The Case of the Mad Chameleon Murder Pt. 2

**The Case of the Mad Chameleon Murder Pt. 2** (マッドカメレオン殺人事件②, *Maddokamereon satsujin jiken ②*) is the 17th chapter of the *Ron Kamonohashi: Deranged Detective* manga.

## Summary

The local police report to Kawasemi that they checked the shopping center's cameras, but they do not have a clear image of the culprit's face. But due to the angle of the wrench's wound on the victim's head, they can tell that the injury was inflicted by someone at least 5'6" (170cm), narrowing it down to three men. Still, Kawasemi could not see anything useful from the three remaining men.

The policeman says he carefully questioned all three men, but there was nothing suspicious in their answers, and that they have their phone numbers, addresses, and places of employment. For now, Kawasemi allows the suspects to leave. Meanwhile, he tells Totomaru Isshiki that he is no longer worthy of the name "Eagle-Eye."

Then, someone loudly says that it looks like Kawasemi is in a real bind. The local police captured a suspicious man, who turns out to be Ron wearing a loose suit, loose dress shirt, loose necktie, and glasses. Kawasemi identifies Ron as the hand puppeteer before he tells the officers that Ron is a crime consultant. Ron calls himself "Near-Sighted Kamosemi" while holding bread tongs, while Toto is so afraid he was making Kawasemi angry. Kawasemi just says Ron is strange as always, but asks him to lend his help. Kawasemi repeats that he already knew about the arrangement between Toto and Ron.

In that case, Ron is happy to help, and he begins by asking a few questions. Why was the college student victim wearing a suit? Kawasemi does not know but guesses the victim was another one on his way home from a job interview. Toto asks why "another one," and Kawasemi explains that two victims were attacked on the way home from job hunting. The other victims were returning from overseeing mock exams or from part time office jobs. Thus, Ron concludes, all the victims were wearing suits at the time, and that could not be a coincidence. Toto asks: why would they only target college students in suits? Ron says that is the key that will lead to the Mad Chameleon's true identity.

Toto panics about another mystery that has gotten too confusing, and latches on that the suspect looks different to all the victims. Ron says that if they are not using a disguise there is only one answer: All the victims are lying. When Toto asks why someone would lie when giving testimony about the person who attacked them, Ron says all the victims felt guilty about something. There is a reason all the victims were wearing suits, if they were job hunting or overseeing mock exams to hide something.

Kawasemi thinks for a moment, then is enlightened: It is an "It's Me" scam (*ore ore sagi)*. The victims were all receivers in the scam. Kawasemi explains: Fraudsters dress in suits so they can impersonate bank workers and gain the trust of their targets more easily. The attacks always happened during the day which matches the time period in which a receiver would approach an elderly person to avoid suspicion. Toto continues: If the culprit is caught, their connection to the fraud would be discovered. Thus all the victims lied. Ron says the culprit is someone connected to all the receivers. Meaning, they are a member of the fraud ring, and there is probably some kind of trouble betwen them, most likely about money. The smartphones of the victims were stolen so there would not be evidence of their contact with the fraud ring.

Kawasemi is impressed by "Kamosemi," saying he is really someone special. Toto also feels happy that it solves the case. But Kawasemi snaps, and Ron reminds that they have not caught the culprit yet. Ron says it is time for Kawasemi's eagle eye to do its work. Kawasemi wishes that as well, but says he could not see anything now.

Ron says Kawasemi is the only one who can catch the culprit. If he thinks it is impossible, then he, "Near-Sighted Kamosemi," will use his "tong discipline." Ron then goes rapid-fire at Kawasemi: He is not getting enough sleep! He is not eating properly! As his results keep dropping, he continues to betray Yamane, who idolizes him!

Kawasemi finally answers at that, that he is trying to avoid putting as much pressure on someone else as he put on Yamane, so he is way more careful with his tweezer discipline, and for each thing he says, he is holding back nine other things. But Ron says that is his mistake. As a final riling, Ron says that, in reality, Kawasemi is the one who is full of mistakes.

Kawasemi finally snaps, saying Ron is the last person he wants to hear that from. He attacks back with his discipline in former familiar fashion: Kamosemi is covered in mistakes, and he could not stand it any longer! His tie is too long! The clothes all still have tags attached! His socks do not match! His shoes are even worse! (One is a leather shoe, the other a slipper.) Do not keep tempura rice balls in your pockets! Kamosemi said he is nearsighted, but the glasses he is wearing are for farsightedness!

Toto is agape and impressed, feeling that Kawasemi is on fire again. Ron quietly says, see? Kawasemi can do it if he tries. Now just turn those eyes on the three suspects from earlier. Kawasemi gets the point, and analyzes the three suspects like a kingfisher again.

Kawasemi asks Toto where was it that the culprit elbow a pedestrian while running away. Toto says that it was at the entrance to the intersection. But it is as Kawasemi thought: The culprit did not elbow the woman. The man saw the sign announcing the time of road closure and was checking his watch. The man thought it was still the time when the passage was open, but it was closed off, so he had to hide in the store. When Toto asks why he thought that, Kawasemi says the time on the culprit's watch was off. And of the three suspects, there was only one wearing a watch that showed the wrong time. Ron commends Kawasemi, saying they have basically caught the culprit already.

The police return and say they could not find that specific man anymore. The license he gave was a forgery, and the phone number and address are fake. Kawasemi says it is alright. The victim's smartphone was not among the culprit's possessions, meaning he did not have time to dispose it. It is certain it is hidden somewhere in the store, and he will come to retrieve it. The police did find the red jumpsuit the suspect used on a clothes rack, but could not find the smartphone. Ron just quietly adds that they are already looking at it, and with a fwish of his hair emphasizes that the phone they are looking for is making a call. Kawasemi understood the hint and figured it out, making Toto feel left out.

After some time, a young man in a bucket hat and hoodie enters the store and approaches a manniquin holding a cellphone. The man reaches for the phone, and is surrounded by police. Kawasemi personally arrests the Mad Chameleon for suspicion of murder.

On the bullet train home, Toto tells Ron that Kawasemi called, saying they arrested the Mad Chameleon. The man was the watchman for the fraud group, and beat up any of the receivers who tried to embezzle the money, or run away at the last minute. The watch was off by an hour because the man was partying in Singapore until yesterday with the money he saved up. Kawasemi said he was in the middle of disciplining his superior, has completely recovered from his slump, and says hi to Ron. But Ron says he did not do anything.

Toto feels that Ron is so guarded sometimes. He asks Ron about his urgent thing. Ron admits that he went to Mofu about the killing compulsion, and Mofu said he needed a complete examination. She wrote a referral letter and Ron went to the neurological research center. The center emailed Ron while he was waiting for Toto. According to the test results, they might be able to lessen the symptoms, Ron says, ending with a smile.

One week later, Amamiya says she got a call from Kawasemi. He cross-examined all the victims in the Mad Chameleon case. The victims gave testimony on the fraud ring, and Kawasemi is close to uncovering the headquarters. And besides that, Amamiya says with a bright grin, his arrest rate is even higher than it was before the slump. Then she yells at Toto: Who told you to give him that much of a boost?!

## Characters in Order of Appearance

* Totomaru Isshiki
* Omito Kawasemi
* Mad Chameleon
* Ron Kamonohashi
* Amamiya

## Notes

1. ↑ the Singapore/Hong Kong/Manila timezone is one hour advanced from the Japan timezone