As Senichi's "exclusive reporter," Haruka, to some extent, could be considered the person who understood Senichi the best.
After all, there were certain case details in the confidential files that only insiders and participants were privy to, and Senichi couldn't discuss them with non-law enforcement personnel.
As someone working to promote Senichi, Haruka naturally had a comprehensive understanding of all the cases Senichi dealt with. She had the most complete awareness of Senichi's deductive abilities.
However, when it came to herself, this person, known for her strong personality and the tendency to control situations, couldn't think calmly.
Especially for someone like Haruka, upon learning that she was framed, her first reaction wasn't to rely on others but to want to handle the matter herself.
"Sorry..." Haruka looked up at Senichi. "I was too impulsive."
"Well, I can understand. After all, that's your personality." Senichi casually waved his hand. "After solving the case, you have to treat us to a good meal."
"Sure, no problem." Haruka smiled. "Anything you want to eat is fine."
"Wait, wait! But what about the button!?"
Upon hearing Senichi's words, Takagi, who was beside them, quickly snapped out of shock and asked, "But that button did fall at the crime scene, right?"
"Do you even need to think about that?" Senichi extended his index finger and shook it, looking quite casual. "It's a trap set by the criminal to frame and deceive."
"That button at the crime scene is part of the criminal's trap!?"
"That's right. Haven't you forgotten that there were no Haruka's fingerprints found on the button?" Senichi handed the neatly folded shirt to Haruka. "A button fell from the clothes she wore every day, yet it doesn't have her fingerprints. What does that suggest?"
"Ah... that's true..." Takagi was momentarily stunned, then quickly caught on. "You mean..."
"That's right, it seems you've caught on." Senichi extended his right arm, pulling up the sleeve of his suit to reveal the entire cuff. "Buttons on a shirt are not mere decorations; they are touched every day when you put on or take off your clothes. So, it's impossible not to leave fingerprints on the button. If there truly are none, it means..."
"Someone wiped it!?" Takagi exclaimed.
"Thinking that way is logical." Senichi smoothed his cuff. "If it was a button dropped by the criminal accidentally, there would surely be fingerprints. It wouldn't make sense for the criminal to notice the button, not retrieve it, and intentionally wipe it clean before leaving it at the crime scene, right?"
"That makes sense..."
"Um... may I ask... Do you still have something to discuss with me?"
Before Takagi could continue, Hiroshi Miura, on the side, suddenly spoke politely, "If there's nothing else, can you all please leave? I have a lot of work to attend to..."
"Sorry! We'll leave now!" Realizing they were guests, Takagi quickly apologized, "Thank you for your trouble..."
"No problem... so..."
Hiroshi Miura opened the door to see them off,
But in the next moment, a hand suddenly reached over Hiroshi Miura's head, slamming the door shut.
"Is something the matter?"
Senichi, tall and imposing, leaned against the wall, looking down at Hiroshi Miura with the demeanor of a delinquent intimidating a studious student, "Of course, there is something."
"Senichi-kun!?" Takagi, witnessing this scene, looked bewildered and panicked, "What are you suddenly doing!?"
"What are you doing!!"
Stared down by Senichi's sharp gaze, Hiroshi Miura trembled. Angrily, he said, "This is my home; you're being extremely rude!"
"Rude?" Senichi, with a cold laugh, looked sternly at Hiroshi Miura, "Isn't someone who lacks reverence for life even more rude? Hurrying to make us leave because you feel guilty?
After all, there are so many detectives in your house, and we've also seen through your framing methods. The person who killed Miss Terazumi is you, Mr. Miura, isn't it?"
"What!? N-no way!"
Hearing Senichi's words, Takagi, in shock, exclaimed, "Mr. Miura is the culprit!? How is that possible..."
He had suspected Miyako Miura and Tamako Yamashita because one had lost her husband, and the other had lost her elder brother. If they were the culprits, it would have made some sense.
But the fact that Hiroshi Miura would go as far as to kill Terazumi shocked Takagi. Because these two individuals had no connection whatsoever, no motive at all.
"Though it's unbelievable, that's the reality."
Senichi smiled and approached Hiroshi Miura again, one hand against the wall, the other gradually moving closer to Hiroshi Miura. "However, choosing Haruka's button as a frame-up trap isn't a clever choice."
"You annoying guy, get away from me!"
Faced with Senichi's advancing steps, the irritable Hiroshi Miura forcefully pushed forward, causing Senichi to retreat a few steps.
"Well, that's probably the feeling."
Senichi looked at Hiroshi Miura, who seemed bewildered by his words, and reminded him, "Forgot already? When Mrs. Miura got angry and pushed Haruka, it was probably something like this."
"So what!?" Hiroshi Miura retorted in annoyance. "What does that prove?"
"It's a clue."
Senichi smiled, "Generally, no matter how loose the thread is, buttons don't just fall off unless you pull at them. Seeing your expression change, it seems you've remembered. Your wife pushed Haruka hard that day; perhaps that's when the thread snapped, and the button fell off."
"Indeed, I also feel the button likely fell off at that time."
Haruka, hands clasped in front of her, explained, "I only noticed the button was loose when I arrived at the office that day. I planned to fix it in the evening, but when I finished my work and went home, I found the button was missing."
"But that doesn't prove that I took the button!" Hiroshi Miura countered in annoyance. "There were so many people present at the time; anyone could have taken it."
"No, Mr. Miura, you're mistaken. The situation is quite the opposite."
Facing Hiroshi Miura's objection, Senichi, with a polite smile, looked at him and said, "Among those present at the time, you were the only one who had the opportunity to take the button."
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