Chapter 8 to kill

(Tomoya Igarashi) After seeing the report in the morning paper, the coffee cup in my hand fell on the tray.There was a slit on the tray, and the spilled tea-brown liquid seeped out of the tray's slit, staining a blood-stained stain on the newspaper.It was a Royal Albert coffee mug collected by Kumiko.The one that split was the one from my birth month, May. The former criminal police officer Takayoshi Takayama was killed—the center of the brain was paralyzed for a while, how could this happen? Although the report only wrote a headline titled "Former detective murdered in Suginami apartment" in small print, the place name above caught my attention.Although the name of the resident of the apartment was not recorded in the report, judging from the place name, it must be Teruo Kawahara's place.

Unemployed Mr. Takayoshi Takayama (69 years old) was found stabbed to death in the bathroom of the apartment. The whereabouts of the residents of the apartment are currently unknown. At present, the police have regarded the residents of the apartment as important suspects and are making every effort to arrest them.The report wrote that Gao Shan had worked as a criminal policeman before his death, and the residents of the apartment had also been investigated and interrogated by Gao Shan. I turned on the TV to see if there was anything else relevant.At the end of the news program at 10 o'clock in the morning, related local topics in Kanto are broadcast.The picture shown on the TV was undoubtedly the apartment where Teruo Kawara lived.The police stood in front of the stairs on the first floor, and a warning banner "No Entry" was pulled up outside.The relevant content in the report is still that Gao Shan was killed, and the police are doing their best to hunt down the apartment residents, etc., which is no different from what I read in the newspaper before.

I rode my bicycle to Kawara's apartment, went up the ramp next to the Suginami Tax Office, and crossed Ome Street.Facing the hot wind full of dust and car exhaust, I pedaled desperately.Cross the viaduct in front of the station and turn right on the road next to Seiyu.Near Kawara's apartment, I slowed down and slid slowly around the scene.Two patrol cars.The windows of the room on the second floor were wide open, and the figures of investigators flashed past from time to time.On the road in front of the apartment, there were many spectators from afar. I stopped my bike when someone called me.Turning my head, I saw Ryozo Sasaoka, the president of the Kawara Support Association, waving at me in the crowd of onlookers, signaling that he would find another place to chat with me.Sasaoka took me to a teahouse called "Kagon" located in front of the Shinmei Shrine.Before he sat down on his butt, Sasaoka had already opened his mouth: "This is going to make a big mess."

Sasaoka took the face towel, and while wiping his face, kept yelling "I'm sorry, I'm sorry". "Is He Yuan still missing?" His confusion was exactly the same as mine. "Yeah. Didn't go to work either." Sasaoka said sullenly. "What the hell is going on here?" I asked. "I went to Nagoya on a business trip yesterday, but I received a call from my wife. I heard that Kawahara seemed to be in a panic at the time, and another murder happened in his apartment, so I rushed back." According to Sasaoka, the police received a report from a woman at around 7 o'clock last night, saying that a homicide had occurred.At that time, the woman looked flustered and said, "It's not good, there seems to be a murder case next door," and then hung up the phone after just saying the address.The police rushed to take a look, only to see a bloodstain on the scene, and found Gao Shan Zhongyi's body in the bathroom.

"Why did Takayama go to Kawara's house?" I asked Sasaoka directly. "Well, it's because Takayama has always regarded Kawara as a thorn in his side. If the person who was interrogated by himself before was acquitted in court, he would naturally hold grudges in his heart. And afterward, he seemed to hang around Kawara all day long. .” "You mean, maybe it was because He Yuan bumped into Qian Ren's Gao Shan at home, and there was a dispute?" "Hopefully that's not the case, but there must have been at least some altercation." Sasaoka took out a pack of foreign cigarettes, bit one between his teeth, put it in his mouth, and said viciously, "That stupid ass!" I was startled, and looked at Sasaoka.

"Huh? What did you just say?" "Ah, it's nothing, I'm just talking to myself." "Then, what do the police think now?" I watched the expression on Sasaoka's face. "I must be suspecting Kawara. I personally firmly believe that he did not kill him, but his whereabouts are missing now, which is too shameful." Sasaoka's face showed a distressed look, "Please hurry up Point it out. Otherwise, the situation will become more and more unfavorable to him." "And what about his wife?" "Still missing." "Mr. Sasaoka, do you know the website "The Day of Teruo Kawara"?" I tested Sasaoka with words.

"Well, I know. No matter how much I hate Heyuan, it's a bit too much to do that. I also warned Heyuan earnestly before, saying that there are people around who are always watching his every move." "In that website, there seem to be some records that make people feel quite concerned." "People care?" Sasaoka puffed out his cigarette and frowned. "Yes, it doesn't mean that Mrs. Kawara can't be seen anywhere on the website. It seems to imply that his wife has been killed." "That's right, Mitsuhiro Setoda of the Victims' Association has bad intentions for him. Actually, I heard that his wife has gone back to her mother's house."

"Mr. Sasaoka, do you believe this is true?" "Since Kawara himself said so, we can only believe it." Sasaoka straightened his face and took a sip of black coffee, "But to be honest, I also have some doubts. Could he be Husband and wife didn’t get along well, so they separated? He Yuan spent a long time in the detention center, so he probably didn’t like to be bound by marriage. He just likes to be free.” "Then, you mean that his wife didn't tell him where she was going, but disappeared silently?" "That's how it happened. Yu Jiang seemed to marry him with a volunteer mentality before. Maybe she never thought that He Yuan would be acquitted in the end, so when the court acquitted her, she was even a little confused She has lived a single life for too long before, and she has probably been longing for the word "marriage" in her heart. It is just a fantasy of a girlish complex, indulging in self-directed and self-acted tragedies. To live, she has to face the cruel reality. Frankly speaking, Kawara is a rough man with no education. And her illusion was shattered by this.”

I didn't expect Sasaoka to be so honest with me, but it made me feel a little unhappy. "So, Sasaoka-san, you know this, but you still spare no effort to support Kawara?" "That's true, but it's different from the fact that Kawahara didn't kill anyone." Sasaoka stared at me proudly, "We can't bear the inappropriate treatment of Zha Fang, and we firmly believe that Mai Mizusawa is not Killed by Kawara." "I know that very well." Seeing me nodding, Sasaoka stubbed out his cigarette and glanced out the window. "Actually, it seems that a lump of meat was found in the refrigerator." Sasaoka said surprisingly.

"Meat?" I only felt a burst of thirst in my throat, "Could it be..." "No, it's not a human, it's a cat's corpse." "There's a dead cat stuffed in the fridge? What's going on?" I felt my eyes were struggling to keep up with the dizzying developments. "I don't understand what's going on either." Apart from this, Sasaoka didn't seem to know much about other situations. I stood up and prepared to go back to the scene to have a look again, only to hear Sasaoka sigh and say, "There is one more thing that is not good for Kawara."

"A bad thing?" I stood up and looked down at Sasaoka. "Yes. Kawara seems to have attacked Mitsuhiro Setoda." "What did you say?" My legs went limp and I slumped down on the chair, "Kawahara attacked Setoda?" "Yes, that stupid donkey sneaked into Setoda's room through the window on the second floor and attacked him. Not only that, but Kawara seemed to have smashed his computer before he escaped." The sour coffee flowed back into my mouth.I took a sip of the water in the glass and swallowed back the bitter liquid. "He killed Setoda?" "That's not true. Fortunately, it's just some flesh wounds. He has clearly told the police that the person who attacked him was Kawahara. But I'm still questioning this matter in my heart." "Because he is the victim?" "There are also reasons for this, and Setoda hates Kawahara so much that he can't make a calm judgment at all. The possibility that he mistook other people for Kawahara cannot be ruled out." "That's it." I put my coffee money on the table, left Sasaoka and walked out of the shop.Afterwards, he rode his bicycle all the way to Setoda's apartment in Koenji. The silted water flow suddenly became active.How things will develop in the future, I can't predict at all.Anyway, right now, Teruo Kawara's heart has quietly changed, his anger has reached the boiling point, and he has started to go berserk.Solving the mystery and preventing the tragedy from happening is the mission of me, who has been following and interviewing Teruo Kawara. There was no one in Setoda's apartment.After the window glass on the second floor was smashed, the room covered with cardboard was particularly eye-catching.I leaned my bike against the outer wall of the apartment and climbed the stairs. Knowing that there was no one in the room, I still rang the doorbell of Room 2-A with the nameplate "Setoda, Higuchi".There was a buzzer in the room, followed by footsteps, and someone came and opened the door.The one who poked his head out was actually Setoda himself.Setoda's head was wrapped with a bandage and covered with a white net, which made people feel a little heartbroken.Although his face was pale and his lips were purple, his steps were still steady and strong. The aroma of grilled fish wafting in the air reminded me that it was already lunch time. "Oh, it's Mr. Igarashi." Perhaps because of the pain when laughing, Setoda put his hands on his face.A large livid black bruise appeared on his right cheek. "Are you all right?" "Well, it still hurts a little, but it's not as bad as it looks. Come on in, please." Setoda turned sideways and motioned for me to enter the room. "I'm so sorry to bother you before dinner time. I'll come back later." "I know what you came to see me for, it doesn't matter. Come in, please. I also have something to tell you." Entering the house first is the kitchen, where Higuchi Kayo is cutting vegetables with a kitchen knife.If it weren't for the bandages on Setoda's head, the scene in front of him would hardly be different from the ordinary vacation between old couples.Kayo turned to greet me. "Mr. Igarashi, haven't you eaten yet?" "Yes, I haven't eaten yet." "Then let's eat together. Although I don't know if it suits your taste." "No, I'll just wait for a while. You two just use it slowly." "Don't say these polite words. You can just settle down with the simple tea and light food." If I refuse again, it seems a little unreasonable, so I accepted their invitation. "Mr. Setoda, don't you need to be hospitalized for your injury?" "The doctor pestered me to be hospitalized, but I refused." Setoda said with a wry smile. "He's just so stubborn." Higuchi Kayo brought the plate of dried bamboo fish to the table, and sighed as if he had no idea. "The doctor said, let him rest for a while before the results of the examination come out." Three days." Then Kayo advised me to try it quickly. "But having said that, seeing that you are in good spirits, I am relieved." I picked up the wooden bowl of miso soup and took a sip.The sauce is well adjusted, and the taste of the miso soup is quite good. "That's right, how can I have the time to be hospitalized? I have to wait until I see that guy Kawara being arrested. I also made a concession to the doctor and asked for three days off at the school." "Are you sure that the person who attacked you at that time was Kawara?" Hearing my question, Setoda had a displeased look on his face. "Of course I'm sure. I saw it with my own eyes. Kawara entered the room from the window railing on the second floor. Now the police are investigating the fingerprints on the railing. It won't be long before I can prove that I am not lying." "What was Kawara like at that time?" "He was very emotional. When I opened the window, he yelled 'bastard, I'm going to kill you' and jumped on me." "Out of the window?" "Yes, I was shocked at the time. Because he appeared suddenly, I didn't even have time to resist. After beating me up, the guy smashed my computer with an iron rod." Setoda pointed to the computer by the window.The computer monitor was smashed to pieces, telling of Kawahara's atrocities at that time. "I was a little puzzled, he didn't kill me." Recalling the situation at that time, Setoda shuddered, "I thought I was going to die at the time, but then..." "What happened next?" "Later, Kawahara just kicked my head hard with his foot, and then ran away." Setoda touched his head, his cheek twisted unhappily. "What time did it happen?" "I remember it was around eight o'clock." "Was your wife at home?" I blurted out the word "ma'am" only to realize later that I had slipped.However, Jiadai did not correct it. "I didn't get home until after 8:30 that day. Seeing him lying on the ground, I thought something was wrong, and I called the police immediately." "I think Kawahara probably just killed Takayama at that time, and came all the way to me." Setoda put down his chopsticks and reached for the teacup, "Fortunately, Kayo was not there at the time. If she was there, I don't know what Kawara would do to her Woolen cloth." Setoda slammed his teacup on the table.The tea in the cup spilled on the table, and Kayo silently wiped it off with a tablecloth. "You two already know about Gao Shan's murder, right?" "Well, I saw some related situations on TV and newspapers." Setoda picked up the fish with his chopsticks and yelled at me, "Okay, eat it while it's still cool." The three of us ate in silence.Setoda seemed to feel pain when he chewed rice, so he took one bite and rested three.After a while, he simply put down his chopsticks. "I think I can't stand Takayama." Setoda said with a lonely face while drinking tea. "Why do you say that?" I asked. "I know that Takayama felt a little unhappy about Kawara's acquittal, so I sent him "Kawahara Teruo's Day" anonymously without authorization, and regarded him as a like-minded person. I guess Takayama learned about it After Kawara's actions, he had the idea of ​​investigating on his own. In the end, he was counterattacked by Kawara. I regret that I involved Gao Shan in it." "But right now, we can't insist that it was He Yuan who killed Gao Shan?" After hearing what I said, Setoda froze for a moment. "Mr. Igarashi, do you think Kawara didn't do this?" Setoda, who is usually calm and calm, sounds a little rough at the moment. "No, I mean, there is no evidence to prove that it was Kawahara who did it." "Isn't the matter already clear? Otherwise, that guy wouldn't have come to me. Are you suspecting that I'm lying and lying to you that Kawara attacked me?" Setoda said in a questioning tone. "No, that's not what I mean. Since you've already said it, it must have been Kawahara who attacked you at that time. But as for the killing of Takayama, no one witnessed it after all, so I don't think it's easy to conclude that it was Kawahara Kan of." As a reporter, I made it clear to Setoda that I was merely taking a neutral position. "Forget it. After Kawara is arrested, the matter will naturally come to light." Setoda trembled with anger, "It is because the court acquitted that guy at that time that this kind of thing happened today. If it can't be done as soon as possible If he is brought to justice, there may be troubles in the future. As long as He Yuan can be caught, I can do anything." After one o'clock in the afternoon, I left Setoda's apartment and went home first.My heart almost stopped as I walked down the stairs and onto my bike.A long-haired woman in a cream-colored dress was walking from Koenji Station, carrying a bucket bag.From my mouth, I couldn't help bursting out the name of the woman I once loved deeply. "dance!" Dance on the street?This is impossible.I must be dreaming.I rubbed my eyes, and when I cast my eyes again, I was sure that I was not dreaming, and everything in front of me was reality. I put away my bicycle and walked towards Wu.She is still alive.It was another man who was killed fourteen years ago.It was another person who was burned by the fire, but the world mistook that person for Wu's corpse. It wasn't until I stood in front of her that Wu had a smile on her face as if she had just recognized me. "Ah, Mr. Igarashi, long time no see. I'm Midori." The magic power that bound me before was released in an instant. "Ah, Miss Olu." What's wrong with me?Isn't the person in front of me the younger sister of my former lover?But having said that, she and Wu really look alike.The throbbing in my heart still hasn't stopped, and the blood pumped out by the heart is rolling and foaming, flowing non-stop up and down the whole body. "What's wrong? It feels like you've seen a ghost." Mizusawa said with confusion, "Is there something on my face?" "Miss Alu, how did you come here?" "It's nothing, I'm coming to Tokyo." Ah Midori's tone was as relaxed as if she was going shopping in a supermarket near her home, and she lifted the toilet bag on her right hand to let me have a look, "My mother passed away two weeks ago, There was no need for me to stay in the country anymore, so I made up my mind and came to Tokyo." The unthinkable look on her face when she was attending the public trial has completely disappeared, and now she has a carefree expression on her face. "Your mother died? What's going on?" "After a while, I will visit Mr. Igarashi." Midori saluted me, and then walked towards Mitsuhiro Setoda's apartment.I could only just stand there and watch her go away. Mizusawa lived in a brand new two-story collective apartment.Living in a hometown where there are too many memories about her mother is really uncomfortable, and Mitsuhiro Setoda always spares no effort to help her with advice, so she made up her mind and came to Tokyo.Although there is an aunt in the neighboring town, the aunt is too pitiful for this niece, and may interfere with her life.What must be done right now is the ceremony of Shaoqi and the anniversary of death. After these things are over, it is estimated that she will not have too many contacts with those relatives. As soon as she got off the express, Ah Midori walked straight to Setoda's apartment, but she unexpectedly ran into her sister's former fiance Yuya Igarashi on the way.On the day I came to Tokyo, I met someone related to my sister. Such a thing always makes people feel that there is God's will in the dark. Mitsuhiro Setoda and Kayo Higuchi were both companions of Teruo Kawara's Victims Association.They firmly believe that the murderer who took away their daughter is Kawahara Teruo.Ah Lu also firmly believed in this, otherwise, she would not have kept pace with them.It's just that many years have passed since the case, and the memory has gradually faded. Compared with Setoda, who lost her beloved daughter, and Alu, who lost her sister, the hatred for Kawara has also begun to gradually decrease. After her sister was killed, Ah Lu's mother seemed to be a different person, living in seclusion all day, facing the Buddhist altar.Seeing that she couldn't leave her mother alone, after graduating from junior high school, she gave up the idea of ​​going to Tokyo, which she had always dreamed of, and chose to stay in a kindergarten in the town as a preschool teacher.The regret in her mother's heart aroused Midori's hatred for Kawara.However, after her mother died, even though there was still a trace of hatred for He Yuan in her heart, she herself found that this hatred was no longer as strong as it was back then.This is the most obvious difference between her and Setoda and the others.Perhaps this is the difference between a parent who has lost a daughter and a sister who has lost an older sister.The ghost haunting her now seems to have completely left. Although I feel sorry for my sister, Ah Lu has the idea of ​​retrieving those ten years of youth that wasted in vain because of being with her mother. She must live a life of sound and color in her future life. Of course, she would not confess this change in her heart to Setoda and the others.It's just that Setoda had said before that he would help her find a job in Tokyo, so she accepted the other party's invitation unceremoniously.Through the introduction of his colleagues in the private high school where Setoda worked, he not only found a job for Midori in a private kindergarten, but also found an apartment for Midori as a guarantor. When she stuffed all her possessions into her suitcase and came to Tokyo alone, what awaited her was the explosive news that Kawara Teruo had murdered and absconded.Not only that, Kawara even attacked Setoda, and his whereabouts are still unknown. "It's too unfortunate that you came here." Walking on the commercial street of Gengshen Road, Higuchi Kayo said.Although the injury was not serious, Setoda was still unable to go out for a walk, so Kayo had to take Midori to the rented room.Jiadai had negotiated with the landlord before that if the resident himself didn't like it, he would give up renting, and if he liked it, he could move in immediately. "It was a surprise. I didn't read today's news and newspapers before." "But I don't think there's any need to be so worried, right? The police are currently searching for them with all their strength. Kawara, who is on the run, shouldn't be willing to risk being caught and commit crimes against the wind, right?" The apartment is located at the first corner of the alley after turning left from Gengshen Road. "This is my choice. The rent is within the budget, and it is more suitable for women to live alone." "Please both of you to help worry about such and such things, I'm really sorry." Midori bowed her head in thanks. "It's okay, we have always treated you as a daughter." When she spoke, Jiadai was still smiling, perhaps because she remembered her dead daughter, but as soon as she finished speaking, a sad expression appeared on her face again.It is said that Kayo's daughter was killed when she was eighteen years old.If her daughter was still alive, she would probably be four or five years older than Ah Lu.Jiadai gently wiped the corners of her eyes with her fingers. Now she has gray temples and deep crow's feet at the corners of her eyes.Facing Setoda and Kayo, who were scarred in their hearts and loved each other, Alu couldn't help but feel a sense of sympathy. "If there's anything, just tell me. Just treat me like a mother." "thank you." The corners of Ah Lu's eyes became hot.Kayo gently hugged Ah Lu's shoulders. "Okay, let's go upstairs." Bathed in the sunshine of early summer, the apartment exudes white light. "It has heating and cooling, complete facilities, and the safety is not bad." Kayo went up the stairs first.Ah Lu also went up to the second floor, stood in the corridor in front of Room 202, and looked around.Outside the brick wall below, there are rows of residential buildings.Perhaps because of the relatively strict building standards, only apartments with four floors or more can be seen in the vicinity. Jiadai inserted the room key temporarily given to her by the landlord into the keyhole.The house is 1DK, and the structure is very suitable for single people.Because the room was designed to be rented out, the air-conditioning and lighting are relatively complete, and there is a single bed in a Western-style room, which is quite rare.The wallpaper was brand new, and the floor was polished to a shiny finish without a single scratch.Although there was still a smell of paint in the room, Midori was quite satisfied with the room itself. "Thank you. I shall stay here." Open the window of the western-style room, and you can see the building near Koenji Station in the distance.Outside the window is a balcony for rotating flower pots.It's a hot day, and running around to rent a house. When I think about it, if I'm not satisfied, then I will be punished by God.The kindergarten introduced by the trustee is only a ten-minute walk away from here. "But you have to be careful. Even if the room looks safe, don't forget to close the doors and windows. This place is different from the countryside." Jiadai's advice like a protector makes people feel warm in their hearts.Regarding the attack on Setoda, for Kayo, the safety of doors and windows has become a real problem. "Well, you don't have to worry about it." The next thing I have to do right away is probably things like refrigerators and curtains.The curtains can be dealt with by buying a piece of discounted promotion. If the refrigerator is smaller, it should not cost much.Facing the new life that is about to start, Ah Lu can't help feeling a little overwhelmed. Kawahara got his sporty hair cut at a barber shop near the south exit of Koenji Station.This is a long time ago, when he was working at heights.He knew very well that the police were trying their best to arrest him.Even if he ran to surrender and told the truth to the police, no one would believe him.Anyway, I'm an ex-con.It is estimated that I will be detained by the police again like last time, interrogated almost like torture, and finally beaten into a trick. After all, the one who was killed was a person who had retired from the police, so the severity of the police interrogation can be imagined.Even if he thought of going to the only Sasaoka Ryozo store that would help him, it is estimated that a group of policemen had already ambushed around "namaste", and they would be arrested by the police before they entered the store.At that time, the action of letting the anger go to the head and attacking Setoda was indeed a little lack of thought.This is simply giving the police another reason to arrest him. Last night, Kawahara stayed up all night under the eaves of the worship hall of Hikawa Shrine near the south exit of Koenji Station. After dawn, he went to the barber shop to have his hair cut, hoping to change his appearance.The shop he chose is a little different from the usual barbershops. The cutting time is shorter and the charges are relatively cheap. The main source of customers are salarymen who sneak out for a haircut at work and students from the surrounding technical schools.Although today is not a day off, there are many people lined up on the sofa at the entrance, and the reception speed is relatively fast.Fifteen minutes later, when it was Kawara's turn, the barber who cut his hair didn't even look at his face, and cut his fluffy hair short as he said.After 20 minutes of cutting, Kawara seemed to be five years younger, giving people a very different impression from before.It is estimated that the clerk does not remember what Kawara looks like. This street is quite different from when he lived in the past. There are many young people, and the old clothes shops are quite conspicuous.He walked into the second-hand clothing store diagonally opposite the barber shop, picked out a pair of jeans, a jacket with the English logo printed on the back, and a visored hat.Then he bought a flashlight, a screwdriver and rope for tying luggage at a convenience store.He still had 30,000 yen in cash in his hand before, but now he lost 10,000 yen immediately. He's running out of time.He ran to the toilet in South Park, changed into the clothes he just bought, and stuffed the clothes he took off into the bag.Kawara put on his hat and ran to the station to buy a newspaper. Not only was there no policeman around, but no one paid attention to him.Even with the police around, it would be difficult to recognize Hawon, who has changed drastically. Walking into the fast food noodle restaurant in the station, Kawahara was flipping through the newspaper while eating the noodles.Although the police didn't seem to pay too much attention to it, as expected, the newspapers had already published reports that the police regarded him as an important suspect and were looking for him everywhere.Now, there is only one place left for him to go. The woman's room.If you get there, you should probably be able to avoid the limelight for a while. He took steps south.The sun was still high and the temperature was soaring.The sun was shining directly on the Taoyuan River boulevard, and it was unbearably hot, exuding steaming heat.He walked straight past the apartment where his target was, turned left on the ramp leading to Koshio Women's College, walked into Koenji Library, and read newspapers in the air-conditioned reading room for a while.I read several newspapers, and almost all of their contents are the same.In the evening, the evening papers were also on the shelves, and Kawahara couldn't wait to read the evening papers.The pages mentioning the case are very small, and judging from its content, it seems that the search has not made much progress so far. When it was closing time at seven o'clock, Kawara walked out of the library following the sound of the radio in the library.On the night when the summer solstice is approaching, the afterglow of the sun still has not dissipated, and it will take some time before the sky is completely dark.Heyuan came to the circular No. 7 line, walked into a small ramen restaurant along the road, ate vegetables and fried meat, and drank beer to pass the time.News related to the case is being broadcast on the TV in the store.Although Kawara's appearance was shown on the screen, he is completely different from the one on the screen at this moment.There were many customers in the store, but no one noticed him. At around eight o'clock, He Yuan left the store, came to the door of the woman's apartment, and looked up at the third floor from the boulevard.The goal is the second room from the right.The lights in the room were not on yet, so no one was probably home.Of the five rooms side by side, only the one on the far left is lit.Even for those who have done aerial work before, it is not an easy task to climb the outer wall of the apartment to the third floor.So how to sneak in?There are still many pedestrians passing by on the road. If you always stand still, it will be eye-catching. Kawara entered the foyer and looked at the mailbox in room 302 with his head.There are only some advertising leaflets stuffed inside.Although there was an elevator, Kawara took the stairs to the third floor. Across the door, Kawahara lay on the door of Room 302 with the nameplate "Xiaogu" hanging on it and listened.There was no movement in the room.He tried to turn the doorknob, but it didn't budge.Kawara wanted to see how the other rooms were, so he checked the doorknobs of the rooms on the same floor one by one.It seemed that every door was locked. Standing outside the door of room 305, which was the only one with lights on, Kawara pricked up his ears to listen to the movement in the room.There was the sound of a baby crying in the house.He made up his mind and rang the doorbell.A woman's slightly anxious answer came from the room, and Heyuan quickly answered "Express delivery" into the microphone. "I'm sorry, I can't put the things into the letter. I put them on the first floor. Please go downstairs to pick them up." After finishing speaking, before the other party could reply, He Yuan rushed to the stairs.If you calm down and think about it, you will feel that something is wrong. The women in the room may also be careful, and they may not necessarily come out.If this method doesn't work, then we have to let it go, wait until the woman comes back and take out the key to open the door, and then press the screwdriver against the woman's vest. Hiding in the shadow of the stairs, I saw that the door of Room 305 was opened, and a woman in her twenties poked her head out from the room.Seeing that the figure of the postman had disappeared, the woman cursed loudly. "What are you doing? If you can't fit it in the mailbox, then take it upstairs. Stupid as a pig." When the door was opened, the crying of the baby in the room suddenly became louder, and when the door was closed, it became inaudible immediately.Just as Kawara guessed, the woman didn't lock the door, and walked towards the elevator wearing her sandals.Seeing the woman entering the elevator, Kawara rushed over in one stride.He opened the room and stepped in with his shoes on.In the concierge's kitchen, the pot was exuding the aroma of miscellaneous cooking, and the table was piled up in a mess with the dishes after eating.There was the sound of a baby crying in the back room. Kawara walked into the house.On the crib with railings, a baby who was only a few months old was waving his hands and feet, crying endlessly with red ears.A manual spinning toy was hung on the baby's head, and the melody of "Red Dragon Ting" was played while it was spinning, but it couldn't stop the baby from crying.The screw of the toy is gradually loosened, and the melody is gradually lengthened.The whole room was stuffy, and the door to the balcony was wide open. Kawara walked straight through the house and onto the balcony.Climb the railing and leap over the barrier that separates it from the adjacent room. In Room 304, there was a flowerpot on the floor, and Kawara stepped on it inadvertently.Put the broken pots back in place, getting as much spilled dirt back into the pots as possible.In this way, it is estimated that the residents of this room will not think too much, thinking that something has been knocked off.No one seemed to be in the house, and the curtains were closed. The woman's room is next door to the next door.Kawara jumped over the guardrail of the balcony, peeking at the movement of Room 302 through the guardrail of Room 303. Room 302 had the curtains drawn, and the windows were tightly closed.He repeated the method just now and jumped over the guardrail, onto the balcony of room 302, and grabbed the window with his hand and pulled it. No, the windows are locked. Before that woman comes back, she can only wait on the balcony?Although it is possible to use Takayama's baton to break the glass and enter the house, Kawara intends to save this method until the last time.Having made up his mind to fight a "protracted battle", Kawara leaned against the outdoor unit of the air conditioner.It's hot enough.The concrete balcony that absorbs the sun's heat during the day is emitting heat little by little... At nine o'clock in the evening, she entered the house with the evening paper in her hand. Although she wanted to know what happened to Teruo Kawara, the evening paper only announced the attack on Mitsuhiro Setoda, and the name of Teruo Kawahara was mentioned for the first time.As a strong suspect in the murder of Takayoshi Takayama, although the police are arresting him with all their strength, they have not yet been able to arrest him. After entering the door, she threw the newspaper on the bed and turned on the air conditioner.开启电脑电源，她用温热的淋浴冲去了粘在自己身上的汗。 从冰箱里拿出罐啤，倒进杯子里后，她在电脑前坐了下来。先检查一下邮箱。照例是五十岚友也发出的一封。尽管知道看了也没什么意思，但为了以防万一，她还是打开了邮件。 难得见他会写来“我想见你”的情书以外的邮件。这也证明，眼下五十岚自己也处在犹豫不决当中。保险起见，她打开《优子突然消失》的网页看了一眼，但其内容依旧没有更新。 感觉到屋里稍稍变凉了些，她关掉空调，把阳台的窗户稍稍打开了条缝。她换上睡衣，爬上了床。 感觉到背上吹来的阵阵热风，河原辉男渐渐醒了过来。乏累沉沉地郁积在身体的深处。虽然刚开始时他一直留神聆听着屋里的响动，等着那女人回家，但没过多久，极度的疲劳便强行夺去了他的意识。 或许是因为睡姿憋屈的影响，醒来之前，他一直都在做着噩梦。他梦见自己走在一条黑暗的小巷里。周围到处都是人家，却连一盏路灯都没有，每户人家的阴影都仿佛黑色的缎幕一般，彼此相接。在那些人家当中，一栋木结构公寓的二楼上，有一间亮着昏黄朦胧灯光的房间。那间房间的窗户大开着，不知为何，二楼的扶手旁，架着一副通往地面的梯子。夜晚的气温虽然有些闷热，但开着窗户的行为却也是很危险的。 他一时兴起，顺着梯子爬了上去。 沿着梯子爬上二楼，河原从敞开的窗户往屋里瞄了一眼。房间中央放着张床，一个年轻女人正躺在床上熟睡不醒。毛毯被翻了起来，下边露出了女人白晳的香肩。 怎么这么不小心哪？我来提醒她注意下好了。 他进了屋，想要拉起毯子帮女人盖好肩头。这时候，女人翻了个身，毛毯被掀起一边，白色的女衬裙下，露出了女人雪白的酥胸。 “大姐，这可不行啊，怎么能摆出这样淫乱的姿势来呢？要是坏人来了可怎么办？来。” 河原替女人拉好了毛毯，就在这时，女人突然睁大了双眼，高声尖叫了起来。 “不是的，你别误会。我只是……” 不知何时，女人的脸已经变成了高山忠义的脸庞。 “河原辉男，我以强奸妇女的罪名逮捕你。”一身女装的髙山忠义死死地拧住了河原的胳臂，“蠢蛋，你中计了。” 就在河原拼命想要挣脱逃离的时候，身后吹来了一阵温热的风……“住手。”河原险些脱口叫出声来，同时也把自己从梦里憋醒过来。空调的室外机喷出了阵阵裹着灰尘的热风。嗬，居然在那女人住的公寓的阳台上睡着了。河原连忙退到隔壁边上。屋里虽然亮着灯，但窗帘却依旧紧闭。全身上下的大汗渐渐变凉，带走了身上那种燥热的感觉。 时间已经是十一点多。 过了大约一个小时，空调室外机的风扇停止了转动，屋里安静下来。窗户微微开着条缝，屋里的灯光也熄灭了。虽然眼下还只是五月底，但夜里却已让人感觉到闷热不堪。这对他而言简直就是万幸。 又等了一个小时，见女人睡熟之后，他才缓缓站起身来。憋屈的时间太久，膝头发出了悲鸣声。已经是五十岁的人了。身体已经不再像年轻时那样灵便了。 就像当年在拘留所的牢房里做的那样，河原静静地屈伸了几下膝盖，让身体的动作变得不再僵硬之后，他缓缓地打开了那扇开着的窗户。如果窗户上了锁的话，他准备用高山的那根警棍敲碎玻璃，不过眼下已不必如此了。 河原耐心地等了一阵，让自己的双眼适应了一下屋里的昏暗光线。之后他整个人翻进屋里，观察了一下屋里的情况。凭借着外边照进屋来的微弱亮光，河原看清了临窗桌上的那台电脑。这是一间大约六叠宽的西式房间，屋里飘荡着一股淡淡的香气，墙边有张床，床上躺着人。是她，那女人就躺在床上。女人一动不动，睡得很香。 因为地上铺着地毯，脚步声全被地毯所吸收，整间屋子里鸦雀无声。河原反背过手，拉上窗户，确认过女人并非觉察之后，他踮着脚走到了床边。他揪住毛毯的一头，一口气把毯子掀了起来。 女人并没有半点醒来的迹象。刹那间，河原甚至误以为她已经死了，但其实却不然。他骑到女人的肚子上，用改锥抵住了女人的脖颈。 感觉到金属那冰凉的触感，女人这才睁开了眼睛。然而她却依旧未从熟睡中完全清醒，还有些搞不清楚到底发生了什么事。 “是我，是我啊。”他强忍着笑意说。 “谁，谁呀……” 女人的喉咙里好不容易才挤出了嘶哑的嗓音，她恐惧地大睁着双眼。河原接连拽了三次垂在眼前的电灯绳索，豆粒般的电灯才亮了起来。昏暗模糊的灯光下，女人的脸清晰地浮现在眼前。薄薄的睡衣上隆起的酥胸不停地刺激着河原的欲望，检察方的人在公审时说出的“色心”一词突然浮现在脑海之中，让他感觉莫名的好笑。当时，检察官曾冲着他厉声呵斥过。 ……看到在卧室床上熟睡的该女子，被告人色心顿起，决定对该女子进行强行奸污，用所携的改锥抵住该女子的头……“我是河原啊，小谷。你怎么这么不小心啊？窗户要关好啊。” 女人发出了就像是鸡被人拧断脖子般的惨叫声。 “别叫，再叫我就杀了你。听到没有？” 女人连眨了两次眼睛，代替了回答。 “好，明白就好。” 感觉到女人放松了全身，河原把手里的改锥放到了枕头边。解开女人睡衣上的纽扣，女人洁白丰满的乳房露到了外边。河原迫不及待地脱去了女人的睡裤，只剩一条内裤的女人赤条条地躺在床上。她已经再没有半点力气抵抗，就只能静静地躺着。河原的耳畔，再次回响起了检察官朗朗的声音。 ……被告人脱去该女子的内裤，强行奸淫了该女子……河原扒下女人的底裤，把女人剥了个光。之后，他把那条硬直的肉棒插进了女人的体内。对，就是这种感觉。不赖，女人那张因痛苦而扭曲的脸庞，激发了他心中的欲望，让他更加兴奋不已。从女人眼中滴落的泪珠，也不停地刺激着他内心中的兽欲。他把之前憋忍已久的欲望和全身的愤怒，全都发泄到了女人的体内。 “小谷小姐，不好意思，我准备在你这里住上一段日子。 女人并没有回答，只是绝望地闭上了眼睛。 “现在警察正在抓我。风头过去之前，就拜托你了哦。” 看样子，眼下就只能用绳子把女人绑起来了。之后，一场悲壮的复仇大戏就将上演。我要用愤怒的铁锤，砸扁那些曾经陷害过我的人。心中的怒火再次转化为欲望。河原再次强暴了女人。是检察官下令让他干的。 ……面对不甘凌辱的该女子，被告人欲图施行二次奸淫，而该女子则拍击手脚拼命挣扎……河原任由着自己的兽欲不停地发泄，直到窗帘的角上泛起白光。等到身体再也支持不住，不停地呼吁需要睡眠之时，他这才准备从裤兜里掏出高山的那副手铐，铐在女人的两手上，把女人拴到床脚。 “和我那段十四年之久的监狱生涯相比，这种事根本就跟睡个午觉没什么区别。是吧，小谷小姐？或许你会觉得憋得慌，不过你就把这当成是在午睡好了，哈哈。”见女人就跟条死鱼似的一动不动，河原又说，“好了，没必要这么沮丧，你就尽情享受一番好了。” 他一边贪婪地吸吮着女人的乳头，一边伸手拿过裤子，从兜里掏出了手铐。 (五十岚友也） 我已经不记得小谷美香有多久没写邮件给我了。每次我寄出邮件之后，不出一天，她就一定会回复我的，但如今却已不知有多久没有她的消息了。 不会是出什么事了吧？我的心里总有一种不祥的预感。 我猛地甩了甩头，想要把河原辉男的事从我的脑海中驱散开去。河原的去向至今依旧不明。虽然我不清楚他到底上哪儿去了，但他肯定就潜伏在阿佐谷、高圆寺一带。 经过《周刊Topics》的介绍，其后我逐一了解了警方的搜查状况。据警方调查，在高山忠义被人打中头部昏厥过去之后，背心上那条深及心脏的伤痕造成了他的丧命。河原家冰箱里的那团肉块是猫的尸体，而那只猫，也似乎就是髙山生前豢养的那只野猫。从濑户田光弘公寓二楼的扶手上检出的指纹正是河原留下的，证明了濑户田所说的的确是实话。 警方猜测，髙山忠义曾在河原的公寓中与河原发生过口角争执，其后河原便恼羞成怒，下手杀害了高山。其后，河原又在逃窜途中袭击了诽镑他的濑户田光弘，然后下落不明。 然而我却感到很难理解。髙山果真是被河原杀掉的吗？还是说，他是中了某人的陷阱，而落入了不得不四处逃亡的境地？不管怎么说，袭击濑户田光弘这件事，都足以让河原陷入不利的境地。 Ding dong.The doorbell rang. 时钟上显示着夜里八点。我回过神，迈步走向大门。解开门链，没想到门外站着的竟是离家出走已久的久美子。她一身外出的装扮，手里就只提着个手袋。 "What are you doing?" 见到久别的妻子，我口中脱口而出的竟是责问，这让我感到有些难为情。 “我离家出走的事，真是抱歉。今天我是有事来找你的。” 久美子误解了我的问话。妻子从我身边走过。她的身上散发着一股浓重的香气，脸上的妆也化得很浓。 “之前你都上哪儿去了？” “抱歉，这事过会儿再谈。先让我冲个澡。” 久美子把包往起居室的桌上一放，走进了浴室里。一股酒味儿扑鼻而来，趁着妻子去洗澡的时候，我翻了翻她的包。之前我从未见她用过的法国产的高级香水，健牌香烟，一只金色的打火机。令人吃惊的是，除此之外，还有一盒印着酒吧名字的火柴。地址是新宿区歌舞伎町二丁目。就在我发现了一只可疑的茶色信封，正准备把信封从包里抽出来时，淋浴的声音戛然而止，我连忙把包放了回去。 久美子洗去了脸上的浓妆，用毛巾裹住头发，从浴室里走了出来。 "What do you want?" “可以来杯酒吗？这话我得先借酒壮胆才能说得出口。” 久美子从橱柜里拿出一瓶苏格兰威士忌，往杯里倒满，也不兑水，就干喝了起来。她的指甲上染着鲜红色的指甲油。看到久美子这副模样，我的心感觉到一丝怜悯与愧疚。她的双眼里，充盈着泪水。 “我也去冲个澡。” 凭借着本能，我已猜到了妻子想说的话。为了让自己的情绪平静下来，我需要做些心理准备。 等我冲过澡，回到起居室时，妻子的身影已经消失不见，桌上却放着我刚才发现的茶色信封。 我是在夜里十点给小谷美香寄出这封邮件的。翌日清晨，当我检查邮件时，我发现邮件已经有了回复。我已经很久没有收到她的邮件了。尽管回复的邮件就只有短短的一行，但其内容却已足够令我感到震惊不已了。 五十岚友也，救救我。 小谷美香我不禁感到有些困惑。她的这句“救救我”，究竟是什么意思？I got sick?还是说她遇上什么事了？可话又说回来了，她说让我救她，我却连她人在何处都不清楚。 会不会是让人袭击，被囚禁起来了……不，这不可能。如果让人囚禁起来了的话，那她又是怎样用电脑给我发邮件的呢？这句“救救我”之中，一定另有深意。难道是句暗号？ 之前美香说她住在名古屋，我觉得事实应该并非如此。正是因为就住在附近，她才会向我发出求救讯号的。 那她现在究竟在哪儿呢？坐在空无一人的房间里，我展开了推理。解决这件事的线索必定隐含其中。我一定会把美香找出来的。 邮件里根本就无法找到任何线索。我想到了濑户田光弘管理的那个网页上。以《河原辉男的一天》为首，互联网上应该可以轻松地查到不少情况。美香应该也会时常留意那网页，或许她也会给濑户田光弘写信。从这方面着手的话，应该能够有所斩获才对。 如今濑户田光弘的电脑已被砸坏，这又该怎么办呢？看样子，我也只能亲自去见见濑户田本人了。 翌日清晨，为了在濑户田光弘去上班前联系上他，我一大早就给他打了电话。可时间都还不到八点，家里的电话就已经设成了电话录音模式。而就算濑户田本人不在，樋口佳代也应该在家才对。what is the problem?初夏火辣辣的阳光，烘烤着骑车前往濑户田公寓的我的肌肤。骑在车上时，不时还有阵阵凉风吹来，可是等上了坡，钻到中央线的高架下边之后，身上的汗就全都冒了出来。 在濑户田的公寓下边停好自行车，冲上楼梯时，我差点儿和一个从楼上下来的人撞了个满怀。幸好当时我抓着扶手，才没有从楼梯上滚下去，但对方却在楼梯上踩了个空。我用左手抱住从楼梯上边摔下来的人，总算是没让对方摔下楼去。但是也正因为如此，我的腰重重地在扶手上磕了一上，险些背过气去。 “五十岚先生。”水泽绿从我的臂弯里离开，看着因痛苦而表情扭曲的我说，“你没事吧？” 我揉着腰站了起来。“抱歉，是我没留神。” “倒也没什么，不过还是吓了我一跳。” 阿绿下身一条深灰色的裤子，上身一件白色罩衫。她的年纪都已经快三十岁了，可看上去就跟二十出头一样。看到她脸上那副宛若十四年前死去的舞一样的面容，我的心里不禁感觉到有些黯然。 “五十岚先生你也是来找濑户田先生的吗？”阿绿用手摸着她纷乱的长发问。 “是啊。我有些事想问他，可电话却老打不通。” “哎？你不知道吗？濑户田先生巳经住院了。” “住院？莫非是因为……” 一种黑沉沉的不安压在了我心头。我还以为是濑户田又让人袭击了呢。 “不是的，是之前让河原辉男袭击的影响，到了现在才发作。” 据阿绿说，今早瀨户田突然嚷说头疼，病倒在床。佳代立刻叫来了救护车，把濑户田送到了阿佐谷的藤原医院。 “刚才我接到佳代女士的电话，吓了一跳，于是便飞奔赶来了。” “难怪电话总没人接。” “佳代女士刚拿了换洗的衣服，上医院去了。” “那他现在病情如何？严重吗？” “人还清醒，不过医生说要让他好好静养一阵。” "yes?" “当时他就不该出院，直接待在医院里调养一段就好了。可濑户田先生却倔得很，就是不听。” “现在我到医院去的话，能见到他吗？” “我觉得你今天还是别去的好。”阿绿摇了摇头。 “既然如此，那也就没办法了啊。” “本来我今天也是和濑户田先生约好，让他带着我去新的工作地点的，结果也不行了。” 我想起濑户田是阿绿的保证人。 “阿绿小姐，你还要继续做幼教？” "yes." 这时候，一个学生模样的小伙子从二楼走了下来，连招呼也不打一声，就从我们二人中间走了过去。 “在这里讲话也不大方便，咱还是找个地方边喝边聊吧？” 听到我出言相邀，阿绿开心地点了点头。走进一家名为“高圆寺茶馆”的咖啡馆，我们两人聊了一阵之前的往事。大致也就是我失去舞之后的事，还有阿绿失去姐姐，看护母亲的事。一个女人的死，竟然让两个人的命运都拐了一百八十度的大弯，这不禁令我心中感慨良多。 “你也吃了不少的苦啊。” “这十四年来，我一直过得浑浑噩噩。虽然其间发生了许多事，但我却感觉自己始终被对姐姐的思念所左右着。”阿绿的目光，仿佛一直在远处不停地游荡，“河原被判无罪时，我恨得夜不能寐。可等到母亲一死，我又感觉自己仿佛是甩掉了一个沉重的包袱一样。我感觉如今已再没有什么束缚着自己，一身轻松。大概是我这个人天性冷漠无情的缘故吧。” “没这回事的。但你如今难道已经不再憎恨河原了？河原他不光袭击了濑户田，而且还有杀害高山忠义的嫌疑。” “说来倒也让人感觉有些不可思议，之前我是那样憎恶河原，可如今对他却已再没有什么感觉了。也不是说我心中的憎恶已消失不见，而是对他再不关心。从今往后，我想过属于自己的人生。” “原来如此。感觉甩掉了身上的包袱啊。” “我也没法说清自己心里的这种变化。本想再为此更加感觉恼火一些，却又总是无法驾驭自己的情绪。大概是怒火已然烧尽的缘故吧。”我回想起听到一审判决对河原判处无期徒刑，阿绿高声叫嚷着“禽兽”时的表情。而我眼前的这位女性的脸上，甚至有种在饱尝了人生的辛酸之后，已然淡泊尘世的那种静谧感。可另一方面，她那双大大的眼睛里，却又闪烁着和舞一样的好奇光芒，全身上下散发着一种年轻的活泼劲儿。 “经由濑户田先生的介绍，我在附近租了间房。这里不光距离我上班的幼儿园很近，而且我自己也很喜欢这里。” 我和她又接着聊了一阵，之后便走出那家咖啡馆。阿绿说要带我到她住的公寓去看看，于是我便推着自行车，来到了她的住处。那是幢崭新的两层公寓，白色的墙面反射着初夏的阳光，让人感觉有些晃眼。 “姐夫。”走在身旁的阿绿突然开口说。 “哎？”我愣了一下，扭头望着阿绿。她的脸上洋溢着纯洁少女一般的天真笑容。 “今后，我可以叫五十岚先生姐夫吗？毕竟五十岚先生您也曾经做过我姐姐的未婚夫，在我的心目中，您也一直都是我的姐夫。” “可以啊。”我搔了搔头，“不过让你这么个年轻女孩叫姐夫，感觉有点怪难为情的。” “我都已经是奔三的人了。” “在我眼里，你永远都只是小妹。” 阿绿开心地拍了拍手。 “看吧，五十岚先生您自己也把我当妹妹看待不是？所以我叫您姐夫，也没什么不可以的嘛。” "makes sense." 尽管眼下我的心里还在为与妻子离婚，对小谷美香的思恋这类的问题而烦闷不堪，但让她这样一搅，我倒也感觉到几分慰藉，心里热乎乎的。“好了，姐夫。快请进屋吧。” 那是一套干净整洁的1DK房间。 “够整洁的啊。” “之前这里也没住过多少人，而且眼下我自己还没买什么东西回来。” 里屋的西式房间里放着一张床，窗边放着一台新买的电脑。或许是发现了我的目光盯着电脑看的缘故，阿绿说：“这是我让人从乡下运来的。濑户田先生的电脑坏了，所以我打算在白天上班的时候让佳代女士用。晚上下班之后，我自己还得用一下，而且还能用它和姐夫写写邮件呢。” 找阿绿问过她的电话号码和邮箱地址之后，我离开阿绿的公寓，骑车去了一趟濑户田人住的那家医院。就算没法儿见到濑户田，至少也还能从陪护的佳代那里打听到些详细的情况。 遮光窗帘紧闭着的幽暗房间里，男人与女子纠缠在一起。真没想到，自己居然会在这种地方与人做爱，感觉就像是只学会了如何自慰的公猴子一样。想这样一直干到死吗？尽管心里想要停下，但一看到女人的身体，身体就会不由自主地有所反应。 “杀了我吧，快点杀了我吧。” 女人尖声叫嚷，不停地扭动着腰肢。感受到一种歇斯底里的自虐快感，男人再次在女人体内放射出了体液。从清早开始就一直如此。好不容易天色变暗，等到女人疲累不堪地睡着之后，男人才终于陷入了睡眠之中。 ……做了个梦。是个袭击二楼的女人的梦。 心里虽然一直不愿再如此下去，但每次却都会不长记性地做起同样的噩梦来。崭新的公寓在阳光下闪烁着耀眼的光芒。敞开的窗外，长发女人探出了头来。这张脸似乎曾经在哪里见过。那是一双好奇心充盈的大眼睛。年纪在二十五到三十岁之间。白色的衣裙下，丰满洁白的胸部喷薄欲出。女人就在他的对面挥手。No, not right.not me.他扭头，只见五十岚友也在朝女人挥手。畜生，是那家伙啊。 白天的时候实在是没法潜入，只得大致找到公寓的位置，等到天色暗下来之后再动身。闷热的夜晚，预示着夏日即将来临。男子悄