Beside them, Inspector Megure looked uncertain, his gaze shifting back and forth between his subordinate and Vodka. After some thought, he asked Officer Takagi, "Are those two really robbers too? Did the gentleman who marked them leave any message?"
Officer Takagi shook his head, about to say that he had only just arrived himself. Just then, Sekiguchi Yoshio rushed out excitedly.
This office worker, who had originally been too timid to cause trouble, had completely shed his earlier cowardice. Pointing at Officer Kamikawa, he shouted angrily:
"Don't listen to his arguments! This man is one of the robbers! Before, when I ran into you in the restroom, I wanted to ask for help, but this police officer cut me off first. He threatened me, saying they'd been watching me all along, and told me not to get any ideas and to obediently help them kill the target.
"I never imagined there would be one of their people among the police too. Back then, I felt completely trapped. If not for... if not for this child and that gentleman in black helping me, I'd definitely be a 'murderer' who'd been silenced by now!"
His daughter only half understood, but she fearfully clung tighter to her father's leg.
Inspector Megure looked at the agitated victim and could not help feeling guilty. He vaguely remembered running into Mr. Sekiguchi. Thinking back carefully, Officer Kamikawa had indeed acted strangely then—normally, he merely blended quietly into the crowd of colleagues, but in the restroom, he had been unusually proactive, and his expression had been very odd. Unfortunately, none of them had thought much of it at the time.
With Sekiguchi Yoshio's testimony, the scales in Inspector Megure's heart finally tipped. He let out a pained sigh, moved his gaze away from his subordinate, who was