３．Ｓａｔｕｒｄａｙ　Ｍａｒｃｈ　３０，　２０１９

On the unobstructed highway, the tilted weak sunlight was giving signs of sunset. Maruta lowered the driver's sun visor.

"Are you going to Yamanashi again?" Kira asked.
"Yes. I honestly don't expect anything, but if we don't get results today, there will be no more moves to make. It's an all-or-nothing situation."
Hearing Maruta's weak words, Kira fell silent. Maruta clearly felt the premonition of 'the end' right under his nose. However, he has no idea how it will end up. Will he gather the suspects to an isolated island pavilion, where he will sharply name the culprit, "You did it." Or, does he conclude, "I don't know," and return to being one of the bystanders in the case?

"I think I've gathered all the information I can." Maruta felt voice from his heart leaking out, but he kept going. "I have done enough research on Silva-san to be able to write a biography of him. But when I try to solve the case, the information jumps around so freely that it makes me think they are intentionally trying to confuse me."
"In the end I could not help you."
"What are you saying? You have been tremendously helpful. I am sure that without you, Tokyo spread would not have spoken so much. It's too early to tell, but I'm really grateful to you, Kira-san."
Hearing this, Kira waved his hands in front of his face in embarrassment, saying, "I'm not that admired."

Maruta continued to step on the accelerator pedal as the car navigation system gently commanded him to do so in the city.
As Kira seemed to recognize the convenience store they arrived at, he began to speak. "This is our second time here."
"Right, I hope they don't treat us like air."

There were a few customers inside, probably because it was also before dinner. Maruta waited until the customer traffic had died down, then approached the clerk in front of the cash register.
"I contacted someone who works here about a previous incident that happened near here."
The employee was not the high school boy who had sent Maruta the information via the app ten days earlier. He is a gray-haired, elderly man with a name plate on his chest that reads 'Acting Manager'. When Maruta explained the events leading up to the incident and the handing over of the business card here, the man nodded repeatedly, as if he knew what was going on. He even seemed to already know that a high school boy had provided Maruta with a sighting of 〈Tokyo Spread〉.

"If you know, we can talk about it." Maruta had Kira stand behind him so that he too could be in the man's line of sight. "More than half a year ago, the person who calls himself Mont Blanc from the group called Tokyo Spread came to this store to buy water and drinks."
"Yes, apparently." The man said in a muffled voice.
"I would like to ask you, did Mont Blanc-san come here alone? Were there any other members here?"
"Oh no, I don't remember that."

Maruta expected the man to answer that way. As he pulled out his smartphone to tell him the name of that high school boy, a young male employee came out from the back.
"Are you the one who is looking into Silva's case?" The young employee asked.
"Yes, I am. Are you the one who contacted me?"
"No."

According to the young man, he was a friend of the high school boy who contacted Maruta. There was some kind of goodwill and willingness in his gaze. Maruta asked the same question he had asked that acting manager.
"Maybe Mont Blanc was alone."
"Was he here by car?"
"No, I don't remember that much."
The two of them each bought a bottled tea and then thanked the clerks.

"They didn't give us much information." Kira, in the passenger seat, said.
"They are kind enough to talk so much to us, who are not police. I don't expect to be ushered into a waiting room and shown the security camera footage from that time."

When the next sign for the restaurant came into view, Kira seemed to have found a rationale for the day's route. "It's been two weeks here, too."

Here Maruta was able to meet the high school girl who had contacted him nine days earlier.
"Thank you for contacting me the other day."
"Oh, you are," The girl seemed to take a step back the entire time in response to their sudden visit. If Maruta had approached her, she would have covered her face with a silver tray.
When she tried to lead them to the table, Maruta refused while standing there.
"It won't take long to talk."
As Maruta began to speak, a family entered through the door behind him. The female clerk led that customers to the back of the hall, giving them priority.

"It's a busy time of day right now." Resignation is evident on Kira's face.
"In this case, Kira-san might be a better choice. Because you are more famous than I am."
After Maruta said this, he gave Kira an earful. Then, only Maruta went out of the restaurant first.

A few minutes later, Maruta approached Kira when he returned.
"How was it?"
"The girl you mentioned earlier will finish work today at 20:00. After that, she will talk to us inside. So we have about another hour."
"Good job. Let's move on."