Those Who Are Not Protected - Chapter 2: Episode 1.2

In the Mikumo case, it was only reported that the victim had been tied up and abandoned. Therefore, the likelihood of using the exact same tape and tying in the same spots is almost zero if it wasn’t the same killer.

“The victim slowly got weaker and died. It might seem like an indirect killing, but actually, there’s nothing more cruel. While we shouldn’t hastily draw conclusions from an investigation, this method of killing strongly suggests the killer harboured strong hatred.”

Tashino understood what Karasawa meant.

“If you think from the victim’s perspective, it’s clear. There is no food, no water, and no way to call for help. Outside the shed, it’s peaceful — birds singing, people talking in the distance. But inside, death comes closer step by step. It’s hard to imagine another situation that inflicts such profound loneliness and fear on a person. The mind could easily spiral into madness, even if the body remains unharmed.

“But Inspector,” Tashino said, “we can’t find anyone who hated Mikumo Tadakatsu.”

“That’s what worries me even more,” Karasawa replied. “If someone can do this without having any grudge, it reminds me of the Nazi human experiments.”

Tashino looked at the body. All the muscles had disappeared, except for the bloated stomach. The body resembled the emaciated figures depicted in ancient scrolls. County council members usually have many dinner meetings, and even if they don’t, they always eat well. Seeing someone from the upper class die looking like a starving ghost made Karasawa’s words seem even more true.

Tashino then went to ask one of the forensic officers who was checking around the shed.

“Yes. The tape used by the killer looks the same as in the first case. But since it’s a common product, it’s difficult to trace who bought it.”

“Was the body tied up with his clothes still on?”

“Yes. The cash in his suit pocket was untouched, and even the council member’s badge on his collar was still there. The killer didn’t try to hide the victim’s identity at all.”

That’s right. The local police realized the victim was a county council member, so they immediately reported it to the prefectural police headquarters.

“Any other clues?”

“Honestly, not much. Because of the location, you can’t drive up to the shed. So, whether the killer carried or dragged the body, they should have left some traces… but…”

The forensic officer pointed at a piece of farm equipment taken from the shed.

“If the killer used that to move the body, we don’t have much chance.”

It was a handcart used to carry grains and tools. With that, even a child could move an adult body easily.

“The handcart belongs to the shed, so the killer likely used it. As you can see, the path to the shed isn’t even a proper trail. The grass is so thick that it’s hard to find any footprints. If the killer wore slippers like in the first case, it would be even harder to find footprints.

“But the killer at least drove to the forest entrance, right?”

“The victim went missing ten days ago, and many people have driven through the area since then. There’s a park nearby, so tracking tire marks is also hard. Oh, and…”

The officer looked even more frustrated.

“There aren’t any security cameras around here.”

Tashino had already noticed that. Not only around the shed, but even the forest entrance had no cameras in sight.

Busy city areas, banks, convenience stores, and schools — those might have cameras. But a forest where no one goes, especially in the daytime, wouldn’t have any surveillance. If the killer picked this place for that reason, maybe they were familiar with the area? Or they happened to find the perfect shed while exploring?

“We only found the shed owner Gomi’s fingerprints on the cart handle. Inside the shed, there’s a mess of hair, and more than half of it seems to be animal fur. Sorting it out will take time.

Then Tashino talked to a local officer from the Shiogama station. He also looked frustrated.

“We tried checking for people connected to this place, but the forest doesn’t attract troubled youth, and no one walks here after dark. We also haven’t found any witnesses who saw a stranger around.”

It was a place no one normally passed by. If someone drove in late at night and took the victim into the forest, no one would have noticed.

Just as Tashino was getting tired of the lack of clues, Hasuda came up looking discouraged.

“Tashino, have you heard what people say about the councilman, Jounouchi?”

“I don’t know much about local politics. I’d be lucky to even know the name of the governor.”

“Well, people say he was the most upright member of the council. He didn’t care about money or women. Everyone says he was the symbol of honesty and purity.”

“Oh? I thought being corrupt and lecherous was a requirement for being a councilor.”

“That’s too extreme. But Councilor Jōnouchi had absolutely no negative remarks. I even checked with the Second Division at headquarters—his name never came up in any corruption cases. On top of that, he supported junior councilors, and many of them respected him.”

“You’re saying, as a councilor, there was nothing about him that would make people hate him?”

“If someone specifically targeted saints and gentlemen, then he’d be a perfect target.”

“Being too clean in a muddy swamp just makes you a thorn in people’s sides, doesn’t it?”

“I’m sure there were people who found him annoying, but just being disliked wouldn’t lead to this.”

Tashino knew that too.

“It’s said that he cared about public opinion and even responded to messages from citizens on the prefectural assembly’s website. He had no political enemies either, so councilors from other factions didn’t criticize him.”

So, as a public servant, Jōnouchi had no weak points. That meant the investigation of his personal relationships had to take a more private angle.

“I heard his wallet wasn’t touched. How much money was in it?”

“Over 210,000 yen in cash, plus various cards. So, the incident wasn’t a murder for money either.”

Damn it, another case with no clear motive—Tashino clicked his tongue inwardly. Without a motive, how were they supposed to narrow down suspects?

“There are many similarities to the Mikumo case and all of them are the difficult parts.”

“The victims were all people with excellent reputations. They were kidnapped on their way home from work. Their bodies were found in very remote places. The tools used were all mass-produced, common items. There were no witnesses, no security footage, and no trace evidence to identify the culprit, and the victims were bound with packing tape and starved to death.”

“Hearing it listed out like that is just aggravating.”

“Most of those similarities were never released to the media. There’s no way a third party could mimic them all. Tashino, I’d say there’s a ninety percent chance it was the same perpetrator.”

“I doubt there’s anyone on the full investigation team, starting with the superintendent, who doesn’t think the same.”

“You disagree, Tashino?”

If only I did—he was about to say that when a local officer cut in and said, “The victim’s family has arrived.”

The most taxing aspect of the task remains unfinished.

From the moment she arrived on scene, Misako Jōnouchi was visibly agitated. Her reaction showed she had received the news and understood that her husband’s body had been found but refused to accept that he was dead.

No matter the situation, facing the dead is never pleasant and accompanying the family for identification is one of the most painful tasks. Misako, who appeared strong at first, collapsed the moment she saw Jōnouchi’s body—just as expected.

Recognizing the body, she slumped down and muttered, “How could this happen…?” She then buried her face in her hands and wept for quite a while.

Just when Tashino thought she had finally calmed down, she suddenly lashed out at him.

“This is all the police’s fault!”

“…What?”

“When I reported him missing, if the police had taken it seriously, the situation never would’ve happened. This  is entirely your fault!”

She must’ve been referring to the Sendai North Police Station that handled the missing person case. For a moment, Tashino inwardly cursed the station’s lifestyle division. But Misako’s anger was likely directed not just at them but at the entire police force in Japan. Taking the brunt of the family’s outrage was one of the more thankless parts of the job. He needed to accept the situation without arguing.

“I pleaded with the Sendai Station chief countless times, but I never got even one report. Do you even understand? My husband was a prefectural councilor—a key figure in Miyagi’s government—and you treated him like he was just some runaway! Do you people even grasp your responsibilities as public servants?”

Misako seemed to be the kind of person whose voice grew louder with her emotions. Her protests escalated further.

“I will demand a full investigation through the prefectural assembly into whose negligence caused this tragedy. How dare you treat lives so carelessly!”

She went on to passionately explain how Jōnouchi’s death was an immense loss for Miyagi Prefecture and a devastating blow to her family.

Despite feeling uneasy, Tashino was well-versed in handling such situations. Above all, he must not talk back. He had to let her speak until she was satisfied. Most people calmed down once they got their emotions out.

Eventually, Misako’s agitation subsided, perhaps from exhaustion. Seizing the moment when she bowed her head, Tashino spoke:

“It’s completely understandable that you’re angry. The police may well have made mistakes that deserve scrutiny. Even if I were to apologize on behalf of every officer, it wouldn’t ease your pain. Apologising won’t bring your husband back. But there’s one thing we can do—catch the person who did this and bring them to justice.”

Misako slowly lifted her gaze to meet his eyes.

“This case involves sensitive investigative details, so I can’t share everything with you. But the person who killed your husband is incredibly cunning and utterly cruel. You may feel it’s too late, but we still have to pursue every possible lead, no matter how small and we need your help too.”

This was the critical moment. Tashino held her gaze firmly.

“You’re free to blame us however you like later, but for now, please help us solve this case.”

Even if it was just an act, a mediocre performance, it didn’t matter. What mattered was getting the victim’s family to provide trustworthy testimony.

Sure enough, though still suspicious, Misako timidly asked:

“What can I do to help?”

“We’ve heard about your husband’s excellent reputation as a councilor. Professionally, he had no enemies.”

“My husband said there were people with opposing political views, but once they were out of the assembly, they could speak frankly and openly. So, I don’t think he had any mortal enemies.”

“I see. But could there have been someone who felt jealous or held a grudge against such an upright person?”

“I don’t know. At least, I’ve never heard of anyone like that.”

“Then, how about his private life? Up until now, has there been anyone you know of who bore a grudge against your husband?”

Misako thought for a while, buteventuallyd, she simply shook her head weakly.

“…I can’t think of anyone. I’m not saying this to brag, but my husband was truly a perfect man. Sometimes, even I, as his wife, felt like I couldn’t keep up with him. Most married couples, after being together for a long time, start to notice flaws in each other’s personalities, but my husband had none at all… In fact, I’ve never heard of anyone hating him or disliking him.”