Miwako Sato led the group into the Criminal Investigation Department hall.
The first thing that stood out was the neatly arranged desks, bright and clean.
However—
Not a single officer was working.
Sonoko couldn't help but complain.
"This looks completely different from what I've seen on TV."
She crossed her arms, her tone laced with disappointment.
"Aren't detectives supposed to be rugged, chain-smoking types? They should be lounging at their desks, puffing away, solving cases between drags—just like in the dramas!"
At that moment, Takagi approached from the side, shaking his head.
"TV is all smoke and mirrors. None of that is real."
He sighed.
"The officers in the Metropolitan Police Department are still very civilized, you know."
Miwako turned to him.
"Takagi, why are you here? Wasn't the Haido Bank being robbed?"
"Haido was robbed!"
The sudden news took everyone aback.
For a moment, Conan's mind whirred.
Beika Town is supposed to be a peaceful place, yet crime keeps popping up
And now—
A new case!
The little detective's eyes lit up.
His energy surged back instantly.
Takagi continued, his expression serious.
"Inspector Megure was caught up in the case because of his wife and got slightly injured."
"He's still at the bank, keeping watch, but he's doing his best."
He sighed again.
"I have a meeting with the bank manager at two this afternoon, so I came back to prepare."
Then, shaking his head, he muttered,
"Honestly, the general manager was just plain unlucky. His wife happened to be taken hostage during the robbery."
"Luckily, Mrs. Megure stepped in and took her place; otherwise, Mrs. Masuo would've been the one hurt."
His brows furrowed slightly.
"But something doesn't add up. The general manager's wife arranged a meeting with me at five in the afternoon."
"Meanwhile, her husband told me they'd both be arriving at two o'clock. He didn't seem to have a clue about her schedule."
Miwako didn't dwell on it for long.
"We'll figure it out soon enough."
Then she turned to Sonoko, motioning her over.
"Alright, let's start taking statements. Come sit down."
She walked over to a nearby desk, sat down casually, crossed her legs, and flipped open her notebook.
"Now, tell me—how exactly did you figure out that guy was the mastermind?"
Sonoko stiffened.
A nervous chuckle escaped her lips.
"W-Well, you see…"
How was she supposed to explain?
One moment, she had been completely clueless.
The next—
She blinked and suddenly understood everything!
It was like magic!
Conan, watching her hesitation, instantly tensed.
Oh no.
Would he have to knock her out and let him speak through her again?!
But before he could make a move—
Judy stepped forward.
Her Nihongo was a little clumsy, but her words were precise.
"I witnessed everything firsthand. I can provide a clear account for the report."
After all, she was an FBI agent.
She knew exactly what needed to be documented in an official statement.
As she spoke, Conan found himself looking at her with newfound interest.
This English teacher from America...
She wasn't just some ordinary woman.
Meanwhile, as Judy helped Sonoko with the statement—
A middle-aged man with curly hair and a large belly strode into the department hall.
His suit was neatly pressed, a pair of glasses perched on his head, and a gold watch glinting on his wrist.
As he stepped inside, he checked his watch and let out a small, relieved sigh.
This was Keizo Masuo—
The general manager of Haido Bank.
Takagi greeted him with a polite nod.
"Mr. Masuo, you're here. But… where's your wife?"
Keizo Masuo hesitated for a moment before responding.
"She had some errands to run earlier and rushed to the bank. We arranged to meet here at the Metropolitan Police Department to handle some payments."
His brows furrowed slightly.
"Wait, hasn't she arrived yet?"
As he spoke, he instinctively glanced at his watch again.
A puzzled look crossed his face.
"That's odd. Could she still be asleep? Let me borrow your phone."
Takagi nodded and handed over his phone.
Keizo Masuo dialed his home number, checking his watch once more as he waited for the call to connect.
Judy, standing nearby, noticed his repeated glances and couldn't help but give him a curious look.
Soon, the call was picked up.
A woman's voice came through the receiver.
"This is the Masuo residence. Huh? You're at the Metropolitan Police Department? What are you doing there?"
Keizo Masuo furrowed his brows and passed the phone to Takagi.
Taking the receiver, Takagi spoke up.
"Mrs. Masuo, this is Takagi from Investigation Division 1. We met yesterday."
"Oh, Officer Takagi! The one from yesterday, right?"
Takagi frowned.
"Why are you still at home? Did something happen?"
The woman on the other end sounded confused.
"What are you talking about? Didn't we agree to meet at five o'clock?"
Takagi's brows knit tighter.
"That's strange. Your husband said you were supposed to meet him here at two."
The woman's voice turned sharp with disbelief.
"What? He never said that! I never heard anything about a two o'clock meeting!"
Keizo Masuo's face darkened as he grabbed the phone.
"What are you saying?! I clearly told you about this!"
But before any further argument could unfold—
A sudden, bloodcurdling scream erupted from the other end of the line.
"AHHHHHHHHHH!!!"
The entire room froze.
All heads turned in an instant.
Miwako, Judy, and Conan snapped their gazes toward the phone.
Without hesitation, Miwako snatched the receiver.
"Mrs. Masuo?! Can you hear me?! Mrs. Masuo!!"
Silence.
No response.
A sinking feeling crept into Miwako's gut.
Something was wrong.
Without a second thought, she bolted out of the room.
Takagi, Keizo Masuo, and Conan were right on her heels.
Judy chuckled as she turned to Ran and Sonoko, her eyes gleaming with excitement.
"Let's go! This is getting interesting!"
With a mischievous grin, she casually snatched Takagi's car keys off the table.
Ran and Sonoko exchanged looks of disbelief.
"Judy-sensei… this is a serious situation! And you're treating it like entertainment?!"
Her enthusiasm was beyond outrageous.
But before they could protest, Judy grabbed Akashi's hand and took off.
"No way!"
Ran and Sonoko's expressions changed instantly.
There was no way they'd let Akashi get dragged off on his own!
Without wasting a second, the two women raced after them.
Miwako and the others jumped into her red Mazda.
Judy and the rest piled into a white Nissan.
With the roar of an engine—
The Mazda took the lead, speeding out onto the road.
Judy adjusted her glasses, smirked, and slammed the accelerator.
The Nissan followed in hot pursuit.
Her thoughts raced as she drove.
Now's my chance. Let's see how competent the Nihongo Metropolitan Police really are.
Are they truly skilled enough to disrupt FBI operations?
Or are they just as unreliable as they seem?
This was a perfect opportunity to gather intel.
That was why, the moment the situation escalated, she didn't hesitate to jump in.
However—
She had completely underestimated Miwako's driving skills.
This was the Screaming Witch of the Fog.
A legend behind the wheel.
Within moments, the Mazda surged ahead, leaving the Nissan trailing far behind.
Judy's green eyes flashed with determination.
Her grip tightened on the steering wheel.
"Oh, so that's how you want to play it?"
Without missing a beat, she slammed the accelerator again—going full throttle!
The Nissan shot forward like a bullet, engine roaring as it gave chase.
Inside the Nissan, things weren't looking good for the passengers.
The sudden acceleration threw everyone into chaos.
Ran and Sonoko clutched the overhead handles for dear life.
But Akashi?
He was not so lucky.
The centrifugal force flung him all over the backseat.
One moment, he was crashing into Sonoko's long legs—
The next, he was slamming into Ran's chest—
Then his face was squished against the car window.
A complete disaster.
By the time he tried to steady himself, Ran grabbed him firmly and pressed him between herself and Sonoko.
Sonoko quickly followed, securing him in place.
The three of them were now locked together like a human sandwich.
And yet—
They were still being tossed from side to side, shifting with every sharp turn.
Akashi was completely trapped, squeezed between them.
He wasn't injured—
But he was barely able to breathe.
This was hell!