Chapter 248: Nilou's Stage Requirements
There were three suspects in total, and as far as Natsume was concerned, Barbara was definitively out of the question.
Based on Mizuno Ai's earlier testimony, Barbara had only expressed a flicker of professional jealousy towards Nilou, with no real malice behind it. Natsume sized her up; she simply didn't have the disposition for something so malicious.
That left Murata Yoko. In Natsume's eyes, she was by far the most suspicious of the three.
As if on cue, Heiji Hattori's sharp gaze landed on the woman. "You said you left after seeing the practice room was empty," he pressed, his eyes narrowing slightly. "The layout in there is simple; a single glance is all it takes to see if anyone's inside. So why did the surveillance footage show you stayed in that room for a full five minutes? What were you doing in there besides 'looking for someone'?"
Murata Yoko flinched, visibly uncomfortable under the detective's piercing stare. She stammered, her gaze darting away. "I... I was feeling a bit down at the time, and I was worried it would affect my performance later. When I saw the room was empty, I just... stayed for a little longer to compose myself."
"I see," Heiji nodded slowly, then shot a meaningful look at Conan, who returned it with a thoughtful frown.
At that moment, Kamisato Ayaka stepped forward, her presence a calming counterpoint to the tense interrogation. "Miss Murata, if I may," she began, her voice gentle but firm. "I would like to ask about the disagreement you had with Nilou regarding the stage arrangement. What were Nilou's requirements, and why did you believe they were too strict to be met?"
Murata Yoko's brow furrowed in frustration. "Miss Nilou wanted more fresh flowers on the stage," she explained. "She said it was integral to the dance she performs."
Ayumi, ever inquisitive, piped up from the side. "But that sounds simple enough! And having fresh flowers on stage would be so beautiful. Why would that be impossible?"
Murata Yoko's gaze dropped to the little girl who had interrupted her. She paused, then explained with a hint of strain, "It's not that having flowers is hard. But Miss Nilou had... very specific requirements for them."
She took a breath, the memory clearly still a source of irritation. ", the blooming period for some of the species she requested isn't right now. She wouldn't listen to reason. She just told me to prepare them according to her list and insisted she had a way to make them bloom within the next two days."
"To be honest, I didn't believe her," Murata Yoko admitted, her voice laced with skepticism. "I kept trying to discuss alternatives with her, suggesting we change the flower types to something that could actually bloom at this time of year."
"But Miss Nilou was adamant. She just kept saying she had a way and that it was necessary for the final effect..."
"So that's what happened," Mitsuhiko mused, looking up with wide, curious eyes. "But is there really a way to change when a flower blooms?"
"There are methods," Okiya Subaru interjected, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. He frowned, a flicker of doubt in his own eyes. "But they generally require specialized treatment long in advance. I've never heard of anyone being able to force a bloom with only a day or two's notice."
Hearing Okiya Subaru's expert opinion, Murata Yoko nodded emphatically. "Right? That's what I said! It sounded impossible, but Miss Nilou insisted, saying it would produce the best stage effect. It would have been fine if she just wanted it to be 'good enough,' but she had to make things so difficult for me..."
She shook her head, her voice trailing off as she seemed to realize she was complaining openly in front of the police.
"Right, speaking of which, where is Miss Nilou?" The mention of their conflict made Heiji realize that the central figure in this entire incident was conspicuously absent. He frowned, turning to a nearby police officer. "Didn't they say she wasn't harmed? Why isn't she here?"
"Oh, uh..." The officer was momentarily taken aback. He scratched his head, sounding a bit uncertain. "Miss Nilou said a friend was coming to see her, and she needed to go pick them up. After we asked her the necessary preliminary questions, we let her go."
Seeing the thundercloud forming on Heiji's brow, the officer quickly added, "Don't worry, Heiji! Miss Nilou said she would return to the scene immediately."
'This is the critical period right after a potential crime,'Heiji grumbled internally.'How could they just let a key witness leave at will?' He knew, however, that berating the officer now would solve nothing. He could only shelve his frustration and wait for Nilou to return.
The officer, eager to move on, gestured toward the final suspect. "Let's hurry and question the last one first."
Heiji Hattori sighed, a quiet sound of resignation. Since the main party wasn't present, any further questions for Murata Yoko would have to wait. He turned his head, his gaze falling upon the last person on their list—another of Natsume's friends, Barbara.
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