Disclamier: sorry I'm not a flamboyant thief who is out to get rights for this great manga/anime. All rights goes to Gosho Aoyama-sensei.
Chapter 9: the hanged man part 3: revelations
A high schooler starts pacing around the autopsy waiting room. If he is being honest about himself, the smell is just incredible. Murgure-keibu have allows Shinichi to access to any departments, since he is a promising youth to the force. From what witnesses had said they heard the scream around 5:20, but the autopsy says that the murder had taken place around 5:15. Myeslf and Ran had heard the scream and Ayame-san had seen another person just in the backyard. From what all witnesses had said neither of them can't reach Daisuke-san's house given the time frame of the murder. He then leaves the station and began walking back home.
So far I cannot find a motive for murder, Ayame-san seem very sincere when she said her uncle will not commit suicide. And Shinichi-san he is just the person to commits such a perfect crime, given his background and all. But how can he do it? Is it really just a suicide and I overreacted? Just as he passes a small bakery, his stomach growls unsuspectingly. Great now I'm hungry. He then settles on at least a Fish-shaped pastry.
After purchasing this tasty treat he then starts walking back home. Now where was I.. Ah right it may seem Akira is the likely suspect, since he was the first one to be contact with the victim. But he doesn't look like the person to be that careless, so then how can Shinichi-san be able to murder the victim? And this doesn't explain that red mark around Daisuke-san's middle finger. I had checked everyone for such a mark or gesture, what if it is in plain sight. The murder is wearing a ring, a high school ring. That still… All the sudden a pounding headache rears its ugly head.
"AGH stupid headache, at this rate I will need a MRI scan." People passing by start to look at him oddly. Great the first sign of madness is talking to myself. The youth then walks pass a restaurant, to see two people wearing black trench coats and black hats. Shinichi gives his head a little shake and the illusion disappeared. Second sign is seeing things.
He starts to nibble on at the tail of the fish pastry. Walking down the street just a few minutes from his home easy, what he didn't expect is a black raven snatch what was left of his snack and took off in the night sky.
"OI chotto matte that's mine!" The raven touched down by a tree branch next to his bedroom door.
The black bird tilted his head like a curious dog. As if it is mocking the grounded detective it said "Caw, caw." What even frustrate him more is the raven swoops into his open bedroom window. Oh great a wild bird. That's what I really need. He thrusts his hands into his pocket and withdraws out the keys of his house. The teen pauses for a moment, hoping his parents would have noticed a raven flying around the house. He had expected a shriek from kaa-san or maybe a calm voice from otou-san to reassure her safely. Instead there is a great flapping of wings follows by a person clapping loudly.
The double doors open and from what the teenaged detective can deduct are 'odd' adults called parents. Yukiko have her arm in the air as the raven flew perch to the next.
"Come here Edgar-kun do you want this fresh piece of meat?" The raven or Edgar responds by flapping his way to Yukiko's arm. Its black talons was surprisingly well groomed, the bird lands expertly onto her hand as he ravish on that piece of meat.
"K- kaa-san what is a raven doing here?"
"Oh Shin-chan I didn't hear you arrive, and this" she gestured to the raven. "Is Edgar-kun, your otou-san and I found this poor bird in the rescue shelter in the US. And well…" Edgar flies towards a very still Shinichi and perches on top of his combed hair, cawing loudly. "Ravens itself is pretty smart and Yusake thought to own one for his Night Baron series."
For Shinichi this day is the longest one and so without further ado, he excused himself from the living room and went up the stairs. Yusake holds his arm in the air and Edgar takes that cue and lands on Yusake's.
"We're counting on you Edgar-kun." A skillful finger itch the back of its neck the black raven caws softly. A small but hidden black camera is attach to the raven's foot.
The next day after a restful night the Kudo residence is once again lively. Though as anyone who know the Kudo's well, it's not a quiet morning.
"SHIN-CHAN ! TIME TO GET UP!" Yukiko yelled up the stairs startling Yusake in the process.
"Yukiko let him sleep I'm sure he needs a couple hours of sleep.. and…"
"And let him sneak off again? No I will take Shin-chan shopping for…." Her husband hushed her then put a finger to his lips. The writer's eyes were concentrated on the ceiling directly beneath Shinichi's bedroom. Residing in one of the bedrooms a very agitated sleuth, Shinichi tossed and turned. The bed sheets were twisted trapping his arms and legs from moving.
/Dream/
The landscape was darkens with the lack of both natural and fake sunlight. Tall skyscraper buildings overlook miniature buildings and poorly lit streetlamps. Cars barely roam the streets and only faceless civilians walk on the sidewalks. A teenaged sleuth watches crowds of people minding their own businesses. Shinichi walks passed the entrance of Tropical Land where again catch a glimpse of a person that resembles a lot like Ran waiting by the fountain. From this distance he sees her pacing back and forth waiting for someone. He would have shrugged off the dream if wasn't for his never ending curiosity. At that moment a slightly tall stranger came out behind the map and walks directly to Ran's direction. The female teen's expression changed and charge right to the person starts dragging the person to the amusement park.
Huh must be Sonoko. His suspensions were later confirmed, but were proven wrong.
"Geez Shinichi what took you so long?"
"Gomen Ran cases just pops out of nowhere." replied the stranger hands shoved deep into his jeans pockets. The couple stands at the gate in an awkward silence. Then Ran drags 'Shinichi' into Tropical Land. Well that was eerie. Might as well follow them, wherever they are going. He then proceeds to tail the couple hearing odd snatches of their conversation.
"So you see one of the amazing things about Holmes is the first time he met his partner Doctor Watson. He could tell he was a military doctor in Afghanistan just from a handshake. 'Shinichi' shock hands with a random bystander. Like this." Well isn't that…a quick-witted observation, reminds me of me and Ran at Topical Land.
…
Chotto matte that is Ran, but I'm Shinichi…Then who is…" As if right on cue 'Shinichi' told Ran that he would be back for a while. The rest of the dream was him chasing 'Shinichi' in and out of alleyways.
Shadows taunted him in every dimly lit corner. Shinichi finally reach a corner before a dead end his back at the wall waiting for the target to move again. He had no other visual other than the person's shadow which changed in his very eyes.
A cape materialized behind the figure's shadow, even by his tone deaf ears he can hear a soft click of a gun being cocked. Gunshots were fired in the darkness the detective can barely make out of a tiny glimmer of glass. The figure trapped and has nowhere to go tried his luck by shooting down the sniper. The bystander continuous to watch unable to do anything but his vision clouded as someone knocks him out behind him. Before his vision blacks out a tall dark figure wearing all black with long blond hair trailing behind him.
"Aniki I found this individual giving us trouble." A large man wearing the same color as his superior with hat and dark sunglasses to hide the rest of his facial features drags a person wearing a black cape, a top hat and a white mask stretched across his face.
/End Dream/
Sunlight pokes very hard at his eye lids.
Footsteps thundered down the stairs a very bleary eye detective, his hair partially dried and a damp towel around his neck.
"Oi I'm trying to sleep there but thanks to you. After a brief discussion and breakfast he left the house. Edgar who is so eager to start his job, flies from his perch and landed on his 'masters' shoulder. The browned hair youth supress the urge to shoo the bird, but had a sudden idea. He hopes his kaa-san wasn't exaggerating that ravens is that smart. Whispers a few words to the raven's ear.
Edgar who partically understands hops onto his outstretch arm, and takes off in the sky. With the raven gone he decides to pay a little visit for new 'toys' for his pet raven. After a few hours later he emerges from Agasa-hakase's house of explosion. A black silhouette of a bird flying towards him, Edgar came back this time holding a ruby ring in his beck. Shinichi smile as he pockets that priceless piece of evidence and offers dry fruit to the retriever. Strocking the raven with one fore finger, while the other hand attaches a tracking beacon.
With that out of the wayhe sends Edgar off in the skies to follow him discretly. A few feet beyond the the transit station he calls Megure-keibu from the police station.
"Moshi moshi….yes I have solved it….where to meet?...How about the crime scene and…invite both eye-witnesses and suspects please. Shinichi ended the call and pulls out a slip of paper from his inner jacket pocket. I'll deal with you later." The note was another infuriating heist note not from Kid but from Night Baron. I'll show him…fictional characters stays in fiction. The youth continuous his wall back to the crime scene until he passed a couple of small shopping malls. One of the buildings had a huge T.V board casting the weather and the date, May 12. Tawagoto I almost forgot! Ran!
Megure-keibu and a few subordinates under his charge waited outside the house. The inspector checked his watch it passed 20 minutes after Kudo called. Out of the corner of his eye he sees Takagi-kenji talking frantically on a phone.
"Who was that?" asked the inspector
"It was Kudo-kun…he said he will be back around 20 minutes." Megure-keibu nodded and turned in with humph when one of his subordinates tapped his foot impatiently. They waited and waited. The majority of the officers are either sitting on the ground, some asked Megure-keibu for permission to get ice cold drinks from a convenience store nearby.
"Fine but be back soon. Megure shout out at the officers' retreating backs. Getting a handkerchief from his inner pocket wipes sweat from his brow. It's getting hot around here, I hope Kudo arrives early." Then suddenly a piercing cry woke half the lounging officers including Megure. He gestured two of his men to act as backup as he approach cautiously towards the source. They were only a few feet away from it until something nudged the inspector. Megure whirled around to face to face with a soccer ball.
"Kudo?" Shinichi drops the ball as he turned from the inspector and began juggling a soccerball with his feet.
"Morning Megure-keibu I think our little experiment worked." said Shinichi satisfied with the results. Right behind Shinichi is officers tied up, some of them wearing a gag and a few knocked out.
"What the…What just happen? I thought you won't be back for 20 minutes? Shinichi checks his watch. So it is possible.
"What is possible Kudo? Why are my men tied up? What is going on here?"
"Sorry Megure-keibu I just want to demonstrate how some of our alibis are inadequate." His bold statement cause a huge outburst from the witnesses.
"So then who's the culprit? Tell us Kudo?" The teenaged detective walks over to tied up officers and releasing the gags.
"The culprit can't be simpler than you Hayato-sensei!" The high school teacher's expression remains stoic even though he has been accused.
"How can I have committed the crime? As I told you I have an alibi my wife phone me after the lecture and my colleague saw me going to the men's room."
"It's simple you know all you need is one alibi and one or two unsuspecting accomplices.
"Why him?"
"Well…it seems a few years ago his brother and he was playing some sort of mind game. You know the 'perfect' murders, impermeable chaos and other ways to make crime seem impossible to do. It seems his rival goes to be a pretty well known physic professor in Tokyo University. Wait then Akira-san has nothing to do with the murder. Now I just need to question Hayashi Shinichi and I believe he lives around here.
"So Hayashi Daisuke and Shinichi are brothers?" sounds of scroll can be heard.
"Uhm yes, and get this apparently Hayashi brothers in the past were compelling with the same girl."
"What happen to her then?"
"She got married with Hayashi Shinichi and has a daughter…Shinichi are you sure it's him?"
"There is only one truth, and I will find it."
"Your daughter and your wife, both of them called you via cell phone. Your colleague had vouched that you were in the bathroom at 6:00pm. The murder was around 6:15 giving you a perfect opportunity to murder your brother. And I did an experiment myself using the notes on the wall at your house. If I recall you are familiar with physics and helicopters. Isn't that right? Sensei."
"But Kudo-kun he was at the lecture at that time around 6:20. How is it possible to murder someone within five minutes?"
"Murgure-keibu, didn't I mention before helicopters and physics were played at the murder?" Shinichi glared at the quiet professor, a devilish smirked plays on his features. "If I recall correctly it will take twenty minutes of walking to Daisuke-san's house, but did I mention it can take five minutes for a professional to maneuver a helicopter. Isn't that right Hayato-sensei?"
a/n: Sorry for that long wait, and for such a anti-climax in the case. I had a terrible case of writer's block and busy other you heard it right, there is a 'raven' in the story, now before you flame me Hakuba Saguru has a pet falcon. So why not a pet raven?
Just out of curo, how many did you guys see Kaito Kid's summer special?
Pls read and review