Jiang Xia said, "And that means the murderer and Kumada were actually acquainted in private—otherwise, on the day of the murder, the killer couldn't have entered Kumada's home peacefully without a struggle and slipped sleeping pills into the whisky he drank."
"After Kumada fell asleep, the murderer moved him beneath the roof beam, put a noose around his neck, then ran the rope over the beam and around the balcony railing, pulling hard to hoist him off the ground."
"Then all they had to do was secure the other end of the rope to the balcony railing and place a stool beneath Kumada's feet. The preparations were more or less complete."
The two officers had been nodding in sudden understanding while rapidly taking notes.
But at this, both of them hesitated slightly. "However, the resident downstairs from Kumada said that at around seven in the evening, she heard something heavy hit the floor. The murderer should have knocked over the chair beneath Kumada at that time—but at seven that night, all the suspects were gathered in this villa. As you saw, they all have very solid alibis..."
Jiang Xia smiled. "When the chair fell, the murderer wasn't actually in Kumada's room. This was exactly the same method Kumada Tatsuya used five years ago when he killed that scapegoat subordinate of his."
The two officers: "?!"
Jiang Xia said, "Besides the sound of the chair falling, there should have been another statement from Kumada Tatsuya's neighbor."
The horse-faced officer was about to respond when Suzuki Sonoko raised her hand like an elementary school student rushing to answer. "I know, I know!—The washing machine! That slightly gloomy-looking neighbor said that after seven, he heard a washing machine running in Kumada Tatsuya's room."
Jiang Xia nodded approvingly.
"..." The two officers glanced at