When Jodie walked out of the Metropolitan Police Department, her expression could still barely be called composed.
Only when she looked at the young man standing beside her car, checking his watch, did a faint trace of helpless pain finally show in her eyes.
The Tokyo police had told her the fingerprint comparison results—
The fingerprints collected from the coffee can matched the right-hand fingerprints of the corpse, the only ones remaining that could be used for comparison.
It was not just the fingertips. Even the partial palm prints that could be isolated from the can matched.
Was it true? Had it really come to this?
She did not want to accept this reality, yet now, the only person who seemed capable of giving her a reassuring answer was the one before her...
At that moment, Tangze turned around and gave Jodie Akechi Goro's modest, gentle smile.
"Miss Jodie. How did the investigation go? Was he the person you were looking for?"
Almost the instant that form of address left his mouth, the pain on Jodie's face froze.
When he had accompanied her to the police station and introduced her to the officers of the First Investigation Division, Tangze had not acted like this.
The sudden use of honorific speech could only mean that something had happened that prevented him from easily revealing their relationship...
"...You misunderstand, Detective. I was not looking for him. I merely came to assist with the investigation." To avoid giving anything away, Jodie lowered her eyes, concealing the coldness in her gaze. "It seems that, unfortunately, that gentleman truly was murdered."
"Is that so? What a pity. Seeing how concerned you were, I thought he was someone you knew." Tangze's eyes curved, as though he were truly just politely expressing concern for a lady. "Still,