Conan: Chief of Rice Flower's Science Points

Chapter 485 Small Case, Big Investigation
"April 11, April 17, April 24, May 9, May 22, and today, June 5... On these six days, Ms. Asakura, you were harassed on the train, right?"

Miwako Kobe then verified the previous testimony of the victim, Tomomi Asakura.

Because she was a victim, and considering the stress the nature of the case might put on her, a special office was used. Haiya wasn't by her side; instead, he called Maki Takami to come and keep her company.

Asakura appeared to be dressed conservatively and seemed to have an introverted personality. At this moment, he nodded with his head down.

"Why do you remember it so clearly?" Kobe asked directly.

“Diary…I have a habit of keeping a diary,” Asakura said sullenly.

"I see. Can we keep the diary as evidence from now on? We only need to keep the relevant few days' records." Kobe made the request—although it wasn't direct evidence, it could at least serve as a reference.

After all, it's very difficult to escalate this kind of matter to the point of prosecution, so the more evidence the better!
“Okay,” Asakura agreed.

"However, since it was discovered a month ago, why wasn't it reported to the police at the time?" Kobe sounded confused.

"Because... there are a lot of people on the trains in the morning, and at first I... couldn't be sure, and... it's too embarrassing, I'm about to get married, so..." Asakura's reason was also typical.

"I see, so you're getting married... Congratulations. So why did you decide to break your silence this time?" Kobe continued to ask.

Maki, who was standing to the side, looked at Kobe with some surprise—in general, these kinds of cases wouldn't be asked in such detail... especially in recent years, because of issues involving the privacy and dignity of the victims.

“I’ve discussed it with my fiancé… and he supports me in protecting myself, which has given me courage,” Asakura said, sounding a little less burdened.

"What a good man... Congratulations." Kobe congratulated him again, being very good at flattering people, but then asked carefully, "However, judging from the timeline, it's not very consecutive. How do you know it's the same person?"

“The technique…” Asakura said in a low voice, his head down.

"The technique? What are the specifics?" Kobe asked directly.

"Kobe..." Maki Takashi whispered a reminder to her.

"It's my fingers...the feeling..." Asakura almost buried his head in his chest.

"Fingers? How are they?" Kobe pressed.

"Kobe... I'm sorry... could you come out for a moment?" Maki apologized to the victim first, then pulled Kobe out.

After they came out, Mu Gao complained in a low voice, "Kobe detective! Even if you don't understand social etiquette, you should at least respect privacy... It's a good thing you're a policewoman; if it were either of them, you would have already received a complaint!"

As Maki Takashi spoke, he pointed to Haiya and Suzuki sitting on the bench in the corridor. The two of them exchanged a glance and then shrugged – that's why they called Maki Takashi over.

"Hmm? Detective Maki, when officers question someone about the incident, they don't disclose or present testimonies unrelated to the case. This doesn't constitute an invasion of privacy," Kobe said, reciting the script verbatim.

“That’s true, but in cases of indecent assault, we need to pay more attention to the victim’s mental state, otherwise… no one will dare to report it in the future,” Mu Gao said seriously.

“I see… I understand now. So, if we don’t need her to explain, how can we verify that she can really determine that it was the same person who molested him these past few days?” Kobe humbly accepted the question and… humbly raised it.

but……

“This…” Mu Gao was stuck at this point.

"Ah! Right, if we don't ask, should we test it with some real action? Let's simulate the scene and see if she can really tell the difference?" Kobe came up with a good idea.

Maki, Haiya, Suzuki: ...

“Of course, it’s the two of us who will try it!” Kobe said matter-of-factly, pulling Maki Takashi along.

"Are you... a demon?" Mu Gao said weakly, rolling his eyes.

Kobe tilted his head, still unaware of where he had gone wrong.

“However, if we can’t prove that her testimony of being ‘molested by the same person over the past few days’ is true, it will be difficult to send her for prosecution, right?” Kobe said, not backing down.

Kobe paused for a moment before saying, "After all, you won't let me find that office worker caught in the middle to testify..."

According to Asakura, the man who molested her, Watanuki, reached his hand over from the side of an office worker to cover himself up.

Initially, after Mian Guan was arrested, the office worker was willing to testify that Mian Guan's arm had indeed reached under his raised armpit. However, when contacted later, he refused to testify again, saying he knew nothing and asking the Mihana Police Station not to bother him.

Although I suspect he was bribed, but...

This kind of doubt is useless!

Kobe wanted to bribe him again, but everyone stopped her—it's easy for someone to buy him off the testimonies, but if someone tries to buy him off the testimonies, it's not a good thing.

"Moreover, apart from catching him red-handed today due to insufficient evidence, Mr. Watanuki has provided alibis for the past few days. In this case, Ms. Asakura's testimony as a repeat offender has become a burden." Kobe said, looking troubled.

If it's just this one time, with only the woman's testimony and no other witnesses or physical evidence, it's difficult to convict her. Sending her to the prosecutor's office would only invite ridicule. But if we add the testimony of a repeat offender, proving that he was on the train on several other occasions, then the situation would be different.

but……

On other dates, Mian Guan claimed to have an alibi, insisting that he had only taken the tram today because of traffic jam, and that he always took his own car to work in the past month!

Although this testimony is still being verified, however...

His driver and secretary were the ones who testified for him; this verification was just a formality.

At this rate, there is no way to advance the case.

Just then, Zongfang walked over.

"Section Chief." Haiya stood up and asked Munakata for instructions: "The indecent assault case may have to be delayed. I think it would be better to hand it over to Kobe and Maki, while Suzuki and I go and help out with other cases?"

Ashiya finally has a legitimate opportunity to shake off Kobe...

However, Zongfang shook his head and said, "No, that Director Mian Guan has hired a very difficult lawyer, so he needs an experienced police officer like you to oversee things." As he spoke, he patted him on the shoulder.

Ash Valley: LOL.

Zongfang immediately emphasized, "Mian Guan has already met with the lawyer, but we couldn't get anything out of him after that. We need to investigate quickly... If there is no solid evidence, he can only be detained until the end of the interrogation tonight."

Although theoretically it can run for a full 48 hours, but...

The case was too minor, and the lawyer's reasons for requesting release were quite valid, even including an alibi. Munakata directly drew the line at "no overnight stay." "Yes," Haiya replied helplessly.

Zongfang then looked at Maki and Suzuki and said, "Put aside the robbery case you two are handling. I've assigned it to other detectives to assist in the investigation of this case later."

Because of the "difficult lawyers" and the sensitive nature of the suspect's identity, the manpower invested clearly exceeded the needs of the case itself.

"Yes..." Suzuki also seemed somewhat helpless.

Maki was quite enthusiastic, after all, she was a little worried about Kobe's carefree behavior just now.

……

Then Ashiya and Kobe went to verify the alibis—unsurprisingly, Watanuki's driver and secretary spoke with absolute certainty, and the other employees of Teito Trading also gave the same answer.

Not to mention the meeting situation over those few days, even when Haiya wanted to inquire about indirect information such as "Director Watanuki's usual personality," the answer was always "I never knew the Director had a lecherous side."

"No way... Trying to find something on someone's executive director in their company... I feel like an idiot myself." Ashiya was somewhat disheartened.

"They work for the Imperial Capital's trade in exchange for payment... Isn't this a normal labor-management relationship? Why lie about it? This is clearly not how or why they get paid..." Kobe said with great emotion.

Ash Valley no longer wants to comment on this.

Just then, Haiya and Kobe, who were sitting in the lobby of the Imperial Capital Trading Company's office building, saw Suzuki and Maki walk in.

"Hmm? What brings you here? Didn't you find anything with Asakura?" Haiya asked upon seeing this.

When they were dividing up the tasks, Suzuki and Maki went to the victim's place to see if they could find any clues.

but……

Maki Takashi then said angrily, "Ms. Asakura has been fired..."

"So fast? Where does she work? Does she have connections with the Imperial Capital Trade?" Gray Valley frowned.

The island nation has its own unique circumstances, and indeed sometimes, not to mention "criminals," even victims, people who were suspected but proved innocent... are disliked, and the atmosphere is filled with "don't cause me trouble" and "no matter what the reason, if you cause trouble, it's your fault."

However, Ashiya still felt something was off—firstly, the police had tried their best not to disturb Asakura, and secondly, this was all too fast.

After calming down the angry Maki, Suzuki said with some confusion, "Asakura is an employee of the Imperial Capital Trading Company..."

"What?" Gray Valley frowned upon hearing this.

“That’s right, it looks like a personal vendetta!” Mu Gao said angrily.

"Hmm? Why didn't she mention this before? If that's the case... she must know Mr. Watanuki, right?" Kobe asked in surprise.

"Aren't there too many coincidences in this case? Inspector Haiya, should we re-examine it?" Suzuki asked cautiously.

"I'll go ask them about the dismissal first!" Mu Gao confidently went to the front desk.

"Hey... wait..." Ash Valley was about to stop her, but seeing her insistence, he just rolled his eyes.

After finding out the location of the Human Resources Department's offices, and posing as a police officer, demanding their cooperation in the investigation...

As expected, Mu Gao returned dejectedly.

"Their dismissal is justified, right?" Ash Valley asked matter-of-factly.

There's no way to explain this kind of thing—even if everyone knows in their hearts that they were fired because of this, it wouldn't be difficult for them to find other reasons for firing them.
As for further appeals...

That would require going to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare; it's not something the police can handle.

With the director in charge, the Mihana Police Station could seek his support when the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare exerted undue pressure on cases, but...

Even if there were ten police chiefs in the Beika Police Station, it would be impossible for Beika Police Station officers to have the right to interfere with the authority of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare!
"First, we need to figure out whether Watanuki and Asakura know each other... This is very important for determining the nature of the case!" Haiya said directly.

Suzuki quickly said, "Ms. Asakura explained... Director Watanuki probably doesn't know her, who is just a junior staff member in the General Affairs Department. But of course she knows Director Watanuki, she just didn't dare to say it before because she was afraid."

"Yeah, this Mian Guan really puts on airs usually." Haiya nodded at this moment.

Although no testimonies detrimental to Mikan had been collected before, Ashiya had learned about Mikan's business practices in the Imperial Capital—they were quite dignified, with a rule that employees must stand on both sides with their heads bowed and remain in a respectful posture when they see Mikan, and only leave after they can no longer see him.

The president isn't usually this arrogant...

Indeed, in the Imperial Capital Trading Company, the authority of the young new president is far less than that of the "veteran" Executive Director, Miyakatsu.

Therefore, as an employee of Teito Trading, one might not know the young new president, but it is impossible for one not to know Watanuki.

"Speaking of which... why is it that the time of the incident is either Monday or Tuesday?" Suzuki wondered at this moment—he was also more perceptive than before.

"It's probably because the meetings usually happen in the last couple of days... When there are no meetings, Mikan doesn't come to the office building every day." Haiya had already inquired about this.

"It's a pity there are no security cameras in the parking lot here, otherwise we could know exactly what time the executive officer's car arrived..." Ashiya said helplessly.

“That’s right, but I’m afraid the driver won’t cooperate,” Kobe said helplessly. “Besides, you won’t let me hire his driver.”

"Absolutely not... otherwise the evidence will be meaningless and will instead become a handle for improper search!" Haiya rolled his eyes.

“Even the driver might not remember all of this, right?” Mu Gao countered.

“No, professional drivers usually keep their own work logs, recording exactly where they went and what time it was… at least my driver does,” Kobe calmly explained.

“Uh…” Mu Gao acknowledged that this was a blind spot in his knowledge, and then said, “Then can we try to apply for mandatory… never mind.”

Before he could finish speaking, Mu Gao realized how silly he was.

If the driver did not act voluntarily, even if there is a search warrant and the person is forced to hand over the items, does that necessarily mean it is genuine?

Moreover, this isn't even an official document, so whether it's forged or simply denied, there are far fewer concerns. After all, it's something for my own eyes, so even if it's forged, it's hard to call it a crime; at worst, I can just say I misremembered.

In the end, even after the four returned to the Beika Police Station that evening, they could only watch as Attorney Ikukura picked them up...

(End of this chapter)