Maori Kogoro began to understand everything

Takagi nodded awkwardly, followed Maori and whispered, "Hey, Detective Maori, it turned out to be the work of robbers. A stranger rushed out of the room. Both of us saw it."

"That's right."

Maori groaned.

Chapter 35: The One Who Bears Everything and the One Who Is Deeply Sinful

In fact, as far as Mao Li's personal feeling is concerned, he doesn't think it is a simple robbery, but if he has to produce some evidence or clues, he has no idea for the time being.

Therefore, Maori could only turn around and look at the two people who first discovered the situation. All the places that needed to be checked had been checked, and only the testimonies of these two people were left. If there was any breakthrough point, it might be among them.

Takagi's explanation is still too vague.

"Mr. Hikigaya Hachiman, Mr. Zaimokuza Yoshiteru," Mori walked to the entrance, "Can you describe the appearance of the robbers you saw in more detail?"

"sure,"

Hikigaya Hachiman spoke first, "Because it was so sudden, I couldn't see it clearly, but it should be a big man with a wound on his forehead and short black hair. He is really fierce and very strong."

Takagi added, "Mr. Hikigaya Hachiman is very likely a wanted criminal for serial robbery."

"Where is Mr. Zaimokuza Yoshiteru?"

Maori looked at Zaimokuza Yoshiteru who was standing beside him.

"this,"

Zaimokuza Yoshiki touched his still dizzy head and said, "I didn't see it clearly. I just opened the door and was hit. Everything in front of me was blank. It was really strong..."

"Anyway, the important thing now is to catch the wanted criminal, right?"

Hikigaya Hachiman checked the time, took his digital camera and backpack, and said, "I need to go home for a while. My pregnant wife is alone at home, and I am a little worried... My sister died suddenly, and it must be a big blow to her..."

"Please wait a moment."

Mori stops Hikigaya Hachiman.

Just as the biggest taboo in interrogating a prisoner is to give him a break, the biggest taboo in solving a case on the scene is to let the suspect leave easily - and since this case may not be a simple robbery and murder case, and these two witnesses are both suspects, Maori cannot let them leave the scene easily.

"Anything else, Mr. Detective?"

Hikigaya Hachiman asked curiously, "I'm just going to check on my wife and will go to the police station later. Is that not okay?"

"No, I just have something else I want to ask you. Can you stay a little longer?"

Maori put one hand in his trouser pocket and stroked his chin with the other hand, while his brain was working rapidly.

The seemingly messy scene was obviously a hastily disguised one. Although ordinary people would think it was the work of robbers at first glance, in the eyes of this famous detective, some places where valuables were obviously placed were not messy at all, which was very strange. Of course, this could be explained by the robbers because someone suddenly came over, but the place that was turned over clearly contained a necklace that seemed to be worth a lot of money, which was not explained...

Moreover, why was the door unlocked when Hikigaya Hachiman and his companions arrived? This obviously did not conform to the logic of the robbers.

Just like calculating every possibility and method of winning when playing mahjong, Mao Li quickly ran through all the clues so far in his mind - the abnormalities in the toilet and bathroom showed that there was not only one victim in the house, but she might have lived with a roommate or even a boyfriend; pollen was detected in the remains and even the entire house, indicating that the criminal disguised the scene to make it a robbery after the murder; as for why the criminal carried weapons such as iron bars, but the victim was strangled to death, it was a key doubt.

And if the condition that the robber does not exist is met, then Hikigaya Hachiman's testimony is very problematic and his behavior is also very strange... This guy is very likely lying, but what about Mr. Zaimokuza Yoshiteru?

Mao Li glanced at the two silent witnesses, and finally he exhaled lightly and asked Hikigaya Hachiman: "Mr. Hikigaya Hachiman, what kind of person is your wife's sister?"

Hikigaya Hachiman met Mori's gaze, and his heart involuntarily felt weak, but he still said calmly: "Yui is a very cheerful person, likes to socialize, and has a lot of friends. Everyone calls her Dango. She used to live abroad. After returning to Japan, she was active in various fashion magazines, worked as a model, and helped me complete some works... Why are you asking this?"

"Nothing, just a little curious,"

Mao Li smiled casually, "Does your wife's sister have a boyfriend or roommate?"

"No, she has always lived alone,"

Hikigaya Hachiman's eyes twitched, and he looked at Maori strangely and said, "Detective, the murderer is a robber, so he should have nothing to do with this kind of thing, right?"

"I don't think he's a robber."

"Eh?"

Hikigaya Hachiman tightened his fingers.

Maori said seriously: "Mr. Hikigaya Hachiman, you should have seen that the victim, Miss Yuigahama Yui, had marks of being strangled on her neck, but the murderer who attacked you two was carrying weapons such as iron bars. So, why didn't he just use the bars to attack Miss Yuigahama Yui? It's strange that he didn't use the weapons when he had them..."

"Oh?"

Hikigaya Hachiman turned his eyes to the side, thought for a moment and said, "I think the murder weapon should have been found in the room later. After all, we are at the door."

"There was no murder weapon left at the scene... Did the criminal take the iron rod away? Although it's still a bit strange, it can be explained, but..."

Maori crossed his arms over his chest and looked back at the entrance. "Mr. Hikigaya Hachiman, the door was not locked when you came here, right? Don't you think it's strange? The robbers are too bold. Aren't you afraid that someone like you and Mr. Zaimokuza Yoshiteru will suddenly break in?"

"Maybe he was careless. Maybe he was just planning to leave..."

"That's such a coincidence."

Maori looked directly at Hikigaya Hachiman who kept making up excuses to explain his doubts, and became more certain that he was the murderer.

(But I still don’t have very clear and absolute evidence…)

"what happened?"

Detective Sato felt something was wrong and asked in confusion, "Mr. Maori, have you found any problem?"

"Um,"

Mao Li glanced at the two silent witnesses and the magazines scattered all over the room. "The room was messed up on purpose. This case should be a murder disguised as a robbery..."

"No matter what, the people who attacked us are the murderers, right? He was in the house at the time, there is no doubt about that!"

Hikigaya Hachiman confirmed, "A big man with a scar on his forehead and short black hair..."

"Is it really?"

Maori looked him straight in the face and said, "This is all your story. Mr. Zaimokuza Yoshiteru didn't see anything at the time. Was he really beaten?"

"what?"

"In fact, I just found it very strange about what you said about Mr. Zaimokuza Yoshiteru... Mr. Zaimokuza Yoshiteru, could you please repeat it in detail? Don't miss any details."

Mori turned to Zaimokuza Yoshiteru and asked.

If the murderer was Hikigaya Hachiman, then Zaimokuza Yoshiteru was either lying or misled by him. If it was the latter, he already had doubts about the method used...

The slightly warm photography lights and the dressing mirror placed at the door make it very likely that Hikigaya Hachiman used strong light to blind Zaimokuza Yoshiteru when he entered the room, and then used some other method to knock Zaimokuza Yoshiteru down.

"Uh," Zaimokuza Yoshiteru recalled, "I'm not sure either. I just pushed the door open and saw a bright light. Then I was hit. I didn't see anything."

"Yes, that's it,"

Maori laughed, "Zaimokuza Yoshiteru didn't even see who hit him."

"Are you kidding me? Are you trying to say I'm lying?!"

Hikigaya Hachiman looked at Maori coldly and said, "It seems that although you are called a famous detective, your fame is probably greater than your ability. You are probably a fake product that has been packaged! I still hope that the police will conduct a thorough investigation!"

As he said this, he looked like he didn't want to pay any attention to Mao Li at all. He decisively turned to Sato and bowed and said, "Detective Sato, Detective Takagi, please! I have to go home to see my wife, and then I will go to the police station."

"Can I ask you one more question?"

Seeing that Hikigaya Hachiman was in a hurry to leave, Mao Li didn't plan to wait any longer and took out the slightly warm camera equipment from the cabinet. "What is this?"

"This is my flash,"

Hikigaya Hachiman narrowed his eyes slightly, "Yui is not only interested in modeling, but also loves photography. I lent it to her. Is there any problem?"

"No, actually I'm also interested in the art of the human body in photography. Mr. Hikigaya Hachiman, can you teach me how to use this?"

Maori looked at the flash with curiosity.

"What exactly do you want to do?"

Hikigaya Hachiman shouted, "If you want to learn, go and learn by yourself later. I have to go home now..."

"If that happens, I won't be able to let you leave, Mr. Hikigaya Hachiman."

Maori looked straight at Hikigaya Hachiman, "Is it okay?"

Hikigaya Hachiman and Mori looked at each other for a while, and finally frowned. He picked up the flash impatiently and operated it: "First, turn on the start switch. It's very simple. When taking a photo, just press the button here again... Is this okay?"

"Another point,"

Mao Li looked at the flash, and the corners of his mouth rose slightly. "If there is such a flash, can it be synchronized when taking pictures? Is there any remote control, such as pressing the camera shutter and the flash lighting up at the same time?"

Hikigaya Hachiman's face was stiff and he remained silent. Seeing this, Sato beside him said, "Mr. Hikigaya Hachiman, can I ask you for a favor?"

As Mori asked questions, everyone gradually realized that something was wrong, and Hikigaya Hachiman became a suspect unknowingly.

"Of course,"

Hikigaya Hachiman came back to his senses, glanced at Maori, picked up the digital SLR camera hanging on his body and said, "Yes, it can be controlled remotely. It can indeed be done after turning on the camera's flash function. Any professional photographer knows this... What's the problem with this?"

At this point, Hikigaya Hachiman sneered: "Huh, are you trying to say that I was the one who turned on the flashlight outside? Funny!"

"I didn't say that,"

Maori stared into Hikigaya Hachiman's eyes, shrugged and said, "Strange, Mr. Hikigaya Hachiman, why do you have such an idea? I'm just asking you for advice on photography."

"you……"

Hikigaya Hachiman's face changed instantly, and he realized that Mori had been deliberately paralyzing him with questions!

However, he realized it a little late.

"I have almost understood the case this time."

Maori walked past Hikigaya Hachiman and stopped at the door.

"Is it true? Detective Maori!"

Sato and the others looked at Maori closely, wondering, "What on earth is going on?"

"The key to the problem is the flash."

Maori placed the flash and spotlights in the face of Hikigaya Hachiman's unpleasant expression, and then adjusted the angle of the dressing mirror at the door.

"When Mr. Zaimokuza Yoshiteru opened the door, the murderer pressed the flashlight at the same time. The murderer also knocked Mr. Zaimokuza Yoshiteru down with an iron rod like a tripod... Mr. Zaimokuza Yoshiteru, try again."

Maori saw that there was a staircase outside the door, so he asked Zaimokuza Yoshiteru to go back outside, and he stood on the staircase and pretended to hit Zaimokuza Yoshiteru on the forehead with a tripod from behind.

"The murderer could attack from the front when Mr. Zaimokuza Yoshiteru's eyes were blinded by the bright light, but that would cause some problems. The best option would of course be to use the height difference to attack from behind..."

Maori then turned to Hikigaya Hachiman and said, "Mr. Hikigaya Hachiman, could you please press the shutter of your digital camera?"

Hikigaya Hachiman's expression changed continuously, but he didn't press the shutter of the camera. "You are talking as if I am the murderer. It's amazing that you can say so much. Even if the method you said can succeed, what's the use? It's just a guess. Where is the evidence?"

Hikigaya Hachiman looked at Maori coldly: "Since you are called a famous detective, you should also know that if you want to say that a person is a murderer, there must be absolute evidence!"

"Yes, there is definitely evidence,"

Maori glanced at the backpack carried by Hikigaya Hachiman. "I guess the reason you want to leave the scene is because you want a chance to deal with the evidence, right?"

"Nonsense! What evidence could there be in my bag?!"

Hikigaya Hachiman turned around and was about to leave, "I'm too lazy to waste time with you, my wife is still at home..."

"Hey, this is weird, isn't it? I didn't say the evidence was in your bag, why are you so sure?"

Maori turned his back to Hikigaya Hachiman and looked into the room. "I looked everywhere just now, but I couldn't find the key camera... Don't you think it's incredible? If the murderer is not you, and the flash was used not long ago, where is Miss Yuigahama Yui's camera? Mr. Hikigaya Hachiman, can you let me take a look in your bag? There should be another camera in it."

"……boring!"

Hikigaya Hachiman's lips trembled. He gritted his teeth and opened his backpack to reveal a film camera. "A professional photographer will always have another camera ready as a backup! That's all!"

“This doesn’t look like a digital camera…”

"is it not OK?"

"I still think this is the camera in Ms. Yuigahama Yui's room,"

Apart from the accident ten years ago, this was the first time that Maori encountered a criminal with such a strong sense of resistance, but he continued, "My reasoning is that after you killed Miss Yuigahama Yui, you took this camera from the room... Mr. Hikigaya Hachiman, you are dating Miss Yuigahama Yui behind your wife's back, right? So you are afraid that something is left in this camera..."

“…Stop joking!”

"How about we check it out? Maybe there are photos in this camera that can prove your guilt."