BWDC:SDDK Chapter 67: Are You Sure You're From Beika Town?
"Right, right, right! Block off the scene first and have the Forensics Division check the condition of the victim's body."
"Take the blood-stained clothes and the murder weapon from the car for a blood sample comparison to see if they match the victim. Gather statements from the neighbors. Let's make this quick so we can wrap up and head home."
Inspector Megure followed the trail up into the apartment building next to Sachiko Shimamura's vehicle.
He quickly found Shimamura's room with the door left slightly ajar. Inside, they discovered the female corpse murdered by Sachiko Shimamura. Judging by the state of the scene, it looked more like a burglary gone wrong than a premeditated murder.
However, Inspector Megure quickly dismissed that notion.
According to statements from the neighbors, this apartment also belonged to Sachiko Shimamura. She had been roommates with the deceased, Kazumi Takenaka, but the two had reportedly been on bad terms recently, frequently seen arguing.
Given the current circumstances, it was clearly a case where Sachiko Shimamura murdered Kazumi Takenaka and intentionally staged the scene to look like a robbery.
After Inspector Megure coordinated the various officers from the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department to cordon off and investigate the crime scene, he turned his attention toward Mouri Kogoro and couldn't help but let out a long sigh.
"I say, Mouri-kun, you really ought to drink a bit less."
"Why on earth did you agree with what Ren Ichimonji said just now? Now you're suspected of being an accomplice. According to standard procedure, I have to take both you and Sachiko Shimamura back to the Metropolitan Police Department to record a statement."
"I recall Shiratori mentioning that you already went to the headquarters once today to give a statement, didn't you?"
Upon hearing this, Mouri Kogoro looked like he was about to burst into tears.
It was true. This morning, he had been forced to rush to the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department because the Junior Detective League suggested he might have kidnapped Conan. Now, because of his drunken blundering, he had to go back again.
Two visits to the station in a single day.
Forget about his time as a detective—even back when he was an officer in the Criminal Investigation Bureau, he had never encountered such a "legendary" individual.
At this rate, the story of his double-booking at the station would probably spread through the department as quickly as his legendary shooting records from the police academy.
Mouri Kogoro eventually let out a defeated sigh.
There was no helping it. When you make a mistake, you own it; when you're caught, you stand tall and take the hit. He could argue about the morning incident, but tonight, he had genuinely messed up. He had no defense.
Suddenly, a realization hit him, and he spoke up hurriedly.
"Wait a minute, Inspector Megure! Doesn't that mean I'm officially a suspect?"
"Don't tell me... someone has to sign a bail bond for me before I can leave?"
As he said this, Mouri Kogoro looked as if the sky was falling.
Having been a member of the Criminal Investigation Bureau, he was naturally familiar with the process. In normal cases, bail just requires someone to show up, but for a formal suspect, the bail bond must be signed by a relative or a close friend.
Furthermore, that person must be an adult!
His daughter, Mouri Ran, was still a minor. This meant that if a bail bond needed signing, it would have to be Eri Kisaki!
Seeing Mouri Kogoro's panicked expression, Inspector Megure sighed.
He was a family man himself. Although his wife's personality was completely different from Eri's, he could more or less understand Mouri's plight. He patted Mouri on the shoulder and offered some comfort.
"It's alright. I'm sure your wife will be understanding."
"After all, she's a famous lawyer in Tokyo. She should have that much magnanimity."
Meanwhile, off to the side, Mouri Ran had already started dialing Eri Kisaki's number.
She had specifically found a quiet corner to whisper the details of Mouri Kogoro's situation to her mother.
Back at the Kisaki Law Firm, Eri Kisaki, who was still busy handling a client's request, felt like her world had just tilted on its axis.
Eri Kisaki: "?"
Wait... I'd only scold you a few times for going out on a secret date behind my back.
But how do you manage to turn a date into a criminal investigation? And in front of our daughter?? Has the alcohol finally rotted your brain???
"...My apologies, something has come up that I must attend to today. Shall we continue discussing this request tomorrow?"
Eri forced a strained, polite smile as she spoke to her client.
Though the client didn't know exactly what had happened, one look at Eri's complexion told them that something was seriously wrong. Being sensible, the client put down their documents and took their leave immediately.
The moment the client was gone, Eri's expression shifted instantly. She threw on her coat, ready to storm out.
However, just as she was about to leave, her legal assistant, Midori Kuriyama, happened to walk in and whispered what she had seen that morning—about Ren Ichimonji and Mouri Ran going on a "date" at the Tokyo Budokan.
Eri Kisaki: "!"
Nice going, Mouri Kogoro. Is this how you look after our daughter?
Drinking every day until you're practically turning into the Yamata no Orochi... I really need to teach you how to be a father again!
"Why did you kill her?"
Ren Ichimonji leaned against the police car, scrolling through his system screen while questioning Sachiko Shimamura, who was already handcuffed by the police.
He had to admit, this was the fastest he had ever earned points.
[Low-difficulty Public Security Mission complete!] [20 Points reward received!] [Assisted Commissioner Gordon in solving a thorny problem; 10 Points reward issued!]
With this mission, his points had finally broken the 200 mark.
It brought Ren Ichimonji one step closer to his goal of becoming the "Complete Batman."
Since he was in a good mood, he decided to ask about the murderer's motive.
---Perhaps "Beika Legend TV" was about to gain another "hero."
However, Sachiko Shimamura's answer was quite different from what Ren expected.
"...You actually want to know that?"
Shimamura's eyes were hollow, but she answered in a low voice.
"I once unknowingly included a piece of contraband in my merchandise for sale."
"After Kazumi Takenaka found out, she used that to blackmail me. Every month, she demanded a hefty, fixed fee. Otherwise, she threatened to report me to the bank, which would have made me lose my eligibility for business financing..."
"The thought of spending my entire life under her thumb filled me with resentment."
"That's why I attacked her. I killed her."
Ren Ichimonji: "?"
That's... actually a very normal motive.
Are you sure you're a resident of Beika? No wonder your case was so easy to crack. It turns out you're just an ordinary criminal who wandered onto the set of Beika Legend TV by mistake. It must have been hard for you to commit a crime in this town.
Ren shook his head.
Originally, he had felt a pang of regret for not being able to save the victim in time.
Now, that regret had vanished. If Takenaka knew about contraband, she should have reported it. Instead, she not only kept quiet but lived with the perpetrator, blackmailed her constantly, and squeezed her for money every month.
With that many negative buffs stacked against her, even if she hadn't died at Shimamura's hands, she would have been taken out by some other Beika citizen sooner or later.
Greedy people simply cannot survive in this city.
"This city..."
Ren took a sip of his coffee and looked up at the night sky.
Nearly every citizen here is a potential criminal.
End of Chapter
Like this story Leave a review ; it would really help me out a lot.
Want to Read Ahead in Advance?
Join my Patreon!
+75 Chapters
Support me in
Patreon.com/BestElysium