Geister-Hutong - Kapitel 10
"It seems so, but I don't know how I know."
"Then, where's the money?"
Zhu Mei said smugly, "We didn't give them any!"
2005-3-14 15:05:00
"You're so silly, aren't medical expenses even more expensive?"
"But if we give it to them once, they'll be watching us from now on. — Considering the precedents, it's better to do it this way."
Looking at Tamami, Yuriko was stunned.
Noriko Katase entered the public phone booth. After a long pause, as if having made a decision, she inserted three ten-yen coins into the slot and pressed the button on the push-button phone. She glanced at her watch; it was just past eleven o'clock at night. Her hands trembled slightly as she picked up the receiver. —The other party answered the phone.
"Hello." It was a man's voice.
“It’s me,” Katase Noriko said.
Who is it?
"Katase Noriko. You haven't forgotten, have you?"
After a moment, a confused voice came from the other end, "Excuse me, where are you? This is—"
"Don't play dumb. You probably think I didn't realize it was you. But I found the thing you dropped when you left that day. I wasn't sure at the time, but later I saw the same thing by chance. So I finally realized that it was you."
"I don't understand what you're saying."
"You think you won't be found out, right? — You devilish bastard. You've ruined my family."
The other party remained silent.
Noriko asked, "Are you listening?" The other person remained silent. So Noriko continued, "It doesn't matter. Anyway, the noose that can strangle you is in my hand."
Heavy breathing came through the phone. The man said, "Do you think you can do it, ma'am?"
Hearing the other person's tone change, a victorious smile appeared on Noriko's lips. She continued, "So what if you can't do it? I'll make you lose everything. Anyway, I've already lost everything, so I have nothing to be afraid of."
"Yeah?"
"Just prepare yourself. Or maybe if you commit suicide, you might get forgiveness." Noriko sighed and said, "Well then, I'm going to the police station now—"
"etc."
"What?"
"Do you not care what happens to your family?"
What do you mean?
"Let me tell you," the man said with a laugh. "I killed that woman."
Which woman?
"Yes. The woman was found in that guy Sasakimoto's house."
"It's you?" Noriko's eyes widened.
"Absolutely correct. Put the bodies in the closet and set it on fire. Those girls are lucky to still be alive."
"Why would you do something so cruel..." Noriko asked, her face pale.
"Don't you care if your husband and daughter become like that?"
What do you mean?
“Go ahead and call the police if you want. I can’t stop you because I don’t know where you made the call. But you can’t stop me from doing what I’m going to do. In the meantime, I’ll kill your whole family and burn them all down.”
"That kind of thing—"
"You think I can't do it? That's the kind of man I am. Anyway, killing one person or killing three people is just a capital offense."
Noriko broke out in a cold sweat. She licked her lips and said, "You're just being deliberately mysterious. The police will be here soon."
"I'll go."
"It'll probably take a while. It'll be faster if I go to your house." Noriko bit her lip, unable to speak. "—How is it, ma'am?"
"I won't go!" After hanging up the phone, Noriko hesitated for a moment before immediately returning to the phone, picking up the receiver again, and inserting a ten-yen coin.
The phone at the Katase house rang.
Atsuko answered the phone. "This is the Katase family. —Hello?" No one answered. "Hello? —Who is this?" There was clearly someone on the other end of the line, but they didn't seem to want to say anything.
Katase poked his head out. "—Hey, who is that?"
"I don't know. I won't say anything."
"I'll give it a try. —Hey! —Who is it?"
Noriko heard the busy signal on the phone and thought, "Oh no!" She immediately hung up and dialed again, but it was still busy.
Noriko pushed open the door of the phone booth and ran out.
Chapter Six: Another Unfortunate Incident
Yuriko walked slowly down the street late at night.
After hearing the advice that it was best to take Tamami to the hospital for a check-up, Yuriko spent the entire day handling Tamami's admission procedures. She was busy running around until this time.
However, she really couldn't stand Joomi anymore. Every time she heard about a checkup, Joomi would ask, "How much will this cost?"
Yuriko felt like her face was on fire.
Yuriko walked slowly along the road leading out of the station, lost in thought. —Looking back, perhaps it really was overestimating herself. She was the only one who suggested that the three sisters work together to find the killer, and Yuriko felt a heavy responsibility. What if her absurd suggestion led to someone suffering a terrible fate? Of course, Tamami's attack was unrelated to her father's incident. But even so, what would happen if Tamami were attacked by the killer? If something like Tamami were murdered, what would be the point of catching the killer?
Yuriko felt it necessary to reconsider the whole matter. Even if she were to proceed—since continuing the investigation would be quite dangerous, she couldn't involve her older and younger sisters; she could do it herself. This thought might seem somewhat willful, but this was a murder investigation, not a game. Although Yuriko had been mentally prepared for this, she hadn't truly felt it until now. It was Tamami's injury that gave Yuriko a sudden, waking-up realization.
The road darkened, and Yuriko quickened her pace slightly. Just then, she heard hurried footsteps approaching from behind. Before she could turn around, the person had already overtaken her. "That's..." Yuriko muttered. Could it be... Atsuko's mother, Noriko? It was too dark to see clearly. But she couldn't possibly be running that fast. I think I've seen that woman before; her back looks familiar... The road brightened slightly, and the figure that had circled around to the front after emerging from the darkness had vanished without a trace.
Noriko ran as fast as she could. After making the call at the phone booth in front of the station, she still had a distance to go to get home. Would she make it in time? Noriko, who rarely ran, was now running like a madwoman. Although she felt like her heart was about to explode, she didn't care and kept running forward.
Noriko's mind kept replaying the scene of her husband and Atsuko being murdered, lying in pools of blood. It'll be alright, it'll be alright. Because her husband isn't so easily defeated, and besides, Yuriko is there. That man may have said that, but it was just a ruse. It's impossible for him to kill all three of them at once. It'll be alright, it'll be alright. She kept telling herself this, but with each repetition, the thought of what if something really happened became stronger.
Almost there! Almost home. It wasn't on fire. If it were burning, you'd see flames. Noriko felt a slight sense of relief and slowed her pace. Home! —The light from inside the house brought Noriko an inexplicable sense of peace. At the same time, tears welled up and blurred her vision. She thought that only there was where she belonged, only that home held her husband and daughter. Go home, call the police, and it will all be over. No, because the mistakes I made are hard to erase, I fully understand that, so no matter what my husband does, I will find a way to get his forgiveness. Because only there is my home…
2005-3-14 15:10:00
"I can't walk anymore..." Once Noriko slowed down, her pace dropped drastically, and she finally reached her doorstep, panting heavily. "Atsuko...you..." She wanted to call out from outside, but her excited heartbeat and rapid breathing prevented her from making a sound.
As Noriko wearily trudged towards the door, a pair of arms suddenly emerged from the darkness, encircling her neck and slamming her to the ground. Noriko tried to scream, but the arms gripping her neck gave her no chance to utter a sound. Her hands gripped the ground, and her shoes kicked off. Soon, she lay still. A man, breathing heavily, slowly rose to his feet.
"Is anyone there?" The man was surprised to hear Atsuko's voice and bent down.
The door, chained shut, was ajar. "Yuriko? —Isn't that you? —Is that Mom? Please speak." After a moment, Atsuko closed the door. "Nobody's here," came Atsuko's voice from inside.
The man slowly stood up and began rummaging through Noriko's clothes. He then grabbed the handbag slung over Noriko's arm, surveyed his surroundings, and quietly left the scene.
Yuriko had initially planned to stop by the Ando family's house first. She wanted to explain the situation to Ayako, otherwise Ayako would be worried. Perhaps telling her beforehand would reassure her. However, Yuriko hesitated, wondering if visiting at this time was inappropriate. Maybe coming early tomorrow morning would be more suitable. After pondering this, she headed towards the Katase family's house. The two houses weren't far apart.
Suddenly, she thought she heard footsteps and turned around. —It felt like someone had walked past her from behind. Yuriko stopped and stood there for a moment, but heard nothing more. Was she having a nervous breakdown? Yuriko shrugged and hurried on.
The lights were still on at the Katase house; were they waiting for the mother to return?
Yuriko is still agonizing over whether to tell Katase about the phone call. However, the outcome won't change no matter what. Perhaps this will only add to Atsuko's worries...
When she reached a spot not far from the gate, Yuriko felt as if she had kicked something away and stopped in her tracks. What had been kicked and rolled away was a shoe—a woman's shoe.
Why would someone be in a place like this?
Yuriko took two or three steps back and noticed a foot emerging from the darkness. — Yuriko felt the blood draining from her face. She cautiously approached to examine it closely, and soon her eyes, adjusted to the darkness, vaguely made out Katase Noriko's face… Yuriko let out a short, sharp scream and rushed towards the door.
"Open the door! Atsuko! Open the door now!" Yuriko knocked on the door desperately.
"—What's wrong?" Atsuko stood there, her eyes wide open.
"Quickly call him your father."
"Hey? What are you doing?"
"Stop asking, just call your father—" Yuriko shouted, feeling dizzy and staggering, "Quickly!"
Hearing the shout, Katase came out. "What's wrong?"
"plz follow me."
2005-3-14 15:11:00
Where to?
"Outside. It's nearby."
"What exactly are you talking about? What exactly are you talking about?"
"Stop asking questions, please come with me!" Yuriko shouted.
Katase came downstairs wearing slippers.
“There…” The door opened, and the light from inside illuminated the outside. Katase Asahi looked in the direction she was pointing.
"Kiko!"
Hearing her father calling, Atsuko rushed out barefoot, "Mom!—What's wrong? What's wrong, Mom?"
Yuriko collapsed to the ground, utterly exhausted.
"—So that's how it is."
The detective didn't seem very enthusiastic. Perhaps because he'd been woken from his sleep, he was barely suppressing a series of yawns. Yuriko couldn't help but feel annoyed, but Katase and Atsuko were no longer in the mood for anger. It was already dawn, and the living room was quite cold.
"So, you don't know when the wife came back?" the detective asked.
"Yes. I don't know."
“This is Mom’s home. Isn’t it only natural that she came back?” Atsuko said, her voice trembling. “She was kicked out of the house by Dad! Dad killed Mom!”
“Atsuko…” Yuriko hugged Atsuko’s shoulders. Atsuko buried her head in Yuriko’s shoulder and wept bitterly.
"It's no use saying anything now," Katase said weakly.
The door to the living room opened, and Officer Guoyou walked in.
"Mr. Kuniyoshi." Upon hearing Yuriko's voice, Kuniyoshi nodded slightly.
"That's unfortunate."