"By the way, why do you say the culprit's motive wasn't property?" Officer Sato finally asked about the real matter.
"The key lies in the victim's scream you heard over the phone. A thief stealing valuables would generally not intentionally attack someone who is on the phone."
"Moreover, if their face is seen and a scream is let out, they would simply be scared and flee."
Officer Shiratori's analysis was well-reasoned, much like what the Great Detective had been thinking.
"Wasn't this victim supposed to give a statement at the Metropolitan Police Department today?" Shiratori looked at Takagi.
"Yes, she said she remembered details about the previous bank robbery and intended to go with her husband. However, she didn't show up at the appointed time, so Mr. Masuo called back from the Metropolitan Police Department."
Takagi recounted the situation at the time.
"So, when the victim was on the phone, did she know that the person she was talking to was a police officer from our Metropolitan Police Department?" Shiratori asked further, seeing Mr. Masuo nod.
"She knew that," Takagi recalled the call content.
Mrs. Masuo had even asked if it was Officer Takagi, whom she had spoken with yesterday.
"Then there's no mistake. The culprit killed her during the call, risking exposure, precisely because they didn't want the victim to continue talking to the police."
"In my judgment, the culprits should be the two bank robbers. The victim was held at gunpoint during that robbery and had close contact with them."
"The culprits likely realized that the victim had discovered something at the time, which is why they planned to murder her." Officer Shiratori made a series of very plausible deductions.
"There should have been surveillance footage at the bank, right? If even machines couldn't detect anything, let alone a panic-stricken victim," Tsuneo shook his head, refuting the claim.
This case, it seemed, was dragging everyone into a ditch.
Why don't you just go and apprentice at the Mouri Detective Agency?
Or were Uncle Mouri, who was also a former police officer, and you all trained by the same master?
"Mr. Tsuneo, it's been a while," Officer Shiratori greeted with a smile.
"I've been standing here the whole time…" the mechanic said, speechless.
He and Conan had been whispering in the corner for a long time. So, you didn't even notice us, did you?
Although the Suzuki's Eight Eggs incident involved Kid disguised as Officer Shiratori, both Uncle Mouri and Tsuneo had interacted with him multiple times, so calling them acquaintances was not an issue.
"Is that so? The surveillance cameras in the bank are quite far away after all. A victim held within the culprit's embrace would indeed be more likely to notice details," Shiratori explained his deduction.
Before Tsuneo could speak, Mr. Masuo added, "Oh, I remember my wife also mentioned something about a foreigner yesterday."
"Exactly!"
"Your wife must have been trying to tell us, the police, the characteristics of that robber as a reference!"
Officer Shiratori clapped his hand, speaking with certainty and confidence.
"But that's not right either, is it?" This time, it was Conan's turn to speak up and object.
Shiratori: …
Doesn't this child usually stick by Detective Mouri all the time?
Why the change of partners this time…
"Think about it, behind this exercise bike, about a meter away, is a cabinet. There's no door or window behind it. Why would this person, while exercising on the bike, be attacked from behind by the culprit?"
Conan stood next to the exercise bike, asking with an innocent face.
The side of the exercise bike faced the living room door, which was three or four meters away. There was no way she should have been stabbed directly in the back.
"Conan-kun, although the victim died from a stab wound to the back, we can't be sure the culprit attacked her from behind. The victim might have seen the culprit and tried to escape, and that's when she was stabbed in the back."
This time, Officer Sato offered an explanation.
It seemed she also believed the murderer was one of the bank robbers.
When people fixate on a target, they always try to find ways to align with that direction, and this was especially absurd in the case of a certain bumbling uncle.
"How about we demonstrate it?" Tsuneo, seeing the Great Detective about to speak again, directly suggested a reenactment.
Come on, show me how the victim was stabbed in the back.
"Dem-demonstrate???"
The three officers were a bit surprised.
Director Conan, however, smiled.
This is for the best!
This was the benefit of being taken seriously by the police. If he had proposed such an idea, he would surely have been thrown out immediately.
"No, I don't think that's necessary," Officer Shiratori shook his head, completely disagreeing.
This was simply reckless!
Although the on-site evidence collection was mostly complete and there was no risk of destroying the scene, this was pure nonsense.
All the clues were already very clear.
"What a pity, the murderer might get away. We were so close to the truth!" Conan sighed slightly, then looked up and blinked, saying.
"Yeah, it's all your fault, Uncle Shiratori. This case might even become a cold case," Tsuneo nodded and said.
"Then why would Uncle Shiratori let the culprit get away?" Conan continued to ask.
"He's not trying to protect anyone; he just encounters a problem and refuses to pursue it further," Tsuneo replied.
"Oh really? Are all police officers like that?"
"Who knows?"
The two played a fun game of question and answer.
Shiratori looked at Sato and Takagi's gazes on him. As the commander of this case, he finally reluctantly agreed to the request.
…
"Do we really have to do this?" Officer Sato sat on the exercise bike, but dared not touch the handlebars or pedals, fearing she might damage the scene, and was also uncomfortable in her pencil skirt.
"That's right, Officer Sato will play the victim and talk to Takagi. As for Officer Shiratori…"
Tsuneo looked at him and smiled, saying:
"You can be the intruder and murderer."
Shiratori: …
You definitely made me play this role on purpose.
Mr. Masuo looked at everyone with a tense expression, his plump hands tightly clenched, wondering what he was thinking.
"Hello, can you hear me?"
Officer Sato took the phone from the mechanic and spoke with Takagi, who was standing outside the villa.
"Yes, I hear you clearly!" Takagi glanced at the crowd of onlookers beyond the caution tape behind him.
With so many people watching…
"Alright, next, it's Officer Shiratori's turn! Please take the knife and climb in through the window!" Tsuneo stood at the slightly ajar living room door, clapping his hands.
Time for the actor to enter the stage!
Director Conan nodded from the side, seemingly approving of Director Tsuneo's command.
"Honestly…" Shiratori put on gloves, opened the window at the end of the hallway, and climbed inside.
Alright, I'm going to kill Sato now!
(End of chapter)
-----------------------------
I've posted the next 40 chapters exclusively on Patreon!
If you like this story, please come and support me.
Here's the link: [pateoncom/DaoistRoeoNQ]
Thank you so much for your continued support!