Those Who Are Not Protected - Chapter 1: Episode 3.2

The team meeting started at 9:00 in the morning.

Sitting across from Detective Tashino and the other investigators were the chief of the Sendai Central Station, Chief Officer Higashigumo from the prefectural police, and the head of the Criminal Division.

They all looked very serious. The early reports showed the investigation wasn’t going well.

“Let’s begin with the autopsy report,” Higashigumo said, though his voice didn’t sound confident.

The investigator who stood up to speak also sounded unsure.

“The cause of death matches what Inspector Karasawa said. The direct cause was weakness from starvation. But…”

The investigator cleared his throat before continuing. That small gesture made sense once he explained.

“There were traces of waste on the inside of the victim’s clothes, which shows the stomach was nearly empty. The sodium level in the bl00d was very high, so there were clear signs of dehydration. From the contents left in the stomach and the growth of maggots on the body’s inner tissues, we estimate death occurred between October 10 and 12.”

“Were there signs of a struggle with the killer?”

“There were no major bruises or injuries like that.”

“So, how did the killer make the victim unconscious and bring him to the scene?”

“We didn’t find any sleeping drugs in the body.”

“If the attacker was a stranger, the victim would have fought back when kidnapped. But there was no sign of that and no drugs either. That makes it likely the killer was someone he knew.”

Higashigumo’s theory made sense. Tashino had no objections to the idea that someone close to the victim was responsible.

“Next, about the victim’s movements. After work on October 1, did anyone see him?”

Another investigator stood up to answer.

“According to the welfare office’s time records, the victim left work at 7:15 p.m. He usually walked home. The last time he was seen was on a security camera in front of the ward office building. The camera showed him leaving the building, but he didn’t meet anyone or get followed.”

“Witnesses? At around seven in the evening in front of the ward office, there should have been a lot of pedestrians, right?”

“Maybe too many. Most of the people on the street were either shopping or heading home from work, and few shopkeepers looked out from their stores. We’ve investigated nearby shops, but so far there hasn’t been any witness testimony regarding the victim.”

“If the victim went on foot from where he disappeared to where the body was found, the street cameras should’ve caught him.”

“We’re currently analyzing all surveillance cameras along that path, but we haven’t found any footage of the victim yet.”

“So, it’s possible he was driven to the scene, right…”

“Around 7 p.m. is rush hour, and there are lots of taxis in the area. We also inquired with taxi companies, but none reported seeing any suspicious vehicles.”

This suggested it would take considerable time to find a witness. After the earthquake, people, supplies, and money from other prefectures had poured into Sendai—meaning the population had surged in the area. Vehicles with license plates from other areas were common, making it even harder to identify suspicious people or vehicles.

Perhaps anticipating this, Higashigumo began to frown.

“Then, let’s move on to the report on the scene where the body was found.”

This time, an investigator from the prefectural police forensic team responded.

“The body was discovered in Room 103 of ‘Hinode Apartment.’ The room had been unoccupied for several years and was covered in dust and hair. However, apart from the victim’s, the hair that was found at the scene lacked follicles, so unfortunately, we couldn’t extract any DNA.”

“What about shoe prints?”

“Judging from the floor’s condition and the dust on the body, the killer carried the victim’s upper body and dragged it into the room. When leaving, the killer followed the same drag marks.”

“But surely at least some flat footprints would remain?”

“About that…”

The forensic officer trailed off at this point.

“Using ALS (Alternate Light Source) and DIP (chemical reagents), we did find a new footprint… but it appears to be from a slipper with no tread.”

At this, Higashigumo’s mouth fell slightly open.

“Though there were dusty slippers scattered at the apartment entrance, they didn’t match the prints left at the scene. So, it’s likely the slippers were brought in by the killer. There were signs that the culprit had swept away their footprints on the hardened soil at the entryway, and after a detailed check, we confirmed the same slipper prints. However, the slipper marks stopped at the entrance and disappeared by the time they reached the road. If the crime happened on October 1st and the body was discovered on the 15th, then even if the killer used a car, it’d be nearly impossible to trace tire marks after two weeks.”

Shoe prints are useful in investigations because the sole pattern can help identify the manufacturer, thus narrowing down the suspects. Plus, trace evidence on the soles can reveal a suspect’s movements and parts of their daily life.

But with treadless slippers, the amount of evidence dramatically decreases.

“Unlike regular shoes, slippers only cover the front of the foot, so they don’t reveal stride patterns or other personal traits, and unless they perfectly match the foot, it’s also hard to estimate the height based on size.”

The forensic investigator gave a small, apologetic bow before sitting down.

Disappointment was clear on the faces of Higashigumo and the other senior officials at the front of the room. The lack of leads in both geographic ties and forensic analysis at this early stage painted a bleak outlook.

“What about surveillance cameras near the scene?”

Iida from the Sendai Central Station stood up.

“The site in Arai-Katori, Wakabayashi Ward, is a bit distant from the development zone and has traditionally been a residential area. Crime rates in that area have been very low in recent years. Unfortunately, when we checked the camera placements..”.

“Get to the point.”

“…There are no surveillance cameras near ‘Hinode Apartments’.”

Higashigumo let out a short sigh and turned his eyes back to the front row, where the prefectural investigators were seated.

“Then let’s hear the report on the victim’s personal relationships.”

Tashino slowly stood up. It was finally his turn to report, but unfortunately, there was nothing noteworthy in his findings either.

“The victim lived in a privately owned house in Aoba Ward with his wife. He had one daughter, twenty-three years old, working for a cosmetics company in Tokyo. Her last home visit was during the Obon holidays. The victim only exchanged greetings with his neighbors and never had any disputes. He was generally considered gentle and kind. The same impression was given by his colleagues. Everyone described him as caring toward subordinates and never one to issue unreasonable orders. His reputation is that of a good person. No matter who we asked, the answer was always the same.”

“A good man’s death, huh?”

“He didn’t have any particular hobbies. His routine was just commuting between home and the office. His social circle was small, and within it, we found no one who bore him resentment or envy. He kept to himself and lived a modest life with nothing to make others jealous.”

“In other words, the possibility of a revenge motive is also low. Yet the method of killing shows an unusual amount of hatred.”

This echoed the discussion Tashino had earlier with Hasuda.

“If we rule out revenge as a motive of the crime, based on his social relationships, that would be rash. I believe we should continue investigating other motives in parallel.”

“You mean financial motives?”

Higashigumo then asked the officer in charge of asset investigation to report. The findings matched what Hasuda had previously mentioned. Mikumo did have some assets, but nothing that would make him a must-kill target at that time. If one waited until his retirement, the “fruit would be ripe” and the reward would be even sweeter.

Once again, Higashigumo looked gloomy.

“So, there’s no strong motive even in terms of money or assets? Yet despite that, someone chose such a roundabout way to kill him. What could be the reason behind that?”

This question wasn’t directed at anyone in particular—yet no one had an answer.

“Did the packing tape used to bind the victim reveal anything?”

Higashigumo’s tone had become dull from repeated disappointment. Tashino thought to himself that it was no wonder that when there’s nothing to go on, it’s hard to even come up with a direction for the investigation.

The forensic officer from earlier answered again:

“Judging by the marks left on the skin, the tape was likely only wrapped once, with no signs of being wrapped twice. Most likely, after restricting the victim’s movements, the killer just left him there. The killer probably wore gloves during the act, so no fingerprints were found. Also, the tape used is a mass-produced brand from a major company. Since it’s widely sold, it would be extremely difficult to trace the buyer.”

That was all they had to report.

Higashigumo clasped his hands together as if in prayer and looked around the meeting room at each investigator from the prefectural headquarters and Sendai Central Station.

“From the reports we just heard, it’s clear that the initial investigation has not gone smoothly. A blameless, well-liked man was killed in such a brutal way, and we still don’t understand why. However, since the killer chose such a roundabout method, there must be a reason for selecting this particular victim. Reinvestigate Mikumo Tadakatsu’s personal connections—from coworkers at the welfare and health office and service people who came to his home  to past acquaintances. Expand the range of the investigation. Those in charge of his finances, check if he rented a safe deposit box. If there are hidden assets, the case may take on a whole new perspective. Forensics should continue analyzing the killer’s footprints to determine their behavior and personality traits. That’s all.”

With this command, the investigators began to leave their seats. When Tashino turned around, Iida gave him a nod as he prepared to head out.

“The department heads didn’t look too happy.”

As soon as they regrouped, Hasuda spoke.

“If they want us to widen and deepen the investigation, then they should send more people.”

Hasuda’s complaint was more of a protest, based on the fact that they all knew it probably wouldn’t happen. At the moment, Division One alone had several other cases to deal with, and there simply weren’t enough resources to devote to this one. If the case continued to stall, eventually the size of the task force would be reduced.

“When you’re busy, your brain is always working, and when your brain is always working, you make fewer mistakes.”

Tashino gave Hasuda a pat on the shoulder and walked out of the meeting room.