Curse of the Amasawa Family Heirloom

Curse of the Amasawa Family Heirloom (, Amasawa-ke no Noroi, Lit. "The Amasawa Family's Curse") is the 33rd side case in Lost Judgment.
 Note: Once this side case begins, all other activities are put on hold until its completion
==Plot==
Amasawa calls in the client, Hisayoshi Shimada, who is having an issue with what is likely a curse on his lucky cat statue. His rarity-collecting father Mikio Shimada bought it from an antique dealer and was warned it is unlucky, after which the Shimadas had been struck with tragedies which include Mikio falling sick, Hisayoshi's grades falling, and the house catching fire. Mikio also reported seeing a ghost one night and fell ill the next day, then had a near-miss with a car a few days prior. Although they are suspicious of the statue, Mikio is unwilling to part with it due to the legend that its previous owner Kitan Amasawa, a famous mystery novelist and Kyoko Amasawa's grandfather, died after hitting his head on it. Amasawa cannot confirm if this is the same statue, which was missing since her grandmother sold it. Kitan, famous for his bizarre tales, jumped at the opporunity of owning an odd statue, which was reported to be cursed even seven years prior.
Yagami, Amasawa, and the Shimadas meet at Plage to discuss the statue. Mikio states it is worth two million yen if it is real due to Kitan's fanbase coveting it, but he was unable to have it appraised on a TV program. Amasawa is able to verify the statue by identifying a red stain she had made on it during childhood. She asks if the statue ever meowed, because she heard it do so the night Kitan died at around 1:30 AM. The death was ruled an accident as it had occured in a locked room and there were no signs of forced entry. Additionally, they did not own a cat and Ranpo would have barked if a stray approached.
They leave the statue, and Mikio is nearly killed by a falling piece of scaffolding, and a cleaner comes to apologize. Amasawa asks to keep the statue for the time being, and though Mikio is concerned for her safety now that he is starting to think the curse is real, she insists on solving the case after running from the truth seven years ago. She is also told the statue was bought from the Ijincho Ebisu Pawn. 
The Owner tells them he obtained the statue by purchasing the remaining inventory of a pawnbroker friend, but could not verify its authenticity due to it being passed around many times before becoming a part of his inventory. The Owner also states the nothing strange happened to him when he was in possession of the statue, and was never warned of a curse, impying the bad luck only started when Mikio bought it. Just then, they see a fire at the front of the store. They are able to extinguish it quickly and step outside. Amasawa smells gasoline and asks to search the site before first responders arrive. Directly in fornt of the store mat, they see small spills of what is likely gasoline. They follow the trail to a plastic bottle smelling of gasoline- confirming arson, and report their findings to the owner and the police.
After some discussion, they decide to lure the perpetrator by walking around town, starting with a game of Darts to double as stress relief, then heading to the Batting Cages, but neither are able to single out anyone suspicious. While talking about Amasawa's inpsiration and future goals, she feels she is being watched, and briefly walks out of sight with the statue in hand. Noticing him panicking, she tells Yagami, who identifies him as someone who was at the arcade, too. She suggests stayiung in his sight with the statue while Yagami exits from the back to sneak up on him. 
Yagami apporaches the man while disguised and accuses him of being the arsonist. Amasawa arrives and the man expresses interest in the statue, with Amasawa bluffing that he wants it because it has evidence, which he falls for. He tries to forcefully pry the stuatue from her grasp, but Amasawa responds by kicking him in the shin. When he insists on violence, Yagami subdues and then binds him. Suspecting there is a secret in the statue, Amasawa suggests they inspect it again.
Due to the statue falling earlier, some mud makes a gap in the neckline apparent, and an eye is a separate part. Amasawa remembers something her grandfather said while holding the statue, "An eye for the truth will eventually find the way. Hold on to that keen eye and take a good look around you." Suspecting it to be a hint, she holds the loose eye in place and spins the head. A compartment opens, its left arm lowers, and it meows. Bloody fingerprints are visible on the compartment, which the suspicious man admits are his.
He confesses he murdered Kitan, and wanted the statue as a precaution, because although he was wearing gloves, he noticed they were torn and his finger was bloodied. He was worried he would be found out if the statue's secret was figured out, and searched for the cat for seevn years until roughly a month prior, when it appeared on TV. 
His intention to murder sprung from having high debts and seeing a large mansion. He was able to avoid Ranpo by throwing a rice ball at him, than looked into Kitan's study to see him holding a bar of gold after opening the statue. When Kitan resisted, he grabbed the statue and hit him on the head with it, but his efforts were fruitless as the loan shark took the gold and pretended he had not paid his debts. He was able to cover his tracks by using the statue's moving arm to lock the window after he escaped, as it was made to forcefully retract itself and the secret compartment after a period of time. The statue was placed on an unstable stack of books so that when the arm shot up, it fell over. The resulting scene made it appear as though Kitan had fallen and hit his head on the statue.
Lastly, the suspicious man admits to being the result of the tragedies- Mikio though he was a ghost when he snuck into their house at night, and the man infected him with his cold. Amasawa deducts he was also responsible for the house fire, the near-miss with the car, and the accident outside Plage. Hisayoshi's falling grades were not related, however. With the man arrested and the curse revealed to be a lie meant to keep people away from the statue, Amasawa thanks Yagami for his assistance in laying an old haunt to rest. Yagami suspects that Kitan hiving her a hint about the gold's location may mean he intended it to be a gift for her when she grew up.
===People===
Icon 	Name 	Introduced
 	Kyoko Amasawa 	At start
A third-year and president of Seiryo High's Mystery Research Club. Spotted the hidden cameras I installed, set up a trap of her own, and caught me in it. A mystery enthusiast and sharp as a tack to boot. She is also the granddaughter of Kitan Amasawa, the famous mystery writer. 	A third-year and president of Seiryo High's Mystery Research Club. Spotted the hidden cameras I installed, set up a trap of her own, and caught me in it. A mystery enthusiast and sharp as a tack to boot. She is also the granddaughter of Kitan Amasawa, the famous mystery writer. 	A third-year and president of Seiryo High's Mystery Research Club. Spotted the hidden cameras I installed, set up a trap of her own, and caught me in it. A mystery enthusiast and sharp as a tack to boot. She is also the granddaughter of Kitan Amasawa, the famous mystery writer.
 	 	Go to the MRC in the Evening
A second-year student at Seiryo High. He consulted the MRC about the cursed lucky cat statue his father had recently got from a pawn shop. 	A second-year student at Seiryo High. He consulted the MRC about the cursed lucky cat statue his father had recently got from a pawn shop. 	A second-year student at Seiryo High. He consulted the MRC about the cursed lucky cat statue his father had recently got from a pawn shop.
 	 	Go to Café Plage
Shimada-kun's father. When he heard about the opportunity to buy Kitan Amasawa's cursed lucky cat statue, he was thrilled, thinking he was getting a good deal on it. 	Shimada-kun's father. When he heard about the opportunity to buy Kitan Amasawa's cursed lucky cat statue, he was thrilled, thinking he was getting a good deal on it. 	Shimada-kun's father. When he heard about the opportunity to buy Kitan Amasawa's cursed lucky cat statue, he was thrilled, thinking he was getting a good deal on it.
 	Suspicious Man 	Go to Café Plage
Seven years ago, this man snuck into Kitan Amasawa's home and learned the unlucky cat statue had a bar of gold inside. When he moved in to steal it, he wound up killing Kitan in the ensuing scuffle. He was also responsible for the numerous tragedies that the Shimada family have suffered.	Seven years ago, this man snuck into Kitan Amasawa's home and learned the unlucky cat statue had a bar of gold inside. When he moved in to steal it, he wound up killing Kitan in the ensuing scuffle. He was also responsible for the numerous tragedies that the Shimada family have suffered.	Seven years ago, this man snuck into Kitan Amasawa's home and learned the unlucky cat statue had a bar of gold inside. When he moved in to steal it, he wound up killing Kitan in the ensuing scuffle. He was also responsible for the numerous tragedies that the Shimada family have suffered.
===Evidence===
Icon 	Name 	Obtained
 	Plastic Bottle 	Inspect the Ebisu Pawn Area
An empty-looking plastic bottle that was found near the Ebisu Pawn. It seemed to have once contained gasoline, based on the odor. This lends weight to the belief that the Ebisu Pawn fire was intentional arson.	An empty-looking plastic bottle that was found near the Ebisu Pawn. It seemed to have once contained gasoline, based on the odor. This lends weight to the belief that the Ebisu Pawn fire was intentional arson.	An empty-looking plastic bottle that was found near the Ebisu Pawn. It seemed to have once contained gasoline, based on the odor. This lends weight to the belief that the Ebisu Pawn fire was intentional arson.
 	Unlucky Cat 	Go to Café Plage
A lucky cat statue that Amasawa's grandfather, Kitan Amasawa, once owned. It supposedly has a history of bringing disaster, rather than good luck. Kitan Amasawa died from hitting his head on the statue.
That very same night, Kyoko Amasawa heard a cat's meow in the hallway just outside the crime scene, and her grandfather used to tell her, "When that cat cries, misfortune comes calling."
The police ruled his death an accident, likely because it took place inside a locked room.	A lucky cat statue that Amasawa's grandfather, Kitan Amasawa, once owned. It supposedly has a history of bringing disaster, rather than good luck. Kitan Amasawa died from hitting his head on the statue.
That very same night, Kyoko Amasawa heard a cat's meow in the hallway just outside the crime scene, and her grandfather used to tell her, "When that cat cries, misfortune comes calling."
The police ruled his death an accident, likely because it took place inside a locked room.	A lucky cat statue that Amasawa's grandfather, Kitan Amasawa, once owned. It supposedly has a history of bringing disaster, rather than good luck. Kitan Amasawa died from hitting his head on the statue.
That very same night, Kyoko Amasawa heard a cat's meow in the hallway just outside the crime scene, and her grandfather used to tell her, "When that cat cries, misfortune comes calling."
The police ruled his death an accident, likely because it took place inside a locked room.
===Details===
Kyoko Amasawa grandfather[sic], Kitan Amasawa, was a famous mystery author and rarities collector. He especially treasured a certain lucky cat statue, but seven years ago, he passed away from hitting his head on that very statue. Shortly afterwards, the statue was sold to a pawn shop and the family lost track of it.
Recently, the father of Shimada-kun, who is a second-year at Seiryo High, acquired the statue and has since been experiencing all sorts of misfortunes. Could all these near-tragedies be the work of the "unlucky cat"?
To our surprise, the unlucky cat turned out to house a secret compartment, which Kitan Amasawa had hidden a gold bar inside. The cat's auto-locking gimmick allowed the killer to re-seal the room, getting away with murder for years. Apparently, the "curse" of the statue was originally invented by Kitan to ward off curious folks who may have ended up discovering its secret.
==Tasks==
* Go to the MRC in the Evening
* Go to Café Plage
* Question the Pawn Shop Owner
* Inspect the Ebisu Pawn Area
* Go to the Batting Center
* Head to the Back Door
* Sneak up on the Suspicious Man
* Defeat the Suspicious Man
==Gallery==
Category:Lost Judgment Side Cases