Chapter 63
The police car was parked at the hospital. Masanobu Nozomi glanced back at the reporters gathered at the entrance, ignored them, and strode into the hospital.
Just then, I saw Sato talking to the doctor and asked him about the situation.
Chiyo Momoyama has just come out of the emergency room. Although she is out of danger, she has fallen into a coma and it is not yet possible to determine when she will wake up.
Sato couldn't rely on Momoyama Chiyo to identify the murderer and explain the situation, so he prepared to go to Momoyama Chiyo's house to check the scene.
According to Momoyama Chiyo's previous description, she must have seen something, and this happened to be known by the murderer, who had no choice but to come and silence her.
Did she speak with the murderer before the incident?
Masanobu Nobuo Mochida, dressed in a suit and tie, walked up to Sato and blocked his way, his voice filled with unwavering certainty: "Sato, don't you think there's something wrong with your investigative approach?"
Sato frowned, looking at him sharply. "What's wrong?"
Masanobu Mochida: "What are you investigating?"
Sato truthfully stated, "Munekata's interpersonal relationships, and the people he came into contact with on the night of the incident."
Masanobu Nobuo of Mochida had strong doubts about his investigative abilities: "So what did you find out?"
“We have thoroughly checked all the taxis in the vicinity, and everyone said they had never seen Munakata,” Sato said seriously. “The car Munakata was in on the night of the incident was likely a university classmate he knew, and Momoyama Chiyo happened to be passing by and saw him!”
Masanobu Mochida couldn't help but laugh: "You mean the murderer is a college student?"
Indeed, Sato pondered the case repeatedly but could not find a reasonable explanation. "Then let me ask you, what was Natsume Rina's motive for killing those nine people?"
Upon hearing this, Masanobu Nobuo Mochida lost his temper and said, "Only she knows about this. What we need most right now is to find evidence to convict her. Besides, you should know that Rina Natsume is a very dangerous person."
"Convict? The police arrest the murderer, not convict someone!" Sato's voice was filled with suppressed anger. "Three years ago, she was still studying abroad."
Masanobu Mochida's voice unconsciously rose, "The deaths of the nine bodies mostly occurred between June and September. Do you know what that period means?"
From June to September, which was during summer vacation, Sato was taken aback. A complex mix of emotions welled up inside him, and he opened his mouth but couldn't utter a word.
Masanobu Mochida narrowed his eyes slightly: "The people at the police station said you and Rina Natsume are getting very close."
Sato took a deep breath, trying to calm his voice, "So what? Do you want me to take half a month of sick leave like Miyako?"
Masanobu Mochida said, "Emotions will affect your judgment. What you need to do now is find evidence of Natsume Rina's crime, not waste time and police resources investigating a complete stranger."
Sato blushed all the way down to her neck and continued to object: "Who is a complete stranger? Fujiwara no Kiko was at the crime scene, and you're telling me she's a complete stranger!"
Masanobu Nobuo said dismissively, "I will report this to my superiors. You shouldn't be in the position of head of the Major Crimes Unit."
"Then find a suitable person!" Sato said angrily, then turned around, got into his car, and sped away.
About an hour later.
After leaving the hospital, Masanobu Nozomi walked to a convenience store, bought a pack of cigarettes, and then got into a black sedan parked on the side of the road.
Once he sat down, his face instantly darkened, and he lowered his voice to scold, "What are you doing? If the police hadn't arrived in time, you almost caused a death!"
The two women in the car remained silent, seemingly having anticipated his mood.
Sitting in the passenger seat, Nozomi Mochida looked at the woman's indifferent expression and couldn't help but speak again: "Can't this kind of thing be solved by bribing her with money?"
Hanazawa Yu glanced at him calmly and slowly said, "Things aren't as simple as you think."
Masanobu Mochida's tone turned stern: "That shouldn't have resulted in a death!"
"Do you think we wanted this?" Hanazawa Yu said in a deep voice. "We originally agreed to give her 50 million yen, and the matter was settled. However, she accidentally guessed Qiangzi's identity and then changed her mind at the last minute."
“Fifty million yen,” that’s enough to buy a villa in Tokyo. Masanobu Mochida looked at her in surprise. “What’s wrong with her?”
Looking at the message in her hand, Fujiwara Yukino said casually, "The official was framed and committed suicide in prison."
Mentioning Fujiwara Noboru, Nozomi Mochida suddenly turned his head, a hint of hesitation flashing in his eyes, "So, Noboru let Munakata get on the train?"
Fujiwara Yukino said coldly, "You suspect that Bianzi committed murder?"
Masanobu Mochida: "She is the key to solving this case."
Hanazawa Yu: "Qiangzi may be a bit spoiled, but she would never kill anyone. You met her at the party, so you should know what kind of person she is."
Masanobu Mochida did meet Fujiwara no Noboru, but she did not leave a good impression.
She enjoys seeking excitement and novelty, has a bad temper, and acts without considering the consequences.
This woman was licentious and unrestrained, engaging in far more elaborate and depraved activities than the playboys of Tokyo. Her numerous misdeeds made her a disgrace to humanity.
However, while Fujiwara no Kiko might kill impulsively or accidentally, she would never become a serial killer; she simply didn't have the mental fortitude for that.
After thinking for a moment, Nozomi Mochida said, "Chiyo Momoyama won't wake up for the time being. Don't treat human life lightly. If this happens again, it might give the downstairs neighbors something to hold accountable, and then we'll all be doomed."
Hanazawa Yu: "She's like a time bomb."
Masanobu Mochida said sternly, "Leave this to me!"
“I can’t afford any negative press during the election,” said Yukino Fujiwara. “And so can my daughter.”
Hanazawa Yu silently shifted his gaze elsewhere.
Nozomi Mochida understood what she meant. He opened the car door to get out, but then suddenly remembered something and closed the door again. "Have you called Qiangzi?"
Fujiwara Yukino's gaze paused for a moment, then she asked, "What do you mean?"
“She is very likely involved in this serial murder case, and the killer is extremely cruel…” Masanobu Nobuo Mochida pondered. “You should try to send a few bodyguards to protect her.”
After saying that, Masanobu Nozomi Mochida opened the car door again to get out, but at that moment, Yukino Fujiwara, with her eyelids drooping, said, "I couldn't get through to that call."
After getting married and having a daughter, Fujiwara Yukino was busy with work and rarely spent time with her child. The daughter was mostly taken care of by a nanny and secretary, and the mother and daughter could only see each other a few times a year.
Later, when she went to middle school, she moved to a school near Qiangzi School due to a job transfer. The two had a rare opportunity to spend time together, but it was too late.
Even though they lived under the same roof, the mother and daughter rarely spoke more than ten words a day. Fujiwara Yukino felt guilty for neglecting her daughter and always granted her every request, whether it was money or face. Fujiwara Yukino would give her double the amount, but Biko still harbored resentment towards her, and their relationship had long since broken down.
As for the phone, it's become the norm that Fujiwara Yukino rarely gets through to her.
Masanobu Mochida stared blankly at Yukino Fujiwara for a moment before saying, "You need to check if she's safe now."
Without hesitation, Fujiwara Yukino said, "Hanazawa, call her."
Upon hearing this, Hanazawa Yu immediately took out his phone from his bag and dialed Fujiwara Nozomi's number.
However, after dialing the number twice, no one answered on the other end.
Hanazawa Yu took a deep breath, opened her phone's contacts, and dialed Fujiwara Nozomi's friend, "Lina, have you been in contact with Nozomi recently?"
Lina thought for a moment, then spoke in broken Japanese: "She said she went abroad. I messaged her last night, but she didn't reply."
-
Sato drove back to the police station from Momoyama Chiyo, his face frighteningly gloomy. Seeing Tokiko and Munakata's parents sitting in the police station lobby, he composed himself and walked over.
Shizi's eyes were red from crying, and she could see that he didn't know what to say anymore.
Sato took two heavy steps and spoke softly, "It's just a simple inquiry."
Shi Zi said in a hoarse voice, "Is it still possible to catch the murderer?"
Sato didn't respond to the topic, his heart pounding, but he tried his best to keep his face calm. "Does Munakata not have any close female friends at university?"
Munakata's father looked up at Sato, and Tokiko shook her head weakly. "I don't believe Munakata would cheat on me, officer. I'm not the kind of person who would be blinded by love. I have my own judgment."
Sato was silent for a moment, then said, "I believe you."
“Munekata is the captain of the basketball team at university, and there are indeed many girls who like him,” Tokiko bit her lip. “We met by chance on the basketball court.”
Sato: "Can you tell me your name?"
“This… he almost never keeps those girls’ contact information, and he rarely mentions it,” Shizi hesitated for a moment. “Before, his phone would often receive calls from unknown numbers. I noticed that he didn’t look too good after hanging up, so I assumed it was a work-related issue and didn’t ask any further questions. But one time, when I answered the call, I heard that the person on the other end was a young woman. She hung up without saying anything.”
Sato thought for a moment and then comforted her, saying, "Go back and take a shower, get some rest, life goes on."
Zongfang's father asked, "Is this related to the case?"
Sato cautiously replied, "I cannot answer that at the moment."
Shizi asked, "I heard that the police have arrested the suspect."
Sato's heart sank: "We're still investigating."
As soon as he finished speaking, his phone rang again.
The chief was furious, probably having been instigated by Masanobu Mochida. Before he could speak, the chief asked impatiently, "What's wrong with you? If you're investigating a case, just investigate. Why did you provoke him? Do you know that once he returns to the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department and says a few words, your life will be over!"
Sato was speechless and extremely agitated. He gave a few perfunctory replies and hung up the phone.
However, misfortune struck again today. Just as he was about to see Natsume Rina in the interrogation room, two police officers suddenly appeared at the door and blocked his way.
"Senior, seeing her requires Officer Nozomi's permission."
Sato's heart skipped a beat, and then his anger flared up. "Have you forgotten who you are! You can't meet this person, you can't investigate that person, how are we supposed to solve this case? Are we just waiting for the criminals to come to us?"
The officer lowered his head, and after a long while, muttered a complaint, "Sato-senpai, we're just following orders."
Sato felt he needed to take some blood pressure medication, and he was about to take some forceful measures.
A woman in a smart suit walked up behind me and said in a gentle voice, "Excuse me, are you Officer Sato?"
Sato asked impatiently, "Who is it?"
The woman stepped forward and handed over an elegant card, saying politely, "My name is Tada Maki, and this is my business card."
Sato glanced at it and asked suspiciously, "A lawyer?"
Tada Maki smiled and said, "I'm here to bail out Ms. Natsume."
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