Mouri Ran was late. She checked her phone and sighed at the time. Light had called her over two hours ago-rapidly approaching three and she was only just getting to the hospital. Although, in her defense she'd accidentally gotten off at the wrong stop and since the bus wasn't going to be by again for a while decided to walk the rest of the way.

She then after took a wrong turn and wound up two districts over and had to take another bus-this time getting off one stop too soon which was when she decided to just run to the rest of the way to the hospital-thankful for the signs to lead her along her way.

By some coincidence she ran into Light at the front of the hospital. At least she knew it was the right hospital.

"Y-Yagami-kun." She took a second to catch her breath. He waited. "I'm so-sorry I'm late. I-I got off at the wrong stop." She explained. Light let out a small sigh and offered her hand so she could stand up straight again.

"Don't worry about it, Ran-san." Light told her. "The important thing is you made it safely." She smiled and nodded, glad he wasn't too annoyed with her for being so late.

"Is your dad okay?" She asked.

"Yes, considering the circumstances-he was well enough to insist that I walk Aoko-chan home." He sighed wistfully. "I left him in charge of Conan due to that insistence-I guess I could have taken him with me."

"I'm glad to hear you're still dating Aoko-chan though!" Ran admitted, always glad to know when couples were still getting along. Sonoko and Makoto were doing just fine, Aoko and Light seemed to be doing okay-all she needed now was for Hattori to confess his love to Kazuha.

…

And respond to Shinichi's confession. She… Also needed to do that still. She would if he was ever around long enough give them a chance to talk. Stupid cases freak jerk.

"I guess we have been dating a while…" Light stated sheepishly, pulling her out of her thoughts about Shinichi. "Actually, Ran-san… Aoko-chan's been a little depressed lately, I think she needs a distraction-unfortunately college keeps me pretty busy."

Aoko had been depressed? Ran thought back to the last time she'd talked to Aoko-she supposed been since Conan has last been sick. She should spend more time with her.

"Sonoko, Sera-ano-Masumi-chan and I are all going shopping on Saturday, we can invite Aoko-chan out with us." She offered, sure that neither of the other girls would mind the extra company.

"I'm sure she'd like that." He agreed.

"…Ne, Yagami-kun… isn't that Takagi-keiji's car?" Ran asked after a moment as she recognized the vehicle.

"Yes. Apparently, there was a murder." He sighed.

"Oh no…" Ran voiced in genuine concern.

Inside, Ran made it a point not to go near the crime scene. She might have seen several horrifying murders but it never got easier and she couldn't just let it –not- affect her as Shinichi could do. It never escaped her notice that someone had done something terrible and that life couldn't be replaced-or perhaps that was why Shinichi could keep his cases from affecting him.

Either way, Ran stayed clear of room 415 and went to room 402 where Light's dad was in recovery. She apologized for the intrusion but Soichiro Yagami really didn't seem to mind as Light had told her he wouldn't.

It wasn't long before Conan barreled into the room himself, stopping short as he saw her and then giving him one of his most innocent looks-one of those she had to wonder about since she happened to know about her young charge's penchant for finding trouble.

"R-Ran-neechan…?" He frowned at her, trying to work something out in his head and then offered a grin that could rival Shinichi's when he'd caught on to something about her.

"Ne… could it be that Ran-neechan got lost?" He asked the most deceptively innocent voice. Immediately, her cheeks turned red and she looked away.

"Oh no… I decided to take the scenic route. Ahaha…." She offered nervously. That grin didn't falter for a moment and she knew he was onto her.

"You got lost." He affirmed. There just wasn't getting anything passed him. In her defense she'd never really been on this side of Tokyo so how was she supposed to know it?

"Well… regardless of that, it's time for us to go home, Conan-kun." Ran pushed passed it and offered him her hand. Conan just looked at it and she could tell he didn't want to go home.

"He's certainly a handful." Soichiro commented. Ran sighed.

"He can be." She admitted, turning to face the bedridden man. "He just loves to play detective. He's so much like Shinichi…" She sighed.

"Shinichi?" A voice came from behind her, startling her to her core. Ran whipped around and turned to face that same man that had visited the agency looking for Conan that day-his Cousin?

"O-Oh... Ryuuzaki-san… I didn't know you were here." She tried not to sound alarmed.

"It's quite alright." He said flatly. "I presume you mean Kudou Shincihi?" He asked.

"Ne, Ran-neechan, I'm hungry!" Conan tugged at her shirt. "Can we get curry rice?" He asked, pulling her attention away from the strange man. There was something pleading about the look in his eyes and it gave her pause.

"How about we go home and I'll make you some for dinner, okay?" She offered. Conan looked like he had to consider it. What was it with kids and always wanting to eat out? "Is that not good?"

"Um…"

"Yes, Kudou Shinichi." Ryuuzaki looked down at Conan who moved a little closer to her. That was strange.

"Shinichi is my- "

"Ran-neechan!" Conan tugged on her shirt again. Why was he being so needy? Usually he preferred to be left alone. Although, she could remember that when he especially didn't want her to do something he'd tried to keep her attention on him. Did he not want her to talk about Shinichi with his cousin?

"Conan-kun, don't interrupt." She scolded him lightly. He let go of her shirt and glared at Ryuuzaki. Wait a moment, if Ryuuzaki was Conan's relative then wouldn't he be Shinichi's as well? If he wasn't than who was he?

"Please continue." Ryuuzaki prompted. Was this man looking for Shinichi? Why? If he was just a client then Conan wouldn't be so insistent on her not talking to him.

"He's a friend." She admitted and heard Conan sigh. "We go to the same school but he hasn't been to class since almost the beginning of the year." She stated. "Now, I should really get Conan-kun home."

"A friend." Ryuuzaki ignored the statement. "Then you have been in contact with- "

"Actually Ran-neechan, that's the guy that wouldn't let me go home for two days." Conan pouted at her. Ran's gaze snapped back down to Conan. She knew based on when Conan revealed this information that he was using it as some sort of tactic. However…

"What?" Soichiro and Ran demanded at the same time. She didn't care if it was a tactic. She'd been worried sick those two days-! What Sort of person detained an innocent seven-year-old?

"Is that that so?" Her voice dropped dangerously low as she turned her attention back to Ryuuzaki…

oooOOOooo

Light was in the middle of talking to Takagi about something one of the possible suspects said that hadn't made sense when a loud 'thud' caused him to turn and see what had happened. He looked down to see L on the ground with a vaguely shocked expression on his face.

"How dare you use a child like that!" Ran was saying angrily. "I don't care -who- you are. Conan-kun is not bait!" She was shouting, looking like she might strike again. L just stared blankly at her a moment as if trying to wrap his mind around the fact this teenage girl had just knocked him flat.

"She's mad." Ryuuk pointed out. Light moved just slightly so that he could see Conan behind Ran's legs with a look of sympathy on his face. L slowly got to his feet.

"Yes, but Conan-kun has valuable information regarding-" He stopped talking and Light figured it was because he noticed that Ran just looked like she was going to attack again.

"If you continue to try and fight Ran-san, I will have no choice but to defend myself." L stated. As much as Light wanted to watch this teenage girl beat the shit out of L, he was a little concerned about the stress this was probably causing his dad.

"You can try, but Ran-neechan won the regional karate championship." Conan stated proudly.

"What in the world is going on?" Light approached both of them.

"Conan-kun mentioned the brief time I kept him to Ran-san." L admitted. Light looked from L to Conan who had gone back to glaring while hiding behind Ran's legs. He remembered a brief couple of days in which he'd expected a call from Conan and one never came. Was it during that time that L was detaining Conan?

To detain a child though-surely L wouldn't do something like that. Although… it would explain why Conan and L already didn't like each other before the café.

"Ryuuga. I don't know what would possess you to hold a seven-year-old like that-but you can't detain children." He said in the most exasperated way he could. "And anyways, this is a hospital and my dad did just have a heart attack. Do you think you could avoid fighting for his sake?"

"Ah!" Ran's face went immediately red and she turned to face Soichiro. "I'm so sorry!" She bowed deeply.

"More importantly, did you solve the murder, Light-niichan?" Conan asked, smiling brightly up at him.

"More or less… I think." He admitted.

"Really, Light? You solved the murder?" Soichiro asked once he was sure Ran and L were not about to get in some kind of fight over L's questionable interrogation methods. On a child. Light may have been Kira but he at least wouldn't kidnap a child. He shook the thought out of his head and turned to his dad.

"Aa, I'm just having Takagi verify something for me." He answered. Conan glanced at L before sneaking out from behind Ran's legs and moving over to Light. Light, despite his suspicions, followed him a little further into the hallway and knelt down to listen to whatever it was Conan had to say.

"Did you have Takagi check on that thing the suspect said?" He asked, voice low. Light raised an eyebrow, wondering if this kid could possibly be anymore vague but nodded all the same.

"Good." Conan nodded, pulling something out of his pocket and handing it to Light.

"What's this for?" He asked, it looked like a tiny speaker.

"It's a speaker so if you need me too, I can take over the deduction. Just cough or clear your throat to signal me." He explained. Light looked at the speaker again-would he need Conan? He was fairly certain he had everything-the case had been fairly straight forward.

"I suppose you'll tell me how you were able to use me to solve that first case?" He asked. Conan just offered a dishonest grin and pulled his bowtie out of his pocket.

"I can change the frequency to match anyone's voice." He explained. Light let out a sigh, ignoring Ryuuk's commentary and stuck the button speaker on his jacket. He doubted if he'd need Conan to take over but he'd take the speaker just in case.

oooOOOooo

Conan did not want L to ask about Shinichi. That much was clear when he intentionally drew Mouri Ran's attention from the subject several times-he'd also tipped his chair over earlier that day when L and Light were discussing the potential Kira suspects. Conan had even gone as far as to mention the fact that L had detained him for a few days which he hadn't bothered to do when it first happened back in January.

It spoke volumes about the boy-the most important being that Conan -knew- where to find the missing detective Kudou Shinichi-he was sure of it. He needed to talk to Conan again but that might be a little difficult now that Ran and Soichiro both were made aware of the incident this past January. Conan had undoubtedly intended on fixing so that L couldn't approach him about Kudou or Kira.

That sharp little mind worked much faster than L had expected but hopefully, there were still ways to get the information that Conan was bound and determined to withhold-if he tried kidnapping again though, Soichiro might press charges considering the boy's age. He would try to get Hattori to get the information however, he doubted that Hattori would do it-Conan had found out that Kudou was on the suspect list and the only person that could have told him was Hattori. He couldn't rely on Watari for this as Conan would recognize him and he'd never get the information?

Perhaps he should make another call to the FBI but James Black had already said that they couldn't risk Conan's life due to another case he was a key witness in. He had also noticed that Conan had seemed to freeze up when that case was mentioned earlier. Perhaps that other case was the key finding out what Conan knew.

oooOOOooo

Light had to admit that he enjoyed solving the murder and the fact that he didn't even have to rely on Conan for any part of it certainly helped to improve his mood. Which is why, after giving his statement and saying a quick hello to Nakamori (both to let him know Aoko made it home safely and find out when the inspector thought he'd make it home) he found himself at Hakuba Saguru's house.

Admittedly, he didn't know the other boy that well, but Hakuba went to school with Aoko and Kuroba and as a detective he just might be able to do something about the magician thief. The person that answered the door was a severe looking elderly woman with gray hair and horn-rimmed glasses.

"I was wondering if I could speak to Hakuba-kun?" He asked, trying to sound as polite as possible. The woman looked him over carefully, as if considering his request. "I… Realize it's somewhat late…" He tried. Her eyes narrowed and Light had to wonder if there was something wrong with his appearance-Conan hadn't mentioned anything to him but he did get dressed a little quickly.

"Baaya, who's at the door?" Hakuba's voice came from inside and he glanced out.

"This young man wants to talk to you, but it's a bit late Saguru…" The woman stated. Hakuba sighed.

"Yes, and I'm not asleep-it's fine." He gestured for his housekeeper to let Light in, which she did. Mumbling something about Hakuba staying up too late and bad for this health which Hakuba completely ignored in favor of inviting Light into the luxurious mansion. The Hakuba's family must have been wealthy even without his dad being the commissioner.

"This is a nice house…" Ryuuk commented, floating along behind them and unbeknownst to Hakuba. He led him back to a sitting room and the housekeeper busied herself with making them both tea. The younger gestured for Light to take a seat, which he did.

"I presume this is about Kuroba?" Hakuba asked. Light looked at him a moment, wondering how he could have put that together so quickly but upon further reflection realized that it wasn't really that difficult of a deduction as there were very few things that the two had in common-that they were both aware of, anyway.

"Yes-He's Kaitou Kid." Light admitted, preferring to get straight to the point. "He's Kid and Aoko knows, so now it's effecting her mental health."

"I… was afraid of that." Hakuba let out a sigh. "She found out that night they were trapped together, I'm sure-she was abnormally pale when Nakamori and I got there." He recalled. Light let out a breath-if Hakuba knew that Kuroba was Kid then why hadn't he arrested him yet?

"How long have you known?" He asked, eyes narrowing dangerously.

"For a while-the problem is, I lack the concrete evidence needed to convict, Kuroba is a master at denying obvious facts and I can't exactly ask Aoko-san to testify against her best friend." Hakuba explained. Light closed his eyes and considered what Hakuba was saying. This was why Kira had come about-the failing justice system couldn't act even if someone was guilty. Being a detective was all well and good but he couldn't solve –every- crime. There were too many.

Kuroba was protected only by the fact that killing him would only raise the suspicion that he was Kira and it's not what Aoko wanted-Not to mention she'd probably be able to figure out from that, that he was Kira. But Damn it! He couldn't let Kuroba get away with this.

"Why is he so determined to hurt her?" He chanced asking. Hakuba let out another sigh and stood up from where he was sitting.

'Follow me." He gestured. Light took in another breath to calm his temper and pushed himself back to his feet to follow after the high school detective. Hakuba led him to a room further back, opened the door and gestured for him to go inside.

Light stepped into what must have been Hakuba's study because he had wall covered in information about Kaitou Kid-the date that Kid first appeared, the date he last appeared and every heist in between. Pictures of Kid himself, newspaper clippings, and information about each and every jewel he'd stolen-pictures of Kuroba and what must have been Kuroba's dad-the late magician.

"What is this?" He asked, looking around the room as Hakuba went to sit in his chair.

"Everything I have on Kaitou Kid and why he does what he does-it's important to me, to establish a motive-typically I would just ask him but he's steadfastly refused and told me to work it out on my own.

"And?" Light asked, looking at information from the most recent heist-it was from a few days ago and he'd gone after a jade diamond in Yokohama.

"Well, considering I highly doubt that Kuroba Kaito has been heisting for the past eighteen years-I think his motives have something to do with his father-Kuroba Toichi." Hakuba offered. "Toichi-san died sometime around eight years ago in a bizarre stage accident and that was right around the time the first Kaitou Kid disappeared. Eight years later, Kaitou Kid right around the time Kuroba Kaito turned seventeen."

"So, Kuroba Toichi was the original Kaitou Kid and Kaito-kun has taken up the mantle-why?" Light looked back to the information about Kaito's first heist. Hakuba leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers together.

"From what I know of Kuroba-kun, I'd say it has to do with his father's death." Hakuba said thoughtfully. "I've looked into Kuroba Toichi and the circumstances surrounding his death are a little… strange."

"Strange how?" Light looked back at him. Hakuba lowered his arms and moved over to the section of the wall that detailed information about Toichi.

"There was barely an investigation after the explosion-believed to have been some form of gas leak underneath the stage but there was one officer that went missing shortly after turning in his statement-they still haven't found him from what I can gather."

"…Isobe." Light realized. Hakuba's attention snapped to him.

"He was the head of the arson department even then, yes. However, I don't think it's enough to assume he was responsible-"

"No, Co-Someone told me that there was a suspicion that Isobe was taking bribes under the table to rule certain cases certain ways-if he was bribed to rule it a stage accident then-"

"It would suggest that Kuroba Toichi was murdered-by some pretty powerful people-but who told you that Isobe was-"

"It doesn't matter-it's not like we can ask him." Light realized, for the first time feeling actual regret over killing someone, though only because now he couldn't ask him about this organization that Conan was forcing him to help investigate.

"No, I suppose not." Hakuba agreed. "Anyways, I believe that either Kuroba found out about this and is now trying to draw out his father's murderers or he's already done so-When I first went after Kid he had targeted a painting but lately he's only after Jewels that he later returns. Whoever killed his dad was after some kind of jewel that Kuroba is now after himself."

Light didn't like this-now he really couldn't kill Kuroba because apparently, he was part of a much deeper mystery-possibly even that organization if Isobe was involved. He needed him alive.

"Well, things certainly have taken an interesting turn." Ryuuk comment. Interesting for the Shinigami-annoying for Light.

"The least he can do, is tell Aoko." Light stated, trying to let go of his anger. "If he considers her important, anyway."

"Kuroba does consider her important though." Hakuba stated calmly. "He has jealousy issues that very easily mask that and his conduct with Aoko-san is questionable at best but he'd never do anything to hurt her-not on purpose. That's why he followed us up to Tottori back in February.

"It doesn't matter if he'd intended to do it or not, he's already-Wait." He his mind slammed to a stop at this new information. "What do you mean he followed us?" Ryuuk burst out laughing overhead.

"He was disguised as Kudou Shinichi the whole time." Hakuba pointed out. "I thought he'd been rather obvious because of his jealousy."

"I see…" Light said thoughtfully, thinking that whole trip over again. He did remember Conan being especially prickly towards Kudou when he first turned up on the train-did Conan know that was Kid? Had that been the only time that Kid had disguised as Kudou? Thinking back on it, during that kidnapping incident, Kudou had only appeared to help find Conan after Light called to check in with Aoko.

In fact, he remembered that Kudou had sent a message to Ran saying that he wouldn't be able to make it to the Beika district and Hattori had even quickly dismissed the idea of Kudou asking Kudou saying he wouldn't be able to respond. Not to mention there was something that day that Ryuuk couldn't stop laughing about-If that was actually Kuroba both times then did that mean that Conan actually was Kudou Shinichi?

Knowing Conan-or Kudou though, he likely wouldn't just freely admit to it. He'd been careful to avoid his identity being discovered thus far and he certainly wouldn't want Kira to have any power over him. How exactly could he go about getting the information without alerting Kudou's suspicions?