Out of the haunted house, the group headed to the adjacent soda shop.
Business here lagged behind the last—perhaps ghost house chills made extra cooling redundant.
Inside, they ordered drinks and scanned the surroundings.
Yukiko spotted first: "Shuichi, those pots on the shelf—mint plants?"
The clerk behind the counter smiled. "Spot on. All our drink mint's fresh-picked from those."
"These mints," Eri asked, "where do you source them?"
"Shopping street," the clerk replied. "Flower shop there—stocks all kinds of herbs."
"Onii-chan, this must be it?" Reiko tugged Shuichi's arm.
"Hm?" Shuichi pulled his gaze back, nodding. "Yeah, probably."
"What had you so glued?" Kogoro peered over—Shuichi had been fixed on a purple-haired beauty in a short-sleeved top, micro-shorts, and black stockings. "Whoa, black-stocking babe! No wonder, Shuichi..."
"Ahem!" Shuichi coughed sharply, trying to silence his blundering buddy.
Too late—Eri and Yukiko's attention snapped to.
"Got two—no, three—beauties at your side, still ogling others..." Yukiko jabbed his ribs, peeved.
"Books are right—men are greedy idiots!" Eri added.
"Onii-chan, you disappoint me!" Reiko glared.
"Don't buy Kogoro's nonsense!" Shuichi protested. "I wasn't staring 'cause she's pretty..."
"Then her figure?" Yukiko arched her chest. "Mine's better, obviously!"
Eri and Reiko glanced down at themselves, then huffed in unison.
"Am I that shallow?" Shuichi sighed. "I recognized her—from the flower shop this morning. She was asking Mrs. Ori-kasa about shops selling those two mint types."
"So she's possibly the one who trashed the shop last night?" Eri frowned. "Call the cops now?"
"Hey, bookworm, buying his story that quick?" Yukiko yelped. "Who knows if he's lying?"
Eri shot her a lazy glance, ignoring.
Reiko clarified: "Onii-chan doesn't joke on serious stuff."
"Right," Yukiko conceded. "So, police now?"
"Hold up," Shuichi cautioned. "She doesn't seem villainous. I'll check her out—you wait here."
He approached the purple-haired girl.
The three girls eyed his back, faces darkening.
"Doesn't 'seem'?" Eri said coolly. "Can you spot evil on a face?"
"Exactly," Yukiko flexed a fist. "Sleuthing's his cover—flirting with hotties is the real game."
"Onii-chan..." Reiko bit her lip, fuming.
"You overthinking?" Kogoro chuckled awkwardly for his pal. "Shuichi's not—"
Under their glares, his voice dwindled: "...that kind of lech."
...
Shuichi set his soda down, sliding into the seat opposite. "Fancy meeting again. Small world."
"Coincidental?" The girl snorted. "Lame pickup line—real original."
Shuichi frowned, cutting the chase: "Why ask about those two mint sellers at the flower shop this morning?"
"Before I answer," she countered, "are you a cop?"
"Nope." He shook his head.
"Then why should I?" She smirked. "Give me a reason."
"You're after those guys—or what they're hunting—via the mints," Shuichi said evenly. "I'm no cop, but I've got police ties. You want them swarming now?"
Her smile faded, eyes locking on him. "Not bad for the rising high school sleuth—beats Tokyo's bum cops."
"Flattery won't dodge the question," Shuichi pressed. "Which is it—chasing them, or their prize?"
"What if both?" She grinned. "Buy it?"
"Sure, why not?" Shuichi leaned in, whispering: "With the Phantom Lady on the case, I can relax and play. Good luck!"
Her gaze sharpened. "Sorry, no clue what you mean!"
Bingo—her flinch confirmed it.
Shuichi's past life skipped Magic Kaito, but he vaguely recalled Kid's mom had rare purple hair.
A shot in the dark—and it hit.
Her identity clear, her presence here clicked: a week ago, Ochanomizu Jewelry District lost a billion-yen ruby to theft.
The day before, the shop got a heist notice from the Phantom Lady.
Shuichi had wondered—Kid's mom, per canon flair, wouldn't play full villain, even in crime.
Likely, idiots impersonated her to frame the ruby hit.
That'd draw the real deal: reclaim the gem, expose the fakes, clear her name.
Certain now, Shuichi rejoined his group, at ease.
Kid's mom versus morons? No sweat.
Behind him, the girl stared, stunned and wary.
First time spotted as "Phantom Lady."
Where'd I slip? How'd he peg me?
She brooded, brow furrowed. Her "gentleman thief" gigs were heroic, but illegal in this law-bound world.
Exposure meant prison—unthinkable.
She admired Ishikawa Goemon's rogue path, but no way she'd end caged like him...
(End of Chapter)
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