Treating

October 6th, Thursday, 2:00 p.m...

Lawyer Dai, Tsubokura's original attorney and a new female lawyer at Miki Law Firm, had traced her investigation to an upscale japanese-style crab restaurant in Ginza.

For the past two days, Dai had been looking for "loopholes" in Blogger Lady's blog. She had already found several, and now she needed to widen those "loopholes" by visiting every restaurant the other woman had posted about!

"Hello, I'm a lawyer. May I ask you a few questions? It's like this..."

Dai was about to begin, but the kimono-clad woman at the front desk spoke first with a practiced smile. "I'm sorry, but please direct inquiries of this kind to our public relations department."

After all, lawyers were not government officials. Their questions did not compel cooperation.

"Could you reveal just a little? It won't cause any trouble for your business..." Dai pleaded.

Just as the receptionist was about to refuse again, a suited man who appeared to be the lobby manager walked over. Dai thought he was there to send her away, but instead he asked, "Lawyer Dai, correct?"

"Uh? That's right..." Dai nodded in confusion.

"It's like this. The guest who arranged to meet you is in the private room [Plum]. This way, please." As the lobby manager spoke, he signaled the receptionist to stop.

"Huh? No one arranged to meet me..." Dai was thoroughly puzzled and instinctively wanted to refuse, but then she seemed to realize something and quickly changed her mind. "Then I'll trouble you."

Though she had no idea what was going on, Dai felt that...

This "guest" was probably connected to the case!

After all, there probably weren't many lawyers named Dai.

After changing her shoes, Dai followed another kimono-clad waitress into the upscale restaurant, which had a distinctly old-fashioned style.

Outside [Plum], there really was a small plum blossom tree, though she could not tell whether it was real. The waitress knelt, knocked three times, then slid open the door. That was when Dai saw...

A "small mountain" kneeling in the seat of honor!

At first glance, Dai even became confused about the distance in the room and the size of the low table. Only the next moment did she realize...

It was not the room's problem, nor was it the table's problem. This person was simply enormous!

"Are you... Chief Shiraishi?" Dai had never dealt with Shiraishi before. She had only seen him at the last court session and had not even greeted him face-to-face, but his build was impossible to forget.

"Please, have a seat." Shiraishi gestured toward the seat opposite him.

The private room followed a japanese-style individual-serving arrangement, with two tables facing each other.

"Excuse me." Though Dai did not know what was happening, she became even more convinced it had to do with the case.

After smoothing her pencil skirt, Dai knelt down somewhat awkwardly. The unusual friction against her calves made her complain inwardly—I shouldn't have worn these Black Stockings today.

Shiraishi did not speak first...

"Chief Shiraishi..."

Just as Dai was beginning to lose patience, two waitresses carried in the day's main course: a crystal crab served nine ways, with everything from sashimi and crab legs to hot pot.

Dai's attention was immediately drawn to it, and she even swallowed. But just as she silently scolded herself for being so pathetic and prepared to question whether Shiraishi was trying to "bribe" her...

"This is our regular Thursday complimentary item: Crab Claw Tempura," the waitress introduced, placing a small plate of fried crab claws before Dai.

Dai's pupils contracted at once. She hurriedly checked her phone, compared the information, and asked the waitress, "Wait! You said this is Thursday's regular item? Was it the same two months ago? Wasn't it available on friday?"

"Hm? Our regular items haven't changed since we opened. On Fridays... we offer a choice of several drinks," the waitress replied as though it were obvious.

Upon hearing that, Dai pumped her fist as if encouraging herself and immediately took pictures with her phone. But...

The next instant, she realized this was probably no coincidence!

After the waitress left, Dai could not help asking, "Chief Shiraishi... did you already notice?"

"Hmm. If the blog was not recorded and posted rigorously at the time, then it has no value as physical evidence. And if it is merely witness testimony, a month has already passed, so Blogger Lady's memory may well have become confused," Shiraishi said frankly.

"No, that isn't confusion. It's invalid evidence that cannot provide clear testimony, isn't it?" Dai clearly did not want to follow Shiraishi's line of reasoning. She still believed in her client.

"Heh. There's no point in arguing about that." Shiraishi shook his head.

"What do you mean?" Dai frowned, sensing there was more behind his words.

"Lawyer Dai, you trust your client very much?" Shiraishi asked in return.

"Of course." Dai answered firmly.

"Unfortunately, we no longer need Blogger Lady for the alibi." Shiraishi spoke calmly.

"Why?" Dai had a bad feeling.

"The victim's estranged wife also went to the victim's home at the time of the crime scene that day..."

Just as Dai felt a glimmer of delight, thinking the police had shifted the direction of their investigation, Shiraishi continued, "Her car captured Tsubokura—and he had deliberately worn a hat, as well as gloves."

Dai froze on the spot...

Only after a long while did Dai say, "H-how is that possible... Tsubokura clearly should have..."

"The coffee truck's order machine records from the following day also show an order during that time period. You understand what that means, don't you?"

"Your client, Tsubokura, entered the crime scene during the relevant time window while harboring murderous intent and making thorough preparations. That is already an unshakable fact," Shiraishi said slowly.

"Then... why are you telling me this?" Dai had fallen into confusion and even felt somewhat disheartened.

But Shiraishi smiled faintly. "Tsubokura must have been fully prepared before going to the crime scene. He even left himself time to muddle the witness's memory. At the beginning of his interrogation, he refused to yield at all and fabricated an alibi that stood up to investigation... How could someone like that leave fingerprints on the murder weapon? And the parking surveillance footage captured his gloves."

"Huh?" A little light returned to Dai's eyes.

"Actually, I suspect there is another possibility at the scene..." Shiraishi began explaining leisurely.

Then Shiraishi revealed his purpose. "It would not be difficult to verify. We only need to question both suspects thoroughly. But because our station's previous investigation was too hasty, we can no longer interrogate Tsubokura. However... you still can."

"Wait, doesn't the Prosecutor's Office..." Dai hurriedly sought confirmation.

"The Prosecutor's Office only accepted the new evidence unfavorable to Tsubokura. Otherwise, there would not have been this meeting today." Shiraishi said it as though it were only natural.

"How can they do that..." Dai immediately became anxious. She did not wish for Tsubokura to die quickly just because he had deceived her. Rather, she felt that... the truth was the truth!

Remembering what Shiraishi had just said, Dai hesitated. "But... we can only meet Tsubokura. We have no way to approach Ms. Rin-da..."

"I have already reported Ms. Rin-da to the Prosecutor's Office as a New Witness, and they accepted it. So... tomorrow, during witness questioning, you will have the opportunity to expose contradictions in her testimony. If you can truly prove the second possibility, then accuse her in court of being the real murderer!" Shiraishi calmly stated his purpose.