These are happy tears!
After shedding tears, Jodie's eyes instinctively moved toward the center of her eyebrows, unfocused and dazed.
Her flushed face was steaming, her entire body on the verge of collapse.
This was an experience unlike anything she had ever felt before.
It took nearly ten minutes for Jodie to regain her composure.
By then, the tissues in her mouth had been completely shredded from biting down too hard.
"HAAAA!"
She exhaled a long breath.
At this moment, Jodie couldn't think about anything else.
The FBI, the Black Organization, her parents' tragic fate, Vermouth, her ex-boyfriend—everything vanished from her mind.
It was as if her brain's circuits had been rewired.
A sudden rush of dopamine flooded her system.
Jodie felt nothing but pure bliss. A kind of euphoria she had never known in her entire life.
This American wild horse seemed to be veering off course.
Yet, despite the intensity of the moment, what happened inside the Masuo Villa restroom went unnoticed by anyone.
Akashi, still restrained by Ran and Sonoko, was unable to return and check on Jodie's condition. He remained somewhat concerned.
Just then, reinforcements from the Metropolitan Police Department arrived.
Leading the team was Inspector Shiratori Ninzaburō, accompanied by Officer Chiba and his unit.
A group of officers filed in, while Ran held onto little shota's hand and led him toward the living room.
Akashi, unable to break free, had no choice but to follow.
As they entered the living room, they spotted Conan scrambling up the bookshelf behind a stationary bike like a mischievous monkey.
Shiratori Ninzaburō swiftly stepped forward and scooped him up.
"Where did you come from, kid? Who let you into a crime scene?"
Without hesitation, he tossed Conan aside.
The boy glared at Shiratori with deadpan eyes.
Ignoring him, Shiratori quickly took control of the situation, ordering the officers to begin their investigation.
Since Inspector Megure was handling another case at the bank, Shiratori, as the newly promoted inspector, was in charge here.
Eager to assert his authority—especially in front of Miwako—he made a show of his sharp instincts.
It was as blatant as a peacock flaunting its feathers.
But Miwako showed no interest whatsoever.
Keeping things professional, she reported their findings to the officers:
Signs of forced entry were found on the hallway window.The victim, Mrs. Masuo, had sweat on her body, indicating she was likely cycling at the time of her death.The estimated time of death was around 2:00 PM. She had still been on a call with Takagi and her husband then.If she had screamed during the call, it suggested she was attacked from behind.The case was suspected to be connected to a previous bank robbery, making homicide a strong possibility.
With that, Miwako requested that patrol officers conduct a search of the surrounding area.
Shiratori nodded at her assessment and immediately issued orders.
A group of uniformed officers went out to question nearby residents, asking if they had noticed any suspicious individuals.
Then, Shiratori's gaze shifted to the two bookshelves behind the stationary bike.
His eyes narrowed.
"Mr. Masuo, why is there a curtain on this bookshelf?"
Keizo Masuo replied matter-of-factly, "It's mainly to prevent dust. There's a construction site nearby."
As the questioning continued, Shiratori stepped forward and examined the bookshelf.
Something caught his attention.
He discovered that the middle wooden panel of the bookshelf could be removed with ease.
Pairing that with the evidence of a forced window entry, an idea began to form in his mind.
"Excuse me, what is your and your wife's daily routine like?"
Keizo Masuo opened his mouth and replied:
"Since I work at the bank, I usually wake up early and leave in the morning."
"My wife is a full-time housewife. She sleeps in and typically wakes up around two in the afternoon. She often comes here to ride the exercise bike."
Shiratori Ninzaburō chuckled.
"So, if someone were to figure out your routine..."
"It would be entirely possible for them to sneak into the villa through the window while you're at work and your wife is still asleep."
"Then, they could hide behind the curtain of this detachable bookcase..."
"Wait for your wife to come in, then emerge from their hiding spot,attack her, and kill her with a knife. Am I right?"
As he spoke, Shiratori grew more excited, convinced that he had unraveled the truth of the case.
Keizo Masuo nodded. "That... does seem possible."
Watching the two of them, Akashi couldn't help but feel they were completely misinterpreting the case.
He spoke up.
"This theory is way too far-fetched."
Hearing the rebuttal, Shiratori immediately frowned.
Seeing another "kid" interrupting, he stepped forward, ready to put him in his place.
But Miwako reached out and stopped him.
Miwako had been handling the bandaged monster case and knew that Akashi had played a key role in solving it.
Even though she wasn't the type to believe that children could crack cases, she was willing to hear him out.
After all, Conan had just pointed out the presence of sweat on the victim's body, proving she had been exercising at the time of her death.
Maybe these kids could offer a fresh perspective.
Miwako softened her tone and asked, "Akashi, why do you say that?"
Akashi scoffed.
"This theory doesn't make any sense. If the murderer was really planning to kill her..."
"Then why wait until she's on the exercise bike? Wouldn't the easiest way be to strike while she's still asleep, right after Mr. Masuo leaves?"
"Sneak into the bedroom and kill her in her sleep—that would be much simpler."
Hearing this, Shiratori Ninzaburō's face stiffened.
He quickly countered, "But what if the murderer overheard Mrs. Masuo's phone conversation with the police? Maybe they panicked, thinking she might reveal something incriminating, and decided to kill her on the spot?"
Akashi rolled his eyes at him.
"Does that sound like something a rational person would do? Who in their right mind would choose to commit murder while the victim is literally on the phone with the police?"
"If they fail to kill her instantly and she manages to say something before dying, they'd be doomed!"
"Even the dumbest criminal wouldn't deliberately provoke the police like that."
"Besides, if the goal was to kill her quietly, why not cover her mouth with one hand and stab with the other? That way, she wouldn't make a sound."
"Instead, it's as if the murderer wanted her to scream specifically for the police to hear!"
As he finished speaking, Akashi turned his gaze toward Keizo Masuo.
The potbellied middle-aged man suddenly looked nervous.
The room fell into deep thought.
He's right!
If the murderer's goal was a silent assassination, why didn't they simply cover her mouth?
And why didn't they hang up the phone afterward?
That was suspicious.
Ran's eyes widened in surprise as she watched Akashi effortlessly turn the investigation around.
"As expected... my Akashi is the smartest!"
Meanwhile, Conan frowned.
(Is this guy really just a kid?!)
(How is he noticing the exact same things I am?!)
As everyone's attention remained on Akashi, Conan opened his mouth, about to speak.
But then, he hesitated.
He thought about all the times he had drawn enemies to himself, putting those around him in danger.
I can't afford to reveal my identity!
Since someone else was reaching the same conclusions as him, maybe it was better to let them take the lead.
Still, deep down, the little detective couldn't shake his frustration.
But something felt... off.
Why do I feel like I'm living in this kid's shadow?
Shouldn't Ran be looking at me with admiration?!
Irritated, Conan scratched his head furiously.
Watching him, Sonoko shook her head.
(Wow. Jealousy really does change people.)
(Why is this brat so jealous of Akashi?)
(I just don't get it!)