Chapter 67 Section sixty-fifth

The sense of hearing becomes extraordinarily acute. The sound of water droplets came from my ears, hitting the drain hole of the sink very regularly every few seconds. This is the toilet on the fourth floor of Department G. Mikami hid in the last room and waited with bated breath.The angle is not very good, you can't see the figure through the gap, you can only hear the sound.Footsteps, sighs, coughs, humming.If someone comes to the toilet together, you can also hear the sound of the conversation. When I was still a criminal policeman in the second section, I was often blocked by reporters from Sankei with this method.When he asked the other party how to confirm the object, the other party just smiled and said, "It's a secret."I finally learned the truth when the other party decided to transfer units and came to say hello.He said: "That's because Mr. Mikami turns the tap to the maximum when washing his hands..."

Matsuoka will definitely wash his face.Of course he is not the only one who can wash his face, but he still has a habit.That is, after turning off the faucet, you will shake your hands with a "shua!", shaking off the water droplets on your hands like raindrops on an umbrella.The third class is the voice that they have heard countless times when they were working together in the jurisdiction. I looked at my watch, it was four fifty-five.Thirty minutes have passed since the infiltration.It was cold and the heat in the room didn't seem to be able to reach the corner of the toilet adequately.Mikami turned up the collar of his suit and rubbed his hands to keep warm.

Turn on the phone, no one is calling.Because the silent mode still makes a vibrating sound, Mikami set the phone to driving mode.When he arrived at Office G, he once made a phone call from the car back to the publicity office, because he had to let the people in the publicity room know that he could not answer the phone for the time being.After ringing for a long time, Suwa finally answered the phone.It sounded like the advertising room was still in a storm of curses.Mikami quickly explained the matter, and finally only asked one question: In order to prevent the reporter from realizing that he was talking on the phone with Mikami, Suwa's tone was always rude, and he added at the end:

There is sound. Mikami pricked up his ears.It was the sound of footsteps passing through the corridor, and they were approaching quickly.Passing by the door of the toilet... Then it turned into the sound of jogging footsteps, gradually going down the stairs and away. Only five people came in to go to the toilet in the entire thirty minutes, and zero for the last fifteen minutes.According to Mikami's judgment, it should be because the Criminal Division or the meeting room behind the Criminal Division is holding a search meeting. Although he hadn't seen Matsuoka yet, when he drove the car into the staff parking lot behind the office building, his fantasy had already become blurred.Because there is an investigation vehicle that looks like a private car that can be seen at a glance, and the entire parking lot is blocked.They must have been summoned from all over the place. There are four cars in the headquarters alone.As for passenger cars and economical RVs, there is not even one.It seems that the employees were asked to move all the cars they drive to and from get off work to other places.

Having worked as a criminal policeman for so many years, the scene in front of him undoubtedly "really" happened, and it also reminded Mikami how difficult it is to "keep secret" from so many people.If this matter was really "directed and acted by the criminal department" led by Arakita, then the moment before the scapegoat was pushed to this hall, he had to keep silent about this fact.Therefore, only a small number of investigating cadres can know the truth, and as for all the criminal police gathered here, they can only hide it.Keeping the names of the victim's family secret, but ordering the criminal police to investigate the kidnapping case; or announcing the name, but directing the investigation without stating that it was self-directed and self-acted, the above two situations are not allowed, let alone Besides, the risk is too great.The criminal police are very sensitive to deception and traps, and the suspicion and anger generated from within will cause symptoms of self-poisoning. The original strategy to protect the criminal department may instead cause internal collapse.

That being the case, do all investigators know that this is a self-directed and self-acted farce?impossible.It would be fine if there were only a few cadres, but it would be foolhardy to let so many people keep a common secret, and it was impossible for Arakida not to understand this truth.Every criminal policeman has a set of beliefs and rules of the game that he regards as Guigao. Even if the intelligence that the department wants to "confiscate the position" is indeed transmitted to the end of the organization, and the criminal department is united based on the hatred of the department and the same hatred, it is still impossible. Not everyone is willing to get involved in this kind of illegal case handling, there will definitely be criminal policemen who are unwilling to join forces, and the secret operation will be broken.No matter how the times change, there will still be detectives like Koda who are clean and self-loving.

In short, the current criminal department has indeed launched a large-scale investigation... Mikami rolled his eyes. There were footsteps again. No need to prick up your ears this time because there are too many people.It must have been just after the meeting, when a group of people all came towards the toilet.The door was opened with a "bang!", and San subconsciously tensed up.Two people... not only, but also a person behind them. "Better take your tie off!" "makes sense." It was a very normal conversation, but there were unfamiliar voices on both sides.While they were going to the toilet, footsteps in the hallway also came down the stairs in twos and threes at the same time.

The faucet of the sink was turned on, someone was washing their hands, the sound of water was like a duet.What is the other person doing?The sound of water stopped, and multiple footsteps walked towards the door. "Goodbye." Are you saying hello to the remaining person?But no one answered.If it is just a salutation, it means "the person above".The sound of footsteps moved slowly, the faucet was turned on again, the sound of washing hands could be heard next to my ears, and then... began to wash my face.Is it Matsuoka?The faucet is turned off.Mikami focused all his nerves on his ears, and put his finger on the door lock.

"Bang!" Someone came in again. "Ah! Hello." It sounded like someone who came in behind said.Mikami didn't move at all, because he didn't hear the "sound of drying the water", maybe it was overwhelmed by the sound of the door opening just now.Whether it is true or not, there is no way for him to go out when there are two people outside. Not long after the footsteps disappeared in the corridor, another person also went out. What follows is a long wait. Six o'clock... half past six... seven o'clock... How many times did he check his watch during this period?The mobile phone also did not receive half a call.How is Suwa?Are you still gnashing your teeth?Did Zangqian and Meiyun complete the task he gave?Is there anyone who does not abide by the provisional agreement?Why are Akama and Ishii still silent?

Another person walked out just now.The number of people going to the toilet increased, but the "voice of Matsuoka" was never heard.Did he miss it?Or is Matsuoka not here at all?Doubts and anxieties keep rising.The body is terribly cold.He sat on the toilet seat, and stood up every now and then to move his hands and feet.This is nothing compared to the absurdity and prison that he used to do in the past, just because he didn't know when someone would knock on the door of his room, so whenever someone came in, his heartbeat would involuntarily speed up. Seven eleven.When he checked the time again, the toilet door opened with the sound of "Knock! Knock! Knock!"The sound of footsteps was not hurried or slow, making people feel that this person walked calmly.Mikami's eyes widened. He didn't remember the sound of such footsteps, nor did he have any impression of this way of walking.only……

Intuition told him that it was Matsuoka. The person went to the toilet, moved his feet, turned on the tap, washed his hands, then washed his face, turned off the tap, and the sound of the water stopped.Mikami put his ear against the crack of the door. Swish!Mikami walked out of his toilet calmly.At first, I saw the opponent's shoulder, and then the lower arm. I saw that he was still in the posture of throwing water. "Counselor..." When will this man show a surprised expression?Turning around, Matsuoka looked at Mikami calmly, let out an "Oh!" as usual, and then glanced at the bandage on Mikami's right hand. I finally saw the figure of the "Underground Criminal Minister" at the searched frontline base, at least it was confirmed that someone else was here. Mikami walked forward, his knees trembled involuntarily from the cold. "I know it's rude of me to block you like this, but I have something to tell you." "What's the matter? Are you impersonating a reporter?" "Because I can't think of any other way to see you for a while." Matsuoka took out a handkerchief from the pocket of his suit pants and dried his face. "I think you also know that I'm really busy, so I'll make a long story short." Mikami saluted and said, "Please tell me the real names of the victim's family." "I can't say." The answer was decisive, but the tone was not too aggressive. "I think you should understand that the media's curiosity and interest in the kidnapping case cannot be suppressed by using the method of anonymity. All the major media have threatened that they are not willing to sign a report agreement." "Is that the reason?" "what?" "Why are you here?" "yes." "I didn't mean to sell my soul—that's what you said?" Matsuoka's eyes were sharp.He was referring to what he had said in the office of the First Search Section.At that time, he was worried about whether he should stand on the side of the criminal department or the police department. "Do you know the purpose of the inspection?" "Minister Arakida told me." "Are you going to work and be loyal to the police despite all this?" "I am doing this neither for the police nor for this department, but to perform the task of the publicity officer. I hope you can understand." "yes?" "It's natural for you not to believe, but you can only trust me now. This is the task of the broadcaster. Signing a reporting agreement with the media and cleaning up the chaotic situation are the most important things. So before asking the real name I'm not going back." Matsuoka tilted his head and asked: "Is it that serious?" "what?" "I'm asking you, is this important enough that you have to hide in the toilet to block people?" Mikami took a deep breath. "From the point of view of the criminal police, this may be a very stupid job. This job has nothing to do with the original job of the police. I once thought this way too, thinking that maintaining law and order is to arrest prisoners. The whole world outside the prison They are all our hunting grounds. But now my thinking has changed. There are a total of 260,000 police officers, and everyone has their own jobs. Criminal police are actually only a small part of them, and most of them are Work under the table without applause. Although there are no hands given by God to arrest criminals, they are all proud of their work. The smooth operation of such a huge organization is all because everyone is dedicated to completing their daily work The work of the advertising office. The advertising office also has what the advertising office should do. Maybe the criminal police will tease us, saying that we are a nest of snakes and rats in the media, but this is nothing to be ashamed of. Instead, we carefully spy on the faces of the department, Closing the window of communication with the outside world is a disgrace to the press room." Matsuoka crossed his arms in front of his chest, carefully deliberating how truthful Mikami's words were. "I didn't sell my soul to anyone. I don't have any attachment to being a criminal police officer anymore. It has nothing to do with the criminal department or the police department. I just want to complete the tasks entrusted to me..." The door opened suddenly, and a man who looked like a criminal policeman walked in.Mikami quickly turned his face away from him.Just when he thought it was over, Matsuoka turned to the man and said: "Excuse me, please go to the toilet downstairs." "Okay, okay." The man saluted with surprise, and left in a panic. Mikami paid Matsuoka a thankful attention salute, and continued to say seriously: "The Publicity Office is actually a half-official, half-civilian unit, so it must be able to speak up to the Criminal Department. There is a set of standard procedures for handling kidnapping cases. The police have regulations that the police must abide by, and the media also have regulations that the media must abide by. The mission of the press room is to make both parties abide by these regulations... so please tell me your real name." Matsuoka let go of his arms, his eyes still serious. "That's why you're hiding in the bathroom?" Mikami nodded vigorously.Suddenly, a thought flashed through. "No... Not only that, I also want to save the subordinates who are still fighting in the headquarters." Matsuoka looked ahead and maintained this posture for a while.Obviously there are several thoughts intertwined in my mind at the same time. It was too late to say it, but it was too soon, Matsuoka suddenly turned his back, and then put his hands in his pockets. Soliloquy pose... Mikami quickly said "I'm sorry" as if he was getting an electric shock, and took out his notepad at the same time. "Masato Mezaki." Matsuoka lowered his voice. "The eyes of the eye, Nagasaki's Saki, the correct one, a human being. Forty-nine years old." Masato Mezaki... "The owner of the sporting goods store, whose address is No. 246, 2-chome, Ota-cho, Xuanwu City." Mikami shook his pen and wrote quickly, writing crookedly, just waiting for Matsuoka's next sentence.However…… Mikami raised his head in confusion, but Matsuoka had already turned to face him, and his hands were no longer in his pockets. what happened?What about wife B?What is more important is the name of the victim C who was kidnapped? "That's all I can say." "But in this case..." "Didn't you hear?" Matsuoka's tone could not be refuted, but Mikami couldn't back down just like that. "Please think again. To sign an agreement, you must have C's name." Matsuoka remained silent. "If the agreement is not signed, hundreds of journalists and photographers will lose control and hinder the investigation." "..." "Maybe it's C who directed and acted himself. I've heard about this hypothesis in the headquarters. So even if I tell the media my name, I will definitely warn them repeatedly not to say it. What's more, they also know the seriousness of the matter. Impossible to write or speak the name of a minor." "I can't tell." "why?" "As a human being, there are always things you can say and things you can't say." ——to be human? The language is mysterious.It sounded like there was some difficulty, which made him suspicious again.It is almost no longer considered in my mind that this is "self-directed and self-acted by the Criminal Department", but the suspicion of "using the topic" is still lingering.Knowing that C Zi directed and acted himself but pretended not to know, and set up a large-scale search team to treat it as a real kidnapping case, so as to cancel the inspection... Mikami felt that he had to ask the next question to this detective who was the number one detective in the D prefectural police whom he admired like an older brother. "Is it because it has been confirmed that C Zi is self-directed and acted, so her name cannot be announced?" Matsuoka didn't answer.Is it because there is no answer? Mikami's spirit lifted. "This office intends to seize the position of the Minister of Criminal Affairs. I also feel very unwilling to do so. However, if this incident is deliberately making a kidnapping case that is self-directed and self-acted, no matter what the reason is, it is an illegal search." "Haven't you heard a sentence? Only lawbreakers will emphasize to lawbreakers what is the right track." Mikami thought he heard it wrong, but he couldn't believe that such words came from Matsuoka's mouth. Matsuoka smiled. "Don't show such an expression! It is indeed possible to direct and act on your own, but there is no definite evidence yet, so decent people are looking for evidence separately." "In that case..." "Enough is enough!" Matsuoka's eyes showed a fierce light. "Then it's your job. Since it's what the publicity office should do, find a way to deal with those reporters yourself!" Mikami was silenced.Matsuoka's eyes were so sharp that Mikami didn't dare to look directly at him, so he could only focus on his chest. Then it's your job—a statement that left him speechless and brought him back to reality.Matsuoka had already given him enough answers, and this trip was not fruitless, at least he had asked Masato Mezaki's name, and he knew the address, as long as he checked the names of his wife and daughter himself.Although Matsuoka didn't explicitly ask him to do this, he had already gone all out.I looked at my watch, it was already 8:10 in the evening, I had to hurry up.At this moment, returning to the headquarters as quickly as possible is more important than anything else. Mikami looked up at Matsuoka, put his feet together and bowed his head in salute. "Thank you very much, I'm going back." "Wait a minute, I have something to ask you too." please me?Mikami was a little surprised. "Lend me Minarzi one day tomorrow." Mikami was even more surprised. "There are not enough female police officers. I need help from women with normal hairstyles and normal hair length." Investigators disguised as lovers tomorrow... Mikami didn't know how to answer.Indeed, Minako doesn't look like a policewoman or a former policewoman, and she has experience disguised as a couple investigator, and she once witnessed Yoshio Amamiya rushing in at "Aoi Coffee".Mikami really wanted to agree to Matsuoka's request, and also wanted to contribute to the search, but it wasn't up to him to let Minako play such a role, it was too embarrassing for her. Mikami was about to find a reason to refuse, when Matsuoka said: "I heard she doesn't go out?" Mikami felt a hand reach into his heart.So, he heard what his wife said, right?And his wife heard it while talking on the phone with Murakushi Ruixi! "It's better to let her breathe the air outside! I can understand how she wants to stay on the phone, but if it's to help others, there should be a reason to persuade herself to go out!" Mikami lowered his head naturally.Matsuoka's words slowly penetrated into his heart.Minako's expression emerged clearly.If it's for someone else...not for Ayumi, but for someone else... "I won't force you. At seven o'clock tomorrow morning, Nanao will be waiting for her in the auditorium of the headquarters." Mikamami bit her lower lip tightly. He has no attachment to the work of the criminal police.What was said could never be taken back, and he had no intention of taking it back.He said so, but he still couldn't let it go. I really hope to have the opportunity to work under this man again...