Shinichi Kudo:
If you want to find out more about your girlfriend being shot, meet me aboard the S.S Victoria this Sunday at 2:00. The person who shot her will be on the ship. Can you catch them?
The letter was unsigned.
¡§S.S Victoria?¡¨ Heiji asked. ¡§What a coincidence!¡¨
¡§Why?¡¨ Shinichi inquired. He could hear his heart beating faster as he clutched the letter tighter and tighter. A determined glint appeared in his eye.
¡§Kazuha and I are here in Beika because someone mailed Dad a letter about receiving mail from KID, the Phantom Thief. According to the letter, this person has a fabulous collection of jewels, and KID wants to acquire it. For some reason, there wasn¡¦t one of KID¡¦s mysterious clues. Anyway, Dad was on a case, so I decided to come and check it out. And then, Kazuha found out, so I had to bring her.¡¨ Heiji rolled his eyes, but his cheeks turned a little red. Shinichi noticed, but he smiled and said nothing.
Shinichi nodded. ¡§But what does this have to do with the ship?¡¨ he asked.
¡§Oh, I forgot!¡¨ Heiji exclaimed. ¡§That¡¦s where KID is supposed to take the jewels.¡¨
¡§I thought you said there weren¡¦t any clues.¡¨ Shinichi objected.
¡§Yeah, I know. The guy just said he knew that¡¦s when KID was taking the jewels. He didn¡¦t even tell us his name, he just said he¡¦d meet us on the boat.¡¨ Heiji explained.
¡§How do you know it¡¦s a man?¡¨ Shinichi asked.
Heiji shrugged. ¡§Detective¡¦s instinct.¡¨ He offered with a grin.
¡§Doesn¡¦t it seem more like a woman to worry about jewels?¡¨ Shinichi inquired. Then, suddenly, his cheerful expression changed, and he flopped down on a chair beside him and buried his face in his hands.
¡§What should I do?¡¨ Shinichi mumbled.
¡§Huh?¡¨ Heiji started, shocked at the sudden change of topic. ¡§What should you do about what?¡¨
¡§Ran. What should I do? I want to work on the case, but I don¡¦t think I should leave her when she just got shot because of me.¡¨ Shinichi looked at Heiji, wanting Heiji to give him the right answer and tell him the right thing to do.
Heiji hesitated. ¡§Well, I don¡¦t know. She is getting better, you know. Kogoro and Eri are going to be with her, and this case sounds like you could find out something about the Organization, you know. I think if Ran were awake, she¡¦d want you to go and find out who shot her.¡¨
¡§What if she just thinks that I¡¦m putting cases ahead of her?¡¨ Shinichi asked.
¡§She won¡¦t.¡¨ Heiji said, but now he was unsure too. ¡§If you love a person, they¡¦ll always be with you. Even if they¡¦re not right here beside you, they¡¦ll always be in your thoughts.¡¨
¡§Do you really think so?¡¨ Shinichi asked.
¡§Yes. Come with me on the case. It¡¦ll all be fine.¡¨ Heiji urged.
Shinichi finally smiled. ¡§Okay. Count me in. You and Kazuha can stay at my house, and we¡¦ll leave on Sunday.¡¨
On Sunday, Heiji, Kazuha, and Shinichi were at the dock, waiting for the S.S Victoria to arrive.
¡§Are you sure this is when the ship is coming?¡¨ Kazuha asked over the blustering winds. ¡§You better be sure, Heiji. I don¡¦t want to be standing out here for nothing.¡¨
¡§Shut up. Of course I¡¦m sure.¡¨ Heiji retorted.
Shinichi smiled as he listened to his friends squabble over the arrival time of the ship. His mind was on other things, though. What was the Organization planning? Why had they called him here? Who was involved? Gin and Vodka, maybe Belmot, and Shiho¡K she was definitely involved. What was she doing? How had she rejoined the Organization? Why was she doing this? He couldn¡¦t believe that he had ever trusted that girl. He had thought they were friends, and he had risked his life to save her more than once. He found himself wondering if he would save her again if she were in danger.
¡§Kudo, hey Kudo! Wake up! The boat¡¦s here.¡¨ Heiji laughed cheerfully. ¡§Come on, let¡¦s get on the ship. Come on, Kazuha, hurry.¡¨
¡§I¡¦m coming!¡¨ Kazuha snapped. She reached down to grab her bags, but she found that Heiji had already picked them up for her. Unconsciously, a little smile formed on her face and her cheeks grew warm. She wanted to thank him, but foe some reason, she found that her mouth wouldn¡¦t open.
¡§Don¡¦t just stand there, Kazuha, go!¡¨ Heiji yelled.
With that, the three friends walked up the stairs and onto the ship.
¡§Okay. Let¡¦s see. I¡¦m in room 210.¡¨ Heiji announced, looking at his ticket. ¡§Kazuha, you¡¦re in room 211. Where are you, Kudo?¡¨
¡§Um¡Koh. My room¡¦s pretty far from yours. I¡¦m in 221.¡¨ Shinichi answered.
¡§Well, Why don¡¦t we all go to our rooms, unpack, and rest? We can all meet in the dining room at 5:00 for dinner. Is that alright?¡¨ Kazuha asked.
The boys nodded, and everyone headed off to their own rooms.