Traveling back thirty years to Conan, intercepting Princess Eri

Although the grudges have been brewing for over a decade, some hurts will not fade with time.

If Miyazaki has never been able to let go of his anger, and if he unexpectedly encounters the deceased today, it might reignite the anger that has been suppressed for many years...

Lin Xiuyi listened quietly, then her gaze returned to the three suspects.

Kohei Sato, a loser in the workplace competition.

Yuuki Matsuzaka, the ex-girlfriend who was cheated on.

Naoto Miyazaki, an old friend whose scholarship was taken away.

Three people, three different motives for murder, each one sufficient enough.

But the question is, who is the real murderer?
Or is the murderer really one of these three people?
Lin Xiuyi recalled the mysterious girl who left early, the precise wound on the back of the deceased's neck, and how no one in the coffee shop had heard any struggle.

“Inspector Megure,” Lin Xiuyi asked, “where were these three people sitting at the time? How far were they from the deceased’s booth?”

Inspector Megure paused for a moment, then understood Lin Xiuyi's intention: he was confirming whether the three people had the time and space to commit the crime.

“Kohei Sato was sitting by the window,” Inspector Megure pointed to the second table by the window, “about three or four meters away from the deceased’s booth, with an unobstructed view.”

“Matsusaka Yuki is sitting near the door,” he said, pointing to a table near the door, “about seven or eight meters from the booths, with several rows of tables in between.”

“Naoto Miyazaki is sitting on a bar stool next to the bar,” he pointed towards the bar, “about three or four meters away from the booths, but at a slightly off angle.”

Lin Xiuyi's gaze swept across the coffee shop, mapping out each location in his mind.

"Did they interact with the deceased?" he continued. "Did anyone see them approach the deceased's booth?"

“That’s the problem,” Inspector Megure said with a wry smile. “According to the waitress and other customers, none of the three people approached the deceased.”

"When Sato Kohei came in, he greeted the deceased and then sat down."

"When Matsuzaka Yuki came in and saw the deceased, she paused for a moment, then sat down directly by the door without exchanging a word."

"When Naoto Miyazaki came in and saw the deceased, he was stunned for a moment, but he didn't go over to talk to him. Instead, he sat down at the bar."

“In other words,” Lin Xiuyi pondered, “none of the three people had direct contact with the deceased, at least not from the perspective of the shop assistants and other customers.”

“Yes.” Inspector Megure nodded. “But that doesn’t mean they didn’t have the opportunity to commit a crime. Because there are many people and eyes in a coffee shop, and no one can guarantee that they are watching someone every second.”

"If the murderer is cautious enough, they could easily find a few seconds' gap to quietly approach the victim..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but his meaning was already quite clear.

Lin Xiuyi remained silent for a moment before her gaze returned to the three suspects.

Kohei Sato remained seated upright, answering the officers' questions clearly and logically, like a good employee who habitually obeys his superiors.

But Lin Xiuyi noticed that his hands were always on his knees, and his fingers would occasionally curl slightly, which was a sign of nervousness.

Yuki Matsuzaka kept her head down, her shoulders trembling slightly.

Lin Xiuyi couldn't see her expression, but he could see that her fingers were tightly clenched together, and her knuckles were white.

Was it extreme sadness or extreme fear? Or both?
Naoto Miyazaki still crossed his arms, looking impatient.

His gaze would occasionally drift toward the direction of the deceased, but each time it was just a fleeting glance before he looked away.

What is he running away from? Or is it just indifference that doesn't concern him?
Three suspects, three different reactions. Each could be a genuine emotion or a carefully orchestrated performance. "Shuichi," Eri's voice came softly.

Lin Xiuyi turned his head and found that she and Yukiko had walked up to him at some point.

"Did you find anything?" Yukiko asked in a low voice, curious.

Lin Xiuyi looked at her, then at Fei Yingli, and gently shook his head.

"Not yet," he said, "but it will happen eventually."

……

Just as Lin Xiuyi and the two girls were talking in hushed tones, Matsuzaka Yuki, who was being questioned by police officers not far away, suddenly became agitated.

Her voice was sharp and urgent, like a taut string suddenly snapping, shattering the barely maintained tranquility of the coffee shop.

The woman, who had been looking down and whose shoulders were trembling slightly, suddenly raised her head, her face full of anger and impatience.

Her eyes were still red, but the vulnerable expression from before had vanished without a trace, replaced by anger at being offended.

"What are you all asking me!" she waved her hands, her voice rising higher and higher, "I haven't even gone near that bastard! What right do you have to keep asking me!"

She stood up abruptly, causing the chair to screech loudly.

The police officer next to her instinctively took a step back, clearly not expecting this woman, who had just seemed so weak, to suddenly erupt.

"I was just out shopping, how could I run into such bad luck!"

Yuuki Matsuzaka continued, her voice filled with grievance and anger.
"I've said everything I can say, what more do you want? Do you want me to admit that I killed him? I didn't even touch him!"

Inspector Megure, who was talking to Yoshiyuki Kujo, heard the commotion, quickly stopped his conversation, and hurried over.

He raised his hands in a reassuring gesture.
“Ms. Matsuzaka, please calm down. We understand your emotions, but this is normal investigative procedure. After all, someone has died, and we need to question everyone present…”

"ask?"

Matsuzaka Yuuki sneered and crossed her arms.

"You call this an interrogation? This is clearly an interrogation! I've told you so many times, I've been sitting by the door ever since I came in, and I haven't even glanced at that bastard! Do you have any evidence that I went near him?"

Inspector Megure was speechless when asked the question and could only awkwardly wipe the sweat from his forehead.

Indeed, there is currently no evidence to suggest that Matsuzaka Yuki was close to the deceased. But it is precisely because there is no evidence that a more detailed inquiry is necessary.

But before he could finish speaking, Naoto Miyazaki next to him also started shouting.

"I have already cooperated fully with your police investigation!" Naoto Miyazaki's voice was louder, filled with obvious dissatisfaction and impatience.

He maintained his arms crossed, but leaned forward, his gaze piercing.

"But you can't keep me here forever! I have things to take care of! What if I'm delayed?"

He jumped down from the bar stool, strode up to Inspector Megure, and looked down at the sweating detective.

“I’m a freelancer, my time is money!” Naoto Miyazaki continued. “I have a client meeting this afternoon, it’s at 3:30!”

"It's almost three o'clock already, and I still need to go home to get some documents and get there! Who will compensate me for the losses caused by you delaying me like this?" (End of Chapter)