File 3 – Suspects
"The victim's name was Hirata Kana, twenty-two years old, an undergraduate, according to the wallet he was carrying," Officer Otaki declared, standing over the body that was left on the street. The crime laboratory workers were taking photographs and examining the body. "He fell on the street suddenly and a truck drove over it, crushing his head...
"This is a very gruesome murder..." Otaki continued, wincing. "And the person who witnessed it---"
"---is me!" Heiji announced cheerfully. "Konnichiwa, Otaki-san!"
"H-Hei-chan?!" Otaki exclaimed in astonishment, looking around at him. He noticed Kazuha and Shunji, who were standing far away from where he was. "Kazuha-chan is here too! You're out of the hospital already? How are you?"
"I'm fine," Heiji replied. "It's not like a shot can kill me."
"But---" Otaki was about to say something, but Heiji cut him off.
"No time for chitchatting now, we have to solve this case," Heiji said, walking over to the body. "First of all, we saw this man coming out from that video store, grabbing his heart or something. And then he fell down here." He pointed at the body. "The truck came by seconds later and crushed his head."
"Who drove this truck?" Officer Otaki asked.
A man in his mid-thirties and wearing a cap came up, looking sick and shaken. "M-m-me, Officer...I-I didn't know, I d-didn't mean it! He suddenly appeared out of nowhere and---and---" He was obviously too wimpy to purposely drive over someone.
Heiji looked around and noticed a lab worker sealing something. "Hey, are those bloody skull pieces?" he asked loudly with interest.
"HEIJI, YOU DISGUSTING MORON! WHY DO YOU HAVE TO SAY THAT SO LOUDLY?!" Kazuha screamed, looking green.
Heiji looked at Kazuha with narrowed eyes. "If you can't take the scene, turn around or something then."
Kazuha bit her lip. Then she turned to Shunji. "I want a drink---a strong drink." And, pulling Shunji by the arm, she stormed into the café.
"Officer Otaki, there's something strange about this body!" called the man who was examining the remains.
Otaki strolled over. "What is it?"
"It's strange, because there is a bullet hole in the body of the victim, right on the heart," the man said, writing on his notepad. "It's not an accident---he was murdered by someone."
"What?!" Both Heiji and Otaki were surprised. Otaki turned to Heiji. "You were here, right, Hei-chan? What really happened?"
"We saw this man stumbling out of that shop, holding his heart," Heiji replied, pointing at the video shop. "He was probably shot in the shop---but we didn't hear any gun fire. The murderer must have used a silenced gun."
"The video shop, is it? Men---"
But before Otaki had even given any order, Heiji had already run into the shop. Just when he entered, he saw a flight of spiral staircase at the end, and two persons were emerging from it. "Hello," the lady in front greeted with a smile. "See any video you want?"
"Ma'am, are you aware that a murder had occurred right here in this shop?" Heiji asked.
She gasped. "A murder?"
By that time, Otaki had come up and heard them. "Hei-chan, leave the questioning to me, please," he hissed. He cleared his throat. "Ma'am, I'm Officer Otaki from Osaka Police Department. A man was run over by a truck outside your shop, but we found out that he was shot first in here. Do you know who Hirata Kana is?"
The girl behind the lady gasped. "Not Kana-kun! Why?"
As Otaki raised an eyebrow, the lady quickly bowed. "I'm so sorry, I haven't introduced myself...I'm Sayuki Fuyuko, and this is my daughter, Megumi. I own this video shop. Hirata Kana was my daughter's boyfriend and had been working here for a while."
"Do you mind if we make a search of this place?" Otaki asked as the officers started to split up behind him. Sayuki shook her head. "Now, where were you an hour ago till now?"
"I was upstairs, doing some chores," Sayuki replied. "Megumi was with me too, although she came down once to collect something not long ago."
"Only for some video tapes, Okaa-san," Megumi quickly said.
While Otaki questioned them, Heiji snooped around. He saw a door ajar at the back of the shop. After making sure that no one was paying attention to him, he pushed open the door and slipped in. He found himself in a dusty dimly-lit storeroom filled with video tapes on racks. There was another door on the other side of the room, hanging open.
Seems like the murderer escaped through here, he thought, opening it. It was an alleyway behind the shop. The ground was muddy from the rain last night, but there was no footprint. Heiji narrowed his eyes. Odd...it's like he disappeared. I was outside the whole time before the police even appeared, but I didn't see anyone coming out of the shop again, and there was no one in the shop either. Unless they went up to the first floor, of course...
Suddenly, he heard angry shouts in front. Curious, Heiji hurried back to see what was going on.
Back in the shop, two men had arrived, one looking very angry. Otaki was trying to calm the situation but it turned out to be useless.
"You've got to be kidding me, right?" the angry one roared. He was in his thirties and big-sized. "I let my brother work here and this is what happened! What kind of place are you running?!"
"Please, Hirata-san, we don't know why this happened," Sayuki said helplessly. "The police are investigating---"
"Who cares whether the police are investigating? One of you must have killed him! I should have never let him date your daughter!"
"It is not my will to have my daughter dating him too, but we have no reason to murder him!"
"Oh, you do! I know everything! You don't like my brother dating your daughter, and you---you had a fight with him not long ago, I know!" Hirata accused, pointing at Megumi.
"That was a silly fight, we're already back together!" Megumi wailed, frightened.
"Shirai, I think that's enough, please don't jump to conclusion," said the second man, looking scared.
"I'm not jumping to conclusion, Tohaku! Shut your mouth!"
"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Otaki bellowed, feeling immensely frustrated. The quarrel finally stopped. "Now, please, cooperate with me. Who are you and what are your relations with the victim?"
"G-Gomen nasai...I'm Matsudo Tohaku, the victim's cousin, and this is Hirata Shirai, the victim's brother," the nervous man introduced. "We were just passing by and noticed the commotion, and---"
"Passing by?" Heiji interrupted. Otaki glanced at him in slight irritation.
Matsudo raised an eyebrow, noticing him for the first time. Heiji narrowed his eyes at him, making him sweat. "Er, yes..."
"What, I saw you lurking around outside the shop," Hirata retorted. "I came here to look for Kana, but who knew he was murdered, and it's your fault!" He glared at Sayuki and Megumi.
"Now, now..." While Otaki tried to calm the situation again, Heiji wandered away. He stood facing the front door, watching the officers checking the site. The door was wide open. Just then, a thought came to him. He walked over to the door and without waiting for the officer to say anything, he swung it forward. It couldn't open out---just like any other.
That's strange...I don't reckon a guy who got shot would even be able to open the door and stumble out. Unless the door was open---but we heard it. Then someone opened it for him...why let everyone see what happened though? he thought as he walked away from the door. Hmm? He could smell gun powder. He stopped, looking at the door from where he was. He raised a hand as an improvised gun.
The murderer should be around here...He looked down at the floor and noticed shuffling marks. He noted that it started at least two feet from the door. Must be the victim's...
After searching around some more, he walked back to Otaki in disappointment. There were not enough clues at the scene, unfortunately. He came up just in time to hear Matsudo saying to Sayuki and Megumi, "You know, this murder is going to give everyone bad impression on you and this shop. Do you want to stay at my place while the case is cleared up?"
"No!" Hirata objected instantly, still red in fury. "You are not bringing these murderers home! I don't care what you think, Tohaku, but they're not coming! Good riddance for them anyway, because once this shop is closed, I'll demolish it and build a better place this lousy shop." He snickered.
"You can't do that!" Sayuki exclaimed angrily. "This shop belongs to us!"
"But the property belongs to me! I'm a real estate agent, don't forget! I'm a very busy man now, Sayuki-san. I suggest you pack soon, or you don't want to be caught in the wreck." Hirata adjusted his tie, sneering.
"Okaa-san, leave him alone," Megumi pleaded, stopping her mother from storming towards Hirata.
"Enough already!" Otaki rubbed his temple in frustration. He had listened enough. "Now please, everyone, stay put until we're done investigating the scene. We're working on it."
Thinking that there wasn't much to do anymore, Heiji started to leave. He did notice Matsudo holding Megumi's hand and leading her off the stairs.