Chapter 30
Of Crows and Haunted Garages
"That was quite the show, wasn't it?" Through the static, Renya Karasuma's sinister voice rings throughout the empty break room. Shiho stares at the burner phone that has been placed on the table. As pressure mounts, the air becomes thick. He seemed to be alone this time.
"It was not appreciated," Shiho replied with a steady tone. Holding back the escalating anger that threatens to burst forth as Renya laughs heartlessly.
"Why, Sherry? I thought you might enjoy the fireworks display," he taunted. In discordant, grating mockery, the man ridicules them. "Fumihito Masuyama was a little too confident," Renya continued, "believing he could make a deal with us based on petty information too easy to obtain."
"The drug works," Shiho cut through, not willing to engage in his game. "The proof has been shown to you."
"Yes, you passed the test quite impressively," Renya chuckles. Beyond the receiver, Shiho heard fingers drumming on a hardwood surface. Almost methodical and distinct, as if calculating the steps to be taken. "It was remarkable, the results. Curing an incurable disease that we had administered to him. A marvelous endeavor, I must add. Tell me, Sherry? " he whispers, "What did it take...for progress to be made?"
Shiho clenched her fist, seething at what he had suggested. Taking hold of her, Shinichi shakes his head as Akai gestures for her to collect herself.
"Don't get caught up in their mind games," was advice the FBI agent gave her. "State what you want, and then leave. There will be nothing they can use against you now."
"Your generosity, of course," Shiho contained her anger, "I must thank the Karasuma group for giving me the opportunity."
"Oh, I'm honored."
"Indeed," Shiho replied, "honorable—for a disgrace of a man, am I right, Renya Karasuma."
The drumming ceased, and the silence grew.
"I could continue if you'd like, Sherry," he sneered. "It is, as you said, a noteworthy endeavor."
It was a game he was prepared to play, Shiho realized. The man had no respect for human lives. He was willing to use anything and everyone to get what he wanted. The hostage situation was simply a distraction for him. The members who had died for him— fodder—a means to an end.
"Do you want the drug or not?" Shiho whispered.
"What do you think?" the man mocked.
"Three weeks from now, at night," she said, "we'll meet all four, not one less."
"Four? I would appreciate it if you could be more specific, Sherry."
"Rum," Shiho listed, "Vermouth, Gin, and you, Renya."
"That's better. Are there any other details I should know? For instance, the venue?" Renya drums his fingers again on a table in a rhythmic manner. It appeared that the man was unperturbed by the deal that she was striking with him.
"The venue, Sherry," he insisted when she didn't reply. As Shiho looked at Shinichi, he nodded.
"Vermouth can tell you the location," Shiho replied, "she knows it pretty well."
"Vermouth? Location? Vermouth may be many things, but she can't read minds, Sherry."
The man taking the bait.
"We will sow the seeds of discord among them," Shinichi had told her.
Shiho was surprised by the revelation. As it turned out, Vermouth, the beast of the woman who tortured her, was actually withholding information from them. While Shiho remembered the woman calling Ran "Angel" during their showdown a year ago, she could not envision the woman showing any empathy. Despite the mystery surrounding her intentions, that was the key to their success.
A vital source.
"Such a pity," Shiho mocked, her blood boiling with anger, fueling the thirst for vengeance. Even though Akai warned her not to play their game, the mere thought of probing Renya's psyche was enticing. "And I thought you knew your closest confidantes."
Once again, the drumming ceased. "What do you mean," Renya asked, losing any mirth he had displayed earlier.
"A house built on sand would wash away in the flood, would it not?"
"As would yours, Sherry," he took in her words. "There is no point hiding behind the FBI or Japanese police."
"I'm not the one hiding, Renya. You might want to ask Vermouth what happened that fateful night. I am certain she would be able to provide the details if you ask."
Shiho cuts through the threat he had made.
Static greeted her statement. It's time to end this— she's sick of running away and their twisted mind games.
"Three weeks from now," she continued, "we'll meet, all four, not one less, and if you or the organization pull the same stunt as today, you will never see the drug again."
For a moment, nothing was exchanged. In the silence that followed, Shiho glanced at Akai and Shinichi, who were regarding her conversation with Renya with grim expressions. Shiho was aware of the FBI agent's disapproving gaze. She had taunted Renya—something he had explicitly told her not to do.
Laughter burst through the receiver, one full of sinister malice filling her with an unnamed sense of dread. "A dangerous gamble," he whispers harshly, "how thrilling. I commend your efforts. I'll comply with your request, but Sherry—"
"Do remember," he intoned, "What happened to Akemi."
There was a click. The line cut, beeping into a void.
Anger so hot, it burnt through, taking over, and she saw red. Shiho grabs hold of the burner phone. Smashing it repeatedly against the table as it broke into pieces.
A vivid image of Akemi covered in white cloth flashes through her mind, his taunts buzzing in her ears—he had ordered it.
Her sister—dead.
She raised the device once more, about to slam it down, when Shinichi grabbed ahold of her. Holding her arm in place, she breathes short bursts as the ache intensifies. Her hands tingle as adrenaline courses through her blood, making her ears ring.
"Shiho," he whispered. "It's not worth it. He's not worth it."
She sank as her strength left her, but the detective caught her—supporting her weight. Concern etched into his features. She looks to the ground with a bitter smile, regaining her composure.
"Sorry about that," she whispered.
"You idiot," Shinichi holds her head against his chest. "Do you know how much that phone cost?" he teased lightly. Scoffing, she looked at her hands, which were bruised and swollen.
"It wasn't ideal," Shiho flinched at Akai's words, avoiding his gaze. "But..."
"We got them," Shinichi said.
"Yes," Akai takes out a cigar from his pocket and lit it. "Right into our net."
Red and yellow maple leaves danced through the afternoon sun. A gentle, warm breeze rustled their leaves as they drifted aimlessly to the leaf-littered ground. The early autumn sky was blue, dotted with white feathery cirrus clouds. As the children led them through a nearby park to a crepe stand, Shinichi continued his conversation with Inspector Megure. Softly whispering to avoid alerting the children to recent events.
"Fumihito Masuyama was seen escaping from the warehouse just a week ago," the man explained. "CCTV cameras caught a blond-haired foreign woman leaving the building after him. That is likely the member about whom you briefed us."
"Probably," Shinichi said, confirming the theory that Fumihito had been captured by the organization and threatened by Vermouth. Although dangerous, the woman had not revealed any parts of Shinichi's secret to the organization.
Her promise with him still stood; though they knew nothing of her motives, it was at least assurance enough. A card that they could use. And if he had a say in it—it was almost as if she was…
"We're fine," Megure continued when Shinichi asked about their welfare.
"Well, better safe than sorry," Shinichi muttered as the Inspector nodded in agreement. There had been an increase in security around the headquarters. Special forces and PSB agents are stationed around the building. The chief of the Japanese police sector is not taking any chances with the organization. The fiasco served as a sufficient warning.
"Take care of yourself, Kudou-kun," Megure concluded, "and of that girl too."
As he ended the call, Shinichi glanced at the auburn-haired scientist who was being clung to. Talking animatedly about school, Ayumi held tightly to the girl's arm. The girl gives updates on the classes Shinichi and Shiho missed during the hostage crisis. The scientist smiled weakly as the girl tugged on her injured shoulder. The wounds she had sustained two days ago have not yet healed. She wore a dark green hood over her head, concealing the bandage wrapped around her forehead.
Shiho is more cautious of her surroundings, only out because the children had been pestering them for days. Shinichi followed her, donning his own cap and hiding his features under a mask.
"I can't believe you and Haibara were sick all this time," Genta turns to face them. He held a hot dog bun in his hand.
"You guys missed the most exciting school day ever!" Mitsuhiko exclaimed.
"Exciting?" Shinichi asked.
"Yes, yes," Ayumi jumped around, grinning, "there was like a bomb alert downtown, and there were all these police cars. Kobayashi-sensei instructed us to conduct an emergency drill and remain in the classroom. Watching the news, we saw—"
"A beautiful woman, and guns and bombs involved," Mitsuhiko acts out the scene. "It was really scary because there were people who died. But that lady was so cool!"
"Oh?" Shinichi mused, sharing a look with Shiho, who was scowling.
"What was that teacher thinking, showing that to elementary school children?" Shiho grumbled.
"The riot policemen beside her were cool too, but she was like the main character or something. She peeled off her mask to protect the hostage when the gunman wanted to shoot," Mitsuhiko continued, running his mouth excitedly.
"It was like we were watching a movie!" Ayumi exclaims as Genta chomps through the bread, speaking with his mouth full.
"She kinda reminds me of that woman who saved us from the burning cabin."
Shiho and Shinichi tensed at his mention. Genta smacked his lips and licked his fingers, grinning as he continued. "Well, if she's the same woman, then it's really awesome that we got to meet the phantom specter of Beika!"
"Phantom Spectre of Beika?" Shiho scoffed.
"Don't you know," Shinichi teased, "Satsuki Fujita has been labeled as such."
"Yes, as beautiful and mysterious as the moon itself," Mitsuhiko holds his hands out for dramatic effect. As Ayumi let go of Shiho, spinning around the boy. "Disappearing after the incident. The elusive Phantom Spectre of Beika, saving lives as we speak."
While Shinichi's lips twitched in amusement, Shiho folded her arms, displaying extreme displeasure with the title bestowed upon her.
"Beats being an alien, doesn't it?"
"It was a Messiah," she corrected him.
"Although I would prefer if the news stopped talking bad about her," Mitsuhiko remarks.
From his bag, the boy pulled out the article. Ayumi and Genta crowd around the paper as it flails in the wind. The tabloid displayed disparaging remarks about Satsuki Fujita in large black letters. There are rumors about her ties to criminal bosses—about her origins.
"Yeah," Genta nods. "She isn't a bad person. There is no reason for the news articles to refer to her as a criminal!"
The outcome was expected. Satsuki Fujita's name was mentioned by the gunman, and there were rumors and speculations about her origins. This was the main reason the professor permanently switched off the television in his living room. Fuming over the articles and accusations, the professor destroyed the device himself. Shiho had not responded, merely ignored it. It was obvious to Shinichi that she was affected by it, and he decided not to dwell on it. However, the children seemed to have other ideas.
"She is a criminal." Shiho replied, "It doesn't change the fact that innocent lives have been lost because of her."
Shinichi frowns at the bitter smirk that has formed on her lips.
"No," Ayumi placed her hands on her hips. "It doesn't matter what she was. She saved them!"
"Kaa-chan said that your actions speak louder than words," Genta continued innocently.
"My father said she deserves a chance," Ayumi's eyes sparkling. "She helped those people along with the policemen! They are all heroes."
"She should have a costume of her own," Mitsuhiko agreed.
"A costume, they say," Shinichi mocked, and Shiho regards the children with a strange expression. Shinichi noticed the small pensive smile that grew into annoyed acceptance as the children continued their tirade.
Well, it was something she had to deal with. Shinichi would never admit it to her, but he was glad for some of the articles. Her actions during the hostage situation still irked him. It should serve as a sufficient deterrent to prevent the stubborn scientist from acting rashly in the future.
"Perhaps I should hand you the title of superman," Shinichi remarked a while later.
The shrunken teenagers sat on a bench in front of the makeshift crepe shop. Located in a wide outdoor courtyard, it was quite popular. The plastic tables and chairs covered with umbrella stands were already full. Families and children crowd around the food van as the owner serves them with a smile. Even though Shinichi wasn't hungry, he was tempted by the nutty aroma of toasting flour.
The children already waiting in line were speaking rather animatedly among themselves. Ayumi gestures energetically at the sign that the owner has erected. Various flavors are available, ranging from the traditional to the downright bizarre. "Bubblegum and gummy bears," Shiho responded in disdain when Ayumi insisted on a choice. The girl was now clapping her hand in anticipation as they waited for their crepe.
"I don't want to steal that title from you," Shiho snorts at his taunts. "I don't need the title of a lame hero who still wears his underpants outside."
Shinichi narrowed his gaze at her implied insult.
"I don't wear my underwear on the outside, Shiho," he disputed. In response, the girl pointed to the back of his jeans. He examined it to discover the label of his boxers sticking out. A mischievous smirk greeted him.
Oh no, you don't. With a warning look, he eyed her.
Ara, whatever do you mean? Her smirk widens.
Shinichi yelped as she pulled very hard on the label. His hands instinctively reached for his behind. The strain from her pull gave him an uncomfortable wedgie as his boxers tightened around his butt.
"Shiho!" He chided her as she chuckled. In retaliation, he reached out, tugging the drawstring around her sweater. The opening of her hoodie shrinks, effectively concealing her face. Her lips, set in a tight line, were all that was visible. For a moment, she looked like a very disgruntled ghost.
It was almost comical, and he could not suppress his laughter.
She stands with her hands on her hips. "Real mature Kudou," Shiho quipped as she was about to release the drawstrings when he tightened his grip over it. Attempting to reach for them blindly, she floundered uselessly in thin air.
"Kudou!"
"A fitting end for a wedgie-giving creature, am I right?"
"Let me go, you irritating son of a—"
"Ah, ah," he pulls on the drawstring, narrowing the gap concealing her face, "Language, Shi-ho."
"I swear I will end you."
"That is if you can even reach me at all."
She launches herself forward, catching him off guard. As they bumped heads, Shinichi righted himself before catching her, saving her from a painful fall. They found themselves in a rather compromising situation. With his arms around her waist, the girl leans on him, chest on his.
"Be careful there," he regained his composure. "You almost injured yourself again."
"And whose fault might that be," she snapped. Amused, he released her drawstring to find dagger-like green eyes staring back at him.
"Honestly, you kind of deserved it," he joked. Her gaze narrowed, and he blushed as she leaned against him again. "Truce?"
She did not respond. With a gasp, Shinichi felt her hands snaking around his body and down his back rather boldly.
"Sh…Shiho?"
Hands moving downward, then—
There was a violent tug at the underwear, still sticking up his jeans. Once again, he was gifted a wedgie and yelled in pain. As the cloth tugged against his buttcheeks, it cut into his skin.
"This is what I mean!" he pulls on her drawstring again as they struggled against each other.
"You started it!"
"How?!"
"Ah!" They are stopped by a sharp voice, Ayumi holding crepes in her hands. Mitsuhiko and Genta were standing beside her, their mouths twitching in amusement. "Ai-chan and Conan-kun are fighting again!"
"Seriously," Mitsuhiko laughed, looking at Shiho's shriveled-up hoodie and the underwear poking out from his pants. "What are you guys doing!"
"Don't stop them, Mitsuhiko," Genta swallows his crepe while chuckling. "I want to see how this ends."
"Come on, you two," Ayumi chided, the only member of the group not laughing. As they released each other, she nagged at them. Shinichi groaned as the elementary school girl began to lecture them on basic public etiquette and the importance of getting along. Shinichi rubbed his sore butt as Shiho untied her drawstring.
Handshakes were forced on them as part of a truce. Ayumi handed them their crepes, telling them to reflect on their actions. Genta and Mitsuhiko laughed at their plight as the girl forced them to sit next to each other.
"You are to blame," Shiho muttered as Shinichi nibbled on his banana chocolate crepe.
"I say that it was a shared responsibility," he responded. Shiho snorted as she tucked into her strawberry crepe. They ate in relative silence. Observing the children who were finished with their dessert playing an intricate soccer game in the open area up front.
Shinichi noticed that Shiho was still not finished and was seemingly lost in thought.
She had a tendency to do that these days. Her behavior was reminiscent of the time she had been released from the hospital—months ago, after that attempt. Staring blankly, sometimes listlessly, at the scene. The irritation Shinichi had for her dissipated. He instinctively wrapped his hands around hers as she stiffened at his touch.
"Penny, for your thoughts?"
A wry smile spread across her face as she returned to her crepe. She was anxious, and he understood her silence.
He witnessed the nightmares that emerged after the negotiation with Renya Karasuma. The girl waking up to cold sweat and the professor's usual cup of hot coffee. Again, the old man insisted the girl seek professional help, but Shiho refused.
"How are the inspectors doing?" she inquired cryptically.
"The usual," he replied, "and if you're wondering, no, they're not being hunted. They have adequate support and do not need FBI witness protection."
She scoffed at his statements. "I wasn't worried about that," she returns to her crepe. Shinichi chuckled as he looked at the children kicking the ball. This carefree scene contrasted with the stress and anxiety he had been experiencing these past few weeks, from the run-in with the organization in Otaru to the tense showdown with two low-level members and the negotiations. It had been a non-stop ride. He understood her sentiments—how painful it must be to be pushed back, to recall the past.
"Our names were redacted. Their identities were concealed," he shifted closer to her, "The chief promised extra security, and the planning of the operation is going along smoothly."
Their shoulders touched as she relaxed against him. He threads his fingers through hers, playing lightly with them, "It's been days, the organization been laying low, and the FBI hasn't spotted any abnormalities yet."
"I get it," she whispers, and he nudges her shoulder. "It's not going to end badly, Shiho," he holds onto that statement. It was a purpose he carried, a hope he held close to his heart. "Remember," he smiles, "I'm here."
"That's reassuring," Shiho scoffed softly as he frowned. He was about to reprimand her when her fingers wrapped around his own. Shinichi relaxed into a contented smile. This stubborn idiot. He laughed as she averted her gaze.
The children joined them later as Genta ordered another round of crepes.
"Speaking of phantom specters," Mitsuhiko started while they were walking home. As the afternoon heat subsided, the leaves shielded them from the sun's glare. The skies turned a deep orange and purplish hue.
"We were not even discussing them, Mitsuhiko-kun," Ayumi holds Genta back from kicking the ball he held.
"I just thought of it," the freckled boy replied, reaching into his backpack. The boy retrieved an occult magazine Shinichi had seen Sonoko reading once. The heiress is fond of anything remotely scandalous and ridiculous.
"With the recent events, the detective boys haven't had any time to shine, right? "
"What are you trying to say, Mistuhiko?" Genta grew an interest in the topic. And Shiho shared a wary look with Shinichi.
She folded her arms as the boys stopped in the middle of the pavement. Mitsuhiko placed the magazine between them. When the wind blew past, the red and yellow maple leaves swirled, flipping the magazine open. In the middle, a title bearing giant red words appeared with sinister, almost cartoonish typefaces.
"Screaming at night: The specter of Nozomiya Neighborhood? An ex-lover or a curse?"
"Yes, that makes sense," Shiho said sarcastically.
"Better than Phantom Spectre Satsuki Fujita," Shinichi offered, and she shrugged.
"I would beg to differ, but to each his own."
"Take this seriously, you guys!" Mitsuhiko glared at them. "I know you might think it's a hoax, but—look! "
In the picture, he pointed to the garage. Typical of photos of this nature, the image was blurry. It would seem unbelievable if it were too clear. The blurriness helped to mellow things out, hide the imperfections, and reveal—Genta and Ayumi shrieked in horror.
"Tsuburaya-kun, that's just a piece of cloth."
"It's a face," Mitsuhiko insisted.
"Self-suggestion," Shiho explained, "When you will it to be true, your mind will form it for you."
"They also experienced cold spots!" The freckled boy pointed to the article. "The ghost hunting team recorded temperatures of minus 5 degrees."
"They could have fabricated it," Shiho clearly unimpressed. Shinichi tried to stop her, but she continued. "There is no scientific proof that a temperature change is caused by a phantom. Besides, it is common for temperatures to drop at night.
"But they even heard wailings and felt sensations creeping up their backs and shoulders!" Mitsuhiko stamped his foot in response.
"That may just have been the wind, and sensations like that usually result from hidden infrasound."
"Infrasounds?" Genta asked.
"Yes, humans are unable to hear sounds below 20 hertz. However, we subconsciously react to it," she explained, "We call these sounds infrasounds, and symptoms include anxiety, a feeling of dread, and in this case—"
She points to the people in the article.
"Creeping sensations."
"But...but-" Mitsuhiko protested, clearly disappointed by her logic. Shinichi decides to intervene before the boy melts down.
"It's pretty interesting," he looks at the article. Although poorly written, this article gave a strange insight into the abandoned neighborhood off Beika Park. Terrace houses built in the 1960s were left to rot. Since then, countless speculations have arisen about why it was abandoned. It didn't help that the homes were all gothic designed or that the town had an almost eerie vibe. After years of neglect, the houses were left in a state of disarray, and their derelict skeleton structures became a popular haunt for ghost-hunting investigations.
It was also popular among bored children. Shinichi remembers being dragged into that place for a game of hide-and-seek organized by Sonoko.
In the end, all Shinichi found only spider webs and bird feces haunting the place.
"That's right!" The boy holds the magazine up and faces them. "Which is why I propose we visit it tonight."
There is a buzz of excitement among the detective boys. His suggestion makes Ayumi and Genta clap their hands in glee.
"No," Shinichi eyed them sternly. "It's dangerous. There are crumbling buildings. What if you get stuck?"
"Sheeze, Conan," Genta mocked, "you're the one who always ends up in tight situations."
"Yeah," Ayumi joined in.
"He has a point," Shiho smirked.
"You're supposed to help me here," he snapped at the auburn-haired scientist, who shrugged.
"In any case, no," he puts his foot down.
The children eyed them before shifting away from the shrunken teenagers, softly chatting among themselves as they walked home. Shinichi pursed his lips at their whispers, tapping his feet in frustration.
"They will not listen, won't they?" he groaned.
"Sah," Shiho holds her arms behind her, walking forward, "Dinner first?"
"Can't they find a more suitable hobby? One that does not involve running headlong into danger," he grumbled.
With a bemused grin, Shiho met his gaze.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"I am different."
"Sure," she replied, "I think you should," flicking his forehead lightly. "Find a new hobby too."
He frowned at her statement.
"One that doesn't involve dead bodies."
"Oi."
The sky was dark. The hour is an unholy one. Shiho sneezed as a cold draft blew past. A red scarf Shinichi had given her months ago clung tightly to her neck. A hood covered the Osaka cap she was wearing. Shivering, she could only stare in annoyance at the shrunken detective beside her.
After eating dinner with the professor, Akai-san, and Jodie-sensei, Shinichi dragged her out. Having barely digested their meal, they squatted along the concrete paths among the bushes. Above, the street lamp flickered occasionally, casting shadows. Maple trees surrounding them rustled through the cool night air. From the damp earth arose the faint scent of petrichor.
Shiho sighed.
"We could have waited somewhere warmer," she complained to the detective, who shushed her with a finger against her lips. Her annoyance was growing by the minute.
Although he had grumbled to Akai and Jodie-sensei all dinner about the children's antics and the babysitting task they were about to undertake— he seemed the most excited.
Shiho wrapped her knees closer to her chest as another cold blast hit them. "Where's the fun in that," he replied. "Regardless, those pesky children need to be taught a lesson."
Beside him was a mask of a demon. One that he got from the professor's basement. Now, who was the child?
The detective dons the mask as soon as the children appeared. Shiho watched with a bored expression as he jumped out from behind the bushes. Through the empty streets down the neighborhood, the shrieks of the children reverberated. Shiho stood from their hiding place, swiping away the leaves that had become stuck on her clothes as Shinichi laughed.
"Conan-kun! " the detective boys shouted in disapproval when he took off his mask. The man-child was still snickering at their panicked expressions.
"And you guys wanted to go ghost hunting?" he remarked. In protest, the children pouted and protested.
"How did you know we were going!" Genta demanded.
"Yeah, we even hid it from you!" Mitsuhiko added.
"Are you guys mind readers!"
"The very best," Shiho answered as Shinichi grinned.
"You won't stop us," Genta points a finger in their direction. "We wouldn't let anything stand in our way. The detective boys would get to the bottom of this phantom singer mystery!"
"Phantom singer…" Shiho sighed.
"It's in the article, Ai-chan," Ayumi explained, "Beside the famous haunted mansions in Nozomiya, there lives a phantom, and if you hear it, you'll—"
"Let me guess? Die?"
"How can you tell?" the children were genuinely impressed.
Shiho remains amazed at how gullible they can be. While the children trudge forward, Shinichi chuckles. The shrunken teenager had no choice but to follow them.
"Not going to run away?" Shinichi teased.
She eyed him, "Need a diaper?"
He snorted, then turned his attention to the children. Despite his complaints and laments, he had that faint twinkle in his eye. One who sparkled whenever a puzzle, a case was mentioned. As Shinichi interacted with the children, she noticed his carefree nature. It was very different from the tense demur he'd carried the past few days, and Shiho was glad to see the difference.
She sighs as a slight smile tugs at her lips.
Ghost hunting…huh.
Well, it should serve as a distraction, at least. That idiot.
The Nozomiya neighborhood was located next to Beika Park. Most parents cautioned their children not to venture farther near the forest edge. Warning signs were displayed. Walking past it, the children and Shinichi paid no attention to it.
Apparently, even poisonous snakes and the prospect of falling beams weren't able to deter curious wanderers.
Shinichi was right. In some ways, the neighborhood looked like a scene from a horror film she had watched. Derelict buildings loomed menacingly under the silver moonlight. The shadows of maple and willow trees surrounding the perimeters cast an ominous silhouette. Around them were terraces arranged in rows. A split in the paint and cracked windows characterize each house. There were crumbling porches, and Shiho suspected termites. Several fences surrounded the derelict structure. However, some parts were broken, and graffiti was present.
A sense of eeriness pervaded the place. A playground was abandoned in front of the terrace houses. Swings shifted in the night wind, making creaking noises. Rusted slides and monkey bars add to the atmosphere.
"They said," Mitsuhiko reads the magazine, "if you stare at the windows long enough. They would appear."
"What will?" Ayumi asked.
"Faces of dead children calling from afar!" Mitsuhiko exclaimed. Genta tenses. The children scaring themselves as they drew closer to Shinichi and Shiho.
Mitsuhiko, who had the video camera out, was trembling the most.
"I thought you said you wanted to get to the bottom of this," Shiho chided him, and he scooted closer to her. "Yeah, but this is—"
"Darker than we thought," Ayumi whined. Shinichi switches on the light from their detective badges. Like a sword piercing the darkness, the light shone through. The children scream as it catches an image of a figure standing in one of the terrace's overgrown grassy courtyards.
"It's a scarecrow, guys," Shinichi told them. Bounding over, the boy poked it. Moaning on its hinges, the scarecrow spins in the wind. Shiho inspects it as the children whimper. The creepy smile on its lips and the black holes in its eyes didn't help its grotesque appearance. "You think it'll come to life?" Shiho joked. Her suggestion was met with shrieks of horror from the children.
"You should have prepared the diapers," Shinichi said as the children squeezed around them again.
"Maybe."
"Haibara, Conan," Genta whined, "Stop joking around!"
"And you guys wanted to do this by yourselves," Shinichi nagged. They trudged ahead, and cracks appeared in the pavement, leading them further into the neighborhood. Eventually, they reached a bend that led further in. Overgrown with sharp grass and littered with leaves and other debris, the pavement looked like a battlefield—riddled with rubbish.
"Be careful!" Shiho urged Ayumi, who narrowly avoided a broken pipe sticking from the ground.
"Thank you, Ai-chan," the girl's arms still linked to Shiho, cutting off all blood circulation.
They eventually emerged from the thicket. With the trees thinning out, they were met by a gothic-style metal gate.
"There it is," Mitsuhiko gestures to the large building looming behind the rusted gate. "Nozomiya's infamous gray mansion."
Twisted vines ran amock, climbing up the peeling cement walls of the two-story mansion. The front of the structure is adorned with circular stained glass windows that lead up to a pointed arch roof. Stone sculptures of winged golems stood at the top, menacingly staring down. In the middle of the courtyard was a crying angel statue standing in an empty fountain. The main entrance was beyond the courtyard. The faint outline of a peeling blue wooden door on an elevated stone porch could barely be seen from where Shiho stood.
"That looks welcoming."
"We could have a tea party inside," Shinichi suggested. Shiho shared a look with him as they chuckled at the sight of the frightened children.
"So? Do you want to continue, or are you guys done?" Shinichi asked. Shiho watched as the children swallowed their fear, sighing as Genta squeezed through a small opening. It was a feat, Shiho might add, despite his size. "The detective boys will not run from this!" he proclaimed. Ayumi followed suit. Mitsuhiko reluctantly does so.
"Conan, Haibara, are you coming!" Genta shouted from beyond the Gothic gates. "We won't save you from the vampires!"
"Our mortal enemies," Shiho quipped as Shinichi sniggered. Through the opening, they squeezed. "Mosquitoes," she added while smacking at the buzzing insect tenacious in sucking her blood.
"I'll bet a thousand yen they'll run before they reach the main door."
"They are braver than you think, Shinichi," she defended as they followed the crab-walking children. Genta was leading cautiously, his eyes wide as he trembled. The mansion in front, looming over them, was quite frightening. Shiho wouldn't blame the kids if they fled.
"Wasn't it the garage, Mitsuhiko?" Genta asked the freckled boy.
"They said you'd hear it if you waited long enough," Mitsuhiko explained, "the strange music that would play...over and over again. And if you hear it—"
"You will be cursed," Shinichi concluded. In fright, the children yelped.
"Someone quite knowledgeable about the topic," Shiho teased.
"This is a story passed down through generations," Shinichi said. "It's been circulating since I was in elementary school."
"Elementary school?" Ayumi inquired, eyebrows raised. "Conan-kun, you're in elementary school now."
"Yeah, what are you talking about? Are you stupid?" Genta snapped.
Shiho watched, amused, as the boy pressed his lips together at his blunder.
"The myth of the shrunken corpse magnet," Shiho whispered. "Is it possible that you will become the star of the next occult magazine?"
"Ha ha."
They made their way through the courtyard approaching the main doors. Shiho notices the iron chandelier hanging above the porch. Chandeliers were usually found inside, which made this design strange. Spider webs drooped from its rusted parts as it creaked.
"Genta-kun," Mitsuhiko pushed him forward, "You first."
"What! No, I'm not doing it!"
"But you're the leader!" Ayumi exclaimed. The children argued among themselves. Shiho pushed past Genta and knocked on the main doors. As it echoed, the children gulped in anticipation. Greeted by silence, she turned to them with a sly smirk.
"It looks like the ghosts aren't responding," she shifts her torch to shine at her face, "Maybe they are sleeping. Resting before they can—" The children screamed at her morbid expression.
"Haibara-san!"
"Well, it looks like there's nothin—" Shinichi stopped. Shiho tenses, hearing it as well. There was strange discordant music lingering in the air, stuttering. Although faint, it was definitely there. Again, the children screamed, hiding behind Shiho and Shinichi, clinging to them.
"You just had to say something, didn't you?" Shiho asked Shinichi, who had become strangely solemn. The music was unexpected, to say the least. Considering they were in an abandoned area without any help in sight, it was slightly concerning.
"It's the curse!" Genta whimpered.
"We're all gonna die!" Ayumi sobbed.
"That's impossible," Shinichi glanced at the courtyard to locate where the music was coming from. The children stuck close to him as he walked forward. Shiho squeezed between Ayumi and Mitsuhiko.
"Conan-kun!" Mitsuhiko whispered, "We should go!"
It was too late. The corpse magnet wouldn't let this go. It was a mystery Shinichi had to solve, and neither the demon nor god himself could stop him.
"Don't be scaredy, cat," Shinichi chided the children, "it may be something that can be explained. Music can't kill you."
"Technically," Shiho said, and he glanced at her warningly. "It can."
"How so?" Shinichi snapped.
"For instance, the Hungarian suicide song, Gloomy Sunday," Shiho elaborated as Shinichi scoffed.
"The piece was created in the 1930s, just after World War One. Conditions after the war caused people to kill themselves, not the music."
"That's one possibility," Shiho smiled at the children. "What if it's a curse? "
They shrieked in response, falling to the ground as Shinichi sighed.
"Why do you do that?" he asked, and she shrugged.
"They were too close. I needed some space," Shiho explained as she walked toward the source of the music. The children were crying and coming closer. Shiho finds herself caught between them once again.
"The garage," Mitsuhiko stammered, gesturing towards a smaller structure adjacent to the mansion. It is a wooden shed with cracked windows and a wooden door. An inclination on one side of the tiled roof created a slanted appearance. Spider webs were hanging from the pipes, and spidery lines on the walls, indicating cracked cement. Music emanated from within. Getting louder as they approached.
The song had a strange, happy tune accompanied by static. Due to the muffled sound, she could hardly make out the tune. "Clair de lune," Shinichi identified it easily, despite being tone-deaf.
"Clair the loon?" Genta repeated.
"No, no, Conan-kun said Air the Lawn," Ayumi replied.
"Doesn't sound right," Mitsuhiko whispered.
"Clair de lune," Shiho shakes her head at the children's antics. "The piece was composed by Claude Debussy in 1890."
"The bossy?" Genta struggled.
"Debussy," Shiho corrected.
"An impressionist classical composer," Shinichi answered, looking through the cracked windows as Shiho and the children came closer.
"It sounds pretty, but it's scary," Ayumi whispered cautiously. Peering in, the children tiptoed. Not wanting to waste any more time, Shiho pushed the wooden doors open. And it squeaked loudly. The children jumped in alarm.
Inside, the song was louder. A broken chair and table lay on the ground, covered not only with dead larvae and flies but also with cards. Playing cards, a good number of them.
"There are only black ones," Shinichi studies the cards on the floor.
"The club and spade sets," Shiho replied. As the children stood by the doorway, the song repeated itself.
"Conan-kun, Haibara-san, what do you see?"
Shiho carefully made her way through the dusty ground as Shinichi shone the light around. Shiho spotted it through the darkness. Under a piece of white cloth. Shiho rips it away to reveal a grandfather's clock. Despite its age and decaying wood, it still ticked. The faint melody of Clair de Lune could be heard within it.
"Looks like we found the culprit," Shiho commented as Shinichi approached. The children stared cautiously at the antique piece as they walked closer. "Your phantom singer," she said. They huddled around it, their faces relaxing. Genta pushed it slightly as the wooden floor groaned under its weight.
"That's it?" Mitsuhiko asked disappointedly.
"You wanted more?" Shinichi asked.
"Well…"
"Aren't you glad it's not a ghost?" Shinichi continued as the children slumped.
"But we thought it would be something more," Ayumi began.
"Exciting," Genta leaned against the drywall with a pout. "Cheh, that was a waste of time."
"I agree," Mitsuhiko chimed in.
"You guys," Shinichi chided.
There was a groan as if something had broken. Genta yelled as he fell through the drywall, causing the boy to land painfully. The crumbling structure sent dust soaring.
"I think we should leave," Shinichi rushed to help the boy. "It's falling apart."
"That hurt a lot," Genta complained. Shiho comes closer before stopping. Her throat became dry, and she turned off the light she was holding. "Ai-chan? " Ayumi notes her tense expression. "What is—" she asked, looking at the item lodged behind the drywall.
Her lips curled into a scream as the boys whipped towards it. Mitsuhiko and Genta yell in surprise. Shinichi shines a light on the figure. "Haibara," he whispered harshly. Pulling out the phone, Shiho didn't need him to repeat himself.
"Call the police."
Deep in the dirt and debris, staring back at them with empty sockets—was a skeleton.
"Edogawa-kun," Shiho ends the call with the police. Sighing, he stops her.
"Ok," he began, inspecting the skeleton carefully, "I admit—"
"Perhaps you need to get yourself exorcised."
"...Oi."
It was a scene from a horror film. Shinichi recalls the late-night shows Shiho watched when she couldn't sleep. The body was probably buried and left to rot in the drywall. Decomposition took its time, and now all that was left was a skeleton dressed in a faded brown suit.
"The children are outside," Shiho appears behind him again. They were horrified, as anyone would be. Ayumi tries to contain her tears. While Genta strives to remain calm, Mitsuhiko stutters in response to their current circumstances.
"And the police?"
Shiho pauses for a moment. He detected her hesitation, but it quickly disappeared, replaced by the stoic mask she wore often. "Satou-san and Takagi-san are on their way," she replied. "It will probably take half an hour."
"Ok," Shinichi said.
Having revealed their identities to the inspectors, Shinichi knows it will take Shiho a while to become accustomed to it. She is apprehensive, and the unfriendly manner of the inspectors when they first met her didn't help matters either. Despite everything, the girl still considered herself a criminal and did not feel comfortable getting too close.
Knowing it would take time for her relationship with the inspectors to improve, he chose not to dwell on it, instead focusing on the skeleton behind the wall.
"Is there any possibility that this is just a coincidence?" Shiho asked in a sardonic manner.
"Coincidence?"
"An accident, the victim drinks, becomes drunk, and buries himself in the wall before dying."
"That is the stupidest conclusion I have ever heard, Shiho."
"My goal is to reduce my workload, so please help me with that."
He ignored her statement as he examined the man's suit. It was covered in dirt and looked fairly expensive. There were dead maggots and flies and lizard droppings all about. "Blunt force trauma," Shiho remarked, studying the cracked dent in the skull. "Probably from a rounded weapon."
"A hammer?" Shinichi speculated.
"Can't tell," Shiho said.
"I guess that ends the drunk theory, doesn't it?" he teased as she crossed her arms in displeasure.
Two blank holes were left where the victim's eyes once were, and Shinichi studied them before wincing. "I guess we know what caused the death. Now, we just need to find out who he was."
Reaching tentatively into the victim's jacket pocket, he pulled out some coins. Finding to his surprise, a rather thick leather wallet. It was stiff and caked in dried blood and dirt like its owner. Upon opening it carefully, he found playing cards inside. They were lodged in one of the sleeves. When he took them out, he noticed that they were all red.
"The missing hearts and diamonds set," Shinichi murmured.
"Yeah," Shiho replied, looking at the black clubs and spades littering the ground. "And the jokers," she points at the cards. They were arranged in ascending order, with the heart set placed before the diamond set. From ace to king, respectfully. Shinichi spread them out and examined each one. There were a total of 28 cards. And sandwiched between the two jokers were the 5 of diamonds.
"Shinichi," Shiho alerted him to the blood marks on four of the cards. The stains were found on the 9 of hearts, the Queen of Hearts, the 5 of diamonds, and the 8 of diamonds.
"I see a pattern."
"Best if you don't mess it up," Shiho pulls out her phone to snap a picture of the order.
"It's a message, right?" she asked, and Shinichi nodded. Marked with the victim's last strength, it was meticulously placed. He had purposefully picked out the cards, discarding the sets of spades and clubs. It was clear that the cards had meaning.
"A gambler?"
"Maybe, or," he noticed another card stuck in the leather wallet. Taking it out to reveal a name. A Haruto Shibata. His company and position were printed on the business card. "CEO, it says," he murmured. Shiho types the company's name into her phone.
"Shibata Stationaries Pte. Ltd," she states, "A retail company. He is listed as a co-owner."
"What is he doing out here?" Shinichi looks back at the skeleton.
"Perhaps to listen to Clair de lune," Shiho replied as he groaned.
"Stop trying to worm your way out of this situation."
"Stop trying to worm your way in," she retorted as he glared at her.
"Inside? Are you sure Genta-kun?" a voice disrupts their argument. The children pushed the inspectors in. Takagi-san and Satou-san stopped at the sight of the shrunken teenagers. And an uncomfortable silence persisted.
"Conan-kun," Satou-san greeted, "Ai-chan."
It looked like they wanted to say something to the girl. But Shiho did not give them a chance.
She left the scene, giving Shinichi a fleeting bitter smile. Takagi-san scratched his nose nervously as Satou-san tried to stop the girl but failed. After an awkward glance, the inspectors turned to Shinichi.
"Erm...is she still," Takagi-san began tentatively, but Shinichi stopped him.
"Give her some time," Shinichi said as they sighed.
"So," Satou-san continued before recoiling at the sight of the skeleton lodge behind the wall.
"A body," Shinichi elaborated as he lifted the cards. "And a dying message."
"Dying message?" Satou-san whispered, shocked.
"Yes, a murder, to be exact."
And we have case inspired by the latest episode of Detective Conan:
Episode 1052 :D
I hope you enjoyed this chapter :D. (It took me quite a while to form that dying message hahaha) I would like to thank you all for your reviews and feedback :D I'll see you in the next one.