She had already lost a lot of brain cells to make up the schemes for her work just half an hour ago and now she has to solve the case again?
Hikari Yuki started to feel that her work was not for human.
Uh wait…
Since this is a case for Mouri Ran, the difficulty shouldn't be too high, right?
"S… Sonoko, don't do that!"
"I'm not a detective, Sonoko." Hikari Yuki sounded helpless. "If you want me to help, how about if you recount what happened? Perhaps, you can also get some ideas when recounting things. In the meantime, I also want to buy some snacks."
"Ah, okay!"
In this way, the two girls told the story about Aya.
There was a theft in the convenience store and the loss of goods only occurred on days when Aya was working, that surveillance cameras failed to reveal wrongdoing by a customer, and that theft occurred at times when only Aya was present in the store. The manager further reveals that a myriad of items have been stolen: game softwares, CDs, DVDs, beverages, box lunches, candy, and etc.
The manager stated that he cuts the footage during closing hours to lower operating costs, adding that the hall to the bathroom is also left dim for the same reason. Aya tells them that she noticed three suspicious customers: a university student who comes to the store to read gaming magazines until closing hours, usually buying fast-foods and instant noodles; a very quiet office worker who never starts a quarrel even when cut in line, usually buying toothbrushes, towels, and batteries; and an elderly woman who likes spending as little money as possible, often lecturing the manager on how to save electricity, usually not buying anything at all. Lastly, Aya adds that all three suspects frequently use the store bathroom.
"So, the cameras are cut after the closing hour, all suspects like to use the bathroom, and there's no surveillance footage of the culprit?" Hikari Yuki pointed out the few things that stood out.
"Why do you focus on these things?" Suzuki Sonoko was confused.
Hikari Yuki smiled as she carried the few things that she wanted to buy. "Shinichi should have said the same thing. When there is a case, it is almost certain that once something deviating from the norm happens, and such deviations, no matter how insignificant, are clues that can be found by careful observation that form the cornerstone of a deduction."
This case is very simple.
So simple that it was unbelievable.
Then again, this might be because her skills had increased and Hikari Yuki immediately noticed everything that stood out from their description. Added with her long term career as a 'criminal' and countless training from agents from various countries… Hikari Yuki knew the truth easily.
She guessed that this should be a case she had read too before she came to this world.
Unfortunately, her memory back then was too poor to remember such a case clearly.
…there were simply too many cases in Conan's world.
She paid for the things she bought and when she saw the manager confront Aya again with Mouri Ran looked thoughtful.
Hikari Yuki lowered her eyes.
She would not steal the limelight from Mouri Ran.
"Teacher Jodie?"