Sailor Moon Fan Fiction / Detective School Q Tantei Gakuen Q Fan Fiction ❯ Codename: Athena ❯ An Announcement From the Spiritual World! The Forbidden Truth!! ( Chapter 7 )

SailorStar9: Chapter 6 goes up and no review. You guys don't like me anymore. (Pouts)

 

Disclaimers: I own nothing.

 

Chapter 7: An Announcement From the Spiritual World! The Forbidden Truth!!

 

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“I've got it.” Kyu announced.

 

“The trick for the murder and who the murderer is.” he added.

 

“What did you say?” Tomohiko exclaimed.

 

“You solved the trick used for the murder?” Shouhei asked.

 

“You know who the murderer is?” Ootaguro asked.

 

“No way! You're kidding right? You seem like the slowest of all the kids and you solved it?” Odajima gasped, unable to believe that he was defeated by a couple of kids.

 

“So it wasn't just me who thought that.” Kazuma noted.

 

“Kyu?” Megumi prompted.

 

Yeah.” Kyu nodded.

 

Kyu held up three fingers and declared, “There are three hints.”

 

“One is the victim's clothing. The second is the conversation on the tape recorder. And the third is the common point between the two circles shown on Kazuma's computer just now.” he recited.

 

“What do you mean?” Odajima asked, confused. “I don't get what you're saying at all.”

 

“Don't just say random things brat. I don't care if you`re from a detective club or what, but you`re talking nonsense.” Akihiko rebuked.

 

“That's right. Detective, you don`t need to listen to these brats.” Tomohiko agreed.

 

“No, I'd like to hear what he has to say.” Ootaguro objected.

 

“Let's not irritate Hanayo-san's spirit anymore. Otherwise, there might be another victim like Sachiyo.” Shouhei warned.

 

“It was not my mom's spirit! My mom won't kill anyone! Even if she`s a spirit…” Kaoru cried.

 

“Besides, Kyu-kun said to me a just little while ago, `Let's find your mom's will. If we find it, I'm sure we'll find a way that everyone can be happy.' so I…” she stammered, unable to continue.

 

“Please continue, Kyu-kun…” Kaoru requested.

 

“Ichinose…” Kyu begun, his head hung.

 

“What I'm about to say may be hard for you, but I believe that saying this will make you and your siblings happy in the end. No, I'm sure it will! So I'm going to tell you.” he nodded firmly.

 

“Okay…” Kaoru muttered.

 

“There's only one answer.” Kyu declared.

 

“All right then, let's hear it.” Odajima remarked.

 

“First of all hint number one: the victim's clothes right?” he begun.

 

“Yeah.” Kyu nodded.

 

“As Kinta said earlier, the culprit stabbed her through the cloak without worrying about the blood splattering on him. That means the murderer must have considered the victim's clothes from the beginning. In the first place, the reason why the killer decided to kill her; in the middle of the séance, in the dark, was the victim's long scarf.” he explained.

 

Upon hearing Kyu's last sentence, Ryu too realized how it was committed.

 

“The scarf?” Shouhei echoed.

 

“Oh I get it! The culprit strangled her with the scarf.” Kazuma exclaimed.

 

“Strangled her? The victim was stabbed with a knife though.” Kinta pointed out.

 

“Right?” he asked, turning to Kyu for confirmation.

 

“Yeah, but a timing trick was used. “ Kyu replied.

 

“Timing trick?” Kinta echoed.

 

“Try to remember, the victim became quiet after making a weird groan.” Kyu reminded.

 

W… what are you doing?

 

“That's true, but…” Shouhei blinked.

 

“We thought she was killed at that moment, but actually she was still alive at the time. She only went unconscious after being strangled by the scarf.” Kyu revealed.

 

“What?” Ootaguro exclaimed.

 

“What did you say?” Hiroshi blinked.

 

“The real murder was committed after that. In other words, it was when we let go of each other's hands, during the brief period of time right before the light was turned on.” Kyu exposed.

 

“But then, there should be strangulation marks on her neck.” Tomohiko pointed out.

 

“When strangled by something thick and soft like a scarf, a lot of times there won't be any marks left on the victim's necks. Besides, people can go unconscious within ten seconds if you put enough pressure on the carotid artery.” Kazuma reported.

 

“But still, how did the killer strangle the victim with the scarf while you were holding hands in the dark?” Odajima asked.

 

“That's impossible.” Akihiko smirked.

 

“It's possible.” Kyu rebutted his statement.

 

“With your mouth. Using your mouth instead of your hands.” he added.

 

“Your mouth?” Odajima blinked.

 

“You've seen it on television, haven't you? People who pull a truck by holding a rope in their mouth. A person's gnawing strength can exceed seventy kilograms, even for an average person. As for grasping power, an ordinary male can pull up to forty to fifty kilograms. So if the culprit pulled the scarf with his teeth, it's a piece of cake to strangle a person.” Kazuma reported.

 

“You mean like this?” Kinta asked, stuffing a handkerchief in his mouth and tugging it.

 

“To tell the truth, Kinta saying ` If you can't use your hands, use your legs.' gave me the answer to this one.” Kyu remarked.

 

“But how can you strangle a person like this?” Kinta asked, pointing to the handkerchief in his mouth.

 

“It's impossible to do it alone.” he added.

 

“That's right. Therefore, there are two killers.” Kyu divulged.

 

“Two?” Odajima and Kinta exclaimed in unison.

 

“The two culprits seized the moment between the time when the candle went out and the time when everyone held hands with one another. They quickly grabbed the edges of the victim's scarf with their mouths and drew back in the circle while leaning forward. When everyone seemed to draw back far enough, they both pulled the scarf at the same time. The victim lost consciousness and fell to the floor. When the culprits confirmed that she fell unconscious from the tension of the scarf, they loosened their grip and waited for someone to notice something was wrong and suggest that the light be turned on. When everyone let go of their hands, the killers followed the scarf that they held in their mouths, got close to the victim in the dark and stabbed her in the heart.” Kyu explained.

 

“So that's how it's done.” Kinta nodded.

 

“It was a clever timing trick, wasn't it?” Kazuma agreed.

 

“W… who are the murderers, Kyu-kun?” Kaoru asked.

 

“The answer is…” Kyu begun and took out the tape recorder.

 

“The second hint, the conversation recorded on the tape huh? But on the tape, most of the time, Kaoru and the Kusakas were talking and there weren't any suspicious sounds or anything.” Odajima noted.

 

“It's exactly the opposite. It's not that Ichinose and the Kusakas were talking a lot. Other people were talking less, so it just seemed like that.” Kyu nodded.

 

“What?” Odajima exclaimed.

 

“The secretary, Nabeshime-san, and the assistant, Fijisawa-san didn't speak much. Because of their professionalism, but they did speak a little. There were only two people who didn't say a word until everyone let go of their hands..” Kyu added, walking forward.

 

“Isn't that right, Tomohiko-san, Akihiko-san?” he frowned, turning sharply to the two brothers.

 

“N… no way… my brothers?” Kaoru gasped in disbelief.

 

“Don't talk nonsense!” Akihiko protested.

 

“There's no reason we'd do something like that.” Tomohiko agreed.

 

Kaoru breathed in incredulity and stepped back.

 

“Even when everyone was confused and scrambling in the dark, only you two kept silent all the time. Of course, that was because you two had the ends of Asakura-san's scarf in your mouths at that time. The ones who killed Asakura-san, making it look like the work of an evil spirit are you guys.” Kyu pointed tot the two brothers.

 

“Is that true, Tomohiko, Akihiko?” Kaoru asked her two brothers.

 

“No!” Tomohiko protested.

 

“I clearly remember the third hint Kyu mentioned; the common point between the two circles. In the first circle, and the second circle made after Ryu-kun's suggestion. Only you guys, Tomohiko-san and Akihiko-san were in the exact same spot at twelve and six o'clock. That was because you guys had to be opposite one another in order to pull the scarf with all your might from both sides.” Megumi added.

 

“B…brother…” Kaoru wheezed in shock.

 

“Do you have any evidence that we're the killers? Circumstantial evidence alone can't prove anything right? If you don`t have any physical evidence…” Tomohiko challenged.

 

“The physical evidence should be on the scarf.” Ryu said.

 

“W… what?” Tomohiko gasped.

 

“If Kyu's deduction is correct, the killers' saliva should be on the scarf's ornaments. If we run through a DNA test, we'll know right away whose saliva it is.” Ryu added.

 

Kaoru started sobbing.

 

Sayaka went over to comfort her.

 

“No.. we didn't do it! They`re just making up this story!” Tomohiko protested.

 

“He's right. How can we believe what a brat like him says!” Akihiko agreed.

 

“That's enough, you guys! Do you really understand what you did?” Kyu screamed out.

 

Then, he took out the envelope from his pocket.

 

“What's that?” Tomohiko asked.

 

“The letter that was said to be written by your mother and sent to Asakura-san.” Ami replied, taking the envelope out of Kyu's hand.

 

“Kyu, I'll take it from here. It won't help any if you get too emotional.” she added.

 

Kyu nodded and stepped back.

 

Showing the brothers the envelope, she added, “This letter has an odd point. By solving the mystery, the hidden truth about the séance will be revealed. But I don't want to say it, if it's possible. If you two will just admit that you committed the crime, I'll keep it quiet.”

 

“Ami-san…” Kaoru muttered.

 

“Just say it. What kind of truth is that huh?” Tomohiko demanded.

 

“Do you really want to know that much? The hidden truth behind this case?” Ami pressed.

 

Lying the envelope and the letter on the table, Ami showed it to the rest of Class Q.

 

Ryu scanned the letter and realized the very same thing she said.

 

“Could it be…” he wondered out loud.

 

“The way it's folded…” he gasped.

 

“The way it's folded? It's just folded in thirds. That's a common way of folding.” Kinta pointed out.

 

“Then try folding it and putting it inside the envelope.” Kyu said.

 

“Huh?” Kinta blinked and did what as requested.

 

“Ah! The letter doesn't fit into the envelope!” he realized.

 

“What?” Odajima exclaimed.

 

“It's true!” Kazuma nodded.

 

“That's right.” Ami nodded.

 

“If it was cut with scissors, the edge of the letter should have been cut too. But this letter wasn't cut. And there's no trace of it being folded any smaller. In other words, this letter was not originally sent in this envelope. ” she added, taking the envelope from Kinta.

 

“What do you mean, Ami-san” Kaoru asked.

 

“This letter was not sent by Ichinose's mom to Kousei Asakura-san before her death.” Kyu concluded.

 

Ami nodded and continued, “Please look at the date it was sent. Because it was stamped high up, the date was cut through with scissors, and you can't read it. She must have sent many empty envelopes to get the postmark stamped in just this position.”

 

“What do you mean?” Kaoru repeated her question.

 

“Without a doubt, the handwriting on the letter was my mom's. And so is the address on the envelope. There's no mistake, my mom sent it before the plane crash.” she remarked.

 

“No, that's not true.” Ami replied.

 

“Huh?” Kaoru blinked.

 

“The reason why the postmark was cut off is because the letter was just mailed recently. If I'm right, Kaoru-san's mother wasn't killed in the plane crash.” Ami breathed as she placed the letter on the desk.

 

“That can't be! All the passengers on the airplane were killed!” Tomohiko protested.

 

“But she's alive.” Ami replied.

 

“That's not possible. If she were alive, she would have come home.” Kaoru declared.

 

“I suppose it's because of the life insurance.” Ami replied.

 

“Huh?” Kaoru blinked.

 

“Your mom's company almost went bankrupt because of your brothers right?” Ami looked at Kaoru for confirmation.

 

“But the life insurance money paid out after the plane crash saved the company. That's why she couldn't come back alive.” she added.

 

“T… then where's my mom? Did Asakura-san know that my mom was alive?” Kaoru demanded.

 

Ami sighed and shut her eyes.

 

“Kaoru-san..” she begun.

 

“Let me ask you, why do you think at Asakura-san's séance, you heard your mom's voice and saw your mom's handwriting?” she asked.

 

“Huh?” Kaoru blinked.

 

“It wasn't the work of a spirit?” Shouhei asked.

 

“In the first place, why did Asakura-san come to your house and hold the séance to call your mom's spirit?” Ami asked the younger girl in front of her.

 

“Forgive me Kaoru-san. In reality, the medium, Kousei Asakura-san was your mother.” she revealed, much to the horror of everyone present.

 

Kaoru slowly broke into tears.

 

“N…no way… brother, that means we…” Akihiko stammered, sinking to the floor.

 

“Don't be fooled, Akihiko! This brat is trying to frame us. Such bullshit! I won't…” Tomohiko shouted.

 

“Please stop it!” Sayaka cried out.

 

“Nabeshime-san..” Shouhei gasped.

 

“What Ami-san said is true.” Sayaka replied.

 

“What do you mean? How could a person who was in a plane crash be alive?” Odajima asked.

 

“Right before the plane crash, in order to save the company from bankruptcy, she was going to fly to Osaka to ask her last hope, her business partner, for a loan. But her partner rejected her request over the phone and she gave her ticket to a young lady who was on standby. And the plane crashed. Just like Ami-san said, in order to save the company with her life insurance money, she said, `Let's pretend Hanayo Ichinose is dead.' After that, she had plastic surgery and managed the company in the shadows, through me.” Sayaka revealed.

 

“Tomohiko-san, Akihiko-san, the president was…” she continued.

 

“STOP!” Tomohiko screamed.

 

“Please stop it already!” he begged.

 

“Brother.” Akihiko blinked.

 

“I killed her… I stabbed my own mother with a knife! With my own hands…” Tomohiko wailed and sunk to the floor with his brother.

 

Odajima nodded and turned to his men.

 

“Hey, call headquarters and examine the victim immediately.” he ordered his men.

 

“Yes sir!” one of the three policemen present saluted and went out.

 

Kaoru walked towards her brothers and knelt before them.

 

“Brother...” she begun.

 

“Don't call me `brother'. We are murderers. We killed mother and Aunt Sachiyo.” Tomohiko pleaded.

 

“You killed our aunt because she was my guardian and she would get our mother's fortune?” Kaoru asked her brother.

 

“Not only that, I happened to hit her during the séance. She realized that I was the murderer and threatened to expose us to the police. She told us to abandon the right to our mom's fortune if we didn't want her to tell the police.” Tomohiko told his younger sister.

 

“That can't be! Sachiyo…” Shouhei gasped.

 

“Why didn't you guys tell the police? Then, she won't have to die.” Odajima demanded.

 

“It's because Shouhei-san's a company executive. The murder itself is already a scandal. If the fact the previous president's son was the murderer was disclosed, the company won't be able to survive the damage to its name. It was probably safer for Shouhei-san and Sachiyo-san if we're convinced that the murderer was a ghost, wasn't it?” Ryu explained.

 

“Uncle…” Kaoru breathed, standing up to face her wailing uncle.

 

With their sister's attention gone, the two brothers suddenly ran towards the two policemen and head butted them in the stomach.

 

Grabbing their revolvers from the sheaths, the two brothers locked their arms around the necks of the two unfortunate policemen and pointed the barrels on their heads.

 

“Kaoru, we're aren't qualified to be your brothers. Just pretend we never existed.” Akihiko shouted.

 

“We want you at least, to be happy.” Tomohiko agreed.

 

Then, the two siblings pointed the guns at each other.

 

“Don't!” Kyu screamed.

 

“No!” Kaoru shouted.

 

“What on earth do you think you're doing?” Ootaguro demanded running towards the two suicidal siblings.

 

With a quick chop, he knocked Akihiko's gun out of his hand.

 

Kinta followed suit, knocking Tomohiko's gun out of his hand.

 

With the tense situation resolved, Kyu breathed in relief.

 

“Ootaguro-san, you're pretty good, for an old guy.” Kinta beamed at the aged butler.

 

“Y… yeah…” Ootaguro smiled weakly.

 

“It was wrong for you two to commit murder. But if you care for you sister, you should atone for your sins and some day.” Kyu advised.

 

Outside, police cars had arrived at the scene, ready to take the two brothers into custody.

 

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“Is that so?” Dan-sensei asked in his car parked outside the Ichinose household.

 

“Good work.” he applauded Ootaguro who turned out to be Mr Koutarou.

 

“No, they solved it all by themselves. But it seems pretty hard on them.” Mr Koutarou replied.

 

“I can imagine.” Dan-sensei replied.

 

“However, if they're trying to become detectives, they all need to overcome a wall like this.” he added.

 

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Kyu found Kaoru on the swing on her backyard and handed an envelope to her.

 

“Kyu-kun?” Kaoru blinked in confusion.

 

“I found it… your mom's will.” he told the girl.

 

“Ami-chan found it inside the picture frame in the living room.”

 

“I see.” Kaoru replied, taking the envelope.

 

Opening the will, she glanced it through and gasped.

 

The will had read:

 

Tomohiko, Akihiko, and Kaoru, I was always busy with work, and couldn't do much for you as a mother. But in case something happens to me, I am writing this will to say the words I couldn't say to you as a mother. Tomohiko, I always said strict things to you because you're the oldest son. But if I ever hurt you because of that, I am really sorry. Please return to the reliable Tomohiko who used to take care of Kaoru for me, since I was bust with work and Kaoru was weak when she was little. Akihiko, you used to be very kind, but you grew wilder as the company got bigger. It was very hard for me to see you like that. I thought I was doing my best, working to bring happiness to the family. But instead, it drove the family apart. But it's not too late. I will be praying from heaven that the three of you will be strong, together, form this moment on. And Kaoru, it's very sad for me to leave you while you're still in junior high. But you're a very strong-willed girl, so please support your brothers for me. And remember me sometimes. With these feelings, I'm leaving this will behind the picture which the four of us took on the swing in the backyard.

 

With the last sentence read, Kaoru could not help but weep.

 

“There was nothing about the inheritance.” Kyu noted.

 

“I need to show this to my brothers.” Kaoru replied, a sad smile on her face.

 

Getting up, she took off.

 

After a while, she turned back.

 

“Thank you.” she said and went her way.

 

With Kaoru out of sight, Kyu looked down at the swing.

 

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SailorStar9: And this chapter is down.