Clip-clop, clip-clop—
The sound of hooves approaching wasn’t just one or two.
At least seven.
It seemed like Jet, Sophia, and the rest of the security team were coming.
I had to figure out how to clean up this mess before they arrived.
The two bodies in front of me were terrifying figures—Zodiac and a TKK member. But…
On the surface, they just looked like Joe and Rize.
To anyone, they seemed like harmless folks.
If this went wrong, I could be mistaken for Zodiac.
“Kid—!”
Unaware of my dilemma, Jet, leading the group, whipped his reins and charged forward like a madman.
And then…
“Kid—! What’s going on…! Uh…!”
He immediately shut his mouth upon seeing the bodies next to me.
“……Joe.”
“…….”
The security team following behind also froze with blank expressions.
It was because of Joe’s death.
Joe, who was always kind, friendly, and cheerful… got along with most of Justice Town’s residents.
While Sheriff Jet and the security team were grieving, Sophia stepped forward.
“…Mr. Kid. Could you explain what’s going on here?”
As she asked, Sophia subtly moved her hand toward her holster, ready to draw her gun if needed.
Seeing this, I raised my hands in the air and said,
“Obviously, I’m not Zodiac. And… I caught Zodiac.”
“……!”
At the mention of catching Zodiac, everyone’s eyes changed.
Especially Sophia’s.
“……I knew it.”
She looked at Joe’s body as if she had already anticipated it.
“Zodiac was Joe, Justice Town’s only carriage driver.”
“What are you talking about…!”
The security team, shocked by Sophia’s words, shouted in disbelief.
“Joe would never do something like that!”
“Joe got along with everyone!”
Only…
“Sheriff! Sheriff, say something…! Uh…”
“…….”
Sheriff Jet just stared at the ground with a somber expression.
With Jet silent, the rest of the security team had no choice but to shut their mouths.
As the surroundings quieted, Sophia began explaining why Joe was Zodiac.
“As you know, Joe was Justice Town’s only carriage driver before the town developed. He could travel all over Utah because of his job.”
“…….”
Even though there are more carriage drivers now, at the time the Zodiac incidents began, Joe was the only one in our town.
Other Justice Town residents rarely left the town.
“Aiden stutters and doesn’t let his guard down unless he’s known someone for a long time. Based on that, we can deduce Zodiac was a long-time resident of Justice Town.”
“…….”
“Joe was close to Aiden, right?”
At Sophia’s question, one of the security team members hesitantly answered.
“He… was. Joe was always kind to Aiden, never minding his stutter…”
Hmph.
Sophia smirked as if she expected this and presented the final, decisive evidence.
Swoosh—
It was an old notebook.
“All carriage drivers keep detailed logs of their schedules. This is Joe’s logbook, which I took from his house while he was gone. It has his schedule for the past three months.”
Flip, flip.
Sophia flipped through the notebook as she spoke.
“From the murder in Mahican County three months ago… to the murder in Lincoln County two weeks ago.”
“……!”
“All of these match Zodiac’s crimes and Joe’s movements exactly.”
“…Th-that’s…”
As Sophia finished her reasoning, the security team looked utterly shocked.
They were stunned to learn that Joe, whom they thought was kind and good, was actually the terrifying murderer Zodiac.
And more importantly…
“…Zodiac killed Joe’s younger sister Laura too, right?”
“Joe was the first to discover Laura’s murder. It’s likely Joe killed her as well.”
“……H-his own sister? What kind of monster…!”
The shock and horror on their faces deepened at the revelation that Joe had even killed his own sister, Laura.
The way the security team now looked at Joe’s body was as if they were staring at something horrifying.
Amidst this, Sophia pointed at Joe and Rize and asked me with a grave expression.
“Zodiac’s target this time was the most beautiful woman in town. The body next to you is Rize, who recently moved here, correct?”
“Yes, Detective. Rize worked as a waitress at the Deaf Man’s Tavern.”
“She’s still young, but Rize is beautiful. Beautiful enough to be Zodiac’s target.”
While calling her the most beautiful in town might be a stretch, Rize was undoubtedly beautiful.
“So Joe, or rather Zodiac, killed the beautiful Rize, and you killed Zodiac, right?”
“…….”
When I didn’t answer, Sophia took it as confirmation and turned to address the group.
“This concludes it! The identity of Zodiac, who’s been terrorizing Utah for the past six months, is Joe, the town’s carriage driver. And the final victim of the Zodiac serial killings is Rize, who’s right here.”
“…….”
Sophia’s reasoning was flawless.
Above all, Joe’s logbook was too decisive.
Sheriff Jet and the security team fully accepted Sophia’s conclusion and bowed their heads.
But…
“Based on the clues I’ve explained, I’ll report this to the higher-ups. With this, the case is closed…”
“No.”
A voice interrupted Sophia’s confident declaration.
“Joe isn’t Zodiac.”
…It was me.
“…Huh?”
“…Joe isn’t Zodiac?”
“Kid—! What are you talking about!”
At my claim that Joe wasn’t Zodiac, Jet and the security team rushed toward me.
“…Mr. Kid. What do you mean? The evidence fits so perfectly. If Joe isn’t Zodiac, then who is?”
Sophia, annoyed by my sudden interruption, asked sharply.
“You said you caught Zodiac. If Joe isn’t Zodiac… are you saying you’re Zodiac?”
“Hold on…! Sophia, quiet down! Let Kid speak!”
As Sophia sneered at me, an impatient Jet told her to be quiet.
“Huh.”
Sophia forced a laugh but shut her mouth at Jet’s insistence.
“Alright, Kid. Now tell us. If Joe isn’t Zodiac, then who is?”
“Yes, I’ll tell you. Zodiac is…”
All eyes turned to me.
Everyone looked curious about what I was going to say.
Even Sophia was no exception.
After scanning everyone’s faces, I continued.
“It’s Rize, right next to Joe.”
“…What?!”
As soon as I finished speaking, reactions of disbelief erupted from the crowd.
“…What are you talking about?”
“How could that little girl…”
No one could believe that Rize, with her young age and pretty appearance, was Zodiac.
*Thud.*
Anticipating their reaction, I approached Rize’s body.
And then…
*Swish.*
I slightly pulled down Rize’s top.
Everyone tilted their heads, confused by my actions…
“…Huh?”
But then, as the tattoo of a ‘K’ on Rize’s shoulder came into view…
“…Gasp.”
“Wait, that’s…!”
Their faces turned to shock once again.
The white mask and the ‘K’ tattoo…
The most notorious gang in the West, infamous across America.
“This girl… she’s part of TKK.”
“…!!!!”
I revealed to everyone that Rize was TKK.
“Joe and I were separately chasing Zodiac. As you all know… Joe lost Laura to Zodiac.”
Jet and the security team, who had just been following Sophia’s reasoning, now focused entirely on me.
Only Sophia looked at me with disgust.
Ignoring her gaze, I continued.
“We soon realized that Rize was Zodiac and prepared to ambush her… but Rize acted first. Without us knowing, she loaded dynamite onto Joe’s carriage.”
*Swish.*
As I pointed to Joe’s carriage, shattered by the explosion, Jet and the security team nodded.
Only Sophia objected.
“Wait a minute. How did you figure out that Miss Rize was Zodiac beforehand?”
“I’m close with Bob, the owner of the Deaf Man’s Tavern where Rize works. I went to Bob’s house and ‘accidentally’ saw Rize’s bag… Inside was a white mask and a gun.”
“Accidentally? What a convenient word. Sounds like you’re making up excuses on the spot.”
“Kid’s talking! Stop interrupting and be quiet for a second!”
While Jet silenced Sophia again, I laid out the evidence, just as Sophia had done earlier.
“Later, check with Bob. The day Rize arrived in our town was the same day the first Zodiac murder happened. When the second murder occurred, Laura’s death, Rize was also at the scene.”
“Then what about when Mr. Aiden and Mr. Finn were killed? Mr. Aiden, who’s cautious of strangers, let Zodiac in after seeing his face. Zodiac must’ve been someone he knew…”
“Everyone, think about it.”
I focused everyone’s attention on Rize’s face and spoke.
“A cold winter night… If this young girl came to your house… what would you do?”
“……”
Rize’s appearance was just that of a cute, small girl.
If such a girl came to your house at night… especially on a cold, windy night, you’d probably think of bringing her inside to warm up rather than being wary.
“Aiden has a kind heart. Someone like him would’ve immediately let a shivering girl into his house.”
“…Right.”
As the security team nodded in agreement, I immediately mimed holding a pistol.
“Then, as soon as she sat on the sofa, she pulled out a gun and *bang bang*.”
“……”
“Zodiac wasn’t someone he knew. Just… a young girl with a cute appearance that made people think she wasn’t a threat.”
“…Ah.”
“But that girl was actually a young killer raised by TKK. I struggled against her… and if it weren’t for Joe’s help, I wouldn’t have been able to kill her.”
When I admitted that even I, who always dealt with outlaws effortlessly, had struggled, Jet and the security team let out small sighs.
The atmosphere had shifted.
Everyone was now convinced that Rize, not Joe, was Zodiac.
*Swish.*
I glanced briefly at Joe and Rize’s bodies.
In truth, Zodiac was Joe, and Rize had nothing to do with Zodiac.
But… I had no choice but to frame Rize as Zodiac.
‘…Ugh, family… gotta take care of family… family…’
This was how I repaid Joe for letting me ride his carriage for free.
I closed my eyes for a moment, recalling Joe’s last words.
That’s when it happened.
“Don’t be fooled, everyone! Evidence doesn’t lie!! Zodiac is Joe!”
Sophia shouted at Jet and the security team, refusing to believe my words.
It made sense for Sophia to react this way. The evidence I fabricated to frame Rize as Zodiac was flimsy, while the evidence against Joe was rock solid.
But sometimes, emotions can override logic.
“Everyone, do you really think Joe is the kind of person who would kill dozens of civilians, including his own sister?”
“No.”
“Joe would never do something like that.”
In response to my question, firm answers came from Jet and the security team.
“Since when do outlaws have ‘outlaw’ written on their faces? Look at this ledger! Just this alone…!”
Sophia tried to appeal the evidence against Joe again, but…
“…What is she even saying? Suspecting the wrong person.”
“…What does she know about Joe to label him a murderer? We almost fell for it.”
“…Did she get into Pinkerton through connections?”
The security team’s gazes toward her were now icy cold.
