Chapter 12: The Truth Begins to Surface

"Search?"
Shu Nobu Aoyama didn't believe a single punctuation mark of it.
From Yamamoto Hiroshi's surrender to the criminal division's search at the Nohara residence, all indicated that Akihiro Nakayama had already been alerted and was beginning to take active measures.
"Yes, search." Yanagawa Ichi nodded.
Aoyama listened to the commotion upstairs, glancing at him, and asked, "Do you have a search warrant from the prosecutor's office?"
"This..." Yanagawa Ichi's expression changed slightly.
He had merely received Nakayama's sudden order to bring people to the Nohara house under the guise of an investigation, without even applying for a search warrant.
"So it seems you don't." Aoyama's face remained expressionless as he stepped aside and raised his hand, saying, "If that's the case, Deputy Yanagawa, you'd best take your men and leave now."
If Nohara Tatsu were still alive, he certainly wouldn't cooperate without seeing a warrant.
But Nohara Irene was ultimately a woman, and with her husband newly deceased and herself in a daze, she would surely comply meekly upon seeing the police, never thinking to demand a warrant.
"Detective Aoyama, we're all just trying to solve the case here; there's no need to be so rigid. I'm only following orders, and the warrant hasn't come through yet," Yanagawa Ichi said with a smile.
Aoyama was unyielding, his smile cold and biting as he replied, "Orders? Whose orders? Superintendent Asai hasn't issued such instructions, has he? So it's your direct superior Nakayama? But isn't Nakayama currently suspended? Can someone without a post still give you orders? I'm quite curious—are you national police or his personal henchmen?"
"Idiot!" Yanagawa Ichi could no longer maintain his facade of civility; he jabbed his finger at Aoyama's nose and cursed, "How I do my job and for whom is none of your business! You think you're still a lofty Inspector? You're just a Senior Patrol Officer now, below me! Is that how you talk to your superiors? Get out, now!"
"Smack!"
Aoyama, with people present, had no patience for such behavior; he raised his hand and slapped Yanagawa Ichi hard across the face.
"Ah!" Yanagawa Ichi cried out, landing on the floor, his head ringing.
Mrs. Nohara gasped, covering her mouth, her wide eyes fixed on Aoyama in disbelief.
He struck his superior for my sake?
Nohara Irene felt both moved and awed.
Truly, Detective Aoyama was a man of justice!
"Deputy!"
"Are you alright, Deputy?"
The three men searching upstairs rushed down at the commotion, just in time to see Yanagawa clutching his face on the floor, and hurried to help him.
"You bastard! How dare you hit me?" Yanagawa Ichi, steadying himself, shoved his subordinate away, pointing at Aoyama in shock and rage, "Teach him a lesson!"
"You idiot, you think just because you scored one merit, you can disrespect our Deputy?"

The three subordinates, hearing this, immediately lunged at Aoyama, intent on making him pay.
"Ah! Detective Aoyama, be careful!" Nohara Irene shrieked in alarm, blurting out a warning.
Seeing the three short men charging at him, Aoyama, whose physical prowess seemed mysteriously enhanced, raised his leg and kicked the first one flying, then punched the second to the ground, and spun around with an elbow to topple the third.
The entire sequence lasted less than five seconds; the once threatening trio now lay on the floor, moaning in pain.
Nohara Irene was dumbfounded, her rosy lips forming an O, revealing pearly teeth.
Yanagawa Ichi was even more stunned; only now did he understand how Aoyama had managed to disarm and kill Koji Shoda with his bare hands two days ago—this was no ordinary man.
"Smack!"
Another slap brought Yanagawa Ichi out of his stupor; he reflexively glared in fury, but his eyes quickly cleared.
"Aoyama..."
"Smack!" Before he could speak, Aoyama slapped him again. "Do you understand your mistake now?"
"Yes!" Yanagawa Ichi, swallowing his pride, covered his face and lowered his head, enduring humiliation and anger.
"Smack!" Aoyama swung once more, his demeanor like that of a stern general in a drama, berating, "Idiot! Haven't you eaten?"
"Yes!" Yanagawa Ichi replied louder.
"Get out!"
"Yes!"
Yanagawa Ichi, with his men, slunk away in disgrace.
As soon as he stepped outside, he dialed Nakayama Akihiro, who was waiting for news.
"Chief."
"Well? Did you find what you were looking for?" Nakayama asked impatiently from the other end.
His original plan was not to search the Nohara house so soon, for fear of alerting anyone, but now, suspicion had already fallen on him—he had to act quickly.
Yanagawa Ichi, battered and miserable, replied, "Forgive my incompetence, Chief. Aoyama showed up; that disrespectful fellow realized I had no search warrant and attacked us. We had to withdraw."
"Useless!" Nakayama cursed.
"Yes!"
Nakayama took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. "How long did you search?"
"More than twenty minutes; we almost turned over every place in the villa where anything could be hidden," Yanagawa Ichi assured, understanding his intent. "If we couldn't find it, neither can Aoyama."
"Come back," Nakayama ordered, hanging up. He rubbed his face, his expression grim and uncertain, murmuring, "Shu Nobu Aoyama."

He suddenly rose, transformed into a desk-clearing master, sweeping everything off his desk onto the floor.
"Idiot!"
"Shu Nobu Aoyama! Yoshikazu Fujimoto!"
………………………………
Nohara Residence.
"Mr. Aoyama, thank you so much for today," Nohara Irene said, full of gratitude.
From their conversation, she realized she had been bluffed by Yanagawa Ichi—the men had come on their own, under false pretenses.
"It’s what I should do. I can't stand those rotten apples in the Police Agency," Aoyama declared, righteous and resolute, drawing a clear line between himself and them. Then he shifted his tone and asked, "Madam, do you know what they were searching for?"
Nohara Irene hesitated, then spoke slowly, "They suspect my late husband had another secret ledger besides the company’s accounts."
"Madam, does such a thing exist? That would be crucial to finding your husband’s murderer," Aoyama pressed, sensing the story’s outline.
Nohara Irene gave a bitter smile and shook her head. "I don’t know. Before his death, I was never involved in his business affairs."
Then, as if recalling something, she asked, uncertain, "Mr. Aoyama, the Chief Nakayama you mentioned—is he Akihiro Nakayama?"
"You know him?" Aoyama asked.
"No," Nohara Irene shook her head. "But my husband certainly did. I heard him mention the name, but I didn’t know he was your colleague."
Aoyama’s gaze flickered, and after a moment of contemplation, he said solemnly, "To be frank, Akihiro Nakayama is highly likely to be your husband’s killer."
"What?" Nohara Irene exclaimed, rising abruptly. Beneath her mourning attire, her heavy chest quivered, her face incredulous. "How could that be? How is that possible? He’s a police officer!"
"But according to our investigation, he’s almost certainly the culprit. Unfortunately, he’s too cunning—found someone to take the fall for him. Perhaps we can only watch him walk free." Aoyama struck his thigh in regret and anger, recounting the entire investigation and Yamamoto Hiroshi’s confession to her.
Nohara Irene listened, her gaze vacant; when she regained her senses, tears streamed down her face. "Mr. Aoyama, is there really no other way? Is my husband to die in vain? Isn’t there any way to punish the murderer?"
Aoyama's words, combined with Nakayama’s attempt to search the house under false pretenses, convinced her he was indeed the killer.
"There is a way, if you’re willing to cooperate." Aoyama, who had just plunged her into despair, now offered a glimmer of hope.
Nohara Irene was overcome with emotion. She wiped her tears hastily, then knelt before Aoyama, nodding fervently, "I will cooperate, I promise—please, Mr. Aoyama, help me!"
As she finished, she bowed deeply, her hips raised high, presenting a full view of her back, waist, and curves from Aoyama’s perspective.
What an adorable and captivating lady she was.