"Now that you mention it, she truly is a bit suspicious."
Heiji nodded as he listened to Conan's account of the English teacher's performance on the bus—specifically the moment she had casually engaged the safety on a hijacker's pistol as if it were second nature.
Would a normal person really attempt to mimic a movie trope like that in a life-or-death situation?
"No, what's even more suspicious is Tsuneo," Conan added, a fresh headache brewing. "I can't shake the feeling that he's been talking to Dr. Araide... a bit too much lately."
He recalled the Repairman's behavior on the bus and found it increasingly difficult to decipher.
"Doesn't he always talk a lot?" Heiji asked. He had stopped at a vending machine to buy two drinks, thoughtfully twisting the cap off the one he handed to the elementary student.
"I'll give you that. Especially when he's busy saying things that cut right to the bone," Conan replied with a look of pure exasperation.
"By the way, what was actually in that photo?" Heiji asked, stealing a glance at Conan's shirt pocket. His curiosity was finally getting the better of him.
"A photo of me in the bath. Do you want to see it?" Conan took a sip of his drink and shot Heiji a flat, sideways glare.
"A photo of you bathing... with whom?"
"..."
Evening approached.
"A luxury apartment complex, huh? Does being an English teacher really pay this well?" Heiji craned his neck, staring up at the towering skyscraper before them.
The rent in a place like this had to be at least three to five times higher than what Tsuneo paid for his place.
"I heard Ran and the others mention that her father is apparently quite wealthy," Conan noted, nodding.
"Brother Tsuneo said he wanted to move, but a place like this would probably be way out of his budget," Heiji remarked, suddenly remembering the expensive game capsule sitting in the middle of Tsuneo's cramped living room.
"Heh... you really don't need to worry about his finances," Conan muttered, rolling his eyes.
The only reason Tsuneo hadn't moved yet was likely because he was used to his current place—or, more accurately, because he was too lazy to pack. That man had more ways to make money than Conan could count. Instead of worrying about him, Heiji would be better off worrying about his own future career.
The two of them blended in behind a group of residents and successfully slipped into the lobby. With their top-tier acting skills, playing the role of two brothers visiting the building was child's play.
"What if she's not home?" Heiji asked as they rode the elevator up. He was already mentally calculating how long it would take to pick the lock.
"If you keep hanging around Tsuneo, you're eventually going to turn into one of those detectives who relies entirely on illegal methods..." Conan sighed. They hadn't even confirmed anything yet, and Heiji was already thinking about breaking and entering.
"You mean I'll turn into someone like you?"
"..."
"Room 2104. Jodie Saintemillion. This is it."
The two of them stopped in front of the door.
"Remember, we're only here to scout the area today. Don't do anything reckless," Conan warned, hands in his pockets as he looked up at the Osaka detective.
In that moment, he finally understood how his father and Tsuneo felt whenever they looked at him...
"I know, I know." Heiji nodded, then paused. "By the way, once we see her... what exactly are we supposed to say?"
"Huh?" Conan's face froze in shock.
You didn't even think of an excuse? You got the address from the Repairman and dragged me all the way here without a plan?
Wait... I didn't think of one either.
But why didn't you mention this downstairs?!
"This is the first time I've ever met her. Why would I have a reason to drop by? I thought you'd have come up with something," Heiji whispered, leaning down with an annoyed expression.
"Forget it. Give it up. Let's just go back," Conan said, shaking his head. He turned to leave. He wasn't a student at Teitan High anymore; showing up at a teacher's door unannounced would achieve nothing but making her suspicious.
"Wait a second! We're already at the door! How can we retreat now?"
As he spoke, Heiji threw an impulsive, frustrated fist toward the wall next to the door.
Ding-dong!
The clear, loud chime of the doorbell echoed through the hallway.
"You... you idiot!" Conan stared at Heiji, wide-eyed.
Heiji had accidentally punched the doorbell button dead-on.
"Oh crap..." Heiji jumped back, his eyes darting around.
A few seconds later, the sound of footsteps approached from within. The handle turned, and the door swung open.
"Ts-Tsuneo?!"
Conan had been frantically cycling through a dozen lies in his head, but his brain short-circuited when the Repairman appeared in the doorway, dressed in his work coveralls.
"Can I help you two?" Tsuneo asked, his eyes moving between Heiji and Conan's stunned faces.
"Wh-What are you doing here?!" Conan stammered.
Why is it that no matter where I go, you're already there?!
"Isn't it obvious?" Tsuneo gestured to the heavy tool bag slung over his shoulder. "I'm here to fix things."
Heiji opened his mouth, but no words came out.
Right. Right... that is your actual job. But showing up at the house of our primary suspect is a bit too much of a coincidence, isn't it?
Just then, the door to the neighboring unit, Room 2103, opened. Two men and a woman stepped out. The men looked heavily intoxicated, swaying on their feet, while the woman behind them locked the door with a sigh.
"I'm so sorry," she said to the men. "He really made things awkward for you both back there."
"Don't worry about it. Takai-senpai is always like this once he's had a few drinks."
"Hmph! You only see a man's true nature when he's wasted!"
"Listen to you, acting like you're any better."
"Shut up..."
The trio bickered as they headed toward the elevator, clearly on their way out for the evening.
"Hey, do we have guests?"
A voice drifted from behind Tsuneo.
"They're here to see me," the Repairman explained, stepping aside and opening the door wider to reveal the interior.
"!!!"
Both teenagers froze in their tracks.
Standing there was Jodie-sensei, wrapped in a provocatively loose, light-purple yukata. The plunging neckline left very little to the imagination, framing her silhouette in a way that was undeniably dazzling.
"The shower was just finished, and I was about to wash up. I came out as soon as I heard the bell," Jodie explained, a cheerful smile on her face.
"It seems you've given them quite a shock," Tsuneo remarked, glancing at Heiji, whose face had turned a deep shade of reddish-black.
Even the 'Great Detective' Conan had a face as red as a cherry.
"Oh, sorry! Did I do something wrong?" Jodie asked, seemingly oblivious to the sheer impact her appearance had on two high school boys.
"N-No, it's nothing."
Heiji shook his head, suddenly flashing back to the times he had worked jobs with Tsuneo. He remembered seeing scenes like this far too often back then.
"Cool kid! Do you have plans for tonight?" Jodie clapped her hands together excitedly, looking like she desperately wanted to join in on the fun.
"We... we were planning to have dinner together," Conan lied quickly.
"Well, to thank Mr. Tsuneo for his help, why don't I treat everyone? How does that sound?" Jodie asked with a laugh.
"Fine by me," Tsuneo replied. He never was one to turn down a free meal.
"Are we still going to investigate?" Heiji whispered to Conan as Jodie headed back into the bathroom to finish her shower.
"We wouldn't find anything even if we tried."
Conan narrowed his eyes at the Repairman. If Tsuneo was the one who had been hired to fix things, he would have made sure to hide anything suspicious—either to protect her or to keep his own investigation a secret.
The question was: did Tsuneo come here just to fix a shower, or was he digging for information through a side channel?
Conan really wanted to know just how much Tsuneo actually knew about this English teacher.
"Shh."
Tsuneo smiled and placed a finger to his lips, giving the two of them a friendly but firm warning.
Who knew if that woman was actually showering, or if she was wearing a headset, listening to every word they said through a bug?
(End of Chapter)
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