Chapter 452: Gao Yuan’s attempt to prove his alibi
In the banquet hall, after the art supervisor was very sure that Miss Hualian was still alive at 9:03, Hualian's sister Meimei also continued to talk:
"Xinyi Xian and I, before the official performance, around... around 8:45, we also went to the elevator room to look for Hualien. At that time, there was no sign of Hualien anywhere."
Meimei looked at Shinichi and then said to Officer Megure.
"Is that so? Shinichi?"
Officer Megure couldn't help but ask Shinichi for confirmation.
"Yes, it should be that time."
Xinyi nodded and replied.
"Then, please tell me in detail what happened to Hua Lian three minutes before the official performance."
Officer Megure asked the art director again.
"OK."
The art director nodded and answered:
"I walked from the stage to the lift platform again. I don't know when Miss Hualian was already there. At that time, I said to Miss Hualian, 'Miss Hualian, are you ready?' After that, I sat alone.
Miss Hualian on the lift platform waved to me."
"Did Miss Hualian bring the wires herself?"
Officer Megure asked.
"Yes, she brought the wires herself during the rehearsal, so we had no chance to help her."
The art director said with some frustration.
"So... did he do anything weird when he waved?"
After listening to the technical supervisor's description, Shinichi couldn't help but think about it and asked.
"No……"
The art director thought for a moment, then shook his head with conviction and said:
"I don't think there's anything wrong."
"Is it possible that Miss Hualian was already dead at that time?"
At this moment, Shinichi suddenly said something shocking.
"Why?"
Upon hearing this, the art director was immediately startled.
"You can see it just by looking at Miss Hualian's wrist."
Shinichi pointed to the kite string tied to Hualian's wrist and couldn't help but say:
"There must be a kite string tied to it. Is it possible that someone in the elevator room, out of sight, pulled the kite string, which made you think it was Miss Hualien herself waving?"
"this……"
Hearing this, the art director's face shed panic sweat:
"Because it was very dark in the elevator room and I was in a hurry...I didn't notice such a small thing...but I never thought about the fact that she might be dead!"
As he talked, the art director became a little incoherent.
"Well, if you just wave your hand, you can do it easily with this thread."
Officer Mumu looked at the kite string tied to Hualian's wrist, nodded thoughtfully, and affirmed.
"Yes. In this way, everyone really saw Miss Hualien alive when she said she was going to take a shower and left the stage temporarily. It should be around half past eight, right?"
Shinichi explained.
"Hmm... It seems, yes."
After hearing Shinichi's words, the art director and the people around him couldn't help but nodded.
"So, I think it would be better to expand the scope of the investigation to people who have no alibi between 8:30 and 9:03."
Shinichi suggested to Officer Megure.
"I see."
Officer Megure nodded to Shinichi, then looked at the other people around him:
"Well, I'm very sorry. First of all, starting with my mother, Meiling, please tell me where and what you did between half past eight and three past nine."
"OK……"
When asked like this, Mei Ling, who was no longer as crazy as before, replied with some sadness:
"At that time, after Meimei called me and told me about Hualian's disappearance, I tried my best to find her."
"Can anyone prove this?"
Officer Megure asked.
"No……"
Mei Ling shook her head in confusion, but then thought of something again and couldn't help but say:
"No. After I went to her suite on the 20th floor to look for Hualien, and because I heard Meimei say that I had found Hualien, I happily went downstairs to watch her performance. But I happened to be in the elevator.
I met the old gentleman, and he praised the cake as very delicious, so I gave him all the remaining cakes... Before that, I had been upstairs... Does this count?
"
Mei Ling said, pointing to Dr. Ali who was standing aside.
"Ah, indeed."
Dr. A Li couldn't help but smile awkwardly:
"I really missed the taste of that cake, so I wanted to ask if there were any leftover cakes. As I was going upstairs, I happened to meet Ms. Meiling... It must have been after nine o'clock at that time."
"That's it..."
Officer Memu couldn't help but said:
"But unfortunately, this can only prove that Ms. Meiling was upstairs during that short period of time. It is still a bit far-fetched to prove the alibi for that entire period... However, my sister went there again at that time
Where is it?"
As he said that, Officer Memu looked at Meimei.
"Because my mother went to Hualien's lounge to look for her, I mainly looked behind the stage."
Meimei couldn't help lowering her head and said sadly.
"I see, you guys acted separately... It's a pity that you guys don't have a clear alibi."
Officer Megure said with a slightly apologetic tone, then slowly took out a rolled-up weekly magazine from his jacket pocket, looked at Meiling and explained:
"Ms. Meiling, actually my subordinates accidentally saw the report about Hualien in the weekly magazine that was sold this morning..."
With that said, Officer Memu unfolded the magazine and saw the title "Miss Zefeng's most promising candidate - Shou Hualian's private life!" prominently written on the cover.
"Judging from this report, Hualien's clothing colors, makeup, diet, and even daily life are all managed by you, right?"
Officer Megure asked seriously.
——"It's all...and that cake recipe?"
Hearing this, Xinyi blurted out unconsciously, but soon realized that the situation was not right. Fortunately, the voice was too low so that Mei Ling, who was being questioned, could not hear it.
Dr. Ali on the side couldn't help but stepped forward and whispered to Shinichi:
"Shinichi, actually, that cake recipe seems to have been sold to a pastry shop in Yamate. Because we signed an agreement, we can't tell us. However, cakes made with that recipe will be sold in that pastry shop under the name of Hualien in the near future.
sell."
Hearing this, Shinichi couldn't help but feel happy and whispered:
"Then, as long as you go to that pastry shop to buy cakes and eat them, you can always change back!"
"What you think is too beautiful."
At this moment, Shiho, who didn't know when he walked up to Shinichi, said coldly, as if pouring cold water on Shinichi's head:
"Just like white dry wine, I'm afraid your body will soon become resistant to this cake."
In response, Shinichi couldn't help but roll his eyes at Shiho, and didn't pay much attention to her. He continued to watch Officer Megure's questioning of everyone present.
On the side, Sonoko saw Shiho suddenly come in and was whispering to Shinichi. He couldn't help but grabbed Xiaolan beside him and reminded him quietly:
"Hey! Xiaolan, although Miss Haili is Mr. Akechi's classmate, but seeing how she behaves with Shinichi, you have to be careful. After all, compared to Mr. Akechi, Shinichi's ability to deceive girls is much better.
It’s too high.”
"Yuanzi, what are you talking about!"
When Xiaolan heard Yuanzi's words, she couldn't help but responded:
"Actually, I saw Mr. Akechi and Miss Hailey just now..."
As she said that, Xiaolan couldn't help but lean into Yuanzi's ear and tell her about the scene she just saw in the kitchen...
…
At this time, in the "women's dressing room" on the 18th floor, Gao Yuan, dressed as Shuichi Akai, was facing the mirror and applying eye makeup on himself——
After all, what Shiho said is right. Even if you cover most of your face with a mask, it's still too easy to be seen through if your eyes don't look the same.
Therefore, Gao Yuan is now trying to make up his eyes to look like Shuichi Akai.
However, since he did not have a photo of Akai Shuichi, Gao Yuan could only try to come——
The template for trying makeup is the photo of "Taiko celebrity", Haneda Hideyoshi!
After all, as the younger brother of Akai Shuichi, there are probably similarities in appearance that can be used as a reference. Moreover, it is much easier to find photos of Haneda Hideyoshi than photos of Akai Shuichi!