Chapter 6 Chapter 5 Unknown Death
one
Yoshii Kikuko, the hostess of the "Asuka" restaurant on the southern platform of Shibuya, pays close attention to the guests in the "single room".Asuka Restaurant is a spacious courtyard purchased with a huge sum of money in the high-end residential area of South Platform. It is a paradise away from the city center.There are rockery and spring water in the courtyard garden, and the single room is covered in the dense courtyard trees.
The private room is for guests to stay overnight, and the hostesses are not allowed to approach it casually without greeting from the guests. There is only one single room, and the number of guests who can use it is limited.
Among the hostesses, there is some dim understanding of the "guests in a single room".They are Asuka's best customers, but they are also well-known customers. Because of this, all the waitresses who are ordered to serve in the private room are experienced.
Guests entering and exiting a single room do not need to go through the main room.Therefore, the general waitresses do not know who the guests are.
It has been more than 2 years since Kikuko Yoshii came to Asuka.In general, the waitresses working in this type of restaurant are in frequent rotation.But you can stay in Asuka for a long time.Generally speaking, those who can stay for 2 years are veterans, but they are still "novice" in Asuka.
Even Chrysanthemum, who has never served in a private room, was curious and asked the sisters who had been working here for 10 years who came to the private room, and they all laughed without answering.It is generally known that this place may be a hidden place for famous geishas and married women who have secret affairs, but the sisters insist on keeping silent.Of course, in addition to this place, there are many hotels and love hotels that are also convenient for secret affairs and cheating.
"It must be someone with a certain status to come here." The new waitresses speculated secretly.Genuine foreign cars and foreigners can be seen from time to time.It seems that there are also foreigners among the guests who use the private rooms.
When Asuka was first built, it was run by the No. 2 wife of a certain politician, so most of the people who often come and go here are those politicians, business company buyers and financial people.
Perhaps for this reason, when Kikuko Yoshii entered Asuka, she was subjected to quite strict identity checks. Before joining Asuka, she had worked in other similar restaurants, and it was the first time that she was subjected to such strict checks.
When I first arrived here, the proprietress had sternly told me that even if I heard what the guests said, I would never let it out.The treatment is better than anywhere I have worked before.Chrysanthemum thinks it is "gag money".
"Guests in private rooms also tip a lot of gags."In the whispers of the usual waitresses, besides curiosity, there was also envy.
Tonight, the "veteran" Ah Chang, who specializes in serving customers in a private room, suddenly suffered from acute appendicitis, so the proprietress ordered Juzi to serve in the private room tonight.
"You have to pay attention, tonight's guest is a very important person, don't be negligent. Don't look at the guest's appearance, and don't get close to the guest after finishing what you are asked to do. The guest and companion come separately tonight and leave tomorrow morning. You will live here tonight, and you will be greeted at any time."
The proprietress solemnly exhorted her, and handed over the special allowance and tip bag for tonight to Chrysanthemum.It contains 20,000 yen.This is unprecedented for the stingy proprietress.Chrysanthemum could tell from the look of the proprietress that tonight's guest must be a big shot.Besides Ah Chang, there are many veterans, and the proprietress actually chose her, which can be said to be her trust in herself.Chrysanthemum thought.
At 8 o'clock in the evening, the male guests arrived first.This is a man in his 50s with a strong physique and a tall build.For the guests in a single room, the women usually come first and wait for the men, but tonight it was the men who came first.
When the man arrived, he immediately took a shower.The meal has been eaten, and some simple food can be prepared as appropriate.he ordered briefly.
"What drinks are you preparing?" Chrysanthemum asked in trepidation.
"Bring whiskey and ice."
Juzi said "Got it", and was about to leave the door when she was stopped by the voice of "Wait a minute".
"Are you new here?"
"Ah Chang is sick tonight."
"Well, what do you say, it's not much, you can take it." As she said, she stuffed the paper bag with the gift certificate that she had prepared in advance into her hand.Afterwards, Chrysanthemum took a look and found that there were 10,000 yen in it.
— There is a special income of 30,000 yen at night, no wonder those veterans refuse to give up their private rooms, Chrysanthemum thought to herself.
The female guest came after an hour, and she was dressed plainly, but it was obvious at a glance that she was a person who spared no expense.Although it was night, he was wearing a pair of sunglasses with large lenses, which made it difficult to see his facial features clearly.The thick shawl hair hangs down to the cheeks, covering the shape of the face. Judging from the dress and body shape, he is between 27-33 years old.
The woman followed behind Juzi without saying a word.As if he was afraid of revealing his identity by speaking.When I got to the private room, I lowered my voice and said "Thank you" softly, and handed over a paper bag with a gift sign printed on it.
"No, I already got it." Because the tip was too much, Juzi declined.
"It's okay, just take it." Saying that, he forced it into her hand, and then flashed into the private room.Seems like a regular here.The male guest who came first ordered inside: "Before tomorrow morning, there is nothing to do here, you can leave."
Based on experience, since the two guests have said so, there is really nothing wrong.The tip given by the female customer is 10,000 yen.In this way, she received a temporary income of 40,000 yen in total.Prosperous guests are never stingy with money, and they are the most trouble-free senior guests.
At midnight, Chrysanthemum got into bed in the duty room with 40,000 yen in her pocket.
At 6:00 the next morning, Chrysanthemum got up and waited for the order from the guest in the single room.Restaurant mornings come late.If there are no guests staying overnight, there is nothing to do until the afternoon.
Single room guests, get up early and stay late.After getting up, they almost always leave in a hurry without even eating breakfast.But some guests also want some simple breakfast, so Chrysanthemum is prepared to be ready for guests to eat at any time.
At 7 o'clock in the morning, a paging ring came from the private room.Chrysanthemum picked up the receiver, and it was the proprietress' voice.
"Hey, Aju, come to the private room immediately!" The voice was urgent.
Chrysanthemum rushed to the single room in a hurry, the proprietress and several men were already there, all of them had tense faces.
"Aju, something big happened, the guest here died last night!"
"died……?"
When Juzi heard the sudden news, it was like being forced to swallow hard food, and she couldn't comprehend the taste of it for a while.
"Really. The police will come in a while, and they will ask you, the on-duty officer, about the situation. You have to be mentally prepared."
"Then, are both of them dead?" Ju Zifang realized that the matter was very important.
"The male guest is dead. This is an important person from the government. You have been involved in this big incident. You should hold your breath."
"Where's that girl?"
"I was very frightened, and now I am resting in the main room."
"But how did he die? It was fine last night."
"It's like a heart attack, you still don't understand?" The proprietress winked, subtle and reserved.Chrysanthemum immediately understood the meaning.I have only heard of it before, but it seems that this time it has become a reality.The female partner must have been shocked.
After a while, the police came.Chrysanthemum is fully prepared.Knowing that inquiry—will definitely focus on oneself.However, the police only asked about the arrival time of the men and women and the conditions when they arrived, and the rest were mainly asked about their female companions.
Judging from the female companion's answers to the police's questioning, she seems to have recovered from the shock.Chrysanthemum only saw the back of her girlfriend who was being questioned by the police, and was driven out of the questioning scene by the police.
Chrysanthemum didn't know the details of the inquiry, but the time when the guest died seemed to be around 5 o'clock in the morning.
It is said that the terrified female companion found the proprietress, and when the proprietress called the doctor, the customer's heart had completely stopped beating.
A police examination also revealed a cardiac arrest.At 11 a.m., family members came to claim the body.
Chrysanthemum knew the identity of the deceased from the evening paper of that day, which reported as follows:
Shusaku Shada (Minister of the Technology Development Division of the National Defense Agency, General Chairperson of the Equipment Review Council) was at South Platform 12, Shibuya-ku, at 5:20 a.m. on the 18th due to a heart attack. XX's Asuka restaurant passed away.At the age of 50, a native of Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture, a student of the 55th class of the Army Non-commissioned Officer Academy, a captain of the Army, the farewell ceremony was held at...
Although I don't know what the role of the General Chairperson of the Equipment Review Committee of the National Defense Agency is, it seems to be a remarkable rank.Since the obituary can be published in the newspaper, it must be a big shot.It seems that the proprietress was not lying when she said she was an important person in the government circle.
Chrysanthemum was reading the newspaper when she suddenly noticed a problem.That is, the newspaper didn't mention Shatian Xiuce's female companion at all.She had a major relationship with Sha Tin's death.Maybe, no, she must have been the direct cause of Sha Tin's death, and it's so weird that the papers didn't mention it at all.Regarding Sha Tian's death, the newspaper reported it not as an "obituary", but as a news report on the social edition of the Evening News.
It goes without saying that she is not Sha Tin's wife.A person who held an important position in the National Defense Agency died while sharing a bed with an unknown female companion in a restaurant.Was it covered up because it was unseemly?
——But it's really clever to cover up.
If clever...
One doubt leads to another doubt.
——When I was called to the private room by the proprietress, the proprietress and the doctor were already in the private room.That is to say, it was Shatian's female companion who called the proprietress after discovering the abnormality.But in that case it should be the responsible waitress first.But she regarded me as a deaf ear—a display, and called the proprietress, and then the doctor. As a result, I was the last one to be called.
Even so, it may be because the death is embarrassing, and I don't want the waitress I served on the first night to see.
——Yes, at 5 o'clock in the morning, it was the orgasm.
Chrysanthemum's imagination got on the obscene track, and she blushed unconsciously.At the heart of this imagining, however, is a cause of death.The two men and women are immersed in the affair of avoiding people's eyes and ears.Due to the rare chance to meet, he finally became too greedy.Judging from the time at 5 o'clock in the morning, it may have been the second time or even worse, which made the man forget his age, which was too reluctant.This increases the burden on the man's heart...
Imagination spreads its wings.
——Yes, if you want to keep it a secret, why does the proprietress still call me?
As a hostess in a single room, I couldn't escape the police officer's questioning.
"The police officer wants to ask you something, you have to be mentally prepared."
"You have been involved in this big incident, you have to calm down." Juzi recalled what the proprietress said.
——Yes, that means to gag my mouth and prevent me from talking unnecessary words with the police.Chrysanthemum finally understood.
But, gag or not, I encountered this incident when I was sent to serve in a private room on behalf of Ah Chang for the first time, and I don't know anything.It may be that the proprietress was panicked by the sudden disaster.
In the evening of that day, after the aftermath work came to an end, Juzi was called away by the proprietress.
"Aju, today is really lovely, you must be very scared too. You can go back today." She comforted.
"No, nothing. Just surprised."
"That's right. I've been in this business for almost 30 years, and this is the first time something like this has happened in my store. By the way, it's not much, so put it away!"
The female boss stuffed Chrysanthemum with a thick paper bag.
"Oh, this is too embarrassing, I got a lot yesterday."
"It's okay, just accept it. You did a good job overnight. I want to thank you very much. Recently, I have to think about your salary."
"Just give it to me, that's not good."
"And Aju, I know I don't need to remind you, you also understand, don't tell anyone about the fact that the dead Shatian has a female companion. If such a big shot is leaked out by negligence, the people involved will be killed." That's a lot."
Chrysanthemum secretly wrote down the words of the proprietress in her heart.The proprietress repeatedly told her to gag Chrysanthemum.
"I don't tell anyone."
"Then I'll leave it to you. My business depends on keeping customers' secrets. Maybe a well-informed weekly magazine will come to ask something, but absolutely don't say anything."
"understood."
"Then, let's go back today. Thank you for your hard work." The proprietress finished her instructions and finally released Chrysanthemum.
Despite the hard work of the proprietress, the cause of Shada's death spread among Asuka's waitresses.Their sense of smell is outstanding.Of course, Chrysanthemum was inevitably subject to curious inquiries.
"Hey, Aju, what's going on, tell me."
"I really don't know wow."
"Refrain from lying! Was it blocked by the lady boss? It doesn't matter, we are a family and will not leak it to others. You are too mean."
"Forgive me, I really don't know."
"What kind of person is that woman? Aju, you wouldn't say that Sha Tian lived in a single room alone, would you?"
"I just led the way and didn't see clearly."
"It is said that she is the wife of a person of high rank."
"Ah Chang knows a lot more about this than I do. I was just a temporary substitute that night."
"A Chang can't do it!"
"why?"
"That person is too strict!"
"Then it seems that my mouth is not strict?"
"Look, don't tell yourself. Your tight mouth shows that you are hiding something. Tell me!"
"Didn't I say that? I really don't know wow."
Chrysanthemum kept silent, and ran away in a hurry.However, if she was traveling with her, the cause of Sha Tian's death and her female companion opened up new opportunities for her.
two
Chrysanthemum has always considered Shatian as the center, and thought that the proprietress painstakingly told her not to let the wind go, it was just for the reputation of Shatian.But conversations among friends reminded her there was more to it.
If Shatian's female partner is the wife of a person of status, or she herself is a person of a certain social status, then she is even more afraid of being exposed and having an affair with Shatian. From the scene when the two came, it can be seen that their actions are Extremely secretive.If Shatian and mistress were equal in status, then the living would have more to lose than the dead.The reputation and status of the living are more important than the reputation of the dead.
In addition, if the mistress is of a higher status than Shatian, then no matter what, she must be covered up to the end.The situation is exactly the same even if the speculation centered on the sand field is converted to the center on the mistress.
The behavior of the female boss, the mysterious questioning by the police, and the question of not reporting on the mistress can all be explained so far. Maybe the big shot is a mistress.When Chrysanthemum guessed this, she became very curious about the origin of her mistress.What Chrysanthemum said to her mistress was just a "thank you" when she was taken to the private room.
Only this sentence, can not grasp the characteristics of its voice.In addition, the mistress gave her a paper bag with a tip of 10,000 yen.
Chrysanthemum took out the mistress's only item and observed it.This is a very common gift bag sold in the store. It is the same size as other stores. It is tied with black and white paper strings and printed with gift wrapping. This thing will not be any clue.Chrysanthemum, who had been discouraged, suddenly lit up her eyes and found a faint pink mark on the back of the paper bag.If you look carefully, the imprint is in the shape of a swirl.
—these are fingerprints, which must have been taken by the hand that touched the lips.
However, even if fingerprints are left, it will not help. First, the police cannot compare the fingerprints of people with criminal records, and second, Shatian's mistress does not have any criminal convictions.What's more, the police know the background of the mistress and are just covering it up.
Regarding the origin of the mistress, Ju Yu had a new understanding, but stopped exploring.Because this matter has nothing to do with her.Because of this incident, she unexpectedly received an income of tens of thousands of yen, and if she continues to keep silent about this matter in the future, her salary may be increased.If you continue to do this kind of redundant exploration, your good luck may be wiped out in an instant.
However, a strong opponent appeared in front of Chrysanthemum, and two days after the incident, on the way home from the restaurant, Chrysanthemum was stopped by a man.
"Are you Miss Yoshii Kikuko?"
Looking for the reputation, it is a man in his 30s with an alert look.Because she didn't know who the other party was, Juzi just stood there without making a sound.
"I'm a reporter for a weekly magazine. Are you Miss Yoshii Kikuko who works for Asuka?" the man asked again.It really came up, Juzi thought to herself, since the other party already knows who she is, it is not appropriate to pretend that she is not.She nodded.
"I'm sorry to call you on the way home, but I have something to ask you."
"What's up?"
"It's not convenient to stand and talk, please come here for a while."
"It's getting late, I have something urgent to do."
"It will never take you a long time, only five or six minutes. Please." The other party's tone was completely irrefutable, and Chrysanthemum was conquered by his professional courage.
The weekly reporter took Chrysanthemum to a nearby teahouse and took out a business card with the name on it as Koichi Toyosumi.
"What are you doing?" Juzi urged restlessly.Although she came here with her, she put on a posture that would never be taken lightly.
"I want to know about Shusaku Shada who died in your shop a few days ago."
Fengzhu brushed his long hair up, staring at Chrysanthemum's eyes with searching eyes.As expected.Chrysanthemum thought.
"I have nothing to say about this." Saying that, Chrysanthemum stood up to leave.
"Wait a minute, the papers said it was a heart attack. But that's just official language, and there are actually other causes of death."
In the end it was the weekly magazine that came to the fore.Chrysanthemum was even more prepared.
"That is to say, because it is said that the Shatian family died in the abdomen, one cannot die alone. There must be a mistress together. So I thought, you are the hostess in charge of the private room where Shatian lived, and you must know the mistress. How about it? Without giving you any trouble, tell me what kind of mistress is that?"
Chrysanthemum thought that this guy was indeed a full-time weekly reporter, and she even found out that I was the single room hostess on the night of the incident.
"I don't know what a mistress is. Let me go back to that."
"However, we can't believe that Mrs. Shatian lives in a single room alone."
"You are free to think that way. There are plenty of guests who live alone."
"That night, someone saw a woman sneaking into Asuka's private room."
"Then you can ask her."
"I will never say that I heard it from you. I won't cause you any trouble, can you tell me something?" Feng Zhu persisted.
"I really don't know anything. What do you mean you don't want to cause trouble? You have added enough. It's been 15 minutes, let me go."
Chrysanthemum stood up all of a sudden. Originally, she really didn't know anything about the origin of Shatian's mistress.
"Miss Yoshii, please wait a moment." Fengzhu solemnly stopped her.There was something frightening about that voice.Chrysanthemum sat down on the seat again as if caught by an invisible hand.
"You may become an accomplice in a big case if you don't manage it." The words are inevitably more terrifying.
"what you mean?"
"Some people say that Sha Tin may have been murdered to death."
"Killed!?" Chrysanthemum was at a loss for a moment.The great meaning of these words caused ripples in her heart.
"Yes. The so-called cardiac paralysis is a general term for acute cardiac death that has not yet been determined in medicine. Even rheumatism, syphilis, etc. cause changes in the heart wall and aortic wall, or cause cardiac wheezing, and acute infectious diseases. Myocarditis, beriberi heart disease, or cardiac arrest such as sudden neck suffocation can all be said to be cardiac paralysis, which means that the cause of death is unknown."
"But, then...?"
Hearing this inexplicable explanation, Chrysanthemum was speechless.Fengzhu is in hot pursuit.
"Perhaps you were taken as a witness who concealed the murderer, because if there is no uninclined third party, it will arouse suspicion. As far as I know, you were sent to a private room for the first time that night. Because those old people were too I understand the situation, so I let you who don't know anything replace them."
"No, Ah Chang is really sick and is still in the hospital!"
"I have already met Ah Chang, but that person is no good. She is completely on the side of the other party. It can be said that she is the same. As a witness, she has tendencies, so she chose you."
"Ah Chang is not pretending to be sick."
"It's because Ah Chang has appendicitis."
"But how could Mr. Shatian be murdered!" Chrysanthemum wanted to struggle out of the terrifying possibilities hinted by Toyozu.
"Can you conclude that he was not murdered?"
"This, this..."
"Impossible. You are the good witness they have set up. Maybe they have ordered you not to say anything useless. Think about it, if there are no ghosts, why should you be gagged?"
Fengzhu's words are more to the point than a sentence.
"When a customer dies in a restaurant, it's always covered up."
"It's too much to cover up. You obviously have a mistress, but you don't talk about it. Don't you think it's strange?"
"However, if the death was from the abdomen, Mr. Shatian's family members also want to cover up his mistress!"
"You still have a mistress?"
Chrysanthemum was tricked by Fengzhu's ingenious inducement, so she didn't ask herself.She couldn't deny it.
"Do you know the mistress?"
"I don't know, that night I served in a private room for the first time."
"Then, have you seen what it looks like?"
Chrysanthemum nodded helplessly.
"What kind of woman is it? Such as age, clothing, and physical characteristics..."
"I just showed her the way when she came."
"Age and clothing..."
"Aged 27-33. Wears suits in fine fabrics but understated."
"What are the characteristics of the face and body? For example, whether there are moles, or height and shape..."
"She was wearing a pair of sunglasses, and she didn't see what she looked like. She was moderately fat and thin, with a medium build, and there was nothing special about her."
"Is there any characteristic of speaking? Like accent or something?"
"Barely said anything, just said 'thank you' when sent to the private room."
As Chrysanthemum spoke, it suddenly occurred to her that the tip bag that the woman gave her had "lipstick fingerprints" printed on it.She wanted to say it, but she didn't say it and buried it in her heart.
"At that time, didn't Mrs. Shatian call the woman by her name?"
"No. When the woman arrived, he just said that there was nothing to do until tomorrow morning..."
"You were driven away." Feng Zhu nodded in understanding.
"And then, what happened the next morning after what happened?"
Chrysanthemum narrated the situation before and after the proprietress asked her to run to the private room.
"It means that when you were called to the private room, the proprietress and the doctor were already there." Fengzhu's eyes lit up!
"What was the mistress doing then?"
"I heard that he was resting in the main room due to fright."
"Did you see her?"
"When the police came to understand the situation, I took a look at the back."
"Didn't you see the face?"
"It's just a back view."
"Weren't you present when I asked her about the situation?"
"I got to know each other separately, and I wasn't there."
"When did the girl leave?"
"I don't know. When the police came to investigate, they saw her for the last time. She may have left soon."
"If you see that woman again, will you still recognize her?"
"If you wear the same sunglasses, you may be able to recognize it. If you don't wear a mirror, I'm afraid you won't be able to recognize it. Let me ask, is Mr. Shatian really killed?" Live in the trap.
"There is such a saying." Fengzhu's words suddenly became vague, "What you said just now, please never say that you heard it from me."
"I guarantee it." Fengzhu assured.
three
That night, Kizaki Minji was unexpectedly invited by the village to go to Ginza Street for a drink together.Said it was "drinking", but Kizaki didn't have the capacity for alcohol, all he drank was fruit juice and Coke.In any case, this was the first time in Kisaki's life that he set foot in a high-end nightclub and bar.
Judging from the attitude of the village and the appearance of the waitresses, he is a frequent visitor to such places.
"Now that Kisaki is guarding the empty house alone, it's a good opportunity to relieve boredom." The village encouraged the waitresses wherever he went.
"Oh, let me live in one room." They just talked nicely, but they refused to leave the embrace of the village.Murakami liked girls very much when he was a student, and Kisaki discovered the gap between himself and him.
That's not just a gap in women's issues, but a gap in life.
The village is full of confidence in everything.And succeed in whatever you do.This is the opposite of everything being negative, except for Kizaki who is just joking around.
After drinking a few bars, the village has been having an affair with a waitress.
"Well, after the store closes, wait for me at the old place."
"It kept me waiting for a long time, maybe it was taken away by other girls."
"Bad thing! If you want to do that kind of thing, I won't forgive you."
The conversation got worse and worse.The village suddenly yelled "Ouch", as if they were pinched somewhere, it seemed that they had reached an agreement tonight.
On the other hand, Kisaki, who was surrounded by Ginza beauties, did nothing but drink his juice in silence.When I got home, I just guarded the empty room and slept with my knees hugged.
Kisaki really hoped to see Oikawa Maki in the place where the village took him, but he was disappointed.
"Let's change places."
Just as the village was about to get up, a low bell rang from somewhere.The first to be heard was a waitress.
"Ah, where is the bell ringing?" The waitresses looked at each other in surprise.
"Haha, it's here." Murakami put his hand into his pocket, and the ringing stopped.
"Ah, it's a pocket bell."
"With this annoying bell, I can't stop drinking. I'm sorry, please wait." Murakami walked towards the telephone.After a while he came back, looking nervous.
"It's urgent, I have to go back to the company quickly." Murakami said, looking at Kisaki and the waitress.
"Oh, why don't you go so late? The company really abuses people!" The waitress who reached an agreement with the village showed displeasure.
"Shall I go back too?" Kisaki asked.Pocket bells are only issued to those who hold major roles in the company.An emergency call in the middle of the night must be something important. A new employee like Kisaki who has just joined the company is not eligible to be called.But he must be an employee of this company, so he asked tentatively.
As expected, Murakami hesitated for a moment and said, "Yes, you didn't drink. Please drive me!"
After returning to Ginza Daichome Nakakan, after driving the car out of the parking lot, the village said:
"Go to the South Terrace in Shibuya."
"South Terrace?" Kisaki has never been to Shibuya for business.
"Kizaki, something important has happened. From now on, you must keep silent about what you saw and heard, and you are not allowed to spread it. Okay?" Murakami asked.
"Don't ask me. I won't do anything against the company."
"Trust what you say. In short, you just drive for me tonight. Don't ask about other things that have nothing to do with you. "
It seems that Murakami brought Kisaki here as a last resort.The car drove up Daoxuanpo, and drove into the high-end residential street on the south platform.According to the instructions of the village, the car stopped next to the "Asuka" restaurant.The trees in the courtyard are lush and green, and the lights from the buildings flicker among the trees.
"Okay, you wait here for a while."
After Murakami finished speaking, he walked in through the convenient door of the wall, and Kisaki looked at his watch, it was two o'clock in the morning. After 20 minutes, the door of the wicket opened, and 3 figures flashed inside.Among them was Murakami, and they got into the car driven by Kisaki, and one of them said, "Okay, drive."It was Tonooka's voice, and there were two new people getting into the car.
The third "passenger" was a woman, her face turned into the darkness.Tonooka and Murakami sandwiched her between them as if they were guarding the woman.The atmosphere was tense.They looked back from time to time, as if paying attention to whether they were being followed.
Toonoka didn't say much, simply turned left and right, and kept indicating the route.Affected by the tense atmosphere, Kisaki unknowingly stepped up the accelerator.Diaoka stopped and said, "Don't drive too fast!"
Kisaki looked at the "third passenger" through the rearview mirror as if nothing had happened, but the woman was sitting in a blind corner of the rearview mirror and could not see it.It seemed that Tonooka and Murakami made her sit there on purpose, but the woman never said a word, and she didn't seem to keep silent on purpose, but was greatly stimulated and a little dazed.The car circled around Setagaya.
"Okay, here we go."
In front of a gorgeous mansion in the suburbs, Tonooka ordered the car to stop.This is a luxurious residence no less than Asuka restaurant.There are no iron bars on the brick wall; it stands there fortified like a city wall.
It seemed that they had been in contact beforehand, and several family members came out of the mansion to welcome them, and surrounded the woman who got out of the car into the yard, and Tonooka entered with them.Kisaki wanted to find out the house number under the light of the door light, but he couldn't see it clearly due to the distance and the dim light.
He was watching closely, and the village urged: "Okay, let's go."
The car drove on the road according to the village's orders.This is "Tamagawa Avenue".
"Okay, stop here. My house is near here, you go home directly. You have to forget about tonight."
The village got off the car near Sansu.
Four
The next day, Kisaki casually flipped through the evening paper, and was surprised when he saw the society page.The big headline—Minister of the Technology Development Division of the National Defense Agency, General Chairman of the Equipment Review Council Shu Takumin Sudden Death Restaurant—came into his eyes.
The length is not too large, but it is different from the obituary form.What caught Kisaki's attention was the name of the restaurant.
"Isn't Asuka on Shibuya South Terrace the same restaurant you went to last night?"
Kisaki was surprised by this coincidence.The following content is: Around 5 o'clock in the morning today, Shusaku Shata died suddenly from "Asuka" due to a heart attack.Kisaki compared it to the time last night when he went to Asuka with Murakami to pick up an unidentified mysterious woman to a luxurious mansion in Setagaya.
When the knights in Ginza drank with Murakami and drove to "Tomorrow's Dream" because of the call of the pocket bell, it was not so much last night as it was two o'clock in the morning today.But the newspaper reported that Shata died at 5 o'clock this morning, and it was already past two o'clock when the woman came out of Asuka. There was a time difference of nearly 3 hours, but Kisaki always felt that this mysterious woman had nothing to do with Shata's death. There are relationships.
How can a man live alone in a restaurant?And "cardiac paralysis" is also an intriguing cause of death.
If that woman had something to do with Shatian's death, then the Shatian family and the people around him might want to hide the fact that there was a woman.
Because it is disgraceful for a person in an important position in the National Defense Agency to die of a heart attack while sleeping with a woman in a restaurant.
So, first the maid left, and then, the time of death was postponed for 3 hours.
——Kizaki's imagination is constantly developing.
——Then, who is that woman?
First of all, the object of interest is the true face of the woman.As the woman who sleeps with guests under the cover of a restaurant, the odds are most likely a geisha.
However, the place where Kisaki sent the woman away could not be seen as the lower part of a prostitute.Furthermore, from the expressions of Diangang and the village, it can be seen that they seem to be escorting an important person. Is this woman a woman of status?
Regardless of the woman's status, if she has a relationship with Shatian Xiuce, then the Central Economic Management and Shatian also have a relationship.
Although Kisaki didn't know how high the status of the "General Chairperson of the Equipment Review Council" was, whether it was the sense of the word or the special report of the newspaper, it seemed that he was quite a person.
Koichi Toyosumi of "Weekly Selen" smelled a strange smell from the sudden death of Sayu Shusaku in the restaurant.This is a professional sense. The important figure of the National Defense Agency died of an acute heart attack in the back room of the restaurant. Although the waitress heard that Shatian was accompanied by a mistress, the identity of the mistress was unknown.
Asuka's proprietress and older waitress must have known, but they kept silent.If there is anyone who can know, it is the police. The woman who was present when Sha Tian died suddenly must be the focus of the investigators, but for some reason, she has been hidden.
Is that because of the consideration of the deceased's social status, or is it due to the request of the deceased's family?Or is there another reason?
The death of Shatian Xiuce had a great impact on all aspects.Considering the scope of his death, there is a strange smell behind his death.
Even so, what Toyozu was interested in at the beginning was not the political turmoil brought about by the death of Sanda, but the discovery that the scandal of the death of a prominent figure in the National Defense Agency in a restaurant was in line with the weekly magazine's interest.It would be very attractive if this love affair was disclosed in a magazine with a little embellishment.
However, in the process of understanding the situation around Shatian, he discovered his position in the National Defense Agency and his influence on the political and financial circles. When tracking the ever-expanding turmoil caused by the death of Shatian, Toyozu’s interest also went beyond just looking at The scandal was escalated by a reportage investigation.
The editor-in-chief was also interested in this investigation and allowed him to conduct a special investigation.
Fengzhu belongs to the special group.This can be said to be the lifeblood of the weekly magazine, and it is the department responsible for album reporting and planning.Weekly Shilun is in a period of transition from the soft line to the hard line. It believes that readers like secular subjects and pornographic reports are the editors’ prejudice. They propose to completely remove those pornographic and pornographic reports from the page. The new editorial policy of "Layout Revolution".
Weekly magazines do not have the publicity and reportability of newspapers, but only capture events that are generally public.The weekly magazine takes a unique perspective on the human drama that the newspaper's objective reporting misses.
周刊杂志改变报纸所具有的那种报道性职能和娱乐性职能这两个重点，并把娱乐从具有低级趣味色彩方面改为追索，探求人的本质方向上来。这既是编辑们应做的，也是读者们希望的娱乐。
怎样来探求人的本质，当下正处于摸索阶段，但在新的编辑方针指导下确实扩大了发行量，由此可知周刊世论的新姿态已博得了读者的共鸣。
在这种新的方针下，砂田修策带有色情色彩的死因背后发现了意外的内容，这使丰住斗志大振，丰住进攻的钥匙是砂田的情妇。可是如果调查不出情妇的身分，那将一事无成。
但是，和跟着警察转的报社记者不同，出版社系统的周刊杂志、与警察没什么来往。即便有时到刑警的私宅去采访，结果也常常是吃闭门羹。即使是在有组织的采访班子里，也敌不过报社而必须去猎取报社不搞的侧面和死角。作为死角之一，他这次把目标设在了明日香的单间女招待身上，但还是没能弄清楚情妇的真实身份。
正当丰住时调查碰壁之时，却出现了一件意外的事。
周刊记者的暗示，给菊子以很大震动。
——说我不知不觉地成了杀人帮凶。
“简直是开玩笑！”
菊子独自愤然道，可仔细一想，有些事说得也不无道理。那个吝啬的老板娘，竟先后两次给自己特别补贴，并声称要提升工资。这在过去可是不曾有的，如果这是作为当杀人帮凶的费用，那么这钱未免太少了，说她是吝啬的老板娘倒也是恰如其分。
——然而，不论给多少钱，我也不能是杀人帮凶啊。
（那个周刊记者是为了让我开口而在危言耸听，是的，肯定是这样的。）
菊子自己问自己，可疑团却越来越大。
事件发生后，“明日香”竟象什么也没发生过一样，一如既往，每天营业。过了些天，女招待们也为接待新的客人而忙碌，都不在议论此事了。除那个周刊记者外，再没有人来打听情况。
老板娘似乎把长工资的事忘得一干二净，此后再未提起过，如果老板娘当时只是以长工资为借口堵菊子的嘴，那么菊子仅以几万日元的代价便被雇佣为杀人帮凶了。
虽然钱给得再多，也得拒绝当杀人帮凶，但帮凶费越少也就越是不上算了。然而，菊子不能模仿侦探去调查砂田的真正死因。因为作为专家的警察尚没对“心脏麻痹”提出异议。菊子心中有的只是无法解释的、朦朦胧胧的疑惑。
正在这时，却有一件事意外地跑到菊子手中。
这一天，菊子上班后在门前洒水时，门外有个人在胆怯地向里面窥视。
他是个身着司机制服制帽的中年男子，象是出租汽车司机，这时还不是接送客人的时间。
"Is there a problem?"
菊子停下手里的活问道。男人微微鞠躬施礼。
“这里有一位叫及川真树的女招待员吗？”
“及川真树？这……”
菊子不知道。新来的女招待员里也没有叫这个名字的人。
“这个名字也许有另一种读法。”司机补充说。
“好象没有这么个人，可她怎么了？”
“实际上，我是来送这个的。”
司机递过来一个名片大小的卡片，上面印着“诊察证特约”，“及川真树”几个字是用钢笔写的。
"what is this?"
菊子不解地看着它。
“那不是一张诊察证吗。这是她在这门前下车时掉到我车上的，我想她多半是您这里的女招待。我发现后想若不及时送来，可能会耽误使用，但是一直没有机会到这边来。”
“及川真树小姐，我们这里没有这么个人哪。”菊子歪着头沉思道。突然她想到一件事，问道：“您是什么时候送她来这里的？”
“我想是四五天以前的一个夜里。”
“是17号那天夜里吗？星期四，傍晚下雨的那天。”
“是的，你这样一说，正是那天。”
“是几点上的车？”
“那天我是夜班。大约在凌晨3点左右上车的。说起来应该是18日早晨的事了，那位小姐是从私铁的K车站送到这里的，是公司用无线电话通知我的。非常急。”
“明白了。这个人是常来这里的艺妓。让我转交给她吧。”
“是艺妓呀，难怪长得那么漂亮。”司机放了心似地正了正帽沿。能够特意地把这张轻易补领到的诊察证送来，看样子他是个十分诚实的人。
“特意送来，真感谢你啦。她一定会很高兴的。这是点小意思。”
菊子把手头的钱装在生意人经常随身携带的礼品袋里一些，递了过去。
“不，我可不是为了这个才送来的。”
“可您到底是特意跑来一趟呀。再说，如若不收下，过后她也会说我的。”
菊子把礼品袋强放在频频谢绝的司机手上。
司机离去后，菊子开始考虑这张突然跑到自己手一里的诊察证。
诊察证的主人，是18日凌晨3时左右乘出租汽车来到“明日香”的。正是那天夜里，砂田在单间死于急性心脏病。时间也很接近。
菊子是晚上9点送砂田的情妇到单间的，所以情妇可能和及川真树这个诊察证的主人是两个人。那么，及川真树是为什么事来明日香的呢？
那个时间，女招待不会来上班，艺妓也不会出入于此。即便是来陪客人睡觉也未免太迟，并且那天夜里也没有那样的客人。
然而，菊子的直感告诉她，及川真树和砂田修策有关系。与砂田有关系，也就是说可能与杀害砂田有关系。因此她才凭这即时的判断，慷慨解囊送给司机小费，把诊察证留了下来。
她想日后这个诊察证说不定会成为什么证据。
因为及川真树完全是一副常出入于此的艺妓的打扮，所以不能向司机打听她的容貌特征，不过如果到诊察证的发行部门大手町的诊疗所去一下，大概就会知道她的底细。并且可以推测出她的住处可能就在私铁的K站附近。
可是，菊子不知道应该怎么处理手里的这张诊察征。菊子觉得这是价值连城的无价之宝。她真的是有了好东西不会利用了。
虽然如此，菊子并不想学侦探的样子，到大手町的诊疗所去搞什么调查。正当她不知如何是好时，突然想起了前几天来过的周刊记者。
那个记者一定会有效地利用这个“宝”的。
“我记得有他的名片。”当她终于主意已定时，店里传来了同伴的呼唤声。明日香繁忙的时刻到了。
Fives
丰住从吉井菊子手里得到诊察证后，对其主人及川真树产生了强烈的兴趣。
据吉井菊子讲，砂田的情妇到达时，是晚9时左右，而出租汽车司机把及川送到明日香时，是凌晨3时左右。
出入单间可以不经由正房，而从庭院中穿过。情妇到后，也可能外出去K车站附近一趟，早3时左右再回来，而不会被人发现。但把9时来的人和3时来的人看成是两个人，也不无道理。
“太好了，我一定要派上用场。”
丰住向吉井菊子表示感谢，送给她一个装钱的信封，作为协助采访费。丰住哪里知道，这钱相当宁菊子送给司机的小费的10倍。
丰住从诊察证上知道及川真树这个女人与砂田修策有某种关系，但却不知道她是谁。
吉井菊子本人并没有见过及川真树，而诊察证上也没标明她的住址，去诊疗所调查了，但涉及到患者的地址和个人的隐私一概不予接待。法律上规定，医生以及医疗工作者有义务保守工作中得知的患者的秘密，并可以拒绝强制搜查。对周刊杂志的采访则更持不合作态度。
对及川真树既不认识、，亦不知道什么特征，当然无法在私铁K车站附近区暗中监视，吉井菊子也没问一问送诊察证的司机的住址，所以也无从打听。
剩下的唯一手段，是到大手町诊疗所去“蹲坑”，如果装成病人在诊疗所的候诊室里等候，说不定及川真树什么时侯会来，当医生按顺序呼唤患者姓名时，就会知道谁是真树。而后通过盯梢，会弄清她的地址。
可是，如果总在诊疗所的候诊室里等待不知何时才能来的及川真树，那么，不等她出现，自己可能就会引起怀疑了。即使假装成患者，但是身上并没有不舒服的地方。
“你要去'蹲坑'，知道她去哪个科看病吗？”看到丰住的中期报告后，主编问。
“不知道，只知道是特约。”
“要是妇科，你就无法'蹲坑'了。”
“患者不都是在候诊室候诊吗？”
“那就不知道了。大医院里候诊室可都是分科的。”
“总之不去诊疗所碰一碰，也没有别的办法啊。”
“好吧，你既上了船，就干到底吧。这也是个好机会，你短期住院检查一下健康情况怎么样？”
“短期住院？太好啦，反正也不是每天躺在床上，这正好蹲坑儿。”
不愧是主编，真会出点子，丰住内心叹服道。
Notes:
Notes: