Chapter 2: The Unanswered Question

Shinichi didn't notice the time passed by, the class were finally dismissed. He can't get his mind off the case. The body went missing after the two freshmen reported it to the police. When the police arrived, the body of the victim and the killers were gone. All that was left were the candles and a few negative films. The negative films were useless because they were empty in the first place, on the other hand, they can use it to see if there were any finger prints left behind.

"SHIN – ICHI!" a voice yelled in his ear. Shinichi jumped and looked around. The classroom was empty. He and Ran were the only ones left.

"You promised me you'll walk me home before you go to that place." Ran reminded.

"What're we waiting for? Let's go then." Shinichi said, holding his bag. He stood up and went out of the classroom along with Ran.

It took a few minutes before they reached the Detective Mouri Agency. Shinichi didn't bother to go inside; he knows Ran's father hates him. Before he could leave, Ran reached for his hands. He turned to her, whose eyes were filled with tears. "B – Be careful." She muttered, "I don't want to –" Shinichi's lips suddenly touched hers. Then, he pushed her back gently and said, "You don't need to worry about me." He looked back and waved goodbye, leaving Ran astounded. She felt her face burning up as she looked at the young detective go.

Shinichi went to the abandoned building as fast as he could. He was not astounded to find the police around the place. He entered the building, observing the 1st floor corridor. It was long and dark. He went to the last room at the west side where there is light. He found Inspector Megure and several policemen inside the crime scene.

"Oh, hi Kudou-kun!" Inspector Megure greeted.

"So, Inspector, have you found anything yet?" Shinichi asked.

"Not really. My men were checking the whole building and they haven't given me any reports." He replied disappointedly.

"Inspector, can I borrow a flashlight? I have a feeling I might find something around the building." Shinichi said. Inspector Megure gave him a flashlight and went back to what he was doing.

Shinichi left the room and went to the other rooms. He was in deep thought as he walked at the corridor. Why would the killers want to take so much time to kill her? According to the witnesses, it seems that the two killers were just playing with the victim. If it took two weeks, the murder must be thought-out. Shinichi thought. He went to each room, looking for other clues.

On his way to the 2nd floor, he noticed a piece of shredded picture on the staircase. He picked it up and observed it carefully. It is a glossy paper wherein a small part of it seems to be the uniform of the girls of Teitan High school. As he enters the other rooms of the remaining floors, he found its other parts and another piece of evidence. He went back to the 1st floor and rearranged the shredded picture. It is the picture of the two witnesses running. Two pieces were missing in the picture: the feet of Sakura and the corner of the picture itself. In the picture, Sakura was looking back, while Ayame kept running. Shinichi borrowed a scotch tape and put it all together as evidence. While he was putting it together, one of the pieces flew at the window. He followed it until it fell on the bushes nearby. He groped for the clue; instead, he touched something hard. He peered inside the bushes and found a head with a terrified expression. He was surprised at first, but then, he realized it was a fake. It seems like the fake head looks like the victim: Hana Takashi. She was a known writer of fantasies. She had earned different awards in her latest novel, 'The Vanishing Princess'. The fake head has a mark of a dagger. The splattered blood on it was just made up of red paint by the smell of it.

"What does this mean, Kudou-kun?" Inspector Megure asked, observing the fake head. Shinichi peered inside it and then, he noticed that it was made of the novel that was written by the victim. "Do you think what the witnesses saw was a fake?"

"I'm not really sure about that." Shinichi mumbled. "This evidence may be misleading us. Where was Hana last seen anyway?"

"In her residence, of course...According to her neighbors, they heard her play a noisy music which is very odd and they reported it to the police. When the police arrived, the house was already empty."

"Er – where is her house again?" Shinichi asked.