69novels Page 249
Page 249
However, the police inspector doesn't seem to be in very good shape today.
Could it be that something triggered it?
Matsuda noticed the change in Megure's expression.
Although I don't know what happened, we can't delay any longer.
After all, judging from the nature of the Conan world, the culprit is always limited to one of the characters who have appeared, that is, the four people who are currently in the story.
So, the most valuable cases to investigate right now are Guard Deokjin and Oshirakawa.
Konno and old Shirakawa...
Huh? Old Shirakawa?
Matsuda then noticed that old Shirakawa was no longer present.
"Hey, I mean, where's President Shirakawa?"
“They just left,” Yue Shui replied.
"leave?"
Matsuda frowned and said, "You mean, after learning that someone had died in the mall, the president of this department store just came to take a look and left? And Inspector Megure didn't stop him at all?"
“We have no right to restrict personal freedom.” Yue Shui shrugged. “Does Senior already have any leads?”
"Yes, we've identified two people so far." Matsuda nodded. "But we don't know what the motive is. We can start by looking for the murder weapon. The killer shouldn't have had time to take the blunt weapon used to attack these girls out. The murder weapon must be in this department store, something like a stick stained with the victims' blood."
"As expected of a senior." Koshimizu said with a face full of admiration. "However, regarding the motive, President Shirakawa mentioned something when he left earlier. The victim this time, Aizawa Tae, has a criminal record."
"A bad record?" Matsuda scratched his head. "When did this happen?"
“A year ago, in this very parking lot, she hit a boy with her car, injuring him visibly and he died despite attempts to save him.”
Koshimizu recounted the story she had heard from Sato.
"The boy's name is Sakurai Akira."
"How is that possible?" Matsuda looked around. "This is a parking lot, how fast could a car be going?"
wrong!
A sudden thought flashed through Matsuda's mind, and he recalled a conversation.
Let me take you home; it's not safe to drive in high heels.
These aren't high heels, they're platform shoes!
This is a conversation with Ryoko Mizutani, the first victim of the attack.
Yes, that's exactly what I've been feeling overlooked.
Chapter 298 It still has to be Death!
The common thread among the four attacks, besides the 101 hot girl outfits, the car, and the department store, is this: platform shoes!
It seems the motive has been found. Thinking this, Matsuda frowned and asked,
"When the car accident happened a year ago, the victim was also wearing platform shoes, right? So due to insufficient braking, the tragedy occurred."
"So, the killer's target wasn't the '101 Hot Girls' we thought they were, but the person driving in platform shoes?" Yue Shui realized.
“Go and investigate all the relatives of the child who died in that accident.” Matsuda smiled. “If you can confirm it, then the murderer should be that one person.”
“Yes, it can only be him.” Yue Shui also smiled. “I’ll go investigate right away.”
"By the way, what about that guard named Dingjin?"
Matsuda looked around but couldn't find the security guard from before.
"They were just here a moment ago." Sato looked around but didn't see anyone.
"Hey! Megure, Matsuda, you're both here."
The scarred-faced manager, Matsumoto, whom we hadn't seen in a long time, also arrived at the crime scene.
"Does the commander have any instructions?"
Although Matsuda was speaking to Matsumoto, he was still looking around, searching for the guard.
"Megure, how many leads do you have now? The media is already calling this a random killing spree,"
Matsumoto, the manager, urged.
"Besides, you've blocked the parking lot, and the car owners are making a scene outside. Let's call it a day and not let the situation escalate."
"Manager, give me another half hour. We've already identified the murderer, and the murder weapon should still be in the mall."
Matsuda said solemnly, "Even if we're leaving, we must bring these people involved back to the Metropolitan Police Department. Otherwise, if we let them go and destroy the evidence, it will be much more difficult to catch the criminals in the future!"
Has the killer's identity been confirmed?
Everyone at the Metropolitan Police Department looked at Matsuda.
Why are you so surprised?
Matsuda replied irritably.
"I've been following this from the beginning until now. If I still can't catch the murderer, wouldn't I be too useless?"
His words clearly stung the hearts of many officers in the Metropolitan Police Department.
So useless?
Is this referring to us?
Just as the detectives of the First Division were beginning to doubt themselves, Conan suddenly spoke up and asked,
"Officer Matsuda, are you sure the culprit is the security guard at the deposit shop?"
“He is only a suspect. Before obtaining clear evidence, the detectives of the First Division cannot say that he is the criminal.”
Matsuda replied with a smile.
"Why do you think the culprit is the security guard, Conan?"
Seeing Matsuda's smug smile, Sato turned to Conan and asked.
"Because only Mr. Shirakawa and Mr. Dekino fit the height criteria, and Inspector Matsuda believes the killer's target is the older woman driving,"
Conan explained, "Then how can Mr. Shirakawa, as the chef, be sure that these ladies all drove themselves?"
"So, where is the deposit now?"
After Matsuda and Conan explained things clearly, they looked at Megure.
"I don't know about this either."
Megure shrugged innocently.
"Inspector, he was one of only two people involved in the murder scene, and you're saying no one was assigned to watch him?"
Matsuda felt a wave of helplessness. Were none of his colleagues at the Metropolitan Police Department reliable after all?
......
"Strange, why hasn't Sonoko returned yet?"
Xiao Lan waited and waited, but nothing came. She couldn't help but feel a little anxious.
"what happened?"
Having just heard Matsuda's reasoning, Conan already knows that the culprit's target is the girl wearing platform shoes.
Thinking of this, he suddenly had a bad feeling.
"Sister Xiaolan, where did Sister Yuanzi go?"
"She said she was going to put her things in the car and then go to the restroom," Xiaolan said helplessly. "But it's been quite a while, and she still hasn't come back!"
"Well, Ran," Matsuda suddenly interjected, "did Sonoko take the car keys and put her things away herself?"
“That’s right.” Kogoro noticed them too. “I gave her the key. What’s wrong?”
Matsuda pointed at Conan's head, intending to say, "You really are a grim reaper," but ultimately didn't utter the words.
"Call her right now and tell her to come back!"
Now is not the time to do such meaningless things; let's hurry up and find someone.
Matsuda sighed and quickly explained that Sonoko might be the culprit's next target.
They were instructed to scatter and search for the girl.
......
The main gate between the shopping mall and the underground parking lot is guarded by Takagi.
He was forcing a smile as he stopped customers who wanted to retrieve their cars, as well as a swarm of media reporters.
"Takagi, did you see the garden just now?"
Matsuda walked over and saw Takagi struggling to hold back the surging crowd with his small frame.
"Officer Matsuda?"
When Takagi saw Matsuda, it was as if he had seen a long-lost relative.
He quickly stepped back and let the uniformed police officer next to him take his place.
"Is it over? Inspector Matsumoto just went in. He said he was going to call it a day."
“That order has been temporarily cancelled,” Matsuda replied casually. “Did you see Sonoko just now?”
"Yes, she went to the mall." Takagi nodded. "Is there a problem?"
"The garden is fine, the problem is with that guard named Dingjin. Have you seen him?"
"Is there something wrong with him?" Takagi asked in surprise. "He just said he was going to get something."
"So you just let him go?" Matsuda shook his head, feeling a headache coming on. "I should have insisted that Koshimizu stay here."
At this point, Matsuda looked up and glared at Takagi, lecturing him.
"What did you do? The only person who showed up at the murder scene, you actually let him roam around freely? And I clearly assigned Yue Shui to be in charge, why did you let her run over to our side?"