bookrandom Chapter 1306 Is this concert absolutely necessary?
Chapter 1306 Is this concert absolutely necessary?
Chapter 1306 Is this concert absolutely necessary?
The bombing that occurred at night kept all the officers in the First Investigative Division from going home that night, but their antics were far from over.
The next day, while they were still working overtime from the previous night, new news came in.
So, before lunchtime, the detectives were invited to the Metropolitan Police Department building to sit down and listen to them slowly explain the case.
"Yesterday afternoon, a man named Hisao Sone was involved in an accident while paragliding and crashed into Tokyo Bay, drowning." Holding a handbook, Shiratori Ninzaburo, who had stayed up all night, had a slightly wrinkled suit, completely losing his aristocratic demeanor. "At first, the police in the dock area thought it was an accident, but after reporting it, they found that this man's situation was quite similar to the previous three victims. We were notified this morning that we have decided to handle the cases together."
"He's a viola player and also a member of the first graduating class of the Domoto Music Academy," Inspector Megure simply stated. "Based on the current investigation, the four of them seem to have a good relationship."
"Yes. The police investigated the information from the academy and confirmed that the four of them were still signing up for programs and performing together until two years ago. It wasn't until Osamu Shida chose to focus on music education and selling musical instruments that they stopped playing and performing together. The four of them had a very strong connection." Shiratori Ninzaburo nodded and added.
"So, the accident that caused this person to drown was also man-made?" Kogoro Mouri frowned.
"Yes. The prefectural police in charge of the scene investigation found cut marks from a sharp weapon on the paraglider he used." Inspector Megure nodded. "There's no doubt this is also a murder."
"Of course, more importantly, they found the last part of the flute, the head tube, under the back seat of Hisao Sone's car." Wataru Takagi pulled the photos of the evidence out of the document and placed them on the coffee table.
"This is the last part of the flute, right?" Hattori Heiji observed the crime scene photo for a while before speaking first. "So that means the flute is complete, everyone the killer wanted to murder is dead, and this serial murder case will be temporarily closed?"
It is not difficult to deduce from the different causes of death of these four people that the murderer was not simply a bomber.
This is somewhat reassuring, as the destructive power of an explosion is so great that even the perpetrator himself would find it difficult to control.
For example, based on the current characteristics of the case, it is very likely that Kawabe Kanade really suffered an undeserved disaster. Although the hospital's feedback is optimistic, her injuries are quite serious. She was able to survive only because she was sitting at the door of the practice room. If she had taken a few more steps in, it would have been difficult for her to survive.
"By the way, Kudo-kun, the thermos you gave us yesterday, the forensic department gave us a preliminary test report this morning. It contained a high concentration of local anesthetic." Sato Miwako also took out a document. "They suspect it's tetracaine. Direct contact with the laryngeal mucosa can cause temporary numbness and burning pain, severely inhibiting vocal cord vibration and thus affecting normal voice production. However, as an anesthetic, regardless of how it comes into contact with you, it can be completely eliminated through metabolism. So far, it seems to match your guess."
"At this level, it can't be a simple prank." Shiratori Ninzaburo nodded.
The detectives sitting on the sofa frowned simultaneously, with Shinichi Kudo's expression being the most serious.
Tetracaine is a highly effective anesthetic, and even without detailed chemical knowledge, it is known that the most likely scenario for exposure to this drug is the medical environment.
The user's choice of this drug is quite obvious, and just as Shinichi Kudo guessed, it is also very mild.
If the goal is simply to make Akiba Reiko lose her voice efficiently, instead of using something as troublesome as an anesthetic, it would be better to use some corrosive chemicals, such as solutions of strong acids and alkalis. Even a small dose would be enough to permanently burn a person's mucous membranes. However, this could easily result in Akiba Reiko losing her voice permanently, causing considerable harm.
The switch to an anesthetic not only made the effects highly targeted, but also made it significantly more difficult to obtain than solutions that could be prepared in a laboratory. In other words, the perpetrator had chosen a more difficult path to minimize the harm to Akiba Reiko.
This is quite unusual.
Shinichi Kudo pressed for details about yesterday's events: "What about that truck? Did you find anything?"
"Kudo's guess is correct; it was stolen from a nearby construction site. The culprit likely tried to drug Akiba Reiko but failed, and then chose to steal a truck to ram her." Inspector Megure agreed with his earlier guess.
"I see," Kogoro Mouri murmured, looking down thoughtfully. "If Reiko Akiba is unable to perform, who is most likely to replace her?"
"I think it should be Ms. Chigusa Lala," Shiratori Ninzaburo thought for a moment. "She was originally chosen as the singer. She's a ninth-grader of Domoto Academy and a student directly taught by Mr. Domoto. I imagine Mr. Domoto was very pleased with her performance. The reason she was replaced by Akiba Reiko wasn't entirely due to her performance level or fame. It's mainly because Ms. Kawabe Kanade visited him with Stradivarius, finalized the performance in advance, and then strongly recommended Akiba Reiko."
"Didn't those two say they didn't know each other before?" Kogoro Mouri hadn't forgotten the explanation he'd overheard during rehearsals.
"Indeed, they don't know each other. The results of our investigation also show that they have no connection in the past. According to Kawabe Kanade, they have never met before. She has always liked Akiba Reiko's performance style and wanted to work with her, but she just didn't have the opportunity in the past," Shiratori Ninzaburo added.
In other words, Akiba Reiko was involved, but Kawabe Kanade was the mastermind behind the whole affair.
She had her eye on the Domoto Concert platform and wanted to use her instrument as leverage to obtain the resources and connections she desired.
Reiko Akiba did not actively contact or request to participate in the performance; rather, she was invited. This point is still worth discussing in this incident.
"Hmm, so that means Akiba Reiko wasn't originally planned to participate in the performance. It was Kawabe Kanade who brought it up, and Domoto Kazuhiro invited her." Recalling his interactions with Akiba Reiko, Kudo Shinichi rested his chin on his hand and pondered, "So, was her dedication to the performance simply due to her passion for acting?"
"It's hard to say. In any case, she's a graduate of the academy, and this performance is very significant for everyone involved." Hattori Heiji shook his head, revealing the conclusion of his visit to the music academy. "To put it simply, this performance is Mr. Domoto's way of showcasing the concert hall he built, and also for industry professionals and music lovers. Participating in the performance is equivalent to becoming one of Mr. Domoto's confidants," meaning you can be considered part of his faction—"
Turning his head, he saw that Ran Mouri still looked confused, so Kogoro Mouri simply and succinctly described it: "It's a bit like what Yusuke Kitagawa did."
"Oh—" Ran Mouri suddenly realized.
While it is important to know what Domoto Kazuki was thinking and what he was considering, for the performers, being able to stand on that stage, standing next to Domoto Kazuki, was a demonstration of their background and faction. Winning that opportunity could very well change their entire career path.
From this perspective, Chigusa Lala and Yamane Shion, who were replaced, must have felt extremely frustrated.
They were the students that Domoto Kazuki valued more, and they should have had the opportunity to make their voices heard in the world with the teacher's support, but they stumbled because of Kawabe Kanade's interference.
Thinking of this, Shinichi Kudo couldn't help but shake his head.
If it were them, it would be difficult to explain this relatively mild choice and method.
While women do tend to use methods like poisoning, which don't require physical confrontation, rather than violence in many heinous crimes, their conflict with Akiba Reiko is a matter of life and death for their cause, and should not be so gentle.
Not to mention, it's really difficult for an untrained woman to drive that kind of truck, and he didn't think yesterday's driver would be such a slender woman as Chigusa Lala.
"You mean, we haven't been able to find any connection between Akiba Reiko and the four dead yet?" Kogoro Mouri, who was quick to understand, immediately grasped their implication.
She wasn't part of the original cast, and there's an age difference between her and the other four; they weren't from the same cohort.
Not all four of them were involved in the concert, and they didn't even know Akiba Reiko.
If we had to pinpoint a connection, the only thing that would be the shared characteristic of being from Domoto Academy is that they might be at odds with each other, which is a weak possibility of a conflict within the school.
"It has been confirmed that the bombs for the first two victims of the explosion were planted directly beneath the floor where they were practicing. However, the possibility that Ms. Kawabe Kanako was also a target cannot be ruled out," Shiratori Ninzaburo added.
Shinichi Kudo turned his gaze toward Heiji Hattori.
He didn't go to the music academy; he handed the investigation over to Heiji Hattori.
"One of them plays the piano, and the other plays the cello." Heiji Hattori knew exactly what Shinichi Kudo was asking and answered directly, "Their instruments are not easily moved. It's certain that the murderer wanted to kill both of them."
A grand piano, needless to say, is almost fixed to the floor, while the cello has very limited options for placement and playing if it wants to practice with a piano.
The murderer could have achieved his goal by simply planting plastic explosives under the piano, and it would have been difficult to believe that the bomb was aimed at Kawabe Kanako.
"If the murderer also intended to attack Ms. Kawabe Kanade, then we cannot completely rule out Yamane Shion as a suspect."
"The beneficiary theory is still worth considering." Inspector Megure summarized after Shiratori Ninzaburo had finished explaining.
This means that whoever benefits the most from a person's death is most likely the perpetrator.
The current situation is not enough to support the view that the murderer targeted the entire concert. After all, the original performance lineup, which was highly appreciated by Domoto Kazuki, was still there. Even if Kawabe Kanade and Akiba Reiko were absent for various reasons, it would not affect the normal progress of the concert. At most, they would just be subject to some discussion and their rehearsal plans would be slightly disrupted.
Therefore, the police still suspect Yamane Shion and Chigusa Lala, and there is still no clue about the situation of the four victims.
"That piano, I mean, the one in the practice room that was damaged by the explosion, is there anything special about it?" Hattori Heiji asked at this moment.
"Special? You mean something about being expensive? No, it'll be kept at the academy for students to use, so it won't be particularly expensive." Shiratori Ninzaburo, who was very interested in the art industry, answered quickly, then immediately realized that Hattori Heiji must have a reason for asking. "Why would Hattori-kun ask that?"
"When I went to the academy to investigate the scene, I saw Mr. Fu and Mr. Takumi picking up piano keys that had been thrown out of the piano after the explosion. He looked very sad and upset. I thought that piano might have some significance," Hattori Heiji explained without holding back.
"Oh, if it's Mr. Pu and Mr. Takumi, then it certainly has significance. That was the piano that Mr. Domoto used for practice at home. It was an entry-level piano that Mr. Domoto bought thirty years ago. It wasn't expensive, but he always used it at home in his spare time. As Mr. Domoto's tuner, he was responsible for tuning this piano, both at home and at the academy. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that it was his own child."
"No wonder—" Hattori Heiji nodded, "It was sent to the academy because Mr. Domoto gave up the piano?"
"That should be it." Shiratori Ninzaburo was very careful with his words this time.
He realized that Hattori Heiji's question indicated that he also had some doubts about the score and the craftsman.
Having been abandoned at home and sent to the academy, it became a violin that students could use upon application. Facing this old friend, the sheet music and craftsmanship, which had also been abandoned, must have given him very complicated feelings.
Hattori Heiji was implying that the sho and the taku might harbor resentment towards Domoto Issei because of this, and intend to take revenge.
"Well, if I had to say something—" Takagi Wataru touched his handbook, recalling the process of asking questions, "Mr. Fu and Mr. Takumi were indeed not very satisfied with these four deceased people, saying that their attitude towards life was very problematic and that they were not suitable for the music industry or something like that.
"But you can't just kill someone for that reason, can you?" Miwako Sato retorted.
"Yes, even if they are so unbearable that you want to kill them, that doesn't explain Ms. Akiba Reiko's situation." Shiratori Ninzaburo also shook his head.
"Is it possible—" Kogoro Mouri stammered, "that the one who wanted to kill these four people was a murderer, while the one who wanted to harm Ms. Reiko Akiba was another group? Everything revolves around the concert and Ichikei Domoto. The interpersonal relationships and interests involved are intricate, so it's entirely possible that two separate groups of criminals could emerge."
"Tsk, organizing a concert and causing so many criminal cases, how much hatred must Domoto Ichiki have—" Hattori Heiji shook his head after hearing this.
"Sigh, is this concert really necessary?" Tang Ze, standing in the Impression Space, looked at the hideous shadow in front of him and sighed the same way, shaking his head as well.
>