could also have been Ellery or Leroux, who came up with the plan for the trip. Or you, Carr, might be the one who had been waiting for the perfect chance to execute your plans. If we’re just arguing possibilities, we could go on for ages.’
‘Poe’s right,’ said Agatha. ‘This argument isn’t going anywhere.’
‘Also,’ said Poe as he calmly puffed smoke out of his mouth, ‘you all assume that those plates were indicating a murder, but don’t you think that’s just nonsense? All of us love the game called mystery fiction and we’re gathered on an island with a bloody backstory. Why can’t you just consider those plates a part of the whole picture?’
Poe then expounded on the theory he’d proposed to Van in his room that afternoon.
‘That’s it, Poe!’
Leroux clapped his hands excitedly.
‘Salt in our coffee?’
Ellery put both his hands on his head and leaned backwards on his chair.
‘If this really ends with a pinch of salt, I’ll take my hat off to our criminal for his sense of humour.’
‘Glad you all can still be so optimistic.’
Carr stood up with a sullen look and stormed back to his own room. Van said “goodnight” in a hoarse voice and he, too, disappeared into his room.
‘I’m curious as to the identity of our murderer.’
Agatha smiled at Orczy.
‘Ye—yes,’ replied Orczy with downcast eyes.
Ellery took the blue bicycle cards out of his pocket and fanned them out on the table.
‘Alright, who shall “The First Victim” be? This game has become interesting.’
It might have been simply a flight from fear . Every one of them had felt relieved by Poe’s theory. The choking anxiety that had hung in the air since the morning had suddenly been dispersed.
However, there was one person on the island who knew that the words on the plates meant exactly what they said.
CHAPTER FOUR: THE SECOND DAY ON THE MAINLAND
1
The car went west on National Route 10.
Kawaminami would occasionally steal a glance at Shimada Kiyoshi, sitting in the driver’s seat behind the steering wheel. With every glance, Kawaminami needed to suppress the urge to burst out laughing. The car this third son of a Buddhist priest was driving was a red Familia. In contrast to the jeans and sweater outfit of yesterday, Shimada was wearing a dark grey suit and sporting a pair of fancy saxe-blue sunglasses. The mismatched items strangely managed to come together, however, thanks to Shimada’s personality.
The first name of the missing gardener’s wife, Yoshikawa, was Masako and she was still living in Ajimu, according to Shimada. He had managed to find out her address that morning and had made an appointment with her for the same afternoon.
The car had left Beppu in the direction of the mountains and passed through the Myōban Hot Spring area.
Tent-like structures made of straw could be seen on both sides of the small road. Smoke rose through gaps in the straw. The inhabitants were looking for mineral salt left by dried-up hot springs. The salt, known as “hot water flowers,” was used as a bathwater additive.
They finally reached the slope which would lead them down into the Usa district.
‘And how did your work go, Conan?’ asked Shimada.
‘Ah, sorry, I haven’t told you yet.’
Kawaminami, who had been leaning on the passenger side window watching the scenery go by, scratched his head and straightened up in his seat.
‘There were some I couldn’t get hold of, but I think we can safely assume that everyone who was at the after-after-party has received the letter.’
‘Okay. And how many of them have gone to the island?’
‘Some of them live on their own, so I’m not sure, but probably all of them except for Morisu and me, who left the party early.’
‘That suggests that something really is going on.’
‘I agree. But I think Morisu would challenge that assumption and say that we might be looking at it from the wrong end.’
‘The wrong end?’
‘Yes.
‘Poe’s right,’ said Agatha. ‘This argument isn’t going anywhere.’
‘Also,’ said Poe as he calmly puffed smoke out of his mouth, ‘you all assume that those plates were indicating a murder, but don’t you think that’s just nonsense? All of us love the game called mystery fiction and we’re gathered on an island with a bloody backstory. Why can’t you just consider those plates a part of the whole picture?’
Poe then expounded on the theory he’d proposed to Van in his room that afternoon.
‘That’s it, Poe!’
Leroux clapped his hands excitedly.
‘Salt in our coffee?’
Ellery put both his hands on his head and leaned backwards on his chair.
‘If this really ends with a pinch of salt, I’ll take my hat off to our criminal for his sense of humour.’
‘Glad you all can still be so optimistic.’
Carr stood up with a sullen look and stormed back to his own room. Van said “goodnight” in a hoarse voice and he, too, disappeared into his room.
‘I’m curious as to the identity of our murderer.’
Agatha smiled at Orczy.
‘Ye—yes,’ replied Orczy with downcast eyes.
Ellery took the blue bicycle cards out of his pocket and fanned them out on the table.
‘Alright, who shall “The First Victim” be? This game has become interesting.’
It might have been simply a flight from fear . Every one of them had felt relieved by Poe’s theory. The choking anxiety that had hung in the air since the morning had suddenly been dispersed.
However, there was one person on the island who knew that the words on the plates meant exactly what they said.
CHAPTER FOUR: THE SECOND DAY ON THE MAINLAND
1
The car went west on National Route 10.
Kawaminami would occasionally steal a glance at Shimada Kiyoshi, sitting in the driver’s seat behind the steering wheel. With every glance, Kawaminami needed to suppress the urge to burst out laughing. The car this third son of a Buddhist priest was driving was a red Familia. In contrast to the jeans and sweater outfit of yesterday, Shimada was wearing a dark grey suit and sporting a pair of fancy saxe-blue sunglasses. The mismatched items strangely managed to come together, however, thanks to Shimada’s personality.
The first name of the missing gardener’s wife, Yoshikawa, was Masako and she was still living in Ajimu, according to Shimada. He had managed to find out her address that morning and had made an appointment with her for the same afternoon.
The car had left Beppu in the direction of the mountains and passed through the Myōban Hot Spring area.
Tent-like structures made of straw could be seen on both sides of the small road. Smoke rose through gaps in the straw. The inhabitants were looking for mineral salt left by dried-up hot springs. The salt, known as “hot water flowers,” was used as a bathwater additive.
They finally reached the slope which would lead them down into the Usa district.
‘And how did your work go, Conan?’ asked Shimada.
‘Ah, sorry, I haven’t told you yet.’
Kawaminami, who had been leaning on the passenger side window watching the scenery go by, scratched his head and straightened up in his seat.
‘There were some I couldn’t get hold of, but I think we can safely assume that everyone who was at the after-after-party has received the letter.’
‘Okay. And how many of them have gone to the island?’
‘Some of them live on their own, so I’m not sure, but probably all of them except for Morisu and me, who left the party early.’
‘That suggests that something really is going on.’
‘I agree. But I think Morisu would challenge that assumption and say that we might be looking at it from the wrong end.’
‘The wrong end?’
‘Yes.
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