File 4 – Case Solved
Hirata slowly entered the dark storeroom. He looked around. "Where are you? You said you want to see me, don't you?"
Then he heard the door behind him closing, and it was all pitch black. A flashlight was shone on him, blinding him temporarily. "Hey, what's going on? W-what are you trying to---" His eyes widened when he saw the glint from a knife.
---
He slipped out of the shop and headed to the café instead. Inside, he found Kazuha at the counter, sipping a cup of coffee. Kazuha looked up, and quickly rushed to him. "Heiji! Are you okay?"
"Of course I'm okay," Heiji replied. "Where's Shunji?"
"He's in the storeroom. How did the case go?"
"Not really good, I'm afraid. There weren't many clues left behind, so it's going to be a hard time solving it."
"Have you called Kudo-kun and see if he can help?"
"Good idea!" Heiji agreed as he took out his cell phone and began to dial.
"Cool! Kudo-kun's head is the greatest!" Kazuha said excitedly.
Heiji's vein throbbed when someone answered on the other end of the phone line. "Hello? Hello? Who's there?"
"I won't lose to you, greatest head Kudo," Heiji said through his teeth with a forced smile. With that, he hung up.
---
On the other line, Edogawa Conan looked at his earring phone in confusion with a sweat drop. What's that guy up to now?
---
"Hey, why did you do that?" Kazuha asked, seeing Heiji hanging up.
"Shut up. I'll go look for Shunji."
Kazuha watched Heiji move to the storeroom, feeling slightly annoyed. He didn't even realize how worried I was...who cares for that idiot anyway? She sat back down and poured some coffee into her cup.
"Hello, Shunji," Heiji greeted as he entered the dimly-lit storeroom.
Shunji looked up from his cleaning. "Oh, hi, Hattori. How was the case? I didn't know you're so devoted to detective work until Tohyama-chan told me." He had an amused glint in his eyes, but Heiji didn't notice.
"Considering how little clues that are, not really good. I need more to figure it out. Hey...this place looks like the one in the video shop!" Heiji exclaimed, looking around him.
"Yeah, the whole line of shops are built in the same structure," Shunji explained as Heiji walked over to the back door and peered out of it. "It's really old, but good. Hey, you know you could have a disappearing act with that?" he asked as he walked over to Heiji.
Heiji looked at him. "What do you mean?"
"It's a really neat structure that allows you to sneak out from here without anyone knowing where you've gone," Shunji explained, opening the door wider, "especially when the soil here is soft. Look." He pointed upwards, and Heiji noticed a small landing jutting out above them, stretching towards the last corner. He immediately understood.
Shunji jumped and grasped the landing with his hands, hanging there. "If you have enough energy, you can just make your way to the corner---" He started moving his hands, quickly heading towards the corner. Then he jumped and disappeared around it. Heiji waited until he saw Shunji coming into the storeroom from the front, grinning. "See? It's perfect! That's how I can sneak out too."
Just then, it came to Heiji. Of course, all the buildings have the same structure, and that means--- He glanced up to where the video shop was, and smiled. So that's how the murderer could get out. But I mustn't jump to conclusion just yet---
A second scream filled the air---and it came from the video shop. On the alert once more, Heiji turned around and headed out. He did not even glanced at Kazuha, who stood up and was about to ask him a question. When he was outside, he saw Otaki and some police officers running into the shop. Heiji followed.
Sayuki was standing at the storeroom doorway, frozen in shock. Otaki quickly moved her away and went into the storeroom. Heiji peered over Otaki's shoulder.
Hirata Shirai was dead on the floor, feet facing them, and a knife stabbed straight in the heart. His hand grasped what seemed like a piece of torn brown cloth.
---
"I-I don't understand," Sayuki sobbed twenty minutes later, as the police started to move Hirata's body away. "H-how could he have---why is he---"
"Okaa-san," Megumi whispered pitifully, an arm around her mother's shoulders and comforting her. Matsudo stood by them, staring at the corpse.
"The only evidence we have now is this, though we don't' know where it comes from," Otaki said, lifting the cloth he had taken from the victim's hand. Heiji suddenly took it from him, examining it. Annoyed, Otaki snatched it back and turned back to the suspects. "All of you are wearing brown..."
"But our clothes aren't torn!" Megumi exclaimed.
Otaki rubbed his temple. "Where were you since we left ten minutes ago?" he asked them.
"Okaa-san went upstairs to rest, and I was behind there tidying some things up," Megumi replied, pointing at the counter. "I didn't know anything was going on, I was hidden behind the counter all the time."
"I-I was hanging around the counter," Matsudo stammered. "I really don't know anything else...besides, the storeroom is blocked by the shelves."
"Yes...but the murderer could be the same person. There's a possibility that the murderer is among the three of you," Otaki said sternly.
"Well, it couldn't be me, because I was outside the whole time during the first murder," Matsudo said with an anxious laugh. Not the whole time...I didn't see him until he came in, Heiji thought suspiciously. "...and it certainly isn't Megumi, right?"
"Hmm, I noticed that the stairway is blocked by the shelves too..." Otaki murmured. He glanced at Sayuki.
"Y-you think I'm the murderer?" Sayuki shrieked, noticing him.
"No, ma'am, but it's just a hunch. We do not know the real murderer until we investigate further..."
Heiji wandered to the front door once more, thinking. He could not find any clue or evidence---and it frustrated him the most, but he would not give up. He examined the door knob half-heartedly. That was when he noticed a brown string tied securely around it. He yanked it off and examined it. It was broken at one end.
So, this is the automatic door-opening magic trick, Heiji thought. And it's just that simple. But it doesn't mean anything...
Wait a second...why didn't I think of that? he thought suddenly, looking around. He narrowed his eyes. That person must be the murderer...but I need proof...without it, I can't accuse him.
He stared at the rack of videos, thinking. Just then, he noticed something. One video was sticking out a little more from the rest. He took hold of it---and he felt it. It's here! Okay, I found it...but it's not enough. Now what? Darn it...I hate this kind of normal murder. Why isn't there special planning or something? It's easier to crack this way...
"Kudo Shinichi is the best detective in Japan! He solved so many cases!" Kazuha's voice came out of nowhere. Heiji's competitive spirit fell in again. I won't lose!
Heiji scratched his head in frustration, walking back to the storeroom. He stood just inside it, scanning the surrounding. He noticed something on the floor, and bent down to see what it was. It was a longer brown string---and one of its ends was broken too.
"Come on, Megumi, you can stay with me for a while," he heard Matsudo saying behind him. He turned to watch. Megumi was nodding, taking Matsudo's hand. Hmm? Heiji frowned. Matsudo's jacket looks different...oh! He struck up a smile. That's easy. Now all I have to do is lure him into a trap...
---
The police started to leave. When everyone was outside, a person emerged in the shop, looking around. He rushed to a rack and slid the video case that was sticking out. He looked into it---and was shocked to find a note in it.
I have what you're looking for. Meet me in the storeroom if you want it.
Tossing down the case, the person ran to the storeroom. He slipped in and squinted, trying to see in the darkness.
Suddenly, the light came on. "Looking for this..." Heiji emerged from behind a cupboard, holding a case in his hand and smiling, "...Matsudo Tohaku?"
Matsudo looked shocked. "H-how do you know---"
"If there wasn't too much happening here, I wouldn't have suspected you. You have been holding a big sign saying that you're the murderer who killed the Hirata brothers," Heiji said, taking a couple of steps forward.
Matsudo laughed nervously. "What are you talking about? How could I murder my cousins?"
"First of all, you shot Hirata Kana in front of the shop with a silenced gun," Heiji began. "That is simple. When he started to stumble backward, you pulled open the door with a string so that he fell out. When the string broke, it closed the door quickly so no one could see you. You hid the gun and escaped through the back door."
"But the alley way is muddy and there's no footprint!"
"That's because you used a disappearing act. There's a landing above the door at the back where you can grab on and move to the corner without even leaving any footprints. You probably hid there for a while, that's why I didn't see you coming. Secondly, Hirata Shirai's case---it's easy to lure him here and kill him. Before that, you must have had a rough fight with him and he tore your clothes..."
"Wait, my clothes aren't torn, look!" Matsudo retorted, gesturing at himself.
"It's your jacket. I bet you can wear it inside out without anyone noticing, aren't I right?"
"But it's not torn!"
"It is. That cloth is not just an ordinary cloth---it's a part of the pocket. I bet if you turn that jacket inside out, we'll find a pocket missing. This gun has your fingerprint, I know it."
"Who---who are you?!" Matsudo demanded.
Heiji smiled. "Hattori Heiji---meitantei."