Chapter 168 - Name and Reality 91 {119 Solo} (285–287: The Three's Thoughts on the Case. And Cutting into Oshima)
Upon arriving at the Hokkaido Prefectural Police Headquarters and entering the Criminal Investigation Department's reception room, a delivery of premium sushi had already been prepared, arranged by Gojou, the Criminal Investigation Director. As a reward for this achievement, it was an far too cheap a price, but Takeshita did not let it show on his face, simply rejoicing, "This looks delicious."
However, rather than saying he didn't show it emotionally, it was more accurate to say that from Takeshita's perspective, it truly didn't matter. What Takeshita had truly desired for seven long years was to reclaim his "regrets" regarding the investigation and the "pride" he had effectively lost to Motohashi. At the point where he had achieved that, even if not perfectly, praise from others no longer held much meaning. However, in terms of reclaiming his pride, it goes without saying that it had reached a conclusion of a different nature than the "revenge" he had sought before this investigation.
And this time, there was also an unexpected harvest for Takeshita. That was the life story of the criminal named Motohashi and the momentary (T/N: furigana 'hitotoki' for 'isshun') interaction with the people deeply involved with him.
To simply call it a warm interaction would be a word with a sort of negative image of dereliction of duty for Takeshita, who, although lacking investigative authority himself, had been tasked with the "inquiry" into a major incident.
However, how a bright and humane boy eventually became a yakuza due to his family environment and further transformed into a serial killer, and the process of his psychological changes, became clear through the mouths of those close to him and the evidence he left behind. As a matter of human emotion, it provided some small measure of salvation within the flow of the irredeemable, heinous crime of serial murder.
While stuffing himself with sushi, Takeshita told Nishida and Yoshimura the details of what happened in Osaka, which he couldn't convey over the phone alone.
Nishida and the others listened with interest to the events in Osaka, but regarding the part about the Itako and the 'Kanpo no Majiwari' (T/N: an idiom for an inseparable friendship), Takeshita deliberately chose not to tell the two of them at all. It wasn't that there was no need to tell them, but rather a judgment based on Takeshita's own strong feeling that it should not be told to outsiders.
"Is it what they call fate... that Motohashi became a killer? But, if that old friend Kuroda-san had such a relationship and such a strong sense of justice, couldn't he have stopped Motohashi from becoming a yakuza..."
After "burying" a sea urchin gunkan-maki in one bite, Yoshimura lamented with a sense of helplessness.
Receiving that, Takeshita replied,
"I think Kuroda-san regretted that point quite a bit. However, precisely because it's a close relationship, aren't there domains you just can't step into? I also think there was room for rehabilitation before he became like that, especially since he was blessed with the people around him... To begin with, he himself had high intelligence, so it's no use blaming others for that, and above all, I think Motohashi himself wouldn't want to use that as an excuse."
"Fate, huh... Certainly, it might be a simplistic word if one isn't careful, but it is a fact after all. Me being a detective is also fate, in a way. During my adolescence, I never even imagined I'd be working as a detective. Looking back, there are plenty of 'I should have done this, I should have done that,' but there are also flows you just can't resist at the time. Well, it's also an undeniable fact that being swept away by it is bad, though."
Nishida spoke as if he had reached a state of enlightenment, but Takeshita offered a gentle, partial denial.
"I think fate exists for myself as well. However, even if life is ultimately swayed by fate, I think a difference emerges between just being swept along or taking up an oar (T/N: 'sao sasu', to resist/take a stand) to resist at least once. Regardless of what the result may be."
"Umu, indeed, that might have been an irresponsible way of saying it."
Nishida showed a light reflection while laughing, but Takeshita spoke pensively.
"It's not about you, Nishida-san, but rather my own self-reflection. Unfortunately, while I wasn't swept away, I ran away, so you could say I used an even worse method... I think I was able to reclaim a fair amount this time, but it's still not something I can be completely satisfied with."
For a perfectionist, even if he had reclaimed almost everything himself and there was the synthesis of "time heals all things," it seemed he had not reached a state of mind where everything was resolved.
After that, the three of them ate their sushi somewhat aimlessly, and although they weren't particularly focused on eating, the conversation didn't pick up. Then, suddenly,
"Even so, both Motohashi and Higashidate have an unusually strong sense of duty, but that's only directed inward, so to speak, toward their older brothers or bosses. Toward the outside, it results in short-sighted murders with a lack of consideration. That's what adds to the sense of helplessness even for us who are interrogating them..."
Nishida said, sounding deeply regretful.
In response, Takeshita replied,
"I don't need to say it every time, but you want to protect your own kin without logic, right? Well, that lack of logic is, in a sense, the essence of inward-looking logic... That's precisely why, toward the outside, proper logic, reasoning, and ethics are necessary. You two understand, don't you? After all, an organization is something that's hard for the people belonging to it to betray... That's not limited to the police; I think any organization man feels the same. Besides, even if it wasn't to protect the organization, I accepted the Osaka Prefectural Police's gray offer as it was to protect Motohashi's two acquaintances, so I suppose I'm in no position to complain this time..."
However, Yoshimura, unusually, snapped back directly at Takeshita's opinion.
"Regarding that, for the usually overly stiff-headed Takeshita-san, that's an unusually strange opinion (T/N: 'hanashi', talk/opinion), and I think you're wrong! Whether it's inward-looking or outward-looking, I don't think most people refrain from killing because of grand logic like ethics! More simply, they don't kill because they don't want to kill! It's not like they're enduring an impulse to kill by attaching exaggerated reasons like ethics or the law! Conversely, something like war is a typical example where you can forcibly justify that killing with logic. So, on that point, it's unfortunate for those guys, but the important part that humans should originally have was instead paralyzed by strange logic! Even if the root part wasn't like that... The more heinous a crime is, the more humans instinctively avoid it, not because they shouldn't do it! That's exactly why... it's considered a heinous crime when it happens! Conversely... To even slightly gloss over it by saying it happened because inward logic won out is something that absolutely shouldn't be permitted; it's on a different dimension!"
Takeshita, who listened silently to this passionate speech, blustered unusually,
"Even I'm not showing a certain level of understanding for murders based on inward logic!"
But he immediately became calm.
"Even so, I see... 'They don't kill because they don't want to kill,' huh... Certainly, there are overwhelmingly fewer people in the world who have ever truly wanted to kill someone... Perhaps trying to talk about the taboo against murder with something like ethics was essentially making light of what a human being is... Crimes can instead be justified depending on the logic. When that cult spread sarin, the leader justified it by saying something like 'the souls of the people killed will be saved,' and the followers just obeyed that..."
It seemed he had found something to think about in Yoshimura's idea.
In fact, the many heinous criminal acts committed by that religious group, which occurred not only in '95 but also before then, were caused by the followers' blind obedience to the leader's "sophistry" justifying the crimes. And it was also certain that many of those followers were originally "kind-hearted" people who wished to help others and were people who worried about reality. It could be called a great paradox that they actively participated in crimes because of "plausible" logic.
Based on that fact, Yoshimura's words—that half-baked logic can instead be abused and used to justify crimes—would not apply only to war. And Nishida, while not offering any commentary, was also becoming convinced by it as Yoshimura's own strangely persuasive "philosophy."
However, even if murder is a separate issue, it is also a fact that the "prioritization of strange inward logic" over the outside is a challenge that always follows everyone like a shadow as long as humans exist within the framework of society. Nishida felt once again that this was something that could not be overcome by individual will or ability alone, no matter what. No, that didn't mean an individual was permitted to do nothing and just be swept along, though...
"By the way, with the evidence that came out this time, what's the approach for re-arresting Oshima for the Sada murder?"
Takeshita questioned Nishida, who was smoking a cigarette to help his digestion after finishing the sushi.
"Before requesting an arrest warrant, I'm thinking of letting Oshima hear the tape from this time to shake him up."
"I think that will be somewhat effective, but even if he doesn't know about the handling of the 'hearsay rule' in court, he'll surely gain wisdom through his lawyer's advice. And since I don't think Takigawa will talk either, we might not be able to expect a full confession from this as much as we'd hope."
The concern Takeshita voiced in response to Nishida's explanation was, in fact, the same as what Nishida and Yoshimura had been harboring internally.
"To be honest, I'm prepared for the fact that breaking him won't be easy... We haven't even broken him on the Kyoritsu Hospital case yet... Basically, I'm thinking we have no choice but to go with an accumulation of evidence without relying on a confession. However, I am thinking of trying one thing..."
With that, Nishida revealed a certain plan to Takeshita.
"I wonder... We might be able to expect some results, but..."
Takeshita's reaction upon hearing it was one of being half-convinced, but Nishida added,
"Basically, the contents of this tape and the diary are the core, but how about it as a final push?"
"Since this all depends on how much appeal it has against Oshima, I don't think there's any point in me saying this or that. If you're going to do it, it's not too early, is it?"
He ended up reluctantly agreeing.
"Well, he might break even with this evidence, and since it's often easier to do a thing than to worry about it, I think it's no use worrying about it now."
Yoshimura stated this as a sort of summary, but he should have had a more negative attitude the day before. Whether he had changed his mind over time or was catering to Takeshita's opinion, even Nishida, who had known him for many years, couldn't tell for sure.
October 9th. Nishida and Yoshimura visited Oshima, who continued to be detained at the Sapporo Detention Branch following his indictment for the hospital shooting incident, for interrogation.
During the day on the previous day, a detective from the Prefectural Police Headquarters had already conducted a light interrogation while informing him that new evidence regarding Motohashi had been discovered. At that time, squeezing it into their busy schedules, the two had observed the situation from the back waiting room. However, although Oshima showed some signs of being shaken, whether or not he knew about the "hearsay rule," he showed no major psychological changes and continued his strategy of not saying anything more than necessary.
Because they had to meet Takeshita at Sapporo Station, they couldn't monitor until the end, but apparently, that state remained unchanged throughout. And once again, the two of them were to interrogate him today.
Oshima, who entered the interrogation room, saw Nishida and Yoshimura and said expressionlessly,
"Ah, it's you two... My last interrogation with you was in late September, if I recall correctly."
"It's been since then that we've met directly, but actually, even after that day, I've often had the pleasure of watching you from behind. However, since you won't give in easily, today we'll be directly meddling again."
Nishida also replied flatly, though with a hint of sarcasm.
Confirming that Oshima had slowly sat in the chair while listening to that, Nishida began,
"Today, first, I would like you to actually listen to the recorded audio that another (interrogating) officer was talking about yesterday."
Then Yoshimura began playing the conversation on a computer—the recorded phone call requesting the murder of Sada Minoru, exchanged between Takigawa and Motohashi, which Takeshita had found and the Osaka Prefectural Police had digitized.
*
While listening to the conversation, Oshima did not show as much change as he had the day before. Rather than suddenly letting him hear the conversation between Takigawa and Motohashi, they had already told him beforehand that "there is such a recording," so by providing a buffer, they might have given him enough leeway to control his emotions. If such a thing was influencing Oshima's current attitude, Nishida thought, "I messed up."
In the recording, names like Sada, Isaka, and Secretary Nakagawa appeared, of course, as well as Oshima's, and there were many parts that touched upon the core of the incident. It would be impossible for Oshima not to catch on to that point. As expected, it was more accurate to say he dealt with it calmly. Also, regarding Takigawa's way of speaking and his voice, Oshima had likely actually spoken with him, so there was a high possibility he remembered it.
"How is it? This audio was obtained from a room in an apartment where Motohashi lived until he was caught. It was recently discovered, and the Osaka Prefectural Police were surprised by the contents and sent it to us at the Prefectural Police as well."
Nishida said this to Oshima, but it goes without saying that it followed the script written by the Osaka Prefectural Police, and he was well aware of the truth of its acquisition. However, while it might be different with Takigawa, telling the truth to Oshima probably wouldn't have been much of a problem.
Yoshimura, beside him, seemed to be struggling to hold back a smirk despite the tense interrogation. Knowing the truth, he was likely reacting to Nishida's blatant lie. Of course, he wasn't being playful, but since he was the type whose lies showed quite clearly on his face, Nishida felt irritation not only as a detective but also as his superior, yet he had given up, thinking it couldn't be helped. However, since Yoshimura would be taking on more responsibility in interrogations from now on, it was also a fact that Nishida would be in trouble if he didn't do something about it.
"Even if you say that, my voice isn't in it, and you could do anything with something like this."
"That said, the fact that it is the voices of Takigawa and Motohashi has been confirmed by voiceprint analysis by the Prefectural Police's SIL."
Nishida also calmly countered Oshima's excuse.
"In any case, I don't know anything about it, so it can't be helped."
Once again, Oshima persisted in his 'know-nothing' stance, but Nishida pushed further.
"However, in this conversation, we have already secured enough material to actually prove that Secretary Nakagawa and Motohashi met at Kitami Station in late September 1987. Therefore, if it is proven that this conversation is between Takigawa and Motohashi, and it is proven that Motohashi and Secretary Nakagawa actually met, then as long as the two things are considered together, there is almost no room for doubt that this conversation is a conspiracy to murder Sada Minoru, is there? On top of that, if we take into account the relationship between Secretary Nakagawa and you, we should be able to at least charge you with something like solicitation of aiding and abetting the murder of Sada Minoru."
Nishida didn't have any particular confidence, but since he couldn't let the opponent look down on him, he was aware that his tone had become somewhat high-handed.