Police!
Behind Asakusa's Ryouunkaku at the Hananoya,
there's a woman who goes by the name Otaki.
You know her, don't you?
O-Otaki-san...
Do you know her, or not?!
Oh!
Yes. I know her.
That Otaki was stabbed in the throat with a short sword and died.
What?!
No, no. We don't consider you a suspect as yet, Professor.
But, there was a certain person with you at the time.
Wh-What about him?
Around eight—the time of the murder— he saw you in Otaki's room.
That's what he said, at least.
Ishikawa-kun said that?
Woodpecker Detective's Office
9 hours earlier...
Poem 2 A Red-light District Woman
Well, this is a problem.
Starting this month, if I'm late with the rent,
I'll be thrown out immediately.
You're saying that now, but Ishikawa-kun,
last night you went out drinking and didn't come back until after midnight.
"The thoughts I have
all revolve around my lack of money
that seems to be the root
and an autumn wind blows."
Poems just don't make money, do they?
If you abstained from frequenting brothels,
your troubles would all be over, wouldn't they?
If you'll permit me to say, I'd rather not hear something like that
from someone who knows nothing of women, Kyousuke-san.
I have a feeling that you'll take your leave from this world
without ever knowing the joys of life...
Ishikawa-kun! What are you doing?
Hurry up!
It isn't as though you're going to be gobbled up.
There is absolutely no reason to feel hesitant!
Isn't that what I've been saying for a while now?
Let's not do this after all, Ishikawa-kun...
Just as I thought.
There's no need to take that attitude.
In any case, I'm a teacher. I shouldn't—
Kyousuke-san.
Using the "teacher" excuse every time things get inconvenient is cowardly.
W-Wait, Ishikawa-kun...
Wait!
Look. It's starting to rain.
Huh?
Welcome.
Perfect. Let's have a meal here.
After all, when you're hungry...
Party of two!
But that Arakawa mines thing was incredible, wasn't it?
If it weren't for something like this,
those guys at the top who'd taken a lot of bribes
probably would've just killed the story.
The police are saying Oguri isn't the killer, but you never know.
Lately, it seems like that's all anyone's talking about.
Somehow, people have started treating the victim, Tatsukichi,
like some kind of hero who exposed evil doings.
Here you go.
Thanks.
Something wrong?
Ah, no.
Hello, Madam.
If it isn't Ishikawa-san.
Huh?
You...
Oh, please, come inside.
Oh! Is that Hajime-san?
It's been a while, hasn't it, Oen?
Oh. I see you've brought someone with you.
Could it be...
Otaki-chan! Come down here! Hurry up!
Otaki-chan, that gentleman over there. All right?
Well, enjoy yourself, Kyousuke-san.
Wha—Wait! Ishikawa-kun!
Pleased to make your acquaintance.
My, what a strange thing to say.
I'll have one of those, if you don't mind.
Here you go.
Sorry.
Oh...
Please go up to the room. I'll be back in a moment.
Hananoya
I'm sorry.
I've kept you waiting.
Not at all!
Now, the players are all assembled.
Are you planning to listen in like that all night?
Just wait a little.
Today is Kyousuke-san's day in the sun.
Oh! It's starting...
How is it going?
Very nicely.
Ow!
W-Wait!
Don't worry.
How is it?
Pretty hard, right?
Kyousuke-san's pretty good at this.
Then... how about... here?
Wait...
Or maybe Otaki is the one I should be praising here...
No! Stop!
Oh, dear... Honestly.
Hajime-san.
Sorry.
I'm just not in that sort of mood today.
Honestly...
If only he wouldn't hold himself back out of pride.
Huh?
Well, I can't hold myself back any more!
H-Hey!
Stop that! Wait!
I just told you—
That's enough!
J-Just calm down...
It's horrible of you... treating me this way...
I-It isn't...
I didn't mean anything by it.
And it's because you're like that...
Otaki-san. That's going too far, don't you think?
Huh?
I wonder what happened.
I've heard enough!
I'm going to get some cigarettes. I'll be right back.
Is something wrong?
No, I just...
I went to take a peek just now, and
Kyousuke-san was sitting there all depressed.
I didn't see Otaki,
but maybe... she was sulking in her bed.
Well.
Come join me, won't you?
Police!
Someone call the police!
What's going on?
Ishikawa-kun...
What did he say?
Around eight—the time of the murder— he saw you in Otaki's room.
That's what he said, at least.
Ishikawa-kun said that?
I don't know anything. I—
Don't play dumb with us!
Now, now, Constable Sahara.
Apologies for the late introduction.
I'm Yamafuji from the Asakusa station.
I'm sorry to say that the circumstances put you in a very unfavorable position.
The madam says that you were the only guest there.
Your jacket was found left at the scene.
And, you were seen there around the time of the incident...
as testified by Ishikawa-san.
It's a lie!
He would never say something like that!
One more thing. This was left at the scene, as well...
The contents are all written horizontally, so I can't read any of it.
Oh, that's right.
There were two copper coins tucked inside.
This notebook...
it wouldn't be yours, would it, Professor?
A-Absolutely not.
It isn't mine.
I see.
I'll go get some more alcohol,
so you can go ahead and go up to my room.
All right!
Bring as much as you can find!
Well, well. If it isn't Kyousuke-san!
Were you lonely without me?
Ishikawa-kun, I need to talk with you.
Are you going to give me some alcohol for my hangover?
A good friend is indispensable—
Just come in and sit down.
I'd be happy if you just lent me a bottle of sake.
Late last night, the police came here.
And you know why, don't you?
How could you say something so irresponsible?
Pull yourself together!
You cause me so much trouble and now you take that attitude?!
When you're telling the truth, attitude has nothing to do with it.
The truth?
What truth are you talking about?
Kyousuke-san.
Around eight, when Otaki was killed, I saw everything.
There, in that room,
I saw you.
Woodpecker Detective's Office
D-Don't be stupid!
I went into the room, and less than 30 minutes later, I left.
I heard the chimes of the wall clock as I went to the room.
You're so awkward with women.
How would you do with someone like Otaki?
I just couldn't help wondering.
That wasn't me!
There's some kind of mistake here!
Could the truth have gone something like... this?
W-Wait!
Don't worry.
How is it?
Pretty hard, right?
Then... how about... here?
W-Wait... No! Stop!
Wait!
That's enough!
J-Just calm down...
It's horrible of you... treating me this way...
I-It isn't...
I didn't mean anything by it.
And it's because you're like that...
because you're like that...
that you still know nothing of women.
Pathetic doesn't even begin to describe it.
Otaki-san, that's going too far, don't you think?
A useless lump who can't even make love to a single woman
shouldn't try to put on airs.
So what if you're a professor at an imperial university.
Everything's all laid out for you like this,
and you're running away, tail between your legs.
I've heard... enough.
That's insane!
You know that I'm not the type who would do something like—
Really?
You can't judge people on appearances.
But...
I... Otaki-san and I, we...
we kissed... but that's all.
I left right away.
You might be trying to defend yourself by saying all you did was kiss,
but for Otaki your behavior was probably humiliating!
Besides which, the madam said she had to leave the reception area
because of a personal matter.
I just remembered, Ishikawa-kun!
It was in the hallway on the second floor!
A man in the same kind of clothes I was wearing...
It was almost like he was trying to hide...
That's it. That man.
That's who you saw in Otaki-san's room!
He must have gauged when I might leave and then killed her!
What do you think? Everything makes sense, right?
My goodness. What a truly ridiculous fiction.
What?
You see, Kyousuke-san...
the madam has testified that you and I were the only guests last night.
Confessing your crimes honestly is for the best in the long run.
I must have known... but I wanted to believe it wasn't true...
so I shoved it into the corner of my mind...
because, for me, friendship was more important than anything...
The one who killed Otaki-san...
was you, wasn't it?
Me?
What motive could I possibly have for killing Otaki?
That is the most absurd thing I've heard.
The notebook the inspector brought...
it was your romaji diary.
The events of the incident must have been something like this...
Um... Will you come to bed?
No.
Am I not good enough?
No! It isn't that!
Huh?
I was born in Hokkaido.
Really? I went there last year.
Yes. I've heard.
I heard that.
I've always...
W-Wait!
Don't worry.
How is it?
Pretty hard, right?
Then... how about here?
W-Wait...
Ow...
I can really feel that!
No! Stop!
I can hear it... the beat of your heart in your chest, Kindaichi-sama.
Kindaichi-sama...
Well, I can't hold myself back any more!
That's enough!
J-Just calm down...
It's horrible of you... treating me this way...
I-It isn't...
I didn't mean anything by it.
And it's because you're like that...
You don't know anything about Ishikawa-san.
No. I do know him.
No, you don't know anything.
You don't know what kind of person Ishikawa-san is—
Otaki-san, that's going too far, don't you think?
He's a little bit different... a show-off,
and all he does is go around borrowing money,
but he is a genius poet!
You see?
You really don't know anything, do you?
I've heard enough!
Peeping is wrong.
How was Kyousuke-san?
Did he go home without doing anything? Pathetic.
He is a very kind man.
Yes, he is kind. Stupidly so.
That is no way to speak of a friend, is it, Mr. Genius Poet?
What's that?
Your name might be slightly known in the world of poetry,
but the truth is, you're simply presuming on your friend's affections,
nothing but a half-baked amateur.
Stay back.
And that's how... you made your crime seem to be mine.
I don't know about that notebook.
By the time I'd gone up to Oen's room, I'd already lost it.
The truth is the truth. It cannot be ignored.
In the same way, the sight of you in your jacket—
Kindaichi-san, we have a warrant for your arrest.
If you'll come with us to the station.
Hurry up!
But I'm—
Come on! Walk!
Stop right there!
We heard everything.
The real culprit in this crime...
We'll find him for you!
Things have turned out very badly for Kindaichi-kun, haven't they?
We'll just have to find the real murderer and save him!
Indeed.
Next Time: "Casual Remarks"
If Ishikawa-kun can be a detective, then there is no reason I can't be one.
Illustration: Saki Kaoru