Chapter 23 Chapter nine

When the search entered a dead end, the Shindai detectives and the East detectives at the search headquarters decided to carefully examine Shibamura's whereabouts. Shibamura is in the position of absolute evidence. When someone suggested to investigate Zhicun, the search party was amused.However, Jindai detectives believe that Shibamura far surpasses Jinkichi in terms of motives. Jinkichi and Miyako have only had an intimate relationship for three months.If you doubt Jinji, there are indeed many ambiguities.However, there is no ambiguity in Shibamura's actions.From the evening of the 14th, he participated in the race around Miyake Island with other yachts, and he was at sea until 1:30 pm on the 17th.Afterwards, under the gaze of many eyes, I lay in the hospital ward, and was taken directly by ambulance between the time I landed from the oil pot and entered the hospital in Yokohama.

Even so, the Jindai detective still considers further investigation into Shibamura's actions. If it is said, other investigators may find it funny, and even advise him to investigate things that are obvious at a glance, which will be harmful to himself. The Shindai detective first went to Hospital A in Yokohama and met with the doctor who had been examining Shibamura since the beginning.This forty-year-old internal medicine doctor named Sakai is an honest and loyal doctor. He answered the criminal police's question like this: "When Mr. Shibamura was brought here, his heart was very weak due to extreme fatigue. He fell into a coma for a while due to cerebral anemia caused by this fatigue. However, a weak heart was also the cause. It was delivered here at 3:30 pm on the 17th. From then on, he continued to give him cardiotonic drugs, and at one point he even needed artificial oxygen. That night, he was still in a state of emergency, and the nurse on duty did not dare to leave. Of course, the company staff were also there all night. On the morning of the 18th Afterwards, I gradually regained my physical strength, but I was still unable to go to the bathroom alone. After the evening of the 18th, I finally gradually regained my normal physical strength, and my complexion also slightly recovered. Here is Mr. Shibamura’s medical record, which can be used as a reference.”

Dr. Sakai handed the medical records sent by the nurse to the two criminal policemen. It was written in German which the criminal police could not understand. The Jindai detective and the young Dong detective came out almost without asking any questions.The honest physician has given a detailed account of the cases of the patients he examines, and there is nothing that is unclear.Moreover, his condition was so serious on the 17th and 18th that the criminal police did not need to ask questions. "Now it has been proved that Shibamura's fainting is not a fake." The young East detective said.

"Maybe we are really suspicious." Komyo stroked his slightly long mustache and said. The second step the two of them foresee is a visit to the director general of the rugby club.Fortunately, this person was at Oiler's villa, and the two of them traveled from Yokohama to Oiler. The chief executive is called Ihara, and he can also drive a yacht himself. He took out the record of the day's game and explained it to the two criminal policemen. ——For that day's race, including Shibamura and Ueda's Sea Bird, a total of seven boats participated, and they all set off at 7:00 p.m. on the 14th.

About four hours after departure, the teams dispersed.Because it was traveling against the wind—the monsoon wind was blowing from the south at that time—it was unable to maintain a straight line and sailed in a zigzag shape.Some teams have large bends and some have small bends.You can sail freely in the ocean, and you can't see each other's ships.From Oilpot to Miyakejima, it took about forty hours because of the hard sailing against the wind.However, when you arrive at Miyake Island, you don't need to enter the port to get a certificate, but sail along the coast for half a week and return to the oil pot.The average time spent around Miyake Island is between 9:00 am and 11:00 am on the 16th.Of course, the distance between the first team and the last team is very large, but they will not be three or four hours behind in time.The boat that circled Miyake Island in the morning of the 16th returned between 10:00 am and 1:00 pm on the 17th.It took forty hours to go and twenty-four hours to come back because of sailing along the south wind.Shibamura's yacht came back later than scheduled, so everyone on the shore was worried.Just at this time, Seabird came back dying.Everyone carried the exhausted Shibamura from the boat to the shore, and he passed out after describing the accident of his fellow boatman Ueda Goro who unfortunately fell into the sea.

After listening to Ihara's explanation, the two detectives conducted the following question and answer. "When you talk about overseas, the yachts will disperse. Can you see the yachts at close range?" "The yachts participating in the competition are 20-foot-class yachts, and the height of the mast is seven meters, so boats that are close can see each other's sails. But after four hours, they are all invisible. Although the mast is seven meters It is high, but it is covered by the high and low waves, so you can’t see it clearly. If you sail on the calm water of Lake Biwa or Ise Bay, the situation will be very different. Moreover, it will take 70 hours between Oilpot and Miyake Island. An hour long distance game."

"So, if one of the ships breaks down, the other ships won't know about it?" "Yes, I don't know. In fact, in this race, the Seabird had an accident, and the other ships didn't know about it. The place where the accident happened is about between Cape Manazuru and Miura Peninsula." Speaking of which, Ibara's non-experts can understand the situation of the sail mast turning over. "Is it from a bad situation at the helm?" "Not exactly. When steering the rudder in order to change direction, as I said just now, when a strong headwind suddenly blows, the mast can't bear it for a while. This is an irresistible force."

"Although it is an irresistible force, it is more or less a mistake in the steering, right?" "Hmm... However, it can't be counted as a complete mistake, because the steering person has no way of predicting that the headwind will suddenly blow." Ihara said emphatically, as if to cover up the fault of the steering. "The mast of the Sea Bird broke down, and when Ueda-kun fell into the sea, Shibamura-kun said that he was looking for the place where he fell into the sea. However, it seems that the time is too long, right?" "As I said just now, it is indeed inconvenient that the yachts used for the competition do not have engines. Therefore, Mr. Shibamura also reflected on it afterwards, and felt that it might be much better to return to the port directly and let the rescue boat go out to sea immediately. However, seeing the people on the same boat fall into the sea, I can't bear to leave them alone and return to Hong Kong in terms of human feelings."

Speaking of the body of Goro Ueda who died in the sea, Ueda's body drifted to the end of the Miura Peninsula two days later, only one kilometer south of the port where he participated in the decisive point of the competition. "It is said that Mr. Ueda has a blow wound on the back of his head. Is this the injury suffered when the sail mast was turned over?" "Due to the attack of the headwind, the sail mast suddenly turned over, and of course the thick wooden pole on which the sail was tied would also turn over at the same time. Therefore, if people were directly attacked by it, it would be really unimaginable."

"Did the police doctor who examined the body say that the injury to the back of the head was Ueda-kun's fatal injury?" "No. It doesn't have to be a fatal injury. Ueda-kun drowned after drinking a lot of water. However, he was injured first, and obviously he couldn't move his hands and feet. In fact, falling into the sea in such a place, even if it is not an injured person And rarely are they rescued." "Did the Seabird's sail look like it was going to snap?" "We looked into it, and it wasn't. However, there is a crack." "Is the crack artificial?"

"Artificial? It's there. Experts can tell at a glance whether it is due to the crack caused by the headwind raid." "Does Mr. Shibamura have a lot of experience in sailing yachts?" "He has more than three years of experience, and his skills are considered intermediate. However, his ability has surpassed the non-professional field, and he belongs to an expert." "So, the steering is also safe and reliable?" "Of course it is safe and reliable. For those who want to participate in overseas competitions, we have very strict qualification checks." ——After listening to these explanations, I understand that there is nothing unnatural about Shibamura's participation in the yacht race and the death of his fellow shipmates. When the murder happened, Shibamura was at sea and in the hospital ward.In the face of this absolute space, the Shendai detective and the Dong detective had to give up this weak expectation. At this point, the search for the murder of Miyako has come to a complete standstill.