Chapter 14: Why does what you're saying sound a bit dangerous, little bro!
"Thank you for your hard work, Hayashi-sensei."
"It's truly an honor to have you here today."
After the program ended,
As the live audience left in an orderly fashion, backstage, Matsuo Takashi shook Hayashi Yoshiki's hand with a sincere expression.
Nagai Ayako also came over and bowed in thanks.
"Not at all, I was the one who received care from both of you. Thank you very much, it's my first time participating in a program and I just realized how much hard work hosts put in."
"It's surprising that Hayashi-sensei wasn't nervous at all for his first time on TV. Some cross-industry guests were fine when discussing the program arrangements, but as soon as the camera was on, they became so nervous they didn't know what to do."
"Actually, I was just not obviously nervous."
"Haha, Hayashi-sensei, could you sign an autograph for me?"
"Okay."
They were conversing in a friendly atmosphere here.
Eri Kisaki, as a family member, also came backstage, along with Hayashi Yoshiki's editor, Asamiya Nanae.
"Where's the director?"
Asamiya Nanae couldn't help but frown, as the program director, Mr. Suwa, had not yet appeared.
Normally, at a time like this, the program director would definitely come to communicate with the guests. Moreover, the staff were busy running around, and the director's continued absence itself was very unreliable.
Just as Asamiya Nanae was wondering if the director was putting on airs and being disrespectful, a staff member ran over: "Mr. Matsuo, Director Mr. Suwa seems to be missing."
"Ah?"
"Neither my call to the mixing room on the fourth floor nor his mobile phone were answered."
"How could this be? Would you mind checking the mixing room?"
"Okay."
The staff member immediately went.
Matsuo Takashi turned his head. He gave a somewhat helpless, bitter smile: "Honestly, I don't know what's going on with Mr. Suwa. Hayashi-sensei is still waiting here."
"Perhaps he was held up by something."
Hayashi Yoshiki didn't pay much attention to it.
He looked at Eri Kisaki, who, dressed in a mature and beautiful professional suit, was looking at him with satisfaction:
"You did very well today, Yoshiki-kun."
"Then shall we find a nice restaurant to celebrate later, Auntie Eri?"
"Alright."
Eri Kisaki responded with a smile.
If it weren't for her daughter being out on a date today, she would have liked to take this opportunity to introduce the two of them.
The few of them waited backstage for a while, when the landline next to them suddenly rang. A staff member picked up the call, and the next second their face changed dramatically:
"What?! Mr. Suwa is covered in blood?!"
His voice startled everyone.
The staff member, with a tense expression, hung up the phone and said, "The call seemed to say that Mr. Suwa died in the mixing room…".
"How could this be?"
"Let's go take a look!"
Hearing the news of a death out of nowhere, everyone felt it was a bit unreal and wanted to go check the situation immediately.
So, several people immediately left the studio backstage.
The mixing room was on the 4th floor, while their current floor was the 9th. Just as everyone was about to take the elevator down, they found it blocked and unusable, so they had to take the stairs instead.
However, when they reached the 7th floor from the 9th, the stairs going down were blocked by a large number of material boxes, making it temporarily impassable. They had no choice but to use the stairs on the other side of the 7th floor to go down to the 4th floor.
At this moment, the entrance to the mixing room was surrounded by many people.
"Excuse me, please move aside—!"
After finally managing to part the crowd blocking their view, everyone immediately saw the body of Suwa Michihiko in the mixing room, slumped on the floor against a blood-splattered flip-up window, with a bullet hole in his temple.
Screams erupted all at once.
At the same time, a few quick-witted individuals asked, "Has anyone called the Police? Call the Police quickly!"
"I already called the Police!"
"Then, before the Police arrive, please do not enter the room casually."
Hayashi Yoshiki's clear voice quieted the surrounding commotion and panic. He took a slight step forward, standing at the room's entrance.
Even seeing the bloody corpse did not change his expression; only tranquility permeated his presence at that moment
The onlookers looked at each other, then in unison took a step back..
About twenty minutes later, the Police, having received the report, rushed to the scene.
The leader was a somewhat plump and very kind-looking Inspector. As soon as he arrived, he experiencedly arranged for people to cordon off the scene and for the coroner to begin work, while also starting to question the people nearby.
A shooting case is unlike an ordinary murder case; with a gun as the weapon, the nature of this case is much more serious.
"Inspector Megure."
"Hmm? Oh my! Attorney Eri!"
Inspector Megure, who was frowning, looked over upon hearing the voice and was surprised to see that it was Eri Kisaki. "Why are you here?"
"I'm here with this child for a program recording." Eri Kisaki gestured to Hayashi Yoshiki beside her.
"…And this is?"
"Hayashi Yoshiki, my nephew. He's a mystery novelist."
"Pleased to meet you, Inspector Megure."
"A mystery novelist?"
Inspector Megure's eyes lit up.
The mystery novelist he knew before was extraordinary, so hearing this title now made him feel a bit invigorated… Coming back to his senses, he immediately shook Hayashi Yoshiki's outstretched hand.
At this moment, the Police and coroner busy in the mixing room quickly came over to report:
"Report, Inspector Megure."
"The victim is Suwa Michihiko, 37 years old, a producer at this TV station. The murder weapon was a handgun; the bullet penetrated his head before hitting the flip-up window."
"Additionally, we found other bullets on the wall."
"There are two under the poster next to the window, and one next to the clock on the wall."
"Report, four shell casings found in the corner of the room!"
Information was collected very quickly.
Perhaps because of Eri Kisaki, Inspector Megure did not prohibit Hayashi Yoshiki from listening in on the collection of this information.
"The number of shell casings found matches the number of bullet holes in the room, and besides that one window, the entire mixing room only has this one door as an exit… but there's no railing outside the window."
"There's no mistake, the killer must have come in from outside the door, shot randomly to force the victim to the window, and then shot him dead."
Inspector Megure quickly came to this conclusion.
In the crowd behind him, Matsuo Takashi couldn't help but secretly smirk when he heard this.
At this moment, Hayashi Yoshiki suddenly asked:
"Inspector Megure, do you mind if I go in and take a look?"
"Do you have any findings, Mr. Hayashi?"
"Yes, because I write mystery novels, I occasionally like to imagine some crime methods… I just thought of some interesting ideas, and perhaps they include the method used by the killer."
"Like to imagine crime methods?"
Inspector Megure opened his mouth when he heard this.
No, little brother, why does your way of speaking sound a bit dangerous!
...
To be continued