Chapter 12 Chapter 12 The Vanishing Tanker

In the evening, Detective Kamei returned to Totsugawa's apartment from New Japan Airlines with a stack of photocopied resumes in his arms. Sitting next to the electric heater, the two carefully checked the resumes of the 32 people page by page.Of course, resumes vary in length and length.Some are very long, such as the resume of Captain Miyamoto; others are very short, most of them are young crew members in their twenties. After reading all of them, they separated the 6 and 26 to compare the differences.This is a very patient job. "Take a break and have some coffee." Totsukawa left the stove and went to the kitchen to fetch the coffee pot.

"Only, do you like it?" "Anything is fine. My sense of coffee is so pure that I can't tell the difference in taste." Kamei said, still did not take a break, still looking down at the resume. "Did you find anything different?" Totsukawa asked Kamei while plugging in the coffee pot. "I can't figure it out. In terms of age, the six are a little older, but among the 26 there is the 42-year-old Koichiro Shiraishi. He is older than the 41-year-old first-class crewman Sato and the 39-year-old Kono, the 2-year-old second-class crew member, is quite old. In terms of academic qualifications, among the 26 staff engaged in administrative work, several of them are college graduates, and they are all above the qualifications of Kojima Boatswain."

"Let's drink coffee." Totsukawa placed two coffee cups and filled them with hot coffee. Detective Kamei added sugar, and while swiping the coffee with a spoon, he asked Totsukawa: "Have you figured it out?" "I already know." Totsukawa smiled and blew on the coffee. "I already said that on the plane." "What do you mean?" "Captain Uchimura of the 'Second Japan' is married. Of the 32 people, only 6 are married and have families, while the other 26 are single. Although 42-year-old Shiraishi Koichiro and 30-year-old Yamada Jingyi was also married, but they were both divorced. So they can be divided into two groups, those with families and those without families.”

"That's right, that's right. How careless I was that I didn't see such a simple question." "It's simple, but there's something important here. Do you remember the conversation I had with Captain Uchimura about Brazil?" "I remember. When asked whether he wanted to go to Brazil, Captain Uchimura said that he already had a family. Although he was interested in Brazil, he couldn't make up his mind. Is this the conversation?" "When I heard Captain Uchimura's answer, I suddenly realized. The crew of the 'First Japan' planned to sell oil and divide 10.8 billion yen equally, 1.4 billion yen per person, and then carried a huge sum of money to Brazil. This decision is simple for single people, but it is not so easy for those with family members. First, the consent of wives and children must be obtained. Therefore, the six people decided to return to China first."

"However, I couldn't go back to my country as usual, so I staged the sinking of the 'Daiichi Japan', a narrow escape, and the burning of oil. Do you think so?" Detective Kamei still looked at Totsukawa with a dubious expression. "That's right." Totsukawa nodded in agreement. "I think it's a 6-person mission. How much oil is lost? No, how much is it allowed to flow? I'm not a professional in this field, I don't know. But I think at least 10,000 tons, no, 5,000 tons or so The oil spreads on the sea surface and turns into a gasification gas, which will be burned for some reason. So the 6 people took the lifeboat and pretended to escape from death. I think they planned to go to the Chagos Islands at first. .As Captain Uchimura said, the route of the "Daiichi Japan" is a bit southerly than the usual route, that is, it is closer to the Chagos Islands. So I think they planned in advance to contact the head office at that location The boat was interrupted, causing the illusion of being in distress, and then took a lifeboat to the Chagos Islands. However, I don’t know if they were lucky, they happened to encounter the "Fifth Shirakawa" ocean-going fishing boat. As a result, the "Fifth Shirakawa" naturally confirmed The sinking of the 'Daiichi Japan', their plan succeeded."

Totsukawa poured another cup of coffee.He likes coffee very much, but not tea.Even so, he doesn't like bread, but has a passion for buckwheat noodles.All in all, his preferences are irregular. "The six people who returned to Japan had to play the role of the miraculously survived hero on the one hand, and on the other hand, they had to persuade their families to go to Brazil. That's why they collected books about Brazil. However, this was not an easy task. Of course, it’s easy to just ask, “Shall we go to Brazil?”, but if it’s not done well, the crime of stealing 580,000 kiloliters of oil will be exposed. Ship doctor Takeda successfully persuaded his family to move to Brazil first. Level 2 Sailor Kono sold the house, bought a large yacht, and set off for South America with his family. But the other 4 people did not have the confidence to convince the family. Captain Miyamoto bought 12 books about the situation in Brazil, but they were locked in a drawer until his death , did not let his wife see it. The same is true for the rest of the people. The reason is what I said just now. They have no confidence to persuade their family members and are afraid that their crimes will be exposed. In addition, I wonder if there is another reason. Do you think these 32 people got 108 After 100 million yen, how will this huge sum of money be handled?"

"I thought, since they decided to go to Brazil collectively, they would deposit their money in a Brazilian bank." "I think so too. And they will deposit 340 million yen worth of dollars in the bank with 32 people each. The ship doctor Takeda bought a high-end house and a car and opened a clinic after only a few days in Brazil. It is to use this huge sum of money stored in the bank. But, continuing the topic just now, when the sensation of the sinking of the "Daiichi Japan" calmed down, wouldn't the 4 people think of getting this deposit back from Brazil, Do you want to enjoy it in Japan? After getting the money, you can live affluently in Japan even if you don't go abroad. In addition, the sinking of the "Daiichi Nippon" did not arouse anyone's suspicion, and the loss of 580,000 kiloliters of oil is also Instead of incurring censure against them, they were treated as heroes. As a result, they felt no need to flee to Brazil. Perhaps they even lost their sense of crime."

"However, they ended up being killed." "yes." "Do you still think the criminal is Junichi Akamatsu?" Detective Kamei's question made Totsukawa smile slightly. "Don't you think he's a murderer now?" "The reason why Akamatsu Junichi is considered to be a criminal is that when the 'Daiichi Japan' sank, because the 6 survivors refused to save the 26 people, Akamatsu Junichi had the motive of revenge. Looking at it now, since this The premise has been overturned and, of course, the conclusion is different." Totsukawa seemed to be enjoying his cigarette.Since this incident, Totsukawa's cold has continued, and smoking always feels bitter.Today, I finally regained the comfort of smoking, which is something to be thankful for.

Kamei, who had finished smoking his own cigarette, lit another Seven Star cigarette that Totsukawa had placed on the electric heater.Then, making a chopping gesture with his hand, he said: "If it wasn't for Akamatsu Junichi, who would the criminal be?" "To be honest, I can't figure it out now. But at least I figured out the reason for the serial killings. They think that if these four people give up the idea of ​​going to Brazil, they will be considered traitors." "Is it those 26 people?" "There is no way, only all reasoning. As I said just now, 32 people are in favor of selling 580,000 kiloliters of oil. If someone opposes, this plan cannot be implemented. In addition, after success, all personnel will go to live in Brazil. If they are separated , go where they want to go at will, they are worried that one day the truth will be leaked. But now these 4 people have violated the original agreement, which makes the rest of the people feel uneasy, so they think of getting rid of them. If 6 people convince their family members Go to Brazil and probably nothing will happen."

"But there are doubts." "what?" "Except for Red Pine, the other 25 people went to Brazil, right?" "Yes. They each became rich with 340 million yen and went to Brazil together." "They did have a lot of money. But these 26 people apparently died with the sinking of the 'First Japan'. Citizenship in Brazil can be bought with money, but will they be happy? Now that they have If they are dead, even if they miss their hometown and family, they will not be able to return to Japan." "Do you think so?" Totsukawa smiled. "The personnel director of the New Japan Air Lines Corporation once said that even if their whereabouts are still unknown, if they are not confirmed dead, they are considered alive. After two or three years, they can suddenly return to Japan and tell the story of their death. After drifting for many days, I was miraculously rescued and arrived in Brazil. The reason why I didn’t contact Japan when I was rescued was because I lost 580,000 kiloliters of oil and a giant tanker. I felt deeply guilty. Such reasons will be understood and agreed, It is indeed the character of the Japanese. So they worked in Brazil and succeeded. In order to apologize for the accident, if each of them donated 100,000 yen to charity, they would be regarded as heroes. And The Japanese never talk too much about miraculous survivors. In that case, it is polite not to ask about the past. That is, after two or three years of patience, they can return home as heroes Yes. What a good plan!"

"It is true. With 340 million yen in hand, I can return home freely. If I were me, I would also like to stay in Brazil for two or three years. Can I ask another question?" "Oh, of course." "You said Captain Miyamoto and other five people were killed for breaking their promise to go to Brazil. But didn't Kono, the second-level crew member among the five people, already bought a speedboat to go to Brazil? The criminal thought he was going to escape to other places, And the one that killed both man and ship with a time bomb?" "no." Totsukawa flatly denied this idea. "Although the criminal is ruthless, he is calm. He will never plant a time bomb without knowing where he is going." "Then why?" "I don't understand this either. But I think it has something to do with it. After killing Captain Miyamoto, the criminal continued to kill without a break. It's such a situation." Totsukawa unfolded a piece of paper on the electric heater, on which was written: "In addition, the speedboat of Kono, the second-class crew member, also exploded. But Junichi Akamatsu sneaked back to China on December 15th. At that time, we didn't know anything, and we didn't take any precautions against the six people. At that time, if we wanted to kill those There are 6 people, and they can start at any time. But why wait until the 18th is puzzling." "Have you found the answer?" "Ah, I found it. At first, I thought it would take a certain amount of time for him to get the rifle, the car, or the explosives. But, I was wrong. The real reason was told to us by Captain Miyamoto's wife." "But didn't that woman know nothing? That's why she wasn't killed." "She really didn't know anything. But she remembered that when she sent her husband to take a walk for the last time, Miyamoto said: "Has it been a week?" His expression changed suddenly. The six people returned to China to persuade their families. Getting them to agree to emigrate in two days is of course not good. But if mobilization takes one month, then those associates in Brazil will have doubts. Therefore, this week, I wonder if it is the deadline they set.” "A one-week period?" "Yes. They agreed to persuade their family to move to Brazil within a week. The passports have probably been sent in advance. The ship's doctor Takeda has complied with the agreement, so nothing has happened so far, and he lives in a luxurious residence in Brazil. The second-level crew Kono set off in a speedboat, but he had passed the deadline, so he was also killed." "However, he and his family set off on a speedboat on the afternoon of December 19. It took less than a day. He had already made up his mind to go to Brazil, but he was still killed. It was so ruthless. " "It's worth pondering." "What do you mean?" "It's the ruthlessness of the criminals. We always thought that the reason why these six people were killed was because they refused to save them, which aroused extreme hatred for them, and we understood the ruthlessness of the murders. But today, when that premise no longer exists, other reasons must be found." "Strong suspicion?" "Maybe. There is indeed this factor, but it's not just that. The reason why I don't think the criminal is Akamatsu Junichi is because of this. Judging from Akamatsu's resume, he is an ordinary young man with no previous convictions and no evidence of any aspect He is a ruthless murderer. Moreover, among friends who have lived together on a ship for a long time, just because they have betrayed the agreement, will they be killed without hesitation? Especially for the second-level crew members who have already acted according to the agreement Kono." "If Junichi Akamatsu is not a criminal, who is the criminal? Is it one of the 25 people other than Akamatsu?" "No. Wouldn't the same question arise for the other 25 people?" "In this way, I don't understand." Kamei shook his head in confusion. "What kind of guy is this guy who keeps pulling us around in circles?" "I don't know either. However, various speculations can be made. Let's think about it, 26 people have already received a huge sum of money. The sum of 26 people's shares is 8.84 billion yen. If you have a huge sum of more than 100 million units in your hand, you can accidentally In such a situation, and you have to kill someone, what would you do?" "Well, anyway, of course I don't want to do it myself." "That's right. Especially if the other party is a friend. Then the first consideration is to let money play a role." "You mean hired killer?" "yes." "However, it seems unrealistic to hire a killer." "Yes, there is no reality. But it would be unreasonable if it were not so." Totsukawa seemed to want to sort out his thoughts, and lit a cigarette again.The cigarette butts in the ashtray unconsciously took the shape of a hill.The room was also filled with smoke. "Let's go ahead and speculate. If they hired a young Japanese with good marksmanship, let's call him X. That has nothing to do with the threatening letter. X first drifted to the Chagos Islands with Junichi Akamatsu's crew manual Salomon Island. Probably take a plane to the Ceylon area of ​​Sri Lanka, then hire a motorboat to go near Salomon Island and jump into the sea. Of course, this is to fabricate a miraculously saved Akamatsu Junichi, with revenge Preparations for the storyline where anger went to kill those 6 people. x As Junichi Akamatsu, I arrived at Haneda Airport on December 15th. Then, I got the car and the gun and waited. Because there is a one-week deadline.” "And what about the real Akamatsu Junichi?" "Of course he also used someone else's passport to return to Japan. Probably criminal X's passport. I think Akamatsu has two missions. First, because he knows the situation of those 6 people very well, so he monitors their movements and Communicate the situation to x." "The young man who was spying on Kojima Haruko's testimony is probably Akamatsu." "I think it must be. It is because it is Akamatsu that I hurriedly hid it. Maybe Kojima Bosun's wife knows Akamatsu. In this way, Akamatsu Junichi returned to Japan on December 12th, and secretly monitored six people. .” "What is Akamatsu's other mission?" "In order to make us think that the criminal x is Junichi Akamatsu, evidence of Junichi Akamatsu was left everywhere. The Futaba apartment is a good example. In other murder scenes, he was wearing big sunglasses and betel leaves Straw hats are used to cover the face. But when we borrowed a house at Futaba Apartment, or at the shop where we rented quilts, we showed our true colors. Not only that, but we also left fingerprints in the room carelessly, so it caused us trouble. The illusion that all this was done by Akamatsu Junichi. And the criminal x, according to the information provided by Akamatsu, ambushed at the Oigawa Iron Bridge and shot and killed Sato, a first-class crew member; shot and killed Director Tsuji in Nozawa Onsen; Dead isle bosun." As he spoke, the smile on Totsukawa's face disappeared, and he felt panicked in his heart.He was regretting why he hadn't discovered this earlier! "Because the killer was hired with money, the children and the speedboat were blown up, and the family members of other families did not escape the bad luck." "yes." "But in the end, why did Chisong die? Is this also X's crime?" "There is no doubt that x did it. But why Chisong was killed in the end, I don't know. Is it possible to think so? The suicide note written at the beginning was to the effect that Chisong, who was burning with vengeance, murdered and committed crimes one by one. In the end, he himself He committed suicide by leaving a suicide note. Of course, this is not a real suicide. Put the suicide note and the killing rifle near the crater of Sanyuan Mountain, or on the edge of the cliff, so that we think he has committed suicide. Therefore, at the risk, I deliberately sent the M16 rifle from Okinawa back to Tokyo. Because there is a gun, it makes people feel more real about suicide than just a suicide note. Although I have prepared two guns, I have always used the same gun. This is the reason. And the last In the end, I think maybe Chisong wanted to kill x to silence her, but was killed by x. Maybe there was a dispute over money. Because I think Chisong has the responsibility to pay x the necessary fees. Maybe Chisong doesn't want to pay the money." "Among the 26 people, isn't it too bad for Chisong to accept this task? Do you have to pay for it yourself?" "I wonder if everyone decided by lottery? Even if everything goes smoothly, Akamatsu, as a serial murderer, will never be able to return to Japan. At least he can't return to Japan in a grandiose manner." "So, it is close to solving the truth of the incident." Detective Kamei said with a smile, but Totsukawa's expression turned serious: "The key lies in the work ahead. All I have said is speculation. Starting tomorrow, we must look for evidence."

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