Sera Masumi took Akikawa Kyousuke's mobile phone from Megure Juzo's hand.
After glancing at it, she said seriously to Megure Juzo:
"Officer Megure, this person is likely sent by Officer Toda. I'm afraid their purpose is to forge evidence about the car accident at Akikawa's home."
"!!!!!!"
When Megure Juzo, Takagi Wataru, and the officers from the First Investigative Division and the Forensic Section heard Sera Masumi's words, their faces displayed expressions of utter shock once again.
In their view, Sera Masumi's assumption was so bold it seemed unbelievable.
Criminals rarely attempt such actions.
Let alone someone like Kyouji Toda, who had previously served in the Organized Crime Countermeasures Bureau.
Everyone in the First Investigative Division knew that Kyouji Toda harbored an intense hatred for criminals—far greater than the average person.
Before today, if they had heard such claims, they would have angrily accused Sera Masumi of slander.
But after discovering that Toda Kyouji had attempted murder and tried to cover it up earlier today, even such outrageous speculation now seemed credible.
---
"Sera, do you have any basis for what you're saying?"
Megure Juzo looked at Sera Masumi with a grim expression.
His tone revealed that he was trying his utmost to suppress the fury in his heart.
Of course, Megure Juzo's anger wasn't directed at Sera Masumi for supposed "slander."
Rather, he was infuriated by what Detective Toda Kyouji had done.
---
"Although I don't have concrete evidence, my reasoning should be correct," Sera Masumi began to explain.
"Yesterday, Akikawa went to the Metropolitan Police Department to report the shooting case. The officer in charge of the investigation at that time was Officer Toda.
After completing Akikawa's statement, Officer Toda asked him if he still planned to attend the film exhibition today.
Akikawa replied affirmatively, so Officer Toda knew there would be no one at Akikawa's home."
---
"You can't make such a judgment based on that alone, Sera."
Megure Juzo's tone remained stern.
"That's right," Sera Masumi nodded.
"On August 23rd last year, there was a car accident on the national highway.
The criminal officer in charge of interrogating Akikawa at the time, 'Takuto Nakajima,' induced and extracted confessions from Akikawa.
This incident was later discovered by Officer Sato, who asked Officer Nakajima to transfer the matter to Officer Toda."
"Therefore, I believe Officer Nakajima's actions of extracting confessions were actually directed by Officer Toda."
---
"Is that true?!"
Megure Juzo's expression turned to one of extreme surprise once again.
"If Officer Megure doesn't believe me, you can confirm it with Officer Takagi."
After hearing Sera Masumi's words, Megure Juzo turned to look at Takagi Wataru beside him.
Takagi nodded, confirming that it was indeed true.
---
"After realizing this, the Imperial Theater prisoner, Koichi Nishihara, and the shooting case prisoner, Ohga Takao, both reported assaults by police officers.
I don't believe they had either the motive or the means to attack the police.
So, this must also be the work of Officer Toda."
---
Megure Juzo was aware of the two police assaults.
However, at the time, he hadn't paid much attention to them.
Now, hearing Sera Masumi's reasoning, he turned to look at Toda Kyouji.
He saw Kyouji Toda collapse to the floor, his face pale, and seemingly devoid of the strength to refute anything.
---
Rage suddenly surged in Megure Juzo's heart.
The usually calm officer, who often greeted people with a smile and called them "brother," was now so furious that he nearly lost control.
He stormed over to Kyouji Toda, grabbed the man—who seemed as if his bones were crumbling—off the floor, and looked him in the eyes.
---
"You bastard!"
"Is everything she said true?!"
"Huh?! Answer me! You're smart, aren't you? Hurry up and deny it!!"
---
But Kyouji Toda didn't say a word.
Though the scene of him secretly inducing a confession hadn't been caught on camera, Kyouji Toda knew that pure reasoning from Sera Masumi would suffice.
Megure Juzo could easily send someone to verify the details with the criminals who had attacked the police. They would surely tell the truth without hesitation.
---
"Damn it!"
Megure Juzo's eyes were red with rage. His large hands clenched into fists, and he punched Kyouji Toda hard on the right side of his face.
With a loud crack, Toda Kyouji spat out two teeth, accompanied by blood.
None of the detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department dared to breathe.
It was the first time they had ever seen Megure Juzo this angry.
---
At the same time, their gazes toward Kyouji Toda gradually shifted from surprise to fury.
What Toda Kyouji had done wasn't just his personal wrongdoing.
If exposed, the entire Metropolitan Police Department would be implicated.
Everyone could imagine how the public would regard them with disdain.
---
Sera Masumi coldly stared at Kyouji Toda, who lay on the ground, without a shred of sympathy.
She continued:
"Officer Toda didn't stop at extracting confessions from prisoners.
Based on this incident, I judged that Officer Toda likely used the same methods on anyone he identified as a suspect.
Since the real culprit behind the previous car accident hasn't been apprehended, I suspect that's why Officer Toda targeted Akikawa as the perpetrator.
After learning Akikawa's schedule today, he brought evidence from the car accident case and simultaneously sent someone to Akikawa's house to fabricate evidence."
---
"According to Akikawa, Officer Toda once told him that Traffic Division had eliminated all suspects matching Akikawa's description, leaving him as the only possible culprit.
If I'm not mistaken, that's a lie, isn't it?"
---
After hearing this, Megure Juzo turned to Takagi Wataru.
The car accident case was handled by Miwako Sato, and Takagi, as her assistant, understood the details of the investigation.
---
"That's false... because only one suspect matching Akikawa's description has been investigated so far. Not all suspects have been cleared.
If it were true, we'd have heard about it by now."
---
Sera Masumi nodded after Takagi Wataru's confirmation.
"This proves that Officer Toda deliberately removed evidence from the Metropolitan Police Department to force a confession from Akikawa.
And knowing Akikawa wouldn't plead guilty, he fabricated evidence at Akikawa's home.
Because he already considered Akikawa the murderer, he dared to act so recklessly!"
---
"He doesn't deserve to be called a detective at all—he's just a violent criminal who preys on the weak!"
Sera Masumi shouted, pointing at Kyouji Toda on the ground.
(End of Chapter)