Soon, Inspector Megure stormed into the hall, flanked by Officer Sato and her team.
"Hattori-kun, what happened here?" Inspector Megure asked immediately.
"Inspector Megure. There's been a murder. The President of the Tomizawa Group, Tetsuharu Tomizawa, has died from poisoning."
"What?" Inspector Megure's expression darkened. "Sato, cordon off the scene immediately!"
Officer Sato and Officer Takagi quickly organized their subordinates to secure the mansion, ensuring no one could enter or leave.
"Inspector, please hurry. We have to prepare for our father's funeral," Taichi Tomizawa said, his tone laced with impatience and discontent.
"Mr. Taichi, you seem in quite a hurry to leave. Do you not care about the truth? Or is it that you already know it?" Heiji remarked indifferently.
"Mr. Hattori, that is slander! Since you are so certain my father was poisoned, tell me: who is the murderer? And when was he poisoned?" Taichi countered with a hostile glare.
Heiji ignored him and approached Tetsuharu Tomizawa's corpse.
"Heiji, take these."
Kazuha walked over and handed him a pair of latex gloves.
"Well now, Hattori-kun, it seems Miss Kazuha has practically become your assistant," Inspector Megure commented with a slight smile.
"Inspector Megure is joking. I can only help Heiji with small things," Kazuha replied with practiced ease, acting naturally.
Heiji checked the pulse at Tetsuharu Tomizawa's carotid artery, then gently moved the victim's arm. A rough conclusion had already formed in his mind.
"The onset of symptoms was instant, and the body stiffened rapidly. This indicates a severe, fast-acting poison with a massive dosage. There was practically no latency period. And the only people who have been by his side this entire time, without stepping away, are you—the three brothers."
Heiji stood up and pointed at the triplets, his tone firm and resonant.
The guests stared at Heiji, dumbfounded. Tetsuharu Tomizawa was their father. Was the detective accusing one of the sons of parricide?
"Hattori-kun, how is that possible? He is their father," Inspector Megure said in disbelief.
"Inspector, sometimes you don't need a logical reason to kill," Heiji stated coldly.
"Bastard! You're slandering us! Why would we kill our own father?" Yuzo Tomizawa shouted.
"I'm just analyzing the facts. Inspector Megure, please have forensics examine the body."
Inspector Megure nodded seriously and instructed the forensics team to proceed.
"In the meantime, while we wait for the results, it would be best if you three do not leave the immediate vicinity of the crime scene to avoid unnecessary suspicion."
Heiji turned and walked toward the dining table.
"Kid, this isn't a playground. Get back."
An officer stopped Conan, blocking him from approaching the table.
"Let me go! I'm Big Brother Heiji's assistant! Let me go!"
Conan struggled, internally annoyed. That guy Hattori gets to have all the fun. I want to investigate too!
Suddenly, he missed Kogoro Mouri a little. At least with the old man around, he could usually sneak onto the crime scene freely instead of watching helplessly from the sidelines.
Heiji surveyed the dining table.
At Tetsuharu Tomizawa's seat, there wasn't much: a glass of mulberry wine, a bottle of heart medication, and a bowl containing several pieces of lobster meat.
To his right, at Taichi Tomizawa's spot, lay a pile of lobster shells and a large bowl of dipping sauce.
To his left sat Tatsuji Tomizawa, whose place setting only held a bottle of mulberry wine.
And next to him was Yuzo Tomizawa, whose table was bare except for the basic utensils.
Heiji picked up the victim's glass of mulberry wine and sniffed it. It carried a strong, fruity aroma.
"Heiji... can I call you Heiji?"
While he was searching for clues, Officer Sato's voice suddenly sounded beside him.
"Sure, whatever you like," Heiji nodded, focused on the glass.
"Heiji, have you found any clues?"
Sato had already ordered preliminary tests on the items on the table, but no reaction to common poisons had been detected on any of them.
"No."
Heiji shook his head. He would have to wait for the detailed toxicology report to verify his specific suspicions.
He returned to Kazuha's side. Sonoko immediately approached him, her eyes brimming with tears and fear. "Heiji... Uncle Tomizawa's death isn't our responsibility, is it?"
Heiji sighed, his expression softening. "Don't worry. I'll help you prove that this has nothing to do with the Suzuki Group."
Sonoko nodded slightly and stood silently to the side. No one would feel good about a murder occurring at their own birthday party. Kazuha and Ran stayed close, comforting her.
"Inspector Megure, the toxicology report is ready."
A forensics officer approached with a clipboard. "The victim died from acute poisoning after ingesting a massive amount of arsenic."
"Arsenic?"
Inspector Megure frowned deeply.
"But Inspector, we haven't detected any trace of poison on the utensils or food, let alone arsenic," Officer Takagi reported, looking confused.
Heiji stepped forward.
"Hattori-kun, what do you make of this?" Inspector Megure looked at Heiji with expectation.
Heiji was momentarily speechless. The Inspector isn't stupid, so why does he ask me everything?
"Arsenic usually takes time to work. for death to be this instantaneous, the dosage must have been enormous. Logically, such a large amount should have left significant traces. For there to be absolutely no reaction on the tableware... that is indeed strange."
"What's strange about it? It just proves we aren't the murderers!" Tatsuji Tomizawa shouted loudly.
"Inspector, although I am not a lawyer, if you continue to detain us without evidence, I will file a formal complaint with the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department," Taichi Tomizawa said calmly, though the threat was clear.
"That's right! If you can't find the murderer, let us go!"
"We don't want to stay in the same room as a corpse any longer!"
Taichi's words resonated with the crowd. The guests began to stir, their anxiety turning into agitation. Inspector Megure did his best to maintain order.
"Hattori-kun, you have to hurry. I won't be able to hold them for much longer."
Heiji frowned, perplexed. The murderer was undoubtedly one of the triplets. But what method had he used to make Tetsuharu Tomizawa ingest a lethal dose of arsenic without leaving a trace on the food or drink?
"I think Heiji Hattori is overrated. Foiling the Night Baron and Kaito Kid must have been pure dumb luck. If you can't solve it, step aside and leave it to the police."
The man in the suit whom Heiji had met in the bathroom sneered from the crowd. His cynical remark found agreement among some of the restless guests.
Whispers of doubt began to spread. Kazuha clenched her fists in anger, and Sonoko glared at the hecklers.
Heiji remained impassive, tuning out the noise. He walked back to the dining table, his eyes darting between the items.
Lobster... Mulberry wine... Heart pills... Arsenic...
Arsenic!
A confident smile slowly curled the corner of Heiji's lips.
The fog had lifted. The mystery was solved.