Guys. Guys it's done. For the love of all that is writing it is done! School's finally out and I've had the energy to write again! For those of you that don't know I work in a school and go to school and it's utter poop. But now that is over with for a few months and I can do what needs to be done! Huzzah!

This chapter finishes off the Missing Man case (with some, uh, noticeable changes as I'm sure you'll see) and goes over Kazimir's house as well. Momma Fujie makes a reappearance for a little bit and concussions suck. Siblings fight, make up, and bicker away while Shizuka debates on making actual friends.

TheDarkKunoichi: Oh wow, thank you so much for the fantastic compliments! I'm glad you decided to give this story a shot, and even happier that you like it! My favorite thing to do with these kinds of stories is give the side characters a chance to shine too. They're awesome! And I'm glad you like the newbie cops too, I was really nervous about throwing them in so soon. I wonder what their group name will be, haha. Thanks again for reviewing!

Larke: You reviewed so much! Thank you! Avelia's one of my favorites too, and the circus was... quite the wild ride. It will be mentioned more later on. For now lets just say, Shizuka has a very interesting outlook on clowns now. Don't even worry about not writing in English, I've got Google translate on my side (and when that fails I can make my own guesses at what you said). Thank you for being willing to wait. That means a great deal to me. Avelia is a very large bear man. Bear hugs are his greatest form of attack! Thanks for taking the time out of your day to review!

littlebabyturtlelove: To the house we go! And shhh, no spoilers. Agasa will always be the best! Thanks for reviewing!

Naliyu: Here you goooooooo! Thanks for the review, even if only to ask for more. It motivates me!

Nebilas: You make me blush good human. Hope you like it, thanks for reviewing!

ArashiYuki13: That's great! I'm glad you've got some good in your life and I hope that still rings true! (scoots closer) creepy my butt! I'm glad it makes you feel closer, the same goes for me! As for all the things that go into writing... nah, I'm pretty sure all of those belong in some way or form. Probably. You always make me smile! Thanks for reviewing again my friend, I hope you like this one too.

Please enjoy!

-00-

Chapter 11: The Pains of the Face, Basic First Aid, and Close Calls

-00-

Shizuka tilted her head from side to side, inspecting her face closely in the bathroom mirror. It had taken a lot of ice and some muscle relaxing ointment she had found in her parent's room but the swelling in her face had finally gone down enough for her to start trying to cover it up. There had been too many close calls with Agasa earlier that morning. She had thought she would wake up early enough to leave without him noticing but she hadn't been able to shake off the sleep clogging her brain fast enough.

The original plan had been to go over to clear her aching head. There was just something about Agasa's house that put her, and her family's, mind at ease. And it worked after a while. Eventually dozing off had been her goal; breaking down and yelling at Agasa had not been.

'Ugh, how embarrassing,' she thought irritably, poking along the edges of the bruise and trying not to flinch. The makeup was doing a great job in covering the worst of the damage along her cheek but she still had a rather obvious black eye. That was swelled up too much to cover yet. 'At least I kept this mess from him. Plus its just bruising, nothing broken.'

Broken noses were pains in the ass.

As were concussions. She could do without the constant pounding pain.

Shizuka let her hand fall against the sink tiredly, letting out a heavy sigh. She was still irritated and shaky, her brain working overdrive. She needed to regain control of herself.

Flicking off the light to the bathroom she snagged her cellphone off its charger.

Ran picked up on the fourth ring.

"Hello?"

"Hello Ran-chan," Shizuka greeted, grabbing two empty water bottles from the kitchen and starting to fill them up. "I was wondering if Conan-chan was free today. I have some news from his parents and I want to talk to him before I leave tomorrow."

"You're leaving?" Ran asked, the sound of music being dimmed down in the background. "I thought all of your work is in Beika now?"

"It's not for work," Shizuka replied easily, pulling out some of the food Ran had prepared for her earlier in the week and separating it into two small containers. "I was invited to Osaka by a… friend and I'll be down there for a few days. I mainly wanted to take a few pictures of Conan-chan to send to his parents before I left so that they don't worry."

"Oh, that sounds fun! I don't think Conan-chan has any plans. He's been feeling down these last few days so I'm sure it will do him some good. He's over at the Professor's house right now so I'll call over and ask him to drop Conan-chan at your house instead of back here."

Shizuka crushed the immediate paranoia that Agasa would tell Shinichi everything that happened. He wouldn't do that, not after all these years.

"Sounds good. I'll drop him off later when we're done."

"Okay, bye Shizuka!"

"Goodbye."

Tucking her phone into her back pocket Shizuka finished packing up her green backpack and went to leave it by the front door. Forcing her aching muscles to challenge the stairs she slipped into her room to change into a white tank top and light blue shorts. After tucking her hair into its usual ponytail she took it a step further than usual by clipping her bangs back with simple blue barrettes. Putting on her tennis shoes she went back down, slung the bag over her shoulder, and moved to wait outside Agasa's home.

It didn't take Shinichi long to show up. She had barely been waiting for a minute before her brother bounded around the corner. His blue jacket was gone, leaving only his white dress shirt and bow tie. The overlarge glasses that usually took a spot along the bridge of his nose were gone as well.

"What happened to your glasses?" Shizuka wondered.

"What happened to your eye," Shinichi threw back, his own eyes riveted on the part of the bruise he could see on her face.

Shizuka shrugged nonchalantly. "There was a mistake in a takedown yesterday. I… wasn't paying attention like I should have."

Shinichi scowled at her and crossed his arms. "So I have to be at the top of my game one hundred percent of the time but you get to make mistakes and pretend its fine? Agasa said you slept over last night but he didn't mention your eye so I'm guessing you didn't tell him."

Shizuka felt her eyebrow twitch, which only made her wince. "…I'll admit I should have been more careful, but I have a shining reminder of that already. The difference, brat, is that I didn't go looking for the trouble. Your concern is touching though, thanks."

…That came out far more snippy than she had intended, but her head hurt and she had honestly been expecting at least a little bit of concern for her health.

Shinichi huffed, looking off to the side.

Shizuka breathed heavily through her nose. Pushing herself off the wall she massaged her temple. "…You were obviously in the middle of something with Agasa, so I'll keep this short then." Kami her head was killing her. "I am going to Osaka tomorrow to look into a new lead in the Kazimir case. I will be gone for a few days and I may have my phone on silent while investigating. Is there anything I need to know before I leave?"

He narrowed his eyes first at her and then towards the bag slung over her shoulder. "…Is that really the only reason you wanted to see me?"

"Well it is now," she snapped, making him twitch. "Sorry," she moved to fiddle with her camera straps only to realize she had left it at home. "I'm still on edge from yesterday. Seriously Shinichi, is there anything I need to know before I leave?"

He shuffled on his feet, scratching the back of his head. "No, nothing you can help with at least. I- we're still looking for Masami-san but Professor Agasa is helping me with that. He gave me tracking glasses but they need to charge," he muttered out, not quite looking her in the eye.

"Alright," she sighed, rolling her shoulder. "Text me if anything changes then. I'm going to go pack for the trip."

"Wait!" Shinichi shot in front of her when she turned to go. "Look, I'm sorry Shizu. I didn't mean for it to come out that way. I'm- I'm glad you're okay."

Shizuka looked down at him, judging the sincerity of his words. He was looking her in the eye this time and it didn't seem like he was lying.

"It's okay," she eventually conceded. "You're stressed too, I'm sure. Which is exactly why we both need a break. How long will it take Agasa to charge your, uh, 'tracking' glasses?"

"Two hours at most. I think," he replied with a slight smile.

Shizuka nodded, adjusting the straps again. "Plenty of time then. Want to go to the park and stretch?"

"Sure," Shinichi shrugged, tucking his hands in his pockets. "Did you bring food?"

"Of course."

It was something they had always done when they were younger, and with decreasing frequency as they got older. Many of the self-defense moves they had been taught throughout their life required a flexible body and it also kept them feeling light on their feet. So they would pack some food and head to the park where their parents couldn't loom over them with critiques and lessons. It was a space and time just for them where they could relax and simply enjoy each other's company.

"You didn't cook did you?"

"Shut it Shinichi, before I change my mind."

-00-

"So your buttons are the trackers?" Shizuka stretched to grab her left foot while doing the splits. Across from her Shinichi mirrored her, reaching for his right.

"Not the buttons, they're like stickers that go on the buttons," he explained. "Should you be doing this right now? You have a concussion."

"Minor concussion," she corrected, switching over to her right. "As long as I don't do anything strenuous I should be fine, and this is the opposite of strenuous. I haven't stretched since I got back."

Shinichi hummed in agreement. "It was hard to keep up on with everything going on. I have to come up with a new schedule for training now that I live with Ran."

"Makes sense," she nodded. With the amount of times they both had to use self-defense keeping up with their stretching and workouts was a necessity. Too long without either and they might not be fast enough or skilled enough when the situation calls for it. "We could always start meeting up again. Probably not on Mondays anymore, but Thursdays and the weekend should cut it as long as we find personal time too."

He thought about it, stretching straight forwards and lightly placing his nose on the ground. "I guess. It would give us time to exchange info too. Let's start when you get back from Osaka."

"Kay."

Silence blanketed over them comfortably. Shizuka made sure not to push herself too far. The point of this was to make her feel better, not cause her brain to cave in on itself.

"Time's almost up," Shinichi noticed, tapping his phone with his toe. "Lunch?"

Shizuka leaned back to grab her bag. "Sure. I brought Ran-chan's cooking."

They shared matching grins.

"So what's your lead on Masami-san? Does it have to do with your new trackers?" Shizuka asked, moving her legs in front of her and crossing them at the ankles.

Shinichi stayed in the splits as he ate, digging into his food like a vacuum. "I-We have a suspect that we think kidnapped her. I had originally put the tracker on Masami-san's watch but when I tried to follow it, it lead me to him instead. I didn't realize it at the time though so he got away."

"How'd you figure out it was him if you didn't know then?" Shizuka wondered, shoveling some more rice into her mouth.

"That detective with the big eyes was looking for the guy and when he showed us a picture I recognized him," he explained, tossing the last of his meal back and letting out a happy sigh.

"Ah. So once your glasses are charged you can find him and most likely Masami-san as well. Want me to come along?"

Shinichi looked at her, gaze drifting towards her eye. "…If you want, but you have to hang back. This is my case after all."

Shizuka snorted. 'Hang back' meant 'don't get hurt' in Shinichi's language. "Alright, I'll do my best. Are the others coming as well?"

"I was planning on it," he shrugged, ignoring her surprised look. "I wasn't going to go running after him when I'm like this."

"So you can be taught."

"Shut it!"

-00-

Shizuka leaned against the wall to the Mouri Detective Agency. It didn't seem like a good idea to face Agasa again after what had happened. He probably wouldn't even bring it up, just send her some concerned glances, but she felt horribly embarrassed with how she had acted. Plus Shinichi would be there too, and she didn't want him getting clued in to anything so instead she rushed home to grab her dark green jacket in case the weather changed while they were out.

"I'm back," Shinichi greeted when he ran up, glasses now back where they belonged. "I was originally going to tell them that I saw the man when I was walking around, but since you're here you should do it instead."

"Of course your majesty," Shizuka mock bowed. "I live to serve."

"Ha ha," he deadpanned. "It will work better since you're older."

"I know, I was just messing with you," Shizuka smirked.

Shinichi rolled his eyes, choosing to ignore her. As they walked in they could hear loud yelling from the main office.

"No, no, jab your arm out more!" Kogoro was ordering.

"Oh, uh," there was a soft reply. The siblings pushed open the door in time to see the strange detective from earlier (sunglasses covering his eyes once more) pointing sharply at the wall. "The criminal is you!"

"What the hell are they doing?" Shinichi muttered, eye twitching.

Shizuka shook her head and pinched the bridge of her nose. This really was just like a T.V. drama.

"They're doing 'detective training'," Ran explained to the side. She sighed in exasperation as Kogoro continued to lecture the much larger man about the finer points of being a detective.

"Right," they both said slowly.

"Anyway," Shizuka said loudly to get their attention. "I thought I should let you all know. Conan-chan showed me that picture of the man you guys are looking for. I saw him downtown just earlier today."

"What?!" they cried.

"Did you see Masami-san?" Ran asked, eyes wide.

"Unfortunately no," Shizuka shook her head. "But if he is in fact the kidnapper she'll probably be close by."

Kogoro stormed over and grabbed his shoes. "Then what are we waiting for?! Let's go!"

They all piled outside right as a taxi pulled in.

"What the heck?" Kogoro looked at it oddly.

Shizuka waved her phone at him. "I called it before I came in. Figured you would want this solved as soon as possible. You three sit in the back, Conan-chan can sit with me."

Before he could complain about being bossed around Ran grabbed him and practically stuffed him inside. One glare was all it took for the larger to detective to squeeze in after him.

Shizuka opened her own door and sat down. She opened her arms widely.

"Here Conan-chan!"

He grimaced but allowed himself to be picked up.

"Good boy," Shizuka patted his head. She gave a slight 'oof' when he elbowed her.

"Where too?" The driver asked.

"Turn on 22nd," Shinichi muttered.

Shizuka relayed the directions, the process repeating as they went. Kogoro kept grumbling in the back but they both ignored him.

"There!" Shinichi pointed as they turned the last corner. The Enyuo City Hotel loomed over them.

"That's an expensive place," Shizuka noted.

Her brother nodded, brow furrowed. "He hasn't moved for a long time. What if he took off the watch?"

"Let's go."

Throwing a couple bills at the driver Shizuka jumped out. She kept a hold of Shinichi knowing that in his smaller form he ran a bit slower. The rest of their group was right behind them. Kogoro approached the front desk and pulled out a picture from his pocket.

"Excuse me," he called to get the receptionist's attention. "Do you recognize this man?"

"Hmm?" the rounded man looked it over. "Ah, yes! I believe he is in room 802."

Shizuka turned on her heel to the elevator, Shinichi reaching out to hit the button. As Ran moved to stand next to her she could feel the tension in the air around them continue to rise.
The doors open, but as they rushed in someone moved to step out.

There was a loud crash. A large pile of suitcases toppled over, their owner giving a shout of surprise.

"For the love of-!" Kogoro cut himself off and quickly started setting them back up. The woman who owned them thanked them with a smile, most of her face covered by large sunglasses and a hat.

'Do I know her?' Shizuka shook her head, helping to pick up the cases. 'Not the time. I'll think about it later.'

Once the woman was back on her way they all crowded into the elevator, Kogoro smashing the button for floor 8 rapidly.

"Come on, come on, come on," Conan hopped from foot to foot. Ran rested a hand on his head to calm him.

As the doors cracked open Kogoro wrestled his way through and took off down the hallway. Shizuka and the other detective were right behind him, followed by Ran and Conan.

"Hey, Giant!" Kogoro beat on the door. "I know you're in there!"

"Wait!" Shizuka held out her hand. She could pick the lock before the man knew they were there!

Kogoro blinked when the door creaked open, having been pushed open by his own hands.

"It was unlocked," he frowned, pushing it the rest of the way. "What?!"

Ran screamed when they caught sight of him. The man they had been looking for was slumped over just past the door, a soda can held loosely in his hands. Blood covered the front of his shirt, pooling over from his mouth as his eyes looked down covered in a glass film.

"He's dead!" the large detective cried, hands shaking.

Kogoro grabbed his handkerchief from his pocket, using it to pry the can from the dead man's hands.

"Potassium cyanide," he informed them after smelling it. "…he must have committed suicide from the guilt of his actions."

Shizuka shook her head. That didn't seem right. Something was off with this picture.

"What about Masami-san?" Ran gulped, face ashen.

Her father shook his head. "Before we can look for her we need to contact the police. Wait here!"

Shinichi stared at the man on the floor intently, eyes narrowed. His gaze flitted from his watch to the empty linoleum cases he could just barely see behind him.

"What?!" Kogoro's conversation on the phone carried over. "What do you mean Hiroto was a bachelor? He had a daughter!"

Shinichi grabbed Shizuka's hand, pulling her down once he got her attention.

"This wasn't a suicide," he whispered harshly, and she nodded in agreement. "Masami-san is the killer. When her father saw her he wasn't shocked, he was afraid! She must have killed this man too!"

Shizuka looked around quickly, categorizing what she could see. "He hasn't been dead for long, the blood hasn't dried yet. She must be close."

Shinichi wracked his brain for what clues he could put together. His mind flashed to the elevator.

"The woman we ran into!" he realized. "They acted differently but she was the same build and she had enough suitcases to match the empty ones here!"

Shizuka didn't bother to reply. Grabbing her brother she pushed past Ran and out the door.

"Shizuka! Conan-chan! Wait!"

Bypassing the elevator completely Shizuka raced down the stairs, Ran right behind her.

"Where are you going?!"

"We might know where Masami-san is!" Conan turned in Shizuka's grip to see her.

Ran's expression hardened and she picked up her pace.

"There!" Shizuka skidded to a halt outside. The woman from earlier had just pulled away in a cab. There was a long line for the next one. Shizuka stormed up to the front and shoved her way between the next man in line and the next cab.

"Move!" she demanded.

The man glared at her angrily. "What do you think you're doing?!"

Ran appeared at their side, shoving her self into the man's face.

"My father is being buried alive and soon to be cut to pieces and if I don't get there in time it will be too late!" she roared.

The man paled and stepped back, gesturing for them to get in.

"Follow that cab," Shizuka ordered the moment they were seated.

"Uh, okay?" the driver stuttered, wondering about the mountain they had mentioned.

They followed the woman's cab for twenty solid minutes, their nerves tightening the further they went.

"Wait," Shizuka frowned, bringing her hand up to cup the lower portion of her face. "I've definitely seen her before. Where did I…?"

The attempted murder earlier that week. The killer was a woman, but large sunglasses and a hat had hid her entire face. She had also worn boots and a trench coat similar to the woman in the elevator.

"Are they the same person?" she chewed on the inside of her lip. "The disguise is the same, build is about right, it could be."

"What?" Shinichi leaned over to hear her.

"Nothing important right now," Shizuka shook her head. "I can't confirm it yet."

Shinichi would have pressed for more but the cab had pulled to a stop.

"Uh, here you are," their driver gestured to the port on their right. Masami's taxi was just beginning to leave ahead of them.

Shizuka tossed some bills at him just as she had done before and they left the car behind.

They had lost sight of her. There were shipping containers lining the area, it would be impossible to see her unless they actually ran into her.

"Split up," Shizuka nodded to them. "Ran, you and Conan-chan go that way. I'll go this way. Stay in contact."

She pulled out her cellphone and called Ran's number. Ran answered, nodded, and they took off separate ways.

'There shouldn't be any ships leaving this harbor right now,' Shizuka hands shook as she breathed heavily. Ever since the hotel her head had been throbbing and now her bruised eye was getting hard to keep open. 'This is one of Mitsuriko Mako's ports. They've been closed down until his case is finished and the sea around it is under watch now. She wouldn't take a boat out of here.'

"Nothing yet," Ran's voice crackled next to her ear. "What about you Shizuka?"

"Nothing," she breathed heavily. There were spots dancing in her vision, forcing her to stop. "Damn it."

"Shizuka?" Ran asked worriedly.

"It's nothing," she placated. "Keep looking, we'll find her."

"Okay, we'll AHHHH!"

Shizuka jumped, the loud sound sending a stab of pain through her head. "Ran? Ran what happened?"

"Masami-san! Masami-san was shot! I-I have to call an ambulance!"

Shizuka didn't have time to say another word before the call disconnected. She stared at her phone dumbly for a moment before her brain finally kicked in.

'Either suicide or there is a shooter hanging around. No time to be running around.'

Forcing her breath to level out Shizuka looked at the shipping containers around her closely. The one near the far end was just small enough to maybe climb on top of.

Forcing her feet forward she allowed her left eye to remain closed until she got to it. Jumping as high as she could her fingers barely found a grip on the bar lining the top. Swinging her legs a bit she pulled herself up and over the top before lying flat along the roof. Her legs gave out when she tried to stand.

"Fuck you and your steroid fists Mako," she cursed angrily as her vision swayed. "Damn it, get a grip!"

Stumbling to her feet she pulled out her small camera from her back pocket (she knew she should have grabbed her big one when she had the chance). Lifting it to her good eye she scanned over the parts of the pier she could see.

Two shadowed figures were getting into a shining silver car near the edge of the pier.

She hit the shutter as fast as she could, trying to get as many details as possible. The car was at the wrong angle to read the license plate, she could not see their faces from this distance and likely would not be able to zoom in the pictures well enough either, but one detail stuck out enough for her to notice.

They were dressed entirely in black.

As they drove away Shizuka allowed herself to fall to her knees, hands braced against the cool metal of the container she was on. Leaning forward she shuddered as her head touched the surface and the chill encompassed her forehead.

She wasn't sure how long she sat there. When the throbbing dulled to a more manageable pain she scooted over to hop of the edge and head back towards Ran and Shinichi.

When she found them they were both hunched over another person on the ground. Shizuka rushed over.

Masami was on the ground gasping for air, one hand clenched tightly around her brother's. Shizuka dropped to her knees on her other side, tearing off her jacket and holding it over the pool of blood on her left shoulder.

"Ran, give me your jacket. Conan-chan, yours too," Shizuka ordered, putting even more pressure on the wound.

Small hands joined hers, holding a blue jacket that was quickly soaked.

"Put yours over her legs Ran-neechan," Conan directed her. "We have to keep her warm."

"O-okay," she rushed to cover the woman's legs. "Now what?"

"Go back to the front and wait for the ambulance. They're going to need directions," Shizuka explained quickly.

Ran stood and rushed off. There were sounds of sirens in the distance.

"Masami-san, can you hear me?" Shizuka leaned forward to look her in the eye.

"Y-yes," she choked, eyes clenched in pain and sweat beading her forehead. "D-don't bother. I won't-"

"What is your blood type?" Shizuka ignored her. The woman was silent. "Masami-san, what is your blood type?"

"A… Positive."

"Do you have any allergies?"
"N-no."

There was a rush of footsteps headed towards them. Ran turned the corner followed by her father and a handful of paramedics.

Shizuka told them the information she had learned and stepped back so they could take over. They lifted Masami onto a stretcher and carted her away, Ran following after them worriedly.

Shinichi pulled her to the side and out of the way by a dark green container, his face set into a dark glare.

"It was them," Shinichi ground out, hands clenched so tightly they shook. "She told me. It was the men in black."

"I know," Shizuka sunk down heavily to sit next to him and pulled out her camera. "I got a picture of them."

He gaped at her before fumbling for her camera.

"The picture's not good enough to identify who they are," she explained, "but it's enough for us. If we find proof about them, then this can be proof that they were here."

Shinichi collapsed next to her with a sigh, half-heartedly handing back her camera. She set it down next to her, resting her full weight on her hands.

"You okay?" he looked her over, concern lighting his face.

She breathed steadily through her nose for a few seconds. "…Concussions are a pain in the ass."

He laughed blankly. "What do we do now?"

"Well," she groaned, fully laying down now and ignoring the coldness of the concrete that immediately seeped through her clothes. "I'm going to Osaka. I'm going to that house and I'll hopefully find some clues. You are going to stay here and wait for Masami to be well enough to talk. She might have more information. Figure out more ways to defend yourself while you're like that too."

He grimaced, flicking a pebble away from his shoe. He stared down at his blood-covered hands with sad eyes. "That doesn't feel like enough."

"I know," she reached out and dragged him down too, letting him have his own space but keeping a hand on top of his head. "I know."

Kogoro paid for their cab back. The drive was made in stilted silence, no one willing to talk about what had just happened. When they were dropped off in front of Mouri's Agency Shizuka gave Ran a quick hug, asking her to call her with any news about Masami, nodded at Kogoro, and bent down to give her brother a hug.

"You did well today Shinichi," she spoke softly as his hands rose to hug her back. "Stay safe."

"You too," he replied just as softly.

Separating Shizuka waved goodbye and walked slowly back home. She still had to pack for the trip tomorrow. There was no way she could miss it now. That house was their best shot at catching those killers and she'd be damned if she let it slip away.

-00-

"Good morning!" Yuuko called loudly as the limo door swung open before the driver could even get close enough to try to open it. She wore a white and black-checkered dress with a color that dipped far too low and a bright white sunhat.

Shizuka stared at her blankly for a long moment from her place on the porch. She had chosen brown yoga pants and a hooded black vest over an orange t-shirt. Yuuko's arrival was a stark contrast against her mood after the night before. "…Good morning Yuuko-san. I wasn't aware we would be traveling by limo."

"Oh of course we're going by limo, don't be ridiculous," Yuuko waved her words away with a flick of her wrist as though it wasn't seven in the morning, before coming to stand by her. "And I told you to call me Yuuko-chan! We're friends now!"

"…Right."

Yuuko continued to babble away as Shizuka lifted her bags into the back of the car (after telling the driver that she was perfectly capable of handling her own things). Once they had both slid in Yuuko chose the seat right next to her instead of anywhere else in the open area of seats, not breaking her speech for a moment. There had yet to be any news about Masami's treatment, though Shizuka had sent Avelia a text to let him know she would need to be under protection. He replied that he had figured, with the unknown gunman being free, but thanked her anyway.

Shizuka glanced out the window when she felt the car turn left instead of right. "I believe we are going the opposite way from Osaka."

Yuuko paused and looked as well. "Oh! Didn't I tell you? Yoko-chan is joining us and we have to pick her up from Hana-chan's house."

"Oh," she perked up. Perhaps the trip would be a bit more relaxed with Yoko added to the mix. Hopefully Yuuko would turn her attentions towards her fellow idol instead.

"Yes, now, as I was saying-"

It was a very long drive. Yuuko had apparently been under the impression that Shizuka loved shopping as much as she did and was in the process of listing off every boutique known to man when they came to a stop.

"Lets greet her at the door," Shizuka said hurriedly, pushing the door open and jumping out. Yuuko followed after her and they both made their way up the steps to the small light blue house. Fujie Hana greeted them at the door.

"Hello Yuuko-chan, and Detective-chan! It's so great to see you!" the old woman smiled warmly. She was wearing another one of those floral print dresses, although this one was light blue with white flowers. There was a small locket hanging from her neck by a chain and she was barefoot as she opened the door.

Shizuka returned the smile with a small one of her own. Thank Kami the swelling had gone down enough for her to brave covering her eye. The elderly woman had enough on her plate, she didn't need to be worrying about wayward investigators too. "Hello Fujie-san. How are you?"

"Oh, I'm getting by," she reached out to grab Shizuka's hand and the shorter woman didn't bother to fight her. "It is very nice having Yoko-chan in the house. It just- it's so quiet sometimes you know?"

"Yes," Shizuka answered simply, squeezing back when the grip on her hand got tighter. "Will you be okay for the next few days while she is gone?"

Hana laughed lightly. "Yes, yes, don't worry about me. It would be good for Yoko-chan to get out of the house for a while, and the same goes for me! While you three are off having fun some of my girlfriends and I will be going to the hot springs for a day!"

"That's great!" Shizuka's smile widened. "I'm sure you'll have fun."

Yoko chose that moment to peek around the door, eyes as bright as the silk yellow tank top she was wearing to match her white capris. "Hello! I'll be out in just a moment!"

"Do you need help?" Shizuka asked, tipping to the side slightly when Yuuko brushed past her.

"Of course she needs help," the older woman scoffed. "You should have seen the way she packed for our first overnight job. She brought three suitcases. Three!"

"Yuuko-chan!" Yoko blushed brightly.

Yuuko ignored her, placing both hands on her shoulders and leading her away.

"Oh those girls," Hana laughed. "They bicker like my sister and I."

Shizuka tilted her head. "Really? You don't seem like the bickering type."

Hana sent her a blank look. "Every sibling bickers Detective-chan. It is simply how things are."

Shizuka's thoughts flashed to her brother. "Point taken." She peered over the older woman's shoulder, making sure the idols had gone far enough away. "Fujie-san, if you would like, my house is open to guests while I am away."

Hana looked at her in surprise, her free hand rising to fiddle with the chain of her necklace. "I-oh. Well, I couldn't do that, it's your home-"

"Which is open to you," Shizuka cut in. "It is also for my benefit as well. I would feel better knowing you weren't here by yourself when you return from the hot springs."

Hana was silent for a long time, head bowed in thought. She released her chain and placed both hands over Shizuka's

"This house… has a lot memories. Not all of them good, but most of them. Sometimes I- I wake up and walk into the kitchen expecting him to be waiting for me. Like always. Or I find myself wondering if I should call him just to check up on him. I forget sometimes that he is- he is-"

She was beginning to waver, eyes misting over as her voice cracked. Shizuka placed her free hand over hers.

"I'm fine," Hana choked, taking a deep breath to compose herself. "I-I'm fine. Truly. It just becomes too much sometimes. Believe it or not," she chuckled bitterly, "it's the good days that end up being the worst. I wake up and I feel almost normal for a moment, and then I remember and it's like I- like I…"

"Lost him all over again," Shizuka filled in for her softly.

Hana let out a quiet sob and Shizuka did what she had the first time. She pulled her into a hug and waited for her to calm down.

Surprisingly during that whole time neither Yuuko nor Yoko made a reappearance. Shizuka suspected that was Yuuko's doing. The woman had gone oddly silent when they had first greeted Hana and was quick to disappear right after.

"I'm sorry," Hana pushed away after her tears had slowed, dabbing at her eyes with her sleeve. "I thought I was doing better but I…"

She trailed off and Shizuka scrambled for words to help.

"You are doing better Hana-san. Getting through even a day without him is doing better. Crying isn't a step back, it's just a," she fought for the words, "a natural reaction to pain."

Hana gave her a wobbling smile, sniffing as she patted her hands and drew back fully.

"Thank you Shizuka. Truly." She looked behind her, at her home, and sighed. "I don't think I'll take you up on that offer though. This is where I remember him most and I'm not quite ready to leave that for very long."

Shizuka sighed through her nose. "I understand. If you decide to change your mind you can ask my neighbor Hakase Agasa for a key."

"I'll keep that in mind."

There was a loud commotion from somewhere in the house. Hana rubbed at her eyes quickly and straightened her shoulders just in time for Yuuko and Yoko to turn the corner with a bag held in each of their hands.

"I can't believe you," Yuuko was shaking her head. "First you pack far too much and now you pack nothing at all."

Yoko blushed and scrunched up her nose, but her eyes drifted over towards Hana in concern. Shizuka wondered how much they had heard.

"I'll be leaving now Hana-chan," Yoko stepped up next to her and set her bag down.

Hana drew her in for a hug. "You have fun dear, and call me when you get there so I know that you are safe."

"Of course."

The two separated and Hana moved to give a surprised Yuuko a hug as well.

"Goodbye Yuuko-chan, you stay safe as well okay?"

Shizuka felt her lips twitch up into a smile when Yuuko's face softened and she returned the hug with ferocity.

"Of course Hana-san! I'll keep these two in line and we'll be back before you know it!"

Hana laughed through the hug and gave one last one to Shizuka (which she accepted readily) before the three moved back towards the limo.

As they pulled away from the curb Yuuko rolled down the windows so they could all lean out to wave goodbye (or yell goodbye in Yuuko's case).

Once they were far enough away that they could no longer see her they sat back down and rolled the windows back up.

"So," Yuuko started, causing Shizuka to sigh, "Now that we are all here I have something very important to ask."

"Yes Yuuko-chan?" Yoko smiled brightly.

"Where shall we shop first?!"

Yoko clapped her hands excitedly and began listing off all of the places she new, Yuuko listening avidly. Shizuka groaned and leaned her head back against the seat. Maybe they wouldn't notice if she slept the whole way.

"What do you think Shizuka?"

Or not.

-00-

The first day was mostly uneventful. Whatever job Yoko and Yuuko had it wasn't until the next day so they spent their first one driving around and finding all the places they would want to visit. It had already been fairly late by the time they arrived so it only took about two trips around a few blocks before they were all too tired from the ride to continue on.

Yoko's new manager (a short red-haired man that seemed about ready to explode with energy) had managed to get them a rather luxurious suite in one of the fancier hotels. They could each have their own bedroom if they wanted it.

Yuuko, of course, refused to let that be the case and instead commissioned them to grab all of the best pillows and blankets and bring them to the main room. It had been a long time since Shizuka had a sleepover like this (ignoring the overlarge room and sparkling walls of course). It wasn't so bad, especially when the two fell asleep the second their heads hit the pillows. They were nice people but Shizuka had hit her talking limit the moment she had left home that morning.

The following morning was when things were put into motion.

"Are you sure you don't want to come?" Yoko asked worriedly as she pulled her hair into a delicate braid She was wearing a simple white dress underneath her tan coat, ready to change once she arrived at work. "It doesn't feel right leaving you here all by yourself."

Shizuka waved away her concerns, burrowing further into the grey bathrobe she had commandeered and lifting her cup of coffee up to her face. The showers had this setting on them that controlled extra steam and she was seriously debating on getting it installed at home.

"It's fine Yoko-san, I'm not one for sitting around on sets. I did that enough as a child with my mother. And I won't be here the whole time. I'll go for a walk around town and find more places for us to visit. Its more fun that way."

"She'll be fine Yoko!" Yuuko's voice echoed down to them from where she was getting ready. "Everyone gets bored on set unless you're actually working, and besides she can take care of herself! She's a big girl!" There was a slight pause. "Kind of."

Shizuka narrowed her eyes in the tall woman's direction, sipping slowly at her coffee.

Yoko smiled slightly at her, clearly amused, before nodding. "Alright, if you say so Shizuka-chan. Just call us if you change your mind okay? I have some games we can play between shoots."

Absolutely not.

"I'll let you know," Shizuka smiled back. "Now you two should get going, you don't want to be late."

"Oh!" Yoko glanced at the clock. "You're right! Yuuko-chan we have to go!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming!"

Shizuka saw the off, waving lazily as they left. She had been expecting their interactions to feel more awkward, seeing as how they hardly knew each other and she was, well, herself. But Yuuko could hold her own conversation for hours and Yoko didn't seem to care that she preferred to remain silent. It was actually starting to feel like a trip with friends.

Still, she had things to do.

Ambling over to her bags she pulled out her outfit for the day. Time to get some answers.

-00-

The house was small. Quaint. It was a simple brown color with only one floor and a small front yard. A tiny garden took up residence underneath one of the two windows on the front of the house. The plants were beginning to wither and the yard was looking overgrown. Other than that it looked like a simple, nondescript house. Cute but not eye catching.

The perfect place for secrets to pass unnoticed.

Slipping a pair of black gloves on her hands Shizuka took a quick glance around the neighborhood. No one was outside and it looked like the neighbors were gone. No one to question the woman hanging around a deceased owners house. Even if there were, she was dressed in an all black dress(for mourning of course) and had a photo shopped picture of Hershel Drake and her as a twelve-year-old tucked in her handbag. She was his younger cousin.

Pausing at the mailbox she flicked it open and peered inside. It was completely empty. No advertisements or anything. This either meant that they managed to get their address hidden so well it would never appear on any document other than the lease (which was very promising) or that someone had already come by and gone through the house. She was hoping for the former.

Approaching the front door her eyes zeroed in on a small camera in the corner of the overhang by the door.

'Pretty good camera,' she noted, spotting another one by the bushes of the garden. 'Covers all the blind spots too. So decent security then. That's promising.'

She placed her hand over the doorknob, eyes narrowing as she felt it buzz lightly under her touch.

'All right, upgrade that to great security. Does it need a key?'

She toed at the rug by her feet, not overly surprised at the lack of key underneath. As she stood on one foot to kick it back into place she moved her hand along the wall searchingly. Her thumb brushed over an inconspicuous scratch in the wood, but she paused when it pressed down slightly. Focusing on the scratch she reached up and pulled one of the metal pins in her hair out, inserting it into the crack. Moving it around a little she was rewarded when the tip caught at a certain angle and loosened the fake panel enough for her to open it. A keypad with a standard number pad was underneath.

"Huh," she tilted her head. Some of the numbers looked more worn down than the others. "Let's see."

As she narrowed down which were the most worn down she pulled a tissue from her pocket and held it up to her lips, hunching her shoulders in order to maker herself look smaller. If anyone were to pass by she would look like she was trying to hold herself together, as though looking at the house pained her.

'This is a more recent model by the looks of it, but this company still enforces the standard six digit code. Six of the numbers are worn away, which makes that part easier. There shouldn't be any doubles of any number. The grease on the finger they would use would have rubbed off the most on the first few numbers making the first three…3,9,2. Next is 4. These two are almost equally worn. I can't tell. Hopefully I get more than once chance to punch it in.'

Taking an exaggeratedly deep breath, she reached a trembling finger out to press in the numbers.

392467.

It was an agonizing silence after that until she heard a buzz and a small click come from the door. Touching the handle once more, she could no longer feel the electricity humming through it.

"Perfect," she grinned into the tissue. Stepping inside, she closed the door behind her. It clicked and buzzed again, a small hum filling the air to let her know it was armed once more.

The inside of the house was just as cute as the outside, and she vaguely wondered which of the two men had been the one to decorate it. She didn't know Drake at all, but Kazimir definitely did not seem like the decorating type.

Another camera turned slowly in the main room on the left and she could just barely hear another moving in the kitchen just down the small hallway. The walls were painted a light, sky blue color while the borders were a simple white with small, engraved vines travelling along it. The hallway had a wooden floor while the main room had fluffy looking white carpet. There were only two pieces of furniture. A large, light brown couch and a simple wooden table with an arrangement of wilted flowers on the top. There was a layer of dust on everything, and she wasn't sure if she should blame it on the owners being recently deceased. Just a quick glance around at what she could see showed a severe lack of personal possessions. Nothing showcasing who lived here.

'That's odd. The garden, while withered, obviously underwent a lot of care while they were alive. The good condition of the house and carefully painted walls shows a great care for appearance, but there is little to no furniture. No pictures would make sense, I suppose, but no art? No chairs to match the decor or baubles to fill the space?'

She strode toward the kitchen, noting the two closed doors on the left and right side of the hallway. She would get to those in a moment.

Exploring the dining area was just as odd as the main room. The colors were relatively the same, and the small dining table was small, round, and rather charming to look at. Two chairs were set at opposite ends, expertly crafted and matching the rounded look of the room. Other than that, there was nothing. Basic utensils in the cupboards, a few pots and pans, and while the appliances were designed with little matching hearts they seemed relatively unused. The only thing in the refrigerator was a nearly empty carton of milk and a few rotting apples.

Shizuka pulled open the few drawers inside the fridge, just in case, and was rewarded with a Tupperware container just big enough to hold a meal for one person, with a sticky note attached to it.

Haru,

Don't forget to eat. See you in a few days.

Love,

Hershel

"Hmm," she hummed sadly. Cracking the lid off she took in the simple Rice Pilaf with extra pieces of chicken tucked to one side.

She hoped that whatever Kazimir and Drake's last meal had been it had at least been eaten together.

After closing the container and replacing it in the refrigerator Shizuka moved on to the doorway that had been on the left.

A small bathroom with no bath just a shower. A standard toilet and sink with a toothbrush container holding one blue and one red brush. A medicine cabinet with half a tube of toothpaste and a small orange medicine bottle.

'Nothing in either of their medical files said anything about a prescription,' Shizuka picked up the bottle with deft fingers. 'Which is odd in itself for men their age with the jobs they have. I would expect at least a mild painkiller or something for blood pressure.'

Twisting the bottle between her fingers so that the label faced her she shook the bottle, hearing only a few small rattles.

'Amoxicillin? So one of them needed antibiotics but this is too commonly used. Usually for lung infections of some kind though. No doctor on the prescription, so these probably were not legally obtained. What reason did they have to hide this?'

Tucking the bottle away in her handbag Shizuka closed the bathroom door and moved to the last room.

The handle buzzed underneath her hand.

"Secrets~," she sang softly under her breath. Kazimir wasn't likely to do the same trick twice, and the walls were plastered. Any cracks or cuts would be far too obvious.

'The off switch could be in another room,' she guessed, moving back down the hallway towards the main room. 'I didn't see anything that stuck out as odd though.'

Fully stepping into the main room for the first time she took a quick glance around and scowled heavily at the medium sized painting hanging on the wall she had been unable to see from the hallway.

'Of course I would miss the obvious. At least I'm the only one here.'

The painting was of a startling blue lake in the middle of a forest clearing. It was fairly beautiful and looked well cared for. Each of the four corners was heavily bolted to the wall.

'Odd way to hang up a painting, but the switch most likely won't be behind it then. Not only would it be too time consuming to take it down and put it back up but none of the bolts have scratches on them from whatever tool would be used to remove them,' she observed.

Running the tips of her fingers along the edges of the painting she paused at a small bump near one of the bolts before continuing her exploration. There was a second bump on the next bolt, and one on the other two as well.

'Buttons of some sort. That must be the key then, but there is probably an order to it.'

Regardless of the steady ache she still felt from her concussion and the solemn air of a dead man's house Shizuka couldn't help the small thrill she felt at solving the puzzles. This kind of tricky security meant there was something important to hide in that locked room. Shinichi would be jealous.

"Alright then, lets see…" she mumbled to herself, cupping the lower half of her face with one hand and leaning back to see the whole painting better.

'Either one of them could have come up with the code. They clearly both spent time here together as well as apart. It most likely won't hold any sentimental meaning judging by the state of the rest of the house, but it would be something they both have some knowledge or experience of. Heavy security also means bolstered paranoia so they would change the code fairly often, but they must not always have had time to tell each other the new code with how busy they were. Perhaps they leave a clue to help each other?'

Shizuka glanced around the room curiously.

'Not the furniture,' she decided right away. 'Or the designs on the walls. That would take far too much time to change on a regular basis. The garden is out of the question. Far to open, where any number of people would see them. Something on the doors perhaps?'

Shizuka wandered around the house checking over the doors for anything easily interchangeable.

"Of course not," she huffed, returning to her spot in front of the painting. She stared at it thoughtfully for a few minutes before her brow furrowed. "That can't be right."

The entire painting was brightly colored with flowers, animals, and butterflies surrounding the lake, but the color blue was reserved solely for the lake. Nothing else had a shade close to it except for one small butterfly with the same color wings in the upper left corner of the painting.

Shizuka brought her face closer, scowling at the tinge of pain when she had to tilt her head up to fully see. Something was wrong with that butterfly. It looked out of place, and not just for its color. It looked as though it had been painted on a completely different canvas as opposed to the one it was actually on.

Pulling out her smaller camera from her bag (the usual one had been a bit too eye catching for this occasion) she took a picture of the butterfly and scanned the rest of the painting for similar oddities.

There were ten butterflies in all that looked like they were painted on similar to the first. Two in the bottom right corner, three in the bottom left, and four in the upper right.

'They must act like stickers,' she realized, hands itching to attempt taking one off. She didn't want to misplace anything though. Just in case. 'Clever trick. Which one of them came up with that?'

Starting with the blue butterfly edge Shizuka pressed each button along the bolts in order of the butterflies.

There was no indication of a change when she was done but when she went to check the door the handle was silent beneath her hand.

"Hmhm~," she hummed happily, pushing it open to reveal a rather spacious bedroom. There were no windows but one of the walls was lined with security screens. "Very helpful."

She glanced over the screens as she entered, tallying up the cameras she had seen as well as the ones she had missed (only one, aimed at the back of the house).

Two people were standing in front of the house.

"Shit!" Shizuka cursed, paling at the sight of their black coats. They were not dressed that way for mourning.

The taller one was messing with keypad and even from where she stood further in the house she could hear the click of the front door as it unlocked.

Flinging herself back towards the door she closed it softly, praying that it would rearm itself just like before.

It buzzed under her touch tellingly and she breathed out a small sigh of relief.

She didn't have much time.

First, the cameras. Hastily pulling out a flash drive from her bag she pushed it into the hard drive on the side. Using the keyboard in front of the security system she began downloading as much as she could for as far back as she could find. Leaving that to do its own work she turned to the rest of the room.

'Quickly now. Bed big enough for too, skip that. Closet, if I have time. Desk, first choice.'

Walking on the sides of her feet to decrease any noise she might make she flitted over to the desk and knelt down. Only the bottom drawer was locked.

Snagging her lock picks from the side pocket she worked quickly. There wasn't time to check whatever she found so once it popped open she grabbed the three folders lying inside and stuffed them under her shawl where she kept another, wider bag. Grabbing a folder off the top of the desk (it looked like finances for Kazimir's company) she took a picture of it, put it in the drawer, and locked it back up.

The two figures were in the kitchen now, the shorter one splitting off to check the doors in the hallway.

Miraculously he went to check the bathroom door first.

'They have to have a way to escape this room,' Shizuka narrowed her eyes sharply. 'There is no way they didn't have a plan, not with their level of paranoia. Close to the bed, so they could leave quickly even if they had been sleeping moments before.'

The mechanism wouldn't be as complicated as everything else so far. Not if they had to leave fast.

Ducking down Shizuka shoved herself halfway under the bed, using the light of her phone to see clearly.

'Where is it, where is it- ah ha!'

A piece of wood was sticking out just slightly from the frame of the bed on the left side. Sliding out she pushed the wood fully into place and grinned wildly as the edges of another door cracked out next to the closet.

"Did you hear that?" A soft, muffled voice called outside the bedroom door.

Shizuka froze, forcing her breathing to slow quietly.

"What?"

"I thought I heard something over here."

Shizuka rose slowly and walked over to the security screens. Both men were outside the door.

"…It's electrified, just like the front."

"Stay here."

The taller man left down the hallway while the other one stood guard outside.

Shizuka breathed carefully through her nose, removing the flash drive and pulling up the footage from the day.

It would be impossible to erase just herself from the footage with the amount of time she had. She would have to erase the entire day up to this exact moment but whoever was outside would realize that someone had been there once they checked the tapes and found their own entrance erased as well.

It was better than them immediately realizing it was her though.

[Are you sure you would like to clear this data? Any footage not backed up to the server will be permanently erased.]

'If this thing automatically backs up data I'm screwed,' Shizuka frowned. 'I'll still delete everything. It will at least give me time.'

Hitting accept she watched the percentage bar pop up. It looked like it was deleting the most recent footages first.

The taller man had found the painting and was looking at it closely.

'Time to go!' she rushed over when his hand moved towards the top left corner. Wedging her fingers between the cracks that had shown up she managed to pry the escape door open. Thankfully it was silent as it moved, the householder's careful planning working in her favor.

Closing the door behind her she noticed she was in a boxed room just barely big enough to hold three people close together. There was a handle on the left side. Twisting it sharply she pushed it open, harsh light filtering through as she opened it.

It lead to the back of the house in the one corner she had been unable to see from the cameras. The one blind spot.

"The footage is being deleted!" An angry voice yelled behind her.

Closing the door swiftly Shizuka wasted no time in climbing over the fence. Instead of landing in the neighbor's yard she found her feet on a small pathway that ran between the two homes.

'There was supposed to be a park around here,' Shizuka recalled. Turning away from the street she ran down the path that winded behind the houses. As she went she pulled the pins from her hair and haphazardly reached behind her to undo the zipper of her dress.

The pathway opened up to a wide soccer field with a playground nestled next to it. There were various people milling around so Shizuka stopped behind a tree at the edge of her path and threw her shawl down as she slipped the dress over her shoulders hurriedly. All that she was left in was a white tank top and black shorts. Grabbing the dress, shawl, and small handbag she rolled them all together and stuffed them into the bigger bag she had hidden underneath her shawl earlier.

There was a small grouping of bags over by the playground. Jogging over casually she placed her bag close enough that anyone would mistake it as being part of the groups, but far enough that the actual group wouldn't mind it being there. Stepping back she forced her hair into a pony tail and leaned down to begin stretching her legs.

Once she was warmed up enough she began to jog around the soccer field at a steady pace.

'Coffee, caramel, mint, hot chocolate, warm blankets, soft floors,' she listed in her head as she ran, attempting to force the agonizing throbbing of her head to lessen. 'Prisoner pajamas, movie marathons, sunset, sunrise, cool breeze.'

She had almost made a full lap when she saw them. They were standing by the tree she had taken her dress off at, scanning over the faces in the park.

Forcing her eyes forward she continued running even as spots danced across her vision.

'Shinichi, Agasa, Ran, Avelia, Miwako, Mom, Dad.'

The tall one had been looking at the field the entire time. There was no way to be sure if he was looking at her or not but a cold sweat was covering her skin in a solid layer. She turned the last corner and went on for a second lap.

'Shinichi, Agasa, Ran, Avelia, Miwako.'

She couldn't see them now. Her back was to them and it made her want to tense her shoulders and prepare to fight. She nearly bit through her lip in her attempt to keep her shoulders down.

'Shinichi, Agasa, Ran, Avelia, Shinichi, Agasa, Ran, Avelia.'

She didn't pick up her pace even though she desperately wanted to round the next corner so she could see them again.

'Shinichi, Agasa, Shinichi, Agasa, Shinichi.'

When she finally turned the corner less than a minute later she peered out of the corner of her eye.

They weren't there.

They could still be watching.

As she got near the pile of bags again she slowed down her pace until she was walking. Ambling over to the bags she grabbed a clear water bottle (that was definitely not hers) and moved to sit under the shade of the closest tree. Propping her back against the rough bark she stretched out her legs in front of her and gulped down half the bottle.

Recapping it she pushed her arms straight in front of her and worked out a few cool down stretches.

A freezing cold chill shot down her spine, making her want to flinch. Tucking one leg in and the other straight out she touched her nose to her knee instead.

She had switched legs and stretched her back before the feeling passed. Rolling her neck and swinging her arms slightly she rose to her feet and moved back to her bag. Draining the last of the water she pulled out her phone and checked the time.

3:57 with three new messages.

Yuuko: we're going to that cute café we saw on our way in! Come join us before we have to go looking for you!

Yoko: Do you remember that little café Yuuko wanted to go to? We're going there for dinner if you would like to join us. We're leaving around 5.

Brat: Professor wanted me to tell you he made something for you and he lost his phone. How's the hunt?

Tapping in her password she replied back to Yuuko and Yoko saying she would be glad to join them before turning to her brother's text.

I'm sure it will be great, whatever it is and tell him to check the microwave. That's were it was last time. I caught a big haul this time, but there were some pretty big predators around and I decided to leave instead of push my luck. I'll be back in three days.

The reply was instantaneous.

Brat: Be safe

Shizuka smiled and shoved her phone back in her bag. Tossing it over her shoulder, she looked up at the sky, let out a small yawn, and walked out of the park towards the main street. There was another chill in the air, but it only lasted a few seconds this time and she didn't feel it again on her walk back to the hotel.

-00-

So... I didn't kill her.

I just couldn't. Minor spoilers ahead!

After rereading and watching the moments where her sister talks about missing her, and where the man that loved her thinks about her, I just couldn't kill her. Not when those two deserve all the happiness in the world damn it! And don't worry, this actually won't change the plot all that much! After all, what will she think when she wakes up in the hospital and what will she do? Think like a spy on the run!

Also, her living will keep the Organization off of Shizuka for longer. Which I needed. If I'm going to keep this as realistic as possible (it's so hard dang it!) then I need valid reasons for why they don't notice her sooner, being the dead kid's sister and all.

So glad we got past the house. Now only one question (probably more) remains! What's in the folders?

The Mansion of Terror case will be touched on next. Shizuka's not there, obviously, and if it gets too short I'll add in the Shinkansen's Bomb case too.

Thanks for reading!