Chapter 376: Great Ace Attorney… No Way! (7)

“The defense wants to question Inspector Shiratori’s second statement [The reason the police arrested him as a criminal was simple: he had no alibi].”

“According to the case file, this group of people stayed in the Mycroft Hotel for a total of three days, and the serial murders began at 3 a.m. on the third day of their stay.”

“The police believe that the murderer killed Kanaya Hiroyuki between midnight and 3 a.m. on the third day, and faked the scene of driving a vehicle, so the murderer must be someone who was not in the restaurant, right?”

“May I ask why these people gathered in the restaurant at that time?”

Xiang Yuanguang took a sip of coffee and directly asked Inspector Shiratori who was at the testimony stand.

Hearing this, Hattori Heiji came to his senses and turned to look at the testimony stand.

In response to this question, Shiratori Jinzaburo answered without hesitation.

“According to the activity rules, the innkeeper will show up on time at 9:25 every night.”

“On the first day at 1000: p.m., we will introduce an activity called ” Questions for Sherlock Holmes Fans.”

“Then they will come out at 9:25 the next evening to collect the answer sheets for grading.”

“On the last day at 9:25 pm, the final prize will be decided through the answer set.”

Prosecutor Sugiura at the prosecutor’s table reached out and fiddled with her wig.

Inspector Shiratori added some testimony.

“The so-called final reward is the first edition of the rare collector’s edition of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: A Study in Scarlet.”

“The high price is probably the reason why the murderer killed Kanaya Hiroyuki.”

“And this first edition was found in the defendant Kawazu Hiroo’s room. The situation speaks for itself.”

The voice of Tokyo’s most powerful prosecutor was filled with pride and confidence.

“It’s obvious, right? It was during this time that Kawazu Hiroo left the restaurant and killed Kanaya Hiroyuki.”

“Then he took this precious first edition book from his room and put it in his own room for safekeeping!”

“The prosecutor is here to submit this book to the trial court as evidence in this case.”

He calmly took out the precious book from the desk drawer at the prosecutor’s seat.

The moment they saw the book, both Kawazu Hiroo and Hattori Heiji had a flash of surprise in their eyes.

Kawazu Hiroo was surprised that Kanaya Hiroyuki was actually killed for this rare collectible book.

Then, I was shocked as to why this book appeared in my room.

Hattori Heiji was puzzled as to why such a precious book did not come with a matching wooden box when it was taken out.

After all, books are not something that cannot be aged. Only the original collector’s edition box can prove the value of the book.

(Strange, could it be that the murderer didn’t want this rare first edition of A Study in Scarlet?)

(Then why did he commit crimes in succession, killing two people and wanting to kill a third person?)
(Was it a revenge killing? But there doesn’t seem to be any particular connection between the three victims.)
(The only thing worth noting is that these three people are fans of Sherlock Holmes’s detective stories…)
The famous detective from Kansai quietly returned to the defense seat, his thoughts still turning.

(Could it be that the motive of the deceased was simply to be upset with fans of Sherlock Holmes?)

(Kill them one by one, then throw the book into someone else’s room and escape immediately?)

…Have the folk customs of Beika Town become so simple?

“Is this the book ‘A Study in Scarlet’ that you mentioned? It doesn’t look…anything special.”

The presiding judge in the main seat looked at the rare book that was suspected to have triggered the murder case with some curiosity.

But maybe he is not in this circle, or maybe there is really nothing special about this book.

I feel like the only difference between this and the printed version in the bookstore is the cover.

“Prosecutor Sugiura, are you sure this book is the first edition collected by the deceased Kanaya Hiroyuki?”

At this point, Prosecutor Sugiura was speechless.

You ask him, who does he ask? Mainly the Sherlock Holmes fans present all said so.

Otherwise, how could he, an outsider who had no knowledge of this kind of book, dare to directly identify it as evidence?

Subconsciously reaching out to fiddle with his wig, Prosecutor Sugiura spoke in a somewhat ethereal tone.

“Ah, that’s right. There is no second Study in Scarlet on site.”

“And the witnesses present said that this was the first edition of the rare book they saw last year.”

The bald old man nodded in sudden realization.

So that’s the case, no wonder.

It’s impossible that all witnesses with different positions can tell lies in the same tone, right?
Snap. At this moment, someone snapped his fingers.

He reached out to stop Hattori Heiji who was standing next to him, turned Genmitsu’s palm over and pointed at Prosecutor Sugiura.

“Prosecutor Sugiura may not have investigated it carefully. There is a difference between the first edition and the first edition collection.”

“As a collector’s item, this book should have a specially marked box for its placement.”

“Otherwise, there is a possibility that it will be forged or counterfeited, and its value will drop significantly.”

The hedgehog-haired lawyer slammed his hands on the iron table.

The sound startled Hattori Heiji.

I guess you can guess why the tables here were changed from wood to iron.

Iron products make this kind of noise when you tap them, and he doesn’t even dare to imagine what the wooden table would sound like if he tapped it!

“The defense asks the prosecutor to produce the box containing the first edition of the collector’s edition!”

“Otherwise, there is no way to prove that this book is the first edition of A Study in Scarlet!”

Hearing this, the presiding judge nodded again.

Although he had previously thought that Prosecutor Sugiura’s statement was very convincing.

But on the other hand, Lawyer Xiang Yuan’s words now seem very convincing.

He looked at Prosecutor Sugiura at the prosecutor’s table and asked.

“Prosecutor Sugiura, didn’t the police find the specially marked box containing this book at the scene?”

“If not, there is a possibility that the book has been replaced or framed.”

(…No, which side are you on?)
The corner of Prosecutor Sugiura’s mouth twitched slightly.

He shook his head and spoke loudly.

“You can’t just say this kind of thing casually. Does the defense say that the first edition of the collector’s edition has a box? Does that mean it has a box?”

“The labels of different collector’s editions of books are not necessarily on the so-called collection boxes!”

Tokyo’s most powerful prosecutor sneered at Yuanguang Xiang in the defense seat.

“If the defense claims that the first edition of A Study in Scarlet was in a specially marked box.”

“It should be the defense that presents evidence that proves that, and then it will be the prosecutor’s turn to prove it.”

“How about it? Can the defense prove that the first edition of A Study in Scarlet has a box?”

“sure.”

The hedgehog-haired lawyer took a sip of coffee and spoke slowly.

Prosecutor Sugiura proudly reached out and fiddled with his wig.

he said triumphantly.

“Yeah, I knew the defense had no way to prove… huh? Can you? Can you what?”

Prosecutor Sugiura suddenly realized what was happening and bent down.

Sweat broke out on his forehead and his pupils behind the glasses were filled with shock.

“This, this is impossible. You haven’t even been to the crime scene. How can you prove that this book has a box?”

“I can tell you that the defendant’s testimony…is not very credible. Don’t try to prove it this way!”

pat.

He snapped his fingers again and opened the blue folder that Xiang Yuanguang had brought with him.

He pulled out a page from the inner compartment and held it up.

“Through this piece of evidence, the defense can directly prove the situation of the first edition of A Study in Scarlet.”

“Yes, the defense requests to present new evidence————————”

“Evidence [Oki Ayako’s autopsy report]!”

At this moment, whether it is Prosecutor Sugiura or Inspector Shiratori at the testimony desk.

They all showed shocked expressions on their faces, and spoke in unison.

“What? This piece of evidence can prove the situation of “A Study in Scarlet”?”

(End of this chapter)