"Minoru Fuse, who ranks high on the current suspect list, will likely arrive in Beika Town from Nagano very soon."
Holding the case files, Juzo Megure stood at the front of the conference room, explaining the situation as he methodically began assigning tasks.
"The suspect seriously injured the first victim during a conflict and has been on the run for several months. To facilitate the manhunt, the police have been monitoring his girlfriend's daily movements. We've now received word from the Nagano Prefectural Police: Minoru Fuse's girlfriend, Risa Yoshii, has arrived in Tokyo from Nagano and got off at Beika Station."
"Nagano's opinion is that she came to meet Minoru Fuse?" Kiyonaga Matsumoto, seated at the head of the table, asked.
"Yes. Risa Yoshii works at a small bar in Nagano, and her daily routine is highly regular. She rarely travels far. At present, the most likely purpose of this trip is to find Minoru Fuse." Juzo Megure nodded.
The members of the investigative team around the conference table exchanged looks and nodded in agreement.
If there was one greatest threat posed by this serial killer, it was that he might continue killing.
Besides the Seven of Bamboos marked with a red circle beside the later five victims, a One of Bamboos had appeared beside the body of the first victim, Shuhei Jinno.
If those were taken as the killer's ranking of the victims' deaths, then by ordinary reasoning, he had at least two more targets.
There were still two blank circles left on the Seven of Bamboos.
"Since this suspect is now showing signs of movement, we need to arrest him first. Megure, take your men and go with Inspector Morofushi." Kiyonaga Matsumoto nodded and swiftly made his decision.
Irish, seated on the other side of the conference table