The First Investigation of Rookie Career Police Officer Akechi - Chapter 39
Chapter 39 : Akechi’s Deduction
Akechi felt his thoughts sharpening and deepening more and more. He felt like he could understand everything now. He turned towards Haruki and started talking.
“Planning Officer Haruki, like your colleague Yoshida-san, you must have been concerned about the insufficient protective performance of the Self-Defense Force facilities. However, unlike Yoshida-san, who was looking for steady improvements. you were thinking about how to improve the protection performance all at once. Probably that’s when you met Endo.”
Haruki doesn’t say anything. Akechi continues.
“Perhaps Endo told you this. Japan is in a state of peace. If things continue like this, no matter how long it takes, we will never be able to get the budget necessary to ensure the protection performance. However, there’s only one way. If the Self-Defense Force facilities were actually attacked by an NBC terrorist attack, the inadequacy of their protective performance should be revealed. He must have said ‘sacrifices were necessary for fundamental reform’. And after much thought, you decided to go for it.”
Haruki remained silent. Endo is grinning.
“You provided Endo with information that would help in the attack on Self-Defense Force facilities, and you tried to keep the current facilities as vulnerable as possible. You also obstructed Yoshida-san’s movements. Yoshida-san, who thought of you as a comrade, must have been furious.”
“Planning Officer Haruki, weren’t you trying to somehow bring your colleague Yoshida-san into your circle ? That’s why you used Kadano to investigate his movements and aimed for the right timing. That was on March 23. Wasn’t it after the meeting in Akabane?”
Haruki looked at Akechi with a surprised expression. He quickly tried to avert his gaze, but under the penetrating gaze of Akechi’s jet-black eyes, he somehow couldn’t look away.
†?†?†
Akechi asked, looking straight into Haruki’s eyes.
“Haruki-san, when you and Yoshida-san were young, you often met and drank at that park, right? So, you used Kadono to summon Yoshida-san to that park after the meeting, right?”
“H-how do you know about Tanbai Park !” Haruki shouted. Akechi replied quietly.
“It’s just a hunch, Haruki-san. You’re from the same year when entering the company as Yoshida-san. And according to Yoshida-san’s wife, when he was younger and working in Tokyo, he used to drink with a colleague at that park. So, I thought it must be you.”
Akechi gave a smile that didn’t even have the slightest bit of kindness in it.
“In the first place, how do you know the name of the park just by saying ‘that park’ ? I myself didn’t know the name of that park. Tanbai means plum viewing. That’s an elegant name. ”
Haruki’s mouth opened and closed as if he wanted to say something, but Akechi continued regardless.
“In that elegant park where the plum blossoms were in full bloom, you revealed your plan to Yoshida-san. You proposed to become allies. However, you were rejected.”
Akechi remembered the photo of Yoshida, which was placed on the family Buddhist altar in Kyoto, and Yoshida’s old mother’s tearful eyes.
“And then, you stopped Yoshida-san in front of the stairs as he was about to go home in anger, pushed him down and killed him.”
Haruki stood up and shouted out loud
“No, it’s not like that! I tried to persuade Yoshida again, so I stopped him and grabbed his shoulder. Then he pushed my hand away, causing him to lose his balance and fell backward down the stairs. I didn’t kill him!”
“Then why didn’t you call an ambulance immediately?”
“Tha- that’s…”
“You were probably told by Yoshida-san, ‘I’ll report this to the Defense Inspection Headquarters’ or something, right? You thought it would be better if Yoshida-san died, so you didn’t provide any first aid, and you asked Endo for a cover-up, didn’t you? It must have been quite a nuisance for Endo.”
Haruki faltered. Akechi continued speaking.
“Initially, Endo must have only intended to attack Vice Director Nagayama, and had information about his location. He wants to steal the list concerning the protective performance of the Self-Defense Force facilities. Probably, one of the two standing behind me was on the motorcycle, while the other was waiting in the truck.”
Endo smirked.
“Then, after receiving a call from you, Endo instructed the two of them to load the motorcycle onto the back of a truck in an area where there were no security cameras, head to Tanbai Park, and pick up Yoshida-san, who was unconscious or already dead, on the stairs. Then, using the motorcycle from the truck, they ran over Yoshida-san. Afterwards, did you also travel in the truck ? Did you get off somewhere along the way or get dropped off at Aijien, and then use a taxi to go back home ?”
Haruki didn’t say anything anymore. He collapsed into the chair.
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Translated by : Cutae30