Inspector Megure also realized that this newly appeared man was suspicious.
He asked Shimizu Hiroshi, "Where were you drinking earlier? Were there any companions besides you?"
Shimizu Hiroshi nodded and turned to point upstairs behind him. "Right there—the lit-up room on the fifth floor."
Jiang Xia looked up. Beside him, Mouri Ran was also staring at that window. She suddenly shivered and whispered to Jiang Xia, "Isn't that the balcony where that drunk guy stuck his head out when we were coming back?"
Just minutes ago, she had found the gathering of friends warm and amusing. Who would have thought that only minutes later, one of them would become a corpse lying on the ground, his head split open and bloodied, dead a gruesome death?
Hashimoto Maya happened to be standing nearby as well. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the goosebumps on Mouri Ran's arm and nodded to himself. She's this timid. Maybe this high school girl can be the first one ruled out from Uzo's team of subordinates?
Hashimoto Maya: "..." But on second thought, he seemed to have gotten goosebumps himself just now—better not rule her out entirely, just lower her level of suspicion a little.
Hearing Mouri Ran's words, Jiang Xia seemed somewhat moved and let out a sigh.
But a qualified detective had eyes only for the case. He said to Inspector Megure, "There really was a gathering there drinking not long ago, and they must have drunk quite a bit, because I saw someone who was already drunk. Why don't we go upstairs and ask them what they know?"
The gathering place was nearby, next door. Inspector Megure led them upstairs.
They knocked for quite a while before someone finally staggered over drunkenly and opened the door.
Inside were two