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Chapter 201: Third-Rate Detective
"Third-rate detective?"
Mori Kogoro looked like a cat whose tail had been stepped on; his hackles raised instantly. He slammed his hand onto the table, sending the red wine in his goblet sloshing dangerously.
"Ha! You must be confused from overwork, Attorney Kisaki."
"I am the renowned 'Sleeping Kogoro' who shakes all of Tokyo! As long as I take the case, there is no mystery I cannot solve!"
As he spoke, he snatched the menu without even glancing at the prices and waved his hand grandly. "Waiter! Give me the most expensive... uh, whatever this Beef Wellington is! And open a bottle of your best wine!"
The smell of gunpowder between the two grew thicker, the air practically crackling with sparks. Caught in the middle, Mori Ran felt her head swelling to the size of a bucket. She held the menu in her left hand while her right hand stayed ready to pin down her father, who looked ready to jump up at any moment. All the while, she maintained a smile that was awkward yet polite.
"Um... Dad, Mom, since we're finally eating together, let's order first, okay?" Ran tried to mediate. "This place is famous for its foie gras and bread. Conan wants to eat too, right?"
Ran signaled desperately to Conan with her eyes.
Conan was resting his chin in his hands, looking at the pair of bickering ex-parents with a look of utter despair. Receiving Ran's distress signal, he could only sigh and switch to his innocent, childish voice.
"Yeah! Uncle, I'm starving too!" He beamed. "And Auntie Eri looks so pretty today. You two look like a perfect match sitting together!"
This bit of flattery hit the mark perfectly. Although Mori Kogoro continued to grumble, his expression softened considerably. Kisaki Eri also decided to take the out; she pushed up her glasses, ignoring the scruffy man, and turned to the waiter.
"Please bring this child the kid's meal. Also..." She glanced at the watch on her wrist, her brow furrowing again. "Could you check the restroom again? Mr. Otsuka has been gone for nearly thirty minutes."
The waiter standing nearby, who had been thoroughly bewildered by this strange family combination, felt relieved to have an excuse to leave. "Yes, ma'am. I will check immediately."
He walked quickly toward the hallway leading to the restrooms at the back of the restaurant.
Suddenly, the elegant violin music was brutally interrupted by a shrill scream.
"Ahhh—!!!"
The sound came from the direction of the restroom—high-pitched, terrified, instantly piercing the sophisticated atmosphere of the restaurant. Knives and forks froze in mid-air. Diners looked up in astonishment, their expressions shifting from culinary enjoyment to blank confusion and panic.
Almost the same second the scream rang out, the bespectacled brat who had been acting cute just a moment earlier changed completely. The innocence vanished, replaced by a sharpness and coldness akin to a hunting dog catching the scent of blood.
Conan jumped off his chair, his short legs moving like pistons as he shot toward the restroom like an arrow from a bow.
"Conan! Where are you going?!" Mori Ran shouted instinctively.
Before she could even stand up, Mori Kogoro had already thrown his napkin onto the table. "Something's happened!"
He might look unreliable most of the time, but he was a former detective of the First Investigation Division. In that instant, Kogoro's reaction speed was hardly slower than Conan's.
Blake watched the two of them rush off, his expression peculiar.
It really is sinister!
That guy named Otsuka really did wait until the 'Death God Elementary Schooler' walked in before getting murdered. Is this the legendary 'Law of Conan-ology'?
Blake wiped the corner of his mouth elegantly with a napkin, a playful look in his eyes. He stood up, hands in his trouser pockets, and followed them with leisurely steps.
At the entrance to the restroom, the waitress who had screamed was slumped on the floor, pointing a trembling hand inside, her lips quivering too much to form a complete sentence.
Mori Kogoro grabbed the door handle and twisted it hard.
Click, click.
Locked.
"Listen, people inside! I am the detective Mori Kogoro! What happened?!"
He shouted while banging on the thick mahogany door. There was no response. There was only the faint sound of liquid dripping onto tiles, which sounded exceptionally harsh in the deathly silence.
Conan lay on the floor, trying to peek through the gap under the door, but the high-end restaurant's doors were fitted tightly; he couldn't see a thing.
"It's no good, Uncle! No response from inside!" Conan looked up, a cold glint flashing across his glasses. "Break it down!"
Mori Kogoro took two steps back, took a deep breath, tensed his shoulder muscles, and slammed into the door.
Bang!
A dull thud echoed. The heavy mahogany door groaned under Kogoro's savage impact, emitting a tooth-aching cracking sound. With a final crash, the lock gave way completely, and Mori Kogoro tumbled into the restroom along with the door.
A strong smell of rust assaulted their senses. It wasn't the smell of old, corroded pipes, but the fresh, warm metallic scent of blood.
"Ouch..." Kogoro rubbed his bruised shoulder as he scrambled up. As soon as his vision focused, he froze.
In the narrow stall, the man named Otsuka was slumped on the toilet in a twisted posture. His head hung limply against his chest, his expensive suit soaked in dark red liquid. A steak knife was buried in the center of his chest, leaving only the silver handle visible. Blood dripped down his pant legs, pooling into a shocking red puddle on the floor tiles.
"D... Dead?"
Kogoro's pupils contracted. His police instincts instantly suppressed his fear. He quickly reached out to check Otsuka's carotid artery.
Cold. Stiff. No pulse.
"Ran! Call the police! Don't let anyone in!" Kogoro roared over his shoulder, his voice echoing in the small space.
Outside, screams rose and fell. The elegant French restaurant instantly descended into chaos.
Taking advantage of the confusion, Conan slipped into the restroom like a nimble cat. He didn't touch the body but quickly scanned the surroundings. No windows. The exhaust fan vent was only the size of a palm. The only exit was the door Kogoro had just smashed open.
Conan stood on his tiptoes and examined the broken lock. It was an old-fashioned slide bolt that could only be locked from the inside by rotating the knob. Everyone had heard the sound of the latch snapping when the door was forced.
"A locked-room murder?"
At the restaurant entrance, a stout police officer wearing an orange hat and brown trench coat led a large team charging in.
Megure Juzo. Inspector of the Violent Crime Investigation Section 3 of the Metropolitan Police Department.
As soon as he entered, Inspector Megure saw the familiar figure. His originally serious face instantly collapsed into a deadpan expression with half-moon eyes.
"I knew it..."
"Whenever there's a homicide report in Beika Town, nine times out of ten, I'll see you." Inspector Megure walked up to Mori Kogoro and sighed helplessly. "Mori-kun, can't you take a day off occasionally?"
Mori Kogoro scratched his head awkwardly and laughed dryly. "Inspector Megure, this is purely a coincidence! Coincidence! I just brought my wife and daughter for a meal..."
Cough.
Kisaki Eri coughed coldly from the side. "Ex-wife. Currently separated."
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