Murder At The Rainy Mansion ~The Never Ending 100 Tales~

Chapter 15: Detective, this is a locked-room murder

This mansion feels creepy as always. Where the hell did Tanimoto go? Shimizu complained inwardly as he wandered around the Rainy Mansion.

After interviewing a few of the residents, Tanimoto had told Shimizu that he wanted to look for Ayano to see if there was anyone else living in the mansion. Can’t you just ask Nobuko-san or the other housekeepers? Shimizu thought quietly. It was pretty obvious that Tanimoto was just making excuse to see Hayase Ayano.

Well, it is the daughter of Chizuru Hayase after all. When Shimizu recalled how gorgeous Chizuru was, he felt Ayano must be as beautiful as her mother. While he was thinking about this matter, he saw Tanimoto talking sheepishly to a young girl in the wide hallway in front of the entrance.

The girl was beautiful and had a neat appearance, but her face lack expression in contrast to Tanimoto who was acting nervous.

Is that Hayase Ayano? Shimizu felt she looked like the exact opposite type from Chizuru. There were many rumors about Chizuru’s love affairs, so Shimizu assumed maybe Ayano had learnt from her mother’s bad example and became the way she was.

Shimizu: “Tanimoto.”

Both Tanimoto and Ayano turned around and looked at Shimizu.

“Huh- Shimizu-san!” Tanimoto replied in a panic. He must have thought that Shimizu had saw him flirting with Hayase Ayano.

Meanwhile, Ayano maintained perfect composure while casting a glance at Shimizu like she was appraising him. When Shimizu saw her sharp glare, he felt she possessed the aura of the perfect person to inherit the Rainy Mansion.

However, when Shimizu walked up to her, Ayano calmly said to him, “Detective, this is a locked-room murder.”

…Locked-room?

Shimizu: “Isn’t Yamamura Tatsuo killed at the rooftop?”

Ayano: “Yes. But there are people watching the east and west staircases around the clock. You need to use either staircase to get to the rooftop. At the time of the crime, the rooftop can be considered as a locked-room.”

Although she had a plain appearance unlike her mother, Shimizu thought she had inherited her mother’s wise personality. He didn’t expect such ridiculous words from her. Even so, he still felt she was similar to her mother.

Shimizu: “Who are guarding the staircases?”

Ayano: “There is a ghost guarding the staircase at the east side. Every time someone use the stairs, he will warn them by saying you will fall down. There’s no way the ghost would overlook someone. Even when I went to the toilet at night or when I was in a hurry, the ghost always warns me by saying you will fall down. As for the staircase at the west side—”

“Shimizu, you’re still here?” Sudo Toru who was still walking back and forth at the hallway called out to Shimizu with a smile.

Ayano: “—it was Uncle Toru. Shimizu-san, you’re an old friend of Uncle Toru, right? Uncle Toru said he didn’t saw anyone.”

“So, it was you…” Shimizu said to Toru.

Tanimoto, who was standing by their side asked, “Shimizu-san, who are you talking to?”

Toru looked at Tanimoto and laughed. “Huh? He can’t see me? What a useless person. In this Rainy Mansion, both the living and the dead are the same. If you can’t see both, then how are you going to solve the case?”

Tanimoto couldn’t hear Toru’s voice, so he spoke to Shimizu at the same time, “Shimizu-san. Could it be… you can see ghost?”

Ayano interrupted him and said to Shimizu, “You see. There are ghosts everywhere watching the entrance to the rooftop. Shimizu-san, this is a locked-room murder.”

Ayano, Toru and Tanimoto was talking simultaneously at Shimizu making him felt helpless. “People who are still alive, please speak up one at a time,” he complained. He could feel the storm of chaos coming his way.