The Four Leaf Murderer

Chapter 17

"Maybe should we not jump to conclusion that easily." Suggested the inspector. "There is still an issue we didn't clarify."

"An issue?.." I wondered.
"What issue?" Continued Komaeda, irritated.
______
"The strangulation mark we found on the victim's neck." He started.

"That's right, we still didn't state the cause of death." Affirmed Chiaki.

"But who needs to know about the cause? We already know that it's a trap, we should just move on that murder fast if we dont want to lose any more precious time." retorted Komaeda.

"That's enough, you are not helping at all, you keep on making useless comments and affirmations." Complained the inspector irritated.
'He must not like him.'

"Oh..," Sighed Komaeda about to add another comment, but he got interrupted by Chiaki who spoke first.

"Nagito, could you please just be quiet. we don't want to start a fight right now,"
"It may be a trap, but we need to solve that murder anyway, for the victim, and as detectives, it's our job." She spoke.

"The pink-haired chick is right." Spoke Mr.Brone.

"So… do we know how did he die?" I asked, facing the inspector.

"Yes, actually, that strangulation
IS the cause of death, as for the burns, they have been inflicted to the body aftewards."

"So he got strangled to death.." Murmured Chiaki.

"Maybe he didn't plan to kill his victim, and they simply got into a fight, he then killed him by accident?" Suggested Chiaki.

"If it was an accident, he wouldn't have needed to let us know it was him, there was no point in letting a four-leaf clover here," I spoke.
Chiaki didn't answer, but she holds her chin thinking about it.

"I need a glass of water." Sighed the inspector as he got to the kitchen.

"Maybe you guys should take a break, so you could later think about new approaches to the problems." Suggested Mr.Brone.

I sighed and moved to another place in the room, I was now laying back on the wall.
Chiaki took her game console and started playing, As for Mr.Brone he also got to the kitchen.

.
.
.
That's when I heard a my phone vibrating.
I took it.
2 notifications…
I opened them.
2 messages from Mahiru.
I looked at the clock.., It was almost 4 pm and a half... shit.

____
-"Hey! It's almost time for our date. Hope you didn't forget."
-"I'm getting ready. Be here."

I sighed deeply.
I don't think I will be here on time, I don't even think we will finish before 5 pm.

I looked at the texts, thinking about an answer.

-"hey… I'm sorry Mahiru. But I still have a lot of work to do, I don't think I could come on time."
-"I don't want to make you wait, can we plan it for another day?"

I immediately closed my phone after I sent the second message, I was anxious about her potential answer.
.
.
.
I lifted my eyes from my phone to find a Chiaki in front of me with a serious look.
"Hey, Chiaki.." I said.

"Hajime, I think there is something we overlooked." She said thoughtfully.

"What is it?" I asked curiously.

"Can you remind me of the time of the murder again?"

"The body has been killed yesterday morning." Answered for me the inspector as he entered the room.

"You are back.." I spoke under my breath.

"Yes," he started before he faced Chiaki. "What about it, is there anything that you discovered?"

"I'm not sure yet, but I think there is something weird about it."

"What is it?" Asked Mr.Brone who was also in the room.

I looked at the ground trying to replay the events in my head.
She died yesterday morning, just like Tsumiki…

"She died at the same time as Tsumiki," I affirmed.

"And what about it?" Inquired the inspector.

"That means he killed them both at the same time," I started, as the inspector stared at me with widened but suspicious eyes, so I continued.
"Maybe.., he was a witness of the murder. and maybe was he at Tsumiki's house when she got killed, he then tried to run away but got caught and killed." I supposed.

"But he got strangled, I think that, if he tried to run away from its aggressor, we would have found evidence of fighting or struggle" retorted Chiaki.

"Or.., he witnessed the murder, he then tried to hide from the aggressor to escape the house and inform the police, but his assassin noticed him, he then waited until his prey gets out and struggled him to death from behind, in that case, he couldn't have fought back at all." Affirmed the inspector.

"That makes sense." Whispered Chiaki.

"Yes, but that still doesn't tell us why he got the body here, he could simply throw it in a river or let it in Tsumiki's house." I groaned.

"Maybe it was really just a trap to make us lose time, and we shouldn't at all be spending so long wondering about that murder and simply move on to try to find him!" Answered the inspector irritated at the realization that he may have got fooled.

I stood here thinking. Before I realized that there was someone in the room who hadn't talk for a very long time.
I lifted my head up and looked around just to find Komaeda, arms crossed, a little further in the room, he was not in the conversation circle, but it was obvious that he has been listening to the discussion.

I didn't bother to ask if he was ok.
"Hey Nagito, any ideas?" I asked.

'Its the first time I ever call him by his first name, it feels weird, I don't even know if I should be doing that, we aren't even friends, and he still may be a murderer.'

… he didn't answer me.

"Uh…What's wrong with him?" Asked Mr.Brone.

"Komaeda, are you okay?" Asked Chiaki, concerned.

As the inspector lifted his eyes, everyone was now looking at him waiting of an answer and thats when he finally decided to speak.

"Oh, am I allowed to speak? I'm so happy, I'm getting goosebumps. Everyone actually needs help from scum like me!"

'Huh?'

"Okay, J-just Stop with that, do you have anything to say that could be helpful?" I hardly spoke.

"About what? You guys talked about a lot of things." He complained, while exagerating his mouvements and expressions.

"The murder.. do you have any ideas about what could have happened?" I repeated.

"Actually, I was thinking about it when I had my mouth shut, but now I'm able to come to a conclusion.., there is definitely no way this murder has been committed by the man you think is the one who did it." He affirmed.

"And how can you be so sure?" Demanded the inspector.

"You said it yourself Hajime, the two murders have been committed at the same time, and there has been no trace of struggle." He affirmed.

"That means nothing, he may have taken him by surprise, and weren't you the one who told us it was a trap from The killer therefore that he commited that murder." I cried.

"Well, I changed my mind. but I still think it's a lost of time... if your goal is to find your killer of course." He sighed.

"Who cares about that, do you have any evidence for what you are saying?" Asked the inspector.

Nagito stared at him with a straight face. "None…, but my guts are telling me it is the case, and they are rarely wrong," he started "so listen to my supposition."

"Useless. I feel we wont get anything out of him.. he hasnt been of any help since the beginning." Complained to the inspector.

Nagito looked at him, kinda irritated that he didnt let him continue his show, he then stared at the ground thoughtful, before he finally spoke. "..Or.. I can also simply give you, here and now, the identity of the murderer.." he affirmed.