The Logmaster - Chapter 20

With the establishment of the Joint Investigation Headquarters, Sankaku was given unprecedented investigative powers.

It was something he had longed for, and it was also his final chance to unearth the truth that had nearly been buried within the confines of the police organization.

He first began by re-examining the case that first struck him as “strange,” the crushing death of homeless man Sato Yukio.

–It was just an unfortunate accidental death.

The circumstances at the scene, eyewitness testimony (from the driver), and the autopsy results all seemed to support this, and the case was quickly dealt with.

However, Sankaku was certain that now he could see “something” that had been overlooked back then.

In a room at the investigation headquarters, Mikata and Kakuta continue to stare intently at the monitor displaying the video footage from the day of the accident, which was initially deemed “no problem.”

It was discovered quite simply, but decisively.

A few minutes before the accident occurred.

Security camera footage from a small shop located in a blind spot near the exit of the park.

There was no mistaking the man in the suit.

That man who was talking to Saeki on the riverbank the other day.

–Ayumaru Omiichi.

In the video, Ayumaru is standing near the exit of the park and busily operating his smartphone.

Occasionally, he appears to glance off into the depths of the park, grimacing or slightly smiling.

Strangely, there is no sign of him touching or speaking to the victim, Sato, directly. He just stands there and plays with his smartphone.

However, Sankaku’s intuition as a detective with many years of experience allowed him to detect a strong sense of discomfort in the footage, even though it seemed as if “nothing was happening.”

The moment when Sato started moving from the bench.

This happened “right after” Ayumaru appeared on the scene and started operating his smartphone.

And then Sato’s movements.

Although he usually barely moves, as if guided by something, he walked silently and in a straight line toward the vending machine where the accident occurred.

His movements seem to be without any will of their own, like a puppet being pulled by invisible strings.

(…No one will believe this…But that man is involved in something…!)

Misumi became more convinced. He needed to investigate Ayumaru Omiichi thoroughly.

Given the unusual nature of the name, it was assumed that the person’s identity would be discovered quickly, but even when a search was conducted in the police database, surprisingly little information came up.

There were no hits on his social media accounts, and of course, he had no criminal record. His digital footprint was sparse, as if he were an isolated figure from society.

At that moment, Mikata remembered the time he had been stopped by police on the riverbank.

Yes, I’m sure I checked his driver’s license then.

“…Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, Driver’s License Management System…”

I accessed the system. I entered the name, and this time it was easy to find. The photo was also a perfect match for the man from the previous encounter. Name, date of birth, address… the information I needed was there.

“It’s ironic that I, who usually works hard to track down unidentified people at the counseling center, ended up finding my target not with my feet but with the push of a button. Maybe it would be better if the counseling center just disappeared…”

Feeling a sense of emptiness and helplessness, Mikaku quickly wrote down Ayumaru’s address and workplace information in his notebook.

A few days later, on a weekday evening, he and Kakuta began staking out the area in front of Ayumaru’s apartment building.

A typical old apartment building is a little way from the city center.

At exactly 7 p.m., I saw Ayumaru entering the apartment looking exhausted.

He just looks like your average middle-aged office worker.

From then on, the quiet, pointless tailing continued for several days.

Ayumaru’s daily routine is to go back and forth between his work and home, occasionally stopping by a supermarket or convenience store on his way home.

He sometimes spends long periods in cafes, but he just sits there fiddling with his smartphone and doesn’t seem to be meeting anyone. On his days off, he rarely leaves his house.

The only thing that worried Sankaku was that since his contact with the homeless man on the riverbank “that day,” he showed no signs of approaching homeless people.

Was that contact a one-time coincidence? Or is he intentionally keeping his distance, perhaps to fulfill some purpose or out of caution? We cannot deny the possibility that something is happening under the surface, but it is simply not coming to light.

(Even if we continue staking out and tailing him, it doesn’t look like we’ll be able to catch him…)

Realizing that this was not going to get anywhere, Mikaku changed his approach and decided to start asking around the area where Ayumaru worked.

I work at a mid-sized IT company on the middle floor of a high-rise building. I ask my colleagues about Ayumaru’s personality. But all I get is…

“He’s a quiet guy, but he’s a serious guy.”

“My job is… well, normal, I guess. Not the type that stands out.”

“It seems like he’s always working overtime until late, so I think he’s a hard worker.”

The answers were all bland and formulaic. No one seemed to want to know more about him, nor were they interested.

(…It’s hard to grasp. But there must be something…)

Just as they were about to give up, a comment made by a young female employee accidentally caught the triangular antenna.

“Ayumaru-san? Hmm, nothing in particular… Ah, but now that I think about it… a few months ago, a girl from my department jumped off a building and died. Her name was Tomaru Shizuka… she was a very cheerful and nice girl. It seems like you were quite close with her, Ayumaru-san… but it seems like you were quite shocked at the time…”

“…Jumping? Not an accidental fall?”

Based on fragmented information obtained from the female employee and other colleagues, it appears that a female employee in her late 20s named Tomaru Shizuka had attempted suicide by jumping from the building where she worked a few months ago and died.

Various rumors have been circulating within the company about the cause, including “an extramarital affair with a superior,” “work-related troubles,” and “mental instability,” but the truth seems to remain unknown.

Shizuka Tomaru, Shinichi Ayumaru, and the series of suspicious deaths of homeless people. At first glance, there seems to be no connection between them. However, in the area around Ayumaru, there have been far too many unnatural “deaths” in such a short time.

The outline of the incident is still vague. But at the center of it all is that dull middle-aged programmer. Misumi is convinced of that.