When the Detective Work is Done, I'll Die

Chapter 40

I immediately started pedaling my bicycle. Along the way I rode alongside a car that pulled out from a side street, heading for Senior Urakawa's place. Apparently, the woman forced to guard Senior Urakawa was Detective Akaba.

After stopping her car in front of Senior Urakawa's house, she rolled down the window and nervously looked around. The moment she confirmed no one else was there, she spoke to me.

"Huh...? You're alone?"

"Yes. That's right. Detective Akaba too?"

"Yeah. I was ordered from above to keep an eye on the kid here tonight. Looks like a stake-out around the area tonight. What about you?"

"There's something I'd like to ask Senior Urakawa......"

"I see. So there really isn't anyone else, right?"

"Right. What's wrong?"

Evidently, if someone tipped them off that the police were leaking information to outsiders, things could get messy.

After telling me that, she provided the information the police had uncovered.

"See, apparently a clerk saw the victim making copies of that delivery paper at the convenience store."

"I see. No doubt that paper belonged to Senior Kanbara...... but I still don't know what it means......"

"Right~"

With her elbow on the steering wheel, she groaned in frustration. Since keeping her puzzled any longer wouldn't help, I told her what I'd wanted to ask the police.

"Ah, right. Do the police know any place that sells things used in crimes? Like rope for hanging... or kitchen knives."

"You can buy knives at any old home center... but if it's rope for hanging, it might narrow things down quite a bit. It has to be sturdy enough or it'll snap. ......What's wrong with that?"

"Huh? You don't know? The incident when Senior Murayama was attacked... weren't you the lead on the scene?"

"Ah... well, sort of......"

Her mouth twitched as she answered. Could Detective Akaba have been removed as lead investigator because she kept asking civilians for answers?

If so, I'd caused trouble. For a second I thought of apologizing, but the favor took priority. I pulled myself together and told her,

"Ah, right. About that rope—please ask Detective Chikage for the details. As for where it came from, could you check on that too......"

"Got it. I'll ask the other detectives."

"Thank you......!"

After bowing once, I remembered why I'd come: to speak with Senior Urakawa. If he went to sleep, solving the mystery would be delayed.

To solve the case as fast as possible, I rang the Urakawas' doorbell. Senior Urakawa appeared.

"Senior, I know this is sudden and rude, but may I speak with you?"

Eager to learn the truth, I laid out my deductions on the spot. Senior Urakawa listened to my abrupt greeting-turned-theory with a blank face—much appreciated.

When I finished and asked, "So, what do you think?" he finally relaxed his cheeks.

Then he burst out laughing. At first, when he suddenly pressed a hand to his face and changed so drastically, I panicked, thinking my reasoning had been wrong. While steadying my pounding heart with my left hand, I checked.

"Um, did I say something weird?"

Then he said clearly,

"No... that's not it. You're right. So... you really were the person I thought you were."

"The person you... thought?"

"Wait a minute."

I was dumbfounded by the non sequitur and watched his back disappear down the hallway.

Within minutes Senior Urakawa returned. This time he held a single sheet of paper. The instant I pointed at it, he started explaining.

"Kanbara told me. 'Keep this,' she said. 'And if something happens to me, look for it.'"

"Ah... so Senior Kanbara knew something might happen to her."

"I was planning to discuss this with someone trustworthy... here. Take it."

"Y-yes!"

I accepted the paper from him. He also tossed out something that made my heart race.

"Tatsuya... seems like you two've had some trouble, huh."

"Ah... you saw... us, Senior?"

"I don't know what happened, but patch things up... She's an idiot, but..."

"An idiot, but...?"

"She's got a kind of idiocy nobody else has."

"So in the end I'm just calling her an idiot... right... I'll do my best..."

"If you're in trouble, call her. She really wants to help you. I'm sure you can make up..."

After hearing that, I couldn't say it was impossible. Yet I had no guarantee we could ever make up.

I was the one who couldn't protect his precious little sister. And I couldn't even tell him why.

Feeling I couldn't meet Senior Urakawa's expectations, I quickly said "good-bye" and left. I ran out, got on my bicycle, and started home.

At a red light I stopped and checked the paper Senior Urakawa had given me.

On the front was only the delivery order.

Yes—the same one the late Senior Kanbara had hidden in her pocket. It was creased many times; probably the original sheet that had been copied.

I had no idea what it could mean.

Assuming nothing was written on the back, I turned it over to check.

"Huh...?"

There was.

Here was the evidence that completed every piece of the puzzle.

That person committed murder for this.

With the deductions I'd made so far, plus this paper, everything would end. All that remained was the evidence I was curious about. If my reasoning was correct, the truth was in sight.

"...I have to tell someone about this..."

If the culprit confesses before the police learn the truth, it can count as turning herself in.

I would urge the culprit to surrender.

With that resolve, I spent the night.

When morning came, I headed not to my own school but to Jinrou Academy.

To bring an end to this rotten Werewolf game.

To finish the case faster than any detective and prove how useless all other detectives are.

And to avenge Miiko, murdered by a detective.

Carrying countless tangled feelings, I waited at the school gate for the culprit to arrive. As planned, the culprit strode right in.

I called out and said, "I'd like to ask you something; could you come to the front of the principal's office?" The principal's office was a public area, so the culprit wouldn't try to silence me there.

Keeping watch behind me, I sat on a chair placed in front of the principal's office.

"Sorry to keep you waiting."

The culprit arrived, looking perfectly composed—certain she could never be caught.

I replied like this:

"I'd like to confirm some details about the case in which Senior Kanbara was killed. There's something I want to ask, so please cooperate."

Naming the culprit outright at the start might make her violent and impossible to reason with. So step by step, slowly.

I tried to start a conversation with the culprit on another topic.

But the culprit's manner was a little strange.

"Sure. But I don't really know much about the case where that girl was killed."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"I mean, I'm Kishi. I'm the Kishi who was killed by that girl. So about the case, I've only seen it from heaven... Do you think I can still talk with you...?"