The First Investigation of Rookie Career Police Officer Akechi - Chapter 37
Chapter 37 : Infiltration
Kobayashi, wearing a suit with a fake mustache, and Akechi with brown hair in a black high-collared school uniform, opened the door of Aijien and entered the store. There were about five tables that seated four people, and one large round table with a revolving table in the back. Haruki is sitting alone at the round table, with no other guests.
Kobayashi and Akechi sat facing each other at a four-person table near the entrance. It’s a Chinese-style high-backed chair, and it’s heavier than expected. It seemed like all the chairs in the store looked like this chair. Akechi, a delicate man, was having trouble adjusting his chair.
A moment later, a staff member came out of the kitchen with a glass of water. This is the man who was unloading luggage from the truck earlier. Kobayashi asks Akechi as he spreads out the menu on the desk.
“What will you have, Keiichiro?”
“W-well, how about some Tianjin rice, Father?”
Surprised by Kobayashi’s natural acting, Akechi responded with a slightly flushed face. The waiter looked troubled.
“We don’t have Tianjin rice on our menu. We can make fried rice or crab omelette rice, though.”
“T-then, I’ll have that.”
They placed their order casually and glanced briefly at the table at the back after finishing. Haruki also glanced at them briefly, but he didn’t seem to have noticed anything in particular. As they did so, an elderly man emerged from the back of the store and sat at the round table facing Haruki.
The elderly man looked like in his seventies, had a large body for his age, with a gentle-looking round face and big ears. His head is bald. Kobayashi and Akechi pretended to watch the TV in the corner of the room and listened closely to the conversation between Haruki and the old man.
†?†?†
“…Endo-san, when are you going to do it?”
“Hohohoho, don’t be in such a hurry.”
“Even so, it’s been half a year already. The preparation of the supplementary budget is starting. If it continues like this, it will be postponed to next year’s main budget. Have you considered the candidate I mentioned before?”
“I’ll think about it. Well, I guess I’ll narrow it down to the top three.”
“We want to minimize the damage and maximize the effect.”
“Hoho, that’s just hypocrisy. How many dozens of people will be affected by this ‘minimum’? I wonder if those two are involved ?”
“…”
“Well then…”
After saying that, the old man called Endo snapped his fingers. Taking this as a signal, two waiters with pistols emerged from the kitchen and appeared in front of Kobayashi and Akechi’s table. The waiter who had taken their order earlier looked at them expressionlessly as they braced themselves.
“The owner is calling you. Go to the other table. If you don’t, you’ll die.”
“Keiichiro, do as they say.” Kobayashi said quietly to Akechi.
†?†?†?
“Endo-san! W-who are these people?”
“Well, well, Haruki-san, calm down. Please give your seat to the guests.”
Endo calmed down the flustered Haruki and urged him to sit next to him. Then, he made Kobayashi and Akechi sit opposite the two. The old man gave instructions to the waiter standing behind Kobayashi and Akechi with the gun.
“Bring the food and drinks here. Also, even though it’s early, let’s close the shop today.”
Upon hearing this, one of the waiters went to the door and slightly opened it, changing the plate hanging on the outside knob to ‘Not yet open for business’. Then, he closed the door, locked it, and went back into the kitchen. The old man greeted Kobayashi and Akechi, who were seated across the round table.
“Nice to meet you. I think it was Assistant Inspector Kobayashi and Akechi from Akabane Minami Police Station.”
“So you are Endo.”
Kobayashi said while glaring. One of the waiters grabbed both of Kobayashi’s arms, turned him around behind the backrest, and tightened his wrists with zip ties. They did the same for Akechi and took away their smartphones. The old man, who had been watching the scene with a smirk, spoke to the two.
“Hohohoho, I’m Endo. Please take it easy tonight.”
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Translated by : Cutae30