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XX

Not-So-Legal Procedures

"Please install hidden cameras and electronic bugs in all of their homes," L announced.

"No... No way!" Matsuda burst out. "You can't do that in Japan!"

"No matter how powerful you are or what your background is, you can't do that!" Aizawa protested righteously. "This is a major breach of privacy rights. If our bosses found out, we'd all lose our jobs!"

Es rolled his eyes.

"As a matter-of-fact, I might be able to get the government to endorse that with cooperation from a member of each household. That will just take too long through the proper channels," Es explained nonchalantly. 

"Do you value your jobs over human lives?" L finished while regarding them.

The four investigators fell silent, considering L's words.

It was tempting to wait for S to get permission, however dubious, but he was right.

It would take too long.

As this case dragged on, the casualties increased. 

Decidedly, Yagami asked with resolve, "Who was Penber investigating at the time?"

Matsuda went to check the files.

"From the nineteenth, Penber was investigating..." Matsuda went pale, unable to do any more than stare at the document blankly for a moment.

"Sub-Chief Kitamura and Chief Yagami's families," L finished without sympathy. 

"Please install cameras and electronic bugs in these two households," Es said politely, but the team knew that they did not have a choice. "Since it is illegal, please install them discreetly if possible."

Legal or not, it was needed if they wanted to find the culprit.

However... 

"Ryūzaki, what is the chance that Kira is actually in one of these families?" Yagami asked through clenched teeth.

L considered this for a moment.

"Ten per cent," he stated despite knowing that it should have been higher.

Then he thought about it a little more.

Disregarding Es' convictions since those were not considered rational by other people, it only made sense that the value was halved...

L corrected himself, "No, more like five per cent."

Es wanted to sigh in regret, but he knew that informing Yagami Sōichirō that he already had incriminating recordings on Yagami Light was not the best way to earn his trust. Perhaps he would have to bring those up another day. Preferably when only L and himself were around, of course.

"Only five per cent..." Matsuda uttered in shock.

"Normally we would at least wait until there is a probability of at least fifty per cent before doing something like this," Aizawa agreed.

However, the earlier allusion to Yagami Light's possible involvement seemed to have lit a fire in the elder Yagami.

Yagami Sōichirō, instead of backing down, stepped forward.

"We don't even have a suspect even now. Even if the odds were just one per cent, we still have to investigate thoroughly," Yagami stated.

"Does that mean installing illegal surveillance equipment? In Kitamura and your homes, no less," Matsuda argued. "Don't we still have other options?"