Chapter 23 Chapter Twenty-Three

It has never been clear that Yu Yuangen must have been killed, and time passed like this. No!To be precise, Totsukawa and the others have identified Ugaki's lover Shimazaki Yayoi as a suspect.So, it's not like there's no clue at all. However, as long as Yayoi Shimazaki's whereabouts are not known, it is impossible to solve the case. Yayoi's whereabouts are still unknown. They also asked about her natal family, friends, relatives, etc., but no one in these places saw her. (Could it be that she was also buried in the ground?) Totsukawa was very disturbed. In other words, it was not buried in the soil, and it may have died somewhere.Where can I find the answer to this incident?

That's the only way to infer for now. Ugaki's gratitude to Dai Viet turned into hatred, and he threatened him first, and then shot him in the French TGV train.As a result, the bullet missed and killed the secretary Matsuno Yuki by mistake. After Yu Yuan returned to China, he realized that he had aroused the suspicion of the police, so he traveled to Southeast Asia to avoid the limelight. However, he only stayed in Manila for one day before returning home suddenly. The reason for this is not yet clear.It is speculated that they may have discussed countermeasures with the accomplice Yayoi Shimazaki.

They gradually realized that the intimidation was about to be exposed, so the two fled the country together. The reason why they did not flee abroad was because they knew that the police would set up nets and wait at the airport and other places. On the way to escape in a hurry, the psychological defense of the two began to collapse, so they decided to commit suicide together, and Yayoi killed Ugaki first. So far, it can be reasoned like this. "But what happened to Yayoi after that?" Kamei was lost in thought. "Maybe she is still looking for a place to commit suicide and is still wandering around the country."

"Could he have committed suicide?" Totsukawa said. "If that's the case, where can you die?" Kamei asked. Everyone else looked at Totsukawa. "I consider several possibilities." Totsukawa said. "Which possibilities?" "First, he committed suicide on Hakkoda Mountain, near Ugaki's body. If so, it would have been buried in deep snow, and it would not be discovered until next spring. It was a coincidence that the body was brought out by an avalanche. It doesn't happen very often." "yes." "Second, die in a place that is commemorative to the two of them."

"If that place is abroad, wouldn't she want to leave Japan alone? No, maybe she has already left Japan." Nishimoto said. "This is currently under investigation." After Totsukawa said this, he went on to say: "Thirdly, return to her hometown to commit suicide, that is, the fallen leaves return to their roots. Her hometown is in Miyagi Prefecture. We have already turned to the police there. Once we find something, we will contact us." According to the information obtained from the Immigration Bureau, Yayoi Shimazaki did not go abroad.This made Totsukawa heave a sigh of relief.

It seems that Yayoi Shimazaki is somewhere in Japan right now. But where is their commemorative place of nostalgia?I couldn't find it all at once. Ugaki and Shimazaki are a couple who like to travel.Even if the place is limited to Japan, it's hard to tell where it is because they're wandering around. For this reason, the police took photo albums from the apartments of the two people in order to screen the locations in the two photo albums. There are three places in Japan where the two took photos together. Totsukawa asked people to search these three places, but found nothing.

All that remains is Hakkoda Mountain. However, to search there must wait until the ice and snow melt. I don't know whether Yayoi Shimazaki is dead or alive.Time passed by like this. The Aomori Police Department does not seem to have a definitive statement about Ugaki's death. On this day, Totsukawa called Secretary Miura of the Daigoshi Group head office. The main purpose is to find out what threatening letters have been received since then. "There were slanderous letters and phone calls, but the threatening letters with strong wording disappeared all of a sudden." Miura said.

(It looks like the murderer is Ugaki.) Totsukawa thought. The results of the handwriting identification also came out, confirming that the person who wrote the threatening letter was Ugaki Gen. His lover, Yayoi Shimazaki, must have known the inside story. Otherwise, the shooting would not have been possible in carriage 3 of the TGV train. Probably Shirai detective followed Ugaki and Shimazaki in Paris, and when the two were walking in the night on the Seine River in Paris, Shirai also heard about intimidation and shooting. Moreover, it happened that Ugaki knew about Shirai's investigation and killed Shirai.

The situation so far can only be imagined in this way.However, the question of the smoke response remains unanswered.If the murderer is Ugaki, why did he only carry the silencer and then steal the Colt automatic pistol of Bart Detective?It's still a mystery. Although Totsukawa and the others tried their best to investigate, there was still no result. Although Yayoi Shimazaki was in Japan, she seemed to have completely disappeared from Totsukawa and the others. "It seems that the possibility of her committing suicide at Mt. Hakkoda is increasing." Totsukawa said to Kamei. "It's only natural to commit suicide near a lover's bone-slaying facility."

Kamei said. "After the two agreed to commit suicide together, Yayoi poisoned Ugaki first, and then buried the body in the soil. Then he went deeper into Hakkoda Mountain and committed suicide." "That way, it won't be discovered until next spring when the snow melts." The new year has arrived. In a blink of an eye, February also passed. During this period, there were several heavy snowfalls in Hakkoda.If Yayoi Shimazaki really committed suicide in the Hakkoda Mountains, the snow would not melt, and it would definitely not be discovered. In March, the snow in Hakkoda still hasn't melted.

Entering April, the Dai Viet couple had another important event. The French government decided to award the Medal of Honor to the Dai Viet couple who have made important contributions to the friendship between Japan and France over the years.The event lasted for more than a week. According to the newspaper, a grand reception will be held at the presidential palace in Paris. "My little efforts have won such an honor. I am deeply honored. The French government awarded me a medal, and I deserve it. From now on, I will redouble my efforts and contribute a little to the friendship between Japan and France!" This is what Dai Viet said. Not long after this conversation appeared in the newspapers, Officer Pierre of the Paris Police Department called Totsukawa. Pierre spoke in English, and Totsukawa was finally able to communicate with him. "The news that Dai Viet and his wife will visit France at the invitation of the President has been reported here. It is expected to take 10 days from April 20." Pierre said. "The Japanese press also published the same news." "They stayed in Paris for six days, and then traveled to the south of France by TGV." "The Japanese press didn't say anything about taking the TGV." Totsukawa said. "The problem is that Mr. Ogoshi was shot on the TGV train in October last year. As a result, his female secretary was shot and killed. Your subordinate Shirai detective was killed in Paris. Do you think that this time Ogoshi and his wife are not Are you going to be intimidated again, attacked or something?" asked Pierre.It could be heard from his tone that he was really worried. After Totsukawa finished talking slowly about the discovery of Ugaki's body in Hakkoda Mountain, the handwriting of the threatening letter was consistent with his own, and the disappearance of his lover, he went on to say: "Later, the Dai Viet couple never received the same type of threatening letter or threatening phone call. Therefore, I believe that the incident in October last year will never happen again." "However, the whereabouts of Ugaki's lover, Shimazaki Yayoi, is still unknown. Will she not go to Paris to attack the Daidai lady again?" asked Pierre. "Ugaki has reason to hate Ogoshi Shoichiro, but she didn't. Although Ugaki and her were complicit in the incident last October, we think she acted passively. Therefore, I don't think she will murder the Ogoshi couple again. .” "Then why can't she be found? Even though she is still in Japan." asked Pierre. "I think she may have died. The most convincing explanation is that she committed suicide on the Hakkoda mountain where Ugaki died. That mountain, the snow will not melt until May. Her body will be found by then of." "So, you are convinced that this time there will be no repeat of the events of last October?" asked Pierre. "If you want to say that you believe in it, no one dares to say it, but I think 80% of it is fine." Totsukawa said. Pierre seemed to accept Totsukawa's point of view, so he hung up the phone.But the next day, he called again. "On April 20th, can Mr. Totsukawa come to Paris together? Mr. Kamei. I want to see you two again." Pierre said. "Detective Kamei and I really want to meet you again. However, there is no sign of the Oyue couple being attacked again, and the boss will not allow us to go." Totsukawa said. "That's right. Officer Bart of the New York Police Department called two hours ago. He heard on the radio that the Dai Viet couple were coming to Paris at the invitation of the President. He said that there must be another accident. On April 20, he also Come to Paris. He can't forget the shame of his pistol being stolen in October last year. He said that this time he must catch the murderer with his own hands!" Pierre said. "That's what Officer Bart said?" "Frankly, I had the same hunch." Pierre said. Totsukawa said with a wry smile into the microphone: "This kind of premonition is unreliable. Yu Yuan, who concocted the threatening letter, is dead, so how could the Dai Yue couple be attacked again?" Totsukawa said. "Perhaps the Scotland Yard detectives will be in Paris too. They've always had a good nose for the smell of a possible crime." Pierre persisted. Totsukawa became uneasy. Criminal police have a special sense, with a keen sense of smell that can smell crime. Totsukawa himself naturally has it too, but after hearing Pierre's words, his confidence gradually disappeared. Although Totsukawa told the other party that the suspect in the intimidation and attack was dead, Bart in New York and his colleagues in London's Scotland Yard still firmly believed that something would happen and must go to Paris.Of course Pierre thought the same. Totsukawa felt that there was a certain distance between his thoughts and theirs. (Perhaps he was paralyzed?) With this uneasy feeling, he conveyed the content of Pierre's phone call to Kamei, and wanted to hear Kamei's opinion. "Could it be that they want to revisit Paris?" Kamei said with a smile. "You really think so?" As soon as Totsukawa was serious, Kamei restrained his smile and asked: "If they are right, and the Dayue couple was attacked again, wouldn't the reasoning that Ugaki was the murderer be untenable?" "The murderer this time is another newcomer, maybe Yayoi Shimazaki. Our reasoning is still valid. If the murderer at the scene last October was not Ugaki, but another person, that would be a problem." Totsukawa said. "You said Yayoi Shimazaki is still alive? Is it possible for her to attack the Dai Viet couple in France within 10 days from April 20?" Kamei asked. "I don't think so." Totsukawa said. Totsukawa went to discuss with Chief Honda again. "You said that you are getting more and more worried. This is not like what you said." Honda laughed. "When you say that, I'm also discouraged." "Ugaki is dead. If a new person emerges to murder Mrs. Dao, that should be a different matter. The same scene as last October will not be repeated." Honda said. "That's what it says." "Are you still worried about being told by the Paris Police Department?" "The New York Police Department and London's Scotland Yard are also considering this issue." "Perhaps deep down in your heart, you are thinking that the same incident as last October will happen. So, inspired by the Paris police department, you suddenly feel uneasy, right?" Ben asked. Totsukawa was lost in thought. Yu Yuan's death, his handwriting was consistent with that of the threatening letter, logically speaking, this incident has come to an end. But as Honda pointed out, there may still be a vague feeling in his heart that things are not over yet.Was this idea also influenced by Pierre? "Thinking hard alone may not be able to solve the problem." Honda said. "But, I really can't help it. I always think: If the incident happens again, it will also be in Paris." Totsukawa shrugged and said. Honda muttered "Yeah" and stared at Totsukawa. "How about you also go to Paris on April 20?" "But Ugaki is dead, so I can't find a reason to go to Paris. Even if I apply, the higher-ups won't agree to it, because the Dai Yue couple are not under any threat now." "Indeed, it's not very easy." "Also, if I really want to go, I would like to take Kamei-kun with me." "Go to two people, and the chances of approval are even less." "Is it? Then die this child's heart." "How many days do you have left?" "I can't finish my rest every year, and I still haven't rested half of it this year." "How about going to Paris for a week as a vacation?" Honda said. "Can you approve the vacation for a week? If a case happens to come, it will be even more troublesome." "I went to tell Minister Mikami that from April 20th, you and Kamei-kun will arrange it yourself. The expenses for going to Paris will be paid in advance by you. If there is a case in Paris, it will become an official business, and the expenses will naturally be borne by you." The public is out." Honda said. "What if nothing happens?" Totsukawa asked. Honda laughed and said: "In that case, how about you and Kamei having fun with him for a week in Paris? But it's an agreement, and the expenses will be borne by you."