A little over half an hour later.
Osaka Prefectural Police Headquarters.
"Kurosawa-kun, welcome, welcome." Kazuha's father, Ginshiro Toyama, personally came to receive Kurosawa Hoshino.
"Please follow me, everyone."
Ginshiro Toyama glanced at his daughter, whose gaze was darting evasively, then turned and led everyone into an empty conference room.
Heiji Hattori's father, Heizo Hattori, was also present.
Heiji Hattori said with a pout, "Actually, we can investigate on our own. There's no need to trouble Kurosawa."
Heizo Hattori narrowed his eyes and said coldly, "Heiji, do you want to see new victims appear? Or are you just treating this as some kind of game?"
Heiji Hattori was startled and quickly explained, "That's not what I meant. I've never treated this as a game."
"All right, he's still a child," Ginshiro Toyama said, placating them. Then he asked Goro Otaki and Yusuke Sakata, "Otaki, Sakata, tell us what happened."
Goro Otaki said, "The victim had been dead for at least a day. We saw the man on the top floor from downstairs—he's the owner of the coffee shop on the second floor. I heard a stranger called him, saying there was a suspicious person on the top floor, so he called up to check. The rope tied to the body was looped around the doorknob of the top-floor door. When the door was opened, the body fell. It hadn't been discovered earlier because a cloth had been draped over it, keeping it hidden from view."
Yusuke Sakata added, "And the third victim is very similar to the victims of the previous two cases. They were all strangled, then a dagger was thrust through their wallets and finally into their hearts."
Kogoro Mouri frowned. "A serial murder case."
"Yes."
Ginshiro Toyama nodded, picked up a document from the table, and read it aloud. "The first victim, Mr. Hidetoshi Nagao, was the manager of a supermarket. The second victim, Mrs. Tayo Nishiguchi, was the proprietress of a small hotel. As for the one who fell from upstairs earlier, Mr. Kazuto Noyasu, he was a taxi driver. Apart from living in Osaka, these three seem to have no common ground. We haven't yet determined whether the killer is choosing victims at random or had a grudge against them."
"Huh?" Kogoro Mouri asked, puzzled. "The third victim's identity was identified that quickly?"
Ginshiro Toyama explained, "Actually, it was because of the victim's wallet. His driver's license happened to be in it, and we got the information from that. Not just him—the first two victims were the same."
Kazuha nudged Kurosawa Hoshino and whispered, "Hey, great detective, now that all the information is out, do you have any ideas?"
Although she spoke softly, the conference room wasn't large, and everyone heard her.
Ginshiro Toyama frowned. "Kazuha, we're discussing serious business. Don't be foolish."
"Understood, Dad." Kazuha stuck out her tongue and quietly shut her mouth.
Except for those who already knew, Kogoro Mouri and the others suddenly realized that this Ginshiro Toyama was Kazuha's father.
However, they quickly set that aside and pondered what common point these three victims had that made the killer target them.
"Kurosawa-kun," Heizo Hattori spoke slowly, "do you have any ideas on how to solve the case?"
Hearing this, everyone looked at Kurosawa Hoshino, waiting for his answer.
"I do have a few," Kurosawa Hoshino said calmly. "First, the killer stabbed through the wallet every time he killed someone—that's one common point. Mr. Toyama just said that every wallet contained a driver's license, which means it's related to that."
A flicker of disappointment crossed Ginshiro Toyama's eyes. "Kurosawa-kun, Heizo and I have already thought of that. But the times and places they obtained their driver's licenses were all different, so your theory doesn't hold."
"Since the killer deliberately left the driver's licenses behind—three times, no less—there must be a connection. Mr. Toyama, why don't you ask their families whether they attended any training before obtaining their driver's licenses?"
After hearing Kurosawa Hoshino's words, Ginshiro Toyama and Heizo Hattori perked up slightly, exchanged a glance, and nodded in tacit agreement.
"Chief Toyama, I'll go call someone," Yusuke Sakata said, about to leave.
"Officer Sakata, wait." Kurosawa Hoshino called him back. "I think you should stay. Let Officer Otaki call someone to investigate."
At these words, everyone was stunned. They all understood that he meant Yusuke Sakata should not leave.
Kogoro Mouri and the others felt their hearts skip a beat. They stared blankly at Yusuke Sakata, now understanding Kurosawa Hoshino's deeper intention even more clearly.
"Okay." Yusuke Sakata came back to his senses and nodded. Then he saw Kurosawa Hoshino walk up to him and extend both hands.
His eyes behind his glasses were full of confusion. "Kurosawa-kun, what is this for?" he asked, puzzled.
"Weird." Kazuha pouted, just as confused as everyone around her.
Kurosawa Hoshino smiled. "Officer Sakata, place your hands on top of mine."
"Huh?"
"Come on."
"Uh—okay."
Yusuke Sakata, not understanding why, nevertheless placed his hands over Kurosawa's.
The next second, Kurosawa Hoshino gripped both his wrists tightly and said calmly, "Officer Otaki, please search him for his phone and gun."
The sudden turn of events caught everyone off guard—everyone except Kogoro Mouri and his group.
Ran asked softly, "Hoshino, do you suspect Officer Sakata is the murderer?"
"Yes," Kurosawa Hoshino explained. "The coffee shop owner said someone called him at the time. And Officer Sakata happened to finish eating and leave before us, while the victim's body just happened to fall onto his police car. It's all too coincidental. Now we only need to check his phone and see whether the number matches, and the truth will be clear."
"Kurosawa, you're not mistaken, are you?" Heiji Hattori finally couldn't help asking. He and Yusuke Sakata were friends, and he simply couldn't believe the other man was the murderer.
"Have I ever made a wrong deduction?" Kurosawa Hoshino retorted.
That one sentence silenced Heiji Hattori.
Conan also remained silent, merely giving his glasses a slight push.
"This—" Goro Otaki didn't know what to do and looked at his two superiors.
Heizo Hattori thought for a moment, then finally waved his hand.
Goro Otaki stepped forward and searched the silent Yusuke Sakata, finding a handgun and two cell phones—one he normally used, and one that was already turned off.
Just as he was about to turn on the powered-off phone, Yusuke Sakata spoke with a bitter smile. "Officer Otaki, there's no need for that. I confess."
Hearing this, Ran and the others thought it was only natural—Kurosawa Hoshino had guessed right again.
But Heiji Hattori and the others on the Osaka side were baffled. "Why?"
Heiji Hattori's voice had grown a little hoarse.