Case 4: I Don’t Know Who the Mastermind Is, So I Don’t Know Whose Mind to Read!
The one who helped suspect Arima escape was, shockingly, Yurippe—
Ugohonjo Yuri!? Mind-reading detective Oba Kanako could only be stunned into silence by the shocking news of this internal crime committed by a police official. However, she couldn’t bring herself to believe that Yurippe-san was a villain. It wasn’t just because of the kindness she had shown when teaching her dialect so helpfully. If she could read Yurippe-san’s mind when they met again, it would be clear that she wasn’t the culprit. That meant there was a true villain, a mastermind who had framed Yurippe-san. But she didn’t know whose mind she should read.
Still, she couldn’t give up.
Though she might be an idiot, her sense of justice was fully developed.
Two days ago, a suspect escape incident occurred inside the detention center.
The escaped suspect was lawyer Arima Kakeru (45), who had been detained on bribery charges.
The one who helped him was Detective Ugohonjo Yuri (28) from the Third Division.
After the interrogation ended, she apparently pretended to take the suspect to the restroom when the other officers looked away, then led him straight to the parking lot and helped him escape by car.
This unprecedented incident of a detective assisting a suspect’s escape has left headquarters in chaos.
“—So that’s why everything’s crazy right now, geez.”
Later, Naomi-san drove us toward headquarters.
They really seemed short-staffed, as Naomi-san herself came to pick us up. This was extremely unusual.
We were crammed into the back seat scattered with documents and trash cans. The tissue box at our feet slid left and right with every curve… her rough driving seemed to reflect her current state of mind.
“Um, please drive safely,” said Koyomin.
“I know that… sigh“
Naomi-san let out a deep sigh.
Seeing she had calmed down a bit, I decided to ask for more details.
“Um… is it really true? Why would Ugohonjo sensei do such a thing—”
Naomi-san started talking, cutting off my words.
“That’s what I called you two to investigate. I don’t want to believe it either.”
She must care deeply about her subordinate—I could feel her disbelief radiating from her.
“I can’t imagine she was involved in corporate extortion either. I can only think she was threatened or something—the people involved keep disappearing one by one. What the hell is going on?”
Bang! She hit the steering wheel, and Koyomin tried to calm her down.
“Naomi-san.”
“…Sorry.”
Naomi-san apologized with a single word. For her to apologize so readily, she must really be at her wit’s end.
After taking a deep breath, she told us about the situation on the day of the incident.
“It was the day after we went to the hospital. Ugohonjo assisted in a suspect’s escape after interrogation. Right after that, she was apprehended by Gori and that’s where we are now. Arima is still on the run.”
“Oh no…”
Ugohonjo sensei, why would she do such a thing…
“Apparently she didn’t resist and went quietly.”
“So she’s admitting to the charges?”
Naomi-san shook her head.
“She’s denying it, but with solid evidence against her, there’s not much point in denying it.”
“Solid evidence…”
“Yeah, remember that surveillance footage I was taking?”
“Ah, yes.”
She had been investigating internal movements regarding Hijikata Koshizo-san’s suicide, right?
“That camera caught her helping Arima escape, clear as day. That became the decisive evidence.”
“There’s no way to talk her way out of it,” said Naomi-san. She seemed to regret that surveillance as if it were her fault.
While we were talking, our car arrived at headquarters.
The detectives we passed were also in a hurry, and few stopped to greet Naomi-san.
“They’re not even paying attention to young girls like us being here.”
“Yeah, you’d think they’d be surprised like ‘Why are high school girls here?!'”
I guess they’re just that busy? Well, it is an unprecedented situation.
“Good work.”
Naomi-san went inside with few words. Then…
“Good work.”
Inspector Gori bowed his head slightly in greeting. His face somehow looked weak—maybe he was tired.
Koyomin must have thought the same thing, as she whispered to me.
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“I heard Inspector Gori was the one who apprehended the suspect. It’s no wonder he’s exhausted.”
“Ah, so he’s stressed from catching a colleague.”
Inspector Gori is sensitive, after all. That makes sense.
“Hey Gori. How’s Yurippe… Ugohonjo doing?”
Naomi-san asked the inspector about the situation, apparently still unable to drop the “Yurippe” nickname.
Inspector Gori answered matter-of-factly.
“She’s very confused but still denying it. Everyone’s troubled, you know, when there’s undeniable evidence but she keeps protesting.”
“…I see.”
I could feel Naomi-san’s lingering disbelief from her expression. It must be painful.
“Anyway, let me see Ugohonjo. You should rest when you’re tired—you don’t have your usual energy.”
Is he really tired? I secretly tried to read the inspector’s mind.
“No, I’m not tired yet.”
[Zzzz]
(He’s sleeping!)
Just like Ugohonjo sensei, police officers have it tough… Is sleeping in your head a required skill?
Inspector Gori took out a notebook and clicked his ballpoint pen.
“Excuse me, I have work left to do.”
“Yeah, don’t overdo it.”
The mentally fast-asleep Inspector Gori took some notes, bowed once, and left.
After parting with the inspector, we went deeper inside.
There was an interrogation room—a simple desk and desk lamp. It had a heavier, darker impression than what you see in dramas.
Inside was Ugohonjo sensei in a dress shirt and slacks. Rather than looking like a suspect, she had the atmosphere of a scolded child, restlessly moving her fingers, looking down, or staring at corners of the room.
“She looks like a small animal trapped in a cage,” said Koyomin.
“I can certainly see that.”
Naomi-san went through light procedures with the officer and let us inside.
“!? Ah, ah, ah…”
“…Hey.”
Seeing Naomi-san’s face, tears suddenly burst from Ugohonjo sensei’s eyes.
“Te, te, te, Terabayashi-keisei! Wadasu toubou hojo nado shite nee desu!”
“Calm down, I can’t understand what you’re saying.”
Ugohonjo sensei was rattling off in her hometown’s thick dialect. Her standard Japanese had completely disappeared—she must be extremely flustered.
Naomi-san had her take deep breaths to calm down, then prompted her to tell them what she had testified again.
“First, let’s go over what happened that day one more time in front of these two.”
“Y-yes… as many times as you want.”
Naomi-san gave me a look—she wanted me to read her mind.
“First, the escape assistance. Did you really do it?”
As Naomi-san spoke slowly, I listened to Ugohonjo sensei’s heart from behind her.
[“I don’t know… I-I don’t know. When I came to, Gori-senpai was restraining me.”]
(Huh? She’s not lying?)
There was no discrepancy between her mental voice and her words. So Ugohonjo sensei really doesn’t remember, or rather…
While I was surprised behind her, Naomi-san’s questioning continued.
“Then tell me in detail what you remember from that day.”
Ugohonjo sensei answered with a troubled expression.
[“I don’t know if you’ll believe me, but I have no memory of that day.”]
(This is also her true feelings… She doesn’t remember… Really?)
As I was confused about what was happening, seeing me like that, Ugohonjo sensei said something even more surprising.
“Um, by the way, are these two the detectives I heard about?”
“Yeah, that’s right.”
[“N-nice to meet you! I’m Ugohonjo Yuri, Naomi-san’s subordinate!”]
“N-nice to meet you!?”
Her completely unexpected attitude, and the fact that she “wasn’t lying,” made me cry out in surprise. Nice to meet you… But we just had a thorough lesson in Akita dialect from her the other day!?
Is she playing dumb? Naomi-san raised her voice almost to a shout.
“Hey, what are you talking about!? We met the other day!”
[“N-no way!? That can’t be!? This is the first time I’m meeting you!”]
Naomi-san turned her face toward me. Her expression said “You read her mind, so you know if she’s lying, right?”
Somewhat bewildered, I told her exactly what I found.
“She seems to be telling the truth. Ugohonjo sensei really doesn’t seem to remember.”
“Are you serious?”
Naomi-san was shocked.
Being called “sensei,” Ugohonjo sensei looked puzzled.
“sensei?”
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