Chapter 5 Chapter 4 After the Rainstorm

In the pouring rain, the light motorcycle drove forward rapidly.Cars coming home from get off work end-to-end clog the road—it leads to the reclaimed land at the mouth of the Tama River. On the left side of the road are the freight line rails of the Linhai Railway, and the black oil tanker is moving slowly.The vast factory area in this area was originally lined with many complex petrochemical installations and chimneys, but now it has been swallowed up by darkness and shrouded in the rain. The light motorcycle finally approached the Kawasaki Ferry Terminal, and the sign "Boarding place for Hyuga and Kisarazu" came into view again.The light motorcycle tilted its body, turned left, then turned right again, made a sharp S-turn, and got behind the second-floor building of the station.

The young man driving a light motorcycle put the motorcycle next to the dozen or so motorcycles that had already parked there, quickly untied the handbag and thermos that were on the shelf, and started running with them in his hands.He bowed and ran to the deck of the ferry—the boat was about to sail. He put his hands on the side of a big truck, his head drooping between his arms, and he gasped for a while.White hard hat, overalls pants, and soccer shoes, all wet from head to toe.Although he was wearing a nylon raincoat on his upper body, the rain relentlessly flowed in from the collar and cuffs, and seeped into his sweat-soaked shirt.

He came from a plastics factory in Tsukagoshi, Koshi district, and drove through the long and narrow Kawasaki district along the road, and ran for 23 minutes.In this stormy weather, the road was very crowded; in addition, he had to turn into a side road halfway to go to the toilet of the apartment. He—Shoji Narai, with his pale face distorted, managed to straighten his waist, barely straightened his wobbly body, and climbed up the steep ladder leading to the cabin.He didn't even realize that the ferry had set sail.I just felt that a big stone fell in my heart, and I finally caught up with the last boat departing from Kawasaki at 8:00 p.m. to Kisarazu.

The cabin is like an old-fashioned movie theater, with several rows of chairs covered with nylon backs. There are TVs on both sides of the front, and TV dramas are playing at a very low volume.There were only about 10 passengers, most of whom were lying on benches by the wall.Most of them are like Narai, wearing work clothes, like workers, with their arms crossed on their chests.Although it was said that the boat had just sailed, some people were already snoring. Fortunately, the chair next to the small shop was still empty. He took off his helmet and raincoat, and lay down exhausted.The needle-like abdominal pain has improved slightly, but I still feel nauseous, and the chest cavity is depressed as if it is blocked.In addition, after he lay down, he felt a chill hit his whole body.He gritted his teeth and folded his arms tightly.

His eyes searched around, trying to find the elderly passenger who always took this ferry—this old man was very sophisticated, and he always carried analgesics, antidiarrheals, and medicines such as sedantine with him.However, today he did not find the figure of the older staff member.If it is in the morning, during the peak hours of passenger flow, there are about 50 or 60 people commuting by ferry like Narai.From 6:00 am to 8:00 pm, the ferry runs every 30 minutes.It is said that as many as 150 people take this ferry to and from get off work every day.Almost all of them are people who come to work from their residences near Kisarazu to the Keihin industrial area.

These are the people who commute by boat every day, so even the seats are naturally fixed.The number of people commuting by ferry has increased in the past two years. Narai began to commute by boat in the spring of 1957, when there were only a dozen people.In other words, he is a regular customer of this ferry, so he is entitled to a bench where he can lie down.For people who commute long distances, commuting is an important sleep time. However, today, because of working overtime late, although the last boat was empty, the acquaintances also disappeared. "Maybe it's the grilled fish roll or the ham?..."

When it was time to work overtime, he always went to the cafeteria at noon to make do with a noodle meal, and saved the meal he brought for dinner until evening.Today I ate at around 5 o'clock, and around 6:30, my stomach started to feel uncomfortable. Today, it has been cloudy since morning, and the weather is very hot and humid. In this weather, we should pay attention to the deterioration of vegetables, but... Three years ago, he designed by himself and built a decent house at the foot of the mountain in Kimitsu City, Chiba Prefecture, and began to live a life that took 2 hours and 10 minutes to commute to and from get off work.In the beginning, the wife really put a lot of thought into taking care of herself.But as time goes by, I get used to it, and because I am busy taking care of the child, I don't care much about him... No, maybe the family members feel that "it should be so".

However, during this period, deep in his heart, he was already full of mental and physical fatigue, feeling unbearable... However, it was really unlucky for the rain to come across this evening.If it has been raining since the morning, even though he is in his early 20s, he would rather take the train and take a detour through Tokyo Station.Even if you take a ferry, you have to take a bus from the pier to the factory.But this morning, as usual, I got on the motorcycle behind the sports yard, so when I came back, I had to rush to the pier in the rain. Lying on a hard bench, he vaguely saw the flames burning at the mouth of the chimney of the Kawasaki Oil Refinery, dyeing the distance red.The lights of Haneda Airport are also flashing non-stop. Even in such weather, the planes seem to keep flying.The flashing lights on the plane and the colorful signals running into it looked so beautiful, like another world.

Suddenly, the matter of Jingbin Apartment appeared in his mind.He was on his way to the apartment to go to the bathroom, but as he was about to cross the narrow path between the hedge and the building, he almost ran into a man running out, quite literally head-on. "That person didn't hold an umbrella either, what is he doing in that kind of place...?" He just had a doubtful thought in his mind for a split second.Deep in the pit of the chest is getting more and more depressed.He had an uneasy feeling that this depression might turn into excruciating pain.Fortunately, the diarrhea is no longer there, but instead, stomach cramps are about to strike.He was often hit by violent stomach cramps when physically exhausted.

Partly due to this horror, he was already covered in cold sweat. "It's good if you can stick to it until you get home..." He closed his eyes tightly, and he might as well have dozed off. "My ship is about to arrive at Kisarazu Port." The voice of the announcer woke him up, and the clock on the wall was pointing to 9:5.From Kawasaki to Kisarazu, it takes 1 hour and 10 minutes. The other passengers had already descended to the deck where the car was placed, and Narai also picked up his body. Standing up suddenly, he felt a little dizzy, his eyes were dark, his body was fragile, and he also suffered from anemia.

A middle-aged man walking beside him was taken aback, stared at him and asked, "What's wrong with you?" "Ah, no...it's nothing!..." The voice was exceptionally loud, but Narai cheered up instead, and with a little more effort, he was home! Kisarazu Port is also backed by the factory area. From Chiba to Futsuma, the west bank of the Boso Peninsula forms a piece of Chiba Industrial Area, which is its central port. The 560-ton ferry crossed the streamlined iron bridge between the long Fangbo embankment and the container terminal, and arrived on time. In this area, the rain has not abated. He wanted to take a bus to Kimitsu City, but it took 15 minutes to walk from the station to Narai's home along the narrow path at the foot of the mountain.This is not much different from riding a bicycle as usual.Perhaps because of the short sleep just now, he seemed to be in better spirits. Once out of the pier, Narai found that the bicycle was already wet from the rain on the shore where many small passenger ships were moored.In the morning, the area was lined with bicycles and motorcycles, all of which seemed to have been ridden home now, except for his and another car, parked there alone. When he first started commuting by ferry, he always folded his foldable bicycle here every morning and brought it into the boat as hand luggage. The foldable bicycle is relatively light, no more than 30 kg, and can be free of charge. After arriving at Fengtou, Kawasaki Then assemble it and ride it to the Tsukakoshi factory.This method, he has continued for about half a year.However, on the roads in Chuanyan City, vehicles are crowded when going to and from get off work, and cycling for a long time is not only tiring but also unsafe.So he changed his method, riding a bicycle from his home to Kisarazu Pier, then left the bicycle at the pier, and took the ferry alone.From the Kawasaki pier to the factory, he rode the motorcycle stored behind the station.Of course, the opposite came back.To this end, he bought a semi-old moped.Speaking of it, of course the ideal way is to ride a motorcycle from home and then hand it over to the ferry for consignment, but the freight for the motorcycle alone will cost 1,430 yen per trip.Even if you buy a joint ticket for multiple uses, it is still very uneconomical. "Keep going!..." Narai encouraged himself again, got on his bicycle, and would be home in 35 minutes. He put the handbag containing the empty lunch box and the small warm water bottle in the basket on the shelf, put on the pedals, and rode on the bike.He didn't care about anything, and desperately crossed the city of Kisarazu, hoping to return to his warm home as soon as possible. It was late at night and the temperature had dropped sharply.The rain was icy cold, like an abnormal autumn rain, and drenched his whole body again.He was panting, his muscles stiffened, and his movements became sluggish. After getting on Highway 18, it was bustling with trucks and cars traveling at high speed.This road is called the Tokyo Outer Ring Road, and it connects Cape Futtsu on the Boso Peninsula with the top of the Miura Peninsula. Narai's bicycle was covered with muddy water splashed by trucks, and he was swayed by the wind. The stomach cramps that he had been worrying about while driving on Route 16 finally started to strike again.Severe cramping pains radiated from his stomach to his chest, constantly hitting him in a very short period.Narai gritted his teeth, continued to pedal the bicycle forward, and turned left into the road leading to Kimitsu city. However, the speed of his feet had already slowed down suddenly, his whole body was sweating, and he couldn't even feel the cold anymore. Suddenly, he felt delirious: "Asshole, it seems that it's hard to get home!..." However, there seems to be no hospital in this area.On the left is a tree-covered mountain peak, and on the right is an industrial area near the sea.Before the industrial zone was formed, the nearby seaside was a good place to catch the tide and bathe in the sea. At that time, several villa-like houses were built and scattered among the mountains.The restaurants on the side of the road have already closed their glass windows. "As long as you can hold on until Kimitsu Station..." He groaned and rode forward, and finally couldn't hold on anymore.But in this area, there is not even a small shop. At this time, only slightly away from the road, at the foot of the densely wooded mountain, there was an electric light flickering dimly. "There should be an old villa-style house there..." In Narai's mind, a small bungalow appeared, with cream-colored walls already covered with mottled stains.I always pass by during work in the morning and evening, and I often see this house naturally, as if it was a villa built for sea bathing. "For a long time, it seemed to be an empty house..." But, with the lights on, there might be someone now.Narai wobbled on his bicycle, turned to the side of the road, and rushed towards the house. In front of the door is a road paved with gravel, and the frosted glass on the door reveals a faint light. Holding the pillar with his hand, Narai groped for the doorbell.Pressed three or four times in a row.After an unknown amount of time, a young woman's voice asked in the house, "Where do you work?..." It sounded weak, full of surprise and fear, yet Narai, feeling saved, knocked softly on the door again. "I beg you... please be a little..." After a while, the door opened a small crack.At this time, he already had one leg kneeling on the gravel road.The pain broke out, and he suddenly felt unconscious and powerless. "I'm sorry... please let me rest here for a while." He begged weakly. "Ah, what's wrong with you!..." The other party showed a surprised look. "It's wet like this." Two women hurried over and took Narai's arms.They looked at each other, and helped him in first. In the Western-style room next to the door, one of the women quickly closed the door to prevent the rain from coming in, and locked it. This western-style room is about 40 square meters in size, and the indoor lights are not turned on.There are tables, sofas, cabinets and other furniture in a mess.The floor lamp was pushed into the corner, and the umbrella was broken.The room gave the impression that it had been long unoccupied.The reason I could still make out these things vaguely was because the kitchen inside was lit with fluorescent lights.There are no partition walls. Narai looked inside the kitchen, paintings, calendars, baskets, etc. were scattered on the walls, and the floor was crowded with various daily necessities. There seemed to be only two young girls in this house, and no one else lived there.If he pays more attention, he will probably notice that the way this family lives is very strange. But at this time, Narai couldn't care about these things at all.After he was supported to lie on the sofa, another severe pain hit his whole body. He groaned and curled up into a shrimp. "I'm late coming home... I should tell my family..." This thought faintly surfaced in Narai's consciousness. The torrential rain lasted all night and did not stop until the early morning of May 23.For a long time, the roofs that have been blackened by the factory's smoke and exhaust have been washed away by the rain.The early summer sun shines on the asbestos tile roof. The swollen Tama River regained its emerald green color, and the rapids flowed down. The roads on both sides of the river were also washed very clean. The time for work had not yet come, and the vehicles were running briskly on the road. At around 6:25 in the morning, the dead body of Eizo Tonami was found outside the seven-story building of the Keihin Apartment.The discoverer was a female college student living on the second floor of the apartment.She lives with her parents.There is a puppy at home, and in the Jingbin apartment, as long as the people around him don't object, they can raise their favorite small animals. Sometimes she is happy, so she takes the dog out for a walk.That morning, attracted by the fresh air, she got up and took the dog out.I went around the nearby Hachiman Shrine, and when I got back to the semi-underground parking lot, the puppy kept running towards the narrow path that was only 50 cm wide between the wall and the Himalayan cedar fence. The tiles and soil under his feet seemed to smell something. She didn't pull the rope hard, anyway, she could walk to the side door of the apartment hall along the narrow road. Facing the courtyard in front of the apartment, the path on the west side is slightly wider.Around the corner of the building, she saw what the dog smelled, and immediately screamed.Between the edge of the brick-paved road and the roots of the Himalayan fir tree, there is like a dark ditch. A man in a suit is lying on his back, his face is up, his eyes are half-opened, his hair and suit are soaked. It was full of rain and was completely drenched. The female college student was stunned for a moment, then let go of the rope and ran quickly.She ran back to Wei along the road she had just walked, and uttered a sharp cry again.She felt that the man was a corpse. She rushed into the hall through the main entrance and reported to the administrator.The administrator inspected the bodies she saw and called the local Kawasaki Police Department. More than a dozen investigators and appraisers from the Criminal Police Department arrived at the scene around 6:40.The section chief and section chief who hadn't gone to work also rushed to the scene one after another to direct the on-site investigation. The name and identity of the deceased were ascertained at the scene.There are monthly passes, business card holders, wallets and work diaries in the coat pockets.Judging from this, this person may be Eizo Tonami, chief of the Urban Development Section.For the sake of caution, the section chief also used the phone to inquire about Miyazawa's Toha family.The eldest son, who is in the first grade of high school, replied that his father did not come home yesterday.Worrying about it.Hu Bo's wife died five years ago, and there is also a daughter in the second grade of middle school at home.Housework such as cooking is completely entrusted to the aunt who comes to help. Hu Bo Rongzao's body was lying on its back, and when I looked at it suddenly, no external injuries were found.But when he turned over the corpse, he found that there was a crack in the back of the head, and there were beating scars, which seemed to be caused by a flat object being knocked hard.There was indeed bleeding from the open wound, but the blood that flowed out was washed away by the heavy rain last night.It is likely that this is the fatal injury. The identification department believes that about 10 to 12 hours have passed after death, so the time of death is inferred to be the day before, between 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. At nearly 9 o'clock, Wen's body was taken to the morgue of the police station.After asking government officials to identify the body, it will be sent to a medical university for forensic autopsy.It is still difficult to determine at this stage whether it was a homicide or an accidental death. After the body of the deceased was transported away, the criminal investigators who handled the case searched the surrounding area carefully, trying to find footprints, hair or objects with bloodstains as clues. "No matter how you say it, in such a heavy rain..." A young criminal policeman crawled out from the root of a Himalayan fir tree, sighing and muttering in a low voice. The first reconnaissance meeting of To Bo Rong's sudden death was held at 7:00 pm on May 23 in the conference room of the police station.The chief of the criminal police department presided over the meeting, and about 30 criminal police personnel attended the meeting. The county police department also sent the special investigation team and the police department to attend the meeting, but no special investigation team was set up.This is because it is still unclear whether this is a homicide.However, there was a tense atmosphere hanging over the police station, presumably because the deceased worked in the city hall as chief of the urban development section, and the city hall and the police station were within easy reach. First of all, the on-duty police department who was the first to get the information and rushed to the scene reported the overview of the incident and the results of the on-site inspection.As everyone had feared, there were no clues to look for from the vicinity of the scene.Only on the outside of the hedge 1.5 meters away from the body, a folded black folding umbrella was found.It is speculated that this may be the umbrella held by the deceased Tobo Rongzao. Then, he reported the autopsy results sent by the Medical University.The autopsy began at 1:00 p.m., and the police who were present during the autopsy called to report the situation. "The back of the brain was indeed traumatized by a blunt instrument. The resulting intracranial hemorrhage may have been the direct cause of death. There were also cracks in the skull. As for the inference of the time of death, the degree of stiffness and plaques on the corpse Judging from the status, the autopsy doctor believed that there was no food left in the stomach between 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. on May 22nd, so it can be concluded that Section Chief Toha died before dinner." Some scouts thought this was a key issue, so they made careful records. "Let's talk about the fatal brain injury and how it was caused: one possibility is that when he was walking that road, he slipped and fell on his back, and the brick on the curb knocked heavily on the back of his head. It was easy to slip and fall when it rained last night, and the footprints and bloodstains that can explain the problem have been washed away by the rain. In addition, the passage there is very narrow, so Section Chief Toha may put away the umbrella and plan to Go through there. You can imagine the umbrella was thrown over the outside of the hedge when he slipped and fell." If it is considered that Hu Bo Eizo died in an accident, the above view is naturally valid. However, if it is regarded as homicide, the prisoner may have beaten Hu Bo to death at the scene, or transported the body to that place after killing him elsewhere. Immediately afterwards, Kobayashi, the chief of the first police unit, stood up and reported the results of yesterday's and today's inquiries. "I heard that Mr. Hubo was the same night as usual. Around 5:15, he left the city hall alone. He didn't say where he was going or who he was going to meet. It is said that he rarely talked with the people around him. People, talking about personal matters, but he hung up the phone at home at around 4 o'clock the other day, and told his aunt, Kiyoko Kawai, who was helping, to go back later today and not prepare his dinner..." Toami's wife died in a traffic accident in 1975.Since then, Kiyoko Kawai, a housewife who lives nearby and is very close to her, comes to help every afternoon and leaves at 6 o'clock. "Hehe Qingzi said that she prepared dinner for Toha's house every day and went back. The children went to cram school and sometimes to the sports team. Both of them came back very late, and they didn't always come back at the same time. They both cooked their own meals. Eat. Toha himself is the same way. Because of the situation, if he decides not to have dinner when he wakes up in the morning, he will definitely write it on the blackboard..." In other words, on the day of the accident, after Hu Bo left the city hall, he made a temporary appointment with someone to have dinner together.It was most likely a phone appointment.——However, Section Chief Toha's desk was placed away from everyone by the window, and there was a dedicated direct telephone, so the people around him didn't even know who and what he called that day.It is said that there are more than 20 calls to Hu Bo from outside every day on average. "——Therefore, it is urgent to find out his whereabouts after leaving the city hall... There are three staff members who have confirmed that they saw his back. He held a black umbrella and walked down the steps of the front gate empty-handed. When I asked them about his whereabouts, the two tilted their heads and thought for a long time, expressing that they did not remember, and a female staff member said: She felt that he seemed to have turned to the right." If you turn right, you will arrive at the National Railway Kawasaki Station in a short time.Tonami's usual commute to and from get off work is always to take the Denentoshi Line to Mizoguchi Station from home, then transfer to the Nambu Line to Kawasaki from Mizoguchi Station on the Musashino Line, and the route home is of course the opposite.It takes about 30 minutes to take the photoelectric car. "However, I discovered a very valuable situation later..." The section chief seemed to want to attract everyone's attention, and after taking a look at Da Zong, he said, "A woman named Taeko Yamada works in the health and welfare department of the municipal government. The clerk said that when she walked out of the ticket gate at Mizoguchi Station on the Musashino Line at around 5:40 pm yesterday, she saw Section Chief Toami—no, to be precise, a man who looked a lot like Eizo Toami, He seemed to be waiting for someone." Sure enough, there was a soft chirping sound in the venue. "Yamada Taeko used to work under Tonami, and I know that he commutes from Miyamaeira. If that's the case, he should transfer at Mizoguchi Station on the Musashino Line. I saw him wandering around the ticket gate. , of course I felt a little strange; but at this time the bus came, so she got on the bus and left without saying hello. At 5:45, if Tonami left the city hall and headed straight for Kawasaki Station, This is exactly the time to arrive at Mizoguchi Station on the Musashino Line." From this point of view, Eizo Tonami was waiting for someone at Mizoguchi Station on the Musashino Line yesterday. "However, I can't completely believe this passage." The section chief of Youxing police interjected with a wry smile. He is 46 years old, with a slightly fat body, fair skin, and rosy skin. He is a body type that is rarely seen among police officers. "Of course, even if what Taeko Yamada said is true, she herself admits that the person she saw at the Mizoguchi Senkuriguchi on the Musashino Line cannot be said to be Section Chief Toha. She just thinks he looks like Toha, so It was just weird, that’s all.” Some police departments turned their attention from the chief to the other policemen handling the case.People tend to want to believe this kind of news.However, if the situation is wrong, the scouting will be fundamentally wrong.His gaze seemed to be warning himself that he must be alert to this danger. "Actually, Yamada Taeko's words may be wrong." The first section chief Kobayashi simply gave in. He is five or six years younger than Yuxing's police section chief, and is the opposite of Yuxing. Go, very chic. "In addition, there are other situations. According to others, people in their department said that Section Chief Toha usually goes to a barber shop next to the road on the east side of Keihin Kori to get a haircut. The owner of the barber shop I also admit that he has been a regular customer for nearly 10 years..." If Taeko Yamada's testimony is ignored for the time being, it is also possible that Tohami took the narrow road out of his own volition, perhaps because he wanted to go to the barber shop.He made an appointment to meet someone one day and have dinner with him.Since there is still some time before the meeting, he will go to the barber shop.Because of the heavy rain, he was trying to go straight across the apartment to walk down the path when he slipped and died from a blow to the head. "This view also has a certain degree of basis. Because two staff members in the same department heard him say the day before yesterday that they should go for a haircut. Also, he fell with his feet facing east, which can also explain that he was Go to the barber shop. According to the owner of the barber shop, he did not go to the barber shop yesterday. In this case, it can be speculated that Section Chief Toha died in the incident between 5:25 and 30 after he left the city hall on site." According to forensic science, the estimated time of death was between 6 pm and 8 pm.But before and after this time, there can be an hour range, which is the common sense of on-site reconnaissance.Although the female clerk testified that after leaving the city hall, Toami turned to the right opposite to the Keihin apartment, but this is not absolutely accurate. "Of course, we really want to find more witnesses and get conclusive testimony. However, because of the rain yesterday, the visibility on the road was not good at all, and people were almost all holding umbrellas. The objective conditions are very unfavorable. At present, we can only find These clues..." As soon as Xiao Lin's first chief closed his mouth, someone in the back seat raised his hand to ask a question. "Please!..." As soon as Youxing's section chief spoke, a young policeman in the department stood up. "I just talked about Section Chief Toha. If he dies in the barber shop before meeting someone else, then he just missed the appointment. Did the person he wants to meet call to ask?" "The city government has already closed get off work. I heard that Tobo Eizo's home has not received such calls. Yesterday, before Kiyoko Kawai returned, her daughter who was in the second grade of middle school came back from school, so there is always someone at home." Kobayashi replied. The body was discovered this morning before the staff went to work, so they have been asked to ask for the name of the other party when they call again.However, so far, no one has been found who looks like Toha had a date with last night. "So, what does the other party think?" "Yes!..." Xiao Lin frowned, and low laughter rang out in the venue. "Maybe someone will report in the future, or maybe he is afraid of getting involved and keeps silent." The man on the date, after meeting Toha, killed him in one fell swoop, and then threw the body in the Keihin apartment.This possibility also exists of course. "Does this matter have anything to do with women?" A minister of criminal police who was about to retire sat down and said something.He spent the whole day today in the Jingbin apartment, conducting visits and investigations in and around the apartment. He knew almost nothing about the victim's situation. "Maybe he had a date with a woman last night and went to get his hair cut before that. The woman waited in vain, but didn't have the courage to report it, so she just kept silent..." Toba Kechang has an ugly flat face, not to mention any demeanor. Could it be that he will get together with a woman? ... After thinking about it for a while, Kobayashi felt illogical and still found it incomprehensible. However, from an objective point of view, Eizo Tobo is only 45 years old, and he is in his prime. His wife just died 5 years ago, so it is natural to have a woman. "Of course, this situation is also very necessary to investigate." A police department took the lead and answered the question, "In short, it is only in the initial stage, and we will visit relevant personnel in the future and continue to look for witnesses patiently. Yes, Section Chief Toha seems to have the real power to approve land development, so it is necessary to clarify the stakes and motives in these areas." When he put forward the words "find out the motive", Youxing immediately had an intuition in his head: This is homicide! Two days after the incident, on the evening of Sunday, May 24th, Police Department Kobayashi, together with a young policeman, walked to Miyazawa Eizo Tobori's house. They had planned to find Kosuke Hatake, Tonami's cousin, but when they went to his apartment, Kosuke Hatake was not at home.The housewife who lived on the first floor told them that he might have gone to Huba's house with his son who was in middle school. It takes less than 15 minutes by car from the apartment where Hirosuke Hatake lives to Tonami's house.As I had just left the old and small houses and the residential area densely populated with simple mud-and-tiled apartments, looking at the Hunami house again, I felt that the area around the Hunami house built on the hillside was indeed a high-end residential area. "Is that there?" asked the policeman who was driving, slowing down. Under the gloomy sky, there is a small two-story building with blue tiles and white walls, and bright colors.The courtyard wall is also white, and the top of the wall is covered with blue tiles, and black and white sacrificial tents are hung on it.The white paper pasted on the sacrificial tent was full of moisture and was blowing in the strong wind, with the words "Funeral Ritual" written on it. "Hmm!...I think, maybe it is!..." Xiao Lin also nodded and stopped the car. Around the family where the funeral was held, there were many cars parked on the side of the road.Eizo Tobo's body was sent to this residence last night after it was dissected and sutured and recovered.I heard that there will be a lot of guests for the cremation today and the farewell ceremony tomorrow. "First pay homage, let's talk about the situation." Kobayashi glanced at the subordinates who were following him. It was always inconvenient to ask the relevant personnel about the situation in such a hectic time. When the two got out of the car, the door just opened.A middle-aged man in a black suit came to the road. He strode across the road and paused slightly when he saw Xiao Lin and the others. His face was dark and shiny, and he stared at the two policemen with large, pleasant, round eyes. "Excuse me, are you Mr. Hirosuke Hatake?" Kobayashi said hello suddenly and walked over.His initial impression and temperament are indeed completely different from Toha Eizo's, but the oval face can still be seen to be similar to Toha. "I'm Hirosuke Hatake, you..." The other party's voice was bright and loud. After Xiao Lin said a few words of condolence, he went on to say: "Just now we also visited your mansion..." After speaking, he took out his police work card. "I would like to ask you a few words, if possible." "Is it about Mr. Toha?" "Ah, yes, that's one aspect of course. Also, about the developer Tsuhara..." The main purpose of their coming to see Hirosuke Hatake was this question.Because when the chief of the police department made a summary at the reconnaissance meeting, he emphasized the need to find out the motive.Kobayashi felt the same way.After clarifying the relevant motives, the real reason for Hubo's sudden death will naturally have an answer. Starting this morning, the Kobayashi Police Department supplemented 17 staff members of the Urban Development Division, visited them one by one, and learned that the biggest problem currently exists is that in mid-January, the real estate owner filed an application for the development of Takatsuhara. The owners put forward harsh demands, and the self-government associations of nearby residents also continued to launch opposition movements.Hirosuke Hatake topped the list of leaders of the movement. "If you are busy today, I will visit you another day." On the contrary, Kosuke Hatake said in a non-refusal tone: "Ah...it's nothing. I just returned from cremation, and the chanting is over." He said that he was going to pick up the things in the car now, and walked towards a dark red car parked across the road, took out a bag from the back seat, turned around and walked back. Hirosuke Hatake invited Kobayashi and the others to walk into the gate. The partitions of the 16-square-meter and 12-square-meter rooms have been removed, and there is an altar in the living room, surrounded by many people, who seem to be relatives.Cushions were placed all over the place, and several guests were looking for places to sit and talking in low voices. Kobayashi and the accompanying police officers successively burned incense and offered their respects to relatives.The two brothers and sisters, dressed in school uniforms and sailor-style clothing, looked very sad.The two of Xiao Lin did not dare to face them, and there were two other women in their 40s.Obviously, neither of them is the mother of the child. "Please!..." Hirosuke Hatake said softly again, and brought the two of them to the reception room next to the hall.The two living rooms and the reception room form an L shape.In the courtyard surrounded by white walls, there are rocks and low flowers and trees.In terms of scale, Liran is not luxurious, but it is worthy of being an elegant and high-quality residence. The police are sitting on the sofa.As soon as he sat down on the chair opposite, Hatake immediately lit a cigarette.He seems to be ready to answer all kinds of questions. "Regarding the application for the development of the Atsuhara Residential Area, I heard that Mr. Tohami had put forward very strict requirements on the applicant, Tama Corporation." Kobayashi immediately got to the point. "I heard that a real estate company is needed to build a wide avenue in the field. This is a very difficult problem for real estate companies." Real estate companies will suffer greatly if they fully accept the demands of the city government and local residents.A young employee of the Urban Development Division once revealed this true intention.小林还没有接触多摩总业的仓石了平经理。他准备充分地了解情况，再去找他。 “也可以这样说吧。”畠广辅慢慢地点了点头。 “听说畠先生一方面，做了当地反对派的领导人，而在这个问题上，又和户波步调一致。” “不……不。实际上，市政府和自治会没有任何关系。根据环境税额头条件，原则上开发者，应该直接取得地区居民的谅解。” “那么说……”小林又习惯性地把食指放在鼻子下面，考虑该怎样提问。 “那么说，户波科长给多摩总业公司出了难题，而且还毫不让步，是不是另外有什么特殊的原因呢？是因为必须这样做吗？……如果市政府和自治会毫无关系的话，很想请您谈一谈实情。” “啊，我也不请楚，我了解的到底是不是实情……”畠广辅接住小林的话茬，苦笑了一下，“在这个问题上，我和他几乎没交换过个人意见，他的性格分外拘谨。譬如，有时申请书等，写得稍不整洁，他就让人家重新画好几次。还有，他待人接物好像很持重，但感情上的好恶却极其分明……” “好恶？……这么说来，他从心眼里，讨厌多摩总业的经理啰。” “当然，这也自有原因。” “是什么原因呢？” 在小林焦灼的目光催促下，畠广辅谈起了九年前的旧事。开始，他还有些不太愿谈，但话一出口，他的解释也变得简单明了了。 “……果然如此！……如此说来，对于九年前多靡总业公司，单方面取消合同的事，户波科长至今怀恨在心。于是，在这次申请开安的问题上，他就采取了报复的态度！……” “我认为，那至少是原因之一。他不能忍受那种无理的行为。而且，后来那片没能到手的土地，又不断地涨价，至今仍然感到非常遗憾。” “但是，从常识上来考虑，地皮也不光是这一块，还可以再买别处的地皮呀……” 小林听户波同科的职员说：不知为什么，户波荣造再也没有买过房，至今依然是租房居住。户波似乎也不大愿意让人知道，平时总是含糊其词，遇到有人问，就回答是借的房子。但是，对外边的人，他又说自己是担任开发方面工作的政府人员，不提自己有十分体面的住房，而只说是租房居住，可能不致受到误解。这里又有点微妙。 不管情况到底如何，小林他们已经去过法务局的派出机抅，了解到这所住宅和这块土地，从一开始用的就是畠广辅的名义。 “这所住宅，是畠先生借给户波的吧？”刑警突然问道。 “啊……实际上，这里面情况十分复杂！” 九年前，即1971年秋天，户波荣造准备从多摩总业，购买宫崎台的地皮时，自然打算从公库和银行贷款。但是合同却被取消，而他又一时没有找到合适的购买对象。这时，户波的妹妹，又来求他以借贷款的名义…… “借贷款的名义？” "yes……" “户波一共有兄妹二人，有一个妹妹比他小六岁。名叫吉冈敏枝，今天也来了。”畠朝客厅那边抬了抬下巴。 “她也买了房子。她丈夫在银柳街经营小酒馆，有足够的还债能力。但是，银行拒绝向服务性行业，收入不稳定的人贷款。” “啊，康来是这样啊！……”小林警部补点了点头。 “我那时也是第一次听说，银行方面似乎规定，有几种行业不能贷款。”畠广辅似乎很有趣地回忆着往事。 “危险的职业，例如：石匠、矿工、试车司机、猛兽训练员，以及不稳定的职业：例如艺术界、业佘运动员、歌伎、女招待、酒保等。还有一种没有稳定职业的人，那就是酒吧间、小吃店，弹子房的经啻者，也都不予贷款。” “原来是这样啊！……”小林警部补点了点头。 他们刑警一直住在政府职员宿舍，贷款和租房都是与他不沾边的事情，说起来，警官也属于危睑职业，恐怕也不大受欢迎的吧。 “她的丈夫没有资格贷款，敏枝又没有工作，所以没办法。于是，她求哥哥帮助，以户波荣造的名义，在户波的开户银行——横滨相互银行贷款，借了1000多万日圆买了房子。也就是说，无论买房子还是还钱，实际上都是敏枝的丈夫吉冈，户波只是贷款的名义人。” “户波很疼爱这个唯一的妹妹。妹妹一哭闹，他也不好拒绝。另一方面，他考虑得太简单了。他认为即使杷名义借给妹妹，但向银行如实说明情况，他自己还可以另外贷款。可是，当他找到合适的地皮，到银行进行贷款时，却被断然拒绝。尽菅只把名义借给别人，而实际由别人偿还，但银行向特定的个人贷款的数额有限，由于借款数额已满，不能再借。到平时没有关系的其它银行去借款，那更是根本不可能……” 日月匆匆，吉冈的酒馆经营日渐艰难，偿还贷款发生困难。结果，没过两年时间，他就卖掉了住宅，还清余债，贷款算是结了账，按理说，户波这回可以随时，为自己重新贷款了。 “1973年春天，这一带开始新建住宅。当时，户波和我商置好，各买一所新房子，我先决定买这所房于，户波也决定买离这里300米左右，价值为2100万的一所房子，连手续费都交了，可是……” 户波荣造又被借款的事给卡住了。他在头一年的年末，做了胃溃疡手术，须痊愈五年以后，才能入人寿保险。因此，银行方面也就不能借款给他。 “不能入人寿保险，就不能借款吗？” “是的，银行要求名义人入人考保险，而保险金的领取人是银行。也就是说，万一借款人死去，银行可以用保睑金偿还贷款，而不致造成亏空。据说，不能加入人寿保险的人，几乎100%地要被拒绝贷款。户波也不了解这种情况，自己准备了900万日圆的资金，其余的1200万日圆，准备向公库和银行借，定金问题虽然已经事先谈妥，发生意外情况时可以收回。但既然已经下定决心购买，心里就特别沮丧。尤其是他夫人，竟完全失望了。一时几乎病倒。当时户波的夫人还健在，他们一家四口人，我妻子是1977年因病死去的，当时是三口人。我们家少了一口人。我妻子也不像户波夫人那样，执意要买房子。子是，户波和我商量，按预定方案，由我用自己的银行贷款，买下这所房子，借给户波居住。虽说是借的房子，可到底住进了新房，所以，户波的妻子很快又侬复了精神，说不定他根本没向妻子，讲明事情的真相……” “畠先生继续住公寓，然后从户波那里收取房租，偿还借款吗？” “是这样的。最初一段时间，只好东挪西借，但是近来房租涨价，我手头倒是宽绰了。不，说老实话，对我来说，这样一来，我倒是幸运了。在人生的旺盛时期，我可不愿意被推入到处还贷款的地狱。” “但是，户波一死，这事情将怎样呢？” “是啊，现在还投想好应该怎么办。”畠那双有朝气的眼睛，第一次黯淡了下来，两手交叉着放在膝上。 “不管怎么说，我不打算立刻，把这两个被遗弃的孩子赶出去。只要情况允许，我想就让他们这样住下去，将来再和他们的亲戚商量，以前他们一直交房租，况且又不是外人，我打算尽力帮助他们。” “有道理。”小林警部补总算是理出了头绪，合上了笔记本。 “户波手术五年后，能够加入人寿保险时，他也没有考虑自已买住宅吗？”站起来时，他又最后谢问道。 “房屋和地皮都不断涨价。而且，在这所住宅住惯了，搬家又挺麻烦的。况且，迫切希望购买住宅的妻子，又因交通事故死去了。最近好像也有点死了心……” 结果，户波自1971年购买多摩总业公司地皮吃亏以来，好像变得胆小了，放弃了购买住宅的念头。他对仓石经理一直怀恨在心，这自然也是理所当然的。 正因为如此，当仓石提出申请开发后，他提出了几乎不合情理的难题。人们大概也认为，他是企图给建造和销售住宅捣点小乱。 仓石对此是如何抵抗的呢？ “住宅引起的仇恨，可是真可怕呀。”警部补情不自禁，感慨万分地轻轻说了一句。