File One Hundred and Nine: Detective's Nocturne
For Ai, it was a wonder how the boy had managed to get himself kidnapped twice in a little over a week. Yet, even if she still had to figure out how, it didn't mean it hadn't happened.
The call Agasa had gotten minutes ago was proof of it.
Ran had asked over the phone for the Professor to track his badge down, hanging up without giving him a chance to say anything, because an incoming call she had hoped was from Conan. Ai had reason to believe that it wasn't, and the fact that Ran had not called back was proof to back it up.
Tracking him wouldn't be a problem. They had a pair of spare glasses lying around, somewhere in the house, so they could go to look for him themselves by car just fine.
Except there was something else bothering her…
"Isn't your Beetle in for repairs right now?!"
Of all times for Agasa's old car to break down, it had to be now, thought Ai. She had told the professor to change it, that something like that was bound to happen, but of course the professor had not listened ─ he said he had a soft spot for that worn-out vehicle of his. Naturally, it happened and-
She clutched her dear cat against her chest and willed her mind to slow down. It had become a normal thing for her by now. Whenever she felt on the verge of losing it ─ which happened more often than she'd prefer ─ the girl would reach down for Irene, hug her tightly, and soon she would feel a little more at ease. Not that she knew when that habit had started, but the feline did not seem to mind. Even more so, she seemed to love the sudden attention she received, so Ai thought it worked just fine for the both of them.
"Y-Yeah," Agasa stuttered, looking almost as anxious as she internally was. "In this case, our only chance is to get a taxi and go after him."
"Then will you go after him in my car?"
When the third voice surfaced, the girl all but dropped Irene at the shock that had stunned her entire body. Not that can't be. In the privacy of her own mind, she allowed herself to panic. Slowly, she began to turn, dreading what she would see at the doorway. That voice…
Sure enough, there stood none other than Okiya Subaru. By instinct alone, she had retreated, cowering behind Agasa's legs as if it would make her any less noticeable.
But instead of making his way inside like she fully expected him to, he merely stepped aside, revealing he had never been alone.
Ai had never believed Conan's mother could make such an expression.
"We heard about it from Yusaku." Eyebrows brought together, framing her sharp blue gaze, the woman spoke. Ai couldn't help but feel it familiar somehow. "You can track him down, right?"
That gaze… She had firmly believed both Conan and Shinichi had taken it after his father. As it was now, she wasn't all that sure anymore.
"Now, if you're going after him," said Subaru. "We must hurry."
Agasa hesitated. Seeing this, the girl gritted his teeth and brazenly came forward. "Then just give us the keys," she said. "The Professor and I will go after him. Yukiko-san, too, if she wants to come."
Subaru did not seem any affected by it, however. "It's not that I mind or anything, but my car has some peculiarities," he answered, tone even and unsettlingly calm ─ for her, at least. "I have to be the driving it."
A faint tremor racked her entire frame, feet taking her back to her safe haven behind the professor's legs, all but wishing that she could just disappear from this mysterious young man's sight and memory forever ─ before he could see something he was not supposed to see.
For his part, Subaru smirked. The small sprout of courage within her might have withered out, yet her glare remained more alive than ever ─ burning so intensely he almost feared his face would catch fire if he kept looking. So he desisted, turning to glance at Yukiko.
She was approaching the little girl now. Unlike what she would have done if it had been him instead, Ai did not move a muscle as the woman crouched down in front of her.
"I understand if you aren't comfortable with this, Ai-chan," said Yukiko with a smile ─ much fainter than Ai remembered ever seeing. "You don't have to come along if you don't want to." Then, glancing up at the professor, she added, "We three can go alone."
Agasa offered no further answer but a nod.
"That would work," agreed Subaru. "That is, if the girl intends to stay here by herself and anxiously wait for a report on that boy's safety."
Noticing how the little girl had winced, Yukiko tried to wave the young man off. "It'll be okay!" she said, doing her best to sound as reassuring as possible. "I'll call you as soon as we know anything about Co-chan. Is that alright?"
But rather than responding, Ai's eyes slowly rose to meet Subaru's, and unconsciously moved even further behind. She was well aware of the strange looks she was receiving from both the woman and Agasa, but as it was, she could not bring herself to come forward again.
As long as her body continued to tremble involuntarily at the mere thought of that malicious aura she had felt around him, more than once, she could not do such a thing.
She heard Yukiko sigh. "Then, I suppose that's settled," she said, standing back up and turning to Agasa. "Do you have those spare glasses around?"
"Ah, yeah. Right away."
Unfortunately for her, the professor had to move away to fetch his gadget, leaving her completely exposed. Subaru simply stared back, with an expression she could not read, but made her bite her lip, doing her absolute best to keep herself from averting her eyes.
She did not succeed.
"I have them!" Agasa's shout boomed through the entire house, and soon, she spotted him rushing to the front door. "Let's go."
With a nod, the woman followed him outside, disappearing the next second. Subaru took a moment to glance at her, long enough for her hair to stand to an end, before finally closing the door behind himself.
There, now standing all alone in the middle of the Professor's living room, Ai allowed herself to breathe out. Gaze narrowing at the door, the girl nodded to herself. I did the right thing, she told herself, allowing her eyes to slide close as she repeated the same thing inside her mind, over and over. The risk is not worth it.
Even if I was there, Conan-kun's fate wouldn't change. It doesn't matter…
It really doesn't.
Suddenly, it wasn't silent anymore. Her eyes snapped open in surprise, lowering until they found what had just broken that unsettling quietness she had been so profoundly immersed in, and could not help but smile.
Irene meowed again from her place in her arms, looking straight at her.
Ai crouched down. "Did I squeeze you too hard?" she apologized quietly to the feline, settling her back onto the floor. "I'm sorry."
Irene did not leave, but moved closer to nuzzle against her side. A giggle escaped Ai as she passed her fingers against her fur.
"It's always the same with you," she said in a feeble whisper. "Ever since the beginning…"
She had done the same thing, if she recalled correctly, the night Conan had brought her there. A tender smile took over her face as she gazed at the much bigger cat ─ when they first met, she was just a small kitten, after all.
It sure feels like a long time ago, but it has been only a couple of months since then, hasn't it?
The idiot came with Irene without asking… She shook her head at the memory. Because he figured I love animals, and I never had a single pet in my life…
There was the fact, too, that he wanted to make it up for her, for what he had accidentally caused all those years ago.
He was such an idiot… Still is.
That day, too… I told him what my real name is.
The same name she had asked him not to utter again ─ he had not protested against her wishes.
"Ai-san then." He had even smiled, so sweetly so, that it had truly taken her aback. "Until the day I can call you by your real name."
She shook her head decisively, doing her best to push that grin away from her thoughts.
I made my decision and I won't go back on it.
But…
An older pair of sharp eyes flashed in her mind, "Will you protect my son, if the necessity ever arises?" along with those words, loud and clear, made her head raise.
Back then, I also had made a decision. Giving Irene one last pat, the girl rose back to her feet. A promise, as well.
I… Not allowing a moment for second thoughts, Ai slammed the front door open. I don't want to run away.
To her surprise, Ai did not find an empty street upon stepping outside, but rather a red Subaru 360 parked right in front of the house. She blinked, thoroughly puzzled, until her eyes met with the woman sitting on the passenger seat. The way she was grinning so broadly led Ai to believe that she had been expecting this to happen already.
Maybe Conan and his mother were more similar than she had originally thought.
Yusaku had barely finished talking to his wife over the phone when the fire alarm had gone off.
It had undoubtedly taken him aback, but he did not allow the shock to paralyze his body. With his eldest son in mind, he had immediately darted inside the hospital, pushing his way through the many people who, in an orderly manner, were evacuating from the building.
The questioning looks that bombarded him, yet he did not let that hinder him. Instead, he frowned and, in two long strides, he had reached the stairs.
But before he could climb them up, he found himself face to face with a certain doctor who, upon spotting him back, paled considerably. Not that Yusaku actually blamed him for that reaction since he was sure every emotion he held inside was now displayed on his features, clear for the doctor to appreciate.
"What are you doing here?"
At that question, the doctor blanched. "W-Well, you see…" He coughed up. "I… uh…"
Yusaku did not have the time for this. Unceremoniously, he pushed the man out of his way and rushed up the stairs.
Once he reached his son's room and his brain recognized that it was empty, Yusaku realized the doctor had an appropriate reason to be so terrified.
"I swear it was just a second!" screamed the doctor, leaning his entire weight against the doorframe while he gasped for air, undoubtedly exhausted after his sudden run. "I turned my back for a moment, but when I returned, he was already gone! You have to believe me, please!"
His desperate pleas went on deaf ears as the novelist, not even bothering to grace the doctor with a single gaze, ventured himself inside, his sharp gaze scanning every single corner of the room.
"But how?!" The doctor was close to a panic attack. "I mean, I was right next to the door! He couldn't have just run away, especially in that condition."
"He didn't."
The doctor blinked owlishly at the man, who, ignoring his confusion, stood there, right in front of the toilet's door ─ slightly ajar, Yusaku did not let that detail escape him. He promptly opened it, taking a quick look inside. I knew it. His eyes narrowed, noting the hospital clothes carelessly thrown all over the floor.
"He just hid in here," explained Yusaku.
Immediately afterwards, he stepped away and turned his attention to the small table where all of Shinichi's belongings had been. Everything was still perfectly in place, maybe except for the clothes he had been using before arriving at the hospital. If he wasn't mistaken, Yusaku vaguely remembered Ran bringing them back after washing the blood away.
"I know it's not much…" he recalled the girl saying, hugging them tightly against herself. He had seen, too, the Sherlock Holmes' classic deerstalker hat patch she had put over the gunshot hole of Shinichi's hoodie, and remembered wondering if his son would be embarrassed if he saw it. "But I want to do what I can."
He was sure it happened. The saddened glint in her eyes as she gazed down at his son was something that would be engraved in his mind forever.
"He got changed and waited for you to run away searching for him." Yusaku gave the doctor a sideways, unfriendly glance. "Then, he walked away."
"Walked… away?"
Naturally, Yusaku offered no response, merely walking right past him and outside the room, where he stopped for less than a second, until he spotted what he had been looking for.
"You heard the fire alarm before, did you not?"
"Yeah…"
Sliding his hands inside his pockets, he raised his head to gaze at the green running man on the sign above.
"Emergency doors are made with a mechanism that sounds an alarm each time it's opened," he explained. "There was never a fire, but rather…"
The obvious shock displayed in the doctor's face dispelled right away when he understood what he meant, just to be replaced by plain horror.
"What was he thinking?!" he screamed, hands going to his head, as if he was contemplating all his life choices. This earned a side look from Yusaku.
He wasn't thinking, he thought, but never voiced it. That is part of the problem here.
Such a bad timing it was for Shinichi waking up. It had probably occurred just when he was talking with the doctor before ─ the thought of Conan being kidnapped had definitely clouded any other and set his body in motion.
Inside his pockets, his fists clenched.
But where did he go?
Her eyes widened, marginally as it was, as soon as the point that had been staying still in one place for a while now started to move.
"They're moving again," she informed, keeping a hand on the rim of her glasses, but her entire attention at the map displayed on her phone. "They're now moving south on Oishi Highway, in the direction of Toriya Town."
"Roger." Subaru nodded. "It doesn't look like we'll manage to catch up with them anytime soon."
Agasa's eyebrows were brought together at the notion, his gaze drifting, without willing it to, towards the screen the girl beside him was holding, to confirm that, indeed, they were not any closer to the young boy's position.
"But where is the kidnapper trying to go?" he wondered out loud. "It looks like she's just wandering around…"
"She might really be wandering around," answered Subaru. "Unable to find the blood-stained spot she's seeking."
Obviously those words served no comfort, but the professor assumed that had not been Subaru's attention in the first place ─ besides, they were true. If they did not find Conan soon before things got out of hand… The professor did not want to indulge in that thought any further.
He kept his concerns to himself, knowing well that it would not be of any help. As it was, the tension was so thick that it could be cut with a knife ─ Ai's hand was shaking, ever so slightly, against the phone she clutched so tightly, and Subaru had this severe look, perfectly focused on the road ahead.
It was so silent, too…
Speaking of which, Yukiko-san has been quiet for a while…
Not that he could blame her ─ she was the boy's mother, after all ─ but he could not deny that it was, to say the least, an odd behavior coming from her. It's unsettling, Agasa had to admit.
Yet, when he leaned forward to see how she was doing, there was something he did not expect.
Her face had paled drastically ever since he had last seen her, which must have been just minutes ago. "Yukiko-san?" he called, worriedly. But her eyes did not tear away from her phone screen. "Is something wrong?"
Yukiko did not answer at first, which actually sent all alarms off inside his head. Ai had raised her head at that point, probably sensing that something was wrong, just like he did, and together, both watched the woman taking a shaky breath in, as if to calm herself down.
"Yusaku called me a few minutes ago," she said in a whisper. "I didn't notice it ringing, so he just sent me an email…"
She then turned to him. Privately, Agasa wondered if he had ever seen such an obvious display of horror in those eyes of hers before.
"Shinichi ran away from the hospital."
And, just like that, everything had gone silent once more. The professor had a hard time processing the recent bout of information, but when her words really sank in his slow-witted mind, it became evident by the violent widening of his eyes.
"Shinichi?!" and by his loud screaming, too, probably. "He woke up?!"
Yukiko nodded, and turned back to the front, frowning to herself all the while. Agasa said nothing, stupidly gaping at air like a fish out of water, unable to decide what to make up from this situation.
For her part, Ai had straightened up. "D-Don't tell me…" she was stuttering and, upon closer look, thick beads of cold sweat were making their way down her neck, conjured by whatever horrifying idea her idea had brought forward. "They-"
She stopped herself short, hand going to her mouth with a muted gasp while her eyes, still wide as two plates, slid to the side, fixating on the back of the driver's head. Whether he had not felt her gaze, or had completely ignored, honestly escaped Agasa, but Subaru remained completely impassive to it, regardless.
Everything dissolved when Yukiko shook her head. "He made it clear that he ran away." Though her answer let her breathe a little easier, it did not make her frown disappear ─ understandable, since the fact that Shinichi was nowhere to be seen had not changed. "Apparently, he heard about Conan's kidnapping and…"
The woman did not finish her sentence, yet Ai did not require her to.
Hearing about the brother he risked so much to rescue being abducted, again, must have been quite the shock. Since she could picture it perfectly. Especially with the confusion of being just barely awake after more than a week unconscious...
His instincts must have kicked in first than anything else ─ the feeling that he needed to do anything in his power to bring him back.
What a sweet thought. Any other day, Ai could have probably been amused at the peculiar situation. Sweet, yet exceptionally foolish beyond a doubt.
Pressing the heel of her hand against her forehead to stave off an oncoming headache, the small scientist felt like sighing. Perfect ─ now we have to find both of them. And like concussing a stubborn detective, or two, as well. They're going to be the death of all of us. Seriously.
Those two brothers ─ reckless to the bone. Stirring trouble wherever they go…
This time, she effectively sighed.
"If only Shinichi-san would make this easier for once and show himself on his own-"
"Subaru-kun! Watch out!"
Not that Ai had time to do anything but being thoroughly amazed at how impressively sharp Subaru's reflexes were.
Really, the girl had only gotten to see a blur, a silhouette in the middle of the darkness, arms stretched at their sides as if willing to get the car to stop, before the young man had hit the brakes. There, now that the worst seemed to have passed, Ai could do nothing but sit there, hand against her chest as if willing her soul to come back to her body.
A look of annoyance took all over her face, but dispelled right away when she spotted their almost-victim staggering to their car.
He's injured, concluded the girl, watching the person tripping, but catching himself just in time. Maybe he was involved in a traffic accident.
He leaned over, barely keeping himself upright by holding onto the car. Ai assumed he was in pain yet, with that hood covering his head, she could see nothing ─ it was clear, either way, by how his hands curled into tight fists, and his whole frame trembled.
What do we do now? Ai thought, frowning at herself. If this person actually was in an accident, we can't leave him on his own…
But, if we waste more time here, Conan-kun will…
She was so into her own musings that she barely noticed the passenger door opening but, when he raised her head again, prompted by Agasa's shocked shouting of the woman's name, Yukiko was already running towards the mysterious young man outside.
To her surprise, she pressed both hands to each of the person's cheeks, prompting him to look at her. And smiled.
The hood slipped down ─ Ai could not believe her eyes.
"Shin-chan!"
The woman was quick, and had enveloped the still dumbfounded teenage boy in front of her in a bone-crushing hug. She had not drawn back until Shinichi obviously hissed in pain, leaving her to apologize with an awkward laugh, hands not leaving his shoulders, though.
Neither did Ai's gaze leave his form. It only widened as she, much slower than she would have liked to, really took into what she was seeing. He… As if feeling her attention, the teenager turned, eyes connecting through the window she was gawking at, and had the nerve to smile at her. He really…
Yet, even if it was tempting, Ai did not find in herself to scoff at his actions. Despite it all, a timid, relieved smile drew itself on her face.
"I'm sorry for interrupting," Subaru's voice gathered his attention back to himself. "This isn't the ideal place for a conversation, I'm afraid."
It took a little for Shinichi to understand what he meant, but, looking at his sides and realizing he was still standing in the middle of the street, he winced. His mother was quicker than any of his reactions could ever be, swiftly placing his hood back over his head and ushering him inside the car.
"I'm so glad you're okay, Shinichi!" commented Agasa as Ai moved to his lap, leaving some room for the teenager ─ it was a compact car, after all. "But what are you doing here?"
Shinichi, in turn, took his time settling into his spot.
"Is it true?" he asked then, completely disregarding the question he was being asked. His eyes shifted to the professor and narrowed ever so slightly. "That Conan was kidnapped."
Agasa was not sure how to answer. Shinichi's fists clenched on his lap, and his mouth opened to inquire further.
"He was," answered the girl, sending a pointed look at the driver. "And his situation won't be any better if we stay here any longer."
Subaru nodded at her, silently, and started up the car again.
"Wait!" Agasa shouted. "We need to take Shinichi back to the hospital-"
"We cannot afford to waste any more time," replied Subaru, much calmer. "It's not ideal, but for the moment, we should hurry."
"But-"
"As much as I'd prefer to get Shinichi-kun to proper medical care," he interrupted. "It is also true that we ignore what kind of imminent danger Conan-kun could be in right now."
"This… This is insane."
The Professor sent a look towards the little girl, hoping for her to agree completely with him but, to his horror, she had her eyes on her phone again. He paused, blinked at her for some more, then turned to look at Shinichi again who, head resting against the windows, looked outside with concern shaping his every feature.
But before he could articulate a word, he heard something buzzing. Curiously, he turned to the source, only to see Yukiko, giving the phone a long look.
"Yusaku?" she said, upon picking the call up.
"Finally, I got a hold of you…" His husband sounded horribly stressed out, noted the woman. "Did you read my emails?"
Yukiko did not answer right away. "Yeah," she replied, sending a brief look over her shoulder. "But you don't have to worry."
Shinichi looked up at her, slightly surprised. "What do you mean?" and by the looks of it, it wasn't like her son was the only one.
"Shin-chan is here with me." Not leaving him the chance to get a word out, Yukiko added with a smile, "I'll bring him back to you when we get this dealt with."
"What?! You don't mean-?!"
"I'll call you back, okay? Bye~!"
And just like that, the woman put her phone down and focused back on the road ahead as if nothing had happened.
Agasa blinked several times, then let out a weak chuckle. Somehow, what he had just witnessed did not take him off guard at all.
So the juice was drugged, after all.
Not that it surprised Conan, since he had already seen it coming. Especially when she, maintaining a smile all the while, had stopped by a bending machine, offering to buy something for him. He wasn't risking her resorting to stronger measures if he declined it, so he had accepted.
Now, he wasn't sure when she had done it, but once they were back in her car, he had opened it. The usual 'pop' sound never reached his ears, meaning that she had really opened it at some earlier point.
There's no other way, he had thought to himself, giving the juice a long, scrutinizing look. If I don't drink it, I'll be in trouble.
So, casting a last glance at the woman beside him, he had put the bottle to his lips. In hers, there was a smile, yet lacked strength, noticed the boy.
Yet, he never drank it. Instead, he had pretended to do it until, eventually, he allowed it to slip from his fingers, spilling most of it all over the floor. Eyes closed, chin against his chest, he had waited for any kind of reaction on her part, which never happened.
She had clearly planned for that to happen.
Thus, he had done nothing but sit there, slumped against the window, keeping an ear out for whatever she might be doing right now. Kei was typing something out on her phone ─ telling Kogoro she got him, threatening to kill him if he dared to go to the police, Conan assumed.
He was a hostage ─ that thought did not give him any comfort.
But at least she had the decency to stop and lie him down on the backseat, and to that ─ and only that ─ he was truly grateful. His neck was beginning to hurt ─ next time, he figured he should choose a more comfortable position to pretend to sleep. Not that he planned to make this a habit, but-
She made a turn. All other thoughts came to a halt, allowing him to focus on his surroundings. She's stopping… Why?
"Fill it up with regular, alright?"
"Certainly!"
Ah. He eased ─ she had just stopped at the fuel station. Some movement at the front, followed by the door opening, then closing, made Conan realize she had stepped out of the car.
Maybe she needs to use the toilet? That was the most obvious assumption. That's a good thing, actually.
Without her around, he might have the opportunity to search the car to his heart's content ─ and maybe have some needed confirmation that he really hadn't been stupid enough to willingly walk into his own death-
The night breeze caressed the top of his hair, but he wasn't sure if that had been the cause of the sudden chill running down his spine or the fact that the door to the backseat had opened.
What's going on?! He fought to maintain a calm looseness in his face while his mind screamed, drowning in panic. She… She didn't realize I'm not sleeping, did she?!
The woman did nothing, but Conan could feel her gaze on him. What should I do? There was no doubt she had found him out. Should I keep pretending, or should I run?
Provided that he was fast enough, he could try to knock her out with his wristwatch and escape to the nearest police station. But what if she has a gun? She could, thought Conan, feeling drops of cold sweat running down his temples. I mean, she killed two people already. Even if I'm a kid, she could still-
Shockingly enough, that was far from what really transpired. Something was gently laid over his prone body, just before the door closed again. She left after that, unknowingly leaving the child to mentally gape, unsure of what had just happened.
It wasn't until a solid minute he dared to open his eyes to confirm that, yes, she had covered him with her coat. Slowly he sat down, fingers brushing against the fabric, carefully as if it would burn upon contact, and pressed his lips together.
The déjà vu struck hard this time, even if the memory was faint. But Conan sort of remembered this happening before, the last time he had been kidnapped ─ he felt his body shiver just by the thought of it ─ by Vermouth little over a week before.
She did the same thing… He held his forehead, groaning. I was too out of it at that moment, so I barely remember anything…
She was talking to someone else. Wait, was there somebody else there?! His panic was short-lived, when he recalled he had heard that same melody, the same children's song that would terrify him to the core every single time, without fail ─ Nanatsu no Ko.
The boss. Vermouth had been talking with them by phone. What were they talking about?
No good. He groaned. I don't know.
Ah, if only… I could remember…
All of a sudden, his thoughts had drifted somewhere else, many years ago. Those hands moving… That malicious laugh that he barely perceived in the background and that he could not clearly discern…
Anything…
And the obscured face that refused to come into the light…
No. He decisively shook his head, firmly pushing those thoughts to the back of his mind to focus on what was important right now. I don't have time for this.
Kei ─ if that was her real name, anyway ─ could return any moment, and having her discover he was awake was the last thing he needed right now. At least he had her coat, which made everything much simpler for him, either way.
Let's see… What do we have here?
A quick search through her pockets revealed she had been carrying that battered phone with her, along with a wallet and a sleeping pill case ─ which, Conan noticed right away, lacked scratches of any kind, unlike the phone.
This could not, by any means, be her phone. Coincidentally, the lighter and wallet of the dead guy at the agency were understandably scratched up, since he had a lot of change in his pockets, but 'his' cellphone and taser were in perfect condition ─ so, he had a pretty good idea of who the phone currently in his hands belonged to.
If the email sent to Occhan to move the meeting spot to Columbo was the new one found on the body, it means that the first number to contact him is this one. Conan's eyes narrowed at the red phone he was holding. And if she really swapped them, and this belonged to the guy killed at the agency…
It confirmed that the client wasn't the woman crying inside the bathroom, but the man murdered in cold blood. Meaning, he was Kashitsuka Kei.
Then, who is she, really? Next he went to her wallet, hoping that he could find something to ascertain her identity, and in no time he found it ─ a cash card with the name 'Urakawa Serina' on it.
Okay, but can I really say it's actually hers? Conan sighed, almost dejectedly at the realization that no, he could not prove it.
Seeing there was nothing else that would help in that wallet, the boy returned to the phone.
Woah, she has been making a lot of calls! Yet, she had not gotten an answer on any of them. All three of them are women… He sighed. That… isn't of much help, is it?
He wanted to cry out of frustration, seeing that he had been driven to a dead end.
She's going to return soon, too…
His gaze fell on the window, right on the door the woman was going to appear from in any second now ─ hoping out of the car and calling the police sounded like the saner idea, too. There was no telling he would have another opportunity to escape like this…
Looking at the coat lying atop his lap, Conan frowned to himself.
She doesn't want to do this… Just like Vermouth, at that time.
But unlike that enigmatic woman, it was clear her crimes were all over the place, with no focus whatsoever. If he left her alone, knowing that would happen…
Then I'd be no different from a killer. The boy nodded to himself. And I'm no murderer.
Decisively, he turned his head away from the glass and to the phone again. It's better said than done. He sighed again. If I don't know what her objective is-
His eyes fell on the home screen, exactly on the face of the man she was smiling with in her wallpaper. That's the only photo on the phone, he observed. Maybe she sent it to herself in a hurry to pretend the phone was hers?
The man's face was still familiar somehow, yet Conan could not, for the life of him, remember where he had seen it.
Wait a second. His eyes widened dramatically, and his fingers began to move as quickly as he could. Could it be… That man is-?!
He tried a reverse image search and, soon enough, the boy found himself gaping at the screen. So it was him! He all but cried in victory. That's where I saw him ─ he's the victim of the robbery all over the news!
Shouno Kenya ─ bank teller. The one that came forward saying 'OK! Please stop already'...
OK… OK… 'Oi, Kei'...
Kei?! As in, Kashitsuka Kei?!
If that was to be true, it changed everything ─ the men she murdered had to be two of the three robbers. There was a short one… He immediately pictured the body he had found hidden in a suitcase. An athletic one… That had to be Kashitsuka Kei, killed at the agency.
And a third, slender one. That must be the one she had been trying to find on Kashitsuka's contact list. His serious demeanor disappeared completely, however, blinking in space, absolutely confused. She called all women… But I don't remember the news ever specifying the third robber's gender…
Unless… She knew because she was there. Now, it was beginning to make a little more sense, the more he thought about it. She must have seen her up from close ─ meaning, she's a bank employee like the victim. Therefore, that story of being her little sister was a lie.
But she was close to him. He could tell just by looking at the photo. More than a friend… Maybe his girlfriend?
There was only one way to confirm it.
He was running out of time, so he hurried on, searching through Kashitsuka's contact list and, fortunately enough, he found Kenya's home phone number. So Kashitsuka-san really was Kenya-san's friend, thought the boy, passing the contact over to his own phone, which he still carried in his pocket. Well, not that killing sounds like something a friend would do...
It didn't take long to connect. Not that Conan had the time to actually feel relieved over it, since he was aware that the woman would return soon. So, tucking the phone between his ear and shoulder, the child quickly moved to the front seat, hoping there was something else that could be of any use.
If there's something else she might be hiding… He opened the glove-box. It has to be there.
He couldn't help the smirk that crossed his lips at the sight of what she was keeping inside.
"Hello?" The voice in his ear startled him so badly that he almost dropped the phone. "Shono Residence?"
"A-Ah, yes…" He cringed, noticing the unnatural, anxious quivering of his voice ─ he had been so focused on his recent discovery he had completely forgotten he was on a phone call.
But recovered either way, pitching his tone sound as childish as possible.
"Good evening!"
"G-Good evening…" Whoever was there, on the other side, definitely could not understand why a child could be calling at such an hour. Conan did not feel inclined to explain.
So he went straight to the point. "Is Kenya-san's girlfriend there, by any chance?"
"Girlfriend? Urakawa Serina-san, you mean? Well, she didn't come to the funeral last night…"
I knew it, he thought, while moving forward to inspect the glove-box more closely, and realized he had quite the good idea of what she had been doing instead of coming to her significant other's funeral. The two guns inside, or more importantly, the blood he could appreciate in one the grip dispelled any doubt he could possess.
From the corner of his eye, Conan sensed some movement. Oh, this is bad! he all but cried, spotting the woman, who now he could identify as Urakawa Serina, approaching the car, unaware of the boy who, wide awake as an owl, was snooping around in her car.
He closed the glove-box in a hurry.
"I don't know where she is, but if she shows herself at some point, I can-"
Not bothering to give any kind of response, the boy quickly hung up, turning off the phone in case this person thought of calling back, and threw himself into the backseat again. And by the time the door had opened again, the boy was under the jacket again, eyes closed, breathing calm and measured ─ even though his heart was threatening to burst out of his chest right now.
It wasn't until she started up the car that Conan felt like sighing ─ which he obviously did not, because.
Certainly, the boy would have preferred a little more extra time, maybe to search the car a little longer, or send Ran a quick text telling her not to worry, but he guessed beggars could not be choosers. He should be thankful he gathered that much information and hadn't been found out yet…
Well, not that he planned to fake sleeping for much longer. Once he was in the clear, he could send the girl the email.
But, at least, I think I now understand what's going on…
Going by the name 'Kei' her boyfriend had murmured, Serina had likely found Kashitsuka Kei, a 'friend' of Kenya's, in his address book, and went over to pay him a visit. But was greeted by a short man living with him. Who had tried to murder her after she discovered his gun, only to wind up beaten to death in self defense and hidden inside a suitcase alongside a wiretap.
But it did not go as she had planned, as Kei never discovered the body. All he thought upon finding his housemate missing had just run away in fear and called his partner, suggesting to take the rest of the money and skip town.
Which would have been a splendid plan… had they known where the money was.
It was likely that the deceased was the only one who knew where the locker was. Thus Kashitsuka Kei thought it was a brilliant idea to get Mouri Kogoro to find out instead, keeping the contents of the locker a secret, obviously.
Now, Serina, who had been snooping on everything through the wiretap panicked ─ perhaps having foreseen the most logical outcome.
They are criminals, and they somehow believed that if they went to a great detective for help, he wouldn't eventually figure out their identity? Granted, the detective was Kogoro, so he supposed they would be safe, but of course they did not know how much of a lousy one he was.
At least I would have figured it out!
… Probably.
Either way, seeing her chance for sweet revenge slipping from her fingers, she had ambushed Kashitsuka at the Detective Agency with a taser gun. The rest was fairly simple ─ with a wet towel over her head to keep the gunshot residue off her, her shoelaces would make it easy to activate the trigger and get the man killed. If you know what you're doing, it's easy to tie yourself up with duct tape, too…
"Why?!" he heard Serina scream to herself, frustrated beyond doubt. "Why can't I reach any of those three?!"
I think it's time… His smirk surfaced earlier than he could get his eyes open. Time to decide if my theory is correct.
So, he sat up and, pulling the most innocent smile he could manage, moved closer to her ear, and asked:
"Do you want me to find her for you?"
Conan could have sworn he saw her soul jumping out of her body and flying back in less than one second. He barely batted an eye at that.
"I mean the woman you're looking for, oneesan."
She slowly turned to him, mouth opening soundlessly as blood drained from her face.
"Yeah, I didn't exactly drink the drugged juice you bought for me… Please don't be mad at me, but when I spilled half of it under the seat, I kind of did it on purpose…"
"N-No, I don't mind, but-"
"That's a relief. Well, anyway…" Serina's eyes flickered away from his unsettlingly bright grin and went back to the road, yet Conan could still see the cold sweat rolling down her temples. "Let's go meet them! The three people you called just now are probably registered in an online address book, so we can find out where they live."
Serina did not answer right away. Conan's head tilted.
"What's wrong? Don't you want to kill that woman, Urakawa-san?"
"Well, yes, I mean-" Her words died down in her throat and for a whole second, she blinked at space, thinking over what he had said, before her head snapped back to him. "What did you just say, boy?!"
"Urakawa-san. That's your name."
"But-!"
"And that's a red light, Urakawa-san. Please be careful."
With a panicked squeak, the woman hit the brakes, just barely stopping before she could run an innocent man over. Conan casually looked back at the front, shrugged, and turned to contemplate the woman, who gripped the wheel with a panicked expression, on the verge of hyperventilating.
"So… Would you like to hear my deduction right now or-?"
"Just…" Serina wheezed. Conan blinked innocently at her, which was more unnerving than anything else. "Just who are you, kid?!"
"Edogawa Conan!" he chirped with a broad smile. "A detective."
"D-De-?!"
"Green."
"Wha-? Ah, sorry!"
"No way! I got an email from Conan-kun."
Her heart had almost skipped a beat when she had noticed the unassuming notification at the corner of her phone, and had gasped, her fingers trembling with adrenaline as she hurried to read it.
"I'm alright, so don't worry."
It was concise, far too short for her liking, but it allowed her soul to return to her body either way.
"He says he's okay," she breathed out.
"It looks like he went on his own accord," said Amuro from behind the wheel, his eyes unmoving from the road ahead.
"That brat…" Despite his annoyed grumbling, Ran caught a relieved sigh from his part as well. "Acting like a detective again."
"Well, the curiosity of a child entails the inquiring spirit of a detective and being mutually understood…"
Speaking of which…
His eyes narrowed at what they had spotted reflected in the wing mirror. A bike had been insistently following him for a while now, and did not seem willing to cease soon. He eventually disregarded it, glancing back to the road, yet the focused frown did not leave his face.
A quick glance at Ran, however, let him see she was gripping her phone, reading the text she had just received over and over, even though it evidently did not make her any calmer.
"Ran-san, it might not give you much but a peace of mind, but I don't believe Conan-kun will be put in any additional immediate danger." She turned to him, her face lighting up with something akin to hope. "There's the chance that we may ignore the warning in the email from earlier and contact the police. She'll have to keep her hostage alive in case she's stopped at a checkpoint."
Everything vanished into nothing when her father spoke. "But hey, if her goal is to murder the other robber…" Mouri sounded a little more scared than he would ever want to admit. "If he ends up being involved…"
Amuro's expression became drastically more severe. "So he's still in a dangerous situation," he said. "Let's hurry."
Followed by that, the blonde detective sped up. The bike following them did the same, he noticed, yet said nothing about it.
Ran for her part, glimpsed at his email once more. Conan-kun, she thought, phone now clutched against her chest. Just wait a little longer.
This time… We'll find you this time. And take you back home.
… Home? That reminded her of…
"Conan-kun… is moving back to America?"
Eyes wide in surprise, the girl blinked repeatedly at the man standing in front of him. He wasn't looking at her in turn, however, merely contemplating Shinichi's hospital door with an indecipherable gaze. Her surprise was even bigger when he shook his head.
"I can't do it," he said, a rueful smile taking over his face, as if reminiscing about some older times. "He has built a good life here. I can't take all this away from him…" A snort escaped him, something that did nothing but confuse the girl even further. "Beika is his home, after all."
Ran stood silent, watching the man sigh, then turn his attention back to her. He seemed to contemplate her, or rather, whatever was crossing his mind at the moment, before his eyes slid close, uttering one single sentence:
"Please watch over him."
But rather than answering right away, Ran's head dropped to the ground. Yusaku watched her fists clench, but since her position had completely obscured his face, he could not be sure about what could be crossing her mind right now.
At least, until she spoke.
"Isn't it cruel to ask something like that?"
Current Ran could not help but bury her face into her hands, allowing the phone to drop right at her lap.
Why did I say such a thing to Shinichi's father?! she all but screamed, flushing profusely behind her fingers. She had not rationalized what she had done until now. This is so embarrassing…
Both Amuro and Kogoro were confused at her actions, yet none dared to say anything at all.
"They're on the move again," Ai spoke, shattering into pieces the ominous silence that had settled in. "At this speed, it looks like they're in a car again. They're headed for Haido City this time."
Out of all reactions her words could have triggered, she had no way to know that a relieved sigh at her side would ever arise. Confused, she lowered her phone, and turned to give the detective, all but slumped against the door, a raise of her eyebrow.
"What?" he asked, almost unnerved by her look. "I'm just relieved. Is it wrong?"
"I don't know," she said. "You tell me."
Shinichi sighed, looking far too tired to explain anything, yet Ai was not feeling particularly sympathetic right now, at least not enough to make things any easier for him ─ it wasn't like it had been her idea to take him straight out of a coma to a wild chase for a certain missing little boy.
"Conan is taking the culprit around," Shinichi explained, head leaning against the window again as he contemplated the darkened sky. "Meaning that he has the situation under control." Next, the teenage detective let out something between a laugh and a sigh. "Conan wasn't kidnapped. He merely came along on his own."
"But how do you know that?" asked Agasa. "It could have been the culprit taking Conan-kun around somewhere…"
"Well, it is Conan, and from what you just told me, his abductor was a simple murderer."
Both the professor and the little girl assumed that with it he meant it wasn't a Black Organization member, but decided to keep it to themselves.
"He's obviously conscious if they're walking, and likely has his gadgets on him. Don't you think he might have tried to do anything to escape at this point?" The silence he got worked just like an answer to Shinichi. "Calmly walking around with his captor is something that would never happen unless he's tagging along of his own free will."
There was nothing Ai could say against that ─ that theory made everything much clearer now. Which just confirms it, she decided, placing a hand on her glasses as she focused back on them. He's just an idiot.
But, even if that was true, she could not explain why he would do such a thing. He hates making Ran-san and everyone else worried ─ especially right after what happened yesterday at Touto Tower. He wouldn't, unless there is a good reason to.
"Turn left ahead. They're about five kilometers away in a straight line," said the girl next. "It seems like they're moving, but from the speed, they're walking again."
"I see." Subaru nodded. "Then I think we'll catch up with them in about ten minutes."
"Even so," Agasa spoke. "I wonder why they're wandering about on foot…"
"Who knows?" Ai did not miss the smirk that blossomed on the driver's face. "But since it's Conan-kun, he probably has some objective in mind."
She sure hoped he did ─ or rather, he had some plan to back up instead of pure recklessness speaking. What are you doing? She could not help that question from surfacing. Or rather, why are you doing this, Conan-kun?
"The reason he's doing this…" Shinichi suddenly said, a severe frown taking over his entire face. "Is to keep more people from dying."
"You're saying…" Yukiko asked, suddenly concerned. "That this person is going to commit murder again?"
Shinichi shook his head slowly, and his eyes narrowed even further.
Serina had agreed easily with Conan's plan.
Not that the boy reckoned she had another choice since, as it was now, the woman had not any of her own. So she simply went along with what the young boy had suggested, giving each and every one of the suspects the same excuse ─ that she had just moved in with her son, and wanted to introduce themselves to their neighbors. After that, she would leave the child to do the rest.
With Tokoyita Rinko, the kid had darted inside, laughing joyously all the while at the delicious smell he could feel. That ended with him being flung off her apartment before he could touch her omelette.
The second one had not been nearly as violent as the first. Furuya Sakae had arrived just as they were waiting at her door, carrying several designer bags and moving to open her door. Apparently, she was leaving tomorrow because she had won the lottery. Somehow, they ended up taking the trash out for her ─ full of leftovers from convenience store box lunches, had noted Conan with a disapproving shake of his head.
Lastly was Tegawa Takayo, and had been by far the most interesting one ─ to Conan at least. A writer, she had told the curious elementary student when he asked, that was struggling with meeting a deadline. She had not minded when Conan peered inside, taking into every single corner of her dimly lit room, like the cup over her desk ─ the handle facing left ─ or the memo pad ─ at the left, too, of the phone. Pens and side-table had also been on the left.
Conan sighed, wiping his hands against his clothes as he gave a last look at the garbage she had also asked them to take out ─ there was nothing but beef bowls right there.
At least, this part is over with, he thought, frowning to himself. Now comes the hardest…
"So, how about it?" When he heard Serina asking from behind him, he knew time was nearing closer. "Did you figure out who the robber is?"
"Yeah, of course!" Conan grinned brightly. "But I can't tell you, oneesan."
Naturally, she wasn't half-pleased with his response. Her mouth opened with a muted, surprised gasp as she fell on her knees, hands going to his shoulders to shake him, a little harsher than she had probably intended ─ he allowed her to, regardless.
"W-What's that?" she shouted at him. "This isn't what we agreed on!"
His smile dimmed dramatically. "But I can't let someone die," he stated.
Serina froze completely, watching his eyes becoming suddenly sharper, piercing right into hers.
"I mean you, Urakawa-san."
A/N:
CherryGirl 21-6: I'm so obviously excited too! Hopefully, we won't have to wait another year like the other time xD
F.C. Meyer: Well, I have been busy lately with real life stuff, so I haven't been able to catch up at all, but yeah, I'm often more inclined to read the manga… Movies are so cool, though! This one in particular feels like it will be really good, or maybe that's just wishful thinking of mine xD