Traveling back thirty years to Conan, intercepting Princess Eri

Chapter 269 Thousand Shadows: Haven't I just walked right into their trap?
"By the way, didn't the Sumiyoshi-kai say that the Phantom Thief Lady had a companion with her that night?" Inspector Teraoka said with a smile, "I heard that the Third Division has already named him Mr. Phantom Thief, and is just waiting for him to commit another crime before announcing it to the public."

"Mr. Phantom Thief and Lady Phantom Thief," it sounds like they're a couple, doesn't it? Lin Xiuyi's expression turned strange.

Tomizawa Chikage clearly had the same idea as him; their eyes met briefly before quickly looking away.

“The security situation has been getting worse and worse lately,” Inspector Samezaki sighed heavily, his face full of exhaustion and helplessness. “From Section 1 to Section 4, everything is getting busier and busier.”

“That’s right,” Officer Teraoka nodded in agreement. “In the past, even though we were busy, we could at least take time off in lieu of leave. But recently, we don’t even have time off anymore. We have to work overtime every day.”

Just as Inspector Samezaki was about to speak, Officer Morimura, whom he hadn't seen in a long time, suddenly lifted the curtain of the izakaya and ran in breathlessly: "Inspector, there has been an armed robbery at a hotel in 3-chome."

"What?" Inspector Samezaki jumped to his feet. "Are there any casualties?"

Officer Morimura, panting heavily, said, "The murderer shot two people, a man and a woman, both hotel guests."

"The First Division has another big case," Officer Teraoka muttered under his breath.

Japan has a partial ban on guns, but its control over firearms is extremely strict, and cases of firearm use are rare.

Every shooting is a major case for the Division.

This is why Officer Morimura rushed over to report to Inspector Samezaki after receiving the news.

“Shooting…” Lin Xiuyi thought for a moment, “Were there any witnesses?”

“Probably not,” Officer Morimura shook his head, picked up the water glass in front of Inspector Samezaki and took a big gulp. “According to the caller, there were only two bodies at the scene, a man and a woman, and an abandoned handgun.”

"Mr. Lin, do you have time to go there?" Inspector Samezaki asked.

Lin Xiu glanced at the wall clock; in about ten minutes, it would be time to close the shop.

He deftly took off his chef's uniform: "Let's go."

Tomizawa Chikage sipped her beer, her gaze following Lin Xiuyi's retreating figure as she watched him and the two police officers hurry away. She couldn't help but click her tongue slightly in amazement.

This guy is doing really well in the Metropolitan Police Department. Luckily he's not in the Third Investigation Division, otherwise I would have walked right into their trap.
……

On the streets of 3-chome, police cars drove past the same location once again. Inspector Samezaki could no longer contain himself and angrily said with a dark face, "Morimura, can't you even remember the address where the crime happened?"

“The address should be right here,” Officer Morimura said anxiously, beads of sweat forming on his forehead, “but why can’t I find it?”

"Let's ask one of the residents nearby," Lin Xiuyi suggested.

The police car was parked on the side of the road, and Officer Morimura got out and stopped a passing resident to ask for directions.

A moment later, he hurriedly returned: "The hotel is nearby; we've passed by it several times already."

"Then why didn't I see it just now?" Inspector Samezaki looked out the car window in confusion.

“It’s a very small hotel. The main entrance and sign aren’t on the street, but in an alley,” Officer Morimura explained as he parked his police car at the entrance of an alley. “You have to walk to get there.”

Lin Xiuyi and Inspector Samezaki followed behind him, walking along the uneven cobblestone path and into the narrow alley.

A damp smell permeated the alley. After winding their way through the maze, they finally saw the inconspicuous little hotel.

The neon sign at the entrance was still flickering and looked like it was about to collapse.

The local police had already cordoned off the hotel with caution tape.

Just as the three were about to go inside, they saw a blond young man wearing a tattered denim jacket walk out of the hotel.

Upon seeing Lin Xiuyi and the other two, he was visibly taken aback, paused in his steps, and then quickly turned around and returned the way he came.

"Block both the front and back doors of the hotel. No one is allowed to leave without permission," Inspector Samezaki ordered the officers on duty, his eyes sharpening.

He then led Lin Xiuyi and Officer Morimura into the small hotel.

At the counter on the first floor, the hotel owner, a middle-aged woman in her forties, stood with her hands on her hips, complaining to the police officers on duty with a face full of dissatisfaction: "How am I supposed to do business with all this going on?"

Lin Xiuyi and the other two ignored it and followed the police officers up to the second floor, where a pungent smell of blood filled the air.

In room 205, where the shooting occurred, the door was wide open, and above the doorplate, there was a clear bullet hole.

Lin Xiuyi gestured with his hand, indicating that the bullet hole was about four or five centimeters higher than him.

The male guest's body lay behind the door, his eyes wide open, unable to rest in peace.

Lin Xiuyi squatted down and examined him carefully. He had been shot in the forehead and died instantly. Apart from the bullet hole in his forehead, there were no other wounds on his body.

The woman's body lay beside the clothes rack, her clothes soaked in blood.

Her death was far more gruesome than the man's at the door. She was covered in blood, and judging from the bullet wounds on her body, she had been shot at least five or six times. Her face still bore a look of terror.

"Have you identified the two deceased?" Officer Morimura asked the officer in charge.

"The male victim's name is Masashi Sakamoto, he is 41 years old and the president of a small company," the police officer said, flipping through his notebook. "The female victim's name is Kaori Ishikawa, she was unemployed and a full-time housewife."

"What about the relationship between the two?" Inspector Samezaki asked, frowning.

"I'm not sure," the officer hesitated, his tone uncertain. "They're probably lovers or friends."

"Nine times out of ten they're lovers, and having an affair at that."

Lin Xiu stood up, looked at the mottled walls and worn-out furniture in the room, and said with certainty,

"The hotel's environment and hygiene are very poor. Its only advantage is that it is remote and hard to find."

At this point, he pointed to the deceased's clothing.

"The deceased was the president of a small company. Judging from his attire, he was not shabby and was obviously a wealthy man. However, if he was on a date with his lover, he could have gone to a better hotel, which would have been more romantic."

“When two people come to a place like this, there’s a high chance they’re having an affair, and once the relationship is exposed, it will bring a lot of trouble to both of them.” “Does Lin Jun mean a revenge killing?” Inspector Morimura pondered. “Is the murderer the woman’s husband or the man’s wife?”

Just as Lin Xiuyi was about to speak, a short man next to him hurriedly said, "This is definitely not a revenge killing; the murderer is a robber!"

"How do you know it must be a robbery?" Inspector Samezaki asked in surprise.

"I..." The short man opened his mouth, his eyes flickered, as if he wanted to say something, but then quickly swallowed it back down.

“He’s the one who called the police,” the hotel landlady said as she came over. “I was watching TV at the counter when I heard the gunshot. I thought it was just a movie playing in one of the rooms and didn’t think much of it.”

"It wasn't until he frantically ran to the counter to find a phone to call the police, saying that there was an armed robbery on the second floor and that two people had been killed, that I realized something was wrong."

"Is he also a guest of the hotel?" Officer Morimura asked.

“Yes,” the landlady nodded. “He and the two dead people entered the hotel one after the other. The two dead people had just checked in when he arrived and even asked to stay in 305, which was right above 205. I remember his name was Okada Hirosuke.”

Inspector Samezaki stared intently at the short man: "You witnessed the incident? Otherwise, how could you be so sure it was a robbery?"

“No, no, I was in my room then,” Hirosuke Okada subconsciously took a step back, his voice trembling slightly.

"How did you know the murderer was robbing someone when you were in the room?" Officer Morimura questioned sharply, his tone full of suspicion.

"I..." Kosuke Okada rubbed his hands frantically, "Right, their belongings are missing, so it must be a robbery."

"You went through their things?" Lin Xiuyi frowned.

"No! Absolutely not!" Hirosuke Okada hurriedly waved his hand.

"Then how did you know their belongings were missing?" Lin Xiuyi pressed on.

“Well… the man’s wallet and the woman’s ring and necklace are both missing, aren’t they? It’s obvious at a glance,” Okada Hirosuke’s voice trailed off as he lowered his head.

Officer Morimura crouched down and carefully examined the two bodies one by one: "He's right, their wallets and personal belongings are indeed missing."

"The landlady just said you were flustered when you went to call the police," Inspector Samezaki said coldly, approaching Okada Hirosuke step by step. "But I don't see you flustered at all. With two corpses lying in front of you, you still had the mind to examine their belongings?"

"Besides, how did you know the woman was wearing a ring and a necklace? The shop owner said you and they entered the store around the same time, and you even stayed upstairs. Could it be that you're actually the robber?"

"You first robbed and murdered, then pretended to be a witness and called the police to clear your name!"

“Officer, you’re right, this man is indeed very suspicious,” the shop owner recalled. “When he came into the shop, he was wearing a mask and stared at the backs of the two dead men for a while.”

"I'm not a robber! I really am not!" Okada Hirosuke waved his hands repeatedly, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. "The culprit should be the hotel maintenance worker!"

"You're talking nonsense!" The proprietress immediately became agitated upon hearing this. "How could Binye possibly be the murderer!"

“When I went upstairs just now, I saw the hotel maintenance worker arguing with those two,” Kosuke Okada said hurriedly. “The maintenance worker even said something like, ‘Watch out, or I’ll kill you!’”

"You're talking nonsense..."

The proprietress, her face flushed, was about to lunge at Okada Hirosuke in a fit of rage when the officers on duty reacted quickly and pulled the two apart.

"Morimura, go and bring the hotel's maintenance worker over," Inspector Samezaki ordered, then turned to the hotel landlady. "He said your hotel's maintenance worker is the murderer. Why are you in such a hurry?"

“Inspector,” explained the officer in charge of the case, “the shop’s repairman, Takeda Akira, is also the son of the shop owner, Mrs. Takeda. He was imprisoned three years ago for robbery and was just released a month ago.”

"Officer, Bin really isn't the murderer," the landlady said, tears welling in her eyes and her voice choking with emotion. "Although that child made mistakes before, he reformed after being released from prison and would never kill anyone!"

“Your words are useless,” Inspector Samezaki said sternly, his tone leaving no room for doubt. “We will investigate thoroughly.”

Soon, the repairman Takeda Akira was also brought over. He was the blond-haired youth who had seen Lin Xiuyi and the others at the hotel entrance and hurriedly turned back.

“Speak,” Inspector Samezaki asked, looking directly at the other person, “Where were you when the incident occurred? Did anyone testify for you?”

“I was using the restroom in room 208 on the second floor at the time,” Takeda Bin said, his head down and his voice muffled. “When I heard the gunshot, I thought someone was smashing things. It wasn’t until I finished using the restroom and came out, and was about to go back to the first floor, that I passed by room 205 and realized that something had happened.”

"When we came in just now, why did you look flustered and walk back when you saw us?" Lin Xiuyi stepped forward and asked. "Since the case has nothing to do with you, you don't need to be afraid of the police at all."

“…I’m used to it,” Takeda Akira chuckled dryly, his smile more like a grimace. “When I see a policeman, I instinctively want to avoid them.”

"You're talking nonsense!" Kosuke Okada jumped out, pointing at Akira Takeda and shouting, "You clearly said before that you were going to kill Sakamoto and his lover, so you must be the murderer!"

“I was just saying that in a fit of anger,” Takeda Akira hurriedly defended himself. “I was walking past those two with my repair tools when I accidentally bumped into the man. He started swearing at me, and I couldn’t hold back, so I said those harsh words.”

"After you saw us just now, you went back to the hotel," Lin Xiuyi continued to press, "Where have you been all this time?"

“I’ll go back…” Takeda Binya started to say, but then seemed to suddenly remember something, his face turned pale instantly, and he quickly shut his mouth.

"Where does your son live?" Lin Xiuyi asked the hotel owner.

“...It’s on the first floor,” the landlady’s voice trembled, her eyes filled with worry, “the room next to the counter without a room number.”

"Morimura, take some men and search that room," Inspector Samezaki decisively gave the order.

Officer Morimura led his officers downstairs and returned shortly after, his face beaming with excitement: "Inspector, I found this in the room!"

He handed over an evidence bag containing a blood-stained wallet.
“I checked it, and there were the deceased Masashi Sakamoto’s identification documents and some banknotes inside.”

“I told you I was right,” Kosuke Okada laughed triumphantly. “This guy is the murderer!”

Inspector Samezaki looked at Takeda Akiya and demanded sharply, "Now what do you have to say for yourself!"

"I really didn't kill him!"

Takeda Akira waved his hands frantically, his voice trembling with tears.

"I found this wallet at the back door just now. I saw there was money inside, so I secretly took it back to my room. But I'm really not the murderer!"

(End of this chapter)