Fell in the Line of Duty and Murdered

"If we had to describe the relationship, they'd be competitors----"

As Munakata spoke, he took out an open magazine and showed it to Shiraishi. On the left-hand page was a photo of Councilor Saegusa, his secretary, and his bodyguards surrounded by reporters. Gen and Yamada had originally shown this to Mr. Yamanaka, intending to ask whether the person who had given him the money was among those in the photograph.

Mr. Yamanaka had not recognized a single one of them, but----

Sakura recognized someone then. The uncle her father had chased that day was one of the people on the right-hand page!

The image on the right-hand page was news about Councilor Morohoshi. The person Sakura had recognized was a middle-aged man beside Morohoshi—his secretary.

That was how they had, purely by chance, identified the person who had given the condolence money!

Shiraishi took the magazine and stared at Morohoshi Keisuke himself----

"That man----he was at the gymnasium that day too!" Shiraishi suddenly said with certainty.

"Huh? This secretary?" Munakata froze.

"No, Councilor Morohoshi himself----I ran into him in the corridor between the private rooms and the exit that day!" After comparing him with the photograph, Shiraishi immediately remembered. The suited man who had seemed to be avoiding him that day was Morohoshi Keisuke!

Munakata immediately understood that the case had to be connected to Councilor Morohoshi. At the time of the murder, Morohoshi himself had been near the scene. Afterward, his secretary had attended the victim's funeral and given a large condolence gift----

"Chief, then should we----contact Councilor Morohoshi?" Munakata asked hesitantly.

Clearly, Munakata found this rather difficult as well.

Morohoshi was not only a National Diet Member, but he might also be connected to Deputy Director Morohoshi----

"Councilor Morohoshi is from the opposition party?" Shiraishi confirmed again. He