Free The Decagon House Murders by Yukito Ayatsuji Page A

knew the location of each of them.’
    ‘So if someone were looking for his money, he’d need to get that information out of Seiji.’
    ‘Yes. Therefore the gardener wouldn’t have killed Seiji right away.’
    Shimada paused for a moment and placed one elbow on the table.
    ‘And that’s all that’s known about the case and the investigation. The police are still looking for the missing gardener Yoshikawa. It doesn’t seem likely they will find him, though. Got any questions, my dear Conan?’
    ‘Let me think.’
    Kawaminami drank the last few drops of his coffee in one gulp and became lost in thought.
    Based on what Shimada had told him, the line of investigation the police were following did seem the best. But it was all just conjecture based on circumstance. In other words, it was nothing more than an attempt to make sense out of the confused situation.
    The biggest hurdle in the case was the fact the Blue Mansion had burnt down completely. Because of that, the crime scene had even fewer hints to offer than usual. And there was nobody left alive to tell them what had happened during the incident, or the time leading up to it.
    ‘You’re looking very serious, Conan,’ said Shimada, licking his lips. ‘Now it’s my turn to ask you a question. It’s not directly connected to the case on Tsunojima, though.’
    ‘Yes?’
    ‘I want to ask you about that girl Chiori. I knew Kō had a niece and that she was staying at Kazue’s parents’ place because of school. I’ve also heard she died in an unfortunate accident last year, but I don’t know any of the details. What kind of girl was Nakamura Chiori?’
    Immediately, a look of sadness crossed Kawaminami’s face.
    ‘She was a quiet girl. She wasn’t one to stand out and always had a sad aura about her. I hardly talked to her. But she was always very pleasant. She would happily help out with odd jobs during parties and suchlike.’
    ‘And how did she die?’
    ‘It happened in January last year, at the Mystery Club’s New Year’s party. She died of acute alcohol poisoning.’
    As he recounted the events, Kawaminami’s eyes unconsciously wandered to the window.
    ‘Usually when we have parties, she would leave after the first session, but that night we had an after-after-party, and we nagged her to come along. We really were an awful lot. She always had a weak body. But everyone got caught up in it and they made her drink too much.…’
    ‘ They made her drink?’
    ‘Yes. I went to the after-after-party myself, but I had some other business and I left early with a friend of mine, Morisu. The accident happened after that. No—.’
    Kawaminami silently put his hand on the letter in his jacket pocket.
    ‘No, it wasn’t an accident. We might really be the ones who killed her.’
    Thinking about Chiori’s death, Kawaminami really did feel some responsibility. If he hadn’t left early, he might have prevented the others from making Chiori drink too much.
    ‘Are you free this evening?’
    As if he had perceived the dark feelings in Kawaminami’s heart, Shimada suddenly put the question in a cheerful tone.
    ‘What about it? Let’s have a bite and a drink somewhere.’
    ‘But—.’
    ‘My treat. But in return, I want to talk to you about mystery fiction. I don’t have any friends to talk about that, sadly enough. Do me this favour.’
    ‘Alright, gladly.’
    ‘Okay. Let’s go to O—City then.’
    ‘But Mr. Shimada….’
    ‘Yes?’
    ‘I haven’t asked you yet, but how did you and Kōjirō come to know each other?’
    ‘Ah, that’s right. Kō was my senior at university.’
    ‘University? You also did Buddhist Studies?’
    ‘Well, in a way.’
    With an embarrassed look, Shimada scratched his nose.
    ‘Actually, my family runs a Buddhist temple just outside O—City.’
    ‘Oh, so you’re a Buddhist priest?’
    ‘I’m the youngest of three brothers and even at this age I’m still just loafing around, so I can hardly go calling other people