Chapter 162 - Name and Reality 85 {113 Solo} (268-270 Takeshita's Inference of Motohashi's Psychology 5)
"On the other hand, regarding this, I feel like I might be overthinking it, so I'm not honestly confident."
Takeshita prefaced his words that way, then began to speak.
"Even if Motohashi-san felt our enthusiasm for the investigation during the 1995 interrogation, I think it's debatable whether he could be certain that it was still maintained seven years later in 2002. It's almost certain that he couldn't have the same firm relationship of trust that comes from a long association like the one he had with Kuboyama-san... If that enthusiasm had vanished from us, he might have thought it a bit dangerous to let us meet Kuroda-san. If I were Motohashi-san, that's how I would think."
"What do you mean by that?"
Kuboyama asked with interest, so Takeshita replied.
"If the motivation for the investigation had dropped over the years, isn't it quite possible he would have entrusted the investigation to the Osaka Prefectural Police, whom Motohashi-san didn't trust much? However, regarding that, Motohashi-san gave Kuboyama-san instructions in code to never deal with any investigators other than us, so there's actually almost no problem there. But if we ourselves had been completely swallowed by the logic of the police organization over time, that would be quite troublesome. In the extreme, far from an indictment, it's not impossible that we might have even sold out information on Kuroda-san and the others in the worst-case scenario."
"That's surely impossible, isn't it? Even looking at you now."
Kuroda laughed, but Takeshita countered.
"It's only because I'm here in front of you two now that I can say that for the first time. Motohashi-san must have wanted confirmation, right? He went to such lengths to hide Kuroda-san's information... Besides, since this was to be carried out after Motohashi-san's death, he might have been even more worried."
"I wonder if that's how it is..."
At this time, Kuroda seemed quite skeptical. However, since Takeshita himself didn't actually have proof at this point, it was perfectly natural for Kuroda to feel that way.
"So, I'm thinking that while camouflaging his true intent, this request for us to decipher this extremely complex code might have also served as a kind of test to see if he could entrust the indictment to us in the 'future' and if it was okay to let us meet Kuroda-san. Beyond the need for knowledge and logic, it required a level of strong will to 'solve it no matter what.' If we lacked enthusiasm for the investigation, we might have thrown it away out of laziness... The fact that it didn't take much time to solve was due to our experience deciphering things in the investigation seven years ago, as well as coincidence and Nishida's cooperation... If we, seven years after the 1995 investigation and five years after the death sentence, still had that much enthusiasm and intuition for investigation, then he could entrust the indictment to us with some peace of mind. That letter might have even had that kind of meaning. As I've said many times, this is nothing more than speculation..."
Having said this much, Takeshita's expression cleared up, unlike the lack of confidence in his tone. It came from the satisfaction of having said everything he wanted to say.
At the same time, he was thinking that Motohashi's sending of that strangely provocative 'surface' text might have been intended to inspire Nishida and Takeshita. Furthermore, he reasoned that the blatant 'calculation error' regarding the statute of limitations might have been a consideration to make them think, 'Oh, so he knew all along,' when they deciphered the code, adding to Motohashi's own self-satisfaction and giving Nishida and Takeshita a sense of surprise when they found the answer. However, since telling the two of them would be mostly meaningless, he kept quiet.
"Honestly, isn't that still overthinking it?"
Kuroda laughed, seemingly dismissive of Takeshita's idea again, but after saying that, he suddenly spoke with a serious expression.
"But if that's possible... then this might be possible too. It's just my intuition, and only a 'maybe,' but..."
He offered his own leap of speculation.
"Bringing Takeshita-san and me together directly might not have been just for the reason I said earlier. He might have wanted to bring me directly together with you... or rather, with the two of you, including that detective named Nishida, as Fuku—no, Yukio."
"What do you mean by that?"
Takeshita asked back in surprise.
"Listening to your story, you've been giving us detailed analyses based on Yukio's letters and memories of me and Kuboyama, telling us the thoughts and feelings Yukio likely held. My simple anger toward Yukio has subsided quite a bit... and though it's a bit late to say this after snapping earlier today, honestly, I'm starting to think it was good that I joined you today... Perhaps Yukio wanted to convey the 'reasons' for his betrayal and his apologies for his mistakes through your mouth, even now? I have that feeling."
Kuboyama also agreed.
"Ah! Certainly, listening to Takeshita-han's thoughts, I feel like I'm somehow touching Aniki's feelings directly!"
"I wonder about that..."
Takeshita replied with humility. Or rather, half of him might have truly thought, "I don't think that's it."
He had the impression that it was "overthinking it," similar to what Kuroda and Kuboyama had felt about Takeshita's own ideas. However, if he had been able to contribute enough to make the two men in front of him feel that way, Takeshita felt a sense of satisfaction that he had done something good.
However, even if the probability was extremely low, if Kuroda's speculation was true, it also meant he had been used by Motohashi once again. He applied a detached view to himself, thinking that an unconscious emotion of not wanting to admit that might be at work.
Then, he spoke with a wry smile.
"Setting aside whether that's true or not, what can be said for sure is that thanks to Motohashi-san and you two, we were able to obtain important evidence this time. Thanks to that, we've gained a way to specifically recognize Ooshima's involvement in the murder of Sada Minoru. And I've even become confident enough to take down that Takigawa, which I hadn't even imagined before coming here... Considering the letter Motohashi-san wrote, it's a bit ironic, but for the Osaka Prefectural Police... no, for the entire police organization, these will be quite significant pieces of evidence. Well, that's also within Motohashi-san's consideration of 'making Takigawa pay for his crimes' as well... However, doing this right before the statute of limitations is like a bit of harassment not just for Takigawa and Ooshima, but for the Doukei (T/N: Hokkaido Prefectural Police) as well."
In response to that statement, Kuboyama suddenly pointed out the statute of limitations with common knowledge, as if he had just remembered.
"Ah! Speaking of which, for the first two murders Aniki committed, shouldn't the statute of limitations have already expired normally, rather than being just barely in time!? It was 15 years from the occurrence of the incident, right? But in the code sent to Takeshita-han and the others, there was a meaning like the statute of limitations hadn't expired yet when I saw it this morning... I thought I had to ask about that properly, but with so much talk, I accidentally forgot! Based on Takeshita-han's talk so far, is at least the second incident still okay?"
Takeshita felt a bit discouraged, thinking, "Are we back to that now?" after talking for so long and chasing a case with an expiring statute of limitations so seriously. But since the conversation had gone in a detailed direction and there were many topics, it was somewhat unavoidable. Besides, while things like the suspension of the statute of limitations due to overseas travel are famous, it's unavoidable that ordinary people don't understand the details of the system.
So Takeshita first explained.
"Actually, there are various hidden conditions, such as whether or not one has been indicted... Specifically, if indicted, the statute of limitations is suspended until the judgment is finally finalized. Furthermore, that suspension period also applies to accomplices in the same case. Therefore, regarding the first case, it was tried along with three other cases besides the murder of Sada Minoru, and in the trial where Motohashi-san was sentenced to death, it took four years from indictment to finalization of the judgment. Thus, that suspension period for the statute of limitations also applies to Takigawa and the other clients. In other words, there's still plenty of time until the statute of limitations expires."
From there, he further explained.
"On the other hand, the second murder we were investigating in Hokkaido was built as a separate case, and since Motohashi-san didn't contest it, there was only a suspension of a few months from indictment to finalization of the judgment. Naturally, even if that applies to the accomplices Takigawa and Ooshima, the limit for that statute of limitations would be around the end of this year. In other words, a reversal occurs where the second case is closer to the statute of limitations than the first case, and Motohashi-san gave us a masterful performance by having us investigate right at the limit of that second statute of limitations."
However, since the two in front of him didn't seem to understand immediately, Takeshita tore a page from his notebook and explained in detail while drawing a diagram.
*
"So Aniki thought that far ahead and had the letter sent to Hokkaido at the end of September!"
After receiving that explanation, Kuboyama finally understood clearly and was marveled.
"That's definitely it! I heard from Chief Priest Mizuno that he was studying the Code of Criminal Procedure and various other things even in the detention center. He's a truly nasty opponent. Or rather, this time, he ended up becoming an ally in the form of being in the same boat... Anyway, Takigawa and the others, who went out of their way to make an enemy of that man, underestimated him too much, that's what it is. And now, they're going to be hit with a night raid while they're sleeping soundly and peacefully."
Takeshita said that and laughed, then began to eat the remaining unajuu again.
After that, Takeshita and Kuroda continued to eat the rest of the unajuu without talking, and Kuboyama watched them in silence. It wasn't so much that the conversation didn't flow, but rather it would be more accurate to say that each of them was looking back at the figure of Motohashi—a person who was no longer in this world—while harboring their own thoughts.
*
"Thank you for the meal."
Takeshita, having finished the eel at last, thanked Kuboyama. Then, Kuboyama said thoughtfully.
"But I can't believe that you, who can explain Aniki's thoughts and feelings so logically, were completely at his mercy seven years ago... Aniki was smart, but listening to Takeshita-han's talk now, I think you're even more so... Aniki was quite dismissive of it in that diary earlier, but you're like a real itako (T/N: a blind medium). You're like someone who conveys the thoughts and feelings of the deceased Aniki in his place. Like what Kuroda-han said earlier..."
Immediately after hearing that statement, Takeshita started to say to Kuboyama,
"That's... Probably Motohashi-san actually..."
Kuroda suddenly interrupted the conversation.
"I really think Yukio was an idiot! Just on that point alone, Takeshita-san, haven't you completely gotten back at Yukio? In all these various inferences... After all, as Kuboyama says, Yukio, who denied the ability of an itako in his diary, was in a sense beaten by Takeshita-san, who is like a real itako. In the end, Takeshita-san, it's your win! Yukio must be regretting it in hell by now!"
He spoke to Takeshita with an exaggeratedly cheerful tone.
"That is..."
Takeshita was about to continue with "I wonder about that" for a moment, but sensing Kuroda's state, he stopped saying more and corrected himself.
"If this means I've gotten back at him for the matter seven years ago, then I'm a little happy."
Then, Kuroda seemed to look back on his elementary school days.
"More than that, you're not just an itako, you're like the great detective Holmes. Yukio used to read Holmes a lot in the library back in elementary school too... I remember my parents bought me the complete works of Holmes because of his influence, and Yukio used to borrow them all the time."
Since it was an established bakery that had been around for quite a while, to put it grandly, they must have had some financial leeway even back then.
"Regarding what you just said, I learned that Motohashi-san was well-versed in Holmes during the 1995 investigation. Nishida apparently heard it directly from Motohashi-san while he was being transferred to the station where I was working at the time. Since I wasn't accompanying them then, it's strictly hearsay... I heard he liked things like 'The Blue Carbuncle' and 'The Adventure of the Norwood Builder'."
Takeshita also joined in the conversation while remembering seven years ago.
However, regarding "The Adventure of the Norwood Builder," Takeshita suspected whether he truly liked it, as he thought Motohashi had brought it up to suggest to Nishida and Takeshita—who had sensed the "fabrication" at the time—that there was indeed a confession based on fabrication.
"Yukio used to explain various Holmes stories to me boastfully. I think he had almost all the content memorized. I don't think there was anything he didn't find interesting among the series of stories. But I remember him particularly persistently mentioning 'The Blue Carbuncle' that you just said, and I don't know if you know them, but 'A Scandal in Bohemia,' 'The Adventure of the Six Napoleons,' and something called 'The Adventure of Silver Blaze'."
Receiving such a story from Kuroda, Takeshita said,
"I quite like that last one, 'The Adventure of Silver Blaze,' myself... It was a story where the trainer who was killed near the stables was actually the mastermind himself, and by laming the racing thoroughbred he managed, he intended to win a large sum of money in race betting to provide for the high expenses of his mistress... The culprit was Silver Blaze himself, the horse he managed, who instinctively sensed that his leg was about to be cut with a scalpel and kicked the trainer away."
"That's right. And then Holmes proved whether that inference was correct with another inference, didn't he?"
"Yes. That was the story where he checked with the stable hands if there were any sheep in the flock kept at the same ranch that had something wrong with them... It was a logical, hit-or-miss inference that seemed contradictory but had some basis, suggesting that the murdered trainer might have experimented on the sheep they kept before actually using the scalpel on the horse's leg."
To describe Holmes's bold inference, Takeshita deliberately lined up contradictory words: "based" and "logical" versus "guesswork" and "hit-or-miss."
*
(Author's Note: If you have never read 'The Adventure of Silver Blaze' and want to know more, please read here. Note that for 'The Adventure of Silver Blaze,' there are several patterns of different titles like 'The Adventure of Silver Blaze' or 'The White Silver Horse Incident,' but they are all the same. http://www.221b.jp/h/silv.html Since this site's specifications do not allow direct linking in the text, please copy and paste. It's a short story, so it won't take much time. Also, 'The Adventure of the Norwood Builder' can be read at http://www.221b.jp/h/norw.html)
*
"Takeshita-san, you remember it well too! Then, Holmes, hearing from the stable hand that 'there are several sheep among the sheep kept here that have been limping lately,' instinctively shouted, 'I've hit the jackpot, Watson!' in reference to horse racing. It's one of the stories I like, just like Yukio."
"Kuroda-san, you remember the content clearly too, don't you?"
Takeshita was deeply impressed, but Kuroda laughed loudly while lamenting the current situation.
"Memories from when I was a kid are vivid, but once you pass 50, you start forgetting things from 10 seconds ago. Uwahahahaha!"
Meanwhile, Kuboyama also agreed.
"Once I passed 40, I couldn't beat age in that regard either."
Then he started speaking discontentedly.
"I don't understand a thing about Holmes or whatever."
"Ah, sorry, sorry! We completely left you behind."
Kuroda apologized with a wry smile, and for the time being, the two men's Holmes talk came to an end.