Chapter 13: A Convenient Tool
"Hasebe Koichi? Wasn’t the guest in room 216 killed?"
"The identity of the deceased is still being confirmed. At this point, the missing Hasebe Koichi and Kagehara Tetsuya are both major suspects. Yomikawa-san, do you know if these two had any connection?"
This news was so shocking that even the male detective taking notes looked up in surprise.
"It’s hard for me to imagine Kagehara-kun knowing someone like Hasebe Koichi. He’s never mentioned him before."
"Then, has Kagehara Tetsuya been acting strangely recently? Anything at all, no matter how small," Matsushita Makoto pressed, unwilling to give up.
"If there’s anything strange, it’s that he suddenly left me a note last night. Other than that... I’m sorry, but everything seemed normal to me. And our interactions have been quite limited."
"I see. I’m just trying to solve the case as quickly as possible. I hope you understand, Yomikawa-san. Also, if you recall anything that might be related to the case, please contact me." Matsushita Makoto slid a business card across the table, signaling the end of the questioning. "Thank you for your cooperation."
"Is Kagehara-kun... really capable of being the killer?" The girl picked up the card, staring at the number as if asking herself—or perhaps Matsushita Makoto.
"At this point, Kagehara Tetsuya is a suspect. Of course, the truth will require further investigation. By the way, it’s very late now. We can arrange for someone to escort you home."
"That’s not necessary. My home isn’t far from here. I can go back on my own."
"Then, we’ll take our leave."
.…..
After the two left the room, Kagehara Tetsuya slowly revealed a mocking smile. "The disguise was perfect. At least those rookie detectives didn’t see through it."
In addition to being satisfied with his disguise, Kagehara Tetsuya had also carefully crafted and fabricated the events of the previous night. The rookie detectives had completely missed these details, though it wasn’t entirely their fault. Even seasoned detectives would struggle to see through his methods without the other party’s testimony to cross-examine.
In essence, he had almost imperceptibly shifted more suspicion onto "Kagehara Tetsuya," ensuring that the identity of Yomikawa Tsuko appeared innocent in the eyes of the police. As for the note—an indirect piece of evidence—it was, of course, genuine. If he wanted, he could produce a hundred more just like it.
"The cuts on the neck of the corpse—the forensic examiner must have identified them by now. Such clean, precise cuts, requiring a high level of skill, would perfectly exonerate the identity of Yomikawa Tsuko. Of course, this also increases the suspicion on Kagehara Tetsuya. It seems I accidentally did the right thing at the time."
Kagehara Tetsuya pondered the clues the police might have and deduced their likely next steps in the investigation.
By fabricating the information that Yomikawa Tsuko and Kagehara Tetsuya had known each other for a long time, he had created an opportunity to guide or intervene in the police’s investigation. If he provided some information at the right time, and that information was verified, the police would have no reason to suspect him further.
The only problem was that Matsushita Makoto was a rookie detective and likely wouldn’t have much influence in the investigation headquarters. Providing her with information was definitely not the best choice.
"Also, the fact that the deceased wasn’t the guest from room 216 is truly unexpected. How did he get to the inn and enter room 216?"
"What role did Hasebe Koichi play in all this? This will undoubtedly be the focus of the police’s next steps."
"And who is the deceased? Did he have any personal connection to Yomikawa? If there was some conflict, it would likely raise suspicions again."
"Then there’s the matter of the victim’s head and the murder weapon. If the police find the head and the forensic examiner analyzes the wounds there, the misleading information about the killer’s calm and skilled cutting of the neck flesh would be exposed. That absolutely cannot happen."
"Another flaw is Kagehara Tetsuya’s mysterious disappearance from his own room. The clerk is essentially an eyewitness, but as long as the truth about Lord Mask-Taker’s power remains hidden, the police won’t suspect me."
"In short, these are the areas I need to focus on. If I can eliminate these potential risks one by one, that would be even better."
While changing clothes, Kagehara Tetsuya had already mapped out his next steps. He picked up the small suitcase and left the room. As he passed by room 216, he instinctively turned his head to glance inside.
Inside the room, Kishida Masayoshi, who was inspecting the door lock, heard footsteps and looked up. Their eyes met in mid-air. Just as they were about to pass each other, Kagehara Tetsuya suddenly stopped.
"Officer Kishida Masayoshi, I’ve heard a lot about you. I’m Yomikawa Tsuko." As a target to exploit, Kishida Masayoshi was far more suitable than Matsushita Makoto. This man still carried guilt over Kagehara Tetsuya’s father’s suicide.
In the incident a year ago, Kagehara Tetsuya, as a minor, had been suspected by the investigation headquarters. However, according to the principle of non-disclosure for juvenile crimes, the police should not have leaked his information to the media. Moreover, even now, there was no evidence to prove he was the killer of Tanaka Erika.
Kishida Masayoshi, who had violated this principle, had naturally become the "culprit" in the public eye after Kagehara Tetsuya’s father jumped to his death.
For this foolish man, whether or not I’m the killer of Tanaka Erika is definitely more important than the current case. Thinking this, Kagehara Tetsuya buried his malice even deeper.
Kishida Masayoshi looked at the girl who had suddenly stopped and turned around. For some reason, the faint smile on her face gave him an inexplicable chill, yet it also felt strangely familiar. He searched his memory but couldn’t recall ever meeting this high school girl. "Do you know me?"
"Of course. Kagehara-kun mentioned you to me."
Hearing the name "Kagehara," Kishida Masayoshi’s expression froze. After a few seconds, he seemed to want to ask something, but in the end, he averted his gaze and remained silent.
Kagehara Tetsuya smiled innocently. "It seems you were involved in the investigation of Tanaka Erika’s case a year ago. Now, with this case also involving Kagehara-kun, you’re involved again, Officer Kishida."
"I..." Kishida Masayoshi’s gaze flickered, as if he wanted to explain, to face the question head-on, but in the end, he didn’t have the courage. "In any case, I’ll investigate the case thoroughly. What’s your relationship with Kagehara Tetsuya?"
"I’m his classmate. Could I have one of your business cards, Officer Kishida?"
Kishida Masayoshi hesitated for a moment but ultimately took out a business card and handed it over. "If you have any information that might be related to the case, please contact me directly. Thank you very much."
It’s me who should be thanking you. Kagehara Tetsuya accepted the card with a slight bow. "Then, I’ll take my leave."
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