[Author's Note]

My first time trying out something close to mystery/crime solving. Hope it makes sense.

Also, tomorrow's 2016. Happy New Year!

Chapter 12 : The Colour of Envy

It was there again, firmly slung on her right shoulder. The target of my lust and greed. I saw it displayed on a website the day before when I planned for the grocery list with Agasa. The dark emerald coloured hide called out to me but I had to look away for it wasn't right for me to want it. I was filled with a curious greed, wanting to know the type of hide it was cloaked in. The colour was probably artificial but if I don't touch its skin, I don't think this longing will ever go away.

I must really be empty to be able to have these thoughts in the midst of a crime.

I sigh, knowing full well that I should give up on my ridiculous want. I decided to focus my attention elsewhere when I caught the self-confident smug of Kudou's face, a sign of a solved mystery.

"So, who's the murderer?" I pried, surprising Kudou with my sudden approach.

Kudou thus with his boyish arrogance pointed out confidently to me that the man who stood leaning against the wall across us was the one who committed the crime.

The man was in his late 20s, dressed in Beika Department Store promoter outfit, looked fidgety since the start of police interrogation. However, he and the victim, his co-worker at the store was on good terms and didn't have any known arguments during their short time being acquainted. Although Inspector Megure did find his nervousness odd, he didn't have motive for murder.

"Why would he murder that victim? He even testified that the victim was a nice person, the one who not only taught him the ropes, but also got him promoted," I said, unable to understand the logic behind the deduction.

I did however, prepared myself for Kudou's explanation, knowing full well that his smug only appears when he got all the pieces of any puzzling mysteries together.

"Cooperate with me and you'll see," bade the Holmes geek.

I never did enjoy playing actress in Kudou's deduction games but I knew I needed something to do else my eyes will find itself on the object of my superfluous pining and my heart will be filled with unreasonable covet. Therefore I agreed. Kudou then whispered my role before he went and positioned himself for his next move.

"Mister," called Kudou to his suspect, "is your girlfriend pretty?"

"Huh?" responded the suspect.

"Earlier you told Detective Takagi that you came to work here because you wanted to earn money to buy your girlfriend gifts, right?" asked Kudou, acting like a genuinely curious child.

"Ah… yes, I did…" replied the suspect.

"Is your girlfriend here? Can I see her?" asked Kudou with faked gleaming eyes.

"Conan, I don't think this is an appropriate time…" said Takagi.

Kudou then signaled for me to act. I sigh, looking at my target who was standing among the crowd, oblivious that a certain short boy have put her on the list of suspect. The woman was young, perhaps slightly older than me. She wore enviable make up, but the sort of pretty that idols wore upon their face. Her accessories were clearly brands that are out of her league, judging from how she stood, and moves. If that Suzuki heiress were to wear such items, it wouldn't be surprising.

"Wah," I hollered at the lady, "that's a really pretty bracelet."

The lady gasped at my call. My intentional high-pitched admiration distracted the policemen attention from the crime scene. They reflexively turned towards the lady, dismissing the seemingly unimportant detail of her shiny gold bracelet entwined with a thin line of what I suspected to be platinum.

"Miss Mie?" called the suspect's other co-worker, a brown-skinned man, uncertainly.

The co-worker called out the lady confidently, oblivious at her attempt to hide her panic. Her change of expression did not escape both Kudou and I.

"Wah, a pretty sister," exclaimed Kudou excitedly loud.

The suspect turned towards us, looking even more alarmed. The lady looked away but unable to hide her presence from Inspector Megure scrutinizing gaze.

"Takagi, get her details. She may be acquainted with the victim," instructed Inspector Megure.

"Understood," replied the ambitious young detective.

"Hey mister, do you know the pretty sister?" asked Kudou to the suspect.

"Uh… I don't…" came the reply.

"What are you talking about? Miss Mie is your fiancée," said his confused co-worker.

The statement caught Inspector Megure's attention. He focused his gaze between the suspect and his fiancée but after few minutes passed, the focus was lost due to inability to find the relevance to the case apart from the fact that she was the fiancée of the suspect. Detective Takagi then came to him, informing that the lady had no connection to the victim.

"Excuse me lady, where did you buy those jewelries'?" I asked with bore.

"Sister must be really rich!" came Kudou's follow up.

"Just like Sonoko, right?" he continued, looking at me for support.

I nodded, annoyed that I had to play along. I turned to the crowd, searching for the object of my real focus.

That emerald hide is now gone…

"You claimed to be a student. Is your family rich?" asked Detective Takagi, picking up on the hints that Kudou left.

"Yeah.. well, we had our ups and downs.. just average income, I guess…" replied the Miss Mie.

"Hey," called the brown co-worker again.

The direction of the man's attention causes the suspect to further fidget. The co-worker watched the suspect and Miss Mie respectively, then his face grimed, as he was able to solve the puzzle before the police could.

"That bracelet is not on sale until next week," said the co-worker softly, hoping for his friend's sake that his voice goes unheard.

Detective Takagi then exchanged knowing looks with Inspector Megure. After putting the piece together, they managed to corner the suspect for a confession. The victim caught Miss Mie stealing the bracelet on CCTV when he was on duty together with the suspect. The suspect begged the victim not to report it, that he will convince his fiancée to return the item. They were arguing and soon it turned into a fight. A moment of insanity caught the suspect and he killed the victim.

"Now that it's settled, we can proceed with our own shopping," said Kudou much too happy for my mood.

If only it was that emerald who was involved…

"Why are you cross? Because you had to act?" asked Kudou, insincere for a real reply.

I looked at him, wondering why the great deduction of logic cannot figure out the reason a woman would be angry. Then again, I am a believer of logic and even with that, there are some things I felt or wanted that even I cannot explain. I gave Kudou a harrumph and walked away.

We met up with Agasa at the convenience store, where he stood, reading a magazine with leisure, as if no crime had happened in the area.

After some pointless exchange of news, we went for groceries, passing by a designer store, with closed glass door and a hanged label showing 'members only'. Displayed on the panels were the hand-tailored luxury that Agasa's money cannot afford.

"Stop staring at some fancy stupid bag and move faster, will you?" called Kudou impatiently.

I glared at him, hoping he won't ever get to see a football match at peak season for some important other reason like accompanying Mouri girl to the zoo.

It was just some case! Why should I be dragged?

"What is wrong with you?" asked Kudou, annoyed with my cold treatment.

"It could have been snake, or crocodile, or whatever. Now I won't get to know," I said, knowing full well he will not understand.

"Crazy," said Kudou.

Not enough to steal.

I smiled at the thought. I wouldn't get to know the texture of the purse, but I was glad that in this current life, stealing is not my option. Although to be fair, I would be able to afford that bag before this drug happened to me. I snickered subconsciously, feeling the green left my system in that instant. I found myself looking at the glass panels around the stores, seeing my kid self grinning.

Crazy.

I was a child, and I was determined to corrupt Kudou's day.