SailorStar9: With Chapter 29 uploaded, this is Chapter 30 of this fic. (Sighs) Guys and girls, is it too hard for you to leave a review, instead of just putting this fic up on your favorited list and story alerts?

Pairings: Furuya Rei (Amuro Tooru)/Mizuno Ami

Disclaimers: I own absolutely nothing, except this plot and pairing.

Chapter 30: Three First Discoverers, Part 1

Time passes...

"By the way, did you see yesterday's Tokyo Derby?" Mitsuhiko asked excitedly.

"The Spirits vs. Noir match, right?" Genta confirmed.

"I did." Ayumi beamed. "Hide got a hat trick, right?"

"That's right." Mitsuhiko gushed. "It's no wonder he's their star player. It's too bad Fumio wasn't able to watch it; the match is very exciting."

"Who said I didn't?" Fumio corrected. "I watched the live stream; the save by Masunaga during half-time is impressive."

"Rum?" Haibara echoed after Conan told her of the new Black Organization operative. "'Daccha'?"

"Not the comic book character, the liquor." Conan sweatdropped. "You know, the stuff pirates drink."

"I've no idea what you mean." Haibara declared. "I told you before, I don't know much about liquor. But I know the Organization's number two's code-name is Rum. At the very least, that's what I heard while I was there. I never met them, though."

"What are they like?" Conan pressed. "Are they a man or a woman?"

"I said I never met them." Haibara reminded. "While I was in the Organization, I heard all kinds of descriptions: a large brawny man, an effeminate man, an old man. Some people claim they were all his doubles. Don't tell me Rum's searching for me."

"No." Conan blinked. "The Organization uses types of liquor for all its code-names, right? I was just wondering if there was someone named Rum..."

"What is it about Rum?" Fumio suddenly cut in.

"You were just talking about it." Genta stated.

"That Rum is looking for someone." Mitsuhiko added.

"They're probably talking about Ramune." Fumio supplied.

"Ramune?" the other three youngsters chorused.

"I bet you're thirsty after playing soccer in the park." Conan fibbed. "So I was looking to see if the shop over there was selling ramune."

"Normal juice is fine." Genta pointed out.

"Yeah," Conan agreed. "But Fumio haven't had the chance to try ramune, right?"

"Don't drag me into this." the light blond boy muttered.

"That kid is still there." Ayumi blinked, looking down the space between the buildings and spotting Ganno Mamoru standing on front of an apartment. "Look." she pointed. "The boy standing in the other street. He was standing there on our way to the park. He was staring into the distance, too."

"What is he looking at?" Mitsuhiko wondered.

"Maybe someone's about to fall from a high place." Genta guessed.

"Let's just ask him." Fumio suggested.

He's looking at an apartment? Conan wondered, the group running down the street divider and followed the direction Mamoru's eyes were looking. "What are you...?"

"The lady..." Mamoru suddenly burst out crying. "They killed the lady."

"Did you see someone kill her?" Conan asked.

"No, but she told me." Mamoru sniffled. "Three men are going to visit the lady's apartment. If she doesn't come out after they leave, she's probably been killed and I should call the police."

"So, the woman..." Haibara prompted.

"She's not coming out!" Mamoru wailed. "It's been about thirty minutes since the third man left."

"Did you call the police?" Mitsuhiko inquired.

"Not yet." Mamoru replied. "I'm too scared."

"Do you remember what the three men looked like?" Conan asked.

"Yeah." Mamoru nodded. "There was a really big man, a young man with long hair like a girl, and an old man with white hair."

"Do you think..." a shocked Conan turned to Haibara.

"It's too much of a coincidence." Haibara agreed. "But Rum always had another special trait: the descriptions of his appearance were varied, but the trait was always the same. I can't remember what it was..."

"In any case, show us to the woman's room." Conan instructed. "It's that apartment, right?"

"Madam!" Mamoru called out, ringing the doorbell.

"There's no answer." Mitsuhiko noted.

"Excuse me." Genta stepped forward and opened the door. "It's unlocked."

I knew it... Conan frowned, Genta swinging the door open to reveal Komai Yasue hanging from the ceiling of her apartment unit.

"Don't." Fumio stopped Mamoru from entering. Flipping open his phone, he made a call to the police

"Shouldn't we call from an ambulance, too?" Mitsuhiko suggested.

"No, look around her feet." Conan stated. "If this was really suicide, there would be a stool or something by her feet. Since that's missing, it means someone killed her and made this look like a suicide. It was probably one of the three men this kid saw." he turned to the sobbing Mamoru. "If it's been about thirty minutes since the third man left, we're too late." it's too odd, though. He mused, kicking his shoes off and entering the house. Even though he was panicked enough to forget the stool, there are no signs he left the room in a hurry. He looked around. And I don't see the Yoshikawa lines left behind when a strangulation victim struggles. I'd understand if he strangled her after putting her to sleep. But who would plan that much and forget the stool? An envelope? He noticed the unopened envelope on the floor. Pulling out a handkerchief, he picked up the envelope. A bank envelope. He spotted the bank name listed on the bottom of the envelope. It's new, too. Which means the wallet on the desk... there should be the money she withdrew. He put the envelope back down and picked up the wallet. But there's barely anything in here. He opened the wallet and found the bill porch empty. All that's inside is the bank's ATM usage details. According to this, she withdrew 500,000 yen three hours ago, but the money's nowhere to be found. Which means he killed her for the money.

"In any case, it's clear this sloppy crime wasn't their work." Haibara stated.

"I see." Inspector Megure noted, he and his team were on-scene. "So, you were watching this apartment at the woman's requested." he repeated what Mamoru had told him. "And after the three men came and left, you came here to find her like this?"

"Yeah." Mamoru nodded.

"The deceased is scriptwriter, Komai Yasue-san." Inspector Megure informed Takagi who was overseeing the removal of the corpse. "If this is murder, we'll have to find people among her associates who may have resented her and them in for a lineup with this kid."

"We have the names of the three people the victim was meeting here today." Takagi reported, after checking Komai's laptop. "They're in the scheduling software installed in the computer on the desk. This afternoon, she met Sakaba Ronpei, Habanaka Kuramichi, and Shibakaru Denji. It's written on the notebook in the drawer and calendar, so it's probably correct. Also, we can't find the 500,000 yen the victim withdrew from the bank today anywhere."

"So, they killed her for the money, made it look like a suicide and ran." Inspector Megure concluded. "Find out who they are and call the station."

"What's wrong?" Ayumi asked worriedly, seeing Mamoru's shocked expression.

"They're here..." Mamoru stammered. "The three men who came to the woman's room are here."

"Could you point them out while keeping your face hidden behind the railing?" Conan hurried to Mamoru's side.

"Okay..." Mamoru nodded. "That stocky man over there," he pointed out to the three men at the back of the crowd. "That long-haired man to the side, and the old man behind him."

"Inspector Megure." Conan turned and whispered into the Inspector's ear.

"Got it." Inspector Megure nodded. "Takagi." he looked at his subordinate and the two officers headed down to apprehend the three suspects.

"Give me a break, officer." Sakaba chided, as he, Habanaka and Shibakaru were brought in front of Komai's apartment. "I just came to check out the incident in the neighborhood. Why am I being questioned?"

"We're just passers-by." Shibakaru added.

"Or do we look like wanted men?" Habanaka asked.

"No, a witness saw you visiting the victim's apartment between 2pm to 3pm, the presumed time of her death." Inspector Megure stated. "The witness also said the victim Komai Yasue-san asked him to watch the apartment because one of the three men coming to visit may kill her."

"Kill her?" Sakaba echoed. "Isn't this a suicide?"

"A suicide?" Inspector Megure echoed.

"Normally, a hanging is a suicide." Habanaka pointed out.

"How do you know the victim hung herself?" Inspector Megure pressed.

"It seems I can't hide it." Shibakaru sighed. "I an Shibakaru Denji. We became drinking buddies after a chance meeting at a bar. This photo proves it." he pulled out his flip-phone and showed the photograph. "She said she was worried so I came to talk, but I had no idea it had driven her to suicide."

"So, she was already dead when you arrive?" Takagi asked.

"Yes." Shibakaru replied. "So, I have no idea what she was concerned about. If you want to know, try asking these two; not that I know who they are."

"I came to get the money she borrowed." Sakaba stated. "We're old friends, so I lent her a bunch of money. But now, I need the money, so I asked for it back."

"Was the amount 500,000 yen?" Takagi questioned.

"How do you know that?" Sakaba exclaimed.

"Excuse me." Habanaka cut in. "I'm actually a producer at TV Tohto. I hired Komai-san to write a script for this fall's special mystery program. She said the script was ready, so I came to pick it up."

"Where was the script?" Inspector Megure inquired.

"It was just inside the door, so I took it and gave it to my AD." Habanaka explained.

"Was she already hanging then?" Takagi asked.

"Yes." Habanaka replied. "I don't know what was worrying her, but the script was due, so I didn't have time to think about it."

"Yeah, but..." Conan voiced. "Wouldn't you normally call the police if you saw that?"

"So, why didn't you?" Fumio inquired.

"They're right." Haibara agreed. "No matter what you had to do..."

"You'd call the cops." Genta finished.

"Especially if you knew the victim." Mitsuhiko added.

"Surely, you didn't have a reason you couldn't call the police." Conan suggested.

"Who is the kid in the glasses?" Habanaka inquired.

"They were the first ones to discover the body." Inspector Megure answered. "Though it seems you're the actual first discoverers. In any case, we'd like to question you separately, so come inside one at a time."

"I've got an alibi." Sakaba supplied. "The money was supposed to be deposited by 2 pm, but when I checked the ATM, there was no money. So I came here to get it myself. I got scared when I saw her dead body, so I rushed back to the ATM. I had to pay off my card today, so I was forced to use the money I had."

"How is that an alibi?" Inspector Megure questioned.

"ATMs have security cameras." Sakaba reminded. "If you compare the time between when I left and came back with how long it takes to get from here to the bank and back, you'll know I didn't have time to kill her."

"Is the bank nearby?" Takagi asked.

"It's pretty close." Sakaba answered.

"I'll go with him to the bank to check." Takagi offered and took Sakaba off.

"Is it okay if I smoke while we wait?" Shibakaru requested. "I've got a portable ashtray."

"You really don't remember the order in which they came?" Inspector Megure knelt down and asked Mamoru.

"No, I know it's them, though." Mamoru confirmed.

"We'll need to question them more." Inspector Megure sighed. "I see." he noted after Sakaba and Takagi returned. "He really was on the ATM's security camera footage?"

"We can smoke?" Sakaba was astonished to see Shibakaru with a lit cigarette. "I'll have one, too."

"But sir, he was away from the ATM for forty minutes." Takagi whispered to his superior. "It's hardly an alibi. It takes less than twenty minutes to get there and back."

"Would you like to use mine?" Shibakaru offered his lighter, seeing Sakaba's lighter could not be lit up.

"Shall we get those interviews over with?" Sakaba asked, seeing Habanaka's disapproving look.

"You're first." Inspector Megure stated and led Sakaba into the unit, with Takagi closing the door behind them.

Conan strolled over to the discarded cigarette butt to take a closer look, before glancing at the other two suspects. I see. He grinned, walking back to the group.

SailorStar9: Any OOC-ness is regretted, by the way. *Sighs* Don't you just hate plot bunnies sometimes? Read and review.