SailorStar9: With Chapter 131 uploaded, I present Chapter 132 of this fic. (Sighs) Guys and girls, is it too hard for you to leave a review, instead of just putting this fic up on your favorited list and story alerts?
Disclaimers: I do not own Sailor Moon or Detective Conan, I only own this plotline and the pairing.
Pairing: Established!Furuya Rei/Mizuno Ami
Chapter 132: The Mystery-Solving Water Taxi, Part One
Sometime later...
"So, there's nothing left behind that would help us identify the culprit." Megure noted, looking down at the bludgeoned Kadowaki Eiji.
"Their motive is probably a grudge." Mouri cut in. "They hit him once in the head with a metal pipe. I just happened to be passing by and it seemed like there was a case. This kid insisted we take a look." he turned to Conan. "Are they the victim's surviving family members?" he turned to the grieving Kadowaki Yasuko and Kadowaki Yuichi.
"We had them come to confirm the identity of the body." Megure nodded. "His mother, Kadowaki Yasuko-san and his older brother, Kadowaki Yuichi-san. The father died five years ago. The three of the lived together. The victim is Kadowaki Eiji-san, twenty-three years old, who lives down the way." he informed Mouri, as the body was prepared to be transported to the autopsy theater. "He was killed last night around ten. According to his mother, the victim went out to drink yesterday evening. He was probably attacked on the way home."
"So, unaware of what happened, his family was waiting for the victim to return home." Mouri concluded."
"No," Megure corrected. "Last night, his older brother, Yuichi-san was staying in a hotel in the city to work on some documents. Apparently, he works as an official in Kasumigaseki."
"Inspector Megure." Takagi and Chiba ran in. "The victim Kadowaki Eiji-san didn't have a good reputation in the neighborhood. Since he dropped out of college three years ago, he hasn't been able to hold down a job and wanders the area. Last Friday, he got drunk and argued with a bar employee. He spent the night in jail."
"We also found two interesting pieces of information." Chiba added.
"Passers-by reported that several days ago, a well-built man in his thirties appeared to be watching the Kadowaki family as though investigating them. He was also questioning the neighbors about the Kadowaki family."
"Considering the victim's reputation..." Megure frowned.
"It's possible he had some trouble with that man and incurred his wrath." Takagi finished.
"Keep trying to figure out who that man is." Megure instructed.
"According to the neighbors, it seems the victim Eiji-san was abusing his mother, Yasuko-san daily." Chiba reported after Takagi was sent off. "Furthermore, the older brother, Yuichi-san, would always stop his brother's explosive violence."
"But that woman seemed genuinely sad." Conan pointed out.
"They say, the worse a child is, the more you love them." Mouri shrugged.
"If that's the case, we'll have to question the older brother again." Megure reminded.
"There's no domestic violence in the family." Yasuko insisted unwaveringly.
"That's just an irresponsible rumor." Yuichi agreed. "Besides, what does this have to do with Eiji's murder?"
"Kadowaki Yuichi-san," Megure started. "Could we talk to you at the station?"
"You think I killed Eiji?" Yuichi realized. "I was working all night. Around ten, I ran into a woman at the hotel. She was extremely drunk. Just find her and this will all become clear."
At the Kadowaki household...
"This is Takase-kun." Yasuko recognized her former student after Takagi showed her a photo of the suspicious man. "His name is Takase Rintaro-kun. He was my student back when I taught grade school."
"Is it him, then?" Yuichi demanded. "Did he kill Eiji?"
"We don't know that yet." Takagi refuted.
"I was treated as a suspect because of this man." Yuichi snarled.
"I don't think he did it." Yasuko spoke up. "Rintaro-kun was rowdy and caused a lot of trouble. But at heart, he's a good kid. He's not someone who could've killed another person. Besides, why would Rintaro-kun kill Eiji? He has no reason to."
"Have you met with Takase-san recently?" Takagi asked.
"Last week, at the hosp..." Yasuko replied, before correcting herself. "In the neighborhood. He said he was working at a construction site near Hinode Pier."
At the construction site...
"Takase-san," Megure spoke, arriving with Conan, Mouri, Takagi and Chiba. "You're Takase Rintaro-san, yes? Graduated from Haido Elementary School One. We're the police." he flashed his identification badge. "Could we have a few minutes of your time?"
"Kadowaki Yasuko-sensei?" Takase echoed, after Megure revealed the reason they were here. "Of course, I remember her. I was a rowdy kid. She scolded me all the time. Honestly, I hated her. But that was twenty years ago."
"You've been asking around the neighborhood about the Kadowaki family lately." Takagi reminded.
"I think it was last week that I ran into her." Takase shrugged. "I wanted to know what she was doing. I felt nostalgic."
"Who suddenly feels nostalgic about someone they hated?" Conan pointed out.
"Takase-san, did you know that Kadowaki Yasuko-san's younger son, Kadowaki Eiji-san, was killed last night?" Megure asked.
"Her son was killed?" Takase echoed.
"We came to talk to you as part of the investigation." Megure explained. "So, Takase-san, where were you at ten last night?"
"If I wanted revenge, wouldn't I go after Kadowaki-sensei directly?" Takase inquired. "Why would I kill her son?"
"A parent's greatest treasure is their children, no matter how old they are." Megure declared. "Maybe you wanted to make her sad by taking the life of her son."
"The police have put a lot of thought into this." Takase snorted. "But I didn't do it. Last night around ten, I was in the middle of a three-hour all-you-can-drink session in Nebada."
"He has an alibi?" Megure echoed after Takagi and Chiba confirmed with the bar's waiter.
"We are able to confirm that he was at a bar in Nebada from eight to 11, just like he said." Chiba nodded.
"Then, who did it?" Megure wondered. "Megure here." he took the incoming call. "A fire at the Kadowaki family residence?"
Hours later...
"It's completely destroyed." Mouri was shocked at the damage.
"What about the Kadowaki family?" Megure asked.
"They're in that ambulance." Conan pointed.
"Yuichi-san." Megure approached the sole survivor. "What about your mother?"
"The coroner team just took her away." Yuichi shook his head. "They're going to determine the cause of death."
"Sensei..." Takase whispered. "So, this is your destiny..."
"Damn it." Yuichi cursed.
"Do not worry, Yuichi-san." Megure assured. "Our coroner will find your mother's cause of death; she's among the best in the world. Yuichi-san, could you tell us what happened?"
"When the fire broke out, I was sleeping in my room on the second floor." Yuichi related in the police box. "Perhaps because I'd been questioned by the police, but I had a terrible headache. By the time I realized something was amiss, it was a sea of fire. It was all I could do to save myself."
"Yuichi-san, can you think of anyone who might have resented you and the rest of the Kadowaki family?" Megure inquired. "Another one of your family members died today. Don't you think it's too much of a coincidence?"
"I can't think of anyone like that." Yuichi responded.
SailorStar9: Any OOC-ness is regretted. *Sighs* Don't you just hate plot bunnies sometimes? Read and review.
