Chapter 16: 16

Chapter 16: A locked-room caused by spirits

Ayano: “This is a locked-room because the spirits are watching the place. I know, it might sound weird to call it a locked-room when the roof is actually wide open.”

Tanimoto listened to Ayano’s explanation while taking notes. Shimizu stood right in front of him with eyes that said: Do you need to take note for this?

Ayano: “But on the east side of the entrance, there is a staircase ghost that always warns people that they will fall down. Meanwhile, Uncle Toru always walks back and forth at the west side. And Reiko-san was at the courtyard on the opposite side of the garden where Uncle Yamamura fell. Reiko-san told me she didn’t see anything.”

Tanimoto: “Now that you mention it, Reiko-san did tell me the same thing.”

Ayano: “Tanimoto-san, you met Reiko-san too? Where is she now?”

Tanimoto: “I don’t know. When I saw her, she was at the corridor behind the toilet.”

“Hmm…” Ayano said as she looked towards the direction of the toilet even though it couldn’t be seen from where she stood.

Shimizu heaved out a sigh before saying, “I know it’s none of my business, but why are there so many people popping up in this mansion like mushrooms after a rain? How many people live here actually?”

Then he turned to Tanimoto and said, “Tanimoto, make sure to keep the memo of Sudo Reiko’s testimony.” What he really wanted to say was there was no need to take note of Ayano’s story.

Tanimoto gave an assent while nodding his head.

* * *

After parting with Ayano and Shimizu, Tanimoto wandered around the mansion again before finally able to join the team from Mihara Police Station. It seemed the team members had returned to the police station earlier before coming back to the mansion. The team brought him to the tatami room inside the Rainy Mansion that they had borrowed.

Tanimoto wondered whether it would be okay for him to share his findings because he was afraid that it would confuse the others. After pondering over for a while, Tanimoto began explaining the locked-room murder according to what Ayano had said.

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“What do you mean by ghost watching over the place?”

Although they looked dumbfounded, they also seemed not that surprised as if they had expected this kind of things. Unsurprisingly, they all had a weird look on their face. However, one of the men had a different expression and gave a different reaction. It was Detective Taira, a man in his 40s.

“Who were the ghosts that were watching over the place?” Taira said with distaste.

Tanimoto: “I heard it was a staircase ghost and the ghost of Sudo Toru.”

“Sudo Toru…” Taira repeated the name in a low voice. “Sudo Hisami’s husband?”

“What?!” Tanimoto exclaimed in surprise. “Sudo Hisami’s late husband is Toru-san?” He turned around towards the direction of the narrow hallway. But he knew even if Toru was there, he couldn’t see his spirit.

Tanimoto remembered that Hisami said she had no psychic ability. That would mean even if she knew her husband was wandering around the place, she couldn’t see him. In his mind, Tanimoto imagined a married couple passing each other without being aware of the other. What a strange sight, he thought.

Then he realized that Toru’s name was not mentioned in Hisami’s testimony. It was not because Toru was already dead and had nothing to do with the case, but because Shimizu was close to Toru so they didn’t bother to mention the topic.

Huh? Wait a minute. Doesn’t this mean that Ayano-san’s mother was having an affair with Toru-san?

He recalled that Sudo Hisami was being cold towards Ayano because of the rumor about Hayase Chizuru was having an affair with Hisami’s husband. Although the people had been gossiping about Ayano being the illegitimate daughter of Sokichi, the previous head of Sudo family, there was also a possibility that Ayano was the illegitimate daughter of Hisami’s husband.

No wonder Hisami-san hates her.

However, looking at Ayano’s attitude towards Toru, Tanimoto felt she didn’t seem to think of Toru as her father. Although, he couldn’t ignore the fact that Ayano was that kind of person and he himself couldn’t see Toru.

Then, he heard Taira muttered softly, “Hmm, Sudo Toru… He’s still here. I guess he couldn’t move on because his case is still unsolved.”

“His case?” Tanimoto asked in return.

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