Shiro Suzuki raised his glass, signaling Tetsuharu Tomizawa to join him.
"Uncle Tomizawa loves lobster. Here, let me serve you a piece."
Ayako Suzuki hurried to place a succulent piece of lobster meat onto Tetsuharu Tomizawa's plate.
"President Suzuki, you have raised a fine daughter. Hahaha!"
Tetsuharu Tomizawa picked up the wine glass in front of him and laughed heartily.
Black wine?
Conan's curiosity was piqued immediately. Pointing to the glass, he asked in his childish voice, "Mister, what kind of wine is that? Why is it pitch black?"
"Ah, this? It's mulberry wine. Yuzo bought it specially for Dad to drink," Taichi Tomizawa explained with a smile.
"Mulberry wine?"
Ran and the others leaned in to look at the glass; the liquid was dark and dense, almost like ink.
"Heiji, what is mulberry wine good for?" Kazuha whispered.
"Mulberry wine is a fruit wine, considered top-tier among its kind. It helps break down fat and prevents the hardening of arteries."
Heiji glanced at the glass. Judging by its deep color and viscosity, it was evident that this was of the highest quality.
"Wow! I should see if I can buy a few bottles for my parents and yours," Kazuha said thoughtfully, tapping her chin.
Heiji smiled faintly. "We can pick some up later."
"Kazuha-neechan, a bottle of that mulberry wine costs over one hundred thousand yen. And if it's vintage, it's even more expensive," Conan suddenly interjected, a mischievous grin on his face.
"Huh!?" Kazuha was dumbfounded.
"Shut up! I don't want to hear another word from you!"
Suddenly, Tetsuharu Tomizawa shouted loudly, slamming his hand on the table.
The hall, which had been full of laughter just moments before, fell into a dead silence. Everyone turned to look in surprise.
A flash of disgust crossed Tomoko Suzuki's eyes. If it weren't for the long-standing relationship between the two families, she would have already lost her temper.
"Dad, I won't say anymore. Please don't be angry." Taichi Tomizawa transferred a piece of lobster from his own plate to his father's, his face apologetic.
"Hmph. If you don't come back to inherit my business, you won't get another cent from me."
Furious, Tetsuharu Tomizawa stabbed the piece of lobster with his fork and ate it aggressively.
"Dad, calm down."
Tatsuji Tomizawa held out the glass of mulberry wine for his father.
"But Dad... I really want to write novels," Taichi murmured in a low voice.
Tetsuharu slammed the wine glass down and glared at his eldest son with fury. But suddenly, his expression twisted. He clutched his body tightly and began to tip backward.
Crash!
Tetsuharu Tomizawa collapsed to the floor, foaming at the mouth, his body convulsing violently.
"Dad! Dad, what's wrong?!"
Yuzo Tomizawa frantically opened a pill bottle, shook out a few tablets, and tried to force his father to swallow them.
"Quick! Someone call an ambulance!" Tomoko Suzuki shouted to the butler.
Moments later, Tetsuharu Tomizawa's convulsions ceased. He lay there, motionless, his eyes wide open and staring at nothing.
"Dad? Dad?"
Taichi Tomizawa reached a trembling hand toward his father's nose. His pupils contracted. "Dad... he's stopped breathing."
Shock rippled through the room.
Dead?
Conan dashed forward and crouched beside the body to examine it.
"You brat, what are you doing? Don't touch my father!" Tatsuji Tomizawa glared at Conan, stepping forward.
"Nobody move! None of you move! You cannot disturb the crime scene!" Conan suddenly shouted, his voice cutting through the panic. "He's already dead!"
Really dead...?
Panic flashed in the guests' eyes. The President of the Tomizawa Group had just died in front of everyone...
"Brat, it's not your place to lecture me."
Taichi Tomizawa grabbed Conan by the collar and tossed him aside roughly.
"Taichi-san, this is a murder investigation. I hope you can cooperate. Otherwise, if I accidentally mistake you for the murderer, it wouldn't look good."
Taichi frowned and looked up. Standing there was the high school student dressed as a knight—Sonoko Suzuki's dance partner.
Without a mission from the system, Heiji hadn't wanted to get involved. But ignoring this would be disrespectful to Sonoko's hospitality. Furthermore, a death like this could cause massive reputational damage to the Suzuki Group if not handled correctly.
"Heiji Hattori? I don't know him."
Taichi was absorbed in his writing and rarely paid attention to the news.
"Heiji is a famous detective! A very good one," Kazuha stated, her tone full of pride.
Detective?
Taichi's heart skipped a beat.
"He is Heiji Hattori? The high school detective who foiled the plots of the Night Baron and Kaito Kid?"
The guests began to whisper among themselves.
"Taichi, Tatsuji, Yuzo... let's leave this matter in Heiji-kun's hands. If it really is a murder, we must bring justice to President Tomizawa, and clear the Suzuki family name."
Tomoko Suzuki was furious. If she didn't have to maintain appearances, she would be screaming. Whether accidental or murder, a death at her party was a disaster.
"In that case... please, Madam. I will go and handle the arrangements." Taichi prepared to leave.
"Wait. No one related to this incident can leave. Stay here and do not move." Heiji's voice was firm.
"What do you mean? Are you implying we would kill our own father?" Tatsuji looked at Heiji with rage.
Heiji met his gaze indifferently. "I am looking at the problem from the perspective of a detective. Please cooperate."
"Heiji-san, on what basis do you say my father was murdered?" Yuzo asked sadly.
"The symptoms of sudden death by heart failure typically involve loss of consciousness, disappearance of the pulse in the carotid arteries, pallor, and pupil dilation, followed by the cessation of breathing..."
"Wasn't my father like that? His pupils dilated, too," Taichi argued, frowning.
Tetsuharu's pupils were indeed dilated, matching the description.
"Did I mention foaming at the mouth?" Heiji glanced at Taichi sharply. "President Tomizawa did not clutch his chest when he fell. He clutched his stomach. This is a clear sign of poisoning."
"Poisoning? Are you saying my father suffered from food poisoning?"
Taichi's words made the blood drain from the guests' faces. They quickly put down their glasses and plates. The way they looked at Tomoko Suzuki shifted from sympathy to suspicion.
"Taichi Tomizawa. Be careful what you say."
Tomoko Suzuki's voice was ice-cold. If the rumor spread that the Suzuki party served poisoned food, the consequences would be catastrophic.
Taichi's face paled, realizing his mistake. "Madam, there has been a misunderstanding. I misspoke, I didn't mean it like that."
"That possibility cannot be ruled out."
Heiji's words exploded like a thunderclap in everyone's mind.
"Heiji! It's impossible for something like that to happen in my house!" Sonoko cried out anxiously.
Hattori is right. It looks like poisoning.
Conan glanced at the lobster on the table, a heavy feeling weighing on his mind.
Heiji gave Sonoko a reassuring look.
"In any case, now we can only wait for the police. Until then, no one leaves or moves freely. Anyone who does will be considered a prime suspect.