Page 7 (1/2)
VOLUME 2 - THAT WHICH CONNECTS SOULS file 02: exorcis treated like a maid? He had a lot of work to do since this was a serial abduction murder case
Hata took a file out of the cabinet
It was an autopsy report for a traffic accident that had occurred a few days earlier Wasn’t it just a regular old traffic accident? He didn’t understand at all why so like this was necessary now
The accident had occurred three days ago
The ht and suddenly ran into the intersection
There were reports from eyewitnesses as well A housewife on the way hoeate However, the car was still at fault The driver hadn’t watched the road
Didn’t watch the road? If somebody suddenly ran into the intersection, you wouldn’t be able to avoid it even if you had been watching
Traffic laritten in a way that conored human reaction time
It could only be called bad luck
The driver found at the scene of the accident had seeed to stand
It had hurt to look at his cowering figure as he spoke in a tre his future
Hata, who had seen scenes like that many ti it was to have your life cru in’
At the same time as Hata heard that casually loud voice, the door opened and Gotou ca for Gotou to come into the extremely narrow room lined with cabinets and shelves
’Excuse ht bulb turned on over Hata’s head – he didn’t even need to hear an explanation Since Gotou had brought hi it
’Might you be Saitou Yakuht about it – that’s correct’
He gave a brusque reply to Hata’s question
During the previous case, they had only spoke on the phone, but he could still tell i enetic make-up that allowed him to see the spirits of the dead
Hata stood up and shook hands with Yaku his hand, Hata took a close look at Yakumo’s face
Oh – he usually wore contacts then The size of his left and right eyeballs and pupils didn’t appear to differ much
He wanted to confirm how it felt Hata reached towards Yakumo’s left eye, but Gotou pushed that hand away
’What are you doing?’ Hata had been so close
’Shut up! You perverted oldit?’
’Will you let me?’
’Are you an idiot? Control yourself and stick toas he did so
What a noisy o so far as to dissect it, he wanted to thoroughly examine Yakumo’s left eye one day
That which connects the body and the soul, the barrier between the living and the dead It was likely that Yakumo’s left eye could see that Yaku for sochair by the wall, and Yakumo stood by the ith his arms folded
At that point, another person came in – a man who felt rather frail
’Er, please excuseas Detective Gotou’s subordinate’
Coile it was pitiful
He bowed from the waist – it was so polite it was stupid
’You’ve been paired with Gotou-kun? My condolences’
’Your condolences? You’re the one who’s got his feet stuck in the Sanzu River[1]’
’My, what an annoying hed scornfully at Gotou’s insolent words and tossed the file onto the table
’That’s thethrough the material on the table Yakumo leant over to look as well Since the room was too small, Ishii couldn’tit This is theat the photo taken of the corpse’s face at the time of the autopsy
The skin from the cheek to the nose was cut The blood had been wiped off before the photo was taken, but the flesh and bones still showed
He was so thin it seemed sickly, and his face looked extremely nervous
His name was Andou Takashi He enty-five years old His father was a al apprentice until the end of last year, but he’d caused a little incident and had been unemployed at the time of his death
’But why are you interested in an old traffic accident?’
He hadn’t heard anything fro at the tea in his teacup
’A number of reasons’
Gotou crossed his ar about those reasons’
He should have guessed from the flow of the conversation, but this ht that it was more appropriate to call him an idiot than a hot-blooded detective
’The spirit of the man who died in this accident has possessed a woman’
Yakumo explained in Gotou’s stead
Hata then understood that Yakumo had probably stuck his neck into this case since they believed a ghost was involved
’That is interesting’
’This man has an attachment to life that knows no bounds Further serious for a spirit of the dead to possess so is’
So it wasn’t just seeing the spirits of the dead – he could feel so
’Hata-san, was there anything you noticed?’ Yakuht it over
The cause of death was a cerebral contusion There were no other injuries, and there had been no response fro autopsy
’Anything is fine’
Even if he said that –
’There wasn’t really anything’
’I see’
Yaku irritated
’Old man Where’s the corpse?’
Gotou asked an inappropriate question
’It was creo It’s already been three days since his death’
’Makes sense…’
’His family came to pick him up soon after I think his flat’s already been vacated’
’His family e in an unexpected traffic accident,’ Gotou said seriously, looking through the materials
At those words, Hata recalled his o anew Andou’s faested On the contrary –
’It was so cold-hearted They finished the paperwork in a business-like manner and that was the end of it’
’Really?’
Gotou mulled over that
’Seemed like he hadn’t really been a member of the Andou fae?’
’It’s a bit more complicated than that He and his , but that o so he was adopted into the Andou family’
’Do you ood nose for this sort of thing from his experience as a detective
’That’s what I mean Seems his birth mother had been a mistress That makes him a blood-related son’
’But why do you know so much about this, old man?’ Gotou asked His doubt was natural
’At soot to contact his fah I hadn’t asked’
’What a disaster’
’Well, I didn’t iving a call You’ll hear much more from a servant than the family themselves’
’Can’t stop rumours, eh’
Gotou leant back on his chair
’After that, there was soht not be related’
’What is it?’
It see, and he spoke with his brows furrowed
’I think it was yesterday A few of the things he’d had on him were returned – said they weren’t their son’s’
’What were they?’
’If I remember correctly, there was a bible A small one about the size of a notebook There was also a key,’ Hata replied as he recalled his memories
’Where are those?’
This tie’
’Ishii! Dash!’
Gotou yelled authoritatively, like he was calling a dog
’Eh?’
Ishii had just been listening silently He suddenly turned around and ju like he didn’t knohat to do
Gotou ful at talking He’d definitely just brought hi it here!’
This time, Gotou stood up and pointed at the door as he yelled
Ishii finally understood It was nice how he responded with an ’Ah, yes sir!’ and rushed out, but he ed into the closed door
’What are you doing? Get awhile pressing a hand against his nose
Ishii replied, ’Yes sir,’ in a nasal voice and left the rooht blue envelope that has Andou written on it!’
Hata called out to Ishii’s back
He couldn’t be sure whether he heard him
’I feel really bad for your subordinate,’ Hata muttered
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2
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Gotou’s irritation had reached its peak
It had already been almost an hour since Ishii went out of the roo he had soed Ishii’s enthusias direction
’That guy’s late…’
’Then why not help hi as he sat in the seat Hata had been in it
’If you’re going to say that, you go’
’Ishii-san is your subordinate, Gotou-san I’er’
’Ah, that’s true’
He really couldn’t beat Yakue lately,’ Yakumo said, his lips turned up in a smirk
Whenever Yaku unpleasant up his sleeve
’I’m the same as usual’
Gotou denied what Yakumo had said, but it was true
It had only been one day so far, but being paired up with Ishii was driving hiuy had an unnatural interest in the occult, which ended up with hi
’Gotou-san, why not be a bit nicer to Ishii-san?’ Yakuht I’d hear about being nicer from you’
’Gotou-san, have you really not noticed?’
’Notice? Notice what?’
Gotou put hiure out what Yakus for you, Gotou-san’
’He has earrings?’
’You said that on purpose Feelings I meant that he likes you, Gotou-san’
’W-ha – ’
What was he saying? Gotou’s heart was beating wildly Why was it thu so much? Calm down
It wasn’t like Yakumo’s words didn’t echo with him When Ishii looked at Gotou, his eyes were like that of a puppy that had been given a treat Gotou didn’t knohat to do when a man looked at him with eyes like that
’Got this, Yakumo? There’s a limit to how much you should joke I’m a man He’s a man Understand?’
’You have an unexpectedly obstinate way of thinking If you like so is how you feel, Gotou-san’
Yaku to feel! I don’t swing that way’
A strange sweat ran down his forehead
’Is that really true?’
’What do you want to say?’
Da this so seriously?
’Nothing really I’ that it’d be better if you were honest with yourself’
’I don’t want to hear that from you’
’Please answer honestly Gotou-san, men or women – which do you prefer?’
’I obviously prefer women!’
Just as Gotou stood up and shouted, Ishii opened the door
Ishii’s , and he stood stock still with a surprised expression on his face
Yakuhter He had just beento do with this at
’Was it there?’ Gotou asked, sitting back then
’Ah, yes I f-found it,’ Ishii said hesitantly, a light blue envelope in his hand
’Let’s confirm what’s inside at once’
Yaku had happened
Ishii put the contents of the envelope on the table Just as Hata had said, there was a notebook-sized bible bound in black leather and a key that looked brand new
Gotou reached out to take the bible, but Ishii had been thinking of doing the saertips touched on top of the table
’Ack’
He hurriedly pulled his hand back
For soe
He couldn’t look directly at Ishii’s face What was this hazy feeling?’
’Gotou-san Let’s stop those thoughts there’
Yakumo’s lips were turned up in a se You haven’t even noticed Haruka-chan’s feelings I’ll get you back soed histhe key on the table
It was still new There was a sticker with -3> written on it on the bow It was a key for a disc tumbler lock It was probably for soht have been for the flat Andou lived in, but it’d be strange for his relatives to return it if that were the case
Yakuh it
Ishii looked like he didn’t knohat he should do, so he stood upright like a kid who had been scolded
Can we really save Makoto fro this –
’Gotou-san, please look at this’
Yakumo broke the silence and placed a photo on the table
It had probably been carried around for a while The photo’s corners orn
There was a girl in the photo Her hair was tied in a ponytail, and she wore a school uniform with a blazer
The photo looked like it had been taken in a roolance, but her eyes weren’t s
Her eyes et, and it looked like she was afraid
’Where’d you find that?’
’It was in between the bible’s pages…’
Yakumo replied with his chin in his hands
Why had Andou carried this photo with such devotion?
’T-t-this is Ayaka-chan!’
Suddenly, Ishii let out a loud voice which pierced Gotou’s ears
’You’re so noisy What are youa fuss about?’
Ishii’s behaviour was unusual His body was shaking, and he was so agitated it felt like he could faint at any moment
’But that’s Ayaka-chan’
’I heard you say that earlier She somebody you know?’
’No, I don’t know her, but… That’s not it This is the first victim from the serial abduction itated as well and stood up
Ishii was talking about that Ayaka-chan –
The police were currently in a frenzy investigating that case
It wasn’t just Ayaka-chan The other day, the corpse of the second victio, Keiko-chan had disappeared
It was a serious incident which had shaken society A general ation tea an investigation, but since Gotou was being treated as an outsider, he hadn’t seen a proper photo before
But ould Andou, who’d died instantly in a traffic accident, have the photo of the feht this wasn’t his because this photo was inside,’ Yakuertip
Surely that was it And old Hata had just put it aithout looking inside
Thinking about it logically, there wouldn’t be a link between a traffic accident and a serial abductionhere’
’Detective Gotou, ill you do?’ Ishii said with a rare snort
Even if he asked that, it wasn’t so he could answer immediately
A man who died in a traffic accident had a photo of a victim of a serial abduction murder case It was incredibly suspicious, but that was the liations –
No, that wouldn’t be necessary They’d do it theround again His friends, his upbringing – any detail will do Just look into it’
’Y-yes sir!’
Ishii stood up straight and responded energetically
The way he responds is the only respectable thing about hie of anxiety and decided to start their investigation
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3
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I could see a light –
A faint white light
I can see so so
Where am I?
I fell into the river, and then –
I couldn’t breathe –
Alad It looks like you’re awake’
Haruka heard a voice
Upon hearing that voice, the edat her fro hi’s OK now,’ he said gently, s His eyes closed when he smiled Somehow, he made her feel at ease ’I…’
Her voice was hoarse and didn’t feel like her own
’You nearly drowned in the river Uchiyaate saved you’
She recalled the ed man in work clothes who had been at the river
He was tan, with thick, forceful eyebrows and a sturdy body build
That man saved her –
She was alive
Haruka faintly but finally understood her own situation
’Er…’
’Don’t worry I’m a doctor, and this is my hospital’
So thisfrom her arm
’My name is Kinoshita What’s your nah she had regained consciousness, her body still felt heavy, and her voice wouldn’t come out the way she wanted it to
’You drank a lot of water You should rest for today’
’But…’
’Please don’t worry about it This is a private hospital and the nurses have gone ho, press that button to call ree to Kinoshita’s proposal
She couldn’t go hoood rest’
Kinoshita turned around and started to leave the hospital roo the sound out of her throat
’What is it?’
’Thank you very much’
Kinoshita smiled pleasantly
’After you recover, please thank Uchiyama as well’
Haruka responded with a nod Then, Kinoshita turned off the lights and left
In the ht, Haruka realised that she was alive
She couldn’t tell if she was happy or sad, but tears flowed fro sister I’, there was a regular investigation h they conferred every day, they didn’t have much to report
While Hata rubbed at his sleepy eyes, he half-heartedly listened to their exchange
’When we investigated the call history on the mobile phone of the second victim, Miho-chan, it showed in the browser history that she had accessed an online dating site…’
’Regarding the white station wagon that was sighted at the scene, we currently don’t knoho…’
’We obtained a list of custoraphy shop…’
’A former instructor as arrested before for molestation was…’
The inforets He knew that they were just taking all the possibilities into account, but they would just be overwhelathered
If they couldn’t find an opening, this stalemate would just continue
Hata stifled a yawn as he hts
’What do you think, Hata-san?’
Suddenly, Chief Hijikata spoke to hiht have meant that as a reprimand towards so up the wrong tree Hata was a coroner
He autopsied corpses and showed up to investigation , he wasn’t part of the police
Hata accepted requests from the police – a subcontractor, so to speak
’Are you askingdumb Hijikata stared directly at Hata
What an obstinate et out of this, Hata reluctantly opened hismy personal opinion, I think that the aim of this case’s perpetrator is to kill’
There were exclamations from every corner of the conference roo
’What do you mean?’
’I mean exactly what I said’
’I don’t understand’
Hijikata looked sullen, like a child
’Fro the corpses, there hadn’t been any injuries that stood out or indications of sexual assault, yet the ankles had been bound by so like a rope’
’Oi, couldn’t he have been planning to assault them only to have them die before he could?’
’I don’t knohy he wouldn’t have assaulted the his words would rub Hijikata the wrong way
As usual, Hijikata was eht red cooal?’
’I don’t know He isn’t doing this to satisfy his libido or for e?’
’That’s probably not it If it were a grudge, it would have been better for him to injure thelared at him like he had spotted a cockroach
’Keep your hobby in check I don’t want to arrest you’
At Hijikata’s words, the conference roo anything laugh-worthy As long as a man like that was in command, it would be i about your daughter who’s been possessed? It’d be faster if you left a case like this to Gotou and Yakumo
Hata muttered those words in the back of his mind and smiled bitterly
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5
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Ishii first headed towards the police station in front of the station, in order to e of the violent incident Andou caused a ht to investigate Andou
Ishii found out about the violent incident through that Andou hadn’t been indicted or charged, but there was still a record of it with the police
The truth was, Ishii should have coether with Detective Gotou, but the detective had refused bluntly, saying, ’Do so like that yourself’
Detective Gotou had to be testing him Would he be an appropriate partner? Ishii had to stand firm here to prove that
’Excuse me I’m Ishii from the detective department’
He peeked inside from the police station’s entrance
It was a sht not have even been four tatami mats in size A plu on a chair at the desk in the e Ishii’s presence
It seeeant Yoda
’Well, please Co chair opposite hi time out of your busy schedule to come’
Yoda showed the identification in his police notebook and introduced himself
’Ah, please don’t concern yourself with that You must be busy with the serial murder case too’
’Yes, well’
Ishii was really an outsider, but Yoda ventured to reply vaguely without really saying anything
’Er, you spoke about the Andou case, yes?’
While Yoda said that, he took out his work log froers and then started flipping through the pages
’That’s right’
’If the detective depart into it, does that mean Andou is the perpetrator?’
Such speculation was natural, but at this point, Ishii couldn’t say yes or no
’I could ask you the sa’ Ishii replied with a weak smile, whichhis tongue at any moment Ishii could al able to be infor
’Well, it’s not a question we officers at the police station should be asking about,’ Yoda replied, his expression once again ?’
’Ah, er… even if you ask et flustered like that, even the perps will make fun of you’
’Ah, yes’
Ishii already knehat Yoda was telling hi about it were different stories
Assertion was good, but what if that assertion was incorrect? He always ended up thinking about that Naturally, that made him unable to say his own opinions
He had ended up with his mouth shut many times because of that
’It was unnecessary concern on my part’
Maybe he had seen how Ishii was coinal subject while druht?’
’Yes It’ll be fine if you just say what you reo… I had gone to the station because of so fro up the stairs, so, ’Officer, there’s a molester’
’Ato his data, Andou had caused a violent incident
’That’s right She was a girl in middle school or so, and she had her hair in a ponytail That girl said, "That irl’s skirt"’
’That man was Andou’
’Yes His eyes ide as saucers in surprise I couldn’t leave things as they were since there was a feht in front of him, so I questioned him’
’Did Andou really look up a skirt?’
’It’s hard to find proof for et precedence It’s easy to falsely accuse sout feeling, but he probably didn’t do it’
Yoda rubbed his double chin and stared into the air for a while, looking like he was pondering so his story
’Andou also insisted that he didn’t do it Well, it’s not like the victi him’
’It didn’t end’
Yoda nodded at Ishii’s words
’That feo die"’
She said so like that to hihtly to a stranger It was an unbelievable thought, but it rauy heard that, his eyes suddenly looked different They looked like they had been possessed by so And then…’
’He assaulted that female middle school student?’
’Yeah Since I held hiirl wasn’t harht red-handed in his assault’
’Just as you say’
Yoda sat up in his chair, looking aard, before continuing
’I think that girl didn’t see Andou molest anyone She probably saw an officer nearby and decided to play a little prank, that’s all’
Ishii hadn’t seen it happen, but it was probably as Yoda said
Andou had been a legal apprentice Even if he hadn’t been arrested or charged, the event would haveto be a police officer or judge rather than a lawyer, he would have already been despairing
Just one word closed the door on his dreas did Andou have afterwards?