"The killer's next target is very likely Hara Yoshiaki, so the Public Security Bureau requests permission to join this investigation."
After entering the room, Hiro displayed none of the overbearing attitude one might expect from Public Security stepping into a criminal investigation. His tone was exceptionally gentle, more like he was politely asking everyone at the MPD to cooperate with his work.
Takagi instinctively looked toward Onizawa. After all, this case had been assigned to the Onizawa Unit, so the authority rested with his Inspector.
Upon hearing those words, Ritsu stood up and straightened his suit jacket before asking,
"Morofushi-san, may I ask who provided this information?"
Hiro couldn't quite discern the meaning behind Onizawa's question. If he directly named Akemi, wouldn't that mean reopening the investigation into Onizawa's identity?
After all, the Organization mole hidden within the MPD still hadn't been caught. The bastard was remarkably crafty.
"I'm sorry, Onizawa-san. He's one of my confidential informants, so I can't reveal his identity. If word gets out, my informant would be in grave danger."
Ritsu was extremely pleased with Hiro's answer.
The corners of his mouth lifted slightly, but he said nothing. Instead, he walked over, retrieved two spare chairs, placed them beside his own seat, then looked toward the doorway.
"The Public Security officer outside can come in too. There's no need to keep standing guard at the door."
Standing outside, Kazami froze. Although his expression remained as stoic as ever, inwardly he was stunned.
'How did this guy know I was here? I never even showed my face.'
The truth was far simpler.
The conference room door had been closed. To open it, someone had to press down on the handle, which was located on the right side. A normal person wouldn't stand on the left side while opening the door.
Since Hiro had entered from the left, and his right hand hadn't been in the position to push the door open, it was highly likely that someone standing to his right had opened it for him.
"Allow me to introduce us. I'm Morofushi Hiromitsu, and this is Kazami Yuya. We're both Public Security officers from the National Police Agency."
Without hesitation, Ritsu pushed the case file on the table toward them.
"This contains the information regarding Councilman Iwamatsu's murder. Take a look."
He continued,
"Since the killer's next target is Yoshiaki, we must deploy police officers throughout tonight's opening ceremony."
After a brief pause, he looked toward Takagi.
"Takagi, go make the arrangements. Tell Hayasaka to notify Tokiwa-san. If they refuse to allow police officers inside..."
His expression turned firm.
"...then take a hardline stance and demand they cancel the opening ceremony until the killer has been caught."
"Yes, Inspector!"
Conan bit his lower lip in frustration.
From where he was sitting, he couldn't see the case files at all. On top of that, two Public Security officers had arrived.
This incident was clearly more serious than he'd imagined. After all, Public Security had become involved.
Seeing Conan squirming in his seat as though he were sitting on a bed of needles, Haibara couldn't help poking him in the waist.
"Can you sit still for once?" she whispered.
"Or are you trying to make everyone notice you're not an ordinary child?"
"I know, I know. It's just that this case involves—"
Conan abruptly cut himself off.
He cautiously turned his head and found Onizawa staring at him with a resentful look, as though saying,
'Could you talk any louder? Maybe the Public Security officers next to us should know that you're aware of the Organization too.'
Haibara noticed Onizawa's expression as well.
Smart as she was, she immediately understood what Conan had been about to say and what Onizawa's glance was trying to tell them.
Her gaze drifted toward Hiro, who was reading through the case file.
'Does he consider the Organization his target as well?
If that's the case... then the confidential informant he mentioned earlier... could it be an undercover Public Security officer embedded within the Organization?'
Haibara decided there was no point continuing that line of deduction.
She only knew so many code-named members. The one she had been closest to had died two years ago.
Suddenly, she remembered Kurotan, who had been carried away by the intelligence operative codenamed Bourbon.
She wondered how Kurotan was doing now.
"I've familiarized myself with the details of the case."
Hiro closed the file.
"From this point onward, Public Security will be responsible for protecting Yoshiaki-san. We'd appreciate it for Onizawa-san and the rest of you maintaining order at the venue. If the killer attempts to strike, stop every guest from leaving."
"Understood."
Ritsu stood and looked toward everyone who had been invited to assist with the investigation.
"Thank you all for your cooperation. I'll see everyone again tonight."
After seeing everyone off from the MPD, he didn't linger any longer. He drove straight back to his apartment to prepare for that night's operation.
However, as he reached his beloved car, he noticed Conan standing there with his hands behind his back, smiling at him. Curious, Ritsu asked,
"Well, great detective? Why are you here? Didn't you go home with your Ran-neechan?"
At the mention of that, Conan's expression became rather awkward.
"I practically had to use every trick in the book to act cute and fool her. Luckily, the old man backed me up with a few words, so Ran finally let me come."
Ritsu raised an eyebrow.
It seemed Kogoro had actually taken his advice to heart. With Kogoro cooperating, things would indeed be much easier.
"Get in."
He opened the passenger door before adding, "You're not still convinced that the Organization murdered Iwamatsu, are you?"
After fastening his seat belt, Conan replied,
"Of course not. The Organization would never leave behind a clue like that broken wine glass. They always clean up the crime scene perfectly and even disguise the murder as a suicide, don't they?"
= Ritsu stroked his chin with a smile.
"Looks like Haibara has told you quite a bit about the Organization."
"Tch."
Conan pouted.
"She's definitely hiding a lot more from me. Maybe you could get her to talk, Sensei. She might even know more than you learned while infiltrating the Organization."
Ritsu merely smiled without responding.
The truth was, he knew far more than Shiho ever did.
The Research Division certainly possessed the Organization's greatest secrets, but it was the Operatives Division and the Intelligence Division that truly understood its darkness, especially the former.
"So, have you figured out who the killer is?" he asked.
Conan blinked twice.
"With so few clues, how could I possibly know who the killer is—"
His voice trailed off. Realization suddenly struck him. His eyes widened as he shouted,
"Onizawa-sensei... don't tell me you've already figured it out?! Were there clues in the case file after all?!"
Without a word, Ritsu pulled two crime scene photographs from his inside jacket pocket.
"If you still can't figure out who the killer is after looking at these, then you should hand over the title of the Holmes of Heisei to me."
Conan lowered his head and carefully studied the photographs.
The blood spatter on the wardrobe had only reached the lower portion, and the pattern formed an unusually straight line.
'Does that mean something had been standing in front of the wardrobe? But what?'
"A little hint." Ritsu smiled.
"The wine glass."
"The wine glass?"
Conan lowered his head in thought.
'The wine glass... Combined with the crime scene photograph...
Damn it. Why couldn't he connect the pieces?'
Then Sonoko's words suddenly echoed through his mind.
—"I think this wine glass looks a little like the small dishes Japanese painters use while painting. It's also very similar to the small mortar used for grinding pigments."
'The wine glass... Japanese painting...'
Conan immediately focused on the crime scene photograph again. His face lit up with excitement as he shouted,
"I know who the killer is!!!"
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