"It seems you still don't grasp the Organization's strength."
Haibara smirked mysteriously at the great detective.
"Indeed. Personally, I'd bet Pisco meets an 'accident' before spilling too much," Tsuneo chimed in, holding an oversized bowl of katsu rice.
Sure, Amuro's handling it, but don't get your hopes up.
Who knows, maybe tomorrow Pisco will 'commit suicide' with eight shots to the back, putting on a show for everyone.
"That easy to have an accident?" Conan glanced at the box full of A-drug, a grin creeping onto his face.
He finally had a shot at becoming Kudo Shinichi again!
"He hasn't figured out the situation yet," Haibara said, turning to Tsuneo with crossed arms.
Making an antidote isn't that simple.
And even if you take it someday, you'll have to live in hiding, under a new name.
"Right," Tsuneo said, catching Conan's excitement and giving a faint smile.
This is just the beginning.
From Pisco, he'd learned more about the Organization's inner workings.
A transnational crime syndicate like this wasn't so easily toppled.
…
A few days later.
As expected, Tsuneo saw Masuyama Kenzou's obituary in the newspaper.
The man died in his mansion.
A sudden fire burned everything to ash.
They called it an accident!
"No telling how much he spilled before the end," Tsuneo said, tossing the paper aside with a grin.
No need to guess—this fire was someone's cover-up.
Whether it was the Black Organization sniffing him out or not, who could say?
Dead or alive, Tsuneo was going to cash in big.
He suddenly wanted to see that top-tier worker's face…
It'd be a sight to behold!
"What's so funny?" Conan shot a deadpan glance at Tsuneo's beaming face.
Pisco's dead, and that's a good thing?
How can you laugh?
"Doesn't matter to me if he's dead or not. What matters is I sold him for a nice price," Tsuneo said, his smile widening.
"Is that so?"
Conan began rethinking the Black Organization's reach.
Tsuneo had handed Pisco straight to the police.
Yet, in just a few days, the guy died in an "accidental" fire at home.
What kind of high-level mole could pull that off?
Of course, it's likely he was already a corpse before the fire started.
"Tsuneo, I'd stay indoors at night if I were you," Dr. Agasa said, stepping over with a warning.
The world's been hammering the Dark Knight lately.
No one knows where the rumor started, but everyone's convinced it was the Dark Knight who kidnapped Masuyama.
The police are ramping up their search, too.
"Got it!"
Tsuneo nodded, took a phone call, and drove off.
"Shinichi, did you catch what was said on the phone?" Dr. Agasa asked, frowning at the red pickup truck fading into the distance.
Something about a corpse being buried? Is Tsuneo still taking those kinds of jobs?
"???"
Conan's thoughts screeched to a halt, and he looked at Dr. Agasa, baffled.
What's that about?
…
Yonchome residential district.
"Officer Megure!" Tsuneo parked his truck and waved at the portly officer waiting at a house's entrance.
"Tsuneo, come with me."
Megure led the repairman into the yard, stopping beside a large tree.
"You know this woman, right?"
Tsuneo stared at the female corpse freshly dug from the ground, sinking into thought.
This was indeed one of his old clients.
He'd even fixed something for her two days ago.
Why?
Why am I suddenly cursed with this grim reaper vibe?
At this rate, my reputation's toast!
"Ahem." Megure coughed, snapping Tsuneo out of his spiraling thoughts.
"We've estimated the time of death. It was the day you came to repair her appliances. Mrs. Minagawa was stabbed and buried in the yard."
As Tsuneo, wearing a helpless expression, prepared to recount his visit, Officer Takagi ran over, dragging a sneaky figure.
"Inspector Megure, look at this!"
Megure stared at Conan, exasperated.
There it is, the full set!
I knew something was missing!
"Why are you here?"
Tsuneo, having already come clean to the police, sighed, leaning against the wall and asking.
"Doc overheard your call about a buried corpse or something and got worried, so we followed the detective badge's signal," Conan said, inching toward the tree to get a closer look at the body in the pit.
"I bet it's just your case-solving addiction flaring up," Tsuneo said, staring skyward, uncaring about how or why Conan showed up.
Another one dead!
Time to cross another old client off the phonebook.
Phonebook? More like a death ledger!
"I'm worried about you!" Conan said, but his small hands rummaged near the pit, showing no sign of stopping.
"Yeah, right," Tsuneo chuckled dryly.
As if I'd believe that!
"Conan, what are you doing? Stay away from the body!" Megure grabbed Conan and tossed him to Tsuneo.
Honestly!
The kids in the Detective Boys are too weird about these things.
Last time, Mitsuhiko and Genta stood by a corpse discussing video games. What are schools teaching kids these days?
"Officer Megure!" Conan tried to protest, but found himself firmly held.
The great detective turned to Tsuneo.
"Have you figured out who the killer is?" Tsuneo asked, his voice low, staring at Conan.
Thinking of the culprit who harmed his client, an inexplicable anger surged in him.
If you find out who did it, you'd better tell me first this time!
"What are you planning?" Conan shivered. Even facing the Organization, he'd never felt this chilled.
Do some research before you go killing, please!
This guy's about to lose it!
"Praying to the gods is useless now. I'm going to break every bone in their body and bury them at Beika Shrine," Tsuneo said with a cold laugh.
"Beika… Shrine?" Conan blinked, stunned.
What does this have to do with Beika Shrine?
Why bury someone there?
(End of Chapter)
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