Chapter 85: What's the Connection Between Fishnet Stockings and Fishermen?
At dusk, the last ferry to Moon Shadow Island arrived carrying several police officers from the mainland.
Leading the group was Inspector Megure from the Metropolitan Police Department. Compared to the withered elderly officer stationed on the island, Inspector Megure was clearly far more imposing and professional.
Several other officers followed behind him, walking with confident, authoritative strides. Dressed in their dark suits, they could easily be mistaken for yakuza bosses if not for their badges.
"So, Mouri, you've run into another case?"
In the community center's reception room, Inspector Megure's voice was thick with helpless resignation. What kind of person could possibly encounter murder cases every few days?
Mouri's track record with homicides had been absolutely incredible lately. The inspector had honestly lost count of how many times this man had stumbled upon corpses.
"Hahaha, it's fate, pure fate!"
Kogoro Mouri, far from being ashamed, declared proudly, "My deductive abilities are summoning these cases to me! The spirits of justice call upon this great detective!"
Sitting peacefully at home, and a case literally falls from the sky—who can I possibly complain to? It was the 500,000 yen that struck first. I'm just an innocent victim of circumstances!
The mysterious client had paid a 500,000 yen retainer fee without even leaving contact information for a refund. What choice did he have but to accept the challenge?
Inspector Megure interrupted impatiently, waving his hand dismissively. "Alright, let's not discuss that right now. I heard you and Natsukawa discovered the victim's body."
"Yeah," Kogoro Mouri replied with a heavy sigh.
What kind of deep-seated grudge did the murderer have against the victim? Not only did they throw the body off a cliff, but they specifically chose a location infested with wild dogs to dispose of it.
He'd almost gotten sick examining the corpse earlier.
If he hadn't encountered all kinds of bodies over his years as a detective, he genuinely wouldn't have been able to handle it. The scene was far too gruesome to look at directly.
Speaking of which... could this guy really have angered Keiji Aso's vengeful ghost enough to come back for revenge?
"Hey, isn't that Instructor Yor?" Inspector Megure suddenly spotted Yor in the crowd and exclaimed in genuine surprise.
"Good evening, Inspector Megure," Yor stepped forward politely to greet him.
She worked as a tactical combat instructor for the Metropolitan Police Department and knew virtually all the officers there, including Inspector Megure.
"What brings you all the way out here?" Inspector Megure glanced suspiciously at Yor's companions, then nodded knowingly when he spotted Natsukawa standing beside her.
He adjusted his signature brown hat with a look of sudden understanding dawning on his face. "Ohh, I see how it is."
Yor: ???
What exactly do you think you see?
I'm just traveling with a friend—really just a friend! Inspector Megure, please don't be like Yumi, jumping to ridiculous conclusions!
Otherwise, even if you're an inspector, I won't go easy on you.
Inspector Megure didn't notice any murderous intent in Yor's eyes—he simply thought she was being shy about the situation—so he immediately gave her what he considered a tactful, understanding smile.
"Don't worry, I won't say anything to anyone. I'd heard through the grapevine that you had a boyfriend, but I didn't realize it was Natsukawa here."
Yor: ...
Oh no, the misunderstanding has gotten even worse!
The gloomy evening sky perfectly mirrored everyone's oppressive mood, creating a suffocating atmosphere.
The shadow of death loomed heavily over everyone on Moon Shadow Island. Ken Nishimoto and Hideo Kawashima looked especially troubled, their expressions constantly shifting between anxiety and fear. As they prepared to leave, they kept glancing back nervously, as if desperately wanting to stay close to Inspector Megure's protective presence.
However, that simply wasn't possible.
Inspector Megure took the horrific nature of the case extremely seriously. Immediately after understanding the basic details, he had Kogoro Mouri lead the investigation team to the crime scene.
Kogoro Mouri guided Dr. Asai Narumi, Inspector Megure, and the group of police officers toward the cliff location where the body had been discovered.
Meanwhile, Natsukawa made a polite excuse to decline Kogoro Mouri's invitation to join them.
No need to see the body again. I already examined it thoroughly this afternoon, and the corpse was too badly damaged to reveal much more. Besides, I have other important business to handle this evening.
He still needed to visit the Kawashima and Nishimoto residences to ensure all Organization-related evidence was properly destroyed.
The culprit was still at large, and now Inspector Megure had arrived with his team. If something happened to Nishimoto Ken or Kawashima Hideo while police were actively investigating, it would become exponentially more difficult to destroy evidence undetected.
Therefore, everyone except Kogoro Mouri headed back toward the village.
Conan was practically dragged along the entire way by Ran, who maintained an iron grip on his hand. The boy was never easy to control, and Ran didn't dare release him for even a moment, terrified that Conan would somehow interfere with her father's investigation again.
On the return journey, Natsukawa led the group through Moon Shadow Island's evening night market.
As a developing tourist destination, having a vibrant night market was essential for attracting visitors.
Although it couldn't possibly compare to Tokyo's bustling metropolitan atmosphere, the authentic local flavor held considerable charm and appeal.
Besides numerous shops selling regional specialties and fresh seafood, there were also vendors offering local-style clothing and accessories.
Like... fishnet stockings?
Natsukawa fell into confused contemplation staring at a particular display.
What exactly do fishnet stockings have to do with fishermen? Is it literally what it sounds like? Some kind of fishing equipment?
Natsukawa genuinely wanted to buy a pair for Yor. Her long, elegant legs would look absolutely stunning in them.
However, this thought lingered in his mind for barely a second before he reluctantly dismissed it. Their relationship was still far too new and undefined. Buying her intimate women's clothing would be incredibly inappropriate and presumptuous.
"Oh! Papa, I want to buy Aunt Yor those fishing nets!"
Anya, with her supernatural telepathic understanding of the situation, immediately jumped in to help. Since her father couldn't ask directly, she'd do it for him. She'd shoulder the social awkwardness.
As Conan always says, "I'm just a kid—whatever I do will be forgiven!"
"No, no, that's really not necessary!"
Yor quickly waved her hands in flustered embarrassment.
What's gotten into Anya? Why would a little girl want to buy me something like that?
Hmm?
Could it be that Mr. Natsukawa put her up to this?
Now that I think about it, Mr. Natsukawa did seem to be staring at that fishnet stocking vendor for quite a while just now...
Natsukawa was completely oblivious that his interest had been discovered. He only felt that Anya had provided an excellent assist and immediately became more invested in the idea—though on the surface, he still had to maintain propriety.
"Isn't this a bit inappropriate though?"
Yor's face flushed bright red. Logic told her to refuse firmly, but her emotions reminded her that this gift was technically coming from sweet little Anya.
According to Yumi's First Law of Romance, should I refuse? Should I refuse again? Or should I refuse one more time for good measure?
Meanwhile, Ran stood awkwardly to the side, not daring to speak up.
She'd noticed that Anya had glanced meaningfully in her direction several times, as if she wanted to buy her a pair too.
Please, no. That's completely unnecessary.
She felt genuinely embarrassed, fully aware she couldn't possibly pull off that kind of bold fashion style.
Looking at Yor—petite, graceful, and naturally elegant—Ran felt they were completely different types. She couldn't imagine herself wearing something so daring.
However, she kept silent. Saying out loud that someone wouldn't look good in fishnet stockings would be incredibly rude for a proper young lady.
Conan, meanwhile, had completely forgotten about the murder case investigation. He stood transfixed, staring intently at the fishnet stockings display, then at Ran's legs, then back to the stockings again, repeating this pattern endlessly in a stupefied trance.
After several minutes of awkward deliberation, Natsukawa ultimately didn't purchase the fishnet stockings.
It wasn't that Natsukawa was too embarrassed—rather, it was because Yor, in her flustered state, had accidentally cracked a nearby telephone pole while gesturing emphatically with her hand.
Who could possibly handle that kind of superhuman strength? At least I certainly can't.
Natsukawa immediately abandoned this dangerous topic entirely, backing away from the situation just as quickly as Ran had.
Afterward, the group found a cozy fisherman's restaurant overlooking the harbor for dinner.
Following Uncle Mouri around while he solved cases meant they genuinely hadn't had proper time to eat all day. Although Uncle Mouri had enthusiastically agreed to treat everyone, Natsukawa had somehow ended up paying for both lunch and dinner.
"I'm so sorry, Natsukawa-san. You've spent so much money on us today."
Ran said somewhat apologetically, feeling guilty that Natsukawa had covered both meals.
"It's perfectly alright. Papa is very rich!" Anya declared matter-of-factly, hands planted firmly on her hips, head held high with obvious pride.
Her blunt statement made Conan feel incredibly awkward on Natsukawa's behalf.
"Hey now, Anya." Natsukawa sighed in exasperation and picked up the little troublemaker. "Don't say things like that so casually."
There was another sentence Natsukawa wisely kept to himself: Don't just blurt out the truth so openly like that.
Anya (oω`o): Understood perfectly, Papa.
(End of Chapter 85)
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