Saihara's POV:

When I stepped into the car, a coffee was quickly forced into my hands as I held onto the cup desperate for anything to fight against the chills of the outside. The coffee smelled faintly of hazelnut, as I took some big sips trying to get as much energy as possible cursing myself for not taking the extra time I had to take a small nap beforehand. "Is he still in town?" I asked in between sips, my father nodded "lucky for us he seems to care more about his material possessions than his freedom" he answered in relief. 

"Do you think he will confess though? If he's gotten away with it for this long then clearly he knows how to handle the police at least a little bit" I brought up biting my lip nervously. "That also has the potential to make him cocky, and he was dealing with your Uncle, and I think we both can agree I'm not so easily swayed" my father retorted. His antagonism was clear though, but for who I couldn't tell anymore. Uncle...Uncle, why does it always have to go back to you? Is it wrong if I hope you didn't know anything about this...?  

The car approached the town hall parking right in front of the long staircase. The town hall was an old building and had the appearance of something almost churchlike with the cream-colored walls and the tall taunting structured. My father didn't even wait for me to follow him, and I realized only then he might not have even had on his seatbelt. 

Without skipping a beat I quickly followed after my father, running up the stairs two at a time as we slowly fell into a calm stroll into the building. No security guards tried to stop us as we entered the lavish building, even the usual security protocols seemed ignored as they nodded their heads to us in respect. It seemed all loyalty had long since disappeared as we entered the chambers. 

The carpet was a moldy green color in desperate need of cleaning, the walls matching the same dull creamed color covered with photographs of previous mayors and the town as it slowly developed into what was seen today. However if maybe arrogantly was also the large gold-framed photograph of a young man, the photo was black and white but seemed to be a stylistic rather than a technical choice as they wore a fitted suit in that very same office smiling at the camera as if trying to resemble an American president. Sitting in that same velvet chair, one that creaked with movement and seemed close to falling apart was that same man-but much much older. With balding grey hair and a more bloated physique, still in those same crisp suits was the mayor. He glanced at us with a slightly annoyed expression as he sighed leaning back in the chair.

"To what do I owe this unexpected visit, detective Saihara?" the mayor greeted with empty praise glancing in my direction. His eyes seemed to burrow into my soul, searching for anything to set me on edge. I took another deep breath through my nose, trying not to let him get his minor victory. But the way he smiled slightly at this reaction made me wonder if my avoidance ended up letting him win anyway.  "I'd like to pass on the pleasantries sir," I told him sternly, "we have a warrant for the investigation of this office, and we'd like to question you as well about the DICE case" my father quickly cut in, shooting me a warning look as I took a deep breath trying to regain control of my temper.

"An interrogation? Hasn't this been requested more than once already Meiji?" the mayor asked with a tired expression and even yawning a bit, "would you rather I arrest you right now then?" my father threatened. "With what crime though dear detective? It may come as a shock to you but I have committed no crime. All I've ever done was work hard for my city, work to help us overcome tragedy and misfortune time and time again. Though I do feel some remorse, how was I supposed to know that the story was wrong?" the mayor confessed with such an entitled voice, and even though he was smaller than my father he looked down on him in his eyes. He sat in his chair as if it was a throne, and as if he was the one interrogating and not the other way around. 

"Because the case now has claimed a new victim, one much more recent" I explained, the mayor turned to me with an amused expression with the way his mouth was curled. But in his eyes, there was some apprehension, and as if uncomfortable he straightened his posture more. "A new victim?" he repeated. "Inoue Botan, or should I say Hojo Botan?" I answered as the man froze.

"The shopkeeper who ran the Taro Quick Market, he went missing months ago so of course, we began the case. His son claimed his father had gone missing when he was about to go meet someone...and do you know who was the one who called the Inoue household?" I pressured. He didn't answer but seemed to be biting his tongue yet kept fighting to keep an equal level head. "looking at the call history was strange, to say the least...until you look into Inoue's history. He had a name change five months after the DICE case. He had a name change when the rumors began of what he did to neighborhood girls...but before that his family name was Hojo. 

"Botan Hojo is your son, isn't he?" I asked with a calm voice keeping my volume low yet audible to not appear to be pressuring him more. He wasn't allowed to say I was pressuring him or using malpractice. "So what if he is?" the mayor asked quickly, small beads of sweat on his forehead. "It doesn't prove anything!" he quickly added and smiled nodding to himself repeating the mantra to himself. 

"You're right, it wouldn't. But the car saved where he was the heading-the car he was taking to meet this person. And that car was heading here" I admitted as I continued my tone, in his eyes, the mayor looked frightened but my father glanced at me with a glint of pride hidden behind his professional stance that was now part of his very being.  "So why would Inoue try to see you? And what prompted you to call the Inoue house hours into his disappearance-before his son even knew he was missing?" I asked as I pressured further. "Can't a father just invite his son over for a chat?" he argued.

"No, but it's strange when half the people in the town council interviewed didn't even know he was your son" I interjected. "So what led you to invite Inoue over, we're not saying you're the reason behind his disappearance. But I'm sure you would want to help in any way up can get your son home" my father phrased carefully cornering the man. The mayor looked frightened and torn, on one hand, if he fought against this claim his whole argument about inviting Inoue over for no reason would fall apart. But if he did accept to share more information, then came the risk of revealing something. 

We would have to bet on that slip-up.

"It was never meant to last this long" the mayor finally said with a deep sigh, "this case...I never expected the media to have paid this much attention...you know what? I'm a reasonable guy, and I believe you are as well men. Maybe we can work out an arrangement?" he bargained, his voice level and cool yet oddly snakelike. He was playing the clear role of the businessman, as he grinned at us with a cocky smile. "Does this mean you confess to your involvement with the DICE case?" I phrased it carefully.

"Depends, what am I being accused of?" the mayor fired back his eyes narrowing down on me sizing me up again. Now he was trying to turn the tables, but I took another deep breath. "What do you believe you're being accused of?" I inquired. "I believe I am being accused of something nefarious when I assure you I have done nothing of the sort. I don't know what or who might've tried to tell you the contrary, but I assure you I've never hurt any of those students" he answered in a deafening voice.

"Funny, I don't believe Shuichi ever mentioned you being accused of hurting anyone," my father said in a slightly cynical tone. The mayor's eyes widened, "No, no wait. You can't spin this, you know what I meant. It's what you've all been saying! Everyone in this good-for-nothing cesspool ever since this case begun has been breathing down my neck about this. To be honest I'm quite tired of this false narrative you are spinning." the mayor quickly ranted, the frustration quickly building up in his face as he started going red. 

"All we want to know is your take on the events of the past, you declined our initial interviews and I'm sure your insight will help shed light. If you claim that these narratives are at fault, then tell me. Tell me here and now how and why things have turned out like this? For what reasons are you being falsely accused?" my father offered, his eyes shining with a stoic tone. 

The mayor froze as his eyes seemed to dart across the room, clearly looking for any way out of the room...before his eyes widened in a small realization and his lips curled into a tight smile. "Fine. Have it your way then, I did place an order all those years ago. I did play a role, but once again I assure you-I never killed any of those rotten children." the mayor confessed finally. There wasn't any sort of relaxation in his muscles though, as if the great weight that hung down on those shoulders had never once been guilt or remorse for DICE. It wasn't surprising, but it was concerning. "So what exactly did you do then? What does make you involved?" my father pushed further despite the control he had in his voice his hunched-up shoulders shaking with tension told another story entirely.

"I called in a favor. And that favor ended up more...bloody than I ever could have imagined. Funny how you should cause me though, of having anything to do with the disappearance of my son. Because the thing here is, I was inviting my son to protect and warn him. Never to hurt him, he didn't even make it here-you said so yourself. It turns out the devil has his eyes on you two, and he is not pleased with the amount of information that has gone out lately. Shame, how everything falls apart when you finally move on from the past" the mayor monologues with a faraway look in his eyes. "So, what did he do then? What was the favor?" I asked.

"Murder. Wasn't what I asked for, I asked for him to take care of the trouble makers. Those kids even destroyed my son's store a while before their deaths. So you can't say it was completely unprovoked. I didn't know it was going to result in death though when I said I wanted them to learn a lesson. Perhaps I need to work on my phrasing more" the mayor guessed lightly as if this light error was something simple and not as powerful as murder. As if he didn't just confess to letting a serial killer go loose in town, and covering it up rather than seek any kind of plea deal all those years ago. 

It was long too late for any kind of bargaining though, far too gone for anyone to see him as someone who truly didn't know what he signed over that day. He knew what he had done, and did his best to hide that. 

"That's more than enough information, Hojo Momotaro you are under arrest for assisted murder, slandering, assistance in the abuse of a minor, and diversion of justice. You have the right to remain silent and to have a lawyer represent you in a court of law" I told him immediately as I reached for my side only to see my father already prepared with handcuffs. The mayor looked at us surprised, "you won't be able to do anything, you don't have any proof for this!" he quickly argued.

"See that's the problem...because the courthouse is public property. And even if it wasn't covered under this, this warrant allows us a full search of your belongings. That includes what you have on that laptop and phone over there, along with the security camera footage. You also gave your consent to an interview..." I revealed, his eyes went wide like a does as I finally opened my vest slightly my father this time smirking proudly. A small thin wire connected to an audio device. "You were being recorded this entire interview, and by the court of law we do have the right to use this in a fair trial, as not once did you ever ask for a lawyer, and this wasn't a forced confession," I told him. "Usually we wouldn't use such methods, they always seem to not be well-favored...but I think we can make an exception with you" I concluded.

The mayor looked at me unfazed as he slowly rose from his chair, the chair squeaking against the floor as he without any further prodding raised his hands above his head as he kneeled to the floor where my father promptly put on the handcuffs. The man stared at me with such venom that I had no doubt they would haunt my dreams tonight. Eager to escape the situation I quickly opened the door and allowed more officers in, who quickly approached the mayor to take him away...as the man shot one last glance at me.

And he laughed with ominous glee. 

Before I could think of going after him the wooden door slammed behind him, leaving the open space with a booming silence in its wake. I turned away from the door as I saw my father already opening the computer on the desk searching through it like a hungry lioness. "What are you looking at?" I asked surprised he was already searching through the computer. Usually, he would insist we search the physical location and allow someone else to handle the brunt of work that came with searching the computers, but the way he was madly typing meant he thought there was something.  Finally, he leaned back in the chair a bit before turning to me. 

"Looking for emails between him, and any suspects he had. Looking for emails recently that might've suggested his recent behavior and near fleeing of the scene, and I think I have it. I don't know why we didn't consider this sooner...there just wasn't enough evidence and with one of the key witnesses dying..." he rambled to himself. "Who? The killer?" I pressed further trying to figure out who was the culprit and how they managed to stump my father. "Asahi Ouma" my father answered as he turned over the computer screen allowing me to read the email for myself.

My Dear Friend,

It's been such a long time since we last saw each other, I assume the troubling times afloat have been affecting you negatively. I can only offer you my strength and hospitality when the time comes that you must distance yourself further. Though I must implore you to come and visit soon. The mountains are so beautiful at this time of year, it feels as though the landscape has come alive again and is quite a lonely experience till some recent changes.

Yes, I admit this visit is out of selfishness. I've recently been paid a gracious visit by my son, who you know more than enough about from my ramblings. Yet despite this, he has never seen you, my dear friend. If it's not too much trouble, would you come to the mountains this weekend? There is said to be some shooting stars spectacle, ones that won't be so nicely seen in the city. It gets so suffocating in that space, and I don't know how you survive the summer. I would burn alive!

Hope to hear from you soon,

Ouma Asahi

"Ouma's father? But how...wouldn't Ouma's mother have reported something if she figured out her husband was behind her son's attempted murder?" I quickly pushed, "perhaps this is an alias" I suggested but my father shook his head. "Kokichi Ouma was mute for several years following what happened to him, and that was without probing into what happened. Whether Kokoro Ouma knew the truth or not is also up for debate, she might have believed just like the other parents did that her son did attempt suicide Shuichi. Especially due to records from your aunt personally testifying that Kokoro Ouma did not actively participate in her son's school life, or at least never in person. So she wouldn't have ever seen Asahi if he was there, thus not knowing the truth...not even on her death bed did she likely know what happened to her son" my father countered as I bit my tongue.

"But...if he's being honest about having his son...then that means the one who kidnapped Ouma was him, and that also means that for a year now Ouma has been abducted by his attempted murderer" I spoke quietly not wanting the horrifying reality to kick in. "But it also could mean that Kokichi Ouma is still alive, for what reasons we don't know. But if in this carefully worded email Asahi Ouma deemed it important enough to mention his son being with him, then that must mean that for now, Kokichi Ouma is still alive. But likely not for much longer" my father told me.

"The email...the wording! Why else would the Mayor flee with all his valuables? It was out of nowhere till this email wasn't it? Doesn't that mean that the substitute has something planned? This might have been a warning not an invitation, father...father you don't think he intends to harm the town, do you? Surely he doesn't have enough firepower to be able to wreak that amount of havoc without any of us noticing?" I reasoned trying to wrap my head around what exactly Asahi Ouma could have planned.

"There isn't enough information, something about this alludes me to the use of fire...but other than that I have nothing. I can think about it some more, but it's Friday morning Shuichi which means we likely have only a few more hours to figure out whatever this man had planned." my father told me as he quickly cursed. "Damn it...there isn't any information on that man before...if we just had any proof or some kind of..." my father cursed as we both turned our heads to the sound of a creaking door.

"How would a license plate number do?" my Uncle asked holding a floppy disk in his hands. "What?" I cried out in disbelief, "the Kiibo Idabashi case, whoever kidnapped Kokichi Ouma would've been the same one to kill Kiibo? At least that's what your father told me your hypothesis was...well if it was Asahi Ouma. Then I have his license plate number caught in this security tape, it has been slightly covered up so you can't make out the actual murder but he slipped up, got too messy. I can see the license plate number even through the mess of paint" my Uncle shared eagerly as I felt my jaw drop and my father quickly confiscated it for himself mumbling out the numbers as he began texting the interns to locate a place of residence for the car. 

"Uncle..." I breathed out in disbelief, "you came around..." I said still trying to wrap my head around such a sudden change as my Uncle gave me a sad look. "Someone reminded me, of what I still have left to protect. And if you insist on going into danger cause every god knows your father won't stop you...then I'll go in with you" my Uncle said.

"Thank you," I told him genuinely as I smiled more than I might have in weeks as my Uncle sighed. "Retirement sounds perfect now though..." he jokingly mumbled as I laughed.