In the university hospital, which was resting at noon, there was a deathly silence everywhere.Since there are no registered patients in the outpatient clinic, there are no people on the wide road.The parking lot, which was crowded with staff and patients' cars early in the morning, now has a large empty field, and you can still see the accumulated water formed by the morning mist sinking on the ground.
While listening to the sound of her own footsteps on the wet ground, Sugihara Keiko walked towards the ward.
For some reason, she felt a little depressed.About ten days ago, she came to this hospital because she wanted to know about Horikoshi Sanae. At the entrance of the general reception room, she happened to meet Mrs. Asen, Section Chief.Her slender figure in a lavender coat made a very strong impression on Keiko Sugihara.At Mitsuhiko Hamaguchi's house in Cape Hado, when he saw the business card of Section Chief Asen, what flashed in Xizi's mind was the figure of his wife.
After returning to Fukuoka, she consciously became close to a female announcer of Kyushu TV.Because she remembered that this female announcer and Asen's wife were classmates in the same grade at Sasebo High School.Later, as if nothing had happened, she inquired about Mori Wendai's affairs.
Fumyo Mori is just 30 years old this year. Her natal family lives in Sasebo. Three years ago, someone introduced her to marry Section Chief Asen. After marriage, she moved to Fukuoka. However, according to her own story, she used to live in Lived in Nagasaki for a while.
"Nagasaki?" Sugihara Keiko asked back.Nagasaki has a lot to do with Hamaguchi Mitsuhiko!
"Yes. She used to work as a secretary in a big company there!..." The announcer nodded and smiled.
Section Asen was headed by Keiko Sugihara and the others, and the day after they rushed to Cape Hado, they went to Tokyo and were not in the TV station, which gave Xizi an "opportunity to take advantage of".She painstakingly devised a plan. She admired Asen's honesty and honesty. If she wanted to "get closer" to him, she had to inquire about everything about his wife in advance.
Keiko Sugihara took the automatic elevator from the entrance of the surgical ward to the second floor.The ward where I came with Wen Dai a few days ago is not far from the elevator.
In the room with small lamps, there are six beds in total, arranged in two rows.The meal delivery truck was still parked at the door of the ward.It was probably time to eat and rest, and it was quiet inside.Three of the six people were victims of traffic accidents, Wen Dai said so at the time... But at this moment, Mori Wen Dai is gone.
"I'm sorry, I'm here to visit Ms. Morifumodai..." Sugihara Keiko said to a woman on the outermost side who was reading a magazine on the bed.The man looked to be in his fifties.
"Oh, Mrs. Arsen is out of the hospital," she answered hoarsely.
"What, have you been discharged from the hospital?!..."
Sugihara Keiko was immediately surprised.Of course she knew that Wen Dai was going to be discharged from the hospital, but it was agreed to be next week.She called the hospital this morning, and she specifically confirmed that Mori Wendai had set the discharge time three days ago, that is, on the evening of Tuesday, June 26.
"When did you leave the hospital?" Sugihara Keiko asked again.
"Well... the day before yesterday, or the day before yesterday..."
"It was around five o'clock in the afternoon on June 26." A shrill voice came from the next bed.
This is a shawl with black hair, a girl who looks seventeen or eighteen years old.One of her feet was covered with a plaster cast.Judging from the hill-like accumulation of objects beside the pillow, she has been in the hospital for a long time.
"You remember so clearly." Sugihara Keiko said to her with a smile.
"It's so boring, so I write everything down! I even kept a diary..."
"It's really boring!..." The woman on the bed next to her said angrily.The girl's thin face was slightly rosy.
"I don't remember Mrs. Asen saying that she was discharged from the hospital so early!..." Sugihara Keko's eyes returned to the woman who asked the question for the first time.
"But at the end of May, she will be able to walk alone."
"Did you recover so quickly?" Keiko Sugihara asked in disbelief, looking at the woman and the girl just now.
"When she was hospitalized, it should be around April 10th?"
"It's April 12th." The long-haired girl corrected.
"When she was hospitalized, her symptoms were thigh fracture and waist contusion. The cast was removed on May 20. At that time, she was able to walk in the yard. Because she sometimes had dizziness and headache symptoms, she continued to be hospitalized. for further detailed inspection."
While listening to the girl's fluent narration, Sugihara Keiko recalled a series of recent events.
"The Woman in the Long Black Coat" went to the "Amber" bar in March to visit Horikoshi Sanae. At that time, of course, Moribundo had no traffic accidents; next, the mysterious woman appeared on May 30.That night, she had a secret date with Zhenbi Xiumin in the "Qiuji" restaurant.After the two broke up and went back, a man called and asked about the man who had met the woman...
"I want to know that on May 30th, she..." Keiko Sugihara said to the long-haired girl.
"I called here at the time, as if Mrs. Asen was not here..."
"Looks like she's living out there."
"Live outside? Is this allowed?" It seemed that even Sugihara Keko felt that his voice was too loud.
So, the girl opened the drawer of the bedside table, and took out a book with flower and bird puppets on the cover, in the girl's favorite style.It's like a diary.She threw it at her feet.While saying: "Well, on May 30, Mrs. Asen lived outside. Once her symptoms improved, she often went home. I was so envious!..."
"Did she come back the next day?"
"Yes, I came back at noon."
"So, what about June 4th?"
From 8:00 to 9:00 that night, Zhenbi Xiumin was killed.
"On June 4th, she was in the hospital, she didn't live outside..." the long-haired girl muttered, and pondered for a while, "That's right, we had a farewell party for Mr. Yamamoto that day, and we went to bed very late... Right?" The girl said, asking a patient in the adjacent bed.
On the night of June 4th, because the patient was going to be discharged the next day, everyone held a farewell party for him after dinner, and the noise continued until around 10 o'clock in the evening, when the head nurse found out and came to the door.At that time, Moribundo was indeed there.
After a while, Keiko Sugihara chatted with them about other things, and asked about other things about Morifudai in the hospital.Everyone said that since Mrs. Asen was hospitalized, Mr. Asen must come every other day. Besides, there were a lot of people visiting her.
Since the nurse was going to make rounds again, Xizi left.
To be on the safe side, Keiko Sugihara came to the nurse's duty room again.The result of her inspection was exactly the same as what the girl said - Moribundai was admitted to the hospital on April 12, and she got permission to spend the night outside on May 30, and came back from home the next afternoon.But on June 4, there was no such record.
Regarding the murder of Zhenbi Xiumin, Mori Bunyo actually had a solid "alibi" proof.
On the other hand, Senjie appeared at Mitsuhiko Hamaguchi's house in Cape Hado at the end of May, and then on the night of May 30, Hidetoshi Mabi and a woman in a long black coat had a secret date in the "Akiyoshi" restaurant. The man on the phone is most likely Section Chief Asen.
It's just that regarding the eye-catching "Akiyoshi", whether it's Hamaguchi's sister or Section Chief Asen, they all have the opposite conclusion from Sugihara Keiko and the others.Then, the woman is no longer the focus, but the man who called.
The female owner of the "Choji" restaurant said that although she didn't know whether the man who claimed to be Zhenbi Xiumin was real or not, he said that he was a relative of that woman and wanted to find out who was with her just now. The case of men.Mitsuhiko Hamaguchi's younger sister also said that the man who came at the end of May insisted on inquiring about his brother.
Maybe Chief Asen already knew who that woman was.He wanted to inquire about that woman's past, and the derived things related to Zhenbi Xiumin.
So, that woman wouldn't be another woman besides Senbundai?Sugihara Keiko thought so.Perhaps Asen had grasped the handle of his wife's relationship with Mitsuhiko Hamaguchi before.Bundai sent Mitsuhiko to Aso's hospital four years ago, and on the way back, she acquiesced in the hit-and-run of Makihime, but four years later, Horikoshi Sanae recognized her and threatened Makihime at the same time. Conspired with Mabi Hidetoshi to kill Horikoshi Sanae, and is Asen investigating this matter?
Moreover, Zhenbi Xiumin was also killed.But that night, Wen Dai had "alibi".what does this mean?
Walking out of the ward, Sugihara Keiko stood in the fog and rain. She wanted to raise her hand and wave to the taxi, but she gave up again.If Yosuke is here, we can discuss it, but since the day before yesterday, he has gone to Nagasaki to shoot the location.
However, Chief Arsen was not there either.Thinking of this, Keiko Sugihara gradually made up his mind.
Asen went to Tokyo on a business trip on June 24, 5 days ago.I heard that he was only going for three days, but this morning, I didn't see him. Maybe it was extended due to something?He is usually a very serious and responsible person for his work, even if he goes out, he has to go to the TV station first.
So, is Moribundai staying at home alone at this moment?If you meet her, can you be sure of anything?
After leaving the gate of the hospital, Keiko Sugihara called a taxi.In the center of Fukuoka City, the water in the pool is rarely so clear. Next to the park with rockery and gardens is the home of Chief Assen.The place where Wen Dai was hit by a car was not far from her home. After being sent to a nearby hospital, she was transferred to the University Affiliated Hospital after emergency treatment.Thinking of this, in the air-conditioned car, Sugihara Keiko was sweating nervously.
Sugihara Keiko came to the door of Mr. Asen's house.The walls on both sides are covered with roses.The low shrubs, flowers and plants in the courtyard looked extraordinarily enchanting after being wet by the rain.During the New Year, Xizi used to patronize this place.At this time, she recalled the appearance of Mrs. Wen Dai, who was beautiful and dressed in kimono.
Keiko Sugihara rang the doorbell.
"Come on!... Where do you work?"
The sudden answer made Sugihara Keiko break out in a nervous sweat.Then, the other side asked who it was, and opened the door.
Mori Bunyo stood in the door. At this time, she felt different from the way Sugihara Keiko had always imagined.Maybe it was because she had just been discharged from the hospital, her delicate face was pale, and it was different from her usual calm and ladylike expression, for some reason, she looked extremely flustered.She had light makeup on her face and no lipstick, making her look even paler.Her hair was loosely thrown back.She showed an abnormal expression all over her body.
When Mori Fumyo recognized that the person who came was Sugihara Keiko, he looked at Xizi with a smile that was not a smile, but also crying: "I'm sorry, I thought it was my husband."
"Ah!..." Keiko Sugihara agreed weakly.
Facing the bewildered Sugihara Keiko, Morifumo smiled reluctantly again.
"So, a letter from my husband?"
"What?..." Sugihara Keko opened her eyes wide in surprise.
"What's the matter with my husband?"
"What's wrong with the section chief?" As soon as the words came out, Sugihara Keko felt that his expression was very embarrassed.
Section Chief Asen has been on a business trip for more than three days, Sugihara Keiko simply thought that he was delayed by something, but now is the era of flying, and it takes more than four days to go to Tokyo? ...Besides, this is a time when commemorative activities are particularly busy!
The unnatural smile disappeared from Moribundai's mouth, and her expression suddenly became stiff.She stared at Sugihara Keiko with dim eyes.
"Please tell me more about it." Keiko Sugihara paused, and continued to ask in a suppressed voice, "Didn't the section chief go to Tokyo?"
"I don't know, I don't know at all..." At this point, Wen Dai shed tears in a panic.
"He told me that after he came back on June 26, he could be discharged from the hospital. However, I waited here until the afternoon, but no one came to pick me up. Because I had completed the procedures for discharge in the morning, I was alone. People are back."
"Didn't you call today?" Sugihara Keiko asked in surprise.
"I just asked Minister Takimoto yesterday. You came today, I think you must have brought some news..."
Mrs. Wen Dai covered her mouth with one hand again, for fear of crying.
Sugihara Keiko's mind suddenly became a mess in what she learned secretly, and she stared closely at Mrs. Mori Wendai.
"Madam doesn't know, why did the section chief go out in such a hurry?"
Mrs. Wen Dai raised her head and stared straight at Sugihara Keko, her expression gradually changed to that of a wronged child.She shook her head.
"I don't know. I... I, if my husband has something good or bad, how can I live..."
As Mrs. Wen Dai spoke, she began to cry again, covering her face with her hands.
Sugihara Keiko suddenly understood that Wen Dai would not answer even if he continued to ask.