Authors Notes:
So who else watched the Anime Awards that Crunchyroll put on? Just me? It was a nice change of pace. I'm learning to relax some… I think. Anyway. I debated with myself on how I wanted to do this chapter. I think I settled on a good route though. I hope you enjoy none the less! :)

Warnings: Foul language… blood and violence. Animal mutilation… and murder… you know how it goes.

The Lycanthropy of a Shrunken Detective

Chapter Twelve

"So why are we outside?" Kazuha asked.

"Yer the one who insisted on comin' with us." Hattori said.

"That's just because Conan keeps running off, and you just let him last time!"

"I did not! He- we- it- AAARG!" Hattori turned his palms to the sky as he curled his fingers in frustration. Conan laughed weakly under his breath. He felt bad for Hattori, he really did, but it was kind of entertaining to see him trying to fend off the girls.

Conan, Ran, Kazuha, and Hattori, as well as Yamamura and one of his officers, were following Mr. Mizushima. They'd talked to the police and had shown the evidence they'd found. Now together they were going up the mountain. Mr. Mizushima had hesitantly volunteered to show them the trail.

"Well, I don't know what you two think you'll find out here." Yamamura said with a huff. "I figured you'd want to see the body…"

"We've already seen it." Hattori said. "I want to see where the body was before it fell."

Conan nodded looking around the parking lot they were walking past noticing trash bins lined up against the side of the bath wall.

The group continued on walking up to a small trail that was more overgrown than not. Conan felt himself moving closer to Ran as they moved gripping her pant leg. The young karate champion looked down and smiled at him. "I know it's a bit spooky, but their just trees." She said a slight tremor in her voice.

'Heh…' Conan thought. 'She's thinking about mountain spirits. I can tell.'

He squeaked slightly as he felt Ran's fingers wrap around his hand. His nerves were on high alert and he wasn't sure why. The sound of rustling leaves and the smell of soil sent a shiver through his body. He swallowed deeply as the smell of blood hit him.

As they neared the tree that the body was hung from the sent of death only grew, sending Conan's protective instincts into high gear. He felt his hand gripping tighter to Ran, even though he knew the danger was in the bathhouse and not on the mountain. His brain and body did not agree. 'This… feeling… is this because of the… change?'

"This is the tree." The officer with them said.

"Okay…" Heiji said touching the tree's trunk and looking around it. His brow creased as he looked at the ground.

Conan followed his nose as he looked into the shadows of the trees. There bunched up on the forest floor was a tarp. "A-le-le-le!" He pointed. "What's that?"

"Hum?" Yamamura blinked following Conan's direction with his eyes. He squinted and his face scrunched up. "It's too dark to see anything."

The officer pulled out a flashlight as Hattori watched Conan an unreadable look on his face.

As the light fell on the tarp Conan found himself having to squint against the brightness of the light. "It's a tarp." The officer said.

"What?" Yamamura walked up to it and together the two unfurled it a bit it was immediately obvious that the inside was soaked in blood.

"My god…" Mr. Mizushima placed a hand over his mouth, disturbed.

"This is how the killer moved the body." Hattori said. "It must have been at just the right time seeing as how there were no witnesses."

Conan nodded looking at the tree now where Hattori was kneeling. "What is that?" Conan asked.

Hattori returned his attention to what he'd found and picked up a bit of rope with a stick. "I don't know… this is odd."

"More rope?" The inspector asked. Hattori nodded.

Conan walked over to Hattori who was using a cloth to keep his fingerprints off the evidence as he found a heavy object tied to the end of the rope. "Is that…?"

"A sliding T bevel…" Hattori said a perplexed look on his face. "It's kind o' heavy… and a bit rusted."

"It's a bit old." Yamamura observed taking the tool into gloved hands. "Not collectible old, but definitely older than what one would normally find in stores."

"Why is it tied to this rope?" The officer asked.

Conan looked up into the tree and noticed a discoloration on one of the branches. The flashlight flew up illuminating the branch. "Is that rope burn?" Hattori asked squinting.

Conan gasped in realization spinning on his heal and running back down the trail. "Conan!" Ran took off after him, Hattori right next to her.

"Wait!" Kazuha gasped following after. Yamamura, Mr. Mizushima, and the officer were a few paces behind shocked by the sudden rush.

Coming out of the foliage the shrunken detective hissed as he was momentarily blinded by the sun and it took a moment for the blurred grayed colors to come back to life in the multiple hues he was used to. Looking around quickly he spotted what he was looking for leaning against a tree.

"Conan!" Ran scooped him up into her arms as she reached him. "This running off is not okay!" She said holding him arm's length away making sure he was looking at her as she spoke. "I don't think you realize how much you've made me worry the last few days!"

Conan squirmed uncomfortably. "Sorry Big Sister Ran…"

"What did ya find Ku- Conan?"

Conan pointed to a board leaning against the tree's a rope tied around it. "What is that?" Ran asked as Kazuha joined them.

"Warn a girl the next time ya want ta run off like that." She said fighting not to glare at Conan. The diminutive detective didn't show or feel any remorse for the action. Letting out a huff of irritation Kazuha joined them.

Hattori pulled the board back seeing the rope moving through the brush and as the other three stumbled out of the trail he moved to follow it. "What is he doing?" Mr. Mizushima asked.

Ran shrugged. The group waited a moment before Hattori popped back out brushing leaves off of his shoulders. "Well the rope seems to go pretty far but it seems it's frayed at the end."

Hattori looked around as Yamamura frowned. "That's… odd, but what does it mean?" Then he gasped. "Oh! maybe it was holding the body back?"

Hattori shook his head. "It looks like the same rope that was tied to the T bevel… a thinner rope than what was used to hang Kobayashi."

"Like a close line." Conan said as Ran sat him down but she held onto one of his hands.

"Then…"

"Yeah," Conan said. "The T-bevel cut the fishing line that was holding the noose."

"Would a fishing line really be strong enough to hold the branch and the body?" Hattori asked putting a hand to his chin.

"If they layer it. Wrapping the fishing line around the anchor several times." Conan said.

"Should we go back and look for more fishing line by the tree?" Hattori asked.

"I can do that." The officer said.

"Right!" Yamamura said. "You do that. I think I know what's going on now!"

Conan and Hattori shared a look. "Ya do?" Hattori asked hesitantly.

The inspector nodded vigorously. "Of course! Come on let's go inside and close this case!"

"Wait, what do ya think happened?" Kazuha asked.

"I'll reveal that once I reveal the killer!" Yamamura said happily. "I've seen you detectives do this enough, it's much more effective this way!"

"Only if yer right." Hattori grumbled

"Let's just get this over with…" Conan sighed.

Ran nodded. "Let's go." With that, the odd group headed back inside.

Authours Notes:
So I think if I can get it all to go smoothly next chapter will be the last chapter before the characters all head home. So less Hattori but more actual story development. I think I'm going to change update day's to the weekends... it may be Saturday or Sunday... I am not sure enough yet to make it officially one or the other. We'll see.

(Words used 1264. Original date posted 2-25-2018)