Thank you again for the reviews.
I guess I didn't explain at the beginning but Conan couldn't get to Kid in time to stop the BO from giving him the Apotoxin, he was several blocks away when the Kid was shot down.
Sorry about the formatting problems, I'm not sure if it's my computer or Fanfiction or both but something weird is going on.
Also I don't have a beta reader so if any one spots any problems with this chapter please tell me! I tried to write this mystery so you can start to figure it out about the same time Shinichi starts to explain it, all the clues are there in the story so please tell me if it's too easy or way to hard.
P.S. Not all the clues are in this chapter.
"What! How can that be?"
"Well the only blood they found was on the knife and coat but the knife used to hang on the wall in the study." Although Kaida seemed calm it was easy to see that it took all she had to appear calm, her voice shook just a little as she continued "The note was also found in the study and the coat and knife were in the closet just down the hall."
Kogoro questioned her for a moment more but didn't learn any thing else, he thanked her and went to talk to the servants. Ito the butler told the same story as Kaida except he remembered seeing Taro arguing with someone in the garden earlier in the day, before the party.
"Who was he arguing with?" asked Kogoro.
"I'm not sure, I couldn't see the mans face very well, they were standing behind some bushes. All I can tell you is he was taller than Taro and was wearing a hat and dark coat." He also said he drove all of Renjiro and Taro's friends back to the hotel and he saw Taro in the kitchen after he got back.
Yoshida Satomi the housekeeper didn't see the man in the dark coat but she explained how she found the bloodstained knife and coat.
"I was cleaning up the clutter from the party and when I opened the closet I saw the jacket wadded up on the floor, I thought someone hadn't bothered to hang it up so I picked it up and started to shake it out and that knife fell out! I screamed and dropped the coat and everybody came running, it was terrible!" Her hands fluttered near her face as she described her reaction to finding the knife, She explained that she didn't like to open closets now, afraid of what she might find.
The gardener was a big man who wasn't pleased with being interrupted.
"I already talked to the cops and I wasn't here that night, I went into town on my day off so quit bugging me. I've got work to do." With that he stomped away.
After that Kogoro decided to go speak with the friends who were at the party that night, Nakajima loaned him the car and gave directions to the hotel. Conan tried to tag along but Ran caught him and Arthur and all but dragged them back to the house to go on a tour with her. Conan didn't even pretend to be happy about the tour as he watched Kogoro drive away.
First they toured the gardens but they avoided the front where the gardener worked on the flowerbeds near the trees, fertilizing and watering the wilted looking flowers. The rest of the grounds were magnificent and even Conan was impressed once he stopped sulking and began to pay attention, although Arthur wouldn't go near the koi pond.
After lunch Ito continued the tour inside the house, as they walked down the hall Conan noticed a large framed picture of the Nakajimas and two young men.
"Is that Taro and Renjiro?"
Ito stopped and looked, "Yes, Renjiro is the one on the right. That picture was taken about 6 months ago, a present from the boys."
Renjiro seemed to be the tallest one of the four but not by much while Taro was as powerfully built as his father. Everybody had broad grins. A happy moment caught in time, unaware of the tragedy that would come.
They entered the study. Dark toned bookcases lined one wall and a massive desk sat near the large window. Sunlight streamed across the thick cream- colored carpet and shone on the many objects on the walls and shelves. A collection of jet-black pottery decorated with geometric designs in matt and shiny finish was displayed in front of a woven rug patterned in cream, gray, black and brown. And on a nearby shelf was a beautiful piece of carved jade. A slab of rock covered in fossilized leaves stood in a corner next to a tall African drum and a large sea shell shaped a little like a clam shell but with an iridescent blue-green interior shared a shelf with a rock the size of a basket ball, it had been cut in half to show the hollow inside lined with amethyst crystals.
And on the wall opposite the shelves was a display of weaponry. A wooden sword lined with shark teeth, stone arrowheads, a magnificent katana, and a European broad sword. Ran admired the carved jade and the black pottery while Ito explained how Nakajima brought home something unusual from every trip.
"The pottery and that rug are from South-western USA and the abalone shell is from California and this knife," He said as he pointed to one hanging on the wall "is one of a pair he brought back from Europe."
Ran walked over and looked up at the knife,
"You said it's one of a pair?"
"Yes, the police still have the other one, it used to hang next to this one."
"You mean it was the bloody knife!" said Arthur his eyes were wide with surprise.
Conan stared at the space where the knife used to hang.
' But then Renjiro can't be the murderer! In fact there are only two people who could have done it, but which one?' He watched Ito explain to Ran where some of the unusual weapons came from. Ito reached up rather stiffly to point at some boomerangs from Australia. 'That's it!' "Um Ran-neechan? Could I go outside?" asked Conan.
"I guess but don't get into trouble"
With that Conan rushed out of the room. Arthur knew he was up to something and followed after.
"Energetic little boys aren't they?" Said Ito as he chuckled.
"You have no idea." Replied Ran.
Once outside Arthur quickly caught up with Conan.
"I know you know something, why'd you run off like that?"
"I think I know who the murder is but with Kogoro is gone and I need to find more evidence."
"But isn't Renjiro the murderer?"
"He can't be."
"What?"
"You saw the picture, Renjiro and Taro are both short. They'd barely come up to Ran's shoulder. Ran had to look up to where the knife hung. If Renjiro killed his cousin during an argument why did he use a knife that he would have needed a step stool to reach? Especially when there are so many knives in that room? In fact unless some one broke in after the party ended, there are only two people tall enough to be the murderer."
"Are you going to tell me the butler did it?" Asked Arthur sarcastically
"No, his shoulders are stiff. Did you notice when he reached above his head? He has either an old injury or more likely, arthritis. No the murder was committed by a tall and physically fit individual.
And it wasn't in the study; with that light colored carpet even a small drop of blood would show. But someone wanted everyone to think it happened in the study just like they wanted everyone to think Renjiro did it. I think it happened outside, somewhere out of sight."
"What about that garden shed by that greenhouse? It's hidden from the main house but it's close enough to the window of the study that someone could sneak in and out easily."
Conan looked surprised at Arthur's comment. Arthur just shrugged and answered,
"Well the murderer had to get back in to put the knife and jacket in the closet and I don't think he would want to walk through the front door carrying a bloody coat."
"You know Kid," said Conan "I think you're smarter than you look!"
"Hey!"
Sorry about the cliffhanger, next chapter is coming soon.
Oh and if you haven't read it yet you should read 'The Window' by Ysabet, it is great! If you have trouble finding it, it is listed under my favorite stories on my profile page. And after you read it look for the sequels 'The Longest Hour' 'Second Wind' and 'Windfall' they are fantastic! I couldn't stand to leave the computer until I finished them.
Unfortunately 'Windfall' isn't finished and Ysabet doesn't update often but maybe if she gets enough reviews she'll give us another chapter. #grin #