When the proprietress Imoto Kae heard Kogoro Mori's inference, she was stunned.
She also considered that the person who wrote the threatening letter was a former employee, but...
"No way..."
Imoto Kae says:
"Although I fired them, I also gave them a generous compensation. There's no way I can hold a grudge against them!"
"People's hearts are hidden in their stomachs, Ms. Imoto."
Maori Kogoro said faintly:
"How do you know that those old employees you fired won't hate you?"
"Even if you give them compensation, it may not necessarily appease their resentment."
Sakaki Makoto quite agrees with this point.
From a psychological point of view, Imoto Kae's action of giving compensation was out of kindness, but it is precisely this kindness that may lead to unexpected consequences.
Some of the old employees who were dismissed might think that Imoto Kaori gave them compensation because she felt guilty. After all, there are too many unscrupulous bosses in the world. If they really did something wrong, why should Imoto Kaori compensate them?
Once this thought arises, some people can't help themselves.
They have worked at Taketori-tei for more than ten years. Anyone would be unhappy if Imoto Kae said she would be fired.
It seems understandable to have thoughts of revenge.
Facing up to mistakes is a virtue, but not everyone can do it, especially a nation that does not even acknowledge its history.
Over time...
Psychological distortion is normal.
"But the letter was placed on the back seat!"
Imoto Kae says:
"Only guests staying at the hotel can enjoy the shuttle service, and I haven't seen Mr. Makita and his friends in the past year. If they had stayed at the hotel, the front desk should have had a record of it!"
"Hmm..."
Maori Kogoro thought about it and said:
"Then is it possible that Mr. Kawahara was careless? People always make mistakes. Maybe he forgot to lock the car once. I often make similar mistakes."
Imoto Kae directly called Kawahara Ryoma over.
After listening to Kogoro Mori's reasoning, Ryoma Kawahara shook his head repeatedly:
"No, every time I pick up or drop off a guest, I will check the car door twice. As long as I am not present, the car will be locked. There has never been an accident."
"Not even once?"
“Not even once!”
Kawahara Ryoma said firmly.
"Why don't you check the check-in records for that day?"
Conan, who had two big bags on his head, blinked strangely:
"Aren't the most suspicious people the guests who took the vehicle that day?"
Boom!
The third big lump bulged up.
"Ms. Jingben, could you please bring me the check-in list? We should indeed check the check-in records."
In the end, Kogoro Mouri accepted Conan's advice.
Soon, Imoto Kae put the check-in record book on the table:
"The threatening letter was found three days ago, on the night of the 21st. On that night, three groups of guests checked out and left. They were all picked up by Mr. Kawahara."
"That's right."
Kawahara Ryoma echoed:
"I sent them to the station at the foot of the mountain and then came back. Because there were too many people waiting for the bus, I let them get on the bus together. Among them were a family of three, a couple, and a man and a woman who were staying in the hotel alone."
"Were they all in the car?"
"Yes, not long after I dropped them off at the station, I found the threatening letter on the back seat."
“It’s a wide range…”
Everyone looked down at the check-in record book and found the name of the guest who left the hotel on the night of the 21st.
"That family of three should not be a suspect. After getting on the bus, their child kept crying and was busy the entire way."
Kawahara Ryoma says:
"And the couple looked a little strange. They leaned against each other and fell asleep as soon as they got in the car. They didn't talk to each other during the whole journey."
"I remember the remaining man and woman very clearly. One was called Nakata Ryouta and the other was called Kashiwagi Akino. They both came to Kobe from Hokkaido alone for tourism. They were very talkative and we chatted all the way."
"What did you talk about?"
"Just some local customs, scenery and so on."
Kawahara Ryoma shrugged:
"Ryouta Nakata is an office worker. He took a leave to travel this time and will be back soon. Akino Kashiwagi's next stop is Nara. She is a college student..."
"Where was the threatening letter found?"
"Under the second row of seats."
"I see...."
Maori Kogoro thought for a long time, finally sighed and said:
"Ms. Jingben, I think this threatening letter is probably just a scare. No one wants to harm Taketori-tei at all."
"is that so?"
Since it was Kogoro Mori who said it, Imoto Kae believed it 50%, but...
"But why would they do that?"
Imoto Kae was very puzzled:
"Taketori-tei has always been famous for its thoughtful service and meticulous care for its guests. We have satisfied all that can be satisfied. Logically, no one should bear a grudge against Taketori-tei..."
"Maybe it's just a prank."
"Since you said so, Mr. Maori, I feel relieved."
Patting her chest, Imoto Kae breathed a sigh of relief, and the stone in her heart finally fell to the ground.
"Eh? Is that the end?"
Conan, who was listening, looked left and right, confused:
My dear, there is more to this chapter. Please click on the next page to continue reading. It’s even more exciting later!
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