This episode is rather mind-boggling; I'm not even sure whether I understood everything 0.0 Anyway, who else wishes for Kikuta — Reiko interaction too! Seriously, at this rate, they will only date and get married ten lifetimes later. 

A flashback scene shows that Takaoka was immensely disturbed and distracted when he saw this guy walking past, causing him not to pay attention and accidentally saw his hand. 

Reiko reported the news that the Takaoka they knew was a fake one, and to find out more clues, she proposed investigating the link between the real Takaoka and the fake one, causing Hashizume to scoff at her lack of work efficiency. Imaizume played the peacemaker, and told Kusaka to investigate what happened during these 13 years. Reiko also told them that she had confirmed with Nagakawa — the amount of insurance she'd gotten after her father's death was just enough to cover the debt. Kusaka wanted to take over that lead, but Reiko cut in, "Didn't you say that a woman to woman interaction will be better?"

Hahaha, Reiko. She got a bit ahead of herself and accidentally insulted Kusaka's looks, but she held back in the end. Mishima found a tool in his workshop that was tainted with blood and hurriedly wiped the stain off. Reiko went to question some people and they became agitated talking about this guy who wore a big obnoxious coat and he was in charge of scaring and harassing the house owners till they relented and sold their houses to the corporation. 

Kusaka, on the other hand, tracked the insurance lead and found out that the insurance company wasn't really the one in charge of all these matters. Instead, it was an employee sent over by Nakabayashi that took charge. Reiko wondered out loud about the clues, until she recalled that if a house's last owner was dead, the house would be auctioned off by the government.

What if the real Takaoka had known this? 

While tailing Mishima, Kikuta met up with Tamotsu, and they felt that this couple was a bit weird, since there's a lack of intimacy between them. Kikuta commented, "It's more like as if he's watching her." Cue looks of epiphany.

"He is watching her, isn't it!"

Kusaka reported that the central character in the insurance fraud was Makiyo, a person who worked under Nakabayashi. He could tell that Reiko had something to say, and after reporting that Makiyo had disappeared, he prompted her. Turns out that the person who had been harassing the real Takaoka and other house owners was also Makiyo, and after that matter blew over, Makiyo was transferred to Nakabayashi Constructions, where the fake Takaoko used to work at. 

Kohei was elated that Reiko was ahead of Kusaka, and so am I, until Reiko got into her usual deduction without evidence. She claimed that the real Takaoka had known about the possible auction of the house, and hence he had committed suicide, as a last attempt to defy Nakabayashi's wishes to obtain the house and then start their work. Of course she got shot down, gently by Kusaka and harshly by Hashizume.

I really don't like Hashizume, tch. 

Kusaka took back the lead when his team managed to find out that the fake Takaoka had bought insurance, which would go to Mishima and a single female called Naito. Nori had to present his findings on the crime scene which were basically nothing, lest for the testimony that after the crime had taken place, the people in the tents seemed to have gotten a big sum of money and threw parties for a few days. Hashizume scorned, "Reiko's team obviously can't make it!"

Kikuta came back and asked Reiko if she's free.

Noticing Reiko's hesitation, he quickly clarified that it's for work. They went for drinks and after hearing what Kikuta said, Reiko commented that Mishima was probably protecting Nagakawa, "But…being protected is not enough…"

Causing Kikuta to look at Reiko. Haha, Kikuta, would you like to protect Reiko too?

Reiko tried to establish a link between Nagakawa and Makiyo, but Nagakawa hurriedly left, after vague answers. Kikuta took Reiko's advice and checked out the Makiyo's thread. 

Mishima happened to be at the insurance company asking for Makiyo too. Kikuta questioned one of the employees and found out that Makiyo had harassed a lot of the females in the company. 

Flashback scene of fake Takaoka allowing Mishima to learn driving lessons. Reiko heard from one of the construction workers that Makiyo had boasted about how Takaoka had to depend on him. Nori called to tell her that they tailed Naito to a hospital and after questioning, found out that her nephew who was involved in an accident thirteen years ago was in a vegetable state. 

Which meant that Naito needed money for the hospital fees. Hearing that, Reiko muttered that with Takaoka's insurance money, Naito wouldn't have to worry about the fees anymore. She went to the library with Tamotsu to read up on the news from thirteen years ago, and accidentally came across the news regarding a serial rapist (her incident).

Tamotsu managed to find the article about Naito's nephew being involved in a car accident. His father had swerved to avoid an oncoming truck and that was how the accident happened. Reiko immediately called Nori to investigate more on Naito's father. Katsumata got into Kohei's car and instructed the guy from Kusaka's team to drive off the car, but Kohei stood firm and told the guy not to drive off since they were supposed to tail someone.

Kikuta overheard Kusaka talking to his wife, and Kusaka asked if he wanted to get married. I raise my eyebrows as Kikuta hurriedly answered no, haha. Kusaka told him that sometimes getting married was a good thing. Two different people came together, like a ball, and a child would grow up in that ball, "But it's not always so smooth sailing." He left after commenting cryptically, "You guys will drive this ball properly." Aha, premarital counselling, Kikuta?

Kikuta reported that Mishima knew about Makiyo too, earning the praise of a job well done from Reiko. During the meeting, Nori reported his findings on Naito, the father, who had committed suicide at one of the Nakabayashi's construction sites, getting a sum of insurance. Reiko jumped off the deep end of the pool when she started reporting her speculations that after the real Takaoka had committed suicide, Nakabayashi Corporation was frustrated because they couldn't get the house, hence, they switched the identities of Takaoka and Naito, such that Naito could sign the house lease, and Takaoka would take the place of the dead Naito. 

Now this sounds plausible, until it got shot down again, for Naito's sister had seen the body and claimed that it belonged to Naito. Then her request to get a DNA test done was also shot down harshly.

Notice that Hashizume is totallyyy receptive of Kusaka's ideas, but the moment anything came out from Reiko's mouth, it got shot down. Reiko should totally go and tear his hair out. 

Reiko asked Tamotsu if he would die for his daughter, and he replied that conversely, he would like to live for his daughter. Reiko couldn't understand why Naito would care for Mishima, even though he might be guilty for Mishima's father's death, and Tamotsu answered that it could be because, "A child's smile can break through all sorts of theories, penetrate into the human heart…and allow humans to be filled with love." Flashback scene of Naito hearing the news that yet another worker had jumped off the building. His co-worker got very frustrated at how Nakabayashi could mask this off as an accident when they all knew the workers were pressurised into dying, just like Mishima's father. Mishima heard this and was shocked, asking Naito what they meant. 

Reiko visited her mother at the hospital, and thinking that Reiko was her husband, the mother started telling 'him' that she had a nightmare of Reiko killing someone. She murmured that the person must be her…if she hadn't gone for that gathering thirteen years ago…

Reiko left without saying anything, and she muttered, "How do you want me to smile like that…"

Next morning, Katsumata came to the meeting and made a fuss in front of everyone, about how Kusaka's investigation was hindering his, since both took place on the same territory. Apparently, Kusaka's investigation had caused the mafia group to back out on revealing the mastermind's name to Katsumata. Katsumata wasn't supposed to use 'black' means of finding out the truth but he insisted that he could see the big picture and work after analysis, and not like Kusaka who had to run everywhere just to get clues. 

Psh. Katsumata goes onto the list of The Hated Characters. Reiko got curious and asked Imaizume about the relationship between Kusaka and Katsumata. Turns out that Katsumata had set Kusaka up before.

He had known that Kusaka was going to catch the wrong culprit but didn't say anything, so that Kusaka would get the entire responsibility of catching the wrong guy. What?! I had thought that Katsumata was going to be a nice guy…but apparently not. Okay, you are given the permanent status on my list. 

Reiko didn't believe Imaizume though, when he told her that Kusaka thought quite highly of her. Some police officers found a torso floating in the river. Reiko rushed back to the room to look at the photo of the torso and realised something, "Hey, look." Kikuta asked, "Why?" but was looking at her with concern instead of looking at the photo.

Aha, forgive me for reading into his actions. 

Flashback scene of Naito sending Mishima on an errand and Makiyo coming to find Naito. Reiko told Imaizume and Hashizume that they were wrong. Makiyo was the dead victim here, and "Naito's the murderer."

-the end-

Whoo exciting!(:

I could tell that Kusaka's a nice guy actually. It's just that Reiko and him have different working styles and Reiko seems dead set against him because of his looks…? How mean, Reiko. Katsumata and Hashizume on the other hand, are horrible, self-absorbed leaders and I can't wait for them to fall from their high and mighty place. I like the way how they intersperse each flashback in the main show. Initially, these flashbacks mean nothing, but the point at which the flashbacks' plot and the main plot converge is when you understand the back story to the murder. 

I can't wait to see what Reiko has seen on the torso that made her realise that Naito's the murderer. Probably the build is different or something.

<3thoughtsramble