CHAPTER 3
Ran suddenly went into aggressive-mother mode. Even on the plane, she would snap back at the poor flight attendant because Ran thought that her uniform skirt was a bit too short.
'Chill,' Conan said. He was actually quite angry about going to a brothel. Shinichi would never stoop so low. Except this was for a case, something Shinichi would never pass up.
'I don't like it here,' Ran snaps, grumpy after thinking that every other woman she met was one of the 'workers'. 'Shut up all of you.' Kogoro says. 'We're here. Act nice.'
'Welcome to our um, humble abode!' Madam Tomoyo
Exclaims.
'This is a humble abode? She calls a brothel a humble abode?' Ran thinks angrily.
'Very nice to meet you, Tomoyo.' Kogoro leans down to kiss her hand. 'Yes, well, it is great to have such a skilled detective in our services.'
'Skilled detective my but!' Conan thought.
'What services would that be?' Ran asked suspiciously. Tomoyo was a slim, fair Japanese woman, with sleek shiny black hair. No guesses for what would happen if her father was left alone. Conan tugged Ran's sleeve. 'Chill!' Conan whispered. 'We're here to help!' Ran surrenders, and suggest that they get on with their work.
'Of course!' Tomoyo says. 'Tell us all that you know.' Kogoro instructs, trying to impress Tomoyo.
'Well two weeks ago, three of my employees went missing. The next day they were discovered dumped in their quarters. There was blood everywhere. The girls' names were Juliet, Eve, and Hera. But there is one thing you should know.' She adds sobbing.
'What?' Kogoro asks. 'Remember, the more information you can give us, the more easier this case will be.'
'Yes.' Tomoyo nods. 'Well, when they were found, they weren't just lying anywhere. Juliet was laid down with her arms folded across her bed. Eve was eating a red apple, also lying on her bed, but on leaves. Hera was the most frightening. She had been hung up with string from the roof, in such a position it looked as if she was flying through the air, with a dagger in her hand. It looked oh so strange, like a mentally deranged person had done the job.' She managed to spurt the last few words out before sobbing in her hands again.
Kogoro patted her back. 'I think that's enough for one day.' He says gently. 'We'll just go to our sleeping quarters.'
Ran and Conan were talking. They were also looking at the photos of the girls.
'Ran-neechan?'
'Yes Conan-kun?' Ran looks up.
'These girls-they are all different. Blond, brunette, and black.
'I suppose so, but what does the hair color matter?'
'I do not know, Ran-neechan, but I remember something about their names.'
'I know what you mean. They sound familiar.'
'Hmm.'
'Hello.' A lady appears at the door. 'Tomoyo said that you might be hungry.' She holds out some bowls of food on a tray. 'Here.'
To Conan's surprise, Ran accepts graciously. 'Please,' Ran says, 'Sit down.'
Soon the girl (who turns out to be called Sashimaya) and Ran begin to talk. Sashimaya is not really a prostitute at all, just a cook.
'Ran?' Sashimaya begins.
'Yes?'
'Well, I think I might know a possible suspect for you case.'
Ran looked up. 'Really?' curious, she put down her bowl of noodles.
'Yes. I am only an assistant chef, the head chef in the um ahem, business is Edemata, and Ede is actually the nephew of Tomoyo.'
'So this is linked to the murder because?' Conan asks, not getting the point.
'Because Ede is blackmailed to come and work for Tomoyo; don't think she is as sweet as you think.' Shashi sips some soup before continuing.
'Ede was once addicted to heroin. If this ever came out, it would ruin his award winning chef career. Even though a brothel is not a very good place to work either, the café/restaurant is in front, so he can work a supposedly decent job.'
'I suppose this 'Ede' is not very happy about working right?' Conan asks.
'Duh. But he has four children and a wife, Halashi, whom he needs to support. He needs the work. At least she pays him about 1000 yen a week. He is highly wanted,' she adds, seeing Conan's and Ran's jaws drop.
'Well, thank you for telling u. The noodles were yummy by the way.' Ran seems intrigued by what Sashi has said. Conan jumps up, yawning. 'I think it's time for bed Conan-kun!' Ran says playfully.
'I suppose. But can we please talk about the case?' Conan asks.
'Very well.' Ran sighs.
'Do you believe what Sashimi said is true?'
'I don't know. But then Sashimi might dislike Ede and so on, so she might set him up, or that "information" she gave us could be just out of hatred.'
'It is hard to know who tells the truth these days.'
'Yes, but that's what my father is here for.'
'Ran-neechan, look at this.' Conan pointed to a drawing. It was a box, with five different boxes inside it. Supposedly, this was what Conan meant to be the first floor of the brothel. On the right hand side was Hera's room, The center Eve's Room, and the left side was Juliet's room. Two other rooms at the bottom were Sholvita and Junki.
'You see, this is how the sfirst floor, where all the girls stay, looks like. You can see all the links to their bedrooms. The murderer would have to go through the door, then approach from Hera or Juliet's side to finish the job quickly.'
Ran nodded.
'But who are these two girls, Junki and Sholvita?'
'They are the other girls. Maybe tomorrow we can talk to them. Ask them about each other and Ede.'
'Yes. That would be good. Pretend you want a chocolate and talk to Ede. I will talk to the um' Ran coughs. 'girls' she says eventually. 'Though you can hardly call them that!' she though silently.
Even though the room was soundproof, someone was hiding behind the door. And that person had no good intentions.
