Fated Friendship

Only One Truth

Searching the guest room took mere minutes. Soon Heiji had found what he had been looking for: a rolled up piece of string.

'This is it! I've won this round...Kudo!'

He re-entered the study just as Ran was carrying Conan out.

"Hattori-kun?" Ran questioned his triumphant expression.

Heiji gave her a grin, "I've got it. I figured out the trick of the crime and also the murderer."

"What!?"

"Really!"

"Solved already?" Mouri asked, surprised.

"No thanks to you!" Megure told him, annoyed.

Heiji walked into the room calmly, "I'll show ya all the proof right now. Inspector, if ya'd be so kind ta play the part of the victim?"

Heiji began with repeating the circumstances of the murder. Then producing the string, he proceeded to show them how it could be threaded through the pocket of the trousers and then pulled underneath the door. Then locking it and pulling the thread to return the key into the pocket, he finished his show.

Megure had at first looked slightly bored, as if only humouring him for the time being. However, at the end, his face had transformed into one of amazement.

Heiji grinned, 'How was that, Kudo? That was my deduction...if you have any complaints with it, you better show yourself quick! Or else...this case is mine!'

"And the killer?" asked Megure eagerly.

"Who's the killer?" Mouri questioned.

"Wait a minute!" Heiji simply looked at them, his gaze lingering a while on Mouri, 'What's wrong, Kudo? Is the game called off, then?' It truly seemed as if Kudo would not be making an appearance, 'Fine, it doesn't matter...'

Taking a deep breath, Heiji began, "First, to rehash the facts: the time of death was 30 minutes between 3:30 and 4:00. It would take at least 5 to 6 minutes to kill and complete this trick. The wife came with us at 4:00, so she is in the clear. The butler was talking to the neighbours the entire time, so he's in the clear too. The son and his girlfriend seem a bit fishy. They came before we did and could have done it but could have been with the victim for barely 2 minutes."

The wife, butler, son, and girlfriend slowly began relaxing at his words.

"Which means, it was the guy who was here since two o'clock, watching T.V. in the room next to the study. It was you, old gramps!"

"What?" Tsujimura Toshimitsu let out a surprised exclamation, completely unprepared to be accused in such a manner.

"The proof," Heiji ploughed on, "is this string and needle I found in the guest room! The string is a special catgut fishing wire, thin and strong...you're a fisherman, aren't ya? You were showing around that fish print ta everyone. Ya can't deny ya don't know what this is!"

Turning to Kimie-san, Heiji continued, "The lady even told ya ta go wait in da guest room when we came. You must have bin plannin' yer perfect crime all the while! This fishing wire I found in the trash can is undeniably yours!"

The door suddenly banged open, revealing a panicked, worried Ran. "I'm sorry; did Conan-kun come in here? I can't find him!"

Heiji paid her no attention, focusing on the shocked elderly in front of him, "Well, am I wrong? Old man?!"

Toshimitsu-san sighed, "Hmm, looks like I can't do evil after all...it was me..."

The other members of the household were shocked at his confession.