Tokyo: Rabbit Officer and Her Evil Partner-Chapter 832 - 501: Things Have Changed (2)

After entering the room, it was indeed as Yokoi Ayako had described: the apartment was empty and lifeless, the floor slightly cold, and the air filled with loneliness.

"Please have a seat." Yokoi Ayako pulled over a cushion and poured a cup of barley tea for Higashiyama Kiyoshi.

Higashiyama Kiyoshi didn’t stand on ceremony and nodded, sat down, and asked the question he hadn’t managed to ask earlier:

"I want to know... how did Rokurou end up in trouble?"

Yokoi Ayako looked surprised, so Higashiyama Kiyoshi explained, "Some time ago, I was on a business trip in Hokkaido, and the workload was heavy. I only found out about Rokurou’s trouble after I got back... Oh, right, I forgot to introduce myself; I’m also with the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department as a criminal police officer."

He took out his police ID from his pocket, pinched a corner where his name and photo were, and flashed it in front of Yokoi Ayako.

"I see," Yokoi Ayako realized.

"If it’s too intrusive, you don’t have to tell me. I can ask others," Higashiyama Kiyoshi was considerate of her feelings.

Yokoi Ayako originally didn’t want to revisit painful memories, but Higashiyama Kiyoshi’s attitude made her feel a sense of goodwill. There was a certain indescribable aura about this young man that made her want to unburden the pain she’d been holding inside over this period.

Yokoi Ayako hesitated briefly but chose to recount everything honestly.

The events were actually quite simple. Abe Rokurou was scapegoated, not because he caught Horie Kei, but because he was investigating the case.

Yes, he was the only detective in the entire police department who insisted on thoroughly investigating the videotape.

According to regulations, since Abe Rokurou caught the suspect, his name was on the case report, and the Cat Island videotape was instigated by the suspect he captured; he should have been the one to file for investigation.

From a legal standpoint, verifying the contents of the videotape should have been the top priority; only by addressing the core issue could it be resolved, whereas evasion just laid landmines under the legal system.

But that’s how the police department operated: if they couldn’t solve the problem, they would solve the person who brought up the problem.

That day, Abe Rokurou was dismissed, and the head of the criminal department demanded an investigation to see if Abe Rokurou had committed any dereliction of duty.

The criminal department started investigating from the time Abe Rokurou was a patrol officer and found that he did not accept bribes, did not embezzle funds, did not misuse police vehicles, and was never late or left early. They investigated thoroughly but couldn’t find any leverage, ultimately pinning the charge of ’unauthorized action and arrest of a suspect’ on him.

Abe Rokurou refused to plead guilty, firmly insisting he was formally assigned to the case; special investigation department detectives have the authority to enlist patrol police in official duties, as it was clearly stated in regulations—if they wanted to convict him, they needed Fushimi Roku’s testimony.

At this point in her story, Yokoi Ayako paused, cradling her barley tea as she reflected:

"Detective Fushimi is the man my son admires the most. He has always looked up to Detective Fushimi. Secondly, there’s Mr. Watanabe; he once came to our house to drink with Rokurou. I wonder if you’ve heard of Mr. Watanabe."

"Rokurou often talked about work things, like when a senior was suddenly dismissed, or when Senior Fushimi gave him a chance to prove himself. His eyes sparkled when he talked about those things."

"Even when he was in detention, he kept saying, ’If Senior Fushimi and Senior Minamoto were here, they would never let this happen, never let those people get away with it...’

"And then?" Higashiyama Kiyoshi took a sip of the barley tea. "Did Senior Fushimi accuse him?"

"No, no one accused him. He confessed to the crime himself..." Yokoi Ayako’s voice took on a sobbing tone, tears trickling down her wrinkles and dripping into the cup. "He clearly didn’t do anything wrong, so why confess?"

She looked up at Higashiyama Kiyoshi. "I’ve heard... I’ve heard that criminal cops might resort to extra-legal measures... Did Rokurou encounter such a thing?"

Higashiyama Kiyoshi swallowed the tea without setting down the cup for a moment. "It shouldn’t be the case, please rest assured."

"Really? Then how did Rokurou die? The police said it was a shame-induced suicide... How am I supposed to believe that?" Yokoi Ayako began to tremble.

"Was there a forensic autopsy?" Higashiyama Kiyoshi asked.

"Where do I find a forensic expert? Even if I asked the police for help, the response was always suicide... I contacted the hospital, but they don’t have a forensic department... The morgue at the police station told me there was no room and to take Rokurou away... Where could I possibly put Rokurou?"

These words had been suppressed in Yokoi Ayako’s heart for so long, she hadn’t voiced them to anyone, nor was there anyone willing to listen; she’d been enduring it alone.

"What about that Senior Watanabe?" Higashiyama Kiyoshi asked. "Did he not get involved?"

"He was also arrested," Yokoi Ayako said. "Apparently for assaulting a police officer."

Higashiyama Kiyoshi showed a meaningful expression, put down the cup, stood up, and said, "Mrs. Abe, rest assured, I will get to the bottom of this affair."

"Eh?"

Yokoi Ayako looked up, her vision blurred, unable to see too far; her hair whitened, too tired to wait too long. "Really?"

"Really," Higashiyama Kiyoshi affirmed. "No matter what, I will clear Rokurou’s name."

Yokoi Ayako choked up, "Then, then I leave it to you, I really don’t know how to thank you..."

"No need. Rokurou is my friend."

Higashiyama Kiyoshi nodded, took his leave, and left. Yokoi Ayako walked him downstairs, watching as his figure faded around the street corner.

...

Fushimi Roku walked briskly, hands in pockets, past the street corner.

He hurried to take a cab to the police station chief’s private residence while the makeup on his face was still intact.

To avoid implicating others, Fushimi Roku hadn’t seen anyone since returning to Tokyo and didn’t plan on seeing any acquaintances.

He was now a wanted man, and meeting anyone would put them in an impossible situation—except for Sazaki Gen, but he wasn’t ready to join the Inakawa Association.

The Nakagawara Police Station chief was named Taniguchi Masaya, and he owned property in East Sugamo, a decent flat apartment.

Fushimi Roku approached the door, rang the bell, and tricked Chief Taniguchi Masaya into opening it by posing as ’Specially Assigned Detective Higashiyama Kiyoshi from the Tokyo Police Department.’

"What couldn’t you say over the phone..."

Taniguchi Masaya, in pajamas, clutching a violin, looked somewhat impatient.

Fushimi Roku grabbed his hair and delivered a sudden kick to the back of his kneecap, forcing him to kneel on the ground.

Before Taniguchi Masaya could shout, a folding knife was already pressed against his neck.

"How did Abe Rokurou die?" Fushimi Roku got straight to the point.

Recently, he had been in an extremely foul mood, needing an outlet for his frustration. He had initially wanted to visit the Nakagawara Police Station to see friends but ended up recalling a series of unpleasant events.

Moriyama Yasurou was dismissed, Watanabe Shun was sentenced to probation, Abe Rokurou unexpectedly passed away... The once-familiar police station had changed beyond recognition.

Taniguchi Masaya initially wanted to probe Fushimi Roku with a few words and delay for time. But Fushimi Roku had no patience for him, and with a swift motion of the folding knife, Taniguchi Masaya’s ear was severed.

Taniguchi Masaya let out a whimper, unable to scream as Fushimi Roku clutched his jaw, forcing only garbled pleas for mercy.

"I wouldn’t want to repeat myself a third time, how did Abe Rokurou die?" Fushimi Roku released his grip slightly, looking down at him.

Taniguchi Masaya caught his breath, his eyes filled with fear.

He confessed truthfully that the Criminal Department head had personally undertaken water torture, but Abe Rokurou refused to plead guilty.

In the end, having no other choice, Councilor Fujiwara stepped in, using past favors to convince Abe Rokurou to accept reality; only then did he plead guilty.

"Past favors? What favors?" Fushimi Roku didn’t understand.

Taniguchi Masaya said: "Wasn’t it Councilor Fujiwara who supported him to become a detective? Without Councilor Fujiwara’s backing, he would’ve probably remained a patrol officer for life and none of this would have happened..."

This statement was so absurd that Fushimi Roku wanted to laugh but couldn’t.

Not knowing whether to laugh at Abe Rokurou’s naivety or Councilor Fujiwara’s trivializing of life-saving grace,

Fushimi Roku, ironically, appreciated such honest individuals, always harboring a final bit of goodwill towards them.

"One last question."

Fushimi Roku wiped the blood off the folding knife on Taniguchi Masaya’s shoulder, cleaning both sides until they gleamed:

"What is the name of the head of the Criminal Department?"