by Shin Towada
Morimine was silent, as if he was considering something. Just when Amon lost patience and was about to tear him apart, Morimine spoke.
“This girl … Haruka Seta, who went missing eighteen years ago, disappeared on her way home from watching some fireworks.”
The flier didn’t have that piece of information on it. Morimine continued in a neutral tone.
“Fifteen years ago, another girl suddenly disappeared. And thirteen years ago too, although that happened one ward over, in the 7th.”
He didn’t pause to recall, nor did he stutter as he went through his memories. It was like he’d beaten the information into his mind.
And that fact made Amon feel even angrier.
Morimine continued, his voice clear. “Then nine years ago a girl was kidnapped in the 23rd Ward on her way home from a voice training class, and seven years ago …”
Amon grabbed him by the lapels. “If you knew all of that, why did you keep quiet about it until now?” If we’d had all of this information, it might’ve changed the investigation. But more than that, I’m furious with him for berating me all this time when he was withholding information about the case. For a guy who likes to remind you that a human life is at stake here, this is incredibly irresponsible.
But Morimine’s expression did not change in the slightest, as if he already knew how Amon had arrived at this answer and that he was being blamed.
“Listen, Amon. At the time that Haruka Seta, probably the first victim in this case, went missing, it was barely investigated and she was treated as a runaway.”
Amon let go of Morimine’s lapels and took another look at the flier.
“I looked into the disappearances in the other wards, too, and in some cases Ghoul involvement was suspected and the CCG cooperated in the investigation. But the investigations all ended without much in the way of results.”
Morimine stopped there for a second and sighed.
“And the connection between them was ignored, and now, in this case in the 8th Ward, a barrette has been found with a Ghoul’s bodily fluids on it. What drives me crazy is that there’s one guy who decided eighteen years ago, when Haruka Seta disappeared, that she’d run away and there was no need to investigate. And that guy is now at the top of the Criminal Division.”
“You don’t mean …”
“He doesn’t want Haruka Seta’s case to be dredged up and tied in with this case, all to protect his own damn neck. The police and all the newspapers hounded Haruka’s mother, saying that there had been problems at home, and in the end, she couldn’t take it and killed herself.”
Is there some kind of corruption going on here?
Morimine gave a grim, self-mocking smile. “If the culprit is a Ghoul then they can be taken down without argument. And then the Haruka Seta case can sort of be put to rest. That’s what the higher-ups are hoping. But with such a passionate Ghoul investigator on the case that doesn’t seem possible. I mean, look at all this old stuff you’ve managed to dig up,” he said, sounding impressed. But that was not what Amon was looking to hear.
“Morimine, you’ve told me time and time again that you believe this was the work of a human. Do you have some reason to think that?”
“Like I keep saying, the barrette was dropped near the police station. That’s the biggest reason. Because, you know, since eighteen years ago the same kind of disappearances have kept happening, but not a single piece of evidence connected to the perpetrator had ever emerged. Maybe that’s just because the culprit is very careful. But this time, this barrette appeared. It got me thinking.”
Morimine, who always seemed very detached, now wore an expression of anguish. It was the first time Amon had seen him look that way. “Someone put it there because they were counting on us, the police. They want us to catch the culprit. That’s why I think the culprit is human.”
There was something incomprehensible about Morimine’s theory to Amon. But there was also something strangely sincere about the way he spoke. However, there were some points that Amon just couldn’t concede.
“I can understand the police’s position here. But I think a Ghoul was involved in this case in some form, for more reasons than just the fluids on the barrette.”
Morimine said nothing.
“I can’t just let that go, and I think we have to find that Ghoul before we can get any closer to the truth about what happened in this case. So again, I cannot simply turn this case back over to the police.”
Scratching his head, Morimine grumbled, “God, you’ve got a stick up your ass.” But he had a smile on his face. “Well then, I’m with you to the bitter end.”
Morimine gave Amon information about all the similar incidents that had occurred over the last eighteen years. Then they looked at all the suspected Ghouls to see how they applied to the cases. Thanks to Morimine’s cooperation and the avalanche of information he supplied, the investigation had picked up momentum, but all the answers that emerged were rather lacking.
“None of them could’ve done it …”
After looking into the suspected Ghoul who lived near the police station, Amon stared at the documents given to him by Yanagi, muttering to himself. Everyone who had been considered suspicious had an alibi.
This investigation is just going nowhere. The CCG has done all it can, so maybe this is one of those times we could turn it back over to the police.
However, Morimine wasn’t in as big a hurry as before.
“Did you get information from other wards about suspected Ghouls? And Ghouls that prey upon teenage girls?”
“I requested it, but inevitably, there are a lot of suspected Ghouls living outside of the 8th Ward.”
“I guess it’s more difficult for you to leave your post and go off searching, since you’re temporarily in charge of the ward. And I guess you can’t hand the contents over to me due to confidentiality …”
They were at a standstill in front of the station. Morimine shrugged. “Well, we can’t just stand around here and talk about it all day. Let’s go talk tactics somewhere,” he said.
“Good idea … We can borrow the meeting room at the CCG for now.”
“All right.”
Amon took the lead and turned down the side street that led to the CCG’s building. As soon as they started down the alley, which was sandwiched between two tall buildings, it was suddenly rather dark. But Amon was used to it now, since he often came this way.
After a short while, they could see a sliver light at the end of the alley. At the same time, they also saw a shadow coming toward them. Amon squinted into the sunlight trying to see who it was. It was Koharu.
“Oh, hello, Kotaro,” she said, bowing her head deeply. Then Morimine, who had been walking behind Amon, entered her line of sight. She gasped in surprise, staring intently at his face.
“And you’re … a detective.”
“That’s right.”
Morimine had said before that he remembered her from taking her statement once, but she also seemed to remember him.
“I’m sorry, are you on duty right now?”
“We are. Has something happened?” Amon said.
“Um, well …” she stuttered, looking at Morimine. Feeling like he was interrupting something, Morimine looked at Amon and Koharu, then walked a short distance away. Looked at from the outside this must seem like a scene from a romantic movie. Her response was certainly polite, and she appears, for all intents and purposes, to be a normal woman, faultless in every way. Yet Amon turned a skeptical eye toward her.
“So, what is this about?”
Koharu took a paper bag out of her handbag.
“What is it?”
“You said that you wished the cake I gave you before was sweeter so … here.” She handed the bag over. Amon looked inside and saw a cupcake. It smelled much sweeter than the one she had given him b
efore—much more to Amon’s taste. But characteristically, a frown passed over Amon’s face.
“I keep telling you, it’s not a big deal. If you don’t quit doing this it’s going to put me in a difficult position.”
“Y-yes, of course, you’re right. But the one you ate was dirty, and I’m very sorry …” Koharu said, flustered. She blushed and looked down.
“What’s wrong with you, Amon, man? You gotta say thank you when someone gives you something,” said Morimine, lighting a cigarette. He was apparently still paying attention although he was facing the opposite direction.
“Interrupting me like this in the middle of the workday to discuss something private is not all right,” Amon said.
“You really do have a stick up your ass, you know,” Morimine said, exhaling a cloud of smoke. He turned to look Koharu, peeking from behind Amon.
“Forget that—lady, you look very pale. You look a little unwell—I thought that before when I saw you. Do you have some kind of illness or something?”
“Oh, no, I … my adoptive father collapsed and he’s in the hospital. I’ve been caring for him. I guess it must show,” Koharu said, putting her hands to her face.
“You’re adopted?”
“Yes. I lost my parents when I was young …”
“How?”
She did not answer.
“In an accident or what?”
It was just like he was grilling her. Koharu’s mouth twisted and she looked down slowly. Morimine stared at her, waiting for her to answer.
“Amon? Is that you?”
Just then another voice echoed down the alley. Three men, coming from the direction of the station, walked up to join them. It was Yanagi and Tojo, followed by …
“Hard at work, Amon?”
He had sharp eyes and slicked-back hair.
“Fura!”
It was Taishi Fura, the investigator in charge of the 7th Ward, where the Ghoul restaurant was located.
“What are you doing here?”
“I thought I’d come check on things in the 8th. I’ve been on patrol with Yanagi …” Fura trailed off, finally taking notice of Morimine and Koharu’s presence.
“Oh, this is Lieutenant Morimine, who is assisting me with an investigation right now, and this is … a resident of the area.”
Amon had no problem introducing Morimine, but he hesitated for a moment over how to describe Koharu. He hated having conversations unrelated to work while he was on duty, not only because it stalled his investigation, but also because things like this happened.
“I see. We’re heading back to the branch office now, but it looks like you might’ve been on your way back too. See you later.”
“Yes sir.”
Fura, Yanagi, and Tojo passed them and went off.
“So you really do work for the CCG,” Koharu said, once they’d faded into the distance.
“Yes. I am a Ghoul investigator.”
“Oh … I hear that’s a very dangerous job. I’ve been hearing a lot about some disturbing Ghoul incidents lately too. Doesn’t it scare you?”
Amon often got these kinds of questions from civilians. His answer was always the same: “Of course, I’m terrified by Ghouls, and I’ve lost a lot of colleagues to them over the years. But still, somebody has to do it.”
She looked at him.
“I cannot stand by and watch innocent people be attacked and killed by Ghouls. And what’s more, I don’t want to see more people in the world who have lost someone important to them. That’s why I’m out here eradicating Ghouls and trying to return some order to the world. That is the mission that has been given to us at the CCG.”
As Koharu listened, her eyes grew very serious. “That’s incredible,” she exclaimed with a sigh. Then, she started to speak as if she’d made her mind up. “Kotaro, the truth is … my parents were caught up in an incident and killed.”
“What did you say?” This unexpected confession made Amon look at her in surprise.
“It was a dark night, and the moon was hidden behind the clouds … We were all just about to go to bed when a group of men I didn’t know came. My father and mother were … both killed.”
So that’s why she clammed up when Morimine asked her.
“The man who took care of me after I lost my parents is my adoptive father. But now he’s confined to bed and he hasn’t got much time left. So I do understand how it feels to lose people who are important to you.”
As he listened to her story, Amon was also remembering things. The things that happened in the orphanage, where he’d lived with other children who had lost their parents. But the memories were blurry in his mind, as if seen through a heat haze.
“When I heard what you had to say, I realized that I have to find my own way in the world. Sorry for keeping you from your work again and again. Thank you,” Koharu said, and smiled.
After Koharu left, Morimine, who had been watching the entire time, turned to Amon and said, “So you’re a man of the flesh, too.”
“A man of the flesh?” Amon echoed.
“Yeah, that’s why you’ve got such a stick up your ass. Did a woman hurt you or something?”
“What are you talking about?” Amon asked Morimine, who looked amazed.
“If I explained you probably wouldn’t get it,” he said lightly. Unsatisfied with this answer, Amon wanted to question him in detail, but Morimine gave him a pat on the shoulder. “Right, I gotta get back to the CCG. I got stuff to do. I’ll leave you here.”
But I thought we were going to plan out a strategy, Amon thought, confused, as Morimine dashed off.
“What was that about?”
“Hey, Amon, that girl you were with is beautiful!” Tojo said tactlessly when Amon got back to the CCG office. I suppose he’s talking about Koharu. She does seem to have something appealing to most men.
“It was the first time we’d met, but she was looking right at me with those big, round eyes. I found it unnerving.”
“You’re too self-conscious, man, if you get scared because a girl stares at you,” Yanagi said, jumping into the conversation. His face looked sour. But Tojo didn’t seem to hear him.
Then, Fura, who had come to the 8th Ward to take a look at some documents, cut in. “You don’t know anything about her,” he said.
What do you mean?”
“There’s always another side to people, even people that look that good on the outside. So don’t put your own expectations on someone you don’t know that well.”
“Ha, look, Tojo—what you said is so stupid it disgusted Fura too!”
Yanagi hit Tojo on the head like a parent scolding a child.
“No, I just said that because of some experiences I had when I was a younger man,” Fura added, followed by a wry smile.
Amon agreed with Fura, too. Even Ghouls can put on a good face in front of people and then eat someone without batting an eyelid.
“Ghouls,” Amon muttered quietly, then opened the paper bag he was carrying and took out the cupcake. He brought it up to his nose and took a sniff, but there was nothing particularly strange about the smell. He took a bite just to check.
Is there really nothing strange about it?
The flavor was much sweeter and better than the one he’d eaten before. But something about the way Koharu acted and spoke made him feel uneasy.
Amon hid his thoughts from his face as he returned the cupcake, with one bite taken out of it, to the paper bag.
VI
After the meeting ended and he’d said goodbye to Fura, Yanagi, and Tojo, Amon was once again left on his own in the 8th Ward branch office. It was almost midnight. Deciding to take a little break to go buy a hot drink, Amon stood up from his desk.
Suddenly, his cell phone started ringing. It was Morimine. He’s never called me this late before, A
mon puzzled as he answered. “Hello, this is Amon.”
“Amon, are you still at the CCG office?” Morimine was almost shouting.
“Yeah, I’m here …”
“I’m at the door. Sorry, but could you let me in?”
He sounded somehow in a rush. Amon kept his phone to his ear as he hurried out of the room.
“Has something happened?”
“It’s about Koharu Utsumi, that tragic-looking girl.”
“Utsumi … ?”
He’d known her name but not her family name. I don’t know why he brought up her name, but I have a bad feeling about this.
“Can you go around the back? I’ll be right there,” Amon said, ending the call as he rushed into the elevator. It took what felt like an incredibly long time to reach the ground floor. When he finally got to the back entrance and opened the door, Morimine was standing there with a grim expression on his face.
“What’s happened?”
“I ran some checks on her today. I went to the hospital she said her adoptive father was in and I checked his name.”
“Why did you do that?”
“Call it detective’s intuition,” Morimine said, holding his hand to his forehead. “You don’t believe me?”
Maybe Morimine doesn’t think that a solid guy like me could be swayed by something that sounds as uncertain as the word “intuition.” But the words hit him like a rock.
“Tell me everything.”
Now Morimine was the one being interrogated as Amon led him into his office, sitting across the desk from him.
“Her adoptive father’s name is Yujiro Utsumi. He’s the president of a trading company that’s well-known around here. And his adopted daughter, Koharu, is twenty-eight years old. When I asked people in the neighborhood, they said she seemed to have been adopted eighteen years ago.”
Eighteen years ago. That number sent chills down Amon’s spine. The same year that Haruka Seta went missing.
