Conan: Death is Watching Me

Chapter 203 The Assassinated Detective

"Swish!"

into the night.

Under the torrential rain, the streets of Mihua were shrouded in mist.

Gao Mo accompanied the man with the mustache to a dinner party hosted by the 3rd Criminal Investigation Division of the First Investigation Department. Besides Sato and Takagi, there were also several officers, including Officer Chiba, whom they were meeting for the first time. Shiratori, who had recently been promoted, was also present.

Even the head of the Criminal Investigation Department, Director Odagiri, made a brief appearance. Although he only exchanged a few words, it was enough to establish a nodding acquaintance.

"This is Kyosuke Kazato, a psychologist at Beika Pharmacist Hospital," Shiratori greeted Gao Mo and the man with the mustache with a smile, while also introducing the long-faced man with curly hair beside him. "Mr. Mori, if you have time, you should see Dr. Kazato. He can definitely help you."

"Me? I have indeed been experiencing frequent drowsiness and amnesia lately..."

After thinking about it seriously, the man with the mustache gradually stiffened as he realized what was happening.

"I don't have any psychological problems!"

“Haha, Mr. Mori, don’t be shy,” Shiratori laughed. “Kazeto is also our psychologist. Not just Class 3, but Class 1 basically goes to him to solve any problems. He’s really amazing.”

"Nice to meet you," the long-faced young man said politely, shaking hands with the man with the mustache. "I have long admired Mr. Mori's reputation."

"Really? Haha! I just accidentally solved a few minor cases!"

The man with the mustache quickly became engrossed in the compliments and burst into smug laughter.

At this moment, Shiratori noticed Takagi behind the mustache and subconsciously labeled him as "one of Takagi's people".

When they met at the Metropolitan Police Department last time, Gao Mo and Gao Mu were very close.

but……

Shiratori frowned in confusion.

Seeing Gao Mo again, I don't know why, but I felt like he was a head shorter.

“Mr. Kido?” Kyosuke Kazato extended his hand to Gao Mo. “Everyone in the industry says that Mr. Kido has severe depression, but he seems fine to me.”

"It's in the past."

Gao Mo and Kazeto Kyosuke shook hands lightly.

Psychologist...

This was the first time he had ever met a psychologist in the Conan world.

I wonder what these people usually study, and whether they themselves have psychological problems.

……

The hotel restroom.

The man with the mustache, slightly tipsy, had a flushed face.

Today, I not only showed off my power in front of my wife, but also gained the appreciation of a big shot in the Metropolitan Police Department.

"I heard that a gem-encrusted watch, worth over 1 million, was later found inside that pigeon clock. At night, it would automatically emerge from a small window through a photometer mechanism at a specific angle..."

"To be honest, that old man was really something, actually leaving the stolen goods as a gift for his granddaughter, and even designing those weird and wonderful mechanisms."

"Isn't that why my granddaughter's life was saved? If it weren't for those traps, Miss Nakamura might have been killed."

Gao Mo gently cleaned the trouser legs that had been soaked by the sewage.

After leaving Nakamura's old house, he first took the Mori family home, then went to the office to change his clothes. However, Dr. Agasa suddenly needed a car urgently, so he had to take a taxi over.

The car broke down unexpectedly halfway there, and then it started pouring rain.

Luckily, Ai had given him an umbrella before he left, but he got splashed by a puddle outside the restaurant and almost bumped into a waiter while he was serving food when he came in...

That's really bad luck.

"That's true. If we hadn't arrived in time, Miss Nakamura would have been killed too."

Kogoro Mouri grooms his mustache in front of the mirror.

"It's a pity I didn't get to say more than a few words to Ms. Nakamura. I was hoping to find a talented pen pal; her handwriting is so pleasing to the eye... Did she think my beard was unattractive? Damn it, if Eri hadn't been with me..."

Gao Mo glanced at the old scoundrel.

He loves his wife, but he's also a womanizer; he's not reliable for long.

Despite all this, they didn't get divorced, and Eri Kisaki never dated any other men; her heart was always with Mustache.

In some ways, this guy is a master of emotions.

Gao Mo shook his head, stopping his random thoughts: "What I find strange is that this matter actually attracted the attention of Minister Odagiri..."

“What’s so strange about that? Back when I was a policeman, Chief Odagiri was a section chief,” the mustachioed man said knowingly. “Back then, he was the one in charge of the goblin theft ring.”

Returning to the private room from the restroom, the atmosphere was inexplicably awkward.

Gao Mo raised an eyebrow and looked towards the restaurant entrance.

Inspector Megure was listening to Chief Odagiri speak, his chubby face looking particularly grim, and one could vaguely hear him making some kind of assurance.

"What's going on?" The man with the mustache also noticed that something was wrong and looked blankly at the criminal police officers with their various expressions.

“Just now, another active-duty detective was shot and killed. His body was found in the underground parking lot of the apartment building,” Takagi said solemnly.

"again?"

"Actually, during the day..."

"Takagi!"

Shiratori looked serious.

"This matter cannot be told to outsiders casually. Didn't the minister just remind you of that?"

“But,” Takagi scratched his head, “I’m sorry…”

"What exactly happened?" The man with the mustache was even more confused, and couldn't help but get a little angry. "Is it necessary to keep it from me as well?"

"Don't ask anymore, Mr. Mori," Shiratori said warily. "This is no ordinary murder case, you understand?"

Then, Shiratori turned to Sato with concern: "If it's really because of that, Officer Sato, you might be in danger now. Let me take you home in a bit..."

"No need," Sato politely declined. "I'm fine on my own."

"This……"

In the end, Shiratori retreated with his head drooping, especially after seeing Sato approach Takagi, he seemed to shrink in embarrassment.

Licking the dog.

Gao Mo understood why this young master, who spent most of his time sitting in an office, also needed to see a psychologist.

It is estimated that most psychological problems are related to emotions.

“Even Inspector Megure seems like a different person,” the mustachioed man tried to question Megure, but to no avail. “What is it that can’t you tell me? We’re not exactly strangers, are we?”

"It might involve the Metropolitan Police Department," Gao Mo guessed, "or even high-ranking officials?"

The man with the mustache's eyes widened, and remembering the fearful look on Shiratori's face earlier, he immediately fell silent.

It seems to be the only possibility.

Although Gao Mo was a complete outsider, he understood things better than Gao Mo, a former criminal investigator.

“That’s about it,” Sato said, not feeling the need to keep it a secret from Gao Mo and the other man. “This case is very complicated, and Inspector Megure doesn’t want to involve you either… Anyway, let’s wait for our follow-up news.”

Gao Mo watched Sato and his group leave the hotel until several cars disappeared into the rain before turning his gaze away.

He sensed the aura of death emanating from Sato.

Time seems to be running out.

The good news is that Sato is not necessarily going to die, at least not now.

“Then I’ll take my leave,” Kazato Kyosuke handed the man with the mustache a business card. “If you need anything, you can come to Beika Pharmacist Clinic.” The man with the mustache’s face darkened again. He wanted to throw the business card into the trash can, but after hesitating for a moment, he put it back.

He's been frequently drugged by Conan, and perhaps even he himself is starting to suspect there's something wrong with him.

“We might need it in the future,” the man with the mustache explained to Gao Mo.

"..."

At the restaurant entrance, Kyosuke Kazato opened his umbrella with his left hand, turned his back to the downpour, and walked into the rain with a cold smile on his long face.

Things were indeed developing as he had predicted.

Whether he's a detective from the First Investigative Division or a famous detective... who could possibly suspect him?

The real show is just beginning.

The third detective's death—he had already chosen his stage.

A perfect stage to completely clear him of any suspicion.

"Shh!"

Suddenly, a strong sense of threat surged into his heart, and Kazato Kyosuke stopped abruptly, but when he turned around, he found nothing.

Maori Kogoro?
Despite the rain obscuring the view inside the hotel, Kyosuke Kazato still frowned.

The famous detective is somewhat of a hidden danger.

We must be more careful.

"They said it was a celebration, but everyone ran off as soon as it started," the man with the mustache said, heartbroken as he ate his meal at the private dining room. "They must have paid the bill beforehand, right?"

After not hearing Gao Mo's response for a long time, the man with the mustache felt a sudden unease, his face turned green as if he had been poisoned, and sweat poured down his face.

"No, there can't be none, right?"

"What's there to be afraid of? At worst, we can just ask them to reimburse us."

Gao Mo was still thinking about the two criminal police officers who had been killed one after another.

He was happy to help, since Sato was an acquaintance who was being targeted.

The problem is that the police don't want outsiders to get involved.

Is it really related to high-ranking police officials?
It's not uncommon for crimes to occur within the police force, but what kind of person could make Inspector Megure and his team so nervous and afraid?
……

Kido Detective Agency.

Gao Mo's daily life was not affected by the tense atmosphere of the Metropolitan Police Department, but the television news never stopped.

"Two Metropolitan Police Department detectives have been killed in quick succession. The exact reasons are still unclear. The first was Officer Narasawa, who was shot and killed at Beika Park at noon. According to eyewitnesses, the perpetrator used his left hand to fire the gun, suggesting he was left-handed..."

"At the last moment, Officer Narasawa clutched his left chest tightly..."

"The second police officer who was assassinated was found in his own underground parking lot. The bullets at the scene were confirmed to be identical after ballistic analysis, and the police determined that it was the work of the same person..."

It's being discussed on various television programs.

Ai sighed and put down the remote: "And then? They really won't tell you anything?"

"There's nothing we can do; after all, there might be a major problem within the police force."

Gao Mo flipped through the newspaper.

On the surface, it seems like it's difficult to gather intelligence, but he has already contacted Takagi.

Using Sato as leverage, it would be easy to get Takagi to talk—Takagi clearly cares more about Sato than about being punished.

"Excuse me……"

A woman in red, carrying a handbag, appeared outside the entrance.

"Is Detective Amuro Tooru here? I have a very important case to ask him."

“Mr. Amuro isn’t here right now. Who are you?” Gao Mo turned around and looked the woman over.

This is the first time a client has directly contacted Rei Furuya.

"My name is Tamaki Nino, and I have asked Mr. Amuro for help before."

The woman sat down on the sofa and subconsciously reached for a cigarette. When she noticed Ai frowning, she quickly apologized and put the cigarette away, turning her attention to the television news instead.

When will Mr. Amuro be back?

“If you have any requests, you can let us know first,” Gao Mo said, his gaze sweeping over the woman’s hands. “I’m the owner of this firm.”

The woman seemed to be left-handed, but forced herself to switch to her right hand, inadvertently revealing her left-handedness.

"The boss?" Renye Tamaki looked at Gao Mo in surprise.

She thought the boss was Amuro Tooru.

After hesitating for a moment, Tamaki Hitono took out a document from his bag.

"I am a journalist, and I have been following my brother's suicide case for a year. A year ago, my heartless older brother killed a patient due to a surgical error. He got drunk in his apartment and then slit his throat with a scalpel..."

"I never thought that someone like him would commit suicide to atone for his sins. He was the kind of disgusting person who never cared about the lives of his patients."

Tamaki Nino seems to loathe her deceased brother.

"I was thinking of just letting it go... but then I found out that the police officers who investigated the case back then had started investigating again, and then there was this assassination."

Gao Mo reviewed the files and, in addition to the suicide case from a year ago, unexpectedly discovered detailed case information about the murder of two criminal police officers.

“I am, after all, a journalist,” Jin Ye Tamaki said frankly under Gao Mo’s scrutiny, “I obtained firsthand information through some connections.”

As she spoke, Tamaki Hitono pulled out another secretly taken photo.

The photo appears to be from an underground band performance, with a young rock musician with purple hair singing passionately.

"Because the police's reaction was a bit strange, I thought of asking Mr. Amuro to help with the investigation. In fact, I already had a suspect in the murder of those two police officers. It was this person."

"I'm trying to suppress my craving for a cigarette," said Tamaki Nino.

"His identity is Toshiya Odagiri, the son of the head of the Criminal Investigation Department of the Metropolitan Police Department. It is highly likely that he killed my scumbag brother a year ago, but the police did not even take a statement from him during the investigation. If it were the Metropolitan Police Department's investigation files, they probably wouldn't even know he existed."

Odagiri...

The imposing figure of the Minister of Criminal Investigation appeared in Gao Mo's mind.

He is indeed a big shot.

Although he is not at the same level as Hattori Heizo, he is at the top of the Metropolitan Police Department, and his police rank is Superintendent General, which is second only to Hattori Heizo.

It turned out to be the case.

Because high-ranking officials and even high-ranking members were directly involved in the case, that's why Inspector Megure and the others reacted that way.

"So, do you dare take this case?" Renye crossed his arms. "If things go wrong, you could end up like those two detectives, assassinated. Even the police are deliberately hiding the death messages left behind by the two detectives—the police handbook..."

“I will pass this on to Mr. Amuro, but… I think you’ve been looking in the wrong direction.” Gao Mo put down the documents.

"what?"

"First of all, there's the death message you mentioned. If the killer's purpose was to assassinate and silence witnesses, they wouldn't have left such a loophole. Putting the first one aside, the second is that the detective was killed in the underground parking lot. Given the circumstances at the time, the killer had plenty of time to cover it up."

Gao Mo looked at the photos from the scene and narrowed his eyes slightly.

"The direction of the police manual is also wrong. It doesn't look like it was taken out of someone's pocket before they died. The person who took out the manual at that time was very likely the murderer."

Tamaki Nino couldn't help but stand up: "The murderer? But..."

"May I ask about the details of your case?" Gao Mo asked calmly. "If it's your brother's case, we're not interested. But if it's about this detective's murder..."

“I just want to know the truth,” Tamaki Nino slammed the thick envelope containing the commission fee onto the table. “Too many people have suffered because of this case, so I want to ask you to end this as soon as possible.”

(End of this chapter)