Nighttime.
In a house in Beika Town's Fourth District.
The handyman was busy fixing a water pipe.
Though the villa's decor was decent, it hadn't been cleaned in ages, with dust coating every surface and weeds in the yard growing waist-high.
If it weren't for a recent rain, the windows would've been too grimy to reflect a thing.
"Still not done?" a middle-aged woman in black, her face shadowed with gloom, asked as she stood nearby holding a candelabra.
Unlike the flamboyant, idle rich housewives Tsune often dealt with, Mrs. Yasukawa was different.
Her long hair reached her waist, utterly unkempt, and she spent her days holed up in this house. Forget skincare—she looked far older than her years.
Oh, right.
She also had a son, locked in the basement for the past five years.
"Almost done."
"Mrs. Yasukawa, this house is too old. I'd suggest a full inspection sometime soon," Tsune said, noting the serious electrical and plumbing hazards.
Sure, aside from the kitchen and bathroom appliances, the house rarely used electricity—not even the lights. But if something went wrong in those two spots, it could be deadly.
"…" Mrs. Yasukawa stood silently, saying nothing.
Over the past five years, she'd barely spoken to anyone, developing a somber, taciturn demeanor.
With her long hair, black clothes, and gloomy aura, she was practically a dead ringer for some cold-blooded assassin.
The first time Tsune came to fix something, he nearly clocked her with a wrench.
"Akio's happy to hear you're here," Mrs. Yasukawa finally said after a long pause. Then, by the candlelight, she shuffled off to prepare dinner in the kitchen.
"Then I'll go chat with him."
Tsune smiled, taking a ten-thousand-yen bill from her and slinging his tool bag over his shoulder as he headed to the villa's basement.
Alright, this was probably the real reason Mrs. Yasukawa occasionally called him to fix things.
To her, as long as it didn't affect survival, nothing was a big deal.
"Mr. Tsune, you're here."
Akio Yasukawa, unkept for five whole years, had long, tangled hair and a scruffy beard, looking far worse off than his mother.
The first time Tsune came to repair something, it was Akio's sighs that drew him to the basement.
Back then, Mrs. Yasukawa had threatened him, but Akio's pleas to calm his mother prevented any trouble.
"Here's the book you asked for." Tsune pulled two books from his tool bag and handed them to Akio, still behind bars.
"Thanks." Akio set the books aside and asked, "About what I mentioned last time?"
"It's been five years. No one cares about that case anymore," Tsune said, shaking his head. Why keep torturing yourself?
Living in this dark cell for five years?
That's no easier than turning yourself in and serving time.
Growing up, Akio had endured constant verbal abuse, leaving his mental state fragile at best.
Five years ago, after failing his college entrance exam for the third time and facing his father's humiliating tirade, he snapped and accidentally killed him.
When Akio wanted to turn himself in, his mother grew obsessive, locking him in the basement to wait out the statute of limitations so they could live normally again.
"But…" Akio sighed. He'd asked Tsune to report him to the police, but Tsune wouldn't agree.
"Where were we last time?" Tsune changed the subject.
Mrs. Yasukawa was his actual client. Unless she came around, he wasn't going to cross that line.
You two can sort it out yourselves.
About twenty minutes later, Tsune emerged from the old villa.
Beika Town was full of weird people and things. The handyman was used to it by now.
Mrs. Yasukawa had specifically asked him to keep a low profile.
So his red pickup truck was parked outside the alley, not at the door.
Tsune glanced back at the shadowy figure holding a candelabra in the window, shook his head, and headed toward his truck.
"You guys???"
The handyman stepped out of the alley and tilted his head at four peculiar kids.
Genta, clutching a baseball bat.
Ayumi, holding a bag of snacks.
Mitsuhiko, armed with a flashlight and compass.
And a certain detective with empty hands.
It's pitch black out here—what are these kids doing?
And where's that scientist kid who's always tailing him, taking notes?
"Heh." Conan stuffed his hands in his pockets, looking at Tsune with exasperation.
Those three let Haibara off but dragged him along.
In the dead of night, they were making him explore some haunted house.
"I'm warning you, breaking into someone's home is illegal," Tsune said, not getting involved, and drove off.
"It's been empty forever—what's there to worry about?"
"Yeah, yeah!"
"Tsune-nii's such a scaredy-cat!"
The Teitan Trio dragged Conan toward the old villa.
Conan: …
In all of Beika Town, you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone braver than that guy…
…
The next day at noon.
At Dr. Agasa's house.
Tsune, mooching a meal, saw the news: a mother and her son turning themselves in.
Another old client of mine, sent to jail by that detective…
Still, maybe it's for the best. At least they're free from that torment.
"Ha, that's the client you mentioned before, right?" Haibara said with a smirk. "Looks like they won't be hiring you anymore."
"Don't make me sound like some shady businessman," Tsune shot back, glaring at her.
Hiring me?
What kind of talk is that!
Do I look that sketchy?
"Huh? Aren't you?" Haibara seemed in high spirits, even mimicking a certain detective's tone.
"Doc, what's up with her?" Tsune asked, turning to Dr. Agasa.
Is her brain starting to short-circuit like Kudo's? Next thing you know, she'll be rolling around on the table…
Dr. Agasa glanced at Haibara, who had a faint smile, and said, "I think her favorite soccer star won a match?"
Something like that?
"It's because of a hat-trick," Miyano Akemi said, appearing with an apron and a smile to clear things up.
"So she's actually a fangirl?"
"No kidding."
"Unexpected…"
The three adults huddled to one side, whispering as they watched the grinning girl.
(End of Chapter)
--+--
T/N: Although I'm an inexperienced Editor, I do have a Patreon account! Although it seems like I don't have many supporters right now, my webnovel will be released in full every day, and the advanced chapters will be uploaded to Patreon.
It may not be worth it now, but who knows, it might be different in the future. Who knows!
patreon.com/DaoistRoeoNQ
If you want to see it, then why not?