Ishi No Mayu (石の繭 / Stone's Cocoon)

Previously on Stone's Cocoon

There will be a third victim.

You mean you still have someone to take revenge on?

Continue the investigation on Akishima case. We must not allow a third murder.

It's just that because of my father's fault, if Masato commited this crime.

Your father was acting on a cop's instincts.

This pretty much confirms Toremi is Masato, doesn't it?

It's suicide. He jumped from a mansion's rooftop near his house.

This sound was edited.

It wasn't suicide but a murder.

Stone's Cocoon Episode 4

This is my theory.

First of all, Takaaki

Most probably investigated the kidnap case on his own.

Why do you think so?

Do you still remember his line in the recording?

'It's their fault that you died.'

It's their fault that you died.

'Their'

By saying 'their', doesn't it sound like he investigated someone?

Judging from the way he said it, yes.

The result from Takaaki's investigation

Led him to find out Abe and Izawa's involvement.

Abe

Izawa

Then he most probably discovered a third accomplice.

However when he got closer to the truth,

The criminal gang found out about his actions.

So

In order to silence him

He was attacked.

Here.

Good, there's enough for two. I'm taking this.

Here.

But

Even the police couldn't find out the truth,

Could a normal citizen like Takaaki been able to?

It's certainly doubtful.

But

Takaaki had a lot of time.

He already met one of the kidnappers at the restaurant.

Listening to Masato's account

Might have triggered some forgotten memories about the case as well.

If that's the case, shouldn't he pass the new information to the police?

He didn't trust the police.

Then

I think Takaaki wrote what he found out in the notebook.

The notebook Masato was holding by his side?

After Takaaki's death, Masato read the content and knew about the truth.

The only thing missing was the third accomplice.

Since his father died, Masato began his own investigation.

He found the third accomplice and schemed his revenge.

The vengeance passed on from father to son.

Let's go. -Yes.

Regarding Takaaki's body

We can see the dirt from the rooftop smeared on the shirt.

But if he was just looking down, the dirt shouldn't stick to the shirt.

Even if so, the dirt should only be on the chest.

In order for the dirt to be on the abdomen

Someone must have pushed him with force as seen in this setup.

If this was the case, then it's possible Takaaki was murdered.

We suspect this is connected to the case 17 years ago.

Which team is investigating Takaaki's suicide?

Yes!

Is there possibility of a murder?

The investigation was indeed imperfect but he left a suicide note.

There was also the testament.

A suicide note written with a typewriter with no signature?

But the voice was his in the recording.

It was discovered to be edited by the forensics.

The last line by Takaaki too.

Me too eventually...like Wakako

The recording ended abruptly but...

What was he really talking about?

Sergeant Nemoto

What do you think?

Didn't he mean to die like Wakako by commiting suicide?

But

Wakako didn't commit suicide, did she?

Isn't it normal to think Wakako was murdered?

Keeping that in mind

'Me too eventually...'

'Like Wakako...'

'Will be killed.'

Don't you think that was how it should continue?

That's just a speculation, isn't it? -But

The reliability of the recording has dropped, hasn't it?

Lastly

Takaaki was lying dead on the flower bed.

The flowers seemed to have been messed up.

But

This flower bed was built by Takaaki himself.

Takaaki was quite happy with it.

He would call his customers to come see it too.

Would he really

Fall on top

Of something like that?

There are people like that, aren't there?

People who want to die surounded by something they like.

Would you destroy something you like?

Since just now you've been speculating without concrete evidence.

These are just your assumptions, aren't they?

That time, it's been decided to be a suicide.

It's already been 17 years you know!

There are no more evidence left.

What else can we do at this point?

You're just selfishly creating theories on your own.

We still have a lot of things to deal with here.

We're not free to play reasoning games with you.

If you're investigating with the mindset of giving up from the beginning

You can be off this case.

I'm sorry.

If it was a murder

Who did it?

Based on my reasoning,

People who appear together with Takaaki on the rooftop

Should at least be someone who knew Takaaki liked to watch the flower bed from there.

In other words

I think it was someone close to Takaaki.

And

That person

Might be the third accomplice.

About the press conference Toremi demanded.

It'll be held tomorrow at 10pm.

Well

As to what I'll say,

The victims might be connected with a case from the past.

Because of that, we're still conducting the investigation.

Well, that's how it will go.

But will Toremi be content with that?

I don't know.

Tomorrow when Toremi calls,

If he asks about that,

Can you try your best to appease him?

I understand.

Tomorrow we're going to issue the arrest warrant for Yaginuma Masato.

Really? -Yes.

We can not allow a third victim to appear.

No matter what

I'm counting on you to not let him run wild.

'Run wild'...you mean

He might endanger someone not related to the case?

No

I think it should be fine.

His targets are the criminals 17 years ago.

As for both Izawa and Abe,

He's only punishing them for what they did to his mother.

Toremi should be a man of principle.

He won't just simply hurt anyone.

I understand.

The only one who can calm him down

is you, Kisaragi.

We must prevent the third case

and catch him.

Yes.

Dig in. -I humbly partake!

Welcome. -Ah...are they in?

Yup.

Is cappuccino okay? -Yes, please.

Ah...Toko-chan, Toko-chan..come.

That guy just now, he doesn't even know this.

Don't fuss over trivial things.

You're right.

Yesterday when I was cleaning the house, I found this.

After Isao retired, he wrote mini essays for this compilation. Do you remember?

I thought you might want to keep it.

'The boring life of a retired police'

My father wrote this?

Yeah.

Isao visited places connected to unsolved cases.

He wrote down his feelings in them.

Eh..this -Hm?

Ah...

17 years ago... -Do you know this case?

Of course. Isao was injured from this case, wasn't he?

Even though he used the title 'boring',

I think it's the opposite.

What do you mean?

I think Isao was serious

and wanted to solve that case.

He didn't just go to the crime scene

He also met the people involved in the case.

I think he should have summarized his findings somewhere.

I see.

Those documents might still be at home.

I think Atsuko-san should still keep

Isao's belongings.

I'll ask Mum about it. -Yeah.

To Mum Do we still have Dad's documents about his unsolved cases? If yes, please send them over.

If the bones belonged to Wakako

Then the kidnappers hardened her body with mortar, didn't they?

After they corroded, only the bones were left.

If that's the case

The form of the victims' bodies can now be linked.

Yeah, that's an interesting theory.

Kisaragi

Let us hear your theory.

Eh?

Why do you look surprised?

You're also a part of this murder analysis team.