Because the previous case file indicated that the first person to discover the victim or witness the crime scene was the Building manager, Senichi took the opportunity while going upstairs to ask him to describe once again what he saw that night.
According to the middle-aged manager Takuya Akiyama, who had thinning hair, on the night of the incident, it was around 9 p.m.
He was watching a broadcast of a baseball game on TV. Mr. Masahiko Arima, the son-in-law of Toshiyuki Ootsu, came over asking if he had seen President Ootsu, mentioning that President Ootsu had left his reading glasses in his restaurant.
As the Italian restaurant owner nearby and being the son-in-law of the president, he often came to this area and the two were acquainted. Since there was no one in the office when he patrolled at 8 p.m., he truthfully answered the inquiry.
However, Mr. Arima was puzzled after hearing his response. According to him, after leaving his restaurant, President Ootsu mentioned going back to the office, which is why he rushed to the company to bring the glasses for his father-in-law.
Suspecting that President Ootsu might not have taken the elevator but instead used the emergency exit, they thought it was possible he didn't hear them from inside of the office.
So, Mr. Arima asked him to help open the door and check inside. Naturally, Takuya Akiyama didn't refuse such a request and, taking a spare key, went to the second floor with Mr. Arima.
After using the spare key to open the door on the second floor, they found the company empty upon turning on the lights. They then proceeded directly to the front of the president's office.
However, after Mr. Arima knocked on the door and received no response, he tried to assess the situation inside through the narrow transparent glass in the middle of the door.
This time, he saw someone in the room.
Upon hearing Mr. Arima's words, Takuya Akiyama quickly approached and, through the small transparent glass on the door, witnessed the terrifying scene. He saw a burly figure wielding something to strike someone, he soon heard the sound of the person collapsing inside.
Upon hearing his words, Mr. Arima quickly asked him for the key. However, since only President Ootsu had the key to his office, Mr. Arima anxiously chose to directly force open the door.
Once they entered the room after breaking down the door, there was no sign of the intruder, only President Ootsu lying alone on the floor. Mr. Arima quickly checked on his condition and asked him to call an ambulance.
The course of events was roughly as follows.
After Takuya Akiyama finished recounting, the three arrived at the second-floor office.
Since the incident had occurred not long ago, and the employees were on vacation, Takuya Akiyama used a spare key to open the company door for them.
As for the destination, the president's office, it had been open because investigators and forensic personnel had come for inspection before. To avoid trouble, they had left it unlocked, which saved them some hassle. Otherwise, they would have needed to contact Mr. Arima to come and open the door.
Entering the president's office, Senichi first surveyed the surroundings and layout. Overall, it was a luxurious office, consistent with the status of the president.
There were expensive-looking leather sofas, the boss's chair, a computer, and even a cabinet near the safe, showcasing antiques or government awards. Senichi even noticed a clock, and the clock and the striking figure on top were made of gold.
However, what intrigued him more was the room layout. Upon entering, there was a folding screen blocking most of the desk.
While it was normal to use a folding screen when the president met guests, especially with the safe behind it, acting as a barrier against prying eyes.
But this layout, coupled with the manager Takuya Akiyama's words, seemed a bit off.
"Detective Sato, stand outside and watch from the small window," Senichi said straightforwardly, opting for practical action rather than overthinking.
"No problem." Although Sato Miwako didn't know exactly what Senichi was planning, she complied.
She walked outside, closed the door, and leaned over the small window. "Alright, what do we do next?"
"Just stay still." Senichi, as he spoke, walked slowly towards the safe. "Now, my position should be where the victim fell. Can you still see me now?"
Watching Senichi approach the safe, Sato Miwako suddenly realized something. Her pupils involuntarily dilated. "Can't see!? How could I not see!?"
Sato Miwako quickly opened the door and looked at the nearby manager Takuya Akiyama, urgently asking, "Mr. Akiyama, what's going on? Didn't you say you saw Inoue Takashi holding something and beating the victim at that time?
But standing in front of the door, you can't see anything behind the folding screen!"
"Ah... actually, I didn't see in that direction..." Takuya Akiyama pointed to the wall on the right side of the folding screen, "What I saw was the silhouette projected on that wall...
Because it was already late at night, the lights in the room were turned off, so I could only see the shadows cast by the lights outside shining through the window."
At this point, Takuya Akiyama looked at the skeptical gaze of the two and hurriedly said, "But I absolutely saw it. The culprit was holding something and continuously hitting President Ootsu, and then there was a commotion after the president fell!"
"Please be more accurate when giving testimony." Sato Miwako sighed and said, "If it's just like this, the credibility of the eyewitness testimony is considerably reduced..."
On the other side, Senichi pulled open the curtain, looked at the neon sign outside, and then began to search and inspect the president's office.
Seeing Senichi looking around, occasionally bending down to inspect, Sato Miwako, who was idle on the side, couldn't help walking over and asking, "Detective Senichi, are you looking for something? Let me help."
"No need, no need. I'm not looking for anything specific. Just looking around to confirm my thoughts." Senichi stood up, clapped his hands, and said, "I've finished looking now."
"What should we do next?" Sato Miwako asked.
"It's already around noon. How about we go eat first?" Senichi looked at the time and said, "I have a place in mind, an Italian restaurant."
"Huh? A restaurant?" Sato Miwako was momentarily surprised but quickly reacted, "Is it the Italian restaurant near here run by Mr. Arima?"
"That's right." Senichi snapped his fingers. "While solving the lunch problem, let's go confirm something.
If it goes smoothly, we might find the real culprit!"
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