Chapter 6 Section VI

Kikuya, which has a white wooden door at the entrance, is a refreshing udon shop.There is a dark blue cloth strip hanging on the door of the store, with the name of the store written in white letters on it.The business was quite prosperous, and there were customers coming before noon, and after one o'clock, there were still an endless stream of visitors. At half past one, a white pickup truck parked a little away from the store door.The words "Yang Yu Shoji" are painted in bold black on the body. A man got out of the driver's seat. He was wearing a gray jacket and was short and stocky. He appeared to be about forty years old.He wore a white shirt and tie under his jacket.He walked into the chrysanthemum house in a hurry.

"The news is indeed correct, it really showed up around 1:30." Sasagaki looked at his watch and said with admiration.He was at the cafe opposite the Kikuya, from where he could look out through the glass. "As a side note, he's eating tempura udon inside." It was the detective Jincun who was sitting diagonally across from Sasagaki who spoke.He smiled, clearly showing a missing front tooth in his mouth. "Oh, it's a good thing he doesn't get tired of eating." Sasagaki turned his gaze back to Chrysanthemum House.The mention of udon made him hungry.

Although Xibundai has an alibi, her suspicion has not been completely ruled out.Because Yosuke Kirihara was the last person he saw before his death, the task force always had doubts about her.If she is related to the Kirihara murder case, the first thing that comes to mind is that she must have an accomplice.Whether the widowed Bundai had a young lover - the police used this inference as a starting point to cast an investigation net, and caught Tadao Terasaki.Terasaki is engaged in wholesale sales of cosmetics, beauty products, shampoos and cleansers.Not only wholesale to retail stores, but also accept customers to place orders directly and deliver the goods in person.Although the company is called Yang Yu Commercial, it has no other employees.

The reason why the police focused on Terasaki was based on gossip they found around Yoshida's apartment where Nishi Bunyo lived.Housewives nearby witnessed the man driving a white van enter Wendai's residence several times.A housewife said that the name of the company seemed to be written on the van, but she didn't look carefully.The police continued to monitor the vicinity of Yoshida's apartment, but the rumored pickup truck never showed up.Later, the suspected vehicle was found in another place.The man who goes to the Chrysanthemum House where Wendai works every day for lunch drives a white pickup truck.The man's identity was immediately identified from the company name Yang Yu Trading.

"Hey, it's out." Koga said. Terasaki walked out of the chrysanthemum house, but did not return to the car immediately, but stood at the door of the store.This is also the same as the report by Kimura et al.Soon, Wen Dai, wearing a white apron, came out of the store.After the two of them spoke a few words, Fumyo returned to the store, and Terasaki walked towards the car, neither showing any concern for the eyes of others. "Okay, let's go." After putting out the Peace cigarette in the ashtray, Sasagaki stood up. As soon as Terasaki opened the car door, Koga stopped him.Terasaki's eyes widened in surprise, and then saw Sasagaki and Kanemura, his expression froze.

When the police asked for an interview, Terasaki was very cooperative.Asked him if he wanted to find a restaurant to sit in, he said it would be better in the car.So, the four of them got into the pickup truck.Terasaki sat in the driver's seat, with Sasagaki in the front and Koga and Kanamura in the back. Sasaki first asked him if he knew about the murder of a pawnbroker in Oe, and Terasaki looked ahead and nodded. "I saw it in newspapers and on TV. But what does this murder have to do with me?" "The last place where the murdered Mr. Kirihara appeared was Mrs. Nishimoto's residence. Do you know Mrs. Nishimoto?"

It could be seen that Terasaki swallowed a mouthful of saliva, and he was thinking about how to answer. "Mrs. Nishimoto... you mean, the woman who works in that udon noodle shop? Yes, I kind of know her." "We believe that Mrs. Sibbon may have something to do with the murder." "Mrs. Nishimoto? Don't be stupid." Terasaki smiled with only the corners of his mouth upturned. "Oh, silly?" "Of course, how could she be related to that kind of murder." "Your friendship is just an acquaintance, but you speak for Mrs. Nishimoto like this?"

"I didn't speak for her." "Someone often saw a white pickup truck next to Yoshida's apartment, and said that the driver often went in and out of Mrs. Nishimoto's house. Terasaki-san, is that you?" Sasagaki's words obviously made Terasaki embarrassed.He licked his lips and said, "I went to her for work." "Work?" "I'm sending her stuff, like cosmetics and cleansers, that's all." "Mr. Terasaki, don't lie anymore. This kind of thing can be found out as soon as you check it. Witnesses say that you go to her quite frequently, don't you? Are cosmetics and detergents necessary to be delivered so often?"

Terasaki crossed his arms and closed his eyes, probably thinking about how to answer. "I said Mr. Terasaki, you are lying now, and you have to keep telling this lie. We will continue to monitor you closely until you meet Mrs. Nishimoto. How do you deal with this? Have you never seen her for the rest of your life? You can do it Really? Please tell me the truth, what's so unusual about your relationship with Mrs. Nishimoto?" Terasaki was silent for a while.Sasagaki stopped talking, and watched the other party's reaction. Terasaki let out a breath and opened his eyes. "I don't think it should matter. I'm single and her husband is dead."

"Can it be explained as a relationship between men and women?" "We are serious about dating." Terasaki's voice was a little shrill. "Since when?" "Even this must be said?" "Sorry, just for reference." Sasagaki smiled kindly. "About half a year ago." Terasaki replied with a straight face. "What opportunity did it start?" "There is no special chance. We often meet in the store, and we get to know each other." "How did Mrs. Nishimoto tell you about Mr. Kirihara?" "Just say he's the pawnbroker she frequents."

"Did Mrs. Sibbon ever mention to you that he used to go to her house?" "She said he'd been there a few times." "What do you think when you hear her say that?" Sasagaki's question made Terasaki frowned in displeasure: "What do you mean?" "Don't you think Mr. Kirihara has ulterior motives?" "What's the use of thinking about that? It's impossible for Miss Wen Dai to pay attention to him." "However, Mrs. Nishimoto seems to have received a lot of care from Mr. Kirihara, and she may also accept financial support from him. In this way, if the other party forces her, wouldn't it be difficult to refuse?" "I've never heard of it. May I ask what you want to say?" "We deduce based on common sense that there is a man who often goes to the house of the woman you are with. Because this woman is often taken care of by him, she can't be perfunctory. Later, the man pushed her forward and forced her. If her boyfriend knew about this situation, he must be very angry—— —” "So I got mad and killed people, right? Please stop talking nonsense, I'm not that stupid." Terasaki raised his voice, shaking the small space inside the car. "This is pure conjecture, and I'm sorry if it upsets you. By the way, Friday the twelfth of this month from six to seven in the afternoon, where are you?" "Investigate the alibi?" Terasaki was so angry that the corners of his eyes hung up. "Yes." Sasagaki smiled at him.Because of the popularity of gangster movies, the term "alibi" has become a common phrase. Terasaki took out a small notepad and opened the column for the schedule. "On the evening of the twelfth, I was at Toyonaka because I wanted to deliver something to the guests." "What time is it?" "It was about six o'clock sharp there, I reckon." If this is true, then he has an alibi.This also failed, Sasagaki thought. "Have you delivered the goods to the customer?" "No, unfortunately I missed it with the guest." Terasaki suddenly became vague, "The other party is not at home, so I put the business card on the entrance door and came back." "Does the other party not know that you are going there?" "I thought I was in touch. I called in advance to say that the 12th would be over, but it was in vain." "So you came back without seeing anyone, did you?" "That's right, but I left my business card." Sasagaki nodded while thinking, this kind of thing can be arranged in any way afterwards.After asking Terasaki for the address and contact information of the guests he visited, Sasaki let him go. After reporting back to the task force, Nakazuka asked Sasagaki for his opinion as usual. "Half and half." Sasagaki replied truthfully, "There is no alibi, and there is a motive. If they join hands with Nishi Bundai to commit the crime, it should go smoothly. There is only one thing that is strange: if they are really the murderers, then they His actions were too hasty. You would normally think that you should try not to contact him until the limelight of the murder is over. But Terasaki, like before, went to the shop where Bunyo worked at noon to eat udon noodles. I think that I can't figure it out." Nakazuka listened silently to his subordinates.The drooping and tight lips at both ends testified that he agreed with this opinion. The police launched a thorough investigation against Terasaki: he lived alone in an apartment in Hirano Ward, was married, and divorced by agreement five years ago.Clients speak very well of him - he's quick to move, complies with any demanding request, and at a very low price.For retail store owners, he is a coveted supplier.Of course, it does not mean that he will not commit murder.Rather, because his business can only be barely supported, the business status of digging the east to make up for the west has instead attracted the attention of the police. "I think Kirihara's entanglement with Fumyo certainly aroused his murderous intentions, and the one million yuan in Tongyuan's possession at that time was very likely to make him jealous." The police investigating Terasaki's business situation analyzed this way at the investigation meeting and obtained Most people agree. After confirmation, it was confirmed that Terasaki did not have an alibi.Investigators went to the house where he claimed to have left his business card and found out that the family went out to visit relatives that day and did not return until nearly eleven o'clock in the evening.There was indeed a business card of Terasaki on the entrance door, but it was impossible to tell when he would come.In addition, the housewife replied to the question of whether she had an appointment with Terasaki on the 12th: "He said he would come over sometime, but I don't remember making an appointment with him on the 12th." She even added this sentence:" I remember that I told Mr. Terasaki on the phone that I would be inconvenient on the twelfth." This testimony is of great significance.Terasaki may have known that the family was not at home, but went there to leave a business card after committing the crime, intending to create an alibi. The investigators' suspicion of Terasaki can be said to have reached an almost black gray area. However, there is no physical evidence.Among the hairs collected at the scene, there was nothing consistent with Terasaki.In addition, there were no fingerprints and no strong eyewitnesses.If Nishi Bunyo and Terasaki were accomplices, there should be some contact between the two, but there is no such trace.Some experienced police officers advocate arrest first and then conduct a thorough interrogation. Perhaps the murderer will confess, but in this case, the police cannot apply for an arrest warrant.