Chapter 16 - Straying 3 (21–30)
On July 30th, Sunday at 8:00 AM, the investigation meeting began at the Kitami Regional Headquarters. Normally in Kitami, it should have been a cool time of day, but Nishida felt a humid, unpleasant air that seemed to cling to his skin. However, air conditioning wasn't necessary yet, and in any case, this room didn't have an AC unit to begin with.
Actually, many police facilities in Hokkaido have rooms without air conditioning. Even if the temperature rises, the humidity is usually low, so the perceived temperature doesn't feel that high. Kitami has many clear days in the summer and is blessed with some of the highest sunshine hours in Japan. Because of that, there are surprisingly many days where the temperature exceeds 30 degrees, but it's relatively comfortable, and since the temperature drops sharply in the early morning and at night, the need for AC is low. Even at the Kitami Regional HQ, some rooms have AC and some don't. Engaru Station has AC in all its rooms, but that might be because they have fewer rooms.
The detectives from Engaru Station, other than Sawai and Nishida who had stayed in Kitami, had left Engaru at 6:00 AM, so they all looked sleepy, but Takeshita alone had a grim expression. Since Station Chief Makita couldn't leave the station unattended, the Deputy Headquarters Chief was absent. Nishida felt that the lack of energy in the conference room was less due to the early hour and more because of Kitagawa's established alibi.
Investigation Headquarters Chief Ootomo gave a brief explanation of the investigation status, and detailed explanations were provided by Case Senior Staff Kurano, but it was clear that the primary suspect for Yoneda's murder and abandonment had essentially vanished from the line of investigation. Given that, they reaffirmed that the remaining breakthroughs were to press on two points: why Kitagawa knew the location where Yoneda's body was abandoned, and why Kitagawa—who should have been uninvolved—tried to recover Yoneda's body, presumably out of fear of the crime being discovered.
Then, the new information obtained yesterday by Nishida and Kitamura was reported: the existence of "Shinoda Michiyoshi," a former colleague of Kitagawa's from his days at JNR, and the report written yesterday was distributed. It was decided that the possibility of his involvement in the Sada case needed to be considered, but since the individual was already deceased and the investigation into the Sada matter could potentially face "pressure" again at this stage of weak evidence, there were parts that had to remain quite limited. Nevertheless, Kurano announced that ten investigators would be assigned to the peripheral investigation of Shinoda. This was likely the maximum personnel deployment possible under the circumstances. Naturally, Nishida and Kitamura were assigned that role. And just as the meeting was about to end, Takeshita suddenly asked for permission to speak. Nishida, along with the murmurs of the other attendees, looked over at Takeshita.
"Takeshita, is there a problem?"
"Case Senior Staff! Do you intend to continue Kitagawa's detention under the charges of drunk driving and professional negligence resulting in injury?"
At Takeshita's words, several investigators turned toward him. Nishida recalled Takeshita's earlier expression and realized he had intended to say this from the start. At the same time, he thought, "He actually went and did it..."
"What are you trying to say?"
Kurano spoke calmly.
"Senior Staff! A conclusion has already been reached that it's almost impossible to prove Kitagawa's direct involvement in the Yoneda case since his alibi is perfect. This time, a lawyer was already attached at the detention stage, and the other side is aware that the current detention is effectively a separate-case arrest. At a stage where it's already leaked that the investigation into the separate case itself is finished, if the main suspicion of this case has collapsed due to an alibi, isn't it bad to continue the current detention indefinitely? I don't think the opposing lawyer will let this stand."
The conference room buzzed.
"Then what do you suggest?"
"Regarding the matter of Yoshimi's camera, even if it's only part of this case, we're at a stage where an arrest would be permitted, right? We should switch to an arrest and detention for the main case at Engaru Station!"
Hearing that, Kurano said,
"It's true that we are in a situation where an arrest for the main case is possible, but..."
However, Michishita, the advisor from the Hokkaido Police Headquarters, cut in.
"Hey, kid! What are you talking about? Even without the fact that we know Kitagawa didn't kill Yoneda, we need more 'time' than ever to grill him on why he knew the location. Do you even understand the basics of investigation, going out of your way to do something that benefits the opponent?"
He intimidated Takeshita with the low, menacing voice used when interrogating criminals, but Takeshita didn't flinch at that level of pressure.
"Even if we detain him for the main case, we can interrogate him for a maximum of twenty days, including extensions. If we can't make him talk during that time, the result will be the same even if we add the time from the separate case. This time, Kitagawa is uninvolved in the main case of Yoneda's murder, and probably the abandonment of the body as well. Do you understand that, regardless of whether there are suspicions elsewhere?"
"Who do you think you're talking to? Our experience is on a different dimension from yours! The courts do whatever the prosecution and we say! There's no need to worry about what the lawyer does!"
In contrast to the two men's conversation heating up, the other investigators had rather dull expressions. The common consensus was likely that this wasn't the time to be fighting over such things.
Certainly, what Takeshita was saying was close to an idealist's theory, but on the other hand, if asked whether it was necessary to keep interrogating Kitagawa under separate-case detention when an arrest for the main case was possible, there were significant doubts. It was also a fact that the situation had changed since Nishida heard Takeshita's opinion in the car, specifically with the establishment of Kitagawa's alibi. It was no longer a situation that could be dismissed simply as being "green."
On the other hand, while Nishida understood Michishita's pride as a veteran detective, there was clearly no justification for intimidating a junior. Partly because the investigation had become chaotic, a sense of helplessness began to drift through the air. Sensing this, Kurano stepped in to mediate.
"Detective Michishita, Takeshita, could you both calm down? The investigation headquarters isn't in a state of being split! This is a critical time... Takeshita, your opinion is valid, but it's also a fact that the more time we have to investigate why Kitagawa knew the abandonment site, the better. And above all, Kitagawa isn't cleared of the Sada case yet. We can't waste the time gained from the separate case. Please understand that."
Michishita didn't hide his "I'm done with this" attitude, but Takeshita, though clearly dissatisfied, nodded in silence, and the matter was settled for the moment. Investigation Headquarters Chief Ootomo, who generally didn't intervene much in the investigation—leaving it to the field at best, or being somewhat irresponsible at worst—was forced to give a stern instruction.
"In any case, if the investigation headquarters is not united, it will be impossible to overcome this difficult situation. We must handle this consistently from top to bottom, or the case will never be solved!"
The investigation meeting ended after a little over an hour, but the bad atmosphere lingered. Since Nishida needed to go on the information-gathering investigation regarding Shinoda after this and wouldn't be returning to Engaru Station, he chose not to follow up with Takeshita. He had some hope that Section Chief Sawai would handle it, but a large part of the reason was that Nishida himself felt it was necessary to "let him cool his head."
Regarding the inquiries about Shinoda, even though the man himself was dead, a fair amount of information was gathered within the day. Part of the reason was that not many years had passed since his death, but it was also because, unlike the investigation into Kitagawa, they didn't need to investigate cautiously to avoid being noticed by those around him, which made it easier.
The detectives first stopped directly at the Isaka Group. Even though it was Sunday, they acted after confirming that several people were at work. At the Isaka Group, since they had already been subjected to a search, information was provided cooperatively. His career path was similar to Kitagawa's, as they had heard from Okuda: he was promoted to Manager in the winter of 1987 and became the General Manager of the Personnel Department in the spring of 1990. They were told that his chronic hepatitis worsened around 1992, he developed liver cancer in 1993, and passed away on March 2, 1994.
They also interviewed employees who had been his subordinates and obtained information about Shinoda's personality. To put it bluntly, the conclusion was that he wasn't the type of person who was highly regarded by others. Many voices said he was quite calculating and not worthy of trust. That was precisely why many people around him found it even more mysterious than Kitagawa's case that he had achieved such an unusual promotion despite not being particularly capable at his job.
It was also discovered that his family, a wife and one daughter, lived within Kitami City, but since they couldn't immediately get in touch with the bereaved family, they limited themselves to peripheral inquiries that day. Afterward, Nishida and Kitamura's team went to Iida Hospital in Kitami City, where he had been a regular patient and was hospitalized until his death, to investigate his medical history and cause of death, confirming those facts were true.
Meanwhile, Kitagawa's interrogation was being conducted persistently from the morning in the interrogation room of the Kitami Station, centered around Michishita. They repeatedly asked why Kitagawa, who was not directly involved in Yoneda's murder, knew the location of the body and the purpose of recovering it, but he consistently claimed he didn't know. He admitted to digging several holes, but he just kept saying over and over that it wasn't to recover a body, but to look for gold.
"What's this about gold? Is that something the lawyer put in his head? If so, it's completely unnecessary..."
Michishita came to complain to Kurano and Investigation Headquarters Chief Ootomo, who were stationed behind the one-way mirror.
"No, we don't really get it either," Kurano said, looking troubled.
"There's no way you could find gold in a place like that! I've never heard of such a thing."
"Michishita, your voice is too loud! It'll leak to the other side, be quiet."
Ootomo cautioned the shouting Michishita, perhaps also to show his clearly superior rank even though Michishita was from the Hokkaido Police Headquarters. Then,
"Kurano, try contacting the Ikutahara Town Hall. They might know something there," he suggested.
"Headquarters Chief, it's Sunday today, so even if there are people at the town hall, whether they're someone who would know that..."
When Kurano answered like that, Ootomo looked startled.
"Right, it was Sunday today... I've completely lost my sense of the days of the week, sorry," he muttered, clicking his tongue regretfully at the end. In the meantime, Michishita had already returned to the interrogation room and resumed pressing Kitagawa. Through the one-way mirror, Kurano watched with an indescribable expression as Michishita intimidated the suspect by banging on the table. Opposite him, Kitagawa sat with his head down, wiping sweat from his forehead. It was likely sweat not just from the heat, but from the tension.
At the evening meeting, the results of the inquiries about Shinoda by Nishida and his team were announced. Kurano said,
"It seems almost certain that Shinoda was also involved in Sada's disappearance," and he pinned a photo of Shinoda provided by the Isaka Group onto the whiteboard. The interrogation team for Kitagawa reported the new claim of "searching for gold," but the majority opinion was that it was clearly a contrived excuse.
However, the next morning, Monday, when Kurano inquired at the Ikutahara Town Hall (currently the Ikutahara General Branch of the Engaru Town Hall due to a merger), the Industrial Division provided a response in about an hour:
"It is a fact that there were multiple commercial gold mines in Ikutahara Town in the past. However, rather than the form of gold dust found in rivers, the pattern of ordinary small gold nuggets in the soil was more common. There is a possibility that small amounts can still be found today, but it is unknown whether they can be found around the site in question."
In Hokkaido, there are currently no places where gold can be mined at a business level, but in the past, there were large-scale gold mines that were among the most prominent in Japan, such as the "Konomai Mine" in Monbetsu City (which, although in Monbetsu, was quite close to Engaru) and the "Kitano-o Mine" in Ikutahara, and they boasted significant production volumes. Naturally, although not reaching the level of commercial mines, abundant gold dust was discovered in various parts of the prefecture, and many "prospectors" came in search of it. A sort of "gold rush" occurred throughout Hokkaido from the Meiji era mainly until before the war (there are also several locations, mainly in southern Hokkaido, where gold mining was already being carried out in the Edo period). In Ikutahara Town, a farmer discovered a gold nugget while working, and after a vein was discovered, it was said to have been quite bustling.
"But the lawyer has certainly done his research. Even the after-the-fact excuse had a proper historical basis... Lawyer Matsuda? He does some quite annoying things..."
Manager Hiruma, who had come from the Regional HQ to watch the interrogation at the Kitami Station, spat out a parting shot at Kurano with an attitude of having been "outplayed."
"That's because he's a pro. Well, without worrying about that, he's the same as ever..."
Just as Kurano said, through the one-way mirror, the figure of Michishita conducting a high-pressure interrogation of Kitagawa was reflected.
"By the way, have there been any requests for an interview since then? Case Senior Staff Kurano."
"Hiruma, I've denied it for today and designated tomorrow afternoon."
"Heh. Won't the lawyer be angry if you don't let them meet immediately? Even if the arrest for drunk driving itself isn't a problem, it's leaked that it was a separate-case arrest. Was it Takeshita from Engaru? I don't entirely fail to understand what that guy said yesterday."
"The court should listen to our side of the story, so I think it'll be fine..."
"Well, I suppose so..."
Hiruma puffed out his cheeks and acted playfully as if it were someone else's business, then said,
"I'm going to go get some fresh air. It feels hot and stifling in here," and left the room. Kurano felt that Hiruma himself likely had something he wanted to say but had held back due to his position.
At that time, Nishida and Kitamura were visiting the home of Shinoda's bereaved family and conducting inquiries about Shinoda from his somewhat flashy widow, Michiko. Apparently, the police coming to investigate something about a man who had died over a year ago was a bolt from the blue. Naturally, it was a voluntary interview, but perhaps because she hadn't had a chance to talk to anyone, once she started talking, she wouldn't stop, and she spoke quite volubly about the deceased even to the police.
The image of Shinoda described by his wife was that of a man who loved alcohol despite his bad liver, a womanizer who had caused several female-related problems, loved gambling, and occasionally raised his hand to her, but was nevertheless a man she couldn't bring herself to hate. To put it in negative terms, it seemed they had a so-called codependent relationship, a "fated bond" of a married couple.
Also, his bad habit of being unfocused, such as misplacing or losing things, seemed to be something that greatly displeased his wife. Apparently, there were often big commotions over him losing watches or keys. In particular, when the story turned to how they had a marital spat after he lost a custom-made wedding ring from a famous jewelry brand a few years after their marriage, she was so angry it was as if it were happening right in front of her. Seeing that, the two felt like they wanted to make a quick exit.
However, even from Michiko's perspective, Shinoda's rapid rise was something she tilted her head at, and she said she still didn't really understand the reason for it. Even when she asked Shinoda himself about it, he didn't say much. Moreover, after his promotion, the frequency of his drunken verbal abuse toward his wife apparently increased despite his bad liver. In that sense, her honest feeling seemed to be that while their income increased, it wasn't a very welcome situation. Nishida felt no hint of a lie in her words that even if she was able to live her current life thanks to that, she would have rather had him alive. And if the promotion was in "exchange" for Sada's disappearance, Nishida and Kitamura both thought it wouldn't be strange if Shinoda himself had some guilty feelings given how he became despondent after the promotion. Since there was no concrete evidence, it was nothing more than speculation at this point.
In the end, there were many stories that could be called a wife's bragging about her dead husband, and it could be said they just became conversation partners for a bored mature woman, but Nishida and Kitamura performed their duty as "partners" to the end. Then, after skillfully deceiving her to collect fingerprints from a photo of Shinoda and a lighter he supposedly used during his life, they returned to the Kitami Regional HQ.
That evening, a major report was brought to Kurano and Hiruma, who were watching the interrogation at the Kitami Station, by the Traffic Division. Apparently, Lawyer Matsuda had submitted a "Request for Cancellation of Detention" to the Kitami Branch of the Kushiro District Court to stop the detention. Public Prosecutor Kijima of the Kitami Branch of the Kushiro District Prosecution, who was in charge of this drunk driving accident, had contacted the Traffic Division. The lawyer had directly demanded the resolution of the separate-case arrest situation from the prosecutor, argued the injustice of the interrogation for a case where an alibi had been proven, and sought Kitagawa's release, but Kijima refused. Following that, Matsuda apparently submitted the request for cancellation of detention to the court.
"The other side has finally started moving..."
Hiruma, who received the report, spoke in a tone that suggested it was only to be expected.
"I thought it was possible, but it was faster than expected."
"Well, not being able to have interviews as they wished might have provoked the opponent."
Unlike Kurano, Hiruma's remarks remained those of a third party. Kurano felt inwardly irritated but endured it.
"But it's almost unheard of for the court not to listen to what the prosecution and police say. I'm not that worried."
"No, Senior Staff! Just in case, we should keep in mind switching to an arrest and detention for the Yoshimi matter! We always have to consider the worst-case scenario."
Hiruma was speaking quite seriously this time.
"That's true. Let's consider it."
If it had been Hiruma's attitude until a moment ago, Kurano might not have accepted it so readily, but Hiruma's current words seemed to be based on serious thought about the investigation.
"But is that person going to keep going like that the whole time? I'm not saying he should be smart about it, but with that approach, we won't be able to argue against police criticism..."
Hiruma said as if appalled, while watching Michishita's coercive interrogation.
"Was he always such an intellectual type?"
Hearing that, Kurano felt an inward sense of incongruity at Hiruma's words and actions. However, thinking back, he remembered Hiruma persistently saying, "The police need reform!" perhaps under the influence of alcohol at a previous social gathering, and he reconsidered that while he wasn't a very passionate type at the workplace, he might be thinking about various things internally.
The news that Lawyer Matsuda had submitted a request for cancellation of detention was immediately relayed to the investigation headquarters at Engaru Station and the investigation headquarters "annex" at the Regional HQ, causing a minor stir there as well. Since the investigators hadn't seen the document, they didn't know the specific reasons for the request, but the majority viewed it as likely being "unjust as equivalent to a separate-case arrest." Nishida, who had returned from the interview with Michiko, also heard this, but he was hardly concerned, thinking the court would likely ignore it and they could just switch to the main case if necessary.
On the other hand, Takeshita, who was at Engaru Station, had a different impression. It wasn't because Takeshita had doubts about maintaining the separate-case detention, but because he thought it was a remarkably "lawyer-like" action given Lawyer Matsuda's methods. If the court were to make a normal judgment, it would usually make a pro-police decision, and Takeshita had doubts based on what he had heard of Matsuda's previous methods as to whether he was a lawyer who would challenge them head-on with a sound argument.
"This might mean he has a certain amount of confidence in winning," Takeshita muttered.
In the evening, reports were made at the investigation meeting about the status of Kitagawa's interrogation and the results of the Shinoda-related investigation by Nishida and his team. While the investigation headquarters held expectations that the information about Shinoda might be the key to solving Sada's disappearance, the fact that it wasn't decisive information at the moment might have made the "reaction" somewhat dull. However, more than that, the sense of stagnation in the Yoneda murder case due to the alibi and the "counterattack" by the opposing lawyer seemed to Nishida to be major factors in the depressed atmosphere.
On August 1st, while the deliberation on the request for cancellation of detention was being held at the Kitami Branch of the Kushiro District Court, Michishita and Kosaka were questioning Kitagawa. Today was an interrogation regarding Sada's disappearance, and Kosaka from the Kitami Station team was also participating in the interrogation. Kosaka felt that Kitagawa had become quite haggard since immediately after the arrest.
"Hey, you! It seems your lawyer is plotting to cancel your detention, but the court is on the side of the police! There's nowhere to run! Give it up and tell the truth already!"
It was the same old Michishita style, but Kitagawa sat with his head down, barely reacting. Kosaka asked,
"Do you know a man named Sada? Eight years ago, he went missing after coming to see the previous president of the Isaka Group. I'm looking at it as you being involved, so what about that?"
Kosaka could have taken a coercive attitude, but since he was asking after Michishita, his way of asking naturally became somewhat gentler.
"Hey, say something! Do you understand?"
Michishita's face got so close it almost touched Kitagawa's, and he glared at him.
"Hey! Are you listening, you?"
Kurano, behind the mirror, watched this exchange for a while and began to feel a sense of impatience. Even with Michishita's intimidation, Kitagawa was quite stubbornly using silence and evasion to get through the police's pursuit. There was no doubt the lawyer's advice was working.
"I have to make effective use of the interview restrictions..."
It was just as he began to strongly realize that he had to prevent Lawyer Matsuda and Kitagawa from meeting as much as possible.
"Hey, Kitagawa! Hey!"
Kurano noticed a loud shout through the one-way mirror that wasn't Michishita's intimidation. Looking at the interrogation room, Kitagawa had slumped over the desk, and Michishita was trying to shake him awake. Kosaka seemed to have noticed the abnormality and was requesting help outside the interrogation room. Kurano also rushed into the interrogation room.
"Hey, what happened!" Kurano shouted loudly.
"He seems to be unconscious. This is bad..."
As he said this, Michishita was still trying to shake Kitagawa awake, so Kurano restrained him with his hand. This was because it could worsen the situation depending on the case.
"He seems to have a pulse and is breathing. We've already requested an ambulance. The fire station is right there, so it shouldn't take long," Kosaka said calmly as he returned to the interrogation room.
"I see..." Kurano regained some of his composure.
"What the hell is going on!"
Michishita kicked the wall in frustration, but Kurano and Kosaka ignored him and focused on laying Kitagawa quietly on the floor.
Kurano and Kosaka accompanied Kitagawa as he was carried out by the paramedics who arrived immediately, heading through the station corridor toward the ambulance. A paramedic asked,
"Did he complain of any symptoms before losing consciousness?"
"Come to think of it, he was holding his head just before. Then he immediately collapsed onto the desk," Kosaka explained the situation at the time.
"A headache or something. Then it might be the brain..."
The paramedic carried Kitagawa into the ambulance on the stretcher with a grim expression. Kurano said to Kosaka,
"I'll accompany him to the hospital, so please contact the investigation headquarters!" and the ambulance left the Kitami Station with its siren wailing.
After putting him in the ambulance, Kosaka sent word to the investigation headquarters and returned to the interrogation room. Since all the investigators, including Michishita, were waiting in the breakroom, Kosaka plopped down in a chair in the interrogation room, which had become so quiet it was hard to believe the previous commotion. A feeling of wanting to distance himself from the other investigators had led him to the interrogation room instead of the breakroom. Checking his watch, it pointed to 11:00 AM. Kosaka found it hard to believe that only about thirty minutes had passed since Kitagawa collapsed, as he remembered it being before 10:30 AM.
After sitting blankly for about five minutes,
"Right. I'll have to return the items we took before putting him in the detention cell to his family... If I don't do it while I've noticed, our unthoughtful police organization might just leave them there for a while unless he recovers and remembers or his family notices and asks..."
Thinking this, he headed toward the General Affairs Division in the station, which managed the detention cells.
An officer who had already processed the fact that Kitagawa had been taken by ambulance handed him the list of confiscated items and a plastic bag containing the items, and Kosaka checked them alone. As he did so, a particularly expensive-looking wristwatch caught his eye. Kosaka carefully picked up the watch. When he casually looked at the dial, he confirmed the name Royal Felipe, which, among several brands famous for luxury watches, is not that well-known to the general public but is in the top class in terms of luxury.
"Heh. A Royal Felipe... He's wearing a quite expensive one. I guess that's what being an executive is like..."
As Kosaka looked at the watch from various angles with great interest, he found "Isaka Group 40th Anniversary Commemoration, May 1, Heisei 2, Kitagawa Tomoyuki" engraved on the back of the watch.
"I'm surprised they gave a Royal Felipe as a company commemorative gift. It was 1990, Heisei 2, so they must have been making money right in the middle of the bubble. That's impossible in the police."
Kosaka was half-appalled and half-envious, and although he knew he shouldn't, he tried putting the watch on and taking it off.
"It's no good, this kind of thing doesn't suit me..."
After self-deprecatingly convincing himself, he called the officer in charge again and emphasized,
"As soon as you know which hospital Kitagawa was taken to, make absolutely sure not to forget to return this to his family," and headed toward the breakroom where the detectives were waiting.
Kitagawa, who was fortunately taken immediately to the emergency medical center of the nearby Kitami Kyoritsu Hospital after being put in the ambulance, was diagnosed with unconsciousness due to a subarachnoid hemorrhage and underwent emergency surgery. Manager Hiruma and the family, who had been contacted by the police, also rushed to the hospital. While the wife, Kanako, didn't hurl harsh words at Kurano as he bowed, he felt a cold, piercing gaze. Hiruma, perhaps seeing this, said like a monologue with a grimace,
"That's painful, seeing that kind of thing."
While Kurano couldn't deny it, it sounded like an irresponsible remark to him.
Three hours had passed since the surgery began after noon, and the surgeon visited the family and Kurano once to explain the situation, but the situation seemed quite bad, and the wife was despondent. Hearing the surgeon's remark,
"High blood pressure, stress, and failure to hydrate are common causes... Was there anything that could have been a cause?" which implicitly questioned the police's responsibility, Kurano could only be vague, saying,
"Well..."
It was because everything applied. In particular, Kurano inwardly deeply regretted that he should have been careful to ensure that Kitagawa, who had a tendency toward high blood pressure, was sufficiently hydrated in the recent high-temperature conditions.
The Kitami Regional HQ was in a state of minor panic as reports of major matters—Kitagawa's emergency transport and surgery, and the result of the request for cancellation of detention—came in one after another. Fortunately, it seemed they had managed to avoid the request for cancellation of detention being granted, but it could be said it was almost meaningless now that Kitagawa himself had become unconscious. Since Kurano was tied up at the hospital, Investigation Headquarters Chief Ootomo was directly taking command, but he also seemed to be busy communicating with the Hokkaido Police Headquarters, frequently entering and leaving the room. Kitamura, who was acting separately from Nishida that day, was also slightly flustered by the commotion in the investigation headquarters "annex."
"It's turned into a disaster..."
Nishida was temporarily suspending the investigation into Shinoda that day and was discussing future plans with Sawai and Takeshita at Engaru Station. Since the report of the denial of the cancellation request came first, he had been relieved, but he was shocked by the report of Kitagawa's surgery that came slightly later.
"Section Chief, what's going to happen from here...?" Nishida asked Sawai weakly.
"What's going to happen? The detention will likely be resolved in the end. I think the fact that the cancellation wasn't granted will end up being meaningless," Sawai told Nishida regretfully.
"I suppose so..." Nishida looked up at the ceiling, his gaze drifting.
"It's no longer a matter of an arrest for the main case. It's a shame," Takeshita also muttered, but to Nishida, it sounded like a detached remark, almost philosophical, devoid of much emotion.
After 7:00 PM, the emergency surgery was finished, and Kitagawa was moved out of the operating room. Kurano and Hiruma watched as his wife, Kanako, and their two children stayed close to the side of the stretcher, looking worried as they accompanied him to the intensive care unit. The surgeon, who left the operating room slightly later, reported bluntly,
"I performed the surgery for now, but to be honest, I think the possibility of him regaining consciousness is quite low. Even if he does, the aftereffects will likely be quite severe. I heard he was in the middle of an interrogation, but please assume that no further interrogation will be possible. Now, I have to explain this to the family..." and quickly left the two investigators to head toward the intensive care unit where he had been taken.
"What's going to happen to the Yoneda case then..."
Kurano said quietly as he watched the doctor walk away.
"It's already dinner time before I knew it... There's a cafeteria here, so let's eat there and then think about it. Various things..." Hiruma suggested.
"Right. Let's do that..." Kurano replied, but it was a half-absent-minded response.
On the morning of August 2nd, while the deliberation on the request for cancellation of detention was being held at the Kitami Branch of the Kushiro District Court, Lawyer Matsuda filed a motion for "Suspension of Execution of Detention." A suspension of execution of detention is something filed with the court for the purpose of being temporarily released from a state of detention when quite special circumstances occur after detention, such as when a suspect or defendant (after indictment) develops a sudden illness and requires hospitalization, or to attend a funeral due to the sudden death of a relative (this is also not unconditionally granted). Since Kitagawa had already undergone surgery and was hospitalized, the detention was effectively already suspended, but the lawyer likely intended to properly establish the rights under his lead. The prosecution would have no grounds for complaint, and the court would almost 100% grant it, but for the police, it was a "counterattack" that was neither painful nor itchy at this point. However, the fact that they were "losing" the key witness Kitagawa was a greater blow. He remained unconscious, and there was no clear path to his recovery.
At the same time, Lawyer Matsuda submitted a written statement to the Inspector's Office of the Kitami Regional HQ, claiming the illegality of the interrogation. It was an argument that the interrogation lacked consideration for Kitagawa, who had some health concerns, and that the interrogation for the Yoneda case under separate-case detention was illegal.
Since the Kitami Inspector's Office had grasped the situation by the evening of the previous day, interviews with those involved were conducted around noon, and all the detectives who had been involved in the interrogation, including the investigation headquarters executives—Investigation Headquarters Chief Ootomo, Kurano, Hiruma, and Michishita—were targeted. The Engaru Station interrogation detectives—Section Chief Sawai, Nishida, Takeshita, and Komura—were already at the Kitami Regional HQ for an investigation meeting even before the existence of the inspector's interviews, so they ended up being interviewed in that flow.
Criminal Investigation Director Toyama and Inspector General Iihara from the Hokkaido Police Headquarters in Sapporo also seemed to have decided to come to Kitami yesterday and arrived at a somewhat good timing. Then, they received an explanation of the situation from Kitami Regional HQ Director Sonoyama and others, and were seeking a way to respond. Naturally, if a suspect becomes unconscious during what is effectively a separate-case arrest, the Hokkaido Police as a whole cannot just let it slide. Also, to make matters more complicated, the fact that his innocence in the main suspicions of murder and body abandonment at the time of the separate-case arrest had been effectively established added to the pressure.
The four from Engaru Station who were investigated had only been involved in the first day of interrogation, so they had almost no influence on Kitagawa's unconsciousness and were finished with simple questions and answers, but for those who were in charge of the interrogation on the day Kitagawa collapsed, such as Kosaka, and the executive-level members, the interviews were conducted for quite a long time.
Inside the investigation headquarters "annex" room, it was quite noisy with the "analytical talk" about the current situation among the investigators who were free.
"How are they going to settle this?"
Yoshimura, who had also come to Kitami for the meeting, asked the Section Chief.
"I don't know. If Kitagawa is in that state, we might end up unable to find a clue leading to the true culprit. If that happens, it'll be tough, obviously."
"No, there's that too, but I was wondering if something would become a problem."
When Yoshimura asked further, he only said,
"A blessing in disguise, or rather, the separate-case matter for the separate-case arrest is drunk driving and a personal injury accident, so it's at a level where one would normally be arrested and detained, right? So I see little room for it to become a problem even if it's called a separate-case arrest..."
"That's really the only saving grace. If this were at the level of a minor crime like a 'staged' obstruction of official duties, there would be almost no need to arrest or detain him, so it might have been a situation that wasn't a laughing matter."
Takeshita, who had been consistently obsessed with the main-case arrest, also emphasized the good luck in that regard, similar to Sawai.
"Will someone be held responsible?" Komura also asked Sawai.
"I wonder. Regarding the somewhat dangerous Michishita-san, he's someone sent by the Headquarters, so it might be hard for the Headquarters to openly discipline him. As for the separate-case arrest, if they complain about this, every detective in the Hokkaido Police would have to take responsibility. There might be some light disciplinary action, but I don't think it'll have much of an outward impact on the investigation headquarters, though I can't say for sure until the lid is opened..."
The Section Chief said this and took a sip of bottled tea. Sawai also had a tendency toward high blood pressure, so he seemed to be taking care of himself in this matter. He wasn't usually the type to drink much fluid.
While they were absorbed in such talk, Kosaka, who had finished his interview, returned. He had a quite exhausted expression.
"Kosaka-san! How was it?"
Takeshita, who was paired with him for the investigation, spoke up first.
"It was what it was," Kosaka answered briefly, perhaps because he was tired and it was a hassle. Then, as he sat down, he lit a cigarette and exhaled a large cloud of smoke.
"But I'm really unlucky. To get caught up in something like that right on the first day of interrogation..."
Perhaps noticing the gaze of the Engaru team who were watching in silence, he began to speak jokingly.
"In actual fact, what was it like when he collapsed?" Section Chief Sawai asked.
"I had seen him from behind a few times at the Kitami Station after he was arrested, and he did seem more haggard than then."
At Kosaka's reply, Nishida said,
"I didn't have that impression when I interrogated him on the first day, so I guess the interrogations over the last few days were tough after all. The talk that he had high blood pressure to begin with had come up in the meetings too."
"Well, with that person's interrogation, there would be stress. And the heat probably had a big influence too..."
Kosaka agreed and at the same time implicitly expressed a skeptical opinion of Michishita's interrogation method. Then, he continued,
"So, what's happening from tomorrow? Have you heard anything from above?" trying to supplement his grasp of the investigation headquarters' situation, which he had lost due to the long interview.
"We haven't heard anything either. I don't think they have the leeway to do that, or rather, their heads aren't working, I think," Section Chief Sawai answered, so Kosaka said politely as if apologetic,
"Oh, is that so."
Just then, Kitami Regional HQ Director Sonoyama appeared in the conference room. Seeing him, the investigators scurried back to their seats. After confirming everyone was seated, he opened his heavy mouth.
"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting. Since the inspector's interviews seem likely to continue, I came because I thought it was necessary to explain the situation, including what will happen from tomorrow. Basically, both the Hokkaido Police and the Regional HQ consider the arrest and detention to be perfectly appropriate and without any problems, given that we obtained the court's judgment and looking at past cases. However, it's true that some people think we might have been a bit clumsy regarding the existence of the alibi for Yoneda's murder and the fact that sufficient hydration wasn't provided during the interrogation. To clarify those points, we are conducting interviews and scrutinizing the situation. To be honest, I don't think a conclusion will be reached today. So, for now, I'd like you to stay here until 7:00 PM to see if a conclusion is reached, and if not, you'll be on standby at home tomorrow morning. We'll have an investigation meeting from the afternoon. By then, a conclusion will surely have been reached. From there, we'll start over, that's how it is."
After hearing that statement, Section Chief Sawai raised his hand and asked a question.
"Excuse me, the station team can work as usual due to station duties, right?"
"Right, unlike the Regional HQ team, even if you're on dedicated investigation, the station has to handle some things..."
In fact, even after the establishment of the investigation headquarters for Yoneda's murder, the Violent Crimes Unit led by Nishida had solved several injury cases within the Engaru Station's jurisdiction while receiving cooperation from other units. It was good that the scale of the cases was such that they could proceed simultaneously with just the cooperation of other units, but depending on the case, several people might have had to be removed from the investigation headquarters to handle them. Since other units were already cooperating with this investigation headquarters as appropriate, they didn't have that much leeway.
"Understood. I want the Engaru team to act at the station in the morning. After that... what should we do with Kosaka? Kosaka is the only one here from the Kitami Station, and even if he goes to the Kitami Station now, there's nothing for him to do, right?" Sonoyama said, turning the talk to Kosaka.
"Yeah, even if I go back to the station for just the morning, it's like someone who was on a long-term business trip suddenly returned for a bit, and I'd just be in the way," Kosaka said with a wry smile.
"Then it can't be helped. Do as you like. But don't make any flashy moves. Anyway, that's how it is, so I'm counting on you!" Sonoyama said and left the conference room.
Kosaka took Sonoyama's statement to effectively mean "investigate as you like to the extent that it doesn't become a problem." No, in the top-down police force, "do as you like" could be concluded to mean exactly that. In response to that,
"Section Chief Sawai, I'm sorry, but could you lend me Nishida tomorrow morning?" he requested.
"Hmm? I don't mind, but what's the reason?" Sawai asked back because he didn't understand Kosaka's intention.
"Well... I want to do the inquiries at the Isaka Group myself regarding Sada's disappearance and the Shinoda matter. I wasn't able to participate last time, and since it was Sunday, I thought there were few employees, or rather people involved, who were there, based on the report I heard. Nishida participated then too, and since the Shinoda matter is something Nishida brought in, it would be helpful to have him accompany me."
"I see. I don't mind. But what about Nishida?"
Nishida was asked, but since he had no particular reason to refuse,
"I don't mind, but is it okay with my partner Takeshita?" he asked Kosaka.
"It would be bad to borrow the Team Leader and the Senior Staff at the same time."
Kosaka was hesitant, but Sawai said,
"Even if I say you'll both be gone, it's only for the morning, and you've been working almost simultaneously in this investigation, so it's a bit late for that," showing an attitude of approval.
"No, really, the thought is enough," Kosaka still declined, so Sawai didn't push for Takeshita to accompany him any further. However,
"I'm sure you know, but the Sada case is difficult in various ways, so just be careful about that," he reminded Kosaka. Nishida, who had been waiting for the right timing, asked Sawai for permission.
"Section Chief, since I'll be in Kitami tomorrow too, is it okay if I stay at the Regional HQ like the other day? I've been coming to Kitami a lot lately, and it's honestly become a hassle."
On the other hand, Sawai said,
"You're on a solo assignment, and there's no merit in returning to Engaru. Isn't it fine? But since you probably didn't bring a change of clothes, at least take a shower. It's summer," and joked by pretending to pinch his nose.
In the end, since the interviews hadn't finished even after 7:00 PM, Regional HQ Director Sonoyama came to the conference room again. Then, he announced that the court had decided to suspend the detention because the prosecutor also agreed to the suspension of execution of detention. Everyone accepted this as a matter of course. After that, since the time had been exceeded, he instructed them to disperse as previously notified, and the investigators headed home.
Because Nishida had obtained permission from Section Chief Sawai to stay in the duty room of the Kitami Regional HQ, Kosaka invited Nishida to dinner. It was an izakaya Kosaka frequented. While toasting with cold sake, Kosaka and Nishida exchanged their respective opinions on the investigation content so far. Of course, it was in a voice that wouldn't leak information to the surroundings. After about an hour had passed like that, Kosaka changed the subject.
"Nishida, what do you think of Takeshita?"
"Even if you ask me what I think, I'm at a loss..."
Partly because words didn't come immediately to his head, which was slightly buzzed from the alcohol, but the topic itself was unexpected, so the truth was he didn't really know how to answer.
"I think he's going to quit the police someday," Kosaka continued, regardless of Nishida's reaction.
"Eh? Takeshita?" Nishida was at a loss for words at the further unexpected development.
"Don't you think so when you look at him? No, to tell you the truth, the reason I tried to borrow you tomorrow was actually largely because I wanted to talk to you about Takeshita. But since you're staying in Kitami today, this talk happened earlier than planned."
Nishida was surprised again that the sudden investigation cooperation request naming him had such an intention.
"Was that it... I thought for sure the Shinoda story was the reason as it was."
"No, of course it wasn't that that wasn't part of it..." Kosaka said and stuffed a chicken skin skewer into his mouth.
"As you say, Kosaka-san, Takeshita certainly has parts where he's inflexible, but I think he has talent as a detective."
"I don't deny that either. He's in his early thirties, and it might be a rude way to put it to you, Nishida, but even if it's a small station, he's become a Senior Staff at Engaru Station. I heard he was a detective at a station in Sapporo before that. He must have been like that since then, and yet he's had this early promotion, which means he's not only passed the promotion exams but has also achieved certain results. His future as a detective is undoubtedly not bad."
"Then, why would he quit?"
"I think he'll quit. That kind of 'proper' noisy type is a nuisance for the police organization, right?"
"I think he is the type that's a nuisance, but I think the police would still keep him if he's excellent?" Nishida tried to argue back to the senior detective.
"Right. Even if he's a nuisance, they'll keep him if he's necessary. But that's exactly why it's possible he'll be the one to give up on them. That's what I'm saying... The story is that he himself can't accept being kept as a necessary evil even if he's a nuisance."
"Is that how it is..." Nishida couldn't quite nod at Kosaka's story.
"Nishida, I'm sure you know too, but in the police, the higher you go, the more you have to face the dirty parts. Sure, there are dirty parts when you're at the bottom, but the dirtiness at the top is even dirtier because it's based on that. He's smart and can do quite well as a detective, so a certain amount of promotion is likely guaranteed, but that's exactly why I feel like he'll reach the point where he can't stand it sooner, from my perspective."
Nishida had been listening to Kosaka's passionate speech, but perhaps because he had gained some sense of reality here, he began to speak while silently pouring cold sake into Kosaka's cup.
"It's a difficult point, but if Kosaka-san, who has more experience than me, feels that way, then maybe it is so. It's certainly hard to imagine someone like Takeshita lording it over others in the future with the police organization as it is now, even in terms of personality..."
"Yeah, if Takeshita is at the top, the Hokkaido Police will be fine. If he's quit, it'll stay as it is," Kosaka said dismissively as he poured sake back into Nishida's cup.