"Mr. Heiji, have you discovered something?" Inspector Yokomizo asked, his face brightening.
Heiji kept his hands in his pockets and gave a small nod. "No one from outside could have done this, but we can't rule out someone inside the villa."
"So you're saying the killer is one of us?"
Inspector Yokomizo's gaze immediately landed on Yokota Jousaku and Ueno Yokohama. "It seems you two won't be leaving just yet," he said grimly.
"Officer, are you accusing us?" Yokota Jousaku shouted.
"It's a possibility."
"What kind of joke is this?" Yokota roared. "All three of us have alibis! What did we do—grow wings and fly over here to knock President Nohara out, then push him into the pond?"
Inspector Yokomizo gave an awkward laugh and glanced at Heiji.
"You're right about one thing," Heiji said calmly. "The killer can fly."
The inspector went silent.
"Is this the 'genius' high school detective you were talking about?" Yokota Jousaku sneered.
"We don't have time to play detective games with a kid," Ueno Yokohama added coldly.
"Don't you dare doubt Mr. Heiji's skills. He's the real deal."
A clear female voice cut through the tension. Everyone turned toward the speaker.
A woman stood at the edge of the scene. She wore a baseball cap pulled low, a dark green shirt, and cropped jeans.
"Mr. Heiji, is she…?" the inspector asked.
"She's my—"
"I'm his girlfriend," the woman cut in as she stepped forward. "I came to bring him his gloves."
"Oh, you must be Kazuha," Inspector Yokomizo said, smiling. "Please, come in."
"Thank you, Inspector."
She walked over, went straight to Heiji, and handed him a pair of gloves. "Heiji, your gloves."
Heiji looked at her, exasperated, and lowered his voice. "Yoko, what are you doing here?"
The newcomer was the famous idol, Yoko Okino.
She looked amused. "Kazuha hadn't changed clothes, so she couldn't come out. Besides, I wanted to see you work, so I came."
"Aren't you worried someone will recognize you?"
"That's why I'm your girlfriend right now," she said lightly. "It gives me a reason to be here."
"Mr. Heiji is a lucky man," the inspector said, sounding envious. "You're very considerate."
"Of course," Yoko said. "I like watching him solve cases." As she spoke, she looped her arm through Heiji's.
"Inspector, I really need to get back to my manuscript," Ueno Yokohama said, irritation showing. "I can't waste any more time here."
"I agree," Yokota added. "First detective games, now this. Is this really how you run an investigation?"
Heiji gently removed Yoko's arm and lifted his gaze to the villa's second-floor balcony.
"Inspector Yokomizo, send someone to the balcony facing this pond. Have them check if there's anything up there."
"Right away… no, I'll go myself," the inspector said. He turned to the two men. "If you leave now, you'll both be treated as primary suspects. I suggest you wait."
With that, he went into the villa. A moment later, he appeared on the balcony.
"Mr. Heiji, now what?" he called down.
"Is there anything up there?"
"No, nothing at all!"
Heiji frowned and glanced back at Ueno Yokohama and Yokota Jousaku. Both shifted under his gaze.
When the inspector returned, the two men immediately pressed again.
"Sir, can we go now?"
Inspector Yokomizo looked torn. Without solid evidence, he couldn't legally keep them there. "Mr. Heiji?"
"Take your time," Yoko said to Heiji. "Don't rush."
Heiji stood by the pond, hands still in his pockets, staring at the surface of the water.
The killer is definitely Ueno Yokohama. I know the method… but where is the weapon?
"Mr. Heiji?" the inspector said. "If we can't find anything, we'll have to let them go."
"Inspector," Heiji interrupted. "Have one of your officers search the bottom of this pond. If I'm right, the murder weapon is in there."
"The weapon? You mean you've solved it?" the inspector asked, excited.
"The method is simple," Heiji said evenly. "The killer used a heavy object to strike President Nohara from a distance. When he staggered up, they used it again—hit him from behind and pushed him into the water. It's a trick that makes it look like the attacker can 'fly.'"
"A clever theory, Mr. Hattori," Yokota said with a cold smile. "But there's no heavy object here. And no drag marks in the grass. How do you explain that?"
"That's why I had the inspector check the balcony," Heiji said, not hiding his irritation. "It's the most logical place to stash something temporarily. But it wasn't there."
"Mr. Heiji," the inspector said, "forget the weapon for a second. How did the killer hit him without Mrs. Nohara seeing? She was right there. Unless…" His eyes shifted to the victim's wife.
"You think Mrs. Nohara is the killer and she lied," Heiji finished.
"It's a possibility," the inspector said.
Heiji shook his head. "I'm sure she isn't. The culprit stayed unseen because the weapon was thrown from above her line of sight from the kitchen window. After the first hit, they used a line—some kind of rope—to swing the weapon again and push him into the pond. Then, as the first person to 'discover' the body, they had the perfect chance to hide it."
"The first witness…" the inspector snapped, turning sharply. "Mr. Ueno, that was you, wasn't it?"
Ueno Yokohama adjusted his glasses calmly. "Yes. But Mr. Yokota and Mrs. Nohara arrived moments after I did, followed by the great detective himself. Less than two minutes passed. Tell me—how could I have hidden a large, heavy object in that time?"
"That's why I told the inspector to search the pond," Heiji said, voice steady. "It's the only hiding place nearby."
"Quick!" the inspector ordered. "Get in there and check!"
As an officer waded into the water, Heiji remained still, hands in his pockets, mind turning over the last piece.
The only question left is… what is the murder weapon?