Bang!
"Ughhh!!"
Two gunshots rang out at the same time, yet only one agonized scream followed.
Provoking Takano into firing again had been part of Ritsu's plan all along. Thanks to his familiarity with firearms, he could tell from the two shots that the other man hadn't changed positions, and that the shots had been aimed slightly above the center of the staircase.
So the instant he rushed upward, Ritsu shifted his body to the right, narrowly dodging the bullet fired at his original position while simultaneously firing his own shot into Takano's gun-wielding right shoulder.
Having a shoulder pierced by a bullet was no pleasant experience. The pain made Takano immediately drop his weapon and collapse onto the ground, drenched in cold sweat.
Ritsu crouched down. Wearing white dust-free gloves, his left hand pressed directly against Takano's wound. Behind his lenses, those crimson eyes radiated coldness, though the corners of his lips curved into a faint, mocking smile.
"Stupid? Coward? Were you describing yourself?"
He gradually increased the pressure of his left hand, and the pain nearly made Takano pass out. Trembling violently, he begged,
"S-Sorry! Please take me to the hospital! I-I'm going to die if you don't!"
With his right hand, Ritsu reached behind him and pulled out a pair of handcuffs. After restraining Takano's hands, he roughly dragged him up from the floor. There was no need to be gentle with criminals.
"You're scared over losing this little blood? Funny how you never thought about your victims while killing them."
Ritsu stared indifferently at the trembling, terrified Takano before saying calmly,
"Just think of it as bloodletting therapy to improve your circulation. I'm not charging you for it."
Hearing the gunshots, Hayasaka and Takagi hurried upstairs together. Seeing the culprit already subdued, they both let out sighs of relief. At least the inspector hadn't been injured.
"Take him back and interrogate him properly."
"N-No! At least get a doctor to treat me first! I'll confess to everything!"
Listening to the man's shrill voice, Ritsu felt inexplicably irritated. He should've just knocked him unconscious.
Who would've thought a murderer with counter-surveillance skills would turn out to be such a coward after getting injured?
"Takagi, do you have any tape?"
"Hm? No, Inspector. If you need some, I can go buy it."
"No need."
Ritsu walked over to a nearby wardrobe, opened it, and found a pair of socks. He stuffed them straight into Takano's nonstop rambling mouth before smiling.
"Let's go. Back to the MPD."
"..."
Hayasaka couldn't help twitching at the corner of her eye. Anyone unaware of the situation would probably think they were the criminals instead.
...
After returning to the Metropolitan Police Department, the interrogation proceeded extremely smoothly.
Takano was probably the most cowardly and deathly afraid murderer they had ever encountered. He confessed to his entire crime process and motive at lightning speed before wailing for the police to provide medical treatment.
The motive for murder was absurd.
It was simply because Yositaka resembled Takano's first love.
Arrogant yet deeply insecure, Takano had grown to hate women who resembled her after being betrayed by his first girlfriend. During the interrogation, he even repeatedly blamed the victim for resisting desperately before her death.
He even said things as heartless as,
"If she'd just obeyed me and let me have my fun, she wouldn't have had to die. But she refused, and that reminded me of the woman who abandoned me. I couldn't control my emotions, this was all her fault!"
Standing outside the interrogation room, Ritsu held a cigarette between his lips. From the corner of his eye, he noticed the anger on Hayasaka's face. He didn't even need to think to know she felt heartbroken for Yositaka.
Being able to empathize was naturally a good thing. But as a police officer... constantly empathizing with innocent victims was not good for one's mental health.
Back at the police academy, Ritsu still remembered what Instructor Onizuka had once said,
"My close friend used to be an inspector in the First Investigation Division's Robbery and Violent Crimes Unit. She mainly handled sex crime investigations. She had a promising future ahead of her, but after failing to solve a certain case, she blamed herself endlessly. Eventually, she fell into depression, and in the end, she resigned."
"Hayasaka."
"??"
"The only thing we police can do is solve the case. That alone is the best closure we can give the victims."
Ritsu struck a match and lit his cigarette. Turning his back, he walked toward the exit and waved.
"Creating a world without crime is impossible. Wherever humans exist, sin will inevitably follow."
His footsteps paused. Smoke curled upward from the cigarette burning between his fingers.
"Just keep striving to do your best. Don't make them wait too long."
Them referred to the victims.
Having long understood how this world worked, Ritsu already knew how common it was for justice to arrive too late.
"..."
Watching his departing figure disappear into the dimly lit end of the hallway, Hayasaka couldn't help but smile.
"I'm really not used to seeing you seriously lecture people like that."
'Onizawa... just what kind of person are you? I'm actually starting to get curious about you.'
...
After wrapping up the investigation, Ritsu handed all the reports over to his subordinates. But there was still one thing left unfinished.
The victim's six-year-old daughter. Even if telling her the truth might be cruel, she still had the right to know.
He took a taxi to an orphanage in Beika Town, where the victim's daughter, Yositaka Ai, had been placed.
Instead of entering immediately, he first stopped by a nearby department store to buy some snacks and toys.
Ritsu was the type of person who disliked visiting others empty-handed. Besides, he had always held orphanages in high regard. After all, his close friend Rei had once been taken in by one, so it was only natural for him to feel some fondness toward places like this.
The Beika Orphanage wasn't large, but it was obvious the director had put a great deal of thought into it. For example, the courtyard visible right after entering contained both a play area for children and a designated space for drying laundry.
Small though it was, it had everything it needed.
"Excuse me, who are you?"
The gardener trimming the bushes in the courtyard sized up Ritsu standing at the entrance. Clearly, he looked suspicious to her, mostly because of his hair color.
"I'm an officer from the Metropolitan Police Department. Here's my badge."
Freeing one hand, Ritsu pulled out his police identification. After showing it for confirmation, he revealed a warm smile and asked,
"Is Yositaka Ai staying at this orphanage? I came to see her."
Once the gardener saw he was a police officer, she understood his purpose and sighed softly.
"That child... sigh. She should be in the reading room. Ever since arriving this morning, she's stayed there the whole time."
"Could you tell me how to get to the reading room?"
"Go through the door, turn left, and head upstairs to the second floor. After you go up, turn left again. The reading room is on the left-hand side."
"Alright, thank you."
The gardener smiled and shook her head gently.
"No, we should be thanking you, Officer. We've had similar incidents before, but those officers handling the cases weren't nearly as thoughtful as you. You even came to visit the orphaned child and brought gifts too."
"You're a good police officer."
"...Thank you for the compliment. I'll head inside now."
The moment he turned around, the light in his eyes dimmed instantly, and the smile vanished from his face.
A good police officer.
Again with that phrase.
Could someone whose hands were already stained with blood truly be called good?
He'd been placed on too high a pedestal once more.
----
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