Conan: Chief of Rice Flower's Science Points

Chapter 321 The real murderer!

After hearing about Uesugi's trick that he had just learned yesterday, Iwami said with a dark face, "Idiot! How could I have missed it? And when the door was opened, the others were at a safe distance, so how did he blend in with the others?"

No one knew whether there were any gunmen in the "safe house" at that time. Shi Jian went in wearing a bulletproof vest and of course he would not let others follow him.

What's more, the door of the safe house also opens outwards, which is completely different from the small storage room at the Akabane family farm yesterday, so there is no way to hide at the door.

"Officer Shiraishi, should we go question the three suspects?" Ishimi reminded.

Obviously, Iwami was becoming increasingly impatient with Shiraishi's behavior of struggling with the scene and attempting to solve the case through "reasoning".

"Okay, let's go and listen to what they say." Bai Shi nodded.

When Shiraishi came out of the safe house, he happened to see Ayako walking towards him with a lot of bags in her hands.

"Huh? Ayako, why haven't you rested yet?" Shiraishi asked when seeing this.

It was already past midnight, and although Ayako was a witness, her testimony should have been recorded.

"Here, change first." Ayako said, taking out a pair of shoes from the bag and placing them in front of Shiraishi.

That’s right, Shiraishi had lost his shoes on the beach before—they fell off when he was chasing Vermouth, and when he came back, they had been swept away by the tide…

That's why Shiraishi has been barefoot all the time. After all, it is not easy for Shiraishi to find a pair of shoes to wear temporarily. Not to mention Aomori Prefecture, there are no shoes in the entire Tohoku region. The pair in Ayako's hand was sent from Toudou!

At the same time, there were also coats...

After showing their affection for each other for a while, Shiraishi went to the inquiry site with him amid Iwami's envy and jealousy.

At this time, if you want to "interrogate" the suspect, it is of course a prohibited period, but now you are just questioning people related to the case... everyone is cooperating voluntarily!
Although he didn't have much hope, Shiraishi still met the most difficult one first - Judy.

In terms of professional skills as agents, who is more professional between Judy and Rena Mizunashi? Shiraishi, who doesn't know them well enough, has no way of judging at the moment.

But there is no doubt that Judy now has an innate advantage - my American, work.

Not only can he pretend that he is not good at speaking Higashima language, but since he is an American, the Aomori Prefectural Police will not be too strict.

Although the East Asian island countries do not have the policy of "being lenient towards foreigners", and even discriminate against Southeast Asian workers, Americans are certainly not comparable to ordinary "foreigners".

In contrast, although Rena Mizunoshi also has American nationality, she is now using a fake East Island identity.

The Aomori Prefectural Police temporarily requisitioned several rooms in the headmaster's house to question...

After all, it is not easy to invite people to the county police headquarters now, and the chief’s house is big enough.

"Oh, God, I've told you everything I need to say. I think I should go and take a break from work, otherwise it will have a great impact on my skin." Judy spread her hands as soon as she saw Shiraishi coming in.

Bai Shi couldn't stand her pretending to speak poorly in Eastern Island dialect, so he spoke directly to her in American Western Island dialect: "Teacher Judy, do you mind if we chat casually?"

Iwami glanced at Shiraishi...

Iwami Kinnosuke was in the "semi-professional group" and had passed the civil service exam, but he did not take the "professional group" type of assessment, and he did not graduate from the University of Tokyo.

Compared to ordinary first-line cattle and horses, Iwami certainly also understands Nishijima language, but he is not so good at it.

Judy got serious when she heard that the big guy was serious about this, so she said, "I hope we won't talk too late. I remember that even interrogations have time limits in the East Island Country. If this continues, I really have to ask the embassy for help."

When Ishimi heard the words "interrogation time" and "embassy", his brows furrowed.

However, Bai Shi was not nervous at this time. He just said calmly: "I saw in the testimony record that Teacher Judy is a financial practitioner in the United States?"

"That's right, I came to East Island for a visit because I like ACG culture, and I work as a foreign teacher just to cover my expenses in East Island." Judy acted like she didn't come to East Island often.

"Well, as expected, so this is illegal labor, right?" Shiraishi said as a matter of course.

Judy: ???
Is this the point?

"You entered the country on a tourist visa, so you are not allowed to engage in tutoring." Shiraishi said seriously.

Judy: ...

"Teacher Judy came to East Island Country at the beginning of last month? Were you engaged in the financial industry before?" Shiraishi asked.

"That's right." Judy nodded.

"What point was the Dow Jones at that time?" Bai Shi suddenly asked.

Judy: ...

"What's the Dow Jones now?" Bai Shi asked again when he saw that she was silent.

"Okay, I lied to you. I'm a NEET in the United States." Judy said, and hit her head with her little fist, looking like a cute second-dimensional character.

Shiraishi:……

"Did you find the bathroom in the end?" Bai Shi asked.

"No... because of the commotion on the second floor, I went downstairs first." Judy said helplessly.

"Did you go to the bathroom on the first floor afterwards?" Shiraishi asked again.

"I was so nervous that I forgot about it." Judy said, and suddenly she became a lady again and said, "Officer Shiraishi, this topic is too embarrassing. I don't want to continue."

Shiraishi:……

There really isn't a single truth coming out of the mouths of these agents!
And even if you find contradictions in the testimony, it is useless because they have plenty of "backup plans" and keep telling lies one after another.

"I wish you a good dream." Bai Shi simply didn't say anything more to her and got up and left.

……

Soon after, Shiraishi saw Mizunashi Rena again.

"Hello, Anchor Mizuno." Shiraishi said as he sat down opposite Rena Mizuno.

At this time, when Rena Mizunashi saw Shiraishi, she deliberately pretended to be a little scared and leaned back slightly. It was obvious that the character she wanted to "play" was completely different from Judy.

"Hello, Director Shiraishi." Mizuno is the anchor of Nichimi TV and is in Touto most of the time. Although he is not in Beika-cho, he lives in Haido-cho next to Beika. It is not surprising that he is more familiar with the title "Director Shiraishi".

"Can I confirm a few things with you about your previous confession?" Shiraishi specifically said "confession" instead of "testimony," as if he was treating her as a criminal.

However, Mizunashi Rena still pretended not to notice and just nodded and said, "Of course."

"You said you have never met Mr. Kimura before?" Shiraishi confirmed.

"Well, I just know Mrs. Kimura." Rena Mizunashi continued to nod.

"How did you know each other?" Bai Shi asked.

"Through the Internet... maybe it's fate." Mizunashi Rena said without any hesitation.

Network... fate...

Shiraishi estimated that this must be a "long-planned design."

"But why did you come to Junko Kimura's birthday party today? Since you only know Kimura Harumitsu, even Mrs. Kimura herself is not well-liked by Miss Junko... You must know that?" Shiraishi asked directly. "I am too willful... Because I want to do a program for the prefectural police headquarters, I need the consent of the director, so I asked Mrs. Kimura to let me attend Miss Kimura's birthday party this time." Mizunashi Rena said embarrassedly.

"So you came here to meet Mr. Kimura? Did you meet him later?" Shiraishi continued to ask.

Mizunashi Reina shook her head and said, "It's because I haven't seen Headmaster Kimura, and Mrs. Kimura wasn't at the birthday party, so I wanted to go find her."

Reasonable!

As expected, she made up a story to make it sound reasonable!

Shiraishi believed that even if he went to Nichimi TV to verify it later, there really was such a plan...

"What were you doing when the gunshots rang out?" Bai Shi asked the most crucial point.

"I was also shocked and hurried downstairs." Rena Mizunashi said as a matter of course.

"Were you startled? You were on the third floor at the time, right? We had just set off fireworks not long ago, but when the noise came, you immediately knew it was a 'gunshot'?" Bai Shi asked with some momentum.

However, Mizunashi Rena was stunned when she heard this and said, "Huh? Because it was the police officer's house, so... I just thought it was a gunshot."

Sure enough, even if she showed her strength during the interrogation, it was of no use to her, and she continued to lie without changing her expression.

"Really? I see..."

Bai Shi said this without asking her any more questions.

After coming out, Shi Jian still frowned and said, "Officer Shiraishi, the most important question hasn't been asked yet?"

"They acted very naturally...either the case really has nothing to do with them, or they are just too good at lying. In either case, there's little point in continuing to ask them." Shiraishi shook his head.

Ishimi said nothing, and then just said sullenly: "And... Mrs. Kimura."

"Well, although I don't think it will be her, I still want to ask."

In Shiraishi's mind, Kimura Harumitsu is less suspicious than Judy.

after all……

She is the bedmate of Minister Kimura!

If you really want to kill him, isn't it just a matter of a bowl of soup?
Is it worth taking such a big risk when there is so much noise at your stepdaughter's birthday party?
Although Junko Kimura was very suspicious of this young stepmother, Shiraishi did not ask her too many questions, and indeed Haruki Kimura did not behave suspiciously either.

Instead, Iwami couldn't help but ask, "Mrs. Kimura, can you think of anything about the book "Hokkaido Flower Appreciation"? "

"Hokkaido?" Kimura Harumitsu asked in surprise, and then said in a concealing tone: "No, no..."

Shiraishi:……

Unless she is also an agent, Bai Shi feels that she can't help but ask!

Apparently hearing the name of her hometown made Mrs. Kimura very shaken...

Although Shiraishi thought this was far-fetched, even Kimura Harumitsu himself did not think so.

"Ah..." Bai Shi suddenly thought of something.

"What's wrong?" Ishimi asked in a low voice.

"Let's go to the scene again!" Bai Shi said seriously.

Just now, several "Bai Shi" finally put the broken vase together in the spiritual world!

At the same time, Bai Shi also figured out the course of the case, but he was still unsure about the murderer. ...

"Inspector Shiraishi, I heard that there are many detectives in Dongdu? Have you been influenced by them?" Iwami couldn't help but say at this time.

"No, I know very well." Bai Shi said as a matter of course.

"I hope you can understand that detectives have their own methods and police officers have their own ways of doing things." Iwami seemed to really regard Shiraishi as a police officer with no front-line command experience, and he kept giving me one set of big principles after another.

But Bai Shi didn't take it to heart at this time. What was more important was...

"Police officers have their own way of doing things... That's right!" Shiraishi seemed to have suddenly thought of something.

At this time, Shiraishi found what he really wanted at the crime scene in the "spiritual world"!
In response to Iwami who gave him inspiration, Shiraishi smiled and said, "I understand... Director Iwami, from now on, the scene will be handed over to the forensic police."

……

Afterwards, Shiraishi seemed to have really given up on the "scene" and was even a little passive and lazy - this was not surprising, after all, it was already past three in the morning!

"Mr. Chief Inspector, you will arrive in Aomori at 8 o'clock. I will go to greet you at 7 o'clock." Shiraishi seemed to have accepted his failure.

Even though it was the Secretary's request, but... it just can't be done.

Iwami also expressed regret about this...

And there was a hint of resentment in his voice, as if he was blaming Shiraishi Kuro for holding him back!

At around six o'clock, the team at Kimura's home had basically dispersed - the scene still needed to be sealed off, but there was no need to rush, and the Chief Inspector would be the one to conduct the subsequent investigation...

Of course, this is not good news for the Aomori Prefectural Police.

The detectives were also ready to send Judy and Rena Mizunashi away.

After all, the inspector from the National Police Agency will be coming later, and the Aomori Prefectural Police must also eliminate all "search methods that may be suspected of being illegal."

Shiraishi also left Kimura's house under the pretext of going to welcome the Chief Inspector.

Iwami did not go with them. After all, there were already more people coming to welcome them, and it was obvious that those people from the headquarters would also go!
But ten minutes later...

Someone sneaked in and squatted under the bookshelf, seemingly looking for something.

at this time……

click-

The lights suddenly came on, and Shiraishi, Officer Uesugi, and several other detectives came back!
Uesugi and the others are actually confused as well – Shiraishi finds them and says that if they go back now, they can catch the “real culprit who has returned to the scene.”

Although they didn't understand the principle behind this, because of the trust established in the previous Akabane Farm case, Uesugi and others still unconditionally followed Shiraishi back. Even Judy and Mizunashi Rena, who had left together, followed them back.

Later, at the scene, they did see someone, but...

When the lights came on, they discovered that the person who returned to the scene was none other than... Minister Iwami!
Uesugi was shocked at first, then said helplessly: "Police Officer Shiraishi...Are we showing up too early?"

From Uesugi's perspective, this was Minister Iwami coming back to investigate on his own.

But Bai Shi said at this time: "No, we came back at the right time..."

----

Dongdong: I have been working on my child’s vaccinations these past two days. I stayed up all night last night and will resume writing 6,000 words tomorrow…

(End of this chapter)