(sob)
With so many witnesses already present, Inspector Megure did not mind that one had run away.
He quickly turned back to the stream beside them. There were already so many rescuers there that they were nearly filling the crystal-clear creek, yet they still had found nothing.
"It looks like Koumoto really did fall down on his own. But if that's the case, where did his body go?"
Inspector Megure scratched his head, suddenly struck by an idea. "Maybe he didn't die from the fall and struggled away? The parking lot is right next to this place, so it would be easy enough for him to leave."
Sato Miwako looked up at the heights above, feeling her neck grow sore. She hesitated. "Could anyone really survive a fall from that high up?"
"Anything is possible." Inspector Megure nodded steadily, drawing on his extensive experience. "But even if he survived, a fall from that height would definitely have injured him. How about this? Leave a few people to continue searching along the stream, while everyone else checks the nearby hospitals. Pay special attention to severely injured patients who were just admitted!"
At Inspector Megure's command, the officers in the river breathed a sigh of relief and climbed ashore one after another.
Seeing this, Ms. Akiha checked her watch. "There's nothing left for me to do, right? Then I'll be going."
Remembering his assignment, Officer Takagi had no choice but to follow. But after he had only taken two steps, Ms. Akiha turned back and glanced at him in confusion. "Why are you following me?"
Officer Takagi froze, wondering if the woman had lost her memory. "I'm providing close protection for you."
"Protection? The source of the danger already fell to his death on his own, so what is there left to