Ms. Moriarty wants to save Beika Town today too.

419 Not an unexpected development

"What's the attitude of this clerk? Does this person have any grudge against us?"

Daoxie complained to the clerk, staring at his back with his eyes lowered and eyebrows raised.

While he was complaining, Winnett realized that someone was spying on them. To be more precise, that person was spying on Daoxie. She sat opposite him, so she could just catch a glimpse of the peeper from the corner of her eye: a middle-aged man. He looked like the iconic image of a farmer in the northern United States, short, fat, with a thick nose, a wide chin, and thick hair on his body. He was not eye-catching but not so easy to be ignored; he wore a loose old shirt, a khaki peaked cap, and held a beer glass in his hand, pretending to be enjoying the beer, but in fact, he was paying attention to Daoxie.

Winnet was originally attracted by the clerk's matter, but the snooper's method of concealment was not very clever - his clothes were different from most people on the beach. His appearance reminded Winnet of some familiar guys - the police are happy to do such clumsy tracking - no matter which country; but why did the police target Daoxie? Winnet temporarily denied this possibility. She felt that Daoxie was more likely a guy who enjoyed playing with girls' feelings, and the person who was following him was the father of a poor girl - he came to collect evidence and warn Yuanzi who was now entangled.

However, this development was not what Sonoko expected. She sighed in her heart. Just like what Edogawa mocked, no matter how she thought about it, Dokyo didn't seem to be attracted by Sonoko. Even though Dokyo was an extrovert, his purpose was a little too strong. This idea was due to her preconceived ideas and was not objective. Winette slowly memorized the characteristics of the stalker. She had a hunch that he would appear again, and his purpose would be revealed by then.

"I think we should not go to that restaurant. It's a bit creepy." Xiaolan said.

Daoxie forced a hearty smile and answered Xiaolan that it was okay, the story about the female ghost was just a rumor and it had been a year since then.

"Even if that lady really appeared as a ghost, she should be fed up with that restaurant by now."

He raised a finger and said jokingly.

But the conversation was interrupted by a horrified voice. "Did you hear about it? I heard that it was found again today in the woods beside the track!"

An uncle shouted to another uncle who was sitting at the door of the store.

"what?"

"It's a corpse!"

"what?"

"A brown-haired girl is in trouble again!"

The uncle explained.

murder.

Winnett responded.

Just now, Daoxie talked about another murder case. A similar thing happened a year ago, so he used "again".

Is it a copycat crime, or...

Before she could think about it, Edogawa, sensing the crime, rushed out of the store. He put on his slippers at the door of the store and rushed across the beach to the woods.

Xiaolan called his name, but of course there was no response. He was like a crow that smelled blood. "He is still so curious..."

Winnet stood up and said:

"It's really a headache--

Let’s go find him.”

She was disgusted by Edogawa's involvement in the incident, but this was also a way to divert attention, both for Sonoko and the man observing the Dokkyo, until the whole store caused a commotion, and they also mixed in the crowd and moved towards the crime scene. Xiao Ai held Winnet's hand, as if to cooperate with her setting, and moved forward one after the other.

This temperature made this episode not so bad! She kept adjusting her pace, moving closer to Xiao Ai's movements, and the short shadows in the sun seemed to be connected together; it turned out that the golden beach had such an effect. She ignored the noisy crowd and quietly enjoyed this tight moment, feeling the little bits of getting along from the moment. Then she walked to the shore without sand. The forest was close to the road, and the crime scene was right next to the road; there was no doubt that this crime was purely impulsive, deceiving the woman to the forest and then killing her.

This type of random crime is the most difficult to catch, especially since there are tourist attractions nearby. It is very likely that the crime was committed by tourists, and there is almost no trace to be found.

The only thing worth speculating on is that this case is very similar to the incident mentioned by the Taoist Association a year ago, and the identity of the victim and the location of the murder are highly consistent.

They stood on the periphery, together with various people who came because of the news.

When something like this happens at a tourist attraction, local people who work in related industries are paying close attention, and the rest are tourists like them, who are mostly there to watch the fun.

If it weren't for Conan, they would never have come here specifically. They wouldn't have been in danger all day long just because they heard that someone had been murdered.

"The deceased was Hattori who was stabbed to death by a sharp knife."

“It’s the same as it was a year ago.”

Two police officers talking.

"Well, this lady looks like a tourist... By the way, what is the estimated time of death?"

"It should be between eight and nine last night, when the fireworks display ended." The police officer who was asked opened his notebook and replied.

The cordon at the scene was not set up, and in this somewhat rural area, the handling of the situation was not as rigorous as in the city.

They heard the police's conversation clearly.

"Strange, why don't they always avoid the crowd when discussing cases?" Winnet complained to herself and turned to Ai.

"Perhaps it's for the convenience of collecting evidence, or maybe they don't take it seriously. Anyway, it will spread in the end, just like the incident a year ago mentioned by the Taoist Association. In a place like this, once something happens, it can't be hidden at all, and it will spread to everyone's ears immediately, just like what just happened. Strange, you should be able to think of these things easily, right?"

"Yeah, that makes sense. But it seems like every time we get access to information about the case, it seems too coincidental to me."

Winnet still felt something was wrong; she never believed in the accidental nature of continuity.

"People with faith do tend to think this way... Although I want to say this, there is indeed a potential factor that cannot be ignored, and a mysterious and unpleasant special magnetic field he carries - if science can explain it. In short, you don't need to be so serious about this kind of thing, because it has nothing to do with that." She said helplessly. Because Xiao Ai was very reluctant to admit that there were indeed some difficult to explain phenomena in this world, and she didn't want Winnet to be serious about this. She knew her personality - she would get stuck in a dead end if she was not careful.

"Xiao Lan, Miss Winnett, didn't we pass by here at that time last night?"

After receiving a positive response, Sonoko covered her chest and said, "How terrifying."

But there was no need for Sonoko to be afraid. With Winnet and Xiaolan, if any of them had taken action, this case would most likely not have happened, and there would have been no worries today. Xiaolan smiled encouragingly and told Sonoko not to think too much, saying that the criminals would never attack her. Hearing this, Winnet felt that there was a misleading argument hidden in it - isn't it a disguised way of saying that Sonoko has no charm to be attacked at all? Of course, this statement is incorrect, but Sonoko is caught between being sentimental and longing for love, so it is easy to think too much.

"Yes, let's stay together. The villain must be targeting this unfortunate lady who is alone." Winnett guided kindly.

"That's right..."

Yuanzi still said worriedly: "Look, my hair is also brown. You can't guarantee that the criminals won't attack me next! Damn, I don't want to die in a place like this. Besides, I still have a lot of things to do."

Yuanzi was worried, as if she was about to drop her little pearls.

"Sonoko..." Xiaolan looked at her and didn't know what to say. Under normal circumstances, she would probably show some symbolic force to show that she had the power to protect Sonoko.

Xiao Ai curled her hair, as if to say that she also had brown hair.

But at this time, Yuanzi didn't pay any attention to this little joke.

Winnett thought that if Ai was an adult at this time, she might even poke Sonoko sharply and say something like how attractive she was. Thinking of this, she felt like laughing.

But it was Yuanzi's slightly hysterical appearance that gave the Taoist Association an opportunity to take advantage of.

"Don't worry, I will protect you during your stay in Izu." He grabbed Sonoko's shoulders and smiled charmingly. At the same time, he mentioned the invitation for tonight and told Sonoko that he planned to change the place.

Winnet also had a slightly different opinion of him. At least when it came to taking care of girls' emotions, he was indeed impeccable.

"Also, don't bring your camera." Xiaolan said, worried that Sonoko would remember the female ghost.

"If we're really worried, we can change to a hotel farther away from here," Winnet added.

When Yuanzi's emotions calmed down a little, the Taoist Association did not push his luck any further, but instead acted with moderation, showing an attitude of withdrawing.

"Well, of course you can't bring cameras. I'll pick you up at 7pm, just wait for me at the door of the hotel."

"It's decided!" Sonoko recovered and replied with some expectation.

While they were talking, the man who had been watching them at the beach shop also mixed in with the crowd. Although the murder was happening right in front of him, he remained calm. After hearing the conversation between Daoxie and them, the man pulled down the brim of his hat and turned away. His footsteps startled Conan and attracted him briefly. At this time, Daoxie and Sonoko also ended their conversation and agreed to meet in the evening.

"She looks completely obsessed." Ai stared at Sonoko's dazed face, sighed, and pulled at the corner of Winnet's clothes and said.

Yuanzi touched her cheek with one hand and looked in the direction where the Taoist Association left.

Winnet laughed dryly, thinking that it was good for Sonoko to have such an experience. However, Dokkyo's performance and reaction were too perfect. Her suspicious personality gave her a bad feeling. If he was not experienced enough, there must be something wrong with his handling. The first thing was his emotions. His emotions gave Winnet a calm and almost cold feeling. This was very familiar to her, because it was also one of her characteristics. When she was executing a plan, she would become like that. But if she pointed out this kind of feeling theory, she would only be regarded as neurotic, she thought. Maybe Sonoko would be more open-minded after experiencing the bitterness.

"It happens to everyone, doesn't it?"

"It's nothing. It has nothing to do with me anyway. But if you want to be a babysitter, it's always a good idea to keep an eye on this Taoist Association."

"intuition?"

Xiao Ai nodded.

Winette believed her and was amused by her secret from Sonoko. She approached Sonoko and told her that she had to prepare well. Xiaolan followed and happily suggested to Sonoko, sincerely happy about her situation. Just as Sonoko was about to turn around and return to the hotel, the police officer who was buried in the forest suddenly rushed into the crowd. The leader had seaweed-like hair and a rectangular face like a character in a funny cartoon. He shouted Xiaolan and Sonoko's names and ran straight here.

"So you're in Izu too." Yokomizo called them with his magnetic voice.

"Yes, we are here to travel."

Xiaolan answered him that she and Yokomizo had met the most here. After the several disasters brought by Maori Kogoro, Yokomizo was now completely his little fanboy; after confirming their purpose, he couldn't wait to look around.

"So, Mr. Maori Kogoro is here too."

"No," Xiaolan answered him, "There are only five of us here this time."

Yokomizo was stunned. Five people? He lowered his head and found Ai and Conan.

After discovering Edogawa, the little boy who had helped solve the case, he bent down and touched his head with a smile.

Yokomizo joked that Conan was the little knight of their group and asked him to protect them.

Conan nodded in agreement.

"You guys better be alert," Yokomizo said to them with a serious look on his face. "A shocking murder just happened here. The murderer seems to be targeting tourists. You better be careful."

Sonoko and Xiaolan nodded: "Yes."

"Then I'll take my leave. Please give my regards to the famous detective Mr. Maori Kogoro."

"Ok."

Seeing his energetic appearance, Sonoko complained: "This guy is really energetic all the time, but he is not very reliable... Xiaolan, if your father came, he would definitely be able to solve the case quickly."

Ever since she knew that Kogoro was manipulated by Conan, Winette's evaluation of his ability plummeted. She felt that Yokomizo was more reliable in terms of his seriousness and reasoning ability. The police officers she had met, such as Takagi and Shiratori, did not leave her with an impression far inferior to Yokomizo.

It was not long before dark, so they returned to the hotel. Sonoko was struggling with what to wear in the evening. In short, sexy leopard print clothes were totally unacceptable, and Xiaolan also strongly denied Sonoko's ideal match. Sonoko hesitated and became a little impatient. While mumbling, she also asked Winette and Xiaolan for advice. Winette had no idea about the fashionable girls' outfits. If it was not inconvenient to go out on the street, she would rather wear uniforms all the time. Her struggles made Xiaoai, who was reading a book, impatient, so she told her in a tone of speaking to a "country bumpkin" to dress simply and that ordinary summer outfits would be enough.

Being looked down upon by the child in her eyes, Sonoko turned around and asked for advice. She glared at Ai and said, "Then what do you think is a good dress?"

"The red tank top and the shorts in your hand, isn't this your original style?"

"Yes, Sonoko." Xiaolan also said, "You are the most attractive just as you are."

"really?"

Winnet nodded. In her opinion, Yuanzi was a lively girl. No matter what she wore, she could keep her original personality. In this way, the matter of choosing clothes came to an end, but Yuanzi, who looked like a sunflower, was watered. Just as they were ready and waiting in front of the hotel, raindrops suddenly fell.

……

420 The Garden Under Attack

Within half a minute, the rain became heavier.

"It's starting to rain," Sonoko looked at her watch in anticipation, "I really hope Mr. Daoxie will come soon."

Ran saw Sonoko staring at the watch and said jokingly:

"Can you please stop being so impatient? The hero always appears last, right?"

"Always being a step late is a standard feature of movies and TV series."

At this time, Xiao Ai hinted at someone, and Conan, who had originally shown an idiotic expression to the sky, began to twitch his mouth. Xiaolan and Sonoko certainly didn't realize this, they had become accustomed to Xiao Ai's occasional remarks.

Winnie pulled Xiao Ai over and warned her, "It's better not to watch this kind of TV. The ideas it conveys are not very healthy."

Ai said "oh" in cooperation. Only then did she look like a child. But this response was actually quite perfunctory. Ai's eyes seemed to be saying, "Do you think I would like a TV series with repeated car accidents?"

"Don't embarrass me, I'll feel embarrassed." Sonoko held down her watch, but her expression was still full of hope.

At this moment, the sliding door suddenly opened, and half of the body leaned out from inside. It was the innkeeper they had seen in the shop during the day. He seemed not to have heard their conversation. He wore glasses and a short-sleeved T-shirt, and still looked meticulous. He took an umbrella, stood at the foot of the garden, leaned against the door, and then closed the sliding door with smooth movements.

The hostile look in Yuanzi's eyes turned into surprise after he did all this.

"What's this umbrella for?" Xiaolan leaned over to take a look. She still remembered how mean he was during the day, and she had no idea what he was doing.

"Do you mean for us to use?" Sonoko's tone sounded a little unconfident.

Conan put on a mocking face, looking relaxed.

"Maybe that big brother is also interested in Sister Sonoko." He said almost in a teasing tone.

"Eh!"

Yuanzi blushed. This unimaginable possibility made her shy for a moment, but when she thought about it carefully, she felt that it was impossible.

"See, Sonoko. You are really popular!" Xiaolan said encouragingly.

"Stop talking, that person is so gloomy!"

"Yes, the garden now has a Taoist priest."

"Xiaolan, that's so annoying. It's so embarrassing!" Yuanzi was so embarrassed that she didn't know where to put her hands. She scratched her cheek with one hand and put the other hand in her pocket. "Oh no, I forgot my wallet in the room." She reached into her pocket with both hands, checked it, and said to them, "Wait for me, I'll be back soon."

Yeah. Winette nodded.