Shinichi Kudo Returns: Confrontation With The Black Organization

Chapter 5: The Fake Arrest

"Well then, from 8:45pm to the 3 minutes before the performance." said Inspector Megure to the people they've gathered, "Between those 12 minutes, please tell us you were and what you were doing during that time."

First person that we've asked is Kotobuki Mimi.

"Where were you?" Megure asked her.

"I was looking for my sister." she replied.

"Is there anyone who can confirm that?"

"No."

"Aren't you Karen-san's manager? I heard your relationship with her is bad."

"I was only thinking about the safety of my sister." she said.

Next is Miura Daigo.

"I was in my room the whole time." said Daigo, "I was on the phone with a fellow colleague. You can confirm it with him."

"There's the possibility that the person is conspiring with you." I said to him, "Your alibi cannot stand."

"And you doted Karen-san." said Megure. "She started neglecting you and you became jealous at the same time."

Daigo thought Megure insulted him. Next are the two contenders: Abe Sumika and Kawate Kyomi.

"I was in Kyomi's room the entire time." said Sumika.

"That's right." added Kyomi.

"Both of you have grudges against Karen-san." I said to them, "Besides, if she disappears, the people who gains the most should be either one of you. Both of you can conspire together. There's a possibility that you murdered Karen-san."

And finally, Amano Shoichi.

"At 8:45pm, I was with the two of them to confirm Karen-san isn't in the stage basement." Shoichi explained, "After that, I went back to tuning the equipment. I checked whether Karen-san came to the stage basement a couple of times."

"In other words, you don't have a perfect alibi." I said to him.

"Yeah. But... there's no reason for me to murder Karen-san." he said.

"Don't underestimate the police." said Megure bluntly, "You are... Karen-san's ex-lover. You two belong to the same troupe and had the same dream. But now, there seems to be quite a difference."

"I am happy with her success." said Shoichi, "That's the truth."

Meanwhile far from the hotel, Vodka tried to search Shiho via binoculars, ordered by Gin.

"Do you see her?" asked Gin.

"No. Nothing yet." replied Vodka.

"Make sure the preparations are done." said Gin, "Once the police leaves, that is when... we will start hunting."

Anyway, we continued our investigation as Megure, Shiho and I investigate the stage basement. There, I realized that there's something different.

'What is this feeling? There's something... different from before. Besides, there's one thing that doesn't make sense.' I think hard but... 'I can't get a grasp on it.'

"Take a look at this." Shiho found something. Blood stains. "These blood stains... continues from the entrance to the lift."

"Inspector Megure, please confirm of this." I requested him.

"I understand." Megure replied and left.

"If this is her blood stain..." said Shiho.

"She was killed somewhere else...and then moved here." I added.