Tokyo

11:04pm

Beika Town

Tani Household

"So according to all you've told me so far…" Mouri-san was talking to the head of the house, Tani-san, and is looking down at a picture of the kidnapped Tani Akiko.

I tried to listen in on the conversation, seeing if I could figure this out myself.

"Is there no one else who saw the kidnapper?" Mouri-san continued to take notes as the only witness, the family butler Asou-san, recounted what he saw.

"Can you be any more specific?" I butt in, hoping to get some more information after seeing Mouri-san's annoyingly pathetic attempt at interrogating him.

"Who is this child?" Asou-san seemed flustered at the question, but before I could press for answers, Mouri-san grabbed me and pushed me out of the way.

"Ran! Keep and eye on him!"

"No, Conan-kun you can't get in the way of Otou-san's job…"
I guess Ran is more like my mother than I realised. I nod before moving over a little to keep listening to Asou-san.

"You didn't see the face of this man in black?"

"It was so dark, I couldn't make out his face."

"Now give me a detailed account of the kidnapping."
"Y-Yes." Asou-san seemed to be getting more and more nervous as he answered Mouri-san's questions.

"The miss was playing in the yard after she came home from school. All of a sudden, a man in black appeared from the corner of the yard. He said 'Tell your master if he wants his daughter back, to close the company down in one month's time! And don't get the police involved!"

Asou-san pointed to a tall tree against a tall wall surrounding the premises.

"He said that, then climbed right up the tree and over the wall."

"Hmm" Mouri-san seemed deep in thought. I took this opportunity to ask Asou-san some more questions, just like Shinichi-niichan would.

"And did his voice have any distinguishing features?"

"Er, not very high or low…"
"Hmm not very clear then…" Odd, Asou-san seemed to have heard everything the man said…

"Why you…" Mouri-san whacked me on the head in irritation.

How rude.

Ow.

When I regain my bearings, I hear Tani-san screaming, "He said to prepare three million yen in second-hand bills!"

So this was about money? Even though before, he has said to shut down the company…

"..must have been using a voice changer, so I couldn't…"

11:23pm

He said the kidnapper climbed this tree… I stared up at the large tree, it's branches were rather high up and the base wasn't rough. It must have been quite difficult, especially while carrying someone…

Grarrrf! Arff!

It was the guard dogs again, just like when I had tried kicking a ball around just before.

Grrrr.

Huh? The dog don't want me near the tree… I go over to Mouri-san to tell him about it.

"Hey, hey, Oji-san, those dogs over there…"
"SHAD-DUP! Get outta here you little brat! Ran! Don't let him out of your sight!"

I walk back over to a plain ball in the middle of the yard. That reminds me, Shinichi-niichan really like soccer. I kick up the ball and try out some moves he showed me. He was convinced that it helps him think over cases like this. Maybe it would work for me too…

"Wow! You're good at soccer Conan-kun! Just like Shinichi!"

"Uh, just a little." No way I was as good as Shinichi-niichan yet. I still needed a lot more practice.

"Shinichi does that whenever he's thinking hard."

I keep kicking the ball around, hoping to come to some sort of conclusion. The kidnapper had been messy, allowing himself to be seen… But he'd later used a voice-changer even though Asou-san had already heard him…It didn't make any sense.

Why?…

Suddenly it all fits together. The clumsy kidnapping. The demand of three million yet over the phone, with a voice changer. Asou-san's strange behaviour.

I smile triumphantly and kick the ball away. Sadly, the ball flies over to hit Mouri-san on the back of the head. He glares at me, grumbling.

Oops.

As I go to grab the ball that is bouncing away, I spot Asou-san about to sneak around a corner. I grab the ball and jog up to him, unnoticed. As he turns the corner I speak up.

"Where are you going?"

He looks down at me, shocked.

"To the place where you hid the girl?" I continue, since he didn't seem like he was going to answer.

I knew it. Looks like I was right! I've got this case figured out!

I look over to a frustrated Mouri-san. No now will believe me if I say so… If Mouri-san figured it out then it would be possible. But how to get him to see it…

11:32pm

Rawraf! Rawraf! Raaawf!

"Ahh, what's was that?!" Mouri-san jumps at the noise, looking around for it's source. He spots me by the dogs, causing them to start barking.

"You again!" He seems mad as he makes his way over.

"Help me Oji-san! When I went to get the ball by the tree, this dogs started barking at me!"

I point to the ball I had kicked to the base of the tree.

"What? Dogs by the tree?" I watch Mouri-san properly take notice of the dogs.

"Well of course, any house this big would have a dog or two…"
I think you're missing the point Oji-san.

"I think these dogs bark at anyone they don't know…" I hope Mouri-san gets it soon.

"Yes these are quite superior guard dogs." Tani-san, pats the two dogs, calming them down.

Mouri-san seemed in deep thought. As he ponders this, I notice Asou-san trying to sneak off. I was about to say something, but Mouri-san beat me to it.

"Where are you going, Asou-san?"

Mouri-san turns to face a flustered Asou-san.

"There's something odd about what you've told us. If the kidnapper escaped by climbing that tree, the dogs should have been barking like mad! And after he got away as well!"
I grin. It looks like he's finally got it.

"But, when the maids came running out, they didn't hear any other noises but your shouting… And if you saw a kidnapper, your account is much to ambiguous… There was no man dressed in black at all, was there?"
Mouri-san stepped closer.

"Asou-san, no, Mr. Kidnapper?"

Mouri-san grabbed Asou-san by the front of his shirt.

"Asou.. Why you…" Tani-san stepped over to them, clearly angry.

"F-Forgive me, sir!" Asou-san knelt down in front of Tani-san.

"Why did you do this?"

"Er, that's…"

"Did someone ask you to do this?!"

"N-no I did it all by myself."
"So where is the little girl?" Mouri-san interrupts, clearly hoping to get this case over with.

"I-In a nearby hotel…"

Mouri-san grins widely. "WooHoo! case closed! Let's go get the girl!"

"Now take us to the hotel!" Tani-san roughly grabbed Asou-san, pulling him along.

Even though the case was solved, I had this strange feeling in my gut. I felt as if something was still wrong.

11:35pm

"S-sir, the phone!" A maid ran into the clearing, holding a phone.
"What? Who could it be, at this time?" Tani-san let go of Asou-san to face the maid.

"W-Well…" The maid hands over the phone and a loud voice comes from it.

"Have you prepared the three million yen yet?"

"Who is this? Who are you?" Tani-san screams into the phone.

The voice is distorted by some sort of voice-changer to avoid recognition. But, Asou-san is still here and he said he was alone… Did he have an accomplice? Or maybe…

"I just called you a little while ago, remember? I'm the man who kidnapped your daughter."
"But that's impossible… We know who…" Tani-san turned to Asou-san who seemed shocked by this development.

11:47pm

I mentally recall a map of Beika town as I speed through the streets on one of the guard dogs.

A school building… where you can see a chimney…

I was sure I had checked all the possible buildings…

I got off the dog for a break, panting. Where could she be?

Looking up I see a tall building standing out on the skyline. I jump back on the dog, running around the building.

I just need the right angle… There!
The building looked exactly like a chimney from this side! I turn around, trying to think if there were any schools in this direction…

Futatsubashi middle-school!

11: 52pm

"Don't mess with me brat." The kidnapper shoulders his baseball bat before swinging it at me. I dodge and try to kick him in response but he's bigger and he grabs me.

11:53pm

"I suppose I should finish you off now.." I felt blood on my forehead and I couldn't move. I tried to look up, but I probably looked pathetic, struggling on the ground.

"Kill one kid, Kill two kids, it's all the same to me."

11:55

"Ran! Is the girl okay?" Mouri-san slammed open the door to see Ran standing over an unconscious kidnapper. She began untying the girl who was still relatively unharmed.

"Yeah, I think we made it just in time… But Conan-kun…"
I grinned at her from my spot on the ground.

"This is nothing… But how did you know we were here?"
"The dog showed us where to go!" Ran pointed at the dog, Jambo, playing with Akiko.

"The dog came back to the house, covered in blood…"

12:16am

"Hahahaha! Today was the best day ever!" Mouri-san smiled happily next to me and Ran in the back of the taxi.

'Best day ever' aren't the words I would use… but it was an eventful day.

"Oh, Otou-san! About him…" Ran puts her hand on my shoulders.

"Hm?" Mouri-san looks confused at the sudden outburst.

"Professor Agasa asked if we could keep him at our house for a while…"

"Hmmmmmm…" Mouri-san stared at me suspiciously.

"Hahaha" I smile at him, hoping he won't refuse. I really like the action of solving a case in real time. I see why Shinichi-niichan likes them so much…

"Yeah! Okay, We'll do that! I get the feeling that with him around, I'll be solving cases smooth as silk!" *

Mouri-san pats me on the back, hard.

"We'll take him as long as he wants!"

I guess I'm in luck. Hanging around a detective agency could prove useful. Especially if I want to help Shinichi-niichan.

I just hope this goes smoothly. Well, as smooth as something like 'this' can go.


1 Message 12:21am

Ah, Hakase, Mouri-san agreed to have me stick around. Sorry to call so late but Mouri-san got called in for a case and I went along for the ride… hehehe… Please call if Shinichi-niichan says contacts you, okay? I'll be around, I guess. Okay. G'night.


* Ok this is the translation I got off the internet so don't judge. -.-'

Ok, thanks everyone for reading and stuff! T^T/ You bring tears of joy to my eyes.

I've decided to put suff like -hakase and -keiji so yeah!

Thanks to Loyal DC Fan for replying :D many hugs sent ur way!

IF anything is confusing just say! please! I don't have a beta so it might be dodgy but that's ok!

Okie thanks guys! I'll cut this short!

Luv from the Loz the Cheese Wizzard! ^-^/