"You all keep chatting. We're out of drinks, so I'll go buy some outside," Shizuka Hattori said as she stood up to leave.
Ran quickly said, "Mrs. Hattori, let me go. You made so much food, please rest a bit. I can handle this."
"But—"
"Auntie Shizuka, I'll go with Ran," Kazuha said, also standing up.
"Well then, I'll leave it to you two," Shizuka Hattori said, nodding in agreement since both girls had offered.
"I'll go with you," Kurosawa Hoshino said, setting down his bowl and chopsticks. He followed the two girls out the door and toward the front gate.
Under the night sky, the road outside was completely empty, with only the lights from distant houses shining through.
A police car was parked in front of the gate—probably the one Goro Otaki had driven there.
"The store seems a bit far. How about we take the police car?" Kurosawa Hoshino suggested. He knew how to drive. Although it had been a while, it was late and there was no one around, so there was nothing to worry about.
"No need, right? It's only a ten-minute walk there and back," Kazuha refused.
"A walk sounds nice. It's cool outside," Ran also refused.
"All right." Kurosawa Hoshino shrugged. Walking it was, then. It was only a ten-minute walk anyway.
He glanced at the police car beside them, then accompanied the two girls as they slowly walked forward.
Suddenly, he heard a click by his ear. He instinctively turned his head and saw the police car's trunk was half-open. He came face-to-face with a woman who was just about to sneak out.
At the same time, the woman raised a silenced pistol and coldly stared at him.
Kurosawa Hoshino turned his head back, but didn't move his feet. He called out to the two girls ahead, "I forgot my phone. You two go on ahead."
"Okay," Ran replied without looking back.
"Sigh—" Kurosawa Hoshino let out a sigh, silently watching the two girls walk away. After they turned a corner and disappeared completely, he looked back at Vermouth, who had already climbed out of the trunk.
Yes, the woman before him was Vermouth.
When she crawled out of the trunk, Kurosawa Hoshino had basically guessed what had happened. She must have been discovered by Shuichi Akai while trying to silence Ichiro Numabuchi, and the two had exchanged fire in the forest. Later, the police arrived and searched the mountain for Numabuchi. To avoid Akai and the police, Vermouth had hidden in the trunk of the police car. As luck would have it, it was the car Goro Otaki had driven, and it ended up at Heiji Hattori's house.
"So she heard Ran's voice just now and wanted to peek out, but I caught her instead? Good thing this woman usually covers most of her face when we meet. I just need to pretend I don't know her," Kurosawa Hoshino complained inwardly. That seemed about right.
"By the way, my Danger Prediction didn't react, so it seems she's not planning to shoot. Otherwise, if I didn't dodge the bullet well, that would really hurt."
He took a deep breath and calmed himself. There wasn't much time—only ten minutes before Ran and the others would return.
After a moment, Kurosawa Hoshino broke the silence. "Um, miss, how about I pretend I didn't see you and you just leave?"
"Heh." Vermouth sneered. "Don't play tricks. I know you, Kurosawa Hoshino, the high school detective."
Kurosawa Hoshino really wanted to say, I know you too, but of course he didn't dare. The reason Vermouth hadn't attacked yet might be because of Ran, or because they had gotten along fairly well before. But if Vermouth knew her identity was truly exposed, Kurosawa Hoshino didn't think their little acquaintance would stop her from pulling the trigger.
"Ahem, I won't play tricks."
"Then come here."
"Can I not?"
"Then you are playing tricks?" Vermouth waved the gun slightly.
"Fine." Kurosawa Hoshino stepped forward until he was right in front of her. When the distance was only one meter, he stopped on his own.
"Take the clothes out of the trunk," Vermouth ordered.
Kurosawa Hoshino shrugged, walked over to the trunk, and pulled out a piece of clothing. He saw muddy footprints on it and understood it was meant to prevent leaving footprints in the trunk.
"Is that all?" Kurosawa Hoshino asked.
"Come in front of me."
"Then what?" He obediently complied again.
"Turn around and crouch down."
"Huh?" Kurosawa Hoshino's eyes widened. "What are you going to do?"
"Carry me," Vermouth said flatly.
Hearing that, Kurosawa Hoshino looked her up and down for a moment. Only then did he notice her left foot was kept slightly raised, and there was no blood—probably a sprain.
His eyes darted. He remembered a bridge they had passed on the way here and refused, "I can't carry you on my back. I'm afraid you'll shoot me from behind."
"You think you have a choice?" Vermouth looked at him as if he were an idiot.
"I mean, can I carry you in my arms? I'd feel safer with you in front."
Vermouth's mouth twitched, but she nodded.
"Then be careful. Don't let the gun go off."
Kurosawa Hoshino bent down, slipped one arm under her knees and the other under her arms, and lifted her up directly. She was very light—he didn't know exactly how much, but definitely under a hundred pounds.
"Walk. No tricks," Vermouth urged.
Because this was a residential area, few cars passed by. They had to reach the main street before there would be more cars and pedestrians.
Kurosawa Hoshino carried Vermouth and quickly walked forward. In just a few minutes, they passed the store they had originally planned to visit for drinks. He saw Ran and Kazuha inside, paying at the counter. He didn't alert them and slipped past the entrance in a flash.
Soon, the outline of a bridge appeared before them.
"Hah—" Kurosawa Hoshino panted heavily, slowing his steps as he walked onto the bridge. When he was halfway across, he stopped, turned to face the railing, and looked out at the opposite bank. A smile appeared on his face. "Miss, there's no one on the bridge. Let's enjoy the scenery. Look at those lights—they're really beautiful."
"What's so beautiful about them?" Vermouth curled her lip, but still turned her head to look.
The next second, she felt herself flying through the air, then falling rapidly.
"You—" Before she could finish her angry shout, Vermouth was swallowed by the icy river water, making a gurgle gurgle sound.
After a moment, she surfaced, spat out a mouthful of water, and stared fixedly at the bridge.
Kurosawa Hoshino wasn't an idiot—of course he wouldn't lean over the railing to look at her. He crouched below the railing and laughed. "Miss, you threatened me with a gun, and I threw you into the river. We're even. That's not too much, is it?"