Tokyo: Rabbit Officer and Her Evil Partner
Chapter 149 - 71: Aged Cases

Chapter 149: Chapter 71: Aged Cases

The lawyer called witnesses to the stand and consecutively asked Kamei Yuusaku several tricky questions.

"May I ask what was your relationship with the victim?"

"Very bad."

"May I ask where you were on the day of the incident?"

"No comment."

"Are you aware of the mental state of the involved parties?"

"Yes."

Kamei Yuusaku maintained an indifferent attitude, answering truthfully in court, and even uttering phrases like "No comment." Minamoto Tamako’s mind was filled with doubt. This guy was so fearless, wasn’t he afraid of being imprisoned for life?

The judge listened to the arguments from both sides and, relying on his rich experience, asked Kamei Riko a straightforward question:

"Defendant, have you recently kept a dog?"

This question was like a sharp blade, cutting through the tangled knot of confusion, causing everyone to instinctively hold their breath. All eyes turned to Kamei Riko. Minamoto Tamako felt a surge of anxiety, convinced the judge had been persuaded. If Kamei Riko nodded and admitted she kept a dog, the court would return the case. Under the prosecution’s pressure, the police department would certainly investigate thoroughly, and the real culprit would undoubtedly be exposed—at this fork in destiny, it all lay within Kamei Riko’s nod.

"No," Kamei Riko said.

...

She paused, adding, "I haven’t kept a pet in six months."

...

Minamoto Tamako wanted to shout that it was impossible, but her upbringing restrained her shock and anger. She couldn’t understand why Mrs. Kamei, who clearly had a dog, even begged the police to help find ’Marujiro’ on the day of the incident...why did she false testify now?

"You can’t expect a mother to accuse her child, can you?" Fushimi Roku’s murmur came, munching on a rice cracker with enjoyment.

At that moment, enlightenment struck Minamoto Tamako.

She finally understood. No wonder Mr. Fushimi initially said, ’It doesn’t matter if the case is investigated or not,’ and why Mr. Fushimi was always slacking off... When they had hot pot, she asked Mr. Fushimi, ’Can’t Mrs. Kamei identify the murderer?’ He responded with a sneer.

From that moment, Mr. Fushimi knew this would be the outcome.

——Mrs. Kamei pushed her husband down the stairs, confessed in person, and even if Kujo Yua came, it would be hard to overturn the case.

Minamoto Tamako recalled more and more details, like during the interrogation, Kamei Yuusaku mentioned, ’Mr. Fushimi should know, there’s no point even if you catch me’; or during the investigation, the exchanges between Mr. Fushimi, Senior Feng, and Kamei Yuusaku...

Reasoning was of no use, both the police and the culprit were playing straight.

From start to end, only she was kept in the dark.

——’It’s time for you to witness what a real criminal investigation game looks like.’

If Minamoto Tamako had a system, now would be the time to upgrade. During this period, her experience bar was constantly moving upward, finally breaking through the invisible barrier.

So this is what solving a case is like.

Criminal cases are not logical puzzles; the perpetrator will exploit every exploitable loophole, break free from any set rules, and be unrestrained by any frameworks... This, in essence, is a game of wits between people.

Minamoto Tamako realized the world was harsher than she had imagined, some things were destined to be stalemates from the start.

But she was unwilling.

She was truly unwilling.

No matter how hard or tiring it was, traveling for investigations over the New Year, she couldn’t bear to watch the true murderer escape justice.

Kamei Yuusaku turned back, giving Minamoto Tamako a slight smile.

He wasn’t standing at the dock but was already released without charges.

After the trial ended, as everyone dispersed, Kazama Tatsuya patted her shoulder and left. Fushimi Roku, sitting beside her, finished his rice crackers, clapped his hands, and asked, "What are you thinking?"

Seeing Minamoto Tamako not respond, he turned his head and realized she was quietly shedding tears.

She lowered her head, hands resting on her knees, fists clenched tight, tears streaming uncontrollably. She knew she appeared undignified, but she couldn’t help it.

Fushimi Roku, instead of comforting her, poured salt into the wound, asking, "Do you still believe that law equals justice?"

"It’s just...just that my ability isn’t enough..." Minamoto Tamako said, choking with sobs.

"This isn’t about ability. As they say, ’There’s a gap between law and conscience, filled by the heart.’ The law can only adjust external behavior; it often struggles to deal with people’s thoughts, emotions, and inner motives. If you study law, you’d know the law inherently has its limitations..."

Fushimi Roku hadn’t finished when Minamoto Tamako suddenly lifted her head, hastily wiping her tears, and shouted:

"I will not give up!"

Saying this, she stood up quickly and left the courthouse, rushing back to the police station.

When Officer Sakai saw her, he asked about the trial results, but she didn’t answer. Under the gaze of other criminal police, she, filled with determination, headed straight into the archive room, starting to comb through recent and past case files in Sugamo.

So what if the law has its limits? With the abolition of bad laws and the proper use of good ones, as long as there’s a single precedent, it can promote the refinement of the law—law isn’t just a series of rigid rules but people’s pursuit of order and morals!

And what she must do is bring this ’precedent’ to light!!

To prevent in the future unrestrained harm to one’s own kin, and for a future where people respect the cherished choices of others, she must ensure the most just outcome for this case of falling from height!!

Minamoto Tamako shut herself in the archive room, tirelessly going through recent cases day and night.

"There is no perfect crime—the commission of a crime inevitably leaves traces," she believed in this principle; from a scientific angle, nothing leaves no trace—Kamei Yuusaku’s relationships and criminal tracks were scattered among the mountains of files.

No one had ever linked them together.

Minamoto Tamako couldn’t determine the truthfulness of the confessions in the files; all she could do was cross-compare all the case files in her mind through repeated readings.

During this time, Senior Watanabe and Senior Feng advised her to rest, but she ignored them. Mr. Fushimi brought Sakurako to see her, trying to persuade her to go home, but she refused.

"I’m doing the right thing," Minamoto Tamako said seriously, with her childlike face.

From Sugamo to Ikebukuro, from Ikebukuro to the Harbor District, extending to distant fishing towns, she finally saw, in the complex web of relationships, the core and origin point...

In the closed case file of the illegal educational institution "お試し-****camp", she saw two familiar names.

——12th batch student Kamei Yuusaku.

——12th batch student Kazama Chihime.

...

On the morning of the day, when the director came to work, he noticed the looks from his subordinates were peculiar; entering his office, he saw a familiar figure sitting in his chair.

Kujo Yua was reading the investigation report with her head down and side sitting, while Minamoto Tamako stood beside her, looking exhausted but remarkably imposing.

"The suspect seduced a married housekeeper, using her position to approach a female executive, utilizing the relationship to swindle huge illicit funds, and then spending lavishly in a red-light district, capturing the heart of a hostess... Hmm, accounting ledgers, payment receipts, witness testimonies, love letters, the evidence is ample."

Kujo Yua lifted her head and asked, "Even the female student who sent the anonymous photos and letter confessed... how did you find her?"

Before Minamoto Tamako could answer, Kujo Yua casually tossed the investigation report onto the desk, saying, "Never mind, that doesn’t matter. Chief Otomachi, your timing is perfect. Effective immediately, I will take over the criminal police team in Toshima District, establishing a special investigation unit for large-scale investigative work."

The office was silent for two seconds; the director returned to his senses, cautiously inquiring of the superior, wanting to know what had happened to make the assistant police chief so heavily involved.

"Do you remember that disappearance case?" Kujo Yua inquired.

Every year, Tokyo has countless disappearance cases, but when Kujo Yua spoke, the director knew exactly which disappearance case she meant—it was the case of Kujo Yua’s father-in-law, Minamoto Tamako’s grandfather, who went missing in the suburbs of Tokyo.

"He is the new suspect."

Kujo Yua said, "Search Division One is already on the way to arrest Kamei Yuusaku. I will personally interrogate him."

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