Chapter 59 - Light and Shadow 38 (198–199: On Nishida's Orders, Takeshita Sets Out on an Investigation Trip to the Mainland)
Upon returning from Abashiri to the nap room at the Kitami District Headquarters, I immediately faxed the copy of the family register to Takeshita. Then, after contacting Kosaka by phone to report the situation, it was decided to discuss the response early the next morning. For the time being, the two took showers to wash off the day's grime. And just as they were starting to think about falling asleep in the nap room, a call came from Takeshita, later than expected.
"Team Leader, I'm sorry for being late."
"I don't mind that, but how was it?"
"Regarding Takagaki, he's quite famous in the industry, so it seems Igarashi-san knew him well... He said he had read several of his books. It seemed information was circulating among his fellow journalists too."
"I see..."
"And about that, my concerns have become reality... Apparently, Takagaki was originally a reporter for the Tozai Shinbun."
"Tozai Shinbun!?"
Nishida had raised his voice without thinking. A detective from the Kitami District Headquarters who was napping nearby glared at Nishida, so he reflexively bowed his head slightly.
"Yeah... However, he also said that just because he's from the Tozai Shinbun doesn't mean he's on the side of power... Apparently, the reason he left was that he felt a repulsion toward the Tozai Shinbun's stance of being cozy with the ruling party. He supposedly touches on that in his books."
"He's a delicate person who's difficult to judge..."
Saying so, Nishida let out a sigh.
"According to Igarashi-san, he said there's no mistake that he's basically an anti-establishment type of journalist on the surface, but he avoided being definitive. Since our movements could be exposed to the opponent if we clash head-on suddenly, I think we should act with a certain amount of caution, considering the worst-case scenario."
Takeshita lowered his voice even though there was likely no one around him.
"Even if we interview him, if the other party responds, we'll end up thinking about various things, in that case."
Nishida was also feeling hesitant.
"That's true, but there was something else that bothered me more."
"What?"
"About 'Weekly FREE,' where Takagaki's article appeared... apparently, Tozai Shinbun Publishing holds about 40 percent of the capital."
"Takeshita, did you get ahead of me?"
Nishida was somewhat impressed that Takeshita had Igarashi investigate not only Takagaki's background but also the publishing medium, separate from Nishida's request.
"Yeah, so it took a bit of effort."
"No, well, that's fine..."
"Anyway, because of that, both the writer Takagaki and the medium have some kind of relationship with the Tozai Shinbun. It might be a quite difficult situation, actually, if we're going to listen to his story."
Nishida, who had been listening to Takeshita's impressions, broached the subject. "How about it? I'll ask Section Chief Sawai, so could you and Kurosu trace Oshima's footsteps after all?"
"If the Team Leader's business trip isn't permitted by the investigation headquarters, of course I'll do that, but?"
"No, that's not it. I'm saying I'm entrusting it to you from the start."
"Eh? Is that okay?"
Takeshita seemed to have significant doubts about Nishida's words, but Nishida was serious. And he tried to explain the reason.
"I'd love to go myself, but there are two reasons why I can't. First, there are only two or three days left until we have to tell the investigation headquarters about Kitamura's recording tape. I can't bear the thought of only Kosaka-san being the target of criticism while I'm in Tokyo. And the other reason is the method of contacting Takagaki."
"What do you mean by the method of contact?"
He asked for the concrete plan without a moment's delay.
"Based on what you just said, whether we go through the weekly magazine side or meet Takagaki directly, both carry the risk of being connected to the Oshima side. If so, it would be appropriate to break them down while watching the opponent's moves. In that case, wouldn't the safest way be to approach Takagaki directly while pretending it's a coincidence, without identifying ourselves as police?"
"I see... I sort of understand what the Team Leader is saying."
Even for Takeshita, he hadn't yet understood Nishida's intention.
"We talked about the shop called 'Charmant' in Shinjuku Golden Gai while we were in Osaka, right?"
"Ah, I've mostly read the situation now."
At this point, the intelligent subordinate seemed to have grasped it to some extent.
"If we wait for Takagaki to appear at Charmant and can successfully draw out information there without revealing our identities, that should be the safest way. Unfortunately, the master of Charmant already knows that Yoshimura and I are detectives. He doesn't seem like a loose-lipped person, but it's impossible to fully trust someone you don't know well. In that case, Takeshita, it should be best to leave it to you, whose face isn't known."
"True. If your face is known, it'll be troublesome in various ways, so that might be better. ...Understood. If the Section Chief permits it, I'll go. However, it seems the timing of Takagaki's appearance will depend quite a bit on luck. If by any chance he's out on a long-term assignment, there's nothing we can do."
"That's true, but as for the timing of Takagaki's appearance, you'll just have to skillfully draw it out from the good-natured master! It's a test of your skill."
Nishida encouraged him and then gave further instructions. "If the Section Chief's permission is given, be ready to fly immediately. Tomorrow at the earliest."
"Understood. However, if I'm going to the mainland anyway, I want to take a route that traces the 'footsteps' from Iwate to Tokyo, just as Oshima moved!"
Takeshita newly asserted his own plan.
"Do that however it's easiest for you! I have no intention of interfering in that... Since I'm entrusting it to you, I'll leave it completely to you. I'll call the Section Chief about that now! I'll ask him for you!"
Saying so, Nishida glanced at the clock. It was already almost midnight.
"The Section Chief is at home, right? Won't it be a nuisance to his family?"
He was momentarily startled by the words that sounded as if he were watching Nishida's movements right in front of him, but Nishida scolded Takeshita's meaningless hesitation at this point. "This isn't the time to be saying such things! We don't have time!"
"Understood. For now, I'll just get ready. I'll contact Kurosu now. He should still be up. If I can get permission right away, I might make it in time for the night express Okhotsk to Sapporo."
"Alright, in that case, I have to call right away! Well then, I'm hanging up for now!"
Nishida said so and tried to end the call, but Takeshita spoke rapidly as if to stop him. "Team Leader! Wait a moment! I looked at the copy of the family register... This is a more intentional laundering than I imagined."
"Oops, I almost forgot... about that. I was also surprised that he even went as far as being adopted."
"Yeah. Even so, I wonder what happened to Kuwano Kinya."
"At this point, I have no idea other than that he probably wanted to hide his identity... However, we know that he and Isaka likely made off with other people's share of gold dust, and then he changed his name, became a Diet member, and with a high probability, plotted the murder of Sada Minoru; that much we know."
Nishida emphasized "that much" after listing them.
"What we should do now is investigate his involvement in Sada's murder, but inevitably, what transformed Kuwano Kinya into Oshima Kaiji—no, Tadokoro Yasuo—will also likely surface as a result."
"True."
"Is the cause really that he took other people's gold dust? But moving the family register all the way to Tokyo, then to Hokkaido, it's all so haphazard, even if he was trying to change his situation."
Takeshita said the same thing as Yoshimura.
"I don't know. And this isn't the time to talk about that, is it?"
Nishida spoke bluntly, perhaps because he was slightly irritated by Takeshita's digression, similar to Yoshimura's. There was no doubt they were out of time. Takeshita seemed to sense that too.
"Understood. I'm sorry for taking your time. Anyway, I'll leave the Section Chief to you."
He said, ending the talk.
"Hmm, I'm counting on you. If the Section Chief's permission is obtained, I think a call will go from the Section Chief to you. Well then, for now, that's it!"
Saying so, he hung up and said softly to Yoshimura next to him, "This time, it looks like it'll be a proper two-front operation in parallel."
After that, he immediately got in touch with the Section Chief and obtained permission in no time. Sawai was quick to judge at times like this. Without going through Nishida, on the Section Chief's direct orders, Takeshita and his partner Kurosu were to head to Sapporo immediately on the night express "Okhotsk No. 10" that departed late at night from Engaru. From there, via New Chitose Airport, if they took the first flight to Hanamaki Airport, they should be able to reach Taro Town in Iwate Prefecture by the afternoon.