Chapter 36 Chapter two

Two hours have passed, but the voice still lingers in Junping's ears.It was just the sound of black pearls falling to the table and the ground in an instant, but to Junping, it became a special piece of music like a series of connected notes.He felt that the music played by Black Pearl represented the mysterious beauty hidden under A slightly's heavy makeup, the real her. In the past two hours, none of the customers sitting in the store noticed anything unusual, but in fact there was a lot of commotion inside.This does not refer to the death of Qiue, whose real name is Yoshiko Yamada.In fact, she just had two stitches for her left wrist injury.Ah Shao, who went to look for Qiu Hui, noticed that the light in the lounge was dark, pressed the switch in the corridor to light up the light, and opened the door to enter, only to find Qiu Hui lying prone on the bed between the cabinet and the dressing table.Seeing that she lost a lot of blood, she thought she was dead, but in fact she was just in a coma.

After hearing Ah Shao's report, he immediately rushed to Takato in the waiting room with the proprietress, called his doctor friend who opened in Higashi Ginza, and asked Junping to come to him to get the necessary first-aid medicine, needles, threads, etc. The reception room adjacent to the lounge completes the treatment.An ambulance was not called because the proprietress asked Gao Teng to "don't call the police".When the victim Qiu Hui was lying on the sofa in the reception room and woke up by first aid, she immediately shouted, "Call the police and we will find the murderer right away."

Qiu Hui seems to be over 30. Although the face with heavy makeup looks quite smooth, it gives the impression of not having a good personality.Her hair was sprinkled with silver powder, and her small, plump figure was wrapped in a gorgeous kimono with blue and purple stripes.Blood was stained on the left sleeve of the watch, which revealed a dazzling silver light. The proprietress wiped the blood from her hands and tried to persuade Qiu Hui finally agreed not to call the police, but said in a resentful tone, "As long as the murderer can be found? I won't stop until I get the condolence money." .” Her hoarse, manly voice revealed a strong character.

"That's right! We can't just leave it at that." The proprietress also frowned and muttered.As a result, only Hongzi, who came with her, returned to the store, and the proprietress, Qiue, Gao Teng, Junping, and Ah Shao, whose face was still pale from the shock, were locked in the reception room for a secret conversation. I don't know if I'm too excited?Qiu Hui seemed to have forgotten her injury, and told what happened just now in an excited tone: Tonight, as soon as Qiu Hui went to work, she sat at the table of a regular customer. After a while, she suddenly remembered that she had forgotten something in the lounge, went back to get it, closed the cabinet, and was about to put on makeup in the mirror when the light suddenly went out.It was as if someone flipped a switch in the hallway and sneaked back into the room immediately.

There are windows in the lounge, and the red neon lights on the alleyway are slightly bright, so even though the lights are off, Qiu Huijiao can see a woman in a long dress coming in with a little bit of red light.It wasn't until the figure was close to Qiuhui that she noticed the gleaming sharp blade in her hand, and in just a split second, the figure had rushed over.When the two wrestled into a ball and fought, Qiu Hui suddenly felt a slight pain in his left hand, and immediately fell unconscious.Qiu Hui said that she only remembered that it was after eight o'clock, but she didn't know the exact time. The proprietress deduced that Qiu Hui left the store at eight twenty, so this incident should have happened around eight thirty.And Ah Shao found her at nine o'clock, so Qiu Hui was in a coma for about 30 minutes.

"My kind of person! A slight injury will make me pass out! However, it's not just the injury that makes me pass out!" Qiu E showed an ambiguous smile. "During these thirty minutes, no one found out!" "The meeting tells everyone to try not to go back to the reception room during working hours, but there are many people using the reception room to make private calls! ... It's really bad. I can only see people wearing long dresses and I can't guess. Four or five people wore long dresses except for kimonos, and even I had already changed into long dresses at that time.”

The proprietress said while lighting a cigarette.The face that looked beautiful under the dim light in the store looked haggard under the fluorescent light.After asking the lady boss, I found out that six people asked for leave tonight, and there were 21 waiters in total. "Do you remember who you had a grudge with?" Indifferent to Takato's questioning, Qiue twitched the corner of her mouth. "It's not to the extent that I have a feud with anyone to the point of killing me!" "No—" Jun Ping, who had been standing in the corner by the door, suddenly said, and everyone turned their heads when they heard the sound.Junping said with some embarrassment, "The person who attacked Qiu'e had no intention of killing. If Qiu'e could see the gleaming light of the blade on her hand, then the attacker must also be able to see the light on Qiu'e's watch." So, I think she just wanted to kill the ball on purpose."

Gao Teng agreed with him: "If the murder was not intentional, then it was pure resentment? Do you have enough in your heart?" Qiu Hui unceremoniously read the names of the four women. "These four people hate me because I stole their guests! But I'm not arbitrarily snatched, I was chosen by the guests! ... Also," Qiu Hui deliberately paused, and after glancing at the proprietress, A smug smile appeared on his face. "It's a little difficult to speak..." "Let's be honest," the proprietress put out her cigarette with trembling fingers, "She seduced the manager of this store, that is, my backstage boss Goro Hajima...that's why I hate her, you just say it !"

"—Then I don't need to say it now!" Qiu E's tough eyes resisted the eyes of the proprietress who pierced her like needles.Ignoring the trembling lips of the proprietress and the look in her eyes that wanted to say something, she continued: "Ah! And what about Amin? Oh! It's for the sensational Senator Domoto. I just made a joke about it, but she showed a terrifying expression..." "The two of them quarreled fiercely in front of the guests the night before yesterday." The proprietress said as if she wanted to transfer the anger she couldn't vent to Qiue to Takato.

"But, that matter is not my responsibility! Getting angry about that kind of thing is because she has her own weaknesses!" "Qiu Hui, in short, you have something wrong with this matter! If there is another disturbance in the future, then I have no choice but to fire you." "Isn't this a matter for Hashima-san to decide?" "Are you sensible? Just slept with him once and—" The proprietress who was about to light a cigarette suddenly threw away the fired lighter.The lighter hit the wall, and Qiu Hui turned pale with fright. "What are you going to do?" Gao Teng stood up to stop the proprietress who impulsively wanted to stand up.

"I'm one of them too." It was a very calm voice. The strength between the proprietress and Qiu Hui, like a fire that would ignite in an instant, was suppressed by this voice, and everyone followed the reputation.Ah Shao, who was sitting next to the proprietress, seemed to have forgotten that it was him who was whispering just now, with his eyes lowered in a daze.Without the black pearl on his chest, Junping felt a sense of loneliness. "I was told many things by Qiu Hui... So, I also hate her." "Ah Shao will definitely have no problem. You can't even swing a knife! Qiu Hui, what did you say to this child?" "No—" Qiu Hui turned his head away. "That's what she said. Don't put on an innocent look, you didn't come to this place because you were dumped by a man!" "Qiu Hui, what are you talking about! This child is for my brother's surgery fee..." "What she said is the truth. I will have a boyfriend who is talking about marriage. Before the engagement, after I mentioned my brother's illness and the operation fee to him, he suddenly ignored me..., to save my brother's life to make money. I also know that it is a lie to defend myself. In fact, I was abandoned by my boyfriend and felt that no matter what I do, I must live a luxurious life with pink makeup and jade, so I..." "You're pretending to be innocent by saying that." Qiu E sneered. "When did I let you see my innocent appearance?" A slightly raised his head and stared at Qiu Hui coldly. "When I parted from my boyfriend at the teahouse, I kept holding the teacup tightly in my hand, planning to pour it on him if he said something more despicable...I also have the strength to hold the blade." Her voice has always been calm and composed, but it implies that she is about to splash water and the words in her mouth on the ball.Qiu Hui was more surprised than anyone else.Even the proprietress dared to be harsh, she suddenly looked away subtly and cowardly. "Instead of arguing here, why not call them one by one to investigate!" The hoarse voice seemed to be pretending to be calm. Ah Shao stood up to call the suspicious person proposed by Qiu Hui, and before leaving the door, he looked back at Junping, frowned and smiled.This smile seems to be apologizing to Junping who heard his own voice, but in fact there is no need to apologize.Junpei interrupted Qiue's words with a calm voice, and Junpei had already heard the tune of the black pearl in the performance like a shout. The four suspects cited by Qiu Hui immediately clarified their innocence.Among them, Yuren was sitting at the same table around 8:30, another was wearing a kimono all night, and the fourth said that the bar boy could prove that she had been at the bar with the customers. Next, I'm going to ask the guy at the bar. Next to the counter there is an entrance and exit with curtains hanging. After this door is the dressing room. Next to the dressing room is a door leading to the store. The first room you see when you enter this door is the warehouse, then the lounge, and then go down to the Reception room and offices. I heard from the younger brother that there was no one going in or out at around 8:30. This boy at the bar with the appearance of a court attendant even spoke in a dignified way, "I'm the only one who is so busy tonight that I don't remember anything." "Oh! Did that happen about half-past eight?" he added. At that time, the phone on the side of the counter rang, and the boy at the bar heard a deep female voice saying, "This is Ohara Hospital in Shinjuku. The child of Miss Shino who works in your store has an accident, please hurry up." Come here—ah! I won't hang up the phone until she comes to answer." Just as Zhi Nai walked in, he handed the phone to her.The person on the phone seemed to have gone somewhere and didn’t come to answer the phone, Zhi Nai waited very anxiously, just happened to come to the store at this time, and after hearing this, she told Zhi Nao: “Hurry up to the hospital! After taking the taxi fare given by the proprietress, Zhi Nai rushed out in a hurry. "Yes!... It was indeed around 8:30 at that time." The proprietress muttered as if she suddenly thought of it. "Zino who raised the curtain and walked in panicked as if she wanted to tell me something, but because I hurriedly handed over the microphone to her, so... um! She did seem to have something to say." The boy at the bar confirmed again what he said. "Who is Shino?" Gao Teng asked the proprietress. "It's a beauty in a kimono with a mole on her cheek..." "Ah! It's that coquettish person... Hey! Does she hate you?" Qiu Hui, who was questioned, said, "I am the one who holds a grudge! My guests will give me cigarette cases, and she exaggerates and spreads the matter. She likes to stir up trouble..." "Zino is not the murderer, because she is still wearing a kimono tonight. However, when she came out, she seemed to want to say something, maybe she saw something... call her later..." After the proprietress repeatedly told the younger brother "never tell anyone about this matter", she asked him to step back and asked A Ming to come in. Amin has no definite alibi.Between eight and nine o'clock, she took turns sitting at six tables, changing tables every five minutes. "However, I don't hold grudges against people like Qiue. Although the two had a quarrel the day before yesterday, it was true, but afterwards, I realized that I shouldn't be as knowledgeable as that kind of stupid woman." Amin stood up spinning, the corners of his skirt fluttered, and Qiuhui, who had been silent all this time, said: "Amin, the perfume on your body doesn't match your black dress!" The voice was the same as usual, but Jun Pingjiao felt the poison in it.Amin's hand on the doorknob was still, and he turned his head slowly, and said in a nonchalant tone: "Yes! However, this kind of perfume is even more unsuitable for wearing kimonos!" She looked back at the sharp blade-like gaze thrown by Kumue with the same sharp gaze.Her appearance, which can be subsidized and taken care of by members of Congress, is more beautiful than that of Ah Shao and the proprietress, but it feels like she has undergone plastic surgery, and she has a kind of artificial indifference. It's been like this for two hours, no big gains.If you ask all the maids working tonight one by one, you may get some more information, but the proprietress strongly opposes this approach.The reason is that the expansion of the commotion will inevitably lead to more troubles, and everyone is so busy that no one can figure out when, who is doing what, where, right?The proprietress pulled the purse closer, took out ten ten thousand yen bills from it, and handed it to Qiu Hui who was lying on the side. "This is medical expenses. I will pay for you tonight, and you will go to the hospital for treatment tomorrow, right?" "Use the money to swallow my anger?" "I didn't say that, but the money does have the intention of blocking your mouth. I hope you don't spread it!" The proprietress stuffed the money into her arms.Qiu Hui didn't say any more, but silently stuffed the banknotes in her arms. The atmosphere of silence was shrouded, and Gao Teng seemed to feel a boring expression leaning against the wall until now.Junping, who was not yet familiar with the appearance of the maids, felt a little disturbed after seeing a lot of their inside stories. "Jun Ping, I'm so sorry! It's all right now, you and Ah Shao will go back to the store and continue drinking. I'll stay here until Qiu Hui's anesthetic is over. Madam, don't mention the treatment fee, bring some good wine Bar!" "It should!" The proprietress also came back to her senses, her professional smile reappeared. "Ah Shao, tell the boy at the bar to take out 'Napoleon' and hang my account..." As he spoke, he reached for the phone. "Call Zhi Nai to ask, I'm really worried about her child... Maybe she's still in the hospital!" At this point, Ah Shao probably breathed a sigh of relief. She smiled at Junping and was about to stand up when a figure flashed on the glass door, and a woman in a Chinese dress embroidered with flying gold and silver butterflies came in. "Ma'am, Zhi Nao just called to say that the phone call was a prank! I rushed to the hospital to find out if there was any child who was injured and admitted to the hospital. I called home to check, and the child was alive and well! It was too late to go back to the store , so she wanted to just go home and forget it." "How can you make such a joke? No wonder I always feel that something is wrong." The proprietress put down the microphone again. "Is it dangerous?" "No way! It was probably harassed by calls from other colleagues." "Miss Boss... what happened in the lounge?..." The woman in Chinese-style clothing peeped at the bandage on Qiue's wrist with a puzzled face and asked. "It's nothing, it's just that Qiu'e was injured a little...why do you ask?" "This! I came to the lounge at eight o'clock, oh! It was around half past eight. I found it was dark inside, and I heard the sound of two people wrestling with each other." The woman named Yuga said that the door of the lounge was locked from the inside at that time. Although she shouted outside, she received no answer.Feeling that the situation was weird, after returning to the store, he quietly told Zhi Nai who was sitting at the same table, and Zhi Nai got up and said that he would go to have a look.But never came back.I thought it was probably all right!But I was still thinking about it, and when it was nearly nine o'clock, I went to the lounge again to check, but the room was still dark, and the door was still locked.I always thought it was strange that the door was locked, but I still thought it would be okay!Moreover, it is forbidden to enter and leave the rest room during working hours, so I have not reported this to the proprietress. "Just now Shino called and asked: 'What happened in the lounge caused a commotion?' Shino said that when she went to check the lounge, the door was still locked, but she saw a blood-stained knife on the passage... Although I knocked on the door and yelled, there was still no response from inside. When I was rushing to report, I heard the boy at the bar tell me that her child had been in a car accident. In panic, I ran out of the store before I could tell what I saw... ..." "Wait a minute," Gao Teng asked, "From the time you heard the sound of arguing in the lounge to when Shino went to check it out, how long did it take?" "About ten minutes!" "It seems that the murderer took advantage of this gap to escape from the lounge, but left the knife behind when he escaped! You went to investigate again when it was nearly nine o'clock, and the knife was no longer there, right?" "Ok!" "So! Before you returned to the lounge for the second time, the murderer returned with the knife. Was the door of the lounge closed near nine o'clock?" "Yes, at eight fifty-seven, eight." "Ah Shao said that when she was going to the lounge at nine o'clock, the door was open." A slightly nodded in agreement. "Ma'am, what type of door is the lounge?" "The type is very common. The door can be opened or closed freely from the inside, but a key is required to open it from the outside...Because the key is rarely used, it has been kept in the office next door..." Gao Teng asked the proprietress to fetch the keys, and took one out of a bunch of keys. "It's stained with blood!" It was not the key that was stained with blood, but the wooden board to which the key was tied, with obvious blood stains on it. The proprietress told Yuga, don't tell others what you have forced yourself to do.After sending her out, Takato crossed his hands. "I really can't figure it out! If what Yuga said just now is true, then the murderer took the key from outside the lounge door in the two or three minutes between Yuga's second confirmation and Ah Shao's arrival in the lounge. Open the door!" "Hmm..." Junping interrupted. "There is something even weirder than this... The lock in the lounge must be locked with a key from outside the door, that is, it is not self-locking... It is not the kind of hotel that is common after pressing the button on the handle and then closing the door The type that can be automatically locked..." "You can't lock it without using the key from outside the door!" Junping was dumbfounded when he realized that not only the proprietress' eyes, but everyone's eyes were on him, but he continued to talk. "Hmm... oh... What I want to say is that since the murderer was so panicked that he attacked Qiuhui and the knife fell down the passage, why did he just calmly escape from above the door lock?"