Page 19

Excuse me, Ryuzaki,” Misora said, taking a step backward. “For what?” “I need to fix my makeup.”

Without waiting for a response, Misora left the bedroom and climbed the stairs, heading for the second

(not the first) story toilet. She locked the door from the inside and took out her cell phone. She

hesitated for a moment, then called L. On the number five line. There was a brief beeping as it cleared a few scramblers, and then it finally connected.

“What is it, Naomi Misora?” The synthetic voice.

Lowering her voice and hiding her mouth behind her hand, Misora said, “Something I need to report.” “Progress in the case? Very fast work.”

“No... well, a little. I may have stumbled across a message from the killer.” “Wonderful.”

“But it wasn’t me that figured it out. How can I put this... a kind of mysterious private detective...” A mysterious private detective.

The expression nearly made her laugh. “…just showed up.”

“I see,” the synthetic voice said, and fell silent.

It was an uncomfortable silence for Misora after all, she had made the decision to show Ryuzaki the picture and attempt to test him. When L said nothing, Misora proceeded to explain what Ryuzaki had said about the autopsy photograph. And that he had a copy of the crossword puzzle. This piece of information at last produced a reaction from L, but since it was a synthetic voice, she couldn’t read the emotion behind it.

“What should I do? Frankly, I think it’s dangerous to take my eyes of him.” “Was he cool?”

“Hunh?”

L’s question came completely out of left field, and he was forced to ask it a second time before Misora answered, still unable to work with what he was driving at.

“No, absolutely not,” she said, honestly. “Creepy and pathetic, and so suspicious that if I weren’t on leave, I’d move to arrest him the moment I laid eyes on him. If we divided everyone in the world into those that would be better off dead and those that wouldn’t, there’s no doubt in my mind that he’d be the former. Such a complete freak that it amazes me he hasn’t killed himself”

“…”

There was no answer.

What was this about?

“Naomi Misora, your instructions.” “Yes?”

“I imagine you are thinking much the same thing as I am, but let this private detective do what he likes for the moment. Partly because it is dangerous to let him out of your sight, but more importantly because it is important to observe his actions. I believe the credit for the autopsy photograph deductions belongs to you more than it does him, but he is clearly no ordinary person.”

“I agree.”

“Is he close by?”

“No, I’m alone. I’m calling from the bathroom, upstairs and to the back of the house, away from the bedroom.”

“Go back to his side soon. I will follow up on him, and try to discover if a detective named Ryuzaki has actually been hired by Believe Bridesmaid’s parents.”

“Okay”

“You can use the same line the next time you call.” And he hung up. Misora snapped her phone shut.

She needed to go back soon, so he would not be suspicious, but she had left his side with rather unnatural timing, she thought, leaving the bathroom.

Ryuzaki was standing just outside the door. “Eek...!” “Misora. You were up here?”

He was not on all fours, but even so, Misora gulped. How long had he been there?

“After you left the room, I discovered something interesting, and was unable to wait. So I came to get you. Are you quite finished?”

“Y-yes…” “This way”

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