Conan: Science Cartoonist Kudo Yuji

The analysis of Hideko Ono's death is still ongoing. Yuji Kudo immediately called the Osaka Police Headquarters' Public Security Department, requesting them to immediately access public surveillance cameras near several restaurants and verify the timestamps to identify the people who visited all three restaurants that day.

"I'm late! I'm late!"

A policeman, rushing up from downstairs while tidying his clothes, shouted loudly.

"Where is that damn cop from Tokyo?! Doesn't he know we're in Osaka? How dare he act on his own? Does this guy even respect Osaka?!"

A man with slightly curly hair, whose tie was still a bit loose even when he tried to tie it tightly, rushed up to the second floor. He saw the familiar Okita and was about to speak when Kudo Yuuji, who was holding his shoulders, stopped him in his tracks.

"You're talking about that bastard cop in Tokyo, could it be me?"

Yuuji shook the police ID in his hand, then took out a stack of documents from his pocket, patted them, and put the police ID into the second one and put it back in his pocket.

"Public...Public Security Police! I'm so sorry, my name is Ikehachi Kiji, and I am the patrol chief of the First Division of the Osaka Investigation Division!"

"Investigation Division?" Conan popped his head out of the room and was immediately spotted by the sharp-eyed Ikehachi.

“They’re those redundant police officers in Osaka used to confirm whether a murder has actually occurred.” Kudo Yuji looked at Ikehata, who seemed hesitant to speak.

"That room must be the crime scene, right? How could this child be in a crime scene? That's just too much..."

"He was brought in by the son of your Hattori Department Head."

"That's brilliant! Kids often discover things that adults can't see. Hattori-kun is clearly making it easier for us to solve the case!"

A group of Osaka students slapped their foreheads, saying that Ikehata had gone a bit too far with his licking, making them feel like they couldn't bear to watch.

"Drip."

Kudo Yuji glanced at his phone, pulled up the photos and information sent by the public security system, raised his eyebrows, and urged Hattori Mamoru to hurry up.

“I already have an idea for this case, Officer Ikehata. Please contact the forensic department and medical examiner’s office in Osaka. We need them to take the body away after we solve the case.” Kudo Yuji glanced at Hattori Mamoru, whose hair was still a little wet, and beckoned everyone to come into the room from outside. Then he instructed Ikehata to disassemble the air purifier that was still working.

"In order to ensure that the crime scene is not excessively damaged, we did not ask to turn off these air conditioners and air purifiers, but I think Okita-kun must have noticed this strange place a long time ago, because you have been staring at this place."

Okita nodded and, referring to the analysis of the bloodstains on the ground and the cross-section of the corpse, pointed to the air purifier.

"This design contains an air compressor, which is designed with an air pump and an electric motor. So, to cut off Hideko Ono's head in an instant in this confined environment, a high-powered rotating motor is required. The two ends of the steel wire are tied to the motor, and then the person's neck is placed in the middle of the steel wire loop."

"But the electric motor of such a small appliance can't do that, right? Besides, air purifiers are portable. If they had enough power to chop off a person's head, the air purifier you see when you enter the room would definitely be overturned."

Ikehachi pointed out the flaws in Okita's reasoning, while Hattori Mamoru immediately followed up with his analysis.

"Just as I thought, this air purifier makes a strange sound. It's just drawing air in through the air pump. I don't think I heard the electric motor getting involved, so the motor is probably not inside now."

“That’s right. I think the murderer must have initially planned to install a high-powered electric motor into the air purifier, then deliver it to this room, and carry out the plan while Hideko Ono was drunk.” Okita sighed regretfully.

"But I still don't understand where that high-powered motor is now. Judging from the distribution of the bloodstains, it must have been installed in the center of the room when the murder happened. After the motor was turned on, the high-speed steel wire dragged the drunk Ono towards the motor while cutting off her head."

"The motor should be outside the window, because Hattori-san paid special attention to the window just now, and the police officer also went to the window to look."

Conan immediately pointed to the window.

"Yes, I discovered that this room is not a true locked room. The windows can be moved very much, so the glass can be removed at any time, whether from the outside or the inside."

Hattori Mamoru walked to the window and pointed to the extended eaves, which were not clearly visible in the completely dark night.

"If I'm not mistaken, that high-powered motor is right under the eaves. The murderer was worried that installing it in the air purifier would be too noisy and attract attention, so they didn't install it." (End of Chapter)