[ Discontinued ] Crossroad 『Detective Conan』

Chapter 75 - Work in pairs

   -What?! You're not coming ? Sato shouted into the phone.
   -"That's what I just told you..." Replied an annoyed Jinpei from the other side of the phone. "I'd have come but a certain someone ordered me to stay and rest..."
   The policewoman sighed with a slight smile as she realised who this "certain someone" was. Yoko's presence had definitely changed the man a little.
   -What's the matter with you?
   -"Just a bad cold, nothing serious..." He said.
   -Well, in that case, get some rest! she sighed as she hung up the phone.
   Once she'd done that, she put her fists on her hips, looking bored, as her colleagues looked on.
   -That Matsuda-kun... She sighed.

   Takagi looked at the woman and sighed, somewhat sad. He lowered his eyes, staring at his desk, not noticing that Sato was moving closer to him.
   -Takagi-kun.
   No reply. He paid no attention.
   -Takagi-kun! The policewoman repeated.
   This time the man was startled and stood up abruptly.
   -Y-Yes?!
   She couldn't help but sigh at his reaction.
  -I have to go out on patrol, so I wanted to know if you'd like to come with me.
   The policeman was silent for a moment before standing up straight and answering.
   -I'd love to!
   -Then I'll wait for you in the car park.

   Takagi watched the woman leave. He couldn't help but smile. A rather happy smile, even if there was a hint of sadness. She'd offered him this just because he was here...
   He pulled himself together and hurried over to her. It was better not to dawdle.

   The young man got into the car and fastened his seatbelt. The car started up and drove off.
   The journey was rather quiet. Takagi didn't dare speak and his colleague didn't seem to have much to tell him. On the one hand, this silence was embarrassing.
  
   The policeman swallowed. He could always find something to talk about.
   -Erm... Sato-san...
   -Hmm? Replied the woman.
   -Er...
   He didn't have time to say anything when a strange gathering in the street caught the duo's attention. Most of the people were wearing rather worried looks.
   -Well... What's going on? Sato thought aloud.
   His partner couldn't hold back a sigh. Too bad for the conversation. In any case, from now on there were better things to do.

   The woman parked the car at the side of the road and approached the crowd, followed by Takagi.
   -What's going on? She asked, flashing her badge.
   When she managed to get to the heart of the gathering to see what was going on, she discovered a woman with an injured arm. Sato immediately went over to her.
   -Takagi-kun, call an ambulance! She ordered immediately.
   -Yes!
   The man immediately took out his phone and contacted the ambulance.

   -I'm from the police, everything's fine. Can you tell me what happened to you? The policewoman asked the injured woman.
   The latter kept her hand on her arm, under the gash she had.
   -... A... a man came and cut the strap on my bag... She explained, grimacing.
   -Did you see his face?
   The woman concerned nodded.

   At the same time, Takagi approached his colleague and the victim.
   -I've called the ambulance, it should be here soon! He announced.
   -Thank you, Takagi-kun. As for you, can you describe the culprit?
   -Yes, I can. He's a rather tall man with his hair slicked back... I think it was chestnut brown... I can tell that his clothes were black in any case... Said the woman.
   She looked up at the crowd and held her arm out in front of her, pointing in one direction as she winced in pain.
   -He ran off in that direc... tion...
   She lowered her arm, staring at someone who matched her description exactly. This man didn't look comfortable.
   -Ah! it's him! she exclaimed.

   The culprit gasped, everyone staring at him. Sato stood up and began to approach the man.
   -Will you please come with me? She said simply.
   -I don't... Don't come any closer!
   He pulled out a knife, pointing it in front of him with a trembling hand.
   -Don't come any closer! Or I'll take someone hostage!
   The policewoman stopped moving.
   -Please, calm down! Takagi asked.
   The man tucked his head into his shoulders before starting to run in the opposite direction to the two policemen.

   -Wait! Called Sato and Takagi.
   Before the woman could react, her colleague began to pursue the culprit.
   -Takagi-kun! Called the policewoman in surprise.
   But the man didn't stop and she had to start following him. The policeman caught up with the man rather quickly and jumped on him to stop him by force. Both fell to the ground.
   -Get off me! Ordered the culprit.
   He struggled to be released, still holding his knife. In the process he wounded the policeman in the forearm, but he didn't let go.
   -Don't make things worse for yourself... ! He said with a grimace.
   The concerned man stopped for a moment, allowing Takagi to take advantage and pull out his knife, sending it flying away.

   Sato looked at his colleague in surprise. She couldn't have imagined him being the type of person to throw himself at a criminal, even if it meant getting hurt. Acting like that, he was like an idiot... And yet...
   -Takagi-kun, are you all right? She asked.
   -Y-yes... Replied the man, grimacing slightly.
   He paid no more attention to his wound than that, preferring to keep the
guilty. He did, however, look at the woman with a smile, a little embarrassed.

   The ambulance arrived and the victim was treated. The culprit was arrested. He had returned to the scene of his crime to see if the victim was all right. Takagi was also treated. Fortunately, his wound was only superficial.
   -Next time, be careful. You could have been seriously injured... Sato sighed.
   -I'm sorry... Apologised the policeman, embarrassed.
   -Anyway... Let's look at the positive .... She sighed again, smiling.
   Her colleague put his hand behind his head, wincing slightly as he did so on the side of his wound. As for the policewoman, she glanced at him. That man... He was an idiot. But not in a bad way.

   A white car was driving through the night. At its wheel was a man, his face lit up by the lights of the city. Next to him, a blonde woman. The two seemed to be chatting.
   The car stopped at a traffic light. At this point, the person in the passenger seat handed a photo to the driver.
   -Also, could you take care of this kid? She's an awkward witness...
   The man grabbed the photo and looked at it. On it was a little girl with glasses and her hair tied back. She looked worried and wasn't looking at the lens. It was a photo taken discreetly.

  -OK, then... Agreed the man, handing back the photo.
   He began to smile. He'd seen this little girl before and even knew where she was. It wasn't going to be difficult to look after her...