At this moment, various items were scattered from Yoshiko Terazumi's bag onto the bridge's stairs.
Hats, sunglasses, handbags, and various cosmetics were among the items scattered, while the pedestrian bridge was bathed in bright sunlight.
It was precisely because of witnessing such a scene that Senichi realized that this case was not an accident; it was a homicide!
"What exactly is it?"
Haruka looked at the scattered items on the stairs and frowned. "What evidence is there to prove that Miss Terazumi was murdered? What's wrong with these items?"
"It's not those things; it's the pedestrian bridge itself."
Senichi pointed to the neatly tied sunshade umbrella next to Yoshiko Terazumi and then gestured to the rooftop. "Look, Miss Terazumi's umbrella is closed, but there's absolutely no shade on the rooftop, right?"
"Is it just a coincidence? What if the deceased wanted to do something with the umbrella closed?"
Takagi thought this explanation was a bit unreliable. "For example, She wanted to take out cosmetics from her bag. Since it's troublesome to open the umbrella, she closed it first..."
"That's highly unlikely."
Senichi pointed to the part of Yoshiko Terazumi's arm. "Detective Takagi, you may not know, but Miss Terazumi also had a sunshade sleeve on her arm yesterday. There are also sunglasses and a hat dropped over there..."
In other words, Yoshiko Terazumi was very afraid of sunlight.
"And the sweet scent on the perpetrator yesterday and today is the same; it's actually a popular sunscreen this year."
Haruka also agreed from the side. "So, this is strange, isn't it? Someone like Miss Terazumi, who pays so much attention to sun protection, would actually close her sunshade umbrella on a pedestrian bridge with bright sunlight with almost no shade."
As Senichi spoke, Takagi's expression gradually became serious. "So, you mean... she was murdered!?"
"Yes, I'm afraid this is not the crime scene." Senichi nodded. "Miss Terazumi probably stayed in other shady places until she was attacked. Only then, a person like Miss Terazumi, who always focused on sun protection, would close her sunshade umbrella."
"The assailant attacked Miss Terazumi, killed her, moved her to this side of the pedestrian bridge, and scattered her belongings on the stairs to create the illusion of an accidental fall from the bridge resulting in her death."
Haruka looked at Yoshiko Terazumi's body, then turned to Senichi and said, "For this investigation, please allow me to participate! I must personally apprehend the culprit!"
"No."
Facing Haruka's request, Senichi chose to refuse. "You are not a member of the Criminal Investigation Division. The Police Affairs division does not have the authority to investigate, and I cannot grant your request."
"But didn't you say earlier that we would solve this case together after I dealt with the publicity matters?" Haruka urgently questioned, "Why the change of heart now?"
"Because that was a case you were in charge of before, and I would be investigating it independently as part of a voluntary inquiry into an old case," Senichi calmly explained. "But now it's different. This is the work of our Criminal Investigation Division, and your intervention is against regulations."
"But..."
Haruka wanted to say more, but Senichi interrupted her, raising his hand. "Even if you have a connection with the current victim, you don't have the right to investigate this case. At most, you can cooperate with us as a relevant party. That's the best arrangement."
"..."
Haruka fell silent for a moment, realizing that Senichi's words were correct and, in a way, for her own good. As a member of the Police Affairs Division, she didn't have the authority to investigate. If she forcefully interfered with the investigation, she would be the one in trouble, even if she had a previous connection with the deceased.
It was precisely for this reason that she had to avoid suspicion.
"As a relevant party, I will cooperate with your investigation," Haruka said to Senichi. "I'll be present, ready to answer your questions at any time, without any other actions."
"Let's do that, but only at today's crime scene."
Seeing that Haruka understood his intention and proposed this compromise, Senichi took a step back and agreed to her request.
Afterward, Senichi put on white gloves and began to carefully examine the scene and the traces on the body. The items scattered on the pedestrian bridge were a setup by the assailant to mimic an accident, and there were no unexpected surprises for Senichi. However, on the victim's body, Senichi found an unusual trace.
Shoes.
The deceased was wearing a pair of high-heeled shoes, but these shoes were unusually clean, with no dust or sand on the soles.
"Is there a secluded place nearby suitable for a meeting?" Senichi called a local police detective and asked, "Like a park or something."
"There's no park, but there's a forest. This area is considered the border of the suburbs." The young detective from the local police pointed to the right.
"Thank you."
After expressing gratitude, Senichi didn't provide further explanation. He stood up and walked directly in the direction indicated by the detective. The onlookers, puzzled by Senichi's actions, couldn't quite understand what was happening.
However, Haruka and Takagi were the first to grasp the situation. Though they didn't know the reason, based on their understanding of Senichi, they quickly caught up.
"Senichi, are you sure the crime scene is here?"
While following Senichi on the way, the two heard Senichi's explanation and understood the reason for his visit. However, as they continued deeper into the forest, Takagi couldn't help but feel skeptical, looking around.
"Well, if nothing unexpected happens, it should be here." Senichi replied while checking the surroundings.
"Although judging from the stiffness of Yoshiko Terazumi's body and the state of lividity, the murder scene shouldn't be far away..." Takagi scratched his head. "But just based on that, how can you be sure it's in the forest?"
"Takagi, you have a point..."
Haruka looked at the increasingly dense forest, and couldn't help but frown. "Isn't it possible that the perpetrator killed the victim, then drove and transported the body to the pedestrian bridge to stage it as an accident?"
"And for what purpose would they do that, and why bring the body there?" Senichi asked in return. "If they could transport the body by car, wouldn't it be safer to move it to the Aokigahara Jukai (Sea of Trees)? Over time, even if someone found the bones, they would think it's a person who came to commit suicide.
And, while this pedestrian bridge is in a secluded location with low foot traffic, it's also very dangerous."
Considering this situation, coupled with the very clean shoes of the deceased, Senichi deduced the conclusion of the perpetrator being in this location. Because the shoes were clean, it indicated they had been wiped by the culprit, and it suggested that the shoes had picked up dirt, different from substances found on roads that could help to pinpoint the location!
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