Disclaimer: I do not own either Detective Conan / Case Closed or Yu Yu Hakusho – if I did, I would be rich and famous! I am currently neither, but frankly, that suits me just fine. I hope this story will be found worthy of both fictional worlds.

"The Final Suspect"

"Are you sure this is the place?" Keiko gasped, staring up at the intricate façade of the enormous apartment building. "It looks way too expensive for a guy like that!"

"It is. This is Kionna's official address, as listed in the school's registry," said Jimmy, searching for their quarry's last name amongst the intercom buttons. "Ah, there she is."

"Yeah, but… even the girlfriend of a guy like that?" argued Yusuke.

Jimmy shrugged, tapping his fingers against the brick wall impatiently. "It's not entirely unexpected. To attend a school like St. Hebereke's, her family would have to be fairly wealthy. Ah, good, he's here."

Inspector McGuire stepped out of the patrol car that had just pulled up. "All right, Jimmy, this had better be good."

"This is where Miss Kionna lives, Inspector… officially, at least. Apartment 23 B."

"Well, all right then, let's see if she's home." He stretched out a hand to press the appropriate intercom button, but Jimmy stopped him.

"Wait, Inspector. Let me handle the first door."

"Why, Jimmy?"

"We shouldn't tip our hand too early. Besides, this could help the investigation. Trust me."

"Well, all right."

Jimmy hit the button. Nothing. He waited a bit, then pressed it again.

"Eh? What do you want?" came a distinctively female voice.

"It's Takashi. Let me in, quick!" Jimmy whispered, trying to make his voice sound more like her boyfriend's.

"What? Ta-kun? I thought you said you couldn't contact me any more. Did the police clear everything up?"

"Not yet. Just let me in already!" He rubbed his throat. Damn! Faking voices like this takes a toll after a while. And mom does it so easily, too. I wonder if Dr. Agasa could come up with something to make this less complicated…

"Okay, okay… keep your pants on… for now." The intercom clicked off, and the door buzzed.

Jimmy held the door open for the blushing girls, then followed them in. Well, now we know he would call her after all. Just like I figured he would.

The elevator's speakers played some irritating remake of a once-lovely classical piece. The five riders couldn't get out fast enough when it reached their destination.

"Found it!" announced Rachel. "23 B!"

"Good. Inspector, it's your turn."

McGuire knocked twice on the door, holding up his badge to the eyepiece set in its middle.

A muffled voice responded. "Takashi, is that – oh!"

"Police, miss. Open up."

"O… okay…" They heard the deadbolt click, and the door opened.

"Thank you, miss." The Inspector dipped his head and stepped inside. "I believe Mr. Gakushi has already informed you of the basic situation. These youngsters are helping us with the case."

"Please excuse the intrusion." Keiko, Jimmy, and Rachel bowed in unison. Keiko shoved Yusuke's head down when he made no move to copy them.

"If you don't mind, miss, we'll just look around the apartment a bit?" said McGuire.

"Sure. I've got nothing to hide. And neither does Takashi."

XXXXX

Kionna ?, age "unknown":

"Yes, Ta-kun told me his uncle had been killed, and that he was a suspect in his death. No, I haven't told anyone else about this. Who would I tell? Are we done now?" The tall, defiant girl tossed her hair angrily. The Inspector's line of questioning was abnormally lengthy, at Jimmy's direction.

She's worried that her illicit relationship with an adult will come to light, thought Jimmy. A cursory inspection of her personal effects had revealed a great deal. As I suspected, thought Jimmy, examining a small clutch of pictures on the mantle. She loves her mom, but this picture of her is at least five years old, so she's probably dead. I'd say her rich dad is off running his company and he just left her here by herself. Why am I not surprised?

"Almost, miss. Just to clarify, you said you live alone in this apartment?" McGuire repeated.

"That's right. Well, I sometimes have friends over to visit, but other than that, no one ever comes here."

"Then you won't mind explaining these?" interrupted Rachel from the doorway to Kionna's bedroom. Keiko stood beside her, holding a pair of high-soled shoes with traces of white powder on the heels.

"Those… what are those? I've never seen those before!"

Jimmy rubbed his chin, studying her face. Hmm… her face would go pale from the fear of being found out, if she really was the killer. She's just plain mad…

"Miss, I'm afraid that I'll have to – "

"Inspector, wait a moment. Let's not be rash." Jimmy studied the shoes carefully, then tasted the white powder. These may well be the same shoes the killer wore; but that doesn't mean she's the killer. "Miss Kionna, do you have more than one key to this apartment?" he asked quietly.

"No. I keep it with me at all times. That's why I usually go over to Takashi's, since he can't get in here."

"And Mr. Gakushi's apartment… is it secure?"

"I… don't know. I usually don't lock the door when he's out, in case he comes back… drunk…" Her hands flew to her face. "Oh, no… who would do such a thing?"

Jimmy smiled triumphantly. I know who.

Yusuke suddenly hollered from the couch. "Hey, guys, get a load of this!" He turned up the volume on the TV.

"… against all odds, the proprietor of the store, Mr. Yamaguchi, appears to have survived the gunshot wound he suffered during the robbery. The Tokyo Metropolitan Police has declined to make a statement, but alternate sources suggest that he is expected to make a full recovery within the week. We have learned from the administrator of Jindai Hospital, where Mr. Yamaguchi has been kept in isolation, that he has not yet regained consciousness enough to be able to identify his attempted murderer. More on this shocking story at eleven."

"What's this? He's okay? Ta-kun will be so glad!" Kionna exclaimed.

Jimmy grabbed the remote and switched the TV off. "Lousy bunch of… Inspector, we need to move, now!"

The others followed Jimmy out the door and to the elevator. As soon as the doors shut, trapping them inside with more hideous music, Jimmy sunk to the carpeted floor in a fit of laughter.

Rachel shook him. "Jimmy! Get a grip! What are you laughing for, anyhow?"

"Because they reported exactly what I expected them to. He's not really still alive, but it's important that the killer thinks he is. Still, it's a little sooner than I expected. We're going to be cutting it close."

"So you're baiting the killer, betting he – she – will come back to finish the job," Keiko surmised. Which will completely clear Yusuke!

"Precisely. Inspector, you posted guards to watch over Mr. Yamaguchi's room at the hospital, right?"

"Of course! You said to not let anything leak to the media, and guards were the only way to keep those vultures out!"

"Good." The elevator reached the ground floor, and Jimmy dashed ahead. "Come on, we've got to get to the hospital before the murderer does! Or we'll never be able to catch her."

XXXXX

Silence reigned in the spacious darkened hospital room, except for the intermittent beeping of life support equipment and various monitoring devices surrounding the solitary bed. A mask covered the face of Mr. Yamaguchi, the occupant of said bed.

The door opened, admitting a floor nurse wheeling a small cart. "Why, thank you, officers. Oh… would you like some coffee? You look so tired!"

"Sure thing, ma'am."

"Thank you."

The nurse let the guards close the door behind her. Leaving the cart by the door, she padded softly toward the bed, listening carefully for the inevitable thump of unconscious bodies falling to the floor. A hypodermic needle appeared from beneath her sleeve; the nurse squeezed the plunger, and a clear liquid dripped from the tip.

One thump… two thumps… now!

"Goodbye… again," she whispered maliciously, slowly stabbing the needle into the shunt in Mr. Yamaguchi's left arm.

The lights blinked on.

"Now we can indict you for murder and attempted murder of the same person, in that order, no less!" Jimmy Kudo declared, his hand on the switch. "Now, that takes talent…"

A/N: Tune in next time for the thrilling conclusion! For for now, here's the answer to last chapter's question (drumroll please…):

Kodachi Kuno, of Rumiko Takahashi's "Ranma ½"! Congratulations to inu-yusukekaiba102, who was first to get the right answer!