Subtitle: Kidnapping Concerto(誘拐協奏曲)
Inspector Ukyō and Sergeant Kaoru visit a company called Mail Order World Next Life(通販ワールドネキストライフ) to investigate a claim that another company, CharPlaza(キャラぷらざ) illegally sells products using the Mail Order World Next Life's image character. While the Tokumeigakari pair are in the company office listening to these claims, the current company president Shinichi Imai(今井 進一) receives a phone call from someone claiming that he or she has the former president Yūichirō Maeda(前田 勇一郎) hostage. Unless the company prepares a sum of five hundred million dollars, the kidnapper will kill former President Maeda. Mr. Maeda has been missing for seven years, and he was just legally pronounced dead. Inspector Ukyō suspects an inside accomplice. Who is the accomplice, and what is the truth behind this suspiciously timed kidnapping?
Other characters appearing/mentioned in the story
Shinichi Imai(今井 進一) - The current company president. He used to be called "Shinchan" by the former president. He was the company's managing director seven years ago.
Fusae Maeda(前田 房江) - Maeda's wife. She has been using company funds to help homeless people.
Mitsuo Honma(本間 実男) - Senior managing director. Seven years ago, he leaked the information that former president Maeda was having an affair, hoping to force Maeda to step down so that he would become the next company president.
Takeshi Iseya(井勢谷 隆) - Managing director who suffers from panic disorder. He was the accounting manager seven years ago. Since then he has refrained from ingesting anything with caffeine and has been cutting his own hair, letting his hair grow long in between these haircuts.
Keisuke Noro(野呂 啓介) - Secretary who joined the company after the incident seven years ago.
Taeko Sasahara(佐々原 妙子) - Largest shareholder, representative director, and Maeda's lover.
Yūichirō Maeda(前田 勇一郎) - Founder and former company president of Mail Order World
Next Life(通販ワールドネキストライフ) who vanished seven years ago. The former president was just legally declared dead in absentia when a kidnapper calls the company to tell the senior management that he or she has taken former President Maeda hostage.
Hamaguchi(浜口) - A member or the special criminal investigation clerk(特殊犯捜査係).
