That evening, Hattori Heiji received a small guest at his temporary rental.
"Long time no see, kid."
Hattori Heiji didn't treat the child in front of him like a child. As someone in the know, the boy clearly understood a lot—and was directly tied to Kudo.
"Long time no see, Hattori-nii."
Edogawa Conan looked up at Heiji's expression. He could tell that Heiji had likely discovered something based on the hints he'd been giving over the past two days.
"Did you investigate the matter at Tropical Land?"
"Yeah, I got a pretty clear picture. Two months ago, there was a murder on the roller coaster. That area's surveillance footage wasn't deleted and is still intact. But the footage in other parts of the park is beyond my reach."
When it came to gathering information, it was often possible to get something by paying the right people—especially for cases that weren't considered top priority.
Because the roller coaster was involved in a murder case, its footage had been preserved for a longer period. The other areas didn't have the same treatment.
Tropical Land's surveillance was retained for months—that was notably longer than the average storage duration. Edogawa Conan had noticed this detail before.
It was no surprise that the other areas lacked surveillance records.
"Those two men in black are probably connected to Kudo's death, right? The ones sitting in the row behind the victim."
"And you—you have a close relationship with Kudo, don't you?"
Edogawa Conan didn't answer directly but responded with another question.
"What makes you think it was those two, Hattori-san?"
Hattori Heiji sneered.
"No matter how composed someone is, when a headless corpse suddenly appears right in front of them, anyone would be shaken—especially ordinary people. Only those with real experience dealing with corpses can stay calm, or even indifferent."
"Even veteran officers who've worked countless homicide scenes need composure. It's the same with forensic experts. Detectives or coroners who frequently see corpses. But those two? They weren't like that."
"Also, when Kudo was solving the case, he turned back four times. Each time, his eyes locked on those two. He's not someone who gets distracted easily. If he paid that much attention, he must've found something unusual about them."
That's true… Conan's expression shifted subtly. He clearly remembered the silver-haired man's cold eyes—as if human life and death meant nothing.
It was that look that had triggered Conan's alarm bells, making him realize these people weren't normal.
But everything that happened that day, and his current state, all stemmed from one impulsive moment.
Conan felt regret, but there was no one to blame. He had lost control in his pursuit of the truth.
"You're right, Hattori. Shinichi really got into something big. He was poisoned to death in a small alley near Dorobiga Park two months ago—killed by an almost untraceable poison."
"The two men in black are definitely not ordinary."
"But beyond that, we don't have any solid leads. We only know there's a massive organization behind them. They're just small pieces of that group."
As expected… Hattori Heiji wasn't surprised.
As a high school detective, they were often under the public spotlight. Regular criminals wouldn't go after someone like Kudo without cause. Only those with grudges or an agenda would do so.
Yet Kudo Shinichi—who regularly appeared in media—had suddenly disappeared without a trace. It was obvious something was off.
Conan looked up and met Heiji's gaze.
"Hattori, I shouldn't be telling you this. The truth behind Shinichi's death is something that should be buried. If you keep investigating it, that organization might target you next."
"Heh~"
Heiji grinned. Of course he understood the risk.
The organization that could kill Kudo wasn't ordinary. Even his father had reacted strongly—when all he did was retrieve some surveillance tapes. That told Heiji his father already knew who those two were.
Maybe… his father even knew what kind of organization was behind them.
But he had said nothing.
That silence said everything—the organization was more dangerous, far-reaching, and terrifying than he had imagined.
Heiji understood that by getting involved, he'd be drawing their attention.
Even so, his eyes were firm.
"Kid, some things can't just be seen and forgotten. If I know what kind of danger Kudo was in and still choose to back down, then what happened to him will stay buried forever."
"My strength might not mean much… but I still want to help investigate the group that took him out."
"To find the truth hidden in the dark, it's the detective's job to shine a light—even if it gets us destroyed in the process."
"Even if that means being shattered to pieces?"
Conan couldn't help but interrupt.
Heiji nodded slightly.
"Even if that's the end… I'm okay with it."
Conan lowered his head, a faint, relieved expression appearing on his face.
Yeah… that's what being a detective is really about.
Not showing off your brilliance, but standing up for those who can't speak—like Sherlock Holmes did.
Now that everything had happened… he regretted things. Deeply. Conan sighed.
After taking a hard hit from reality, he now understood the price of recklessness—especially when it involved organizations like that.
"So even if I get shattered, huh… I regret it a little now, Hattori."
"!"
Heiji blinked in surprise, then looked at the child again.
But the voice wasn't childlike anymore. It had taken on a mature, adult tone.
"Nice to meet you."
Conan bowed slightly.
"My name now is Edogawa Conan. Also, I'm the only son of my parents."
"!?"
Heiji looked at him in shock, as if struck by lightning.
So that's how it is… That's why…
Kudo Shinichi died two months ago.
At last, Hattori Heiji understood everything.
(To be continued.)
***
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