[ Discontinued ] Crossroad 『Detective Conan』

Chapter 35 - Guilty of past『2/5』

Yoko looked down at the ground, clenching h fists. She didn't want to bother him, she didn't want to be a burden on Jinpei, but she had promised to help him. She had promised, and this, in front of someone. Of course, a person who was no longer alive, but it was still a promise.
Without further ado, she joined the policeman.
-I told you to stay over there. He just said.
-I decided otherwise, sorry... I'll make sure not to be a burden. Otherwise, let me know.
The man sighed. Apparently she wasn't going to change her mind.

The man and the child got into the car and fastened their seat belts. Neither of them spoke to each other. The girl just didn't dare bother him anymore.
After a few minutes, she ends up breaking this silence which was beginning to be heavy.
-Do you know where we have to go?
-...
Jinpei wasn't even sure himself from where. Several places could contain the first bomb. He had to carefully analyze everything the letter said to find the right place.

Yoko jumped when her badge rang. She took a few seconds to understand where the "beep beep" was coming from, still wasn't used to the sound of it.
Once she had it in her hands, the girl answered.
-Yes ?
-"Yoko-chan" began the voice of Conan, "warn Matsuda-keiji that we have an idea on where the first bomb is!".
-Eh ?
She turned her gaze to her tutor, who had certainly heard everything.
-Where do you think it is? he asked.
-"In a car on the Tōto line. The "stopper" indicates a level crossing, the "steel drummer box" the train and "the blood-covered mound" refers to the red-colored cars. Sato-keiji agrees with this theory."
-I was thinking the same thing...

Jinpei started the car. If it wasn't on a train, he'd check somewhere else he thought of. But checking wouldn't be so bad.
-"Matsuda-kun..." Sato began on the other side of the badge, "don't go it alone this time. The bomb squad has already been notified."
The man did not answer. The girl heard a sigh from the policewoman.

Jinpei arrived at Haido-South Station. He parked his car out front and unbuckled his seat belt.
-Stay here. He said as he left.
Yoko just nodded, unable to do anything else. She watched the policeman leave with a sigh.

The man entered the station where a lot of people were present. Simple civilian. The most important thing was therefore to evacuate them and stop the trains.

Once done, the bomb squad arrived, the trains were searched. The policeman helped with this search, although not everyone liked it. But he was going to find this bomb, hoping she was here.
-It's the bomb! Someone suddenly warned. Get away everyone!
Jinpei got out of the car he was searching to see. He approached when the bomb smoked and exploded... sending confetti. The man who found the machine fell with a movement of protection.

A fake bomb. It was a fake bomb. The culprit had planned everything, and made fun of the police. Maybe there really was the bomb somewhere, in those trains, or maybe not.
Jinpei punched the wall, pissed off and annoyed. Then he exited the station. He was going to check the other place he had in mind.

Yoko had fallen asleep. Or almost. At the sound of the door opening, she opened her eyes. She stretched while yawning and looked at the policeman.
-So ? she asked in a sleepy voice.
She had no answer and understood, from his expression, that it had not happened as he would have wanted.
The girl took a deep breath and forced a smile.
-Don't worry ! We're going to find that bomb! We have time, don't we? As long as we have some left, we must use it to the end!

The man looked at the former high school girl. She was right, there was still time. He was going to use it. And as for Yoko, he was going to drop her off somewhere. He wasn't going to put her in danger.

He threw his phone at her, which she barely caught, surprised that he had done that.
-Tell Sato about the fake bomb.
-Eh ?! Uh... Alright!
So she looked for the number of the policewoman and called her as requested.

Morning had been up for quite a while. Sato, Takagi, and Jinpei were outside a cafe discussing the bombs found on the trains. Only fakes had been found.
As for Jinpei, he hadn't yet been able to check the place he wanted to see. The kid he was babysitting was following her, and he didn't really want her to be involved in the case.

The policewoman held the culprit's letter in her hands, reflecting with her two colleagues, one tired, the other smoking.
-Well... Anyway, we can't keep dragging these children behind us. They fall asleep. Sato finally sighed.
- That's why I'm going to leave you the kid. I would like to check out a place.
Jinpei put out his cigarette and walked to his car.
-Matsuda-kun, if you find anything, let us know. I'm counting on you on this! The woman warned, giving her a look that was both hard and soft.
He just smiled before leaving.

- Well, I'm going back there too. You take care of taking the children home and you're going to join Megure-keibu. If you need to, rest a little, okay? Sato ordered Takagi as he got into his car.
- But I also want...
- You're not going to leave them alone anyway!
The two looked at each other. The man could only nod, watching the woman go.

Yoko yawns at the same time as Ai. While the adults were outside, the group of children were in the cafe, having their breakfast despite their fatigue.
Ayumi had fallen asleep right after she finished eating, Genta, Mitsuhiko and Conan were finishing eating. And the last two girls were done.

-... We've run out of leads, huh? Yoko sighed, crossing her arms on the table. Does anyone have any idea where the bomb is?
Silence was her response. Or at least, by the time Conan finishes his cup of coffee.
- We still have time to think...
- We have a little less than five hours left. Ai added.
Its formulation shortens time. The girl with the glasses didn't like it.
-It's not much ! Genta complains.
-It is rather necessary to say to ourselves that we have more than four hours in front of us. Let's finish eating and we'll think again.

The former high school girl turned her head towards the window. There was still time left, and she had said it was to be used until the end. So it would be done. And Jinpei was definitely going to do it.
Speaking of Jinpei, Yoko realized that he was no longer outside, and that Sato was leaving. This caused her to rise abruptly, becoming the center of the group's attention.
-What's the matter ? Conan asked.
He didn't get an answer and watched his comrade go outside, towards Takagi. He was the only one still present.

-Takagi-keiji! called the girl.
-Ah... Yoko-chan? What's the matter ?
-Where is Matsuda-keiji?
The man looked in the direction of the road before looking again at the kid with glasses who understood the answer. Her gaze grew worried.