Chapter 17 first quarter

Sochii Takehachi believes that to investigate Yamazaki Jiro's actions, it is still necessary to go back to the line of horse trainer Nishida Sunkichi at the Fuchu Racecourse. Yamazaki Jiro went to see Nishida Sonkichi before his death, but at that time Nishida Kazuma's owner, former member of parliament Tateyama Torahira, went to Osaka.That's what Yumi said. Did Yamazaki really miss Nishida Sunji?Maybe Yamazaki met with Nishida who returned to Tokyo afterwards? Takehachi Sukui had to go to the racetrack again. The stables were empty.He came to the stables' quarters at the end of the stable.There was no movement here except the sound of the horse's hooves on the floor.

"Is anyone there? Is anyone there?" Takehachi Sutsui shouted to the second floor. After a while, someone poked his head out from the entrance on the second floor: "who is it?" "I'm from the newspaper." "Newspaper?" A man in his forties came down from the second floor, wearing a pair of dirty knickerbockers. "What's the matter?" He stopped in the middle of the stairs and asked, constantly looking up and down Takeuhachi, guarding the second floor.It looked like someone was gambling on the second floor. "Excuse me, is Mr. Nishida in?" Sokui Takehachi asked in a relaxed tone.

"No. He went to the racetrack in Fukushima. What's the matter?" the man said listlessly. "I have something to ask... Is Mr. Sueyoshi there?" "Sueyoshi has also gone to Fukushima. The horses here have gone there, and almost everyone has gone on a business trip with us. We are housekeepers." "Do you work at the stables, too?" "yes." "When did Nishida-san come back from Osaka?" "It's the 13th of this month...it might be like this. Hello!" He turned around and asked questions on the second floor.He replied, "Yes." He seemed relieved to see that Takehachi Suzui didn't look like a plainclothes policeman.

The 13th was two days before Yamazaki Jiro went missing.During this period, Yamazaki may have met Sonichi Nishida. "I'm from the R newspaper. Has Mr. Yamazaki, the editor-in-chief of our agency, visited Mr. Nishida?" "It seems not." "Has Mr. Nishida not left the stable since he came back on the 13th?" "He trains horses during the day, but goes out almost every night." "What are you doing out tonight?" "Because the date of the horse race in Fukushima Prefecture is approaching, the owner of the horse has something to discuss with him."

"Does the horse's owners include Mr. Tateyama, a former congressman?" "Yes. Our important people here often go to Mr. Tateyama. Mr. Tateyama has two horses going to Fukushima to race, and they are making preparations before the race." "When did Mr. Nishida go to Fukushima Prefecture?" "It seems to be the 16th." The 16th was the second day that Yamazaki Jiro went missing.It was the day before the box containing his body was found. Takehachi Sukui noticed this 16th.At nine o'clock in the afternoon on this day, Koriyama Station received the box containing the corpse.

"It's the 16th, right?" "Mr. Nishida came back on the 13th and stayed here for three days, so it is correct on the 16th. Mr. Nishida and Mr. Tateyama met in Akita and went to Fukushima when they returned. Mr. Tateyama went to Akita on the evening of the 16th. Mr. Nishida left on the 16th, that's right." "Did Tateyama-san go to Akita on the 15th? Is there any horse racing in Akita?" "Not in Akita. But there are ranches in Morioka and Aomori." "Then the horses set off before Mr. Nishida?" "Yes. The horses start to go away a week or ten days before the race."

"Did Mr. Sueyoshi go with the horse?" "Yes. Not only Sueji, but the other stable attendants also took the horses away. Because they are all expensive horses!" The middle-aged stable attendant already showed a bored expression, as if he was thinking about the victory or defeat on the second floor. "Thank you for the trouble. Goodbye." Sochii Takehachi quit and said to himself, "Tateyama Topei is the 16th, and Nishida is the 16th." Nishida returned from Osaka on the 13th and met with the owner of the horse almost every night, including of course the former congressman Tateyama.

On the tram ride home, Sochii Takehachi thought: Nishida Sonkichi used the excuse of meeting the owner of the horse, Tateyama Topeira, as an excuse, but it is not clear that he is actually looking for Tamami. Either at her apartment or at another hotel, maybe at "Miyanaga" in Kagurazaka.However, this is a secret between two people, even if you ask Yumi, she will not tell the truth. Also, why did former congressman Tateyama go to such a remote place in Akita?It is noteworthy that the date of his departure was the 15th. Takehachi Sukui has nothing to do with ex-senator Tateyama, but as a journalist, the situation is useful to him. R News is a third-rate evening paper, not closely related to the political circles.

Takehachi found Tateyama Topeira's office in the phone book, which was "31466 National Treasure Building, Nihonbashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo." He hung up the phone: "Excuse me, is Mr. Tateyama in? I'm the social department of the R newspaper." Takehachi Sotsui said in a business tone. "What is your business?" "Our agency is planning to create a column of 'Political Group Portraits' recently, and I want to introduce Mr. Tateyama Topeira. Although we have some information, we still want to have an interview with Mr. Tateyama." "I'm sorry. He is traveling now, not in Tokyo." The other party's secretary said.

"Is it far away?" "Yes. He went to the Northeast." "When can I come back?" "It will take four or five days." "This is difficult. Because the matter is urgent, we can't wait for him to come back. Can someone from the office please receive us?" "Yes. You can talk to me." "May I ask your name?" "My name is Kuwahara." "Then I'll go visit right away." Takehachi took a taxi and rushed to the National Treasure Building.There is a large metal plaque in the window on the third floor of the building, with the words "Tateyama Topeira Office" written on it.

The office is on the third floor, and it is a double room connected together.The girl in charge of sending and receiving took Takei Sukhachi's business card and led him to a room that looked like a reception room.Although it is on the third floor, it is as stuffy as a basement, and the electric fan is turning lazily.Because it is a low-grade building, there is no air-conditioning equipment. The secretary Kuwahara who received him was a man in his thirties, wearing rimless glasses, with a short beard on his nose.He really looked like a statesman's secretary, with all the energy in his posture and figure.People like this are the ones who should be stalking the red carpet in the aisles of Congress or the House of Representatives. "What do you want to ask?" He shrugged his shoulders and sat on the chair. "There are various rumors about Mr., and the fallacies are inevitable. Since he is not here, I want to talk to his charge d'affaires." "understood." The ex-senator did not forget the necessary publicity for the next election, although the secretary also gave a polite reception to a tabloid reporter.He began to talk incessantly. The content is extremely general, and they are all political opinions of Toupei Tateyama.Takehachi listened with great patience, pretending to be taking summary notes.Actually he didn't write anything.This is just a prelude before introducing this question. "Thank you for your enlightenment." Takehachi Sujii endured the soft sentence for nearly 20 minutes, bowed his head and thanked: "Your strong support has enriched our existing materials. But it is still a pity that we did not directly listen to Mr. Tateyama's teachings." "It's understandable. But what I'm telling you is what my husband taught me. You can take it as a conversation with him." "Yes. I think so too. Thank you for your hard work! I heard that sir is traveling to Akita..." "Yes. There was a party branch meeting there, and he went to it." "It's hard enough on a hot day. When did he leave?" "On the 15th, we departed from Ueno Station by the 'Tsugaru' Limited Express." This was no different from what Takehachi Sokui had heard from the stable attendant at Nishida's stable. "Sir, did you come back to Tokyo directly from Akita?" "No. If that's the case, he would have returned to Tokyo a long time ago...he will go to Fukushima on the way back from Akita." "Fukushima?" The secretary with the short beard smiled, his gold teeth gleaming from his parted lips. "Perhaps you have heard that he is very interested in horse racing. He has four horses; two of them will participate in the Fukushima horse race, and he will go to watch the battle!" "Those two horses are fostered in the Xitian stables!" "You understand very well. Exactly that." "We have done some research on Mr. Tateyama's deeds. In order to understand Mr. Tateyama's hobby of horse racing, I went to Nishida's stables. Mr. Nishida also went to Fukushima, and people there said that Mr. Nishida Sonkichi went to Akita I met Mr. Tateyama." "Oh! I don't know about that either." The secretary's expression was a little unnatural.Something that journalists already know but they don't know is a bit of "that". "That's what the people at the stables said, so that's probably it! Mr. Nishida may have gone to Akita to meet with Mr. Tateyama to study which horse to use for the competition. Because the horse race has already started today." The "today" mentioned is June 27. The horse racing in Fukushima is held on June 27 (Saturday) and 28 (Sunday) and July 4 (Saturday) and July 5 (Sunday). "Mr. Nishida is an enthusiastic person, and Tateyama Torahira is the owner of the horse. It has become a custom recently that the horse trainer and the owner of the horse go back and forth as if they are relatives because of the relationship between the horses." "Is Mr. Tateyama's interest limited to horse racing?" "In addition to horse racing, he also likes reading and traveling." The secretary said flatly. "Then Mr. Tateyama will not be able to come back until after July 5th!" "No. He can't be so leisurely. He is a person who can't be busy even if he has a split body. He will watch the battle tomorrow, rest in the hot spring over there for two days, and then return to Tokyo." Takehachi Sochii didn't ask any more questions, and after thanking him, he withdrew from the National Treasure Building. Takehachi Sochii walked through the hot street and came to a cold drink shop to eat ice cream.He sat down to collect his thoughts! ——The reason why Tateyamamae and Nishida Sonkichi went to Akita has been clarified through the secretary's introduction.After discussing the horses in Akita, Nishida returned to Fukushima.Former Senator Tateyama also went to Fukushima after watching the battle. However, Takehachi Sukui has always had a question. Yamazaki's body was transported on the Tohoku Main Line between Koriyama and Fukushima and abandoned.The Northeast is of great significance to that criminal. Okase Shohei was killed at the cemetery of his ancestors and mother near Iizaka Onsen in Fukushima.It is not a coincidence that the body of Yamazaki Haruhiro, who sought the collection of Okase Shohei, was also transported from Tokyo and found near Fukushima.For one reason or another, Tateyama Topei and Nishida trainer also went to the "northeast". Takehachi Sochii recalled while eating ice cream: Tohei Tateyama departed from Tokyo on the 15th, and it was actually the "Tsugaru" express that departed at 9:40 p.m. that day. This is what Tateyama's secretary said. The 15th was the day that Yamazaki Jiro disappeared again; and now the moment when Tateyama former Congressman set off has aroused his new attention. Takehachi Sochii asked the clerk if he had a train timetable, and the clerk found a copy from the back room and handed it over.It's an old train timetable. Takehachi Sochii turned to the departure time of the Tohoku Main Line from Ueno, and the "Tsugaru" express did indeed depart from Ueno Station at 21:40. The time to Fukushima is 2:21 the next day, and then via Ou, to Akita at 8:50. That is to say, Tateyama former member arrived in Akita at 8:50 on the 16th to attend the branch meeting of the political party. On the other hand, Nishida Sunkichi set off from Tokyo on the 16th of the next day to catch up with Tateyama Topeira who had first arrived in Akita. Dijing Wu Bahuan rested his chin on his hands, resting his arms on the table, thinking. "A person who looks like Yamazaki Jiro brought the boxes to Tabata Station." The statement of the freight forwarder did not disappear from his mind. Takehachi looked down again. After the man who checked the box appeared in the cargo department at 20:30, the departure time of the train from Ueno Station to the northeast, except for ordinary trains, was as follows: Looking at the timetable, Takehachi Sukui was very inspired. It was around 20:30 on the 15th that the man showed up at the shipping department window with the box.But looking at the timetable, it was 21:40 after that, and the "Tsugaru" Express started to drive. "Tsugaru" is the train that former congressman Tateyama Topei took to go to Akita. Is this a random coincidence?no no.The time sequence fits too well. The man ate curry and rice at "Kokitei" in front of Tabata Station at around 20 o'clock, checked the box at the window of the Cargo Section thirty minutes later, and took the "Tsugaru" train from Ueno Station an hour later. Express is a matter of course. However, Takehachi Sotsui didn't think that man was the former councilor Tateyama Topei. First, it was different from the memory of the duty officer who accepted the consignment.What's more, the identity of the former member of parliament is not someone who can move a 72-kilogram box to the window of the cargo department. So, did that man also take the same train as the former Tateyama representative on the "Tsugaru" train? Focusing on this question, "Tsugaru" arrived at Koriyama Station at 1:29 am on the second day, that is, on the 16th, which was late at night. However, Koriyama Station received the box at 21 o'clock on the 16th, that is, at 9 o'clock in the evening. If that man took the "Tsugaru" express and picked up his checked suitcase at Koriyama Station, and he got out of Koriyama Station before dawn, he must have rested somewhere in the city before nine o'clock in the evening. This kind of inference can only be a single crime, not an accomplice. The second is the express train "Iwahiro" which departed at 23:30 and arrived at 3:42 am on the 16th. Its illogicality is the same as that of "Tsugaru". So, what about the Joban Line? Looking at the train timetable, the limited express "Iwate" dispatched at 22:05 and the "Zuishi" dispatched at 23:00 also arrived at midnight.From here to Koriyama, you must change to the Banyue East Line.The departure of this line is at 6:23 in the morning. If you use this train, it is meaningless to arrive at Koriyama Station at 8:56. The problem still lies in the "Tsugaru" Express that departed at 21:40, which was taken by the Tateyama former representative. Another problem was the box, which arrived at Koriyama Station at 19:05 on the 16th of the following day.This is what Sotsui heard from the Koriyama Police Station. If the man who checked the box is the same person who picked it up at Koriyama Station, he went to Koriyama Station to pick it up at blackjack, that is to say, the box had already arrived at that time. If this is the case, there is no need for him to deliberately sit on the "Tsugaru" on the 15th, and then go to the county to the mountain station too early. If the purpose is to pick up the box, he can take the appropriate train on the 16th of the next day.The train schedule shows that there was a "memory" express train from Ueno Station at 16:30, which arrived at Koriyama at 20:25, and picked up the box at 21:00, which was just right. Takehachi Sochii paid special attention to the "Tsugaru" on the 15th because the former Tateyama councilor used this train. But Takehachi Suzui couldn't justify himself, that is, the testimony of the person on duty at the window of the cargo department that the person who checked the box looked exactly like Jiro Yamazaki. Although the police said nothing about it, Takeuchi Sujii was very serious.If the watchman's eyes were right, the person who checked the box would be the dead body Yamazaki Jiro himself in the box. That is, he got himself into a box somewhere and got killed. The weight of the case is an issue.The weight at the time of consignment was 72 kilograms, the same as the weight at the time of discovery, which has been verified by the search headquarters.If Yamazaki Jiro's body had been packed in a box on the way, then the 72 kilograms checked in at Tabata Station would not be a dead body but something else, as long as the weight was the same. So, where are the contents and corpses modified and exchanged?There is nothing more strange than a living person appearing in Tianduan, and turning into a corpse in the middle of transporting the box into the box.