Matsumura sounded like he might start crying at any moment.
Maybe Gotou had scared him a bit too much, but now he’d probably cooperate well.
"I’m counting on you.’
Gotou placed the receiver down, pressed his cigarette into the ash tray and stood up from his seat.
Nothing would start if he just sat here.
There was no guarantee that he could face a ghost yet, but he decided to return to the park once more.
7
It was already dark when Gotou arrived at the park.
Even though it was still about five, the sun set earlier now.
Gotou got off the car, went through the parking lot and walked to the park entrance.
At the gates, there were officers who looked as alike as twins.
"I’m Gotou from Criminal Affairs.’
He showed his police ID. They opened the steel gates for him.
"Anybody inside?’
"Ah, yes. There are two officers on patrol and the owner of the boathouse.’
"That all?’
"Eh?’
The officer seemed to have heard Gotou’s mutter.
"It’s nothing.’
It wasn’t Gotou’s problem to talk about the placement of investigation team members.
He waved and went to the middle of the park.
He walked to the park management office on the path by the pond, covered with dead leaves.
Splash.
Something was splashing in the lake.
Probably a duck or a carp.
After reaching the management office, he spotted the two uniformed officers on patrol.
"Thank you for your hard work.’
The officer, wearing sharp silver gla.s.ses, bowed politely.
"Hey. Anything odd?’
"Er, nothing in particular. Excuse me…’
"What?’
"I heard that the investigation within the park was already finished.’
– Is this guy politely telling me how to investigate?
Gotou clicked his tongue and glared at the bespectacled officer.
"I know that without you telling me.’
"Ah, no, that’s…’
"Keep going to the scene "til everything’s done. That’s the job of a detective.’
"I-I truly apologise,’ said the officer in a frightened tone, straightening his spine and bowing once more.
– Honestly.
Gotou turned away from the officers and went to the back of the pond.
The tiles from the path disappeared and became plain earth.
Weeds as high as his knees grew around the pond.
The very back of the pond. After reaching a cherry blossom tree that almost covered the water surface, Gotou took a break.
He wiped the sweat off his forehead.
He thought about sitting down to rest, but he didn’t find any benches.
He gave up and was about to start walking when he heard something.
– Oooh.
Wind?
Gotou’s heartbeat quickened as he tensed up.
Rustle.
A tree shook, and something black pa.s.sed in front of him.
A dog or a cat? Well, something like that. Gotou heaved a sigh in relief.
Plunk.
He saw something on the pond. A duck –
No, it’s not!
He jumped over the fence by the path, ran through the thicket and jumped into the pond.
– A person.
A long-haired woman was floating face-down in the pond.
Gotou grabbed her body and tried to pull her to the sh.o.r.e.
However, his footing was unsteady and it wasn’t going well.
– d.a.m.n it! I really can’t do this alone!
"Oi! Anybody! Lend a hand!’
Anger suddenly welled up in Gotou’s stomach.
A park wasn’t like a building. There wasn’t any point closing off the entrance.
You could get in from anywhere if you wanted to sneak in.
The culprit knew that there weren’t enough people on guard.
That’s why they dared to choose the same place –
"Hurry up! You idiots!’ screamed Gotou in his rage.
After a while, the officers finally came around. The two of them had torches in their hands and were standing there dumbly.
"Don’t just watch! Help me out!’ shouted Gotou.
Finally, the two officers jumped into the pond and started helping.
The three of them pulled the woman to the sh.o.r.e. They turned her face-up to try to resuscitate her.
"Wha – ’
Gotou’s words were caught in his throat.
The woman’s lips had been sewn together with a needle or something.
She had probably struggled frantically.
There were signs of scratches from fingernails around her lips.
"Aaaahhh!’
The officer with the gla.s.ses let out a shriek and fell backwards.
"Shut up! Don’t make a fuss! Hurry and make a call already!’
Though Gotou yelled that, he couldn’t repress the bad feeling in his stomach.
– Oooh.
He heard a wail from somewhere.
It definitely wasn’t his ears playing tricks on him.
Gotou stood up, looking around.
"Where are you? Where the h.e.l.l are you?’
– There!
Five metres ahead.
There was a girl up to her waist in the pond.
Like before, it was the girl in a uniform with a ponytail.
Gotou jumped into the pond immediately.
"Oi!’
While yelling, Gotou splashed forward through the pond.
Just a bit farther and my hand will reach her –
The moment he thought that, the girl melted into the darkness –
8
At the investigation meeting the next morning, Ideuchi’s face was completely pale as he stood at the podium.
It looked like he’d aged ten years.
Since corpses had been found at the same park two days in a row, he was probably unimaginably anxious.
However, it was Ideuchi’s fault for prioritising catching the culprit and not guarding the scene of the crime well.
The victim was Ozaki Kiyomi. Twenty years old. A part-timer.
Like the first victim, Misako, she had died from asphyxiation due to pressure on the neck.
It was confirmed that her lips were sewn together when she was alive.
Hata was definitely crying out in happiness now while dancing around.
Furthermore, when confirming her ident.i.ty, it turned out that the first victim, Misako, was from the same middle school as Kiyomi and that they had been friends.
It was likely that they had been murdered by a cla.s.smate with a grudge.
One of the investigation members suggested a man called Takimoto Yuuichi as a suspect.
He had been a cla.s.smate of the victims and had a criminal history of s.e.xual a.s.sault.
"Investigate Takimoto thoroughly.’
Ideuchi gave his orders, sending the investigation members scattering out of the conference room.
However, Gotou was against this method of investigation.
– Takimoto isn’t the culprit.
Gotou was sure of that.
He had one reason. It was because the victims showed no signs of being s.e.xually a.s.saulted.
That meant it’d be difficult to think that Takimoto had gone to his cla.s.smates intent on s.e.xual a.s.sault.
"This is too rushed.’
Even Gotou could tell. If Ideuchi were calm, he would have known that Takimoto wasn’t the culprit too.
However, he was frantically trying to redeem himself and rushing ahead.
Stumbling in the first stages of the investigation made for a stormy voyage afterwards. A case in the past had proven that.
"Gotou!’
Just as Gotou was about to stand, somebody called out to him.
It was Matsumura.
"What? Don’t startle me.’
Gotou spoke angrily, but Matsumura’s eyes sparkled like those of a kid who had spotted a stag beetle.
"What are you saying? I’m the one who’s surprised.’
"Eh?’
"You knew from the beginning, right? You really are a psychic detective.’
Matsumura grabbed Gotou’s shoulders in an over-friendly manner and nodded a number of times.
"I have no idea what you’re talking about. Explain properly!’
Matsumura’s shoulders slumped, looking disappointed, and he held a file out in front of Gotou.
"The h.e.l.l is this?’
"What do you mean by that? It’s the case file you requested yesterday.’
"O-oh. Right.’
Gotou took the file from Matsumura and flipped it open. Then, he suddenly saw a girl in a uniform.
A chill ran down his spine. He almost dropped the file.
She had a ponytail and a blazer uniform. She had a slender face and was looking down.
– No doubt about it.
Gotou had seen this girl at the park.
"So that really was it..’ mumbled Gotou without thinking.
"I was surprised when I saw that too. The girl who died in that pond six years ago was in the same cla.s.s as the two victims this time.’
"W-what did you say!? Is that true?’
Gotou was so shocked that he grabbed Matsumura by the collar.
"I-it’s easy to check in the doc.u.ments. Isn’t that what you were suspecting?’
"Do I look that clever to you?’
Matsumura shook his head, like he didn’t understand.
9
Gotou looked at the doc.u.ments for the case six years ago again.
The name of the girl whose corpse showed up in that pond was Hara Kimie. She had been fourteen then.
Her parents were divorced, and she had been staying with her father, Kazunori.
It must have been tough for a girl of that age to be living alone with her father.
She died from suffocation –
It was suspected to be murder when she was found.
There had been signs that there was a rope around her neck.
There were other reasons to suspect it was murder too.
Her father, Kazunori, had acted in an inexplicable way.
First, there was a two-day gap before he made a request for an investigation.
Furthermore, Kimie hadn’t left a note behind, and there had been a considerable sum of insurance money.
At first, the police investigated her father, thinking he was the suspect, but then the case took an unexpected turn.
From the coroner’s report, it was determined to be a suicide.
She had planned on killing herself, putting a rope on the branch of a cherry blossom tree, but the branch broke from the wait and she fell into the pond.
Kimie had looped the rope on the branch when she hanged herself, so after she fell, the rope fell as well. It was the truth.
The rope was found in the pond, and her homeroom teacher at the time said that Kimie had been bullied, so it was said that she had killed herself because of the bullying and the case was closed.
However, Gotou didn’t accept that.
Gotou thought about talking to her homeroom teacher at the time, but when he saw that name, it felt like a revelation.
Gotou went right for Isshin’s temple.
After climbing the steep slope, Gotou parked his car at the temple gates and went towards the priests’ quarters past the gravel garden.
Gotou stopped in front of the entrance and pressed the intercom b.u.t.ton. After a while, the sliding door opened.
Isshin showed up in his working robes.
He had a gentle smile that made you want to breathe a sigh of relief.
"It’s you, Gotou-san?’
Isshin’s expression went a bit stiff.
"There’s something I want to talk to you about – that OK?’
"Please go ahead.’
With Isshin’s invitation, Gotou went into the living room.
"Don’t worry about me,’ said Gotou, but Isshin prepared tea and snacks and sat opposite Gotou, holding a crying child.
"That kid’s that teacher’s…’
"No, she’s our child,’ Isshin said firmly, as if it were a matter of fact.
– What a great monk.
Gotou smiled wryly.
Even though Isshin had liked her, they weren’t related by blood. And that woman was already dead.
Isshin had known that and taken this kid in anyway. Gotou couldn’t say anything in his astonishment.
The other kid in this temple, Yak.u.mo, wasn’t Isshin’s real child either. He was the kid of his older sister, who had tried to kill her own child.
Isshin’s self-sacrificing spirit could fight with Gandhi’s.
"Thank you very much for your help.’
Isshin bowed his head politely.
"I didn’t do anything.’
Isshin was probably thanking Gotou for the issue with the marriage with Akemi, who had already died.
But Gotou didn’t have the right to receive thanks for that.
The person who’d actually dealt with it wasn’t Gotou but Miyagawa. Gotou didn’t even know how Miyagawa had done it.
"I am truly grateful. It is thanks to you that I can hold this child like this,’ said Isshin, patting the kid’s head.
"Forget about that already,’ Gotou said brusquely.
"All right.’
Isshin scratched his chin, seeming troubled.
Gotou noticed that there was a bandage around his right hand’s palm.
"Did something happen to your hand?’ asked Gotou, pointing with his chin.
"It’s embarra.s.sing. I accidentally cut it when chopping up cabbage.’
"Don’t make things up. If you were chopping up cabbage, you’d cut your fingers, right?’ reb.u.t.ted Gotou.
Isshin imitated chopping vegetables with his hand and then said, "Ah.’ Then he c.o.c.ked his head, looking troubled.
There wasn’t any man worse at lying.
"Well, forget about that. I came here for another matter today.’
"Another matter?’
"Right. I want to talk to Yak.u.mo.’
"Why?’
Isshin’s eyes narrowed, like he had sensed Gotou’s intentions.
He looked like a wary cat.
Gotou had wanted to talk to Yak.u.mo without explaining his reason if possible. If he talked to Isshin, it was as clear as day that Isshin would refuse.
– Can’t I make something up somehow?
Gotou thought about it, but he gave up immediately.
He was awful at lying – he could give Isshin a run for his money. It’d just make the situation worse if he made up an obvious lie.
Gotou cleared his throat and then went straight for the heart of the matter.
"Do you know about the incident with the girl’s corpse at the park?’
"Yes, though only from what I’ve read in the newspaper…’
The conversation would be quick then.
Gotou took a photo from his pocket and placed it on the table.
The moment Isshin took the photo, his expression stiffened instantly.
"Spiritual photography…’ said Isshin.
– The guy’s quick.
It looked like he understood Gotou’s intentions without his saying them.
"Yeah. Taken at the scene of the crime.’
"And?’
"That girl’s ghost. She killed herself at that pond six years ago. And the victims this time were her cla.s.smates. Don’t you think there’s something there?’
"It’s got nothing to do with Yak.u.mo,’ Isshin said quietly, placing the photo on the table again.
It sounded like a refusal.
"If Yak.u.mo can really see ghosts, I want him to help.’
"Are you trying to use Yak.u.mo?’
Isshin’s expression didn’t change as he looked Gotou in the eyes.
Even though Isshin wasn’t threatening him or anything, there was a pressure that was above that.
"That’s not…’
"Then what is it?’ continued Isshin, his gaze hard.
"I can’t explain it properly… I’m just concerned about that guy.’
"What are you concerned about?’
"To me, it looks like that guy’s cursing himself to death.’
Maybe Gotou had said too much, but Isshin listened to Gotou silently.
"Looks like he’s troubled by being able to see ghosts, but the way I see it, it’s not that special. Actually, I think that if he has some special power that other people don’t have, he should use it.’
"Which is why you’re telling him to cooperate with the investigation?’
"Yeah, that’s right.’
"It just sounds like you’re trying to use him to me.’
Isshin sighed.
Perhaps he was disdainful of Gotou, but Isshin couldn’t blame Gotou one-sidedly. The reason being –
"You used Yak.u.mo during that teacher’s case too, didn’t you?’
Isshin was clearly glaring at Gotou.
"This is different from a test of courage. You can’t involve him in a murder.’
Gotou understood how Isshin felt. But –
"You can’t say that this case isn’t related to you.’
Isshin c.o.c.ked his head.
"What do you mean?’
"The victim’s teacher six years ago was that kid’s mother.’
Gotou looked at the kid Isshin was holding to his chest.
"Akemi-chan’s..’
"You curious, right?’
There was a suffocating silence –
Gotou held his breath as he waited for Isshin’s reply.
Finally, Isshin said these words, as if they were wrung out of him. ’… If that’s the case, I’ll cooperate on Yak.u.mo’s behalf.’
A choice appropriate for Isshin –
But this wasn’t like grunt work. It wasn’t like anybody would do. It had to be Yak.u.mo.
Gotou opened his mouth to object when –
The sliding door opened.
"It would just be a waste of time if you went, Uncle. You can’t see anything.’
Yak.u.mo was standing there.
His eyes were narrowed as he ran a hand through his hair, looking annoyed.
"No, but…’
Isshin looked at Yak.u.mo and started to speak, but then he sighed and dropped his shoulders when nothing else came out.
"Take me to the place where the ghost was,’ Yak.u.mo said disinterestedly.
Though the d.a.m.n brat’s att.i.tude irritated Gotou, he was grateful that Yak.u.mo was sticking his neck in. It’d probably be better to move before the contrary kid’s mood changed.
"Got it,’ replied Gotou, standing up.
"Yak.u.mo, you shouldn’t say things like that so simply. It’ll be dangerous,’ interrupted Isshin, looking like he still didn’t accept it.
"Danger is everywhere,’ reb.u.t.ted Yak.u.mo.
It didn’t sound like an offhand phrase.
"Exactly. I don’t want you to run towards danger yourself,’ continued Isshin, standing up.
"You said this yourself yesterday, didn’t you, Uncle? That there was some reason I could see ghosts. I’ll confirm that reason for myself. That’s all.’
"But…’
"Is there really a reason for my left eye? If I don’t look for that answer, I won’t find it. And I’m also concerned about Sensei.’
Yak.u.mo interrupted Isshin, turned around and left the room.
"I’m accountable too, for wrapping him up in this. I’ll definitely protect Yak.u.mo,’ Gotou declared firmly.
"I’ll count on you.’
Gotou accepted Isshin’s humble request and left the room.
10
Gotou explained everything that had happened so far to Yak.u.mo as he drove his car to the park.
In the pa.s.senger seat, Yak.u.mo looked forward as he silently listened to Gotou talk.
"I think the girl who killed herself six years ago has something to do with this time’s case.’
Gotou offered his own opinion after explaining and put a cigarette in his mouth.
"Let me say one thing.’
Yak.u.mo looked at Gotou coldly.
"What?’
"If you light that, I’ll get off the car right now.’
"Ah, my bad. So what do you think?’
– What a fussy brat.
Gotou put the cigarette back in the case and asked a question instead.
"What about?’
– Wasn’t he listening?
"I’m saying the case from six years ago might be related to the case this time.’
"What do you mean?’ said Yak.u.mo, yawning as if he was bored.
Even though he must have known from the flow of the conversation. He was making Gotou say it on purpose.
"I’m saying that I think the culprit this time might be a ghost.’
The truth was Gotou didn’t want to believe it either.
However, he thought that way after so many strange things had happened.
"Do you really think a ghost killed someone?’
"Like I could say that as a joke.’
If the culprit this time were a ghost, how would the police handle the case? That thought suddenly came to Gotou’s head.
"You’re really…’ muttered Yak.u.mo.
He spoke so quietly that Gotou couldn’t hear the important part.
"Eh? What’d you say?’
"I said that you’re really an idiot.’
"Who are you calling an idiot!?’
– There had to be a better way to say it.
Gotou yelled in anger without thinking.
"Don’t yell in the car.’
Yak.u.mo put his fingers in his ears.
"How the h.e.l.l can you call an adult an idiot!? An idiot!?’
"Don’t make me say the same thing again and again. If you think a ghost’s killed someone, you’ve watched too many horror films. Ghosts are the emotions left behind by people when they die and lose their bodies.’
"People’s emotions?’
Gotou had the feel of it, but he repeated the words, unable to understand.
"Yeah. That’s why…’
Yak.u.mo swallowed the words he was about to say. He narrowed his eyes and stared at Gotou’s face.
However, he didn’t say anything else. He shook his head in exasperation and stayed silent.
– What the h.e.l.l is up with this brat?
"If you’ve got something to say, say it.’
"Saying it would be pointless. Your brain wouldn’t be able to understand.’
– Oh, that was quite a mouth.
Gotou thought about giving him a good punch, but he decided against it.
There was what happened last time. Yak.u.mo wasn’t the type of guy who’d talk after being hit.
Just as Gotou let out a sigh, he spotted the park –
11
Gotou got off the car and brought Yak.u.mo into the park.
Once Yak.u.mo stepped into the park, he started walking briskly, as if something was leading him.
He pa.s.sed the management office and turned right at the pond.
"Here…’ murmured Yak.u.mo as he stopped.
There was a cherry blossom tree there with branches hanging over the pond.
Exactly where the corpse was fond –
Yak.u.mo’s gaze was looking straight at the water.
– Can he see something?
Gotou wanted to ask, but the air about Yak.u.mo was as cold and sharp as a knife – Gotou couldn’t even approach.
"Who are you?’ said Yak.u.mo, still looking at the pond.
But there was n.o.body in the pond. Just two ducks on the water.
"Why are you here?’
Yak.u.mo’s questions continued.
The dry wind made ripples in the water.
"I see… So that’s how it was…’
After saying that in a faint voice, Yak.u.mo slowly closed his eyes.
It was hard to approach him, as if he were meditating.
"Thank you for your hard work.’
Gotou turned around at the sudden voice.
Standing there was the first at the scene, Fumiko.
"Oh, it’s you?’
"I apologise for last time.’
Fumiko let go of the wheelbarrow she was holding, took off her hat and bowed her head.
"What are you talking about?’
"Er… Because I talked about something strange to a detective…’ Fumiko said in a small voice as her brows furrowed.
"Don’t worry about it. Anyway, did you see it after?’
For a moment, Fumiko looked surprised.
"See what?’
"The ghost.’
"A-ah. Actually, the day before yesterday, after you left, Detective…’
"Really?’
"That day, I ended up leaving the park at night. When I was heading home, I heard somebody wail out these words: “I’ll kill you.”’
"Oh…’
– It matches.
Gotou swallowed the words he was about to say.
A detective couldn’t say he had seen a ghost in front of a civilian.
The ghost really was related to the case. Gotou was sure of it.
"If something like that happens again, contact me,’ said Gotou, giving Fumiko his business card. Then, he turned towards Yak.u.mo again.
Since Yak.u.mo hadn’t said anything, Gotou had thought he’d been listening, but Yak.u.mo was still looking out at the pond.
"How is it?’
"Just as you said, there is a girl’s spirit wandering this park,’ replied Yak.u.mo, still looking at the pond.
– So I was right.
"Why’s that girl’s ghost wandering here?’ asked Gotou.
"She has a strong hatred…’
Yak.u.mo looked down.
He looked sad.
"Hatred?’
"Yes. But at the bottom of that hatred, there is sadness and loneliness.’
Sadness and loneliness at the bottom of hatred –
Gotou couldn’t understand such delicate emotional states, but if that ghost had a strong hatred –
"So that ghost really did kill those two girls?’
The moment Gotou said that, Yak.u.mo’s expression twisted, like he was looking at something filthy.
"Is that something a detective should say? When did the police become so irresponsible?’
– This brat! Every time I let him speak!
Gotou’s anger had reached its peak.
"You’re the one who said the ghost was wandering in hatred!’
"I don’t recall saying that the ghost killed anybody. And ghosts can’t kill people anyway.’
– Can’t kill?
Yak.u.mo had said the same thing earlier.
"What do you mean?’
"I don’t mean anything. I said that ghosts were cl.u.s.ters of people’s emotions, right?’
"Yeah.’
"They aren’t new life forms or demons. They’re like residual thoughts. That’s why we can’t touch them. On the other hand, they can’t touch us. If they can’t have physical contact, it’s impossible for them to kill.’
Yak.u.mo spoke in a disinterested tone, like he was reciting a boring book.
"That so?’
"I think so.’
Gotou wasn’t an expert.
But if somebody who could see them was saying that, it was probably right.
"Then is that ghost unrelated to the case?’
"You really are dumb.’
"What?’
– The guy really just gets on my nerves.
"Just because the ghost didn’t kill them directly doesn’t mean the ghost is unrelated. A detective would be shocked if they heard you.’
Now that Yak.u.mo said that, it was true, but Gotou didn’t like the way he talked.
"Even without your concern, I am a detective.’
"I don’t know about that.’
"You – if you don’t stop that, I’ll punch you!’
Gotou raised his fist in his anger.
"Do it if you want,’ Yak.u.mo said expressionlessly.
n.o.body would want to punch somebody after hearing that.
Gotou kicked the ground.
"More importantly, do you have the doc.u.ments for the case from six years ago?’
Yak.u.mo changed the subject, paying no heed to Gotou’s anger.
"In the car.’
"Show them to me,’ Yak.u.mo said matter-of-factly.
"You make it sound so simple. There’s no way I can show investigation files to a civilian.’
"Isn’t asking a civilian to help with an investigation also a problem? What are you saying after already involving me this much?’
Though Yak.u.mo’s tone irritated Gotou, it was just as he said.
– Being with this guy knocks me off my stride.
12
Gotou went back to the car and handed the investigation file to Yak.u.mo.
Yak.u.mo’s lips moved occasionally as he looked at the doc.u.ments with a serious gaze. The look matched him.
You couldn’t tell who the detective was.
"I see…’
Yak.u.mo nodded and looked up.
"Find something out? ’
"I found out that your reading comprehension is lower than that of an elementary school student’s.’
"Whose reading comprehension is low?’
– This guy has a comment for everything.
"You, obviously. Did you look at this file properly?’
"Of course I did,’ Gotou responded confidently, but Yak.u.mo sighed in exasperation.
That att.i.tude spurred Gotou’s anger further.
"You said that girl’s homeroom teacher six years ago was Takagishi-sensei, right?’
"Yeah.’
– I did say th