Tokyo Unnatural Forensics

Chapter 157, Start the Search!
In the underground parking lot, several policemen were discussing what to do next.

"Because Shiratori doesn't want to get involved in this matter." Kashiwagi Ren said with annoyance: "In fact, we have already found some problems when investigating interpersonal relationships."

Jin Kashiwagi talked about the results of his and Shiratori Sho's investigation.

The interpersonal relationships around him were very secretive about Professor Tsuda's affairs, and were obviously instructed by the top leaders of the University of Tokyo to be unwilling to talk more about this issue, but Inspectors Shiratori and Kashiwagi still tried hard to get some clues from the people around Professor Tsuda.

Mrs. Tsuda has a bad reputation among professors' wives and is known as the "Golden Little Girl" (on the one hand, this title complains about Mrs. Tsuda's stinginess and fussiness, and on the other hand, it complains about her pretentiousness). One professor's wife mentioned that Mrs. Tsuda is a stingy person, and that when others give her holiday gifts, they always give her the best Matsusaka beef, but Mrs. Tsuda's return gift is the cheap Brazilian steak.

The professors' wives often treat each other to meals. Although housewives don't eat much, most of them will serve some main dishes when they treat each other. Only Mrs. Tsuda often perfunctorily serves ordinary low-end dishes such as imported Atlantic salmon sashimi.

As time went by, the professors' wives were no longer willing to interact too much with Mrs. Tsuda.

But Mrs. Tsuda is very pretentious. If someone carries Gucci or Hermes, she must have one too. If someone wears Manolo Blahnik, she must buy a pair too. She always emphasizes that she is the leader and she will definitely be there if there is any event.

But in fact, the circle of professors' wives does not emphasize this very much. Only those who are not professors' wives but really want to squeeze into this circle will play these games.

Mrs. Tsuda has been missing since May 5th. On May 7th, her friends and people around her noticed that she, who usually had a lot of activities and always attended every event, had been out of contact for two or three days. Some people have begun to ask Professor Tsuda and his two children where Mrs. Tsuda is.
This was Kashiwagi Hitoshi's first discovery.

The second discovery was that Kashiwagi Ren found the female college student Hayakawa Nanami who provided the information and worked part-time as a hostess and bubble bather. Kashiwagi Ren decided to start with the economic situation and investigate why Hayakawa Nanami was so poor.

He soon discovered that in addition to the poverty of his original family and Hayakawa Nanami's persistence in participating in the activities of the tennis club, Professor Tsuda's stinginess was also an important reason.

For the PT project, Professor Tsuda only gives each student a subsidy of 300 yen per day, which is only 9000 yen per month.

"9000 yen?!" Inspector Okada was the first to be unable to hold back: "Is he serious? 9000 yen!"

"Yes, only 9000 yen." Inspector Kashiwagi took out a form from his pocket: "I got this from Hayakawa Nanami."

Uesugi Sosetsu took the form, which showed a list of project subsidies signed by Professor Tsuda and his students a few months ago. The subsidy was 9000 yen per month for PhD students and 1000 yen per month for students plus a yen attendance bonus, for a total of yen.

"If we calculate according to the form, the monthly salary expenditure of Professor Tsuda's team members is only 43 yen, but in fact, from last year's form to now, the salary subsidies they have withdrawn from the fund for employees amount to 6 million yen in the past six months."

In the eyes of Americans, such a large scientific research team (more than 20 people) does require so much expenses, and MIT has never doubted it.

After hearing this string of numbers, Uesugi Sosetsu and others fell silent.

After a long while, Uesugi Sosetsu said to Inspector Kashiwagi: "You guys at Dongda are still the ones who make the most money!"

And this is just the salary; it is said that the larger portion of experimental expenses has not been covered at all.

"Pfft!" Miss Minami, Ikeda Erena, and Inspector Kosaka couldn't help laughing, while Okada covered his face with his hands helplessly.

"Now is not the time to talk about this!" Kashiwagi Ren was anxious.

"Okay, we'll trust you for now." Uesugi Sosetsu had also gotten into the mood at this point: "Then let me ask you, let me ask you, how did you get Hayakawa Nanami to reveal this information to you? Kosaka spent 20,000 yen on her before, but she only evaded the important points and told you a little information. And how did you get this table?"

"I..." Inspector Kashiwagi's face flushed as he spoke of this, feeling both ashamed and angry. He hesitated for a long time before whispering, "I ordered her."

"Ah?!" Inspector Kosaka and Uesugi Sosetsu understood immediately, while Miss Minami, Erina and Okada looked confused.

"I ordered her! I went to her bubble bath shop and ordered her! This is her request!" Inspector Kashiwagi was desperate and wailed, "She knows me and said that she has always liked me as a senior. If I go to the custom shop where she works and specifically ask for her, she will tell me!"

"This piece of paper was also left in Professor Tsuda's office after he signed it at the group meeting. It was accidentally left there, and later when Hayakawa Nanami was cleaning, she found it in the interlayer of the sofa!"

Inspector Kashiwagi reluctantly announced his own investigation method, but he also concealed something deeper.

Due to the sense of urgency, shame and guilt, Inspector Kashiwagi ejaculated after only a few minutes of service in the bubble bath shop. Hayakawa Nanami even comforted him, "It's okay, 3 minutes is also very good, senior."

This sentence dealt a heavy blow to Kashiwagi Ren.

However, Uesugi Sosetsu didn't care about this. He raised the last question: "Then why did you come to us?" "Didn't I say that because Shiratori didn't want to continue, but I... can't accept it!" Inspector Kashiwagi clenched the list in his hand: "Todai is my alma mater. Now that such a big thing has happened, there is no reason for me to ignore it! Yes, I am a Todai student, but I am a policeman first! Other things are fine, but murder, drug trafficking, rape, I will never let such crimes go!"

"The same goes for Professor Tsuda, and for you, Uesugi Sosetsu! Don't think that just because you escaped last time, I will conclude that it wasn't you who did it." Inspector Kashiwagi said coldly, "You probably have already determined that Professor Tsuda is the murderer, right? Based on your inexplicable inferences about solving the case?"

It turned out to be the case.

Uesugi Sosetsu understood now. To put it bluntly, Inspector Shiratori of the Second Department had sensed danger while investigating, and he obviously did not intend to continue investigating. The professional team still had a bright future in the future, and there was no need to take such a big risk for this case that was stressful in all aspects.

This fits with Inspector Shiratori's character. As a wealthy young man, a senior civil servant, and an alumnus of the University of Tokyo, he does not do anything illegal and does not want to put himself in danger.

That’s enough! Why would you risk your life for a salary of more than 40 yuan a month?
But Kashiwagi Hitoshi is different. Although he is also an alumnus of the University of Tokyo, this guy is quite stubborn. He has his own logic in handling cases and his own values of right and wrong, whether it is arresting himself or keeping a close eye on Professor Tsuda.

This fits with Inspector Kashiwagi's character.

Uesugi Sosetsu began to feel that he was somewhat trustworthy.

"That's right. From now on, Mrs. Tsuda's disappearance is very likely directly related to Professor Tsuda." Uesugi Sosetsu pinched his chin and said, "Then the question is, first of all, if Mrs. Tsuda has been in trouble, then where is she now?"

"Secondly, it has been a week since the incident. From the time Professor Tsuda reported the case to today, he has looked normal and has not shown any abnormal behavior. The Metropolitan Police Department has been monitoring him during this period, but he has never performed any strange actions. So the question is, if it is very likely that he did it, then what is the confidence that he has in sitting on the Diaoyutai?"

"Finally, what happened to Mrs. Tsuda's overseas accounts? From May 5, when Professor Tsuda arranged for his team to go to Kyoto University to present the case, to May 7, when he and his daughter went to the Honfuji Police Station to report the case, what was he doing alone during these three days?"

Uesugi Sosetsu analyzed: "I think, by investigating these clues, we will soon have the answer."

"But... Uesugi, this is too dangerous!" Miss Minami finally couldn't help but say, "Everyone is watching us now. If we continue to investigate, we may have to temporarily replace people! We'll replace them with people like Inspector Shiratori!"

"You're right." Uesugi Sosetsu nodded with a smile: "So, let's start assigning tasks now."

He first looked at Okada: "Okada-san, is this okay?"

Okada Masayoshi nodded bitterly, saying that you all have made up your mind, why are you asking me? "Okay, I'll ask the head of the second investigation section, Kazuji Daiki, to help investigate the account. After all, I'm also a member of the University of Tokyo, and I can't watch my alma mater fall into depravity like this... But when the official investigation begins, can you let me stay away?"

"Thank you very much!" Inspector Kosaka and Inspector Kashiwagi bowed to Inspector Okada together.

"Kosaka, take your people to check Professor Tsuda's movements, especially the surveillance footage of the days when he was alone." Uesugi Muneyuki said to Inspector Kosaka, "Don't alert anyone else. Tell others that you are looking for Mrs. Tsuda's movements, and pay attention to what Professor Tsuda carries when he goes in and out."

"Yes." Inspector Kosaka nodded.

"Inspector Kashiwagi, please investigate the garbage disposal issues at the nearby crematorium and the Tokyo University campus, and whether there are people among Professor Tsuda's interpersonal relationships who can handle corpses, such as the Yakuza." Uesugi Sosetsu then assigned Inspector Kashiwagi a task: "By the way, can you further investigate the professor's wife circle and Professor Tsuda's relatives and friends?"

"I understand." Kashiwagi Ren sighed and nodded reluctantly.

"Minami, you will be in charge of handling the inquiries from the University of Tokyo and helping us stabilize the Metropolitan Police Department. By the way, make sure this list falls into the hands of the District Prosecutors Office through the appropriate means and channels." Uesugi Muneyuki handed the list to Miss Minami, "You must have a way."

Tsk tsk tsk, I finally got on your pirate ship! Miss Minami was unhappy, but she still agreed. The appearance of Senior Mai made her feel a serious sense of crisis, and she had to prove that she was useful!

"I suspect that Ms. Tsuda's body was cleverly hidden by Professor Tsuda, and it is very likely that it has been disposed of." Uesugi Sosetsu raised his head, his cold and solemn face full of energy: "But we are very close to the answer. Do as I say. If all possibilities are ruled out, then the answer I guess is the only truth!"

"What about me? What about me?" Ikeda Erina said, "I haven't gotten on the bus yet, where is my mission?"

"Follow me, Master Erina." Uesugi Sosetsu smiled at the tall beauty, "I need you to protect me!"

"Okay, watch me!" This is what Ikeda Erina wanted. She proudly puffed out her chest to show everyone that she was important to him!
"Very good, then it's settled." Surrounded by several policemen, Uesugi Sosetsu stepped forward: "Begin the search!"

........................

On May 5, a group of black luxury cars drove directly into the Hongo campus of the University of Tokyo without any prior reservation, and a large number of uninvited guests in suits and carrying briefcases got out of the cars.

It’s the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office’s Special Investigation Team!
(End of this chapter)