Infiltrating in Person

Takagi and Sato's investigation quickly yielded results. Because the situation was complicated and the lead was important, they hurried back to the command center to report—

"From the location of the Beika family's apartment, the crime scene can indeed be seen. The bed where the body lay can also be seen—Chief Superintendent Shiraishi's theory was entirely feasible, but—well." Takagi hesitated as he spoke.

Sato secretly stepped on his foot beside him. What did he mean, "Chief Superintendent Shiraishi's theory was feasible"? Was he evaluating it now? When it came to emotional intelligence, Takagi really was something else—

"Ahem. Just as Chief Superintendent Shiraishi said, we borrowed the Beika family's neighbor's room to conduct an experiment. However, the crime took place in the evening, and according to their neighbors, Beizuka normally had not gotten off work at that time.

"Afterward, we also verified matters with the company where Beizuka worked. On that day, Beizuka got off work later than the estimated time of the crime, and later than the time the police were called.

"In other words—the caller having peeped at the scene was not a problem. But at present, it seemed unlikely that it was Beizuka." Sato continued her explanation.

"Not Beizuka?" Megure frowned upon hearing this, then asked, "Are you certain the body at the crime scene could be seen?"

The reason they had suspected the "peeping" lead was the address the Beika family had registered at the hotel.

If it had not been the Beika family, would that not make it a pure coincidence?

"This—it really did look that way. We split up and simulated it," Sato emphasized.

Takagi immediately added, "That's right. Assistant Inspector Sato went to the scene and lay where the body had been, and I really could see her through the binoculars—well, I saw