Chapter 379 Conan: Why Did I Say 'Again'?
Hattori Heiji and his group went to find Longevity Granny and told her about Shimabukuro Kimiie.
In the Courtyard, Conan asked in a low voice, "Hattori, how long has it been?"
Hattori Heiji was taken aback for a moment, then understood, "It's been almost 30 hours."
"Heiji," Kazuha Toyama walked towards the two who were whispering, hesitatingly, "Um..."
Hattori Heiji turned his head to look.
"Brother Hichiji still hasn't contacted you?" Kazuha Toyama asked, looking at Hattori Heiji.
Hattori Heiji, stared at by Kazuha Toyama, couldn't lie. He pressed down the hat on his head, lowering his Bangs to cover his eyes. He couldn't hide it at all, "I..."
"Ms. Kimiie is dead," Kazuha Toyama said, holding back Tears. "She was clearly with us last night. Coming here this time has been terrible. People around us keep, keep having accidents..."
"Kazuha... No matter who the Culprit is, there's something we have to say," Hattori Heiji raised his eyes and firmly Gaze at Kazuha Toyama. "We can't let that Fellow go unpunished. We must solve this Murderer who disregards human life!"
"Father!" Mouri Ran ran out. "I just received a Phone Call at the Shrine..."
An elderly couple from Tokyo called to express their gratitude to Benzou Kadowaki for giving them the Dugong Arrow before. Although it cost one million Japanese Yen, their Son's Surgery was successful.
And the Time Benzou Kadowaki sold the Arrow was on the morning of the Festival, before this year's Arrow drawing, while Saori Kadowaki's previous Dugong Arrow was lost...
In other words, the Dugong Arrow Benzou Kadowaki sold was stolen from his Daughter, Saori Kadowaki.
"Later, Mr. Benzou luckily drew an Arrow," Conan said in a low voice, "But the Roster recording the Arrow drawing is missing, only the registration Roster for buying Room Numbers is left, and then the Place where the Roster was kept caught Fire..."
It was almost explicitly stated that Benzou Kadowaki did not draw an Arrow, but took Ebihara Sumi's Arrow who died at that Time!
"It's really strange," Hattori Heiji said jokingly, also thinking in the direction of Benzou Kadowaki killing for the sake of seizing the Arrow to sell for Money. "Yesterday, when we were holding a vigil for Miss Sumi, the Dugong Arrow on Ms. Naoko's body, who was also murdered, was also lost..."
"Moreover, Brother Chi went to Kadowaki Family Residence to investigate when he came to the Island the day before yesterday, and also contacted Mr. Benzou," Conan continued. "With that Fellow's Keenness, even if he only went once, he might have already discovered something crucial..."
"In any case, I'll go take a look at Ebihara Residence where the Funeral Affairs are being held," Hattori Heiji immediately Turn Around and ran. "Kudo... Ah, I misspoke, Uncle, you go take a look at Kadowaki Family Residence!"
Conan lowered his head and pondered, No, something is wrong.
If Benzou Kadowaki stole the Roster of people who drew the Dugong Arrow before them, then why would he set Fire to the Room where the Roster was kept afterwards?
Did he leave behind any Trace, or did he not have Time to take the Roster away, so he set it on Fire to destroy it?
Wait, Trace... Those two Seagulls!
If someone had entered the Room before them, those two Seagulls should have been startled away long ago. In other words, the winning Roster was not stolen before they came, but even earlier...
Did Benzou Kadowaki guess even earlier that they would come to see the Roster? It's not impossible, but the biggest possibility is... there is a more convenient person who took the Roster in advance, and the Purpose was to shift Suspicion onto Benzou Kadowaki!
Then Ms. Shimabukuro Kimiie who proposed to bring them to see the Roster... But, Ms. Shimabukuro Kimiie is already dead, what's going on?
However, no matter what, he and Hattori were wrong again!
Benzou Kadowaki is likely not the Culprit. If they really treat Benzou Kadowaki as the Culprit, they will fall into the real Culprit's Trick!
Hmm? Why did he say 'again'...?
"Hey, Kid," Mori Kogoro saw Conan standing there blankly and called out, "Are you still coming with us to take a look at Kadowaki Family Residence?"
"Coming!" Conan quickly followed and ran up. From an angle where no one could see, he Turn Head and Glanced at Todai Residence, his Gaze solemn.
He must go to confirm, and he is still missing a crucial Clue.
That Place he can't figure out no matter what... Damn it! If he knew what Chi Feichei had discovered, maybe he could Understand.
...In a dim Room of Todai Residence, Chi Feichei was lying down looking at the Ceiling.
Motionless, training Endurance.
The noises outside hadn't stopped much. It was already very faint when it reached the Room, and he couldn't hear it clearly.
But estimating it, it's almost Time to suspect Benzou Kadowaki, right?
He just didn't know if Conan and Hattori Heiji had discovered the Hint he gave.
Letting the Seagulls stay in the Room, one Purpose was to let Hattori Heiji and Conan confirm that it was done by Seagulls, and not associate him with the Roster. It was just that the Seagulls' Nest was destroyed by the Wind and Rain, and they ran to this Household to take shelter from the Wind and Rain. It had nothing to do with him, not even a Dime. He hadn't gone out at all, let alone gone to any Room where the Roster was kept. The second Purpose was to give those two Fellows a Hint.
Lying down like this is to train Endurance and willpower, but considering that after Shimabukuro Kimiie comes back, and they are under the same roof, it will be inconvenient for him to eat. It's better to end it early.
His prediction came true.
Shimabukuro Kimiie, disguised as Longevity Granny, was lying in the Room behind the Wall next to him.
The two Rooms are back-to-back, and the Doors open onto two parallel Corridors. To come over or go over, you have to go around to the other Corridor, but in reality, there is only a Wall in between.
Earlier, when Hattori Heiji told 'Longevity Granny' that Shimabukuro Kimiie was dead, he could faintly hear a little bit in this Room.
With this little distance, with this Soundproofing Effect, not to mention eating Things here, I'm afraid if he makes a slightly larger Movement when turning over, Shimabukuro Kimiie will be able to hear it.
In two Rooms separated by a Wall...
Chi Feichei lay motionless on the Ground.
Shimabukuro Kimiie, disguised as Longevity Granny, lay motionless in the Bedding.
Both of them kept their Eyes open, looking at the Ceiling, not speaking, not moving, just like playing '1, 2, 3, Wooden Men', whoever moves first loses.
Over there, Hattori Heiji arrived at Ebihara Residence and found Traces of stepping on Arrow shafts on the bottom of a pair of Sandals provided for Guests at the vigil. He deduced the Mystery of the Footprints spreading from the Beach to the Seaside, and also learned that after they left last night, Benzou Kadowaki followed them out of the Crime Scene of the vigil in a panic.
Okay, he concluded that Benzou Kadowaki is the Culprit!
After discovering that the Police were already pursuing Benzou Kadowaki, Hattori Heiji sat on the Back Door Corridor of Ebihara Residence, watching the Police busy on the Beach. He noticed his Mobile Phone ringing, Glanced at it, and answered, "Hello, Kudo..."
Beside him, Kazuha Toyama Turn Head in confusion.
"Uh, no, it's Uncle! Hahaha..." Hattori Heiji broke out in a sweat, silently corrected his address, and couldn't wait to share his Reasoning.
"I was just about to Call you! Because the biggest Suspicion is on those two people. I found suspicious Traces under a pair of Sandals at this Home. After comparison by the Police, it can be confirmed that it was the Trace of stepping on the tip of the Dugong Arrow.
This proves that the Culprit went out from the Room where the vigil was held, walked to the Fishing Net where Ms. Naoko was waiting, killed her, and then walked back to the Room where the vigil was held.
At that Time, the people who could freely enter and exit that Room were only those who arrived at that Room before them. Apart from Ms. Naoko and Ms. Kimiie who were murdered, only Mr. Benzou and Mr. Rokuro were left.
Also, the Police have found Mr. Benzou's Fingerprint on the Swim Ring we found. So, comprehensively speaking, the Culprit should be..."
"Hattori," Conan, who had been listening quietly, interrupted and said softly, "Now I'll tell you my Deduction, listen carefully..."
From the Suspicious Point of the Seagulls staying, to him going to Saori Kadowaki's House to confirm.
He didn't find Saori Kadowaki's Health Insurance Card at Saori Kadowaki's Home. That Place that had been bothering him and he couldn't Understand was also solved.
Shimabukuro Kimiie is not dead. The one who went to the Dentist back then was actually Saori Kadowaki, but Saori Kadowaki's Health Insurance Card was lost, so she borrowed Shimabukuro Kimiie's Health Insurance Card and Identity. Then, the Charred Corpse found in the Warehouse, with dental Treatment Traces that matched, is not Shimabukuro Kimiie, but Saori Kadowaki.
"I said before that with that Fellow Chi Feichei's Keenness, even if he only went once, he might have already discovered something crucial. Don't forget, Chi Feichei not only went to Kadowaki Family Residence, he also went to Ms. Kimiie's Home. If he discovered any Clues when he was at Kadowaki Family Residence, it's impossible that he wouldn't tell us. He would definitely give us Hints. He left alone, could it be that after he discovered something that Night, someone noticed it, and then agreed with him to meet The Next Day and have a good talk..."
Conan calmly narrated, "He looks like a cold, unsociable, and difficult person to get along with, but you also know that it's actually not like that... I don't know what he discovered that Night, but at that Time, the only person who could promptly stop him from telling others and could also get him to agree to meet, was Ms. Kimiie who talked to him after he came out..."
Combining all the Information, everything points to one thing - Shimabukuro Kimiie is the Culprit!
And the Motive, I'm afraid, is that Charred Corpse found in the Warehouse three years ago...
"There is no Longevity Granny at all. The reason why that Charred Corpse has no Foot is because it was a Woman who bent her Leg up and played the role of Longevity Granny. The person who Disguise like this is probably Ms. Kimiie's Mother," Conan said in a low voice. "After her Mother died, she played the role of Longevity Granny. According to Mr. Rokuro, her Special Makeup Technique is particularly superb, and she has even won Awards before..."
"Idiot! That's absolutely impossible!" Hattori Heiji roared with a dark Face. "I don't believe it!"
"Hattori, eliminate all impossible factors, and what remains, no matter how unwilling you are to believe it," Conan said in a deep voice, "But that is the Truth!"
"What did you say?!" Hattori Heiji still wanted to refute, but couldn't deceive his own heart. He heard that the Police over there said that Benzou Kadowaki had been caught in the Mountains, and immediately Get Up. "In short, Mr. Benzou has been caught, I'll go over and take a look now!"
After Saying that, he hung up the Phone Call directly and ran towards the Mountain Forest.
The Phone Call ended, Conan stood up with a solemn Expression.
He also didn't believe it, but that is the Truth.
Now, the only person who knows where Chi Feichei is is Shimabukuro Kimiie. He still has to use Uncle's Identity for Deduction, and quickly make Shimabukuro Kimiie Say it...
(End of Chapter)