Chapter 2: Another case


"Okay, I'll be there right away." Shinichi ended the call. He veered his glance from Sayuri to Ran. "I need to go. There's some case I need to solve. I'll deal with you later. Or if you need another detective, find the masked one. I'm sure he can help you."

"Shinichi!"

"What? Ha, ha, that is, if you find him. See you then!"

"That's it? How insulting." Minoru mumbled.

"Minoru!" Sayuri exclaimed.

"Let's find somebody else. He's useless." Minoru complained. Ran overheard their conversation. And decided to linger. She did not want them to think that Shinichi would only solve big, crime scenes.

"Please don't think of him that way. He's just too busy." Ran said.

"Inspector Megure!"

"Oh, Kudo-kun, you finally came! Come here, there's bad news." Inspector Megure lowered his voice. Shinichi looked puzzled. Megure and his team were inside an inn. Obviously, the crime was set in it and every suspect, including close friends and relative were held in. Makoto, the lady lying cold on the ground was the victim. Megure was assuming it was a suicide but the masked detective said otherwise.

"What?" Shinichi asked. Megure could only point at the popular masked detective standing next to the crime scene. He was not that tall enough and he had short, untidy black hair. He had black eye mask and black leathered trench coat and boots. Shinichi noticed that a part of his coat was unbuttoned. The masked detective seemed to be heaving like he just arrived there. He was already making a theory from the way he moved his lips.

"I'll take care of this." Shinichi said.

"Kudo-kun, try to get along."

Shinichi could only shrug. He walked towards the masked detective and held out his hand in introduction of himself. The masked detective could only stare at him with his small, emerald eyes. It was as beautiful as the stone. He did not speak nor move, instead he went back at gazing at the body of the victim. Shinichi felt offended but ignored the masked detective. He observed the cold body of Makoto. Then, he started roaming around the inn, to search for more clues. Megure already informed the alibi of each suspect. There were 2 friends and one sister of Makoto, only one of them was the real suspect. As soon as Shinichi was done with his theory, he told Inspector Megure to call everyone up. But it was too late, everyone has gathered around the masked detective. He did not speak much, he just drew the details while there were written characters beside each drawing. He would only speak if something needed to be explained.

"Tch..." Shinichi mumbled as he jostled in the crowd to listen to the masked detective's theory. He just ate what he told Ran about meeting the detective. After minutes of question and answers, the masked detective pointed at the person responsible of Makoto's death. He asked for the sister, Mizuki to empty her pockets. Everyone knew that Makoto was alone when the incident happen, so Mizuki defended herself more.

"I can't take it anymore!" Shinichi exclaimed. Everyone glanced at his direction with an annoyed look on their faces. "What? Just get it over already. Or I will solve this case on my own. Mizuki-san, empty your pockets already and stop disputing. Let's see if the masked detective is right."

Mizuki grinned at the two detectives and emptied her pockets. Nothing was in her pocket. She showed her empty palm on everyone else. The rest of the suspects gazed at the masked detective and at Shinichi. The masked detective's eyes narrowed at Mizuki. Shinichi was smirking. "Fu, Fu, Fu. You may have emptied your pockets before we could check the proof, but sad to say that I found this." He showed a piece of foil with blood he had found once he went in their rooms awhile ago. It was in Mizuki's baggage. He pointed at Mizuki's hands who had a small cut from the foil. "We could test who's blood is in this foil, then we could figure out who placed a poison in her drink before it was served to her. Of course, you knew you wouldn't be suspected at all since the waitresses were serving all your meal. You got the chance to do it when you reminded her to take her daily medicine. And..."

"Stop it!" Mizuki furiously said. Her fists were trembling badly. Tears were flowing down from her eyes. "I had to do it. I had it with her! She's so annoying, getting all the attention I want from my parents, family members and loved one. She's became everyone's favorite!"

The masked detective walked out of the scene, furious of how Shinichi handled the case alone. Shincihi laughed in victory. Then, his phone rang. It was an unknown number; he had to pick it up. The voice sounded hoarse and choppy. "You played with the wrong person, detective Kudo. You will get what you deserve." Shinichi's eyes widened in surprise. He gritted his teeth before he responded. "Who is this? WHO IS THIS?" The line was cut off.

Inspector Megure overheard Shinichi and came up to him. "We could trace the number Kudo-kun."

"No, it's alright. Probably, a prank call."

"What a coincidence to call the right person he's speaking to." Megure pointed out.

Shinichi came back to the cafe near their school and found Ran, Minoru and Mamoru chatting lightly. Sayuri was nowhere insight. "Where's your sister?"

"Oh Shinichi! Finally you came! Sayuri left everything for this two to explain to you. She had to work part time or else they won't have anything to eat." Ran explained.

"Then we could visit her and chat to where she's working."

"How stupid of you to suggest that." Minoru smirked. "She's working you know. Anyway, about what we were talking about earlier..."

"I want to hear it from her. But I think you will do." Shinichi said. "Go ahead with your parents work. What are they exactly? I mean, what are they doing for a living?"

"They're... what do you call it... work like bounty hunters... Catch wanted persons with great deal of rewards." Minoru lowered his voice. "They never mentioned anything to us but Sayuri and I found it out when we were rummaging their paperworks. We found these papers with pictures and rewards of certain criminals." Minoru took something out of his backpack; it was old, folded papers with wanted people on it. The rewards were huge. He looked at Shinichi with sad eyes. "Well, we believe that everything that has been happening right now is related to their work. Someone may have wanted revenge on them or whatsoever. We still lack clues that would lead to that."

"Oh, that makes this case interesting." Shinichi grinned. "What else do I need to know? Tell me."

"Ah, Shinichi, it's already late. Can't we continue this tomorrow?" Ran interfered.

"Oh, okay. I'll walk you home first then I'll come back at you guys. Is that alright?" Shinichi said.

*"N – No, I can go home by myself." Ran said. "I still have to go shopping for dinner."

"Okay then. Just take care, okay?"

"'Kay. See you tomorrow!"

"Mmm..." Shinichi nodded. He went back at Minoru and asked for more information. It was past nine when he suddenly remembered that Professor Agasa was about to leave for a free science workshop. He promised to escort him at the airport. He bid the men goodbye and promised to search for the Kanzaki's parents the next day. As he scurried off towards his home, something fell out of his pocket. It was his wallet and Ran's photo scattered alongside his money. He stopped on his footsteps and gazed at the ground. He just remembered that he did not checked on Ran before she left them. He promised himself to call her as soon as he got home.

What awaits the great detective? What was the prank call about? What actually happened to Ran on her way home? Several incidents have made the detective retrace the clues and his own footsteps before he moves forward.