The unscrupulous detective in Conan

Chapter 1471 Dame, becoming a dog is definitely Dame!

Metropolitan Police Department, underground parking lot.

"Inspector Megure means we two should investigate Nanako Honjo?"

"Hmm, it seems that Brother Inspector Megure intends for the two of us to show off and win the title of the best in this joint operation."

"Let's set off now?"

"If you don't try to get MVP in a team fight, then the team fight is a waste of time?"

Faced with the opportunity to steal a kill, Fujino decisively chose to go straight in and secure it.

Whether or not you can snag one is another matter.

We absolutely have to seize it.

Miwako Sato sighed resentfully, "So you're saying things I don't understand again? You think this is baseball?"

Miwako Sato's understanding of winning MVP is clearly different from Fujino's, and she is well aware of this—for Sato, who was born in the 70s and 80s, the MVP in baseball games is obviously more commonly heard of than the MVP in video games or team competitions.

However, there is no difference in meaning between the two.

So Fujino just smiled awkwardly: "After all, it's all about showing off within the team, there's no difference."

"Let's not talk about that for now, Sato-neechan. Put the police lights on your car and we'll speed off to Chiba with the lights on."

Miwako Sato didn't say much, and took a police light from her car.

For criminal police officers, portable police lights are practically standard equipment, so she naturally always keeps one in her car.

Using it now isn't considered a violation, since it's being used for case handling.

Fujino looked at it carefully: "By the way, could you put that police light on my car?"

"Speaking of which, this thing seems to be magnetic."

Sato, facing Fujino who was fumbling for his portable police light and seemed a little excited, had a helpless expression on his face: "Dame, absolutely dame!"

"Private cars are not allowed to install sirens, you must know that, right?"

Fujino silently watched her flashy red Mazda.

He felt that this woman shouldn't have looked at what she had done before saying those words.

Don't you feel ashamed?

"..." Sato Miwako was embarrassed for a moment, then straightened up and said with a serious expression, "In principle, it's not allowed, but I'm a detective, and it's normal for me to sometimes use a police car when I'm on a mission!"

Fujino narrowed his eyes: "So it's just not allowed in principle, right?"

"Um, it's like this, it's fine if it's Officer An, but it's not quite appropriate for you..."

Sato Miwako's statement can only be justified by the excuse that it is not entirely appropriate; the regulation on police lights is merely a matter of principle.

It is not allowed in principle, but it is allowed in practice.

It is not allowed in practice, but it is allowed in principle.

That's just how the unspoken rules are.

Fujino, well-versed in the ways of the trade, darted his eyes around and said, "Since your car broke down, it's reasonable for you to requisition mine, right?"

"..." Sato Miwako fell into deep thought, unsure how to put this principle-based rule.

However, looking at the expectant expression on the young man's face, she could only helplessly shrug and say, "Seriously, I can't do anything with you. You drive... Remember to keep a low profile."

"hey-hey."

Fujino took the police light and slapped it directly onto his black Ford Taurus.

Sato Miwako thought to herself that the boy seemed to have gotten some fun toy.

'It's rare to see me act like a child.'

Sato Miwako couldn't help but sigh. But thinking about it, a child wasn't really suitable. After all, a child was a big one—over two hundred months old.

She complained, "Seriously, you got an American-style police car, and now you've added sirens and stuff..."

Fujino chimed in, "Anyone who didn't know better would think the FBI had launched a surprise attack on Tokyo Bay, right?"

Sato Miwako naturally understood the joke, and gave a deadpan look: "Where did you learn so many lame jokes, and how come they're so cheesy?"

"I learned this online... Anyway, it's rare to install an alarm, so let's get going!"

"Hey, wait a minute!"

"Slow down, hey!"

On that day, a black American-style classic Ford Taurus police car appeared on the Tokyo Metropolitan Expressway, flashing red police lights, speeding recklessly at over 100 kilometers per hour.

The surrounding cars were stunned, wondering if they were filming a movie or if Japan was going to stage a gunfight and manhunt scene like the one in America.

Because of the flashing police lights, the highway patrol didn't dare to intercept them easily; if they were really on a mission, things would get complicated.

It can be said that the journey was smooth and unimpeded.

…………

The two arrived in Chiba in less than an hour on the highway.

Sato Miwako immediately removed the siren from the car roof and offered Fujino a warm and friendly greeting regarding his actions, saying:
"I'd be a dog to lend you an alarm again next time!"

"You can't say that, you'd be in trouble if you really became a repairman!"

"You little brat, you still want to borrow it, huh?"

"The key is that it's a repair dog, okay..."

Fujino offered a reminder, feeling that what Sato Miwako said was really too inappropriate.

The feeling of speeding along with flashing police lights is incredibly exciting.

He's already starting to plan how to trick the police lights into coming next time.

Wouldn't that mean Sato would absolutely become a dog?

But turning into a dog or something, like Sister Xiumu Dog, is a bit of a problem...

Although these rather offensive words were not spoken aloud.

However, sensing Fujino's unfriendly gaze, Sato Miwako rolled her eyes at him and gave him a profound and serious lecture:

"No, why did you hit me on the head?"

"You're definitely thinking about bad things."

"Can't I even think about it?"

"Dame!" With the specific address provided by Shindo Sumire, Nanako Honjo found the place quickly, playfully bickering with her.

An elderly couple remained at home, and they naturally answered all the questions that came to visit them.

Nanako Honjo was a kindergarten teacher who died in a fire two years ago at the age of 23. She also had a boyfriend named Kosuke Mizutani.

According to the couple, this guy was a hoodlum who made a living by doing odd jobs; you could say he was a freelancer.

Without a material foundation, their love would naturally not be recognized. Honjo's parents were very dissatisfied with her freelance work, so the two eloped to Tokyo, and then went to Kyoto for a trip, and then this happened.

Over the past two years, the couple still harbored deep resentment towards Mizutani, after all, he was the culprit who abducted their beloved daughter and never returned...

"Who can forgive them on their behalf?" This is Fujino's assessment of the situation.

Miwako Sato sighed, "That's true. After all, she was a daughter they raised with great care. No one can accept that she would die mysteriously after leaving with someone else."

She paused for a moment, then pondered, "But now it's clear that her boyfriend, Kosuke Mizutani, is highly suspicious."

"The details of that incident are still unclear, and there are no clues, but in terms of suspicion, there is a high probability that he committed the murder."

"Unfortunately, the couple still hate Mizutani and know almost nothing about him..."

Fujino walked to the car: "However, Nanako's brother seems to know quite a bit about them. I heard he's an accountant, and he used to visit them often after they eloped."

Sato Miwako pondered, "It would be worth a visit; perhaps we can get some clues."

Then she asked Fujino, "But, have you heard anything from Kyoto after you contacted them?"

"We haven't heard from him yet, but it should be soon. Let's go back to Tokyo first and then contact him again."

Sato Miwako watched as Fujino skillfully tried to hang the police light on, and immediately stopped him: "What are you doing!"

Fujino replied matter-of-factly, "Of course we should turn on the police lights and go back quickly."

Sato Miwako's face was full of dissatisfaction: "You brat, have you forgotten what I just said?!"

"You deliberately made me turn into a dog because of the oath I swore, didn't you?"

"It's fine." Fujino said without batting an eye, simply looking at her, touching his chin, a thoughtful look flickering in his eyes.

Imagine Sato and her sister, dressed as professional office ladies with two dog ears on their heads and a dog tail at the back—they have a kind of cool and cute vibe.

Thinking this through, Fujino nodded and said, "I really like puppies. It's not impossible for you to become a dog, Sato-neechan..."

"German Shepherds would be the best. Other things don't match this lady's style. Even just ear ornaments or something, I think it would be okay."

"What did you say!"

Sato Miwako was both angry and annoyed, her face flushed red, and she wished she could jump up and beat Fujino up.

She felt that Fujino had been spoiled rotten by her, that he would actually say such lewd things to flirt with her.

They even wanted to make her wear dog ears or something...

Turning into a dog or something, oh my!
Even if it's just wearing ears, Sato Miwako would never be a dog. Even if she dies here today, she won't jump off!

It was clear that Sato Miwako was no match for Fujino, and in the end, she could only watch with tears in her eyes as the alarm was stolen and put back on next time.

Fujino felt that Sato Miwako was a little childish.

But, thinking about it carefully, that's exactly how she is. She may seem mature, but deep down, there's still a little girl inside her.

…………

Things went quite smoothly after I returned to Tokyo.

The two of them directly arranged to meet with Nanako Honjo's older brother, Kazuki Honjo.

Honjou Kazuki is a middle-aged man dressed in a well-tailored suit, looking meticulous and giving off a strong sense of a corporate slave.

When the two men visited him, he invited them to a coffee shop and told them what information he knew.

The story was similar to what his parents told him, but there were significant discrepancies in the version about Kosuke Mizutani.

For example, he brought up that Mizutani Kosuke would send flowers to her sister every year, and this year he said something strange, saying that those seven people would pay the price they deserved.

Sato Miwako frowned at his reaction and asked, "Who are those seven people he mentioned?"

“I’m not quite sure about that.” Honjou Kazuki looked helpless, then pondered for a moment and said, “However, speaking of which, after my sister died, seven people anonymously sent me bouquets. I wonder if that has anything to do with what he said.”

As he spoke, he took out a notebook he always carried with him and showed it to the two of them. It was filled with addresses: "Every year on the anniversary of my death, someone will anonymously send flowers from all over the country."

Fujino looked at it carefully: "Mr. Honjo, your notes are very neat."

"Speaking of which, your business card is just as neat."

Honjo and Shu looked embarrassed and explained, "After all, I'm an accountant, and I just have this inexplicable urge to make the formats more organized."

As he spoke, he looked at Fujino and Sato with a puzzled expression: "But why are you two suddenly paying attention to my sister's affairs...?"

Fujino explained calmly, "There has been a vicious series of murders recently, and your sister is connected to this case. We suspect that Mr. Mizutani is the murderer."

"Nani?!"

Honjou's expression went from shock to confusion, and finally to bewilderment: "My sister... how could Mizutani be involved in a serial murder case?"

Fujino narrowed his eyes: "Because, back then, your sister lost her chance to escape for some reason, or rather, by human intervention. He probably felt that these people were responsible for your sister's death, so he planned to kill them all to take revenge."

"How could this be..." Upon hearing this, Honjou and Itsuki's expressions were extremely complicated.

Sato Miwako gave Fujino a meaningful look before changing the subject and asking, "Speaking of which, does Mr. Mizutani really like your sister?"

“I’ve visited them a few times, and it seems so.” Honjou sighed upon hearing this. “Otherwise, my sister probably wouldn’t have eloped with him or anything like that.”

As he spoke, he slammed his fist on the table: "If I had known it would turn out like this, I should have stopped them back then."

“The deceased has passed away, please accept my condolences…” Sato Miwako said with a word of comfort, and then asked, “The key now is information about Mr. Mizutani. After all, we only have suspicions at the moment, so we plan to ask him what the situation is.”

Honjou shook his head slightly and sighed, "I've rarely contacted him since that incident two years ago. I'm not sure where he is now, but I do remember his old address. It was an apartment he rented with my sister..."

At this point, he looked at the two of them seriously: "Although I don't know exactly what happened, given his feelings for my sister, he might really do something like murder. If he is the murderer, please stop him and don't let him continue down this wrong path."

Leaving the coffee shop, Sato Miwako plopped down in the passenger seat, her voice low and brooding: "Fujino, why did you reveal so much about the case to him?"

"You suspect he killed someone?"

Fujino shook his head slightly and said in a low voice, "It's not clear yet, but I feel that he might be."

“When he mentioned seven people earlier, I felt something was off. Then he even produced the addresses of those seven people, which were the same as the victim’s residence.”

"I've always thought that even if ordinary people knew what happened back then and who those people were, they would most likely only know their names. How could they possibly come knocking on their door directly?"

"Do you think it's possible that he found those seven people using this address?"

(End of this chapter)