack was recognized, the fact that he recanted his intent to kill immediately afterward was taken into consideration, and he received a relatively short sentence for this kind of organized crime offense: six years for attempted murder. Neither the prosecution nor the defense appealed, and the sentence was finalized. Although he had no particular misconduct, he was released in 1984, almost at the end of his term. The point in the letter stating 'released 18 years ago as of 2002' also matched.
It is said that the fact that Kuboyama never declared his departure from the Aoi-ikka during the trial or while incarcerated influenced his release at the end of his term despite having no misconduct in prison. Ultimately, however, he never returned to the Aoi-ikka after his release and has remained so to this day. Even after that, his relationship with the Aoi-ikka, at least directly, seems to have been completely severed. Due to such points, the police seemed to have almost no grasp of his current situation, but it was said that he appeared to be engaged in the finance business.
Finally, regarding Tadano, who was discovered from the code Takeshita deciphered, it was reported that no gang-related person with the surname Tadano, regardless of the kanji, had been found around Motohashi since long ago.
For the time being, from these investigation results, although the mystery regarding Tadano remained, it could be inferred that Motohashi had not written any particular lies in the superficial text of the letter. Furthermore, Fukimizu-ji seemed to be a fairly large temple, and a search even revealed a website. Upon checking immediately, Mizuno's name appeared as the abbot, and there was no doubt that he was definitely still working there.
"Is Tadano at least not a yakuza associate...? Could it be something different from a surname...?"
Nishida couldn't hide the thought that "it wasn't that simple," but at the same time, a slight doubt also surfaced: "Could Takeshita's deciphering be wrong?"
This was because there were parts where the conversion of the readings was somewhat forced. However, even including that forcedness, it seemed to be a quite logical reading, and he also had the conflicting thought that it was almost certainly fine, making him feel pathetic for his own wavering. Here, as if to shake off that wavering, Nishida made a certain resolution and contacted Takeshita.
"How is it? Did you get the report from the Prefectural Police?"
Takeshita asked first thing.
"We've confirmed the Prison Chaplain and Kuboyama for now, but as for the crucial Tadano, they say no one by that name can be found among Motohashi's yakuza-related associates, at least."
"Achaa. I see... That's a shame..."
It was clear he was disappointed, but Nishida conveyed it, partly to comfort him but also because he actually thought so.
"Isn't it rather a naive way of thinking to expect that a person hidden in a code meant to convey true intent would be immediately identified from Motohashi's associates and organized crime members?"
"I think there might be something to that, but either way, it wasn't so simple..."
He sounded a bit more composed, but it seemed he still wasn't very convinced.
"Even so, since Tadano—whether it's a person's name or whatever—and two keywords were clearly indicated, I think there's a high possibility that someone like Kuboyama knows something about them."
When Nishida mentioned that point, Takeshita finally responded with a bright voice.
"That's certainly true."
With such a change in the situation, Nishida decided to move to the next development.
"So, Takeshita. ...I know I'm in no position to ask this..."
After saying that, Nishida hesitated for a while, still a bit lost. But as if making up his mind, he spoke out.
"I'm thinking of entrusting the investigation—no, the inquiry—into this letter to you."
"Eh? Me?? I've quit being a detective and I'm working as a journalist now, you know!?"
Asked to do something he never expected, Takeshita was clearly bewildered and confirmed what Nishida obviously already understood.
"That's right, I definitely want to ask you, Takeshita! I'm involved with Oshima right now, and I'm in no state to get away. In the first place, with this level of proof, you understand that the police body can't move actively, unlike a light-footed place like Engaru (Station), right?"
"Then wouldn't Yoshimura alone be fine? He seems to have become quite reliable in his own way."
Takeshita probably understood that in Yoshimura's current position, he wouldn't be allowed to "get away" from legitimate investigation activities on his own, but his remark was from the position that it was even more impossible for himself.
"Certainly, Yoshimura has become more reliable than before, but he can't leave either, and after all, when it comes to this matter, there's no doubt that you, Takeshita, are overwhelmingly more well-versed than anyone else. I need your brain."
Furthermore, Nishida directly conveyed the biggest reason he was pleading.
"I'm grateful you say that... But I'm not a detective now, as I'm sure you know."
When he said that, Takeshita's way of speaking had clearly become like someone lecturing an unreasonable child. But Nishida did not give up.
"Listen, Takeshita! That Motohashi sent this letter naming me and you. I can't say for sure, but at the very least, didn't he think that one of us... no, especially you, would grasp his true intent and want the truth to be uncovered? If so, even if we left it to someone else, there's a possibility that the remaining people will carry on Motohashi's will and reveal nothing to anyone but us! Especially, in order to find out about that Tadano, there's no doubt we'll have to ask Kuboyama something, but looking at Kuboyama's background, even if we were to waste (police) power and haul him in on another charge, he's not the kind of person who would talk, as we already know from the report from the Prefectural Police. He's the kind of person who would serve his full term without singing (confessing) anything, just as Motohashi's letter said... Motohashi probably tried to entrust the letter to him precisely because he's such a tight-lipped, trustworthy person. If that's the case... that's exactly why I believe that you or I—probably you—deciphering this letter and meeting Kuboyama and Tadano has become an important condition for uncovering the truth. I don't know what means he used, but the fact that Motohashi instructed Kuboyama to send the letter to us five years after his execution means that, similarly, there's a good possibility that the person to whom Kuboyama should reveal the story he knows is limited to us by Motohashi's instructions. Of course, the same goes for Tadano. In other words, isn't it up to us whether something important will be revealed or not?"
Without realizing it, he had become passionate in persuading his former subordinate, but since the truth that Motohashi wanted to convey through Tadano was, for the current Nishida, a straw he wanted to grasp no matter what, it couldn't be helped.
"Hmm..."
Whether it resonated somewhat, there was a sense that hesitation had also arisen in Takeshita's heart. However,
"I can understand your feelings, Nishida-san, but after all, I'm not a person of the police now, I'm a person of the Doho. Our bureau is by no means large, and it's not a place where flashy information flies around, but since we're operating with the minimum number of personnel, I can't just take time off for my own convenience... Two days is the limit at most. Including the trip to and from Kansai, no matter how I think about it, no matter how well it goes, it'll be impossible unless I see at least four days... Since the Desk isn't here right now, I can't confirm..."
After saying that, he became silent.
Nishida also understood Takeshita's position, so he had no choice but to accompany that silence for a while. During that time, Takeshita only made a quiet groaning "hmm" sound and breathing sounds. He was probably thinking and hesitating. No matter how one thought about it, considering Takeshita's true intent, he would surely want to participate in the investigation even as a journalist if he could. As a former superior, he naturally realized he was causing this kind of distress.
However, suddenly Takeshita began to speak in a bright voice.
"Nishida-san! 'Kindness is not for the sake of others' (nasake wa hito no tame narazu) is a truly good phrase!" (T/N: A Japanese proverb meaning that doing good for others will eventually benefit oneself.)
Even after hearing these words, he couldn't immediately grasp what Takeshita wanted to say.
"I don't understand the meaning?" he asked back. In response,
"It's about that Oshima scoop from the other day! The one our paper was able to put out thanks to your information!"
He raised a lively voice like a child.
"What, you mean the story of Oshima's arrest..."
Nishida honestly felt a sense of anticlimax, but,
"That's it. Actually, our Desk is a man named Kumada, and he used to work with Igarashi-san at the Asahikawa branch in the past. Of course, regarding the scoop the other day, he was praising it, saying I did well, so if Igarashi-san tells him that it was thanks to the support of you and the others, Nishida-san, it might work out!"
Hearing this remark,
"I see! So that's why 'kindness is not for the sake of others'!"
He shouted, albeit reservedly. And a smile naturally appeared, thinking that a new prospect might have indeed opened up.
However, the reason Nishida had given Igarashi the scoop was not entirely without the aspect of returning a favor to Igarashi for everything until then, but basically, it was for the purpose of a small retaliation against the administration side which had used the investigation as they pleased (the fact that the local paper Doho made it the front page of the evening edition had almost zero impact at the national level on the Takamatsu administration's attempt to mitigate criticism of the Minyu Party due to Oshima's arrest by timing the arrest with the visit to North Korea). In fact, the part where he utilized Igarashi was larger. To be honest, even being told such a thing, he felt more embarrassed, just like when Takeshita thanked him at the beginning of the conversation.
Probably, if it were Takeshita, there's no way he wouldn't have understood that at all. Nishida swallowed his words, thinking that it was an adult attitude, like Takeshita's, to just accept it as a social nicety from Takeshita, who chose words that were pleasant to Nishida's ears rather than mentioning it every time.
"Then I'll immediately plead with Igarashi-san to persuade the Desk! We can't waste a single moment."
With that, Takeshita hung up the phone unilaterally, but for Nishida, that was more appreciated considering his current mood.
Furthermore, a return call came in less than 10 minutes, and Takeshita reported that Igarashi had readily agreed. And right now, Igarashi was apparently making a phone call to persuade the Desk directly.
"I think it'll definitely be fine. The only problem is how much time off I can get. I've pleaded with Igarashi-san that I'd like a week if possible..."
"If you can get around four days, won't it work out somehow? Although there were troublesome 'prior procedures,' there's no doubt that Motohashi ultimately intended to convey something to us. If that's the case, if things go well, I feel like he's made it so we can finish it quickly. So, it might be hectic for you, Takeshita, but if there are no problems with the convenience of the people we're asking, I feel like four days will be enough. What do you think? Is that naive?"
"Since it's just a guess, I can't state the required number of days for certain, but the direction of my opinion is actually almost the same. On the other hand, since it takes time to go to and from Monbetsu, I'd like five or six days if possible."
It was a remark typical of the cautious Takeshita, but since he was suddenly being entrusted with an important investigation while being in the position of an outsider journalist, it was impossible to tell him to think lightly of it.
In the end, the Desk, Kumada, responded quite easily to Igarashi's persuasion and decided to give Takeshita a vacation of seven days and six nights from October 5th to the 11th. However, depending on the situation, he attached a quite concessive condition that it might be possible to write articles about what was obtained through these inquiries, as long as it didn't affect the investigation. Of course, that was pending Nishida's answer, but Nishida also made an immediate decision despite it being his own judgment, and it was decided that Takeshita would fly to Kansai the day after tomorrow.
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Saturday, October 5th. Takeshita was on a plane heading from Okhotsk Monbetsu Airport to Sapporo Okadama Airport (Author's Note: The route connecting Okhotsk Monbetsu Airport and Okadama Airport was abolished in 2007, and currently only the Haneda route exists). Until the spring of the previous year, 2001, flights to New Chitose had been in service, but due to the small number of passengers, it became only Okadama flights, and the ease of air access—transferring to domestic flights at New Chitose—had significantly decreased.
Takeshita went from Okadama Airport by bus to Sakaemachi Station on the Toho Line of the Sapporo Municipal Subway, transferred to the JR Rapid "Airport" at Sapporo Station (Subway Sapporo Station is connected to JR Sapporo Station, but is written in hiragana to distinguish it as a different transportation facility), and headed to New Chitose. Then, he boarded a flight to Itami Airport from there, arriving in Osaka City in the evening.
Fukimizu-ji, for which Nishida in Sapporo had already made an appointment, was located a short taxi ride from the vicinity of Osaka Station, the terminus for the limousine bus from Itami. As a temple in the Kansai region, it might not be extremely old, but as far as he knew from the conversation with the taxi driver, it was founded in the early Edo period, so there was no doubt it was of the ancient temple variety.
He got off the taxi in front of the gate, and since the main gate was already closed, he went around to the management office on the side and called out. The manager acted as an intermediary and instructed him to go to the abbot's house, called the houjou, deep within the precincts. Following those instructions and entering the precincts, he noticed several Buddhist buildings that looked quite old, but after walking for a while, he came across a few small houses at the edge of the precincts, and he immediately knew that they were the abbot's residence (in the case of Zen sects, it is also called houjou, but generally it is called kuri) and the monks' quarters called soubou.
For the time being, when he looked at the entrance of the most grand house among them, the nameplate indeed said "Mizuno." He immediately pressed the intercom. An elderly male voice responded, and when he identified himself, the entrance door opened without much delay.