18: Chapter 18: The Old Man and the Stool

Deep in the night, Inspector Megure Juzo was sound asleep when a shrill ringing jolted him awake.

Slipping out of bed carefully, careful not to wake his wife Midori, Megure stumbled into the living room and answered the phone.

"Yeah... who is this...?" he mumbled groggily.

"It's me, Fujino Douji. We worked together a few days ago, Inspector Megure."

The voice on the other end sounded slightly muffled, distant.

"Fujino?" Megure, still half-asleep, tried to place the name.

Recognition dawned after a moment.

"Fujino-kun? What is it this late? Don't tell me you've stumbled onto another murder case?"

Strange, why did I say 'another'? Megure frowned, puzzled by his own phrasing.

Fujino's calm voice continued from the other end.

"No murder this time, Inspector. Just solved a twelve-year-old cold case, and incidentally uncovered a drug trafficking ring..."

Hearing "no murder," Megure started to relax. But then the rest of the sentence registered.

"What?! You found a drug ring?!"

"Yes, Inspector. I've already gathered sufficient evidence. That's why I called you."

"Where are you now?! I'll dispatch a team immediately!" Megure demanded urgently.

"Moonlight Island... Wait, Inspector, I think one of the drug contacts is approaching now. Gotta go!"

"Wait, Fujino-kun! Don't do anything rash—!" Before Megure could finish, the line went dead, replaced by a dial tone.

"Damn it, Fujino-kun! It's almost the weekend, and you're giving me more work..." Megure sighed, but his expression hardened with grim determination.

He immediately dialed another number.

"Superintendent Matsumoto? It's Megure!"

"The twelve-year-old murder case on Moonlight Island has been solved... Also, notify Narcotics Division 4 immediately! Fujino-kun discovered a major drug smuggling operation on the island. I fear he may have already been captured..."

Meanwhile, back on Moonlight Island.

"Didn't expect him to bite this soon... Looks like I need to wrap this up quick!"

Fujino thought with a grim smirk, watching a figure approach the Civic Hall in the distance.

It was too dark to see the man's face clearly, but based on his build, Fujino was certain it was Kawashima Hideo.

Kawashima was in his fifties; Fujino figured he'd be relatively easy to handle.

This confrontation was part of the plan.

"Ah-choo!" Suddenly, Fujino's nose tickled.

He quickly clamped a hand over his mouth, stifling the sneeze before it could escape. The pressure built up uncomfortably in his head.

"This body really is weak..." he grumbled, rubbing his temples.

He quickly activated his phone's camera, tucking it securely into his breast pocket, lens pointing outwards.

Then, he took the pendant from around his neck, gripping the now full-sized wooden sword.

Time to move. He silently trailed after Kawashima.

Inside the Civic Hall.

In the dimly lit piano room, Kawashima Hideo retrieved the white packet from the piano's secret compartment, a look of smug satisfaction on his face.

"Didn't think that idiot Hirata could actually find a new cheap source. This batch should last us a few weeks."

Unbeknownst to him, a dark figure crept up silently behind him.

Focused entirely on the packet of white powder, Kawashima remained oblivious.

The figure raised the wooden sword high and brought it down swiftly onto the back of Kawashima's head.

Thwack!

"Agh!"

The sickening crunch echoed through the hall, followed by a sharp cry of pain.

"Who's there?!" Kawashima staggered forward, clutching his head.

He spun around angrily, spotting a young man in a black suit, wielding a wooden sword.

[Notice: Detective Time Activated. Countdown: 0:00:59]

"Name's Fujino. I'm a detective," Fujino announced coolly, raising the Okamoto Momoka 0.01.

"Kawashima-san. Looks like this little package would have fetched a pretty penny, wouldn't it?"

"Damn it!" Kawashima glared venomously at Fujino.

"You figured it out?!"

Then, a sly grin spread across Kawashima's face.

"Look, kid. Keep this quiet, and I'll make you rich. A lot richer than you are now..."

"Oh? My price is very high, you know," Fujino replied playfully. "How about five million yen?"

"Done." Kawashima agreed instantly, without hesitation.

"And what about the murder?" Fujino pressed, not accepting the bribe, instead pushing further, enjoying the game.

"Does that cost extra? Say... fifty million?"

"Fifty million?! Are you insane?! Go rob a bank!" Kawashima barked, then paused, confused.

"What murder are you talking about?"

"That's right. Murder," Fujino confirmed, his playful tone vanishing.

"Yesterday, I received a commission from a certain Aso Keiji to investigate the truth behind his death twelve years ago."

"Through careful investigation and interviews, I've deduced that the ones responsible for his death... were the same four people who 'discovered' the fire at his house."

"Twelve years ago, it was you, along with Kuroiwa Tatsuji, Kameyama Isamu, and Nishimoto Ken, who murdered Aso Keiji, wasn't it?"

Fujino stared directly into Kawashima's eyes, his voice dropping low.

"All because he didn't want to help you smuggle drugs anymore. You were afraid he'd expose you, so you killed him!"

"We were childhood friends, you know. We didn't want to kill him and his whole family, burn him alive," Kawashima shook his head, a chilling lack of remorse in his voice.

"But that idiot was too stubborn... Muttering something about having enough money for his kid's medical bills and wanting out. Did he really think we'd just let him walk away?"

"You're right, Detective. We killed him. So what?" Kawashima nodded, a smug, self-satisfied smile returning.

"But I admire you, kid. Your brains, your deduction skills... you're top-notch. We need talent like yours..."

He ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠spread his arms wide in a mock invitation. "Join us, Fujino-kun! We can offer you wealth and luxury beyond anything you could ever dream of as a mere detective!"

"Screw you!" Fujino roared righteously, activating Detective Enhancement.

"Like hell I'd associate with murdering drug traffickers like you!"

[Detective Enhancement Activated. Duration: 0:01:59]

Honestly, Fujino thought privately, if the camera wasn't rolling, I might have actually considered blackmailing them before turning them in... But that was too risky.

These guys wouldn't just pay him off; they'd sooner dump his body in the ocean.

"Hmph... Heh heh heh!" Kawashima lowered his head, chuckling darkly, a crazed look entering his eyes.

"Never thought... after all these years... we'd be brought down by some snot-nosed detective... Fine! If I'm going down, you're coming with me! To hell!"

With a roar, Kawashima grabbed the heavy wooden piano stool beside him and swung it viciously at Fujino's head.