Chapter 61 - Light and Shadow 40 (203–204 Takeshita and Kurosu, From Iwate to Tokyo)
The revised version has been further corrected as follows:
In Light and Shadow 14, the four cases involving five murders committed by Motohashi, excluding the murder of Sada Minoru, are specifically described (the original six cases and seven people have also been corrected).
Motohashi's arrest was changed to 1991. Also, it is clearly stated that Motohashi was expelled from the Aoi-ikka in August 1986.
Takeshita could have just kept listening, but he didn't want the conversation to stray too far, so he asked a question to speed up the development of the story.
"Like your aunt, it seems the Kuwano family—except for this Kuwano Kinya—the parents and the younger brother all died in the tsunami. Why did Kinya survive?"
Hearing this, Suzuki closed his eyes tightly and looked down, as if desperately trying to summon a memory. Then,
"I don't know for sure about that. I wasn't directly acquainted with the Kuwano family myself. However, there's a story my father heard when he visited Taro to look for his sister after the Showa tsunami. From what he heard from someone who happened to be in the mountains and escaped the disaster at the site of the Kuwano home, they said, 'It seems only the Kuwano son survived because he was living in a boarding house away from the local area'... But this was a very long time ago, and my own memory isn't certain."
"A boarding house?"
"Yes. This eldest son was apparently a very academically gifted child. I have a faint memory of my aunt telling my father that when she returned to our family home for Obon or New Year's while she was alive—I was just a child then—so he might have left Taro for that reason..."
Suzuki's story perfectly matched the 'information regarding Kuwano' that Nishida and Takeshita had obtained so far. Takeshita asked in rapid succession.
"Do you know where he went to school?"
"No, I wouldn't know that much... I don't know specifically about his schooling."
Suzuki scratched his head and gave a wry smile.
"No, what you've told us is more than enough. Please don't worry about it."
His expectations were thwarted, but being able to hear this much was more than he had anticipated. It was quite satisfying.
"I'm glad to hear that. Now, as far as I can see from this family register, the eldest son of the Kuwano family, Kuwano Kinya, was born in May of the 4th year of Taisho. That's 1915 in the Western calendar... The Showa tsunami was in the 8th year of Showa, which is... March 3, 1933, the Doll Festival, so he would have been 17 years old when the tsunami hit. In that case, if we assume he had gone on to higher education, given the school system at the time—it's hard to simplify because it was quite complex..."
The old man continued his story, observing whether the two young detectives understood.
"For example, old-system high schools, normal schools, higher normal schools, university preparatory courses, vocational schools, and so on were possible destinations for higher education back then... There were all sorts of things in the old days. However, if he was talented, he might have been in an old-system high school, a higher normal school, or a university preparatory course..."
"It was quite complicated, wasn't it?"
Even Takeshita only had knowledge of things like old-system high schools and normal schools, so those words slipped out unintentionally.
"That's how it was back then. Well, it was an era when most people started working after graduating from ordinary elementary school. My father only finished higher elementary school, but he was able to become a substitute teacher (Author's Note: Explaining substitute teachers would take quite a long time, so please search for details). It was that kind of era..."
As he listened, Kurosu had a look of complete confusion on his face.
"In that case, finding out where Kuwano Kinya went to school won't be easy."
To Takeshita's question, Suzuki replied,
"If we assume it was somewhere relatively close to the local area, you might be able to manage. If the graduation or enrollment records still exist, that is... And if he had at least graduated from an old-system middle school, there's a possibility it was a school closer to Taro compared to something like an old-system high school."
He offered this advice.
"I see. However, since we don't have time to investigate slowly right now, unfortunately, it's a bit impossible to start an investigation immediately. It's frustrating, but it can't be helped given our duties..."
Takeshita made an excuse for not being able to follow the advice.
"Is that so... that's a shame. But even as I say it, if it were an old-system middle school near Taro, some of them seem to have suffered damage from the tsunami, so the records might have been washed away either way."
He likely said this with the intention of telling Takeshita, who was under time constraints, 'not to worry about it.'
*
Once they had finished hearing all the information Suzuki knew, they were seen off at the front door by the couple.
"Thank ye for comin' all this way, sorry we couldn't do much for ye. Go safely."
The wife said something they didn't quite understand due to her strong dialect, so they assumed she was saying goodbye and covered it with a polite smile.
After leaving the Suzuki residence, Takeshita and Kurosu were driven to Miyako Station in the patrol car, thanks to Shinomiya's consideration. Normally, leaving Taro would mean being away from his post, so he should have refused, but he gave in to Shinomiya's words: "Nothing like a crime or accident is going to happen here just because I'm gone for a bit." When they arrived at Miyako Station, Shinomiya told them as they parted,
"Oshizugani. Like Suzuki-san's wife said earlier, it means 'go safely.' So, oshizugani."
The two understood and called out to Shinomiya as he got back into the patrol car,
"You too, oshizugani."
Since the JR access between Miyako Station and Morioka Station was very poor, they decided to take the express bus (though 'express bus' would be a more accurate term as there were no highways) connecting the two stations, just as they had on the way there. While waiting for the Morioka-bound express bus at the station bus stop, Kurosu spoke to Takeshita.
"Senior Staff, about Kuwano, there's something that's been bothering me."
"Hmm? What?"
"Kuwano laundered his family register after the war, but he went out of his way to reconstruct the register after the tsunami, and at that point, I don't see that kind of movement or intent. If he had the intent or background to launder it at that point, it seems like it would have been better to just leave the register as 'unknown.'"
Takeshita had to agree with Kurosu's accurate point.
"Ah, now that you mention it, the consistency really doesn't hold up. You noticed a good point."
"I'm happy to hear you say that, Senior Staff."
"No, you really did notice it. I don't know why yet, but there might be some meaning to it."
Just as Takeshita said that, the bus for Morioka appeared gallantly before them and came to a stop.
"Well, to Tokyo by the end of the day... I've been too busy since leaving Engaru last night."
As he boarded the bus and settled deeply into his seat, a complaint finally escaped Takeshita's lips.
"Are you getting old, Senior Staff?"
Even to Kurosu's joke,
"Yeah, I'm old," he replied straight, without any cleverness, perhaps due to exhaustion.
They transferred to the Tohoku Shinkansen at Morioka Station and arrived at Tokyo Station after 9:00 PM. Without even a moment to settle into the nearby business hotel, 'Prestige Station Hotel,' Takeshita first finished his report for the day to Sawai and immediately contacted Nishida as well. After explaining the investigation status in Taro,
"I told Section Chief Sawai as well, but he said it would be better to ask the Team Leader in Kitami, so there's something I'd like to ask of you," Takeshita began.
"Tell me anything I can do."
"Then I won't hold back. Can you get your hands on Oshima Kaiji's election bulletins? If possible, not just from the most recent election, but including past ones as well. I want information on his educational background."
"Educational background? I see, you want to look into Kuwano Kinya's schooling?"
Nishida was impressed, seeing the intent.
"Especially since lying on election bulletins is a serious matter involving the Public Offices Election Act."
"Understood. I'll get on it first thing tomorrow."
"Please do."
"Oh right, also, I consulted with Kosaka-san today and confessed everything to Kurano-san and Otomo-san. I got scolded, but they understood."
"That's good to hear. Now you and Yoshimura can move without having to worry about every little thing, Team Leader."
Takeshita seemed truly happy for his superior's report.
"I suppose. But just because we have permission from above doesn't mean we can move flashily, right? The fact that Oshima is someone it would be truly bad to be caught by hasn't changed."
Nishida spoke in an admonishing tone, which was rare for him when talking to Takeshita.
"That's true. My apologies. But we've cleared one hurdle in front of us, so that in itself is something to be happy about, right?"
"That's true."
"So, what's the word on the actual perpetrators? Still no leads?"
"For now, we're combing through the yakuza in Eastern Hokkaido, but so far, no one suspicious has turned up as a perpetrator. They've apparently hauled in a few people on unrelated charges, but with no results. There are some with the surname Abe, but no Abe who seems related to the case has come up."
"I see. Even with the name Abe, you can't find them... That's tough."
"Yeah, even if we go with the view that the root of the incident is related to Sada, there's a high possibility the perpetrators are from that crowd... There's talk of expanding the search for Abes with yakuza ties, but since we're still keeping the information among ourselves, it seems Kurano-san and Otomo-san are the only two combing through the materials. If we expand the scope from here, it might take some time... In the first place, the idea of carrying out such a major incident with 'local guys' might be wrong, just like the case with Motohashi during Sada's time. It's entirely possible they brought in perpetrators from a distant, hard-to-trace location."
Nishida explained the investigation policy to Takeshita, while also understanding that it didn't seem to be functioning at present.
"That aside, what you need to worry about isn't our investigation status, but the matter of Oshima and Takagaki, right? Focus on that!"
"Now that you mention it... I shouldn't be worrying about others."
Takeshita spoke as if he had been reminded of his own situation, but Nishida, as his superior, knew full well he wasn't so foolish as to actually forget.
"I'm counting on you! Especially regarding Takagaki, it might lead to some kind of breakthrough!"
"Yes! I'm quite tired today, so I'll rest up for tomorrow."
"Do that. So, what's the plan for tomorrow?"
"Combing through the family registers at the Chiyoda Ward Office, interviewing people about the adoptive family, and the plan is to go to Charmant in the evening."
"I'm the one who asked, but that's a tough schedule... Sorry."
"You're the one who asked!"
Takeshita said this and laughed, and the two ended their conversation.