"Heiji, if it wasn't a rope, what else could be used to lower Miss Himeno's body?"
Heiji looked at Eri Kisaki. A smile appeared on the corner of his mouth. "Lawyer Kisaki, how about we make a bet?"
"A bet?"
Eri Kisaki frowned.
"That's right. If my deduction is correct, you must promise to do one thing for me. If my deduction is wrong, then I will do one thing for you."
Eri Kisaki glanced at Heiji. "What could you help me with?"
"Some things that you cannot do yourself."
Heiji looked at Eri Kisaki with confidence.
Eri Kisaki looked at Heiji. Her eyes narrowed slightly. After a long time, she finally nodded. "Fine. I happen to want to see the deduction of the genius high school detective who is known as a savior."
Hearing Eri Kisaki agree, a smile appeared on Heiji's lips. He thought: I finally found a reliable teacher for Kazuha.
"Officer, hasn't my suspicion been cleared already? Can I leave now?"
Juuzo Tonoyama looked plain and harmless.
"I'm sorry. You probably cannot leave for the time being," Inspector Megure said seriously.
"Why?" Juuzo Tonoyama asked with a frown.
Everyone turned their gaze toward Heiji. The answer was obvious.
"Actually, just like I said just now, Lawyer Kisaki's deduction of the murder process is not very different from the truth. However, there are two errors. First, the bandage on Tonoyama's finger. Besides being used to strangle Himeno's neck, it had another use. It was used to pull the knife out of Himeno's chest. There definitely won't be blood on it. However, the marks on Himeno's neck should match the size of the bandage."
"Tonoyama, please give me that bandage so I can verify it," Inspector Megure walked over with a serious face.
"All bandages are the same thickness! This cannot be counted as evidence!" Juuzo Tonoyama shouted.
"I know. That is why I never said this bandage was the evidence to prove you are the killer."
Heiji's words made Tonoyama stop shouting immediately.
"Because you and Miss Himeno knew each other, she had no guard against you at all. After you used the bandage to strangle her from behind, a knife was stabbed directly into her heart. That knife must have been chilled with ice. Therefore, the blood would not spray out right away. Next, you immediately carried her into the first stall. You stood on the toilet lid to place her into the stall where the crime was found. Of course, you had already tied a bandage to the handle of the knife. You could pull it to retrieve the knife and then throw it at the scene. After that, you just had to walk out as if nothing happened."
The surroundings were completely quiet. Heiji's voice was exceptionally clear in the restroom and the entire cafe. Everyone looked at him in shock. When he made his deduction, it felt as if he had been at the scene himself. Not a single detail was missed.
"What nonsense are you talking about? I am not the killer who murdered Yayoi..."
Suddenly, Tonoyama's voice stopped abruptly. Fear appeared in his eyes.
[Yayoi? He finally slipped up.]
Conan looked at Juuzo Tonoyama coldly.
"Oh my. Tonoyama, it seems we didn't tell you Miss Himeno's full name just now. You said before that you didn't know her. How did you know her name was Yayoi?"
Eri Kisaki gave a cold smile.
"I... that's right. I do know Yayoi. But the reason I didn't admit it was because I owed her money. Now that she's dead, if I said I knew her, wouldn't that give me a motive for murder? That is why I denied it in a panic."
Juuzo Tonoyama looked panicked. "Officer, I really didn't kill anyone."
Eri Kisaki crossed her arms and looked at Tonoyama indifferently. "Tonoyama, it's useless. You are already a major suspect now."
"This can't be counted as suspicion! I've already explained it. Besides, you need evidence to arrest someone. Without evidence, on what grounds can you arrest me?"
Watching Inspector Megure and the others approach, Juuzo Tonoyama backed away slightly and shouted in anger.
"Inspector Megure, let me finish speaking."
Heiji didn't want to bother with him, but his bet with Eri Kisaki had to continue.
"Ah, I understand, Heiji."
Inspector Megure gave an embarrassed laugh.
"Tonoyama, that jacket of yours is quite nice. Can you let me see what brand it is?"
Juuzo Tonoyama suddenly stared at Heiji. Fear appeared in his eyes: How does he know? I clearly didn't leave any flaws. Why does he know?
Eri Kisaki and the others frowned. Judging from Tonoyama's reaction, it was clear that Heiji's words had hit the mark.
[A jacket???]
Eri Kisaki and Conan lowered their heads in thought.
Heiji glanced at Tonoyama and a smile curled his lips. "After you killed Miss Himeno, you immediately took off your jacket and put it on her. Then, while standing on the toilet lid, you leaned your body against the crossbar and lowered her by holding onto the jacket. Then you just had to shake the jacket, and it would come off easily..."
He paused for a moment and looked at Juuzo Tonoyama.
"With your large build plus Miss Himeno's weight, the partition and the crossbar should have some slight deformation."
Hearing Heiji's words, Officer Takagi's heart stirred. He immediately went to check the partition between the two stalls. His expression changed. "Inspector Megure, the partition really is deformed. It looks like it was pressed down by something heavy."
"Tonoyama, do you have anything else to say?" Inspector Megure said seriously.
"I have to say, your imagination is very rich. So where is the evidence? Where is it?" Juuzo Tonoyama said coldly.
"I told you before. The jacket you put on Miss Himeno served as a rope, but it also left behind unavoidable evidence. That is, the jacket must be stained with her blood."
Tonoyama felt a buzzing in his head, as if the sky had fallen down.
"Using a jacket as a rope. Impressive."
Listening to Heiji's deduction, Eri Kisaki's eyes showed admiration. She was full of praise.
[To think that he used a jacket as a rope to lower the body... this guy Heiji...]
Conan felt very frustrated in his heart.
"Tonoyama, we are going to check your jacket now."
Inspector Megure and Officer Takagi walked toward him.
"Damn it! Stay away from me!"
Juuzo Tonoyama shoved the two of them aside and rushed at Heiji in a rage.
Sonoko screamed suddenly, fear showing in her eyes. Tonoyama's massive body was like a bulldozer, rumbling as he charged at Heiji.
Eri Kisaki's eyes narrowed, and she prepared to take action.
Heiji was faster than her.
He grabbed Tonoyama's arm with one hand, twisted it into an aikido lock, and kicked his knee. With a thud, Juuzo Tonoyama crashed heavily to the ground.
[So... so strong.]
Conan was dumbfounded. It was the first time he had seen Heiji show his physical skills.
"A clean and direct move. Heiji, have you studied aikido?" Eri Kisaki praised.
Heiji smiled faintly. "Lawyer Kisaki, remember our bet. You lost."
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