Disclaimer: I just borrowed Ran, Detective Mouri and other characters found in Detective Conan.

Claimer: I own the ideas [actually they were based from my dreams (-_-)zzz...].

* This is my 1st Detective Conan fanfic. So, if you have any comments, suggestions [&/or corrections] just let me know. In other words, please review. Hope you enjoy!

-à +ß -

The Advocate

Part I: Anne Bridger Case

"... A raven-haired woman, around mid- 20's, got a small bottle from her coat's pocket and opened it. She poured its contents at the pond in front of her. Pinkish, oily substance remained floating in the water and as it spread, the aquatic plants in the pond started wilting fast... There was a little boy behind her who looked frightened. At first, I thought that the woman would suddenly grab and drown him. But actually it was the woman who fell in the pond... Her mouth, nose, and ears, started to bleed under water." Emilie sipped her coffee and continued, "Just fainted or suicide, I couldn't tell."

"Ann Bridger died at around 5:30 a.m., the time when you had that vision. So, perhaps it's related to this case!" exclaimed Ran.

The two of them were sitting at a corner inside the Montpelier Laboratory's Cafeteria.

"Umm... But I think it's not murder 'cause I didn't see anybody there except for that frightened little boy, who looked like.. him." Emilie took a glance at another table across. Ran thought it was Conan she's talking to. But when she looked there, she saw another boy, around 7-8 years old, who was wearing a black shirt and blue pants.

*************

That child Emilie's talking to was Mrs. Pam Freeman's son. Mrs. Freeman, 34 years old, was the head of the E. Department in Montpelier Laboratory last year. She and his son, together with Ms. Abby Bridger [the victim's half- sister], Inspector Megure, Detective Mouri, and Conan were in the cafeteria also, discussing and analyzing the death of Ms. Ann Bridger.

"Sir, when my son and I arrived at 7:00 a.m., we saw her already dead." Mrs. Freeman said.

Inspt. Megure checked the logbook and saw her signature and 'time in: 7:00'.

"Let me see." Conan said and Inspt. Megure showed it to him. Detective Mouri, who became a little irritated with Conan because of his being a 'meddler' looked at it too.

"Yup! Written there was 7 a.m. sharp." Detective Mouri said.

"But what if she didn't write the actual time they came?" Abby sneered.

"Excuse me Ms. Bridger but you can ask the guard if you want to." Mrs. Freeman, quite annoyed, still tried to be calm.

"What if you just bribed the guard— sorry for the term."

"You should really be sorry indeed because you're already..."

"I know that you stole some chemicals in this laboratory last year and illegally sold it to earn more money! That was the reason why you're not the head of the E. Department now." Abby continued in a sing- song way.

"What's the connec..."

"And you might be jealous of my sister because she replaced you!" Abby, a glib talker she was, didn't let Mrs. Freeman interrupt her. There was silence in the whole cafeteria as she said that aloud. The eyes of the people there were on them.

"You arrived at about 7:20, right?" Mrs. Freeman said as calmly as possible.

Abby nodded and asked "So?"

"There is still a possibility that you're the one who killed Ms. Bridger."

Abby's left brow raised.

"Once your half- sister dies, all –ALL- your parents fortune will be yours." Mrs. Freeman felt that she's making a point here.

"But..."

Mrs. Freeman raised her right hand signaling her not to talk. "You might have arrived here earlier, perhaps by passing in through a secret passage or something instead. Then, pretended to had just arrived at about 7:20, when the cops were already here." she continued.

"What the.. I wouldn't do that!! Blah, blah, blah..."

The two enraged were deeply engaged in an argument. Other people there stared at them again. Detective Mouri just sighed and muttered "Women...", while Conan left the Cafeteria.

"U-hum.. ladies... excuse me... umm... please listen to me for awhile!" Inspt. Megure was finally able to silence them.

*************

Meanwhile, Conan went outside at the pond where Ms. Bridger died.

"I prefer a quiet place." he said to himself.

Conan started to find some clues there. First he observed the ground , then the sides of the pond.

"If only we arrived before she and her papers were taken out of the water. Darn it! I couldn't anymore observe now how far the water splashed on the ground 'cause they messed it up already. I might still be able to determine whether it's murder or suicide." he thought.

He continued searching, but still found nothing- not even an object that could result to the victim's bruise on her calf.

He then looked at the pinkish, gray pond, which reflected the cloudy sky. The surroundings were becoming gloomier as it was about to rain. He scrutinized every wilted plant in the pond. How he wished that there was just a hidden camera even outside. Few minutes later, he found an empty small bottle, slightly hidden by those dead water lilies. He picked it up with his handkerchief.

"APTX 4868?" he read the label. "Almost similar to the drug that nearly killed me." he thought, and rushed back in the cafeteria for it started raining already.

"APTX 4868. What's this?" the small bottle was handed to Inspt. Megure.

"Oh, that's very poisonous. Just drink a drop and you'll already meet God." Mrs. Freeman commented.

While they still proceeded in discussing about the crime especially about the small bottle, Ran at the table across, signaled Conan that they want to talk to Mrs. Freeman son.

When Conan did, the boy was hesitant at first. Only when Conan said that Emilie and Ran would like to ask about his mother because they idolize her did the boy go.

"Hello! What's your name?" Ran asked as soon as the boy followed by Conan came.

"C-c-carl." the boy replied.

"Why, you seem scared. We won't eat you. Come, sit." Ran said, and he sat beside her. Conan then noticed something.