Crime and Culprit
The air was heavy with water. It infiltrated his lungs, cold and damp. The first raindrops pelted down his shoulders and slowly sunk through his wig, when he finally arrived before the little café. Shinichi didn't need to look up to know that it wouldn't take long until it would pour down. The fake American sighed briefly. He would not get around calling a taxi if he wanted to rescue Bell's visage, so that the rain wouldn't wash away his face.
The heavy clouds darkened the already nightly colored sky and warped the night in a deep black robe. The café, which he stood in front of, became all the more inviting. With a quick glance through the window, Shinichi realized that everything was prepared to close the establishment for the night. The cakes and cookies in the counter were gone, the light was extinguished up to the last few lamps, the chairs were put on the tables and the last guests were long gone. Only the small sign on the white-painted front door awaked some hope in the detective.
Open
'Let's see if I'm lucky for a change.'
Shinichi gently pushed the door handle down, a short smile scurried across his face as the door opened. After Shinichi had entered the warm and especially dry café, he heard the ringing of a few almost ancient bells when the door fell shut behind him. But no one greeted the late guest they had cheerfully announced. Shinichi's view went over the counter, looking for some light in the back room, but there was none.
"Hello?"
But even his call didn't attract enough attention to lure someone out of their hiding. He looked around, stepping further into the room and tried again.
"Hello!"
His tone was light, even if this time Shinichi already suspected that he wouldn't get an answer.
'There is something wrong here…'
His eyes darkened as he slowly went through the small café, only to stop beside the counter, listening into the dark. The raindrops had definitely gained some weight as they pattered in loud chords on the small canopy of the café. He could already her a hoarse rumbling not too far away.
The storm approached.
But it wasn't the thunder that attracted the attention of the detective but an old-fashioned kettle on the stove next to the counter that whistled in a shrill tone. He quietly walked towards it and moved the pot from the stove, before turning it off.
Shinichi's eyes rested on the silver jug, whichs deafening scream now ebbed down to a little pitiful whimper. A lonely porcelain cup with an unused tea bag was placed in reach. Bell's mouth became thin while he looked at the carefully prepared after work tea. Maybe he shouldn't have come here all by himself.
XXX
„I knew it!"
Heiji's hiss formed mist on the windshield against which he was pressing his nose.
Megure however didn't comment his companion's remark. He remained silent and looked to the now again closed door of the small café. More and more raindrops collected themselves on the windshield of his car. If they wanted to see something more than just blurred frames, he would need to turn on his wipers and with them the whole car soon.
Megure directed his gaze to his passenger with a sigh. Heiji wasn't glued to the window anymore, but he still was tense and focused on the small café like he could hear what was being discussed inside. Well, after all he had been right when he had told him that Bell would be here today. A faint smile crept beneath Megure's beard. With all his mistrust, Heiji completely forgot that he probably would have sneaked here tonight by himself, despite all regulations.
But the otherwise always so competent detective couldn't see that he only saw what he wanted to and what fit into the pattern that he'd puzzled together.
But why?
Heiji wasn't usually like this. Not without a reason he'd got promoted by such a young age. So, what was it, that made him so blind in this case?
Of course, the case back then along with Bell and this Holmes guy they needed to catch. On the other hand, Hattori had been so reticent back then, Megure had to worm everything out of him.
Why did Bell affect him that way now?
„Why?"
Megure's eyes that were otherwise covered by the dark shadow of his hat, focused sharply but also curious on his young partner.
Heiji only blinked because of the simple question and looked at Megure from the corner of his eye, so that he could still see if something was going to happen in the café.
"Huh?"
"Why are you so focused on Bell? What about him is bothering you?"
The question hung in the air like the closeness of the approaching thunderstorm. Heavy, sticky and only to get rid of with plenty of water.
Reluctantly, Heiji's eyes now focused themselves on Megure before they went off to the dark grey fixtures of the car. The drumming of raindrops on their roof were louder now. Megure rolled the window down a little to prevent the glass from getting too frogged, still looking at Hattori.
"What is it, Heiji-kun?"
The green eyes focused briefly on Megure then he lowered them again. He could tell Megure everything now. The fact that he had seen that the American had watched Ran and Kazuha, telling him that he had been frozen to the spot when he had seen Eisuke. How tense Bell had been today, while he had tried to get some information about Hondo from Ran. He could tell him that something simply was wrong about this guy. But he didn't. Just like he couldn't tell the now grey haired officer whose life got destroyed so many years ago.
Nevertheless, Megure's eyes still rested on him and he knew the superintendent wouldn't let go without getting an answer this time.
"He knows much more than he lets on."
Megure nodded. "That's what you've been telling me."
But the Osakan shook his head. "No, no that's not what I mean. I don't only suspect it, in fact I know that-"
But the police officer wasn't able to finish his sentence as a piercing scream tore through their conversation.
"Shit!"
Heiji pushed the door open with a curse, running towards the little café.
"Wait! Hattori!"
But Megure's voice was drowned out by the roar of the thunder and even if he would have heard him, he doubted that the officer would have listened to him.
'I knew it!'
XXX
Shinichi started running after he had heard the scream. A fearful whimper sounded through a side door, until he finally stepped onto the small terrace of the café.
The only light came from the dim lamps and got reflected on the wet ground where the rain made them shimmer, so that the floor looked like it was made of hundreds of flickering candles. The rain whipped in his face and the roar of the thunderstorm was no longer just a faint rumble, but all Shinichi noticed at the moment was the scene before him, which suddenly seemed frozen in time.
Her eyes wide open in fear, one hand clutching at her throat, while the other tried to loosen the grip of the gloved fingers that were pressing her mouth shut. The corners of her eyes were filled with hot tears that ran down her cheeks until the salty water suddenly turned a crimson red once it reached her neck. The nylon thread cut deep into her flesh, single drops of blood lined themselves up on the yarn only to from a fragile red necklace by running down her throat.
He had to have a strong grip if he was able to strangle her with just one hand.
Shinichi's eyes fixed him and even if the black hood covered his face, he was sure the killer was staring back at him. The frozen movements of both of them broke, once Shinichi took his first step towards the man clad in back.
Suddenly, everything happed very fast.
The murderer let go of his victim and pushed the young woman vigorously away from him. Shinichi hardly had the time to react. He was barely able to catch her before she could hit the hard pavement. He would have loved to focus on the guy who had tried to kill her right away, but the sudden dead weight in his arms forced him to make sure that she was still alive. Due to the moonless sky, her skin had an even more pale glow to it and her hair had loosened itself from her braid. The loose strands were driven back and forth in the water while her blood soaked the wet ground. Shinichi took a deep breath, gently taking her hand in his own.
Cold.
'No!'
Once again, he felt how Bell's clothes became heavy with the rain, becoming a burden for him more and more. He could feel his own fingertips shivering while he was searching for her pulse, waiting for the saving thrum.
He hated this moment.
He always did, because now, hope and fear would turn into the inevitable truth.
He looked down at the blue tint of her lips when he felt the relieving pulsation beneath his fingertips. The young detective behind the mask took a breath in relief, waiting for a second, third and fourth beat.
The hoarse moaning of the sewer and drain got mixed with a soft wheeze, while her chest raised and lowered itself in an irregular rhythm. But Shinichi had no time to be relax – before he could react, someone had grabbed him from behind and dragged him to his feet. He tried to fight back, but the element of surprise wasn't on his side this time.
The strong gloved grip around his throat pushed the air from his lungs.
'Shit!'
Shinichi could feel the hot breath of his attacker on Bell's cheeks, but the dim light still blocked his view of the murderer. Just when he wanted to fight back to kick his enemy away from him, something hit him in the face.
The pain followed quickly. Shinichi could hear a faint clashing noise in the distance while someone gasped for breath… before everything got quiet.
Time seemed to stand still.
The attack.
The blow.
And now… nothing.
Only the rumblings of the thunder and the orchestra of raindrops made the scene alive.
Both detective and killer were frozen.
Shinichi felt how his breathing got faster, while something inside him cried out in agony and his hand slowly wandered up to the throbbing right half of his face. He already knew what had happened. The thick wet raindrops and the cold wind that he could clearly feel on his face had told him that much. And yet, the detective winced as his fingertips touched his skin…
Shinichi's skin.
'No…'
Goosebumps formed on his arms beneath Bell's wet clothes, while Shinichi noticed that on the side of his face where the punch had hit him, only a few scattered shreds were left behind of Bell's mask.
Shinichi knew that his lie, the persona of William Bell, didn't exist any longer. While the Professor still looked at his opponent from one side of his face, Kudo Shinichi looked at him stunned from the other.
'Fuck!'
Shinichi cursed and gritted his teeth. Of all people, his secret got exposed to a killer who called himself ‚Sherlock Holmes'.
How safe could his secret be now?
Shinichi could feel how his body started to shiver beneath the cold and fear, while he desperately tried to hide it and at least tried to pretend to be calm.
After he had seen the result of his punch, 'Holmes' had reeled back, almost frightened, but now, he woke from his surprise.
Shinichi's eyes grew narrow as he suddenly saw a sly smile beneath the black hood of his opponent, a smile that made Shinichi's stomach turn upside down.
That's it.
He was done for - as good as dead.
If the organization would get to know about it and even if they didn't decide to kill him right away - Shinichi swallowed with a bitter smile on his lips - a few people of the FBI would love to wring his neck.
'Shit!'
He'd ruined it.
Shinichi looked up, the murderer still flashed this annoying smile at him. He knew that he was in control and it was obvious that he was enjoying the situation. Shinichi clenched his hands into fists, he couldn't allow this bastard to escape. But just this very moment, lighting broke the silence between them. Bright blue flashes covered the sky behind the café and Shinichi recognized the following sound of thunder immediately.
'I should have known it. Hattori!'
But the expected smile didn't show on his face. The rain drove the nervousness deeper into Shinichi. Like cold water, it sunk deeper and deeper into him, causing the detective to shiver.
The police sirens silenced even the rain. They became louder with every second now, so that Shinichi had trouble listening to his own thoughts. But that didn't prevent him from guessing what his opponent had in mind. 'Holmes' gaze had also turned towards the emergency lights until his eyes fixed themselves on the detective again.
After the shock about the fact that the police were so close on his heels, Shinichi could see the hated smile again, before it merged with the darkness when the murderer turned around to escape.
"No, you don't!"
Shinichi started to run. There was no way that he would let this monster escape, but his movements slowed down after just a few steps like a broken toy someone had forgotten to wind up.
'No…'
His eyes were cast down, but Shinichi didn't feel the raindrops dripping from his nose, his pupils flashed back and forth while they saw nothing at all.
'No, no, no, no, no!'
The word repeated itself, again and again, without getting quiet.
He couldn't follow him.
He couldn't apprehend him and deliver him to the police… not like this.
His hand instinctively moved to his face.
He couldn't show himself like this.
Maybe… maybe there was still a chance that the killer didn't know who he was. But if he ran after him now and got him, he had to hand him to the police and with that everything he'd done so far would become pointless.
Shinichi closed his eyes. His eyelids trembled when he opened them again, turning to the victim. Slowly, as if he was in trance, he went to her. The red ribbon on her neck was smudged by the rain, but her lips had turned blue and quivered in the cold.
He took a heavy breath, looking back at the café again.
Someone would come, someone would take care of her.
'I'll make it up to you, I promise.'
Shinichi gasped for air again, bedding her head down to pick up his glasses, which the murderer's hit had pushed form his nose. Shinichi noticed the bent side of his glasses but put them in his pocket without caring any further. His eyes fell back to her in worry before he straightened himself again.
He had no choice, too much was at stake.
"I'm sorry."
He couldn't stay.
He couldn't stop the murderer.
All he could do was run away.
Again.
XXX
"Don't you think we should check this place out? That's why we're here, or not?"
"Are you crazy, Genta-kun! If Megure-keishi will notice us, we're out of the case, you know that," Mitsuhiko hissed towards Genta, who was about to grumble back, but Ayumi disturbed him in a calm tone before he got the chance.
"Mitsuhiko-kun is right, Genta and you just saw that Heiji-kun and Megure-keishi went inside the café."
Once again, Ayumi peered around the corner of the small side street, where they had taken position tonight. It was still pouring down, and each of them had to pull together not to flinch every time thunder and lightning would strike through the night. At least the small roof of the shop they were standing before, sheltered them from the rain.
"And the professor is also there, it's better if we stick to Mitsuhiko-kun's plan."
But instead of being pleased by his classmate's decision, the high schooler pressed his lips together, shifting form one foot to another.
"To be honest, Ayumi-chan… that's just what's giving me a headache."
"Huh?"
With that, the freckled member of the detective boys suddenly had their full attention.
"What do you mean by that?"
"Well… it's just - it seems like Heiji-kun doesn't like Bell that much and most of the time that spells out trouble."
"Awe, come on, I'm sure he's probably just annoyed that Bell is better informed about 'Holmes'."
"Psst! Someone's coming!" Ayumi disturbed the two all of a sudden.
The three detectives pressed their backs closer to the wall to merge with its protective shadows. Another noise had mixed itself with the mumbling drains and the tactless drumming of the rain.
Footsteps.
The whip-like sound of water, getting hit by fast and strong steps that headed right for their direction.
"What now?" The sound of Ayumi's voice still sounded the same when she was scared, what made Mitsuhiko swallow.
"That… that must be the killer."
For a short moment silence resided between the three detectives. Of course, it had to be the murderer. Who else would run through the streets at night like being chased by the devil?
One glace at each other was enough and after their silence, fear but also determination reflected on their faces, just like it had ten years ago. They nodded briefly and unanimously before each of them pressed closer to the wall. They would throw themselves at him when he was about to pass by, but for that they needed the element of surprise on their side.
So, they waited, listening into the dark, blurred by the rain.
His hoarse wheeze was slowly getting audible, his breathing shuddered, irregular and was as fast as his steps.
It seemed like he ran for his life.
When he turned into the street they were hiding in, all of them held their breath, but their planned attack didn't happen.
He ran past the detective boys, without that any of them stirred. None of them was able to move, and that although he had just been a few meters away from them.
The face of the alleged murderer had burned itself deep into their memory.
He had pinched his eyes close, he didn't care where his path would lead him to. All that mattered was that he would get away from here. The dark blond hair sat unnaturally askew on his head, so that a few strands of dark brown fringe had found their way outside. The too young face still held a part of another familiar figure. His features suddenly didn't seem to fit his statue.
He hadn't seen them, raced past them without to register them.
His steps had long faded into the distance. None of the three had run after him, no one was able to move – their eyes were directed into the darkness he had merged with.
Ayumi was the first who showed a reaction. She pressed the back of her hand against her mouth. Mitsuhiko only shivered while Genta made a wheezing sound.
"That was…"
'…Bell.'
'…Shinichi.'
But while the two boys only whispered the names in their thoughts, Ayumi was the only one who found her voice, even if it got drowned out by the rain.
"…Conan-kun."
Hey!
Thanks for your response! And of course a big Thank you to Tobina (go read her new story!) for her awesome work as my beta.
Now it happened… the first people know about Shinichi's identity. What will Heiji think of the Professor now that he left the crime scene… things are going to be interesting, I promise you ^.~
I would love to hear your thoughts in a little review below!
Till next month,
Shelling
