The following morning, news of the Tokiwa Group incident dominated every major headline.
Thanks to the rapid evacuation and the skyscraper's architectural design—specifically the skybridge connecting Towers A and B—there were miraculously no casualties, including the staff.
The fire had been fierce, raging for hours before the fire department finally brought it under control. Whether the towers could still be used remained to be seen; the structures would require a battery of tests by structural engineers before anyone was allowed back inside.
Hosui Kisaragi had made a full confession regarding the murder of Councilman Iwamatsu Oki in Nishitama City. On the night of the murder, he had visited Oki under the guise of presenting him with a painting, only to end the man's life with a single blade, leaving a shattered sake cup as his grim signature.
To the surprise of the investigators, the elderly artist confessed that Mio Tokiwa hadn't been his only intended target. He had also gone to the home of Yoshiaki Hara with the intent to kill him, but since Hara hadn't been home and couldn't be reached, Kisaragi had eventually given up on that particular lead.
There was, however, one piece of indisputably good news: Kogoro Mouri's days of driving rentals were officially over.
Because the banquet hall was on the 75th floor and the explosion had occurred on the 40th, the prize car had remained untouched by the blast.
"As long as it wasn't caught in the explosion, I can probably fix anything that goes wrong with it," Tsuneo remarked, circling the flashy red convertible with a critical eye.
As long as this car didn't meet the same explosive fate as the one at the Sunset Manor, he felt there was always room for a little mechanical "resuscitation."
"Hey! The car was just delivered! Could you maybe not say such ominous things?" Kogoro snapped, looking at his new prize with a gaze of pure adoration.
He made a mental note to visit a shrine soon—this car needed all the divine protection it could get to survive being associated with his lifestyle.
Conan sat in the passenger seat, his face a mask of silent judgment. Watching a middle-aged man fawn over a piece of machinery like a schoolboy with a crush was... a lot to take in.
Kogoro had insisted on taking Conan out for a victory lap today. The Tokiwa Group had been remarkably efficient; all the paperwork had been processed within a single morning. By the afternoon, the red beauty legally belonged to the "Sleeping Sleuth."
"Right, almost forgot. Here's your watch and your gemstone," Kogoro said, tossing a small box toward the repairman.
The Tokiwa Group had kept their word. Every guest who participated in the game had their watch returned along with a gemstone of equivalent value.
"Hang on, let me just check the engine one more time..." Tsuneo's professional instincts kicked in as he reached for the hood latch.
"..."
"With Mr. Hara missing and the newly finished towers getting half-blown up, I'd say Mio's had a run of terrible luck," Kogoro remarked, stepping out of the car and lighting a cigarette.
"It could be worse. At least she's still breathing," Tsuneo said, glancing toward a certain young detective.
"True enough. If this brat hadn't run onto the stage to cause a scene, we might not have exposed Master Kisaragi until it was too late..."
As evening approached, Tsuneo's phone rang with a service call.
The location was in Beika 3-chome. Feeling productive for once, he didn't succumb to his usual laziness and drove over to the address.
Ding-dong!
"Hello! Repair services!"
Tsuneo, tool bag slung over his shoulder, stepped into the courtyard and rang the bell. The nameplate on the gate read Osaki. He didn't recognize the name, which usually meant the job would be safe and routine.
"Hello! Please, come in."
The door was opened by a woman in her mid-thirties. She was dressed in comfortable loungewear, with long hair and average but pleasant features. She clearly took good care of herself—her silhouette was toned, and she wore a friendly, welcoming smile as she handed him a pair of guest slippers.
"..."
Tsuneo's nostrils flared as he caught a scent in the air. He frowned slightly.
"It's such a headache. These things always seem to break at the worst times," Mrs. Osaki complained, standing by as Tsuneo began inspecting a leaking pipe.
According to her, she had been cleaning the house when the pipe suddenly burst. She had managed to shut off the main valve before calling for help.
"Mmhmm."
Tsuneo glanced at her briefly, his expression neutral. He didn't seem particularly interested in small talk.
"Could you take a look at the kitchen after you're done here?" Mrs. Osaki asked, leaning in slightly. She seemed like the talkative type.
"Why? Did you break the kitchen pipes, too?" Tsuneo asked. He stood up, turning to face her with a look of pure exasperation.
"Eh?" Mrs. Osaki looked confused.
"Did you kill someone in the bathroom?"
Tsuneo's nose twitched. His sense of smell was nearing the level of a police dog. In truth, from the moment he had stepped into the house, he had been hit by the metallic tang of blood. In the bathroom, the scent was so thick it was practically suffocating, refusing to dissipate.
"Wh—What kind of joke is that?"
Mrs. Osaki stammered for a split second before her face smoothed back into a mask of calm.
"Is it a dismemberment job?"
Tsuneo looked down at the showerhead, which bore obvious signs of an external impact. He began muttering to himself, piecing it together.
Most likely, she burst in while the victim was showering. Given the strength of the scent, it happened recently, and there was a lot of blood. The bathroom was scrubbed, but you can't hide that smell from me.
"Who... who are you?!" Mrs. Osaki took a step back, her composure finally beginning to crack into panic.
"Are you looking for an alibi witness?" Tsuneo mused. "No, actually, it looks like you're just in a hurry to take a shower yourself."
He pointed toward the stains on her clothes. He sighed, shaking his head. I really can't go out on a simple job anymore. This city is cursed.
Wait, no. Regardless of whether I showed up or not, this woman already did the deed. This has nothing to do with me.
"..."
Mrs. Osaki stared at the young repairman. He was holding a massive pipe wrench, looking like he was lost in deep philosophical thought. She stood frozen, too terrified to move.
Tsuneo's deduction was spot on. In a fit of impulsive rage, she had stabbed her husband multiple times. But as for dismemberment? Who in their right mind would do that? It had been hard enough just dragging him to the backyard to bury him.
She had waited several hours to steady her nerves, then grabbed a random business card and called for a repairman to create a sense of normalcy.
How was she to know she'd accidentally summoned a total psychopath?
"So, how about it? Want me to call the police for you? I'll have to charge an extra fee for the service, though," Tsuneo said, pulling out his phone.
If he called his contacts, the police would be here in minutes. But that would mean another three-hour statement at the station. He couldn't provide that kind of labor for free.
On the other hand, if she turned herself in, the paperwork would be much simpler. He'd just take his repair fee and go.
"Stop... stop talking nonsense! I haven't done anything! Please, just leave! Get out!" Mrs. Osaki screamed, pointing toward the door.
"Five thousand yen!" Tsuneo said, holding out his hand.
He had replaced the pipe. He had done the work. She had to pay.
"I'm not giving you a single cent! Just leave!" Mrs. Osaki backed away, pointing toward the hallway with a trembling finger.
"What?!"
Tsuneo raised the heavy wrench in his hand, his eyes narrowing.
"I dare you to say that one more time!"
Terrified, Mrs. Osaki let out a shriek. She bolted toward a room near the bathroom and slammed the door, locking herself inside.
"..."
Tsuneo stood in the hallway, speechless. Left with no other choice, he called Inspector Megure.
He genuinely couldn't understand what had gotten into her. How could she be so crazy as to try and stiff him on his repair fee?
Fifteen minutes later.
Inspector Megure finally managed to coax the door open. He placed the hysterical Mrs. Osaki in handcuffs and turned to give Tsuneo a look of utter exhaustion.
"Don't look at me like that. If I wanted to break that door down myself, I wouldn't have waited for you guys," Tsuneo grumbled, though he looked satisfied as he finally pocketed his five thousand yen.
"Inspector," Officer Takagi said, walking over with his notebook after speaking to the neighbors. "According to the people next door, Mrs. Osaki has been mentally unstable lately. She's extremely prone to being triggered by stress."
"I gathered that much..." Megure sighed.
(End of Chapter)
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