The Case of the Hand Collector Killer Pt. 1

**The Case of the Hand Collector Killer Pt. 1** (ハンドコレクター殺人事件①, *Handokorekutā satsujin jiken ①*) is the 5th chapter of the *Ron Kamonohashi: Deranged Detective* manga.

## Summary

At the Metropolitan Police Department's headquarters, Amamiya informs Totomaru that Omito Kawasemi will come to Tokyo for a collaborative investigation between the Metro Police and the Aichi Prefectural Police. This delights Totomaru because he greatly admires Kawasemi as he is the detective with the highest number of solved crimes in the country and is already being considered for the position of police superintendent general although he is only in his twenties. Amamiya glares at him for saying this out loud, and Toto remembers that she is also trying to become police superintendent general. She then tells Toto that she wants him to work with Kawasemi on the Hand Collector Killer Case because she does not want to give Kawasemi one of her good subordinates; while Toto did well with his last cases, she knows this is not his true worth after all.

Right afterward, Kawasemi arrives and points out and corrects everyone's mistakes in the department: loose buttons, too-long nails, smudged glasses, usage of the wrong kanji, etc. While they watch him, Amamiya tells Totomaru that Kawasemi never misses anything with his "tweezer discipline" and never gets in trouble for his actions, likely because he even corrects his superiors. She also shares with Totomaru that she and Kawasemi were at the same police box as novices.

When Kawasemi steps to Toto and Amamiya, he labels Toto as having "zero talent" and states that he is unsuited to be a detective. Kawasemi then attempts to pick some dust off Amamiya's jacket, but she stops him by grabbing a pen and threatening to slit his throat if he were to touch her. He remarks that she has not changed at all. Afterward, his right-hand man Yamane reveals himself; Kawasemi praises him greatly, and Amamiya tells him that Toto will help him and Yamane in this case. Kawasemi has already erased Toto's existence though, and he and Yamane leave for the crime scene on their own. When they are gone, Amamiya points out how great of a boss she is in comparison. Toto agrees as she can see him at least.

Totomaru heads to the Tokyo Central Art Museum on his own. There, he quickly finds Kawasemi and Yamane and hears Yamane say that a truck driver brought some sculptures here from the Aichi Prefecture. While unloading them, he noticed that one of them was actually a corpse because it felt different from the rest. Yamane takes off the cover that has been wrapped around the body and reveals that the culprit cut off the man's hands. Kawasemi notes that it is "the same M.O." and ignores Totomaru's attempts to talk to him. Toto is wondering what he can do to help anyway when Ron calls to tell him to look to his right: Disguised as "Kamomi Tekemono," a hand puppeteer and consultant for hand-related cases, Ron stands in front of the museum. He came to help Toto because he knew he is struggling with a case. Toto wants to know how he knew his location, but Ron only says he will find that out later.

Ron introduces himself to Kawasemi. Kawasemi is not pleased to have a "half-assed" civilian at the crime scene, even if Ron says he is a consultant. He tests Ron's platypus handpuppet, believing it to be hard like a bird's beak, and is stunned to find out that its beak is accurately made of rubber. Kawasemi reluctantly allows him to stay; Ron has to stay out of his way though.

Then, Totomaru tells Ron about Kawasemi's accomplishment. Hearing them, Ron gets angry and jealous and becomes determined to solve the case before him. Ron gets Yamane to brief them about the case's details, and Yamane informs them that the killer murders their victims with a single blow through the heart and then cuts off their hands; for this reason, he was dubbed the "Hand Collector." Ron hits Toto with his frill-necked lizard handpuppet before letting the doll remark that "Hand Collector" is a rather cool name; Totomaru discourages him to give his puppets' personalities. Ron points out that, if the killer claimed three victims, Kawasemi missed him three times. This realization makes him happy, and Totomaru scolds him for it.

Yamane admits that he and Kawasemi let the culprit escape: Last night, Kawasemi stopped to question a man near a crime scene. They searched his bag and found weapons which identified the man as the Hand Collector. The man dropped the bag and fleed to an abandoned factory. Kawasemi and Yamane split up to chase him. Yamane managed to catch him and was even able to handcuff him. Then, Kawasemi joins them and adds that the murderer found a chance to slip away and force his way past him when he got close. Because of that, he wants to be the one who solves this case. Ron replies that Toto is going to solve it which baffles Kawasemi.

Toto remarks that, if Kawasemi and Yamane know how the killer looks like, they should be able to find him soon. Kawasemi then reveals that the killer's latest victim, the man in the truck, is, in fact, the man he and Yamane chased the night before.

This tremendously excites Ron and he goes to examine the corpse in the truck. He notes the body's under-dressed state and the tattoo on the arm stump. Yamane clarifies that it is a bird tattoo and that he saw it last night while handcuffing him. Ron then feigns that he cannot take off one of his handpuppets. Toto helps him, and while he pulls, Ron lets go of the puppet, throwing Toto back and toward Kawasemi who effortlessly dodges him. Afterward, Ron announces that everything went as "Toto" deduced: Kawasemi is lying, and he can prove it. Ron also repeats that Totomaru the "pure idiot" will solve this case and not Kawasemi.

## Characters in Order of Appearance

* Amamiya
* Totomaru Isshiki
* Omito Kawasemi
* Yamane
* Minoru Mushanokoji
* Ron Kamonohashi