Jiang Xia continued, "The murderer had run a rope over a thick branch high up, then tied a stone slightly heavier than the victim at the top of the slope behind the tree. Once the noose had been slipped around the victim's neck, all he had to do was pry loose the point securing it above the window and let go. The noose would tighten around the victim's neck and drag him out, forcing him to struggle against the stone as he was pulled beneath the tree, where he would ultimately be hanged. Afterward, the murderer only needed to retrieve the excess rope and casually cover the top of the slope with grass and dirt to stage it as a 'suicide.'"
Hashimoto Maya suddenly understood. No wonder Jiang Xia had noticed that slope—it had actually been a clue to the Murder Case. And given this Detective's keen eye for clues, even without the unexpected death of Inozuka Taro, Kurosawa Kazuma's little murder scheme could never have succeeded.
As he thought about it, he lowered his gaze and, sure enough, saw the unfortunate Organization colleague looking utterly green. Hashimoto Maya fell silent for a moment, then took two napkins, rolled them up, and quietly plugged Kurosawa Kazuma's ears. Better not listen. Focus on staying alive.
Although he had lost one listener, Jiang Xia's progress in solving the case was unaffected.
"Also, because Phantom had supposedly 'died by jumping into the sea' last night, everyone naturally lowered their guard. So early this morning, the murderer stole the Crossbow displayed on the wall, used a Timer Device to hide and secure it atop a cabinet, and aimed the arrowhead at a particular spot. Then he disguised himself as an enthusiastic temporary chef and guided his target into the position where they would be