▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀
As Poe and you stepped through the imposing doors of the police station, a sense of authority and purpose permeated the air. The bustling atmosphere was alive with the hum of urgent conversations and the occasional chirping of telephones, creating a symphony of law and order. The scent of freshly brewed coffee mingled with the faint aroma of paperwork, giving the space a distinct bureaucratic fragrance.
Your gaze scanned the surroundings, taking in the orderly chaos that surrounded you. Walls adorned with commendations and framed achievements stood as testaments to the dedication of the men and women who upheld justice within these precinct walls. However, your attention was soon drawn to a particular room that beckoned from a nearby corridor, like a clandestine sanctuary.
As you and Poe approached the room, the sight that greeted you resembled a miniature classroom frozen in time. A sizable blackboard adorned one wall, its surface marked with chalk traces of countless investigations and theories. The chairs stood in orderly rows, as if awaiting the arrival of eager students hungry for knowledge. It was a setting that bridged the worlds of education and law enforcement, where detectives honed their skills and sought truth amidst the labyrinthine complexities of crime.
But your attention quickly shifted as your eyes fell upon the occupants of the room. There, sitting with a sour expression on his face, was Makoto, Kaori's brother and a police officer known for his prickly demeanour. His presence radiated an air of annoyance that seemed to permeate the very atmosphere around him. Despite this, you mustered a polite smile and greeted Kaori, her presence providing a welcome respite amidst the tension.
"Good to see you, Kaori," you said, your voice laced with warmth and sincerity. In return, she offered a polite nod and a smile, her own composure unwavering. Her presence exuded a sense of calm and professionalism, a stark contrast to the bristling energy emanating from her brother.
Turning your attention to Makoto, you couldn't resist the urge to playfully tease him. "Ah, Officer Makoto, always a pleasure," you greeted, a twinkle of mischief in your eyes. However, your teasing words were met with a cold silence. Makoto simply ignored your greeting, his sour expression deepening, as if unwilling to engage in any form of banter or camaraderie.
Undeterred, you took a seat beside Poe, allowing a sense of camaraderie to envelop the room, even amidst the prickly atmosphere. The blackboard loomed over the gathering, a silent witness to the unfolding drama and the secrets that awaited unravelling. In this room of knowledge and investigation, you braced yourself for the imminent unveiling of truths, prepared to navigate the intricate dance of law and order that lay ahead.
Five minutes passed in anticipation, the air thick with curiosity and the promise of revelations. And just as the tension reached its peak, the room's door swung open, revealing the entrance of none other than Ranpo himself. Clad in a pristine white shirt that accentuated his sharp features, he exuded an air of effortless elegance. The glasses perched upon his nose added a touch of intellectual allure, framing his piercing eyes that held a glimmer of excitement.
In his hands, Ranpo carried a tray, balancing a steaming hot chocolate and a fragrant cup of coffee. As he approached, his gaze locked with yours, a knowing smile gracing his lips. With a graceful gesture, he extended the coffee towards you, an unspoken gesticulation of care and familiarity. And as your fingers curled around the warmth of the cup, he leaned in, planting a tender peck upon your lips, a gentle reminder of his affectionate nature.
The room's occupants watched, their expressions ranging from mild amusement to quiet envy, as Ranpo effortlessly navigated the space. Acknowledging the presence of each person, he greeted them with a warmth that transcended mere pleasantries. Makoto, ever the picture of gruff stoicism, could only manage a grunt in response, a feeble attempt to mask his curiosity beneath an impenetrable facade.
Taking his place at the front of the room, Ranpo commanded attention. The blackboard served as his backdrop, its expanse now transformed into a canvas upon which the intricate details of the case would be painted. The anticipation in the room palpable, all eyes turned towards the enigmatic detective, awaiting the unveiling of his brilliant mind.
"I have gathered you all here today," Ranpo began, his voice filled with a captivating allure, "for the purpose of unravelling the enigma known as the Tokyo Zodiac Murders. But before we delve into the depths of this perplexing case, I must inquire if you possess your father's note?" When Kaori nodded her head, Ranpo smiled and clapped his hands together in satisfaction, "ah, splendid. May I kindly request it from you?"
With an annoyed grunt, Makoto reluctantly handed the note to Ranpo.
"Now, revealing the identity of the murderer is a task not fraught with complexity. She now hides under the guise of Keiko Sudo, a purveyor of handbags within her boutique nestled near Seiryoji Temple in the scenic realm of Sagano, Kyoto. The boutique bears the name 'Megumi.' Should you seek her out, the story shall unfurl, granting you the intricate details. Unless, of course, you wish me to continue? Very well, then. Prepare yourselves."
Ranpo's explanation blossomed with brilliance, each word a gem meticulously placed, illuminating the shadows of the room. You couldn't help but wish for an audience of a thousand, that they too might bear witness to the masterful oration unfolding before you. The police station's stifling walls seemed to expand, eager to embrace the magnificence that resonated within its confines.
"The simplicity of the crime led to its obscurity, hidden for four decades. Keiko Sudo, the orchestrator of these heinous acts, masterminded her own vanishing act, becoming an elusive phantom. As Miss [L/N] had earlier conjectured, it was indeed an act of magic, yet not Hiroshi Takahashi's hand at work, as his imagination had led him to believe. The true magician, my dear friends, was Keiko herself. The foundation of her success lay in the Takahashi family's intricate connection to astrology, an enchantment crafted through the alignment of stars. Perhaps we should label it the magic of the zodiac."
With each word that danced from Ranpo's lips, an air of revelation encircled the room, electrifying the atmosphere with a surge of anticipation. The tale that unfurled before you held the power to captivate souls and unveil the secrets that had lingered in the shadows for far too long.
Ranpo cleared his throat before continuing, "first, let's examine the perplexing case of Hiroshi Takahashi's death inside his locked studio. As a recap, all the windows had iron grilles, there were no hidden exits, and the door was secured with a sliding bar and padlock. Additionally, due to heavy snowfall, it was impossible for anyone to enter or leave the studio without leaving footprints. Before his demise, Hiroshi had consumed sleeping pills. Interestingly, his beard was recently trimmed, yet no scissors or razor were found at the crime scene. In the snow, there were two sets of footprints—one from a man's shoes and the other from a woman's. It appeared that the man walked away from the studio after the woman. The snowfall ceased at 11:30 p.m, implying that Hiroshi's presumed time of death fell between that time and 11 a.m. Furthermore, a model was scheduled to pose for Hiroshi that evening, but she was never located."
Poe listened intently, with Karl perched on his shoulder.
"Considering these facts, we can speculate on six possible scenarios. First: the murder occurred immediately after 11 p.m, and the killer departed swiftly, leaving no footprints due to the snow covering them. The two sets of footprints belonged to unrelated individuals. Second: Hiroshi was killed by the model. Third: the person wearing the man's shoes was the culprit. Fourth: both individuals with the footprints collaborated in the crime. Fifth: the model deliberately created two distinct types of footprints. Sixth: the person wearing the man's shoes aimed to deceive investigators by leaving the woman's shoe prints. Some individuals have suggested a theory involving Hiroshi's bed being raised to the ceiling and dropped, but I find this idea highly implausible and will disregard it entirely. The matter of the footprints is intriguing. Yet, regardless of how we analyse the clues, they provide no clear direction. This is one of the reasons why the case remained unsolved for so long. However, the absence of an answer itself holds the key to this enigma. You see, it is the pauses between musical notes that give rise to the melody!"
With that dramatic statement, Ranpo paused momentarily to take a sip of his hot chocolate.
"Let's revisit the six scenarios once again and carefully analyse their plausibility. While the first scenario holds some merit, the fact that two individuals witnessed the murder scene but never came forward raises doubts. If their intention was to conceal their visit to Hiroshi's studio, they could have anonymously contacted the police. Alternatively, if they were suspects in the murder, they would have likely wanted to proclaim their innocence. Yet, no one stepped forward to provide any information. The second scenario proves impractical upon closer examination. Considering the duration of the snowfall, the person wearing the man's shoes and the person wearing the woman's shoes must have encountered each other inside the studio. If the model was the perpetrator, the person in the man's shoes would have witnessed the crime. However, no evidence points to such an occurrence." Ranpo paused momentarily to take a breath. "Likewise, the third scenario lacks feasibility. If the person in the man's shoes was responsible for the killing, the person in the woman's shoes would have been a witness. Yet, there is no indication that this scenario transpired. The fourth scenario holds more plausibility, but we must question whether Hiroshi would have taken sleeping pills in the presence of two visitors. It is possible that he was threatened or coerced into consuming them. However, if two killers were involved, it would be challenging for them to maintain such a grave secret. Moreover, the absence of Mr. Tanaka's involvement in disposing of the bodies suggests that a single individual orchestrated the murders—a person possessing a calm mind and a cold heart."
You nodded your head as you listened attentively.
"Regarding the fifth scenario, it appears unlikely as well. The model entered the studio after 2 p.m. on the 25th, when snowfall was not expected. Hence, she would not have brought men's shoes with her for later use as a cover-up. Instead, she would have had to utilise Hiroshi's shoes. Two pairs of his shoes were present in the studio before and after the murder. However, the footprints indicate that the model did not return with his shoes upon leaving. It is plausible that she initially exited the studio wearing her own shoes, then retraced her steps with long strides, mimicking a man's gait, while wearing Hiroshi's shoes. However, this raises the question of why she would leave her initial footprints uncovered, even though she could have concealed all traces. Perhaps her intention was to confuse investigators, leading them to believe that multiple killers had hoisted the bed to the ceiling or that a man committed the crime. Upon initial consideration, the sixth scenario may seem the most credible. A man arrived at the studio alone as the snowfall began. He brought a pair of woman's shoes with him and left footprints using both sets of shoes. However, this would have led the police to believe that the footprints from the woman's shoes belonged to the model, ultimately concluding that the murderer was a man. Furthermore, Hiroshi did not have any close male friends, and the notion that he would consume sleeping pills and sleep in the presence of a man seems highly improbable. Consequently, this scenario also reaches a dead end."
Ranpo adjusted his glasses on his face before continuing once again, "however, with no other avenues to explore, we must reconsider these six scenarios. As I mentioned before, we can confidently eliminate the first and fourth scenarios; they simply don't hold up. The second and third scenarios also lack credibility upon closer examination. This leaves us with scenarios five and six as the most viable options. While it strains believability that a man would leave footprints in a woman's shoes, scenario number five remains our best bet." He raked a hand through his dark tresses. "Let's carefully reexamine scenario number five: the model deliberately created two different types of shoe prints. The inability to return Hiroshi's shoes to the studio and the presence of woman's shoe prints become crucial elements in this mystery. However, one question remains: was the person wearing the woman's shoes actually Hiroshi's model? Assuming the answer is yes and that she was the one who killed him, it is highly unlikely that she would come forward to testify. So, who was this model? She must have been intimately acquainted with Hiroshi to be able to return his shoes to the studio. Our focus narrows down to one individual: Keiko Sudo."
Makoto arched a brow speculatively.
"You see, Keiko had been planning these murders meticulously, specifically targeting Yumeko and her daughters. She had set her sights on the night of the 25th to kill Hiroshi. She had even prearranged to have the studio skylight glass broken and replaced. However, her plans took an unexpected turn when it started snowing while she was posing for him. As the snow continued to accumulate, she likely grew more perplexed. Nevertheless, she was cunning enough to devise a new strategy. Creating footprints with men's shoes would mislead the police into believing the murderer was a man. She must have already formulated a precise plan to kill Akari as well, ensuring it seamlessly aligned with Hiroshi's murder, giving the impression that both crimes were committed by a man. She probably had a specific murder weapon in mind, such as a frying pan. Thus, despite the unforeseen obstacle of the snow, she didn't need to deviate from her overarching plan."
Ranpo took another sip of his hot chocolate.
"After brutally beating Hiroshi to death, Keiko went to great lengths to stage the crime scene. She sprinkled dust in his hair, implying that he had fallen out of bed and struck his head on the floor. Additionally, she used scissors to trim his beard. The motive behind this act may have been to confuse the police, given the striking resemblance between Hiroshi and his brother. However, Keiko needlessly complicated matters. As an inexperienced murderer, her methods were rather amateurish. She didn't require the presence of two sets of shoe prints; the footprints of a man alone would have sufficed. This would have led investigators to focus on the search for a male killer, diverting attention from the model. Furthermore, if the police had believed that Hiroshi's visitor was male, they might have explored the possibility, however remote, of the Takahashi women climbing onto the roof after the man's departure. However, Keiko's inclusion of woman's shoe prints allowed me to eliminate any suspicion involving the Takahashi women. But how did Keiko manage to return Hiroshi's shoes when the studio was locked from the inside? In reality, locking the studio from the outside is not a difficult task. You may recall the shoe prints wedged near the window above the sink. Keiko positioned herself there, throwing a piece of string or rope inside to manipulate the sliding bar and padlock into place. And that is how Hiroshi Takahashi's murder was committed," Ranpo concluded.
You all took a moment to sip your coffees, absorbing the gravity of his revelation.
"Now let's delve into the murder of Akari. Isamu Tanaka entered Akari's residence around 7:30 p.m. and departed around 8:50 p.m. The estimated time of Akari's demise falls between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. How is this plausible? The answer is rather straightforward: Akari was already deceased when Mr. Tanaka entered her house. Had he opened the sliding doors to the adjacent room, he would have come face to face with her lifeless body lying on the floor. The woman who enticed him was not Akari but Keiko. Her intention was to ensnare him and use it as leverage for his involvement in disposing of the girls' bodies. After engaging in a sexual encounter with him, she collected some of his semen from her own vagina and placed it inside Akari's, thus accounting for the disparity between his confession and the investigation's indication of intercourse occurring after the victim's demise."
"But," you interjected, "if Keiko's intention was to create the impression of a single male culprit for all the murders, why did she go through the trouble of ransacking Akari's house?"
"She wanted to create the appearance of an unrelated incident to Hiroshi's murder," Ranpo responded. "Her aim was to make it seem like a burglary and sexual assault had occurred at Akari's house. Without these elements, the police would have thoroughly searched the house and discovered the bodies of the girls that were hidden there. However, Keiko made a novice mistake by leaving Akari's body neatly dressed in her kimono, despite the supposed violence. That caught my attention. Additionally, Keiko's main plan was to frame Yumeko for the Azoth murders. By making it appear that a man had killed Akari, she would effectively divert suspicion towards Yumeko for the murders of the six Takahashi girls. However, keeping the girls' bodies at Akari's house posed a high risk. Therefore, Keiko compelled Mr. Tanaka to immediately dispose of the bodies. She was fortunate because rural police investigations at that time were slow and unsophisticated. Akari's blood was cleaned off the vase, which was used as the murder weapon. Keiko strategically placed the vase in a location where Mr. Tanaka would definitely notice it, imprinting it in his memory. This would lead him to believe that the murder occurred after his visit and increase his fear level, knowing the vase was the murder weapon."
Kaori visibly grimaced as she heard this.
"Akari was killed while facing the mirror, showing no attempt to escape or resist, indicating that the victim knew the killer. After bludgeoning Akari to death, Keiko meticulously wiped the blood off the mirror and moved Akari's body to an adjacent room. The motive for killing Akari in her own home is not entirely clear, but it's possible that something occurred between Keiko and Akari to trigger the violence. Perhaps Keiko harboured a deep-seated grudge towards Akari, but we can explore the motives further later. As for the murders of the Takahashi girls, it is likely that Keiko killed them while they were all gathered at Akari's house. It was a secluded and convenient location where she could poison them simultaneously, store their bodies, and later dismember them. In the larger scheme of things, Akari's murder served as a stepping stone for the Azoth murders."
Ranpo paused once more and took another sip of his hot chocolate.
"Now, let's discuss the Azoth murders. These serial killings have captivated and intrigued our country, resembling an impressive magic show. When I initially heard about this case, I may have sensed that the key to solving it lay in the realm of magic, but I didn't fully grasp the true nature of the mystery. However, yesterday I recalled a particular magic trick. As a result, I swiftly unravelled the case and, within a few hours, I was able to confront the perpetrator."
Makoto's eyes widened veritably.
"The method itself was remarkably simple, yet no one had ever considered its application in this case. I would never have even seen it myself if it wasn't for my partner, Miss [L/N]. However, I am certain that many police officers will now recall it. It was a technique used for fraudulent activities involving ten-thousand-yen bills, primarily prevalent in the Kansai region some years ago. I distinctly remember watching a news program in a restaurant that reported on it. The news went something like this: 'today, a ten-thousand-yen bill was discovered with a missing portion that had been concealed with opaque tape. The bill had been cut and carefully reassembled, resulting in a slightly shorter length compared to a regular ten-thousand-yen bill. Furthermore, the serial numbers on the right and left sides did not match. Investigators suspect fraudulent activity. This is the first reported instance of such a technique being used for fraud in Tokyo.' Perhaps to discourage imitators, the news did not delve into further details. Interestingly, the young people at the adjacent table in the restaurant immediately began contemplating how they could profit by cutting up bills! As you may not be familiar with the exact procedure, allow me to provide a demonstration."
Ranpo directed his attention to the blackboard and proceeded to sketch a series of rectangles, while also explaining how the opaque tape worked.
"As you can observe, what remains are seemingly 21 ten-thousand-yen bills! The initial and final bills may appear severed, but if a cashier fails to scrutinise them closely, our deception succeeds. By employing scissors and opaque tape, we have ingeniously crafted a new bill—a bill that conceals our manipulation." Ranpo let out a long sigh, before stating, "this fraudulent technique provided me with the crucial insight into this mystery. It dawned on me that the same technique had been applied to the bodies. We were convinced that there were six victims in the Azoth murders, and we never questioned it. Yet, the truth was far more elusive. In actuality, there were only five!"
▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀
A/N - anyone know any cute places to go for a day trip near Nottingham/Birmingham that isn't too far awayyyy I'm desperate