Chapter 64

Natsume Rina stood in front of the mirror, straightening her trench coat and leaving two buttons of her shirt undone.

Seeing the woman behind him, a cold smile appeared on his lips. "Aren't you Kawashima Hideo's secretary?"

Tada Maki walked to the sink, turned on the tap, and washed her hands. Her expression was calm and composed. "We met once at a family dinner. You and your wife look very alike."

Both faces are very striking and difficult to distinguish; the only way to tell them apart is by their personality or aura.

Natsume Kanon likes to wear her hair up in a bun and her long dress flowing, which makes her look dignified. She speaks at a moderate pace, as if she is afraid of disturbing something.

As for Rina Natsume, although she and Kanon Natsume have the same appearance, she has a hidden edge. She has both an allure that makes people want to get close to her and a sense of distance that makes people want to stay away.

It must be admitted that she has a fatal attraction.

Rina wiped the water droplets off her hands and said indifferently, "I don't want to talk about this kind of thing."

Tada Maki looked at her with interest: "You are the lady's sister, so we should take care of you."

Rina frowned slightly. "Don't you want to laugh when you say that?"

As expected, Natsume Kanon's personality is more gentle. Tada Maki had a sweet smile on her lips, and her voice was not apologetic at all. After pausing for a while, she said, "Don't overthink it, I'm just feeling a bit sentimental."

Rina replied with a meaningful message: "Kawashima Hideo never intended to make your relationship public."

Upon hearing this, Tada Maki's smile froze on her lips.

Rina's drooping eyelids revealed her disdain as she continued, "Your relationship was shady before, and it still is now."

Tada Maki stared at her through gritted teeth for a while, feeling at a loss for what to do. "At least we can stand side by side."

"Really?" Rina asked patiently. "Do you really understand him?"

Tada Maki walked up to her and said, "There's a saying that the longest-lasting companionship isn't love, but partnerships that share joys and sorrows."

Rina smiled.

Tada Maki's eyes turned cold, and she emphasized, "The president wants to see you."

Rina walked out of the restroom and happened to see Sato walking out of the office with a sullen expression, putting a black leather folder on the conference table. He looked very angry.

She let Tada Maki leave first.

After he calmed down a bit, she slowly walked over and asked, "How is Xuehui?"

“The family has taken it.” The two exchanged a glance, and Sato said, “I’ve looked at the photo, and so far I haven’t found any signs of it being artificially created. It was just sent to the relevant department for testing, and the results should be available soon.”

Rina shrugged casually and said in her usual tone, "I didn't have much hope."

Sato was caught off guard by this sudden blow and didn't understand what was going on: "What do you mean?"

Rina: "The literal meaning."

Sato asked with heartache, "Are the photos real?"

His answer was always unexpected. Rina asked, "Does it matter?"

Sato repeated, "You want to take the blame?"

“The closer we get to the truth, the more dangerous it becomes. They will only target those closest to them. Xuehui’s injury is just a warning.” Rina spoke carefully, but the other person’s face still turned grim. “If we can’t find the culprit, things will only get worse.”

Sato insisted on his opinion: "You want me to give up?"

“You have a family behind you,” Rina paused for a moment before slowly speaking, “Xuehui is pregnant. She didn’t tell you because she was afraid you would worry.”

In an instant, Sato's heart pounded in spasms, and his hands turned ice-cold. "What?!"

"You should go back and ask her." Rina glanced at her watch. "It's getting late, time to go home."

With family and children at stake, Sato's expression became less composed. "And you?"

Rina said, "They wouldn't dare threaten the detective agency."

Sato reminded her, "You also have a younger boyfriend."

Threaten him? What's the difference between that and running alone into a wolf's den to die? She's more afraid that Kurosawa Shiran will kill everyone, that's what worries her. Rina: "He'll find a way."

A light drizzle began to fall again.

Rina casually took the umbrella from Sato's desk. As soon as she stepped out of the police station, she saw a minivan parked across the street with its hazard lights flashing.

They're so close; pretending not to see them would only make things worse.

Tada Maki rolled down the car window and looked at her coldly.

Rina opened the car door, sat in the passenger seat, and lowered her eyes, pretending to be serious. "What do you want?"

Hideo Kawashima cut to the chase: "I heard you're investigating that serial murder case."

Rina: "As you can see."

Hideo Kawashima: "Yukino Fujiwara sent people to interfere in this case."

Rina looked at him for a while, then nodded.

“We are competitors and will keep a close eye on each other’s every move.” Hideo Kawashima still had his eyelids down, and paused for a while before speaking. “In three days, it will be the date for the invoices to be issued. At such a crucial moment, Yukino Fujiwara will not waste her energy on unnecessary things, unless this matter is related to her.”

“The whole thing is utterly absurd,” Rina said. “What charges are you planning to bring?”

Tada Maki took a file folder out of her briefcase and handed it to Rina. "We suspect that Fujiwara Nozomi is the real culprit in this serial murder case."

Rina casually flipped through the files in the folder, which contained almost all the details of the Red Lady serial murder case. "Was that SP officer a double agent?"

Hideo Kawashima looked down at the documents in his hand, paused slightly, and said, "Money makes the world go round."

Rina turned her head slightly, looking at his expression: "What do you mean by looking for me?"

Kawashima Hideo said calmly, "I just wanted to confirm with you one last time whether she is the murderer or not."

Rina: "If he's the murderer, he'll be on the front page of the newspapers tomorrow?"

Hideo Kawashima remained silent, tacitly agreeing with the statement.

Rina leaned back in her chair and said casually, "Then you'll be disappointed. Fujiwara no Kiyomi is not the murderer."

Tada Maki glanced at her quickly and with a hint of suspicion, and asked, "Has she been kidnapped?"

“I know your concerns,” Rina said calmly. “If we publish the news that Fujiwara Nozomi is the murderer in the newspaper, and she ends up being kidnapped, Fujiwara Yukino will definitely turn around and accuse you.”

Hideo Kawashima: "That's true."

Rina: "Is anyone able to contact Fujiwara no Kiyomi right now?"

“We’ve confirmed they’re out of contact,” Maki Tada said. “However, Yukino Fujiwara hasn’t made any moves.”

Rina was taken aback. "What do you mean?"

Tada Maki glanced at her watch and said, "Firstly, I'm worried about the upcoming election, and secondly, the mother and daughter had a big fight before parting ways; Fujiwara Nozomi was just sulking."

"It's amazing. I hope she won't regret it," Rina said, picking up the documents and studying them carefully with great focus.

Hideo Kawashima said, "If you encounter any difficulties, we are willing to provide assistance."

Rina narrowed her eyes slightly, raised her head, and looked at him silently.

Hideo Kawashima met his gaze but remained silent, his expression as expressionless as a mask.

Tada Maki's gaze silently lingered between the two of them.

Rina put down the documents in her hand: "You still haven't told me the cause of Natsume Kanon's death."

Hideo Kawashima hummed in agreement. "You already know that very well."

“The man in the photo,” Rina said, “and how did the photo get out?”

Hideo Kawashima sighed silently. "I don't know who the man in the photo is."

Rina's fingers tightened unconsciously as she asked him, "So you knew nothing about what happened to her before, and then you even put her in a separate residence?"

Hideo Kawashima neither admitted nor shook his head. Watching her get out of the car, as the door closed, he whispered, "She's fallen for a man and wanted to get back at me in the same way. I never expected her to..."

Rina's mind went blank for a moment, and she snapped, "You're ridiculous!"

Tada Maki said with dissatisfaction, "Nothing ever happened between us when Madam was here."

Rina's face darkened, and she said in a deep voice, "Nothing happened, yet I've kept you by my side all this time."

After she finished speaking, someone behind her suddenly called her name.

"Rina."

Accompanied by the sound of rain, his voice was low and had the magnetic quality unique to a mature man.

The night grew even darker, and the last glimmer of red on the horizon disappeared.

Rina was taken aback, turned around and looked at the person. She was a little shocked at first, but then quickly relaxed.

Shimono Gen walked up to her, glanced at the slowly rising car window, and moved the umbrella over her head.

He still smelled of mint after shaving. Rina turned her head away and remained silent.

Shimono Gen smiled and said, "Shall we go get something to eat first?"

Rina's gaze swept over them, pausing slightly. "What do you want to eat?"

"Why are you so unfamiliar with each other?" Shimono Gen gave Rina a deep look. "Didn't you always make your own decisions and eat whatever you wanted before?"

Rina: "There's an eel restaurant over there, let's go try it."

Gen Shimono: "Okay."

Rina nodded, then suddenly remembered something: "You're here to investigate a case?"

“Even five-year-olds know about that case now,” Shimono Gen said. “I was worried, so I came to check on it.”

“I have an idea, but I still need to find evidence,” Rina said with a hint of helplessness on her face. “However, the situation has already developed into a very bad situation.”

Shimono Gen had a calm smile on his face: "Do you need any help?"

“We need to find Fujiwara no Kiko as soon as possible. The murderer has always targeted men before, so choosing her this time must mean that they found something unforgivable about her,” Rina said, walking around a puddle on the ground, her tone unconsciously tinged with complaint. “This case involves some politicians, it’s so troublesome, we can’t afford to offend any of them.”

The two walked side by side, and Shimono Gen heard them laugh out loud from behind.

Rina turned her head, puzzled, and asked, "What are you laughing at?"

Shimono Gen: "Is there anyone in this world you can't afford to offend?"