"No connection to that guy. I checked the warehouse out back—no printing press for counterfeiting," the detective said, having used some less-than-legal skills.
"Speaking of printing presses, the newspaper office just got a new one recently."
"The third floor over there—that's the newspaper office. We rented it out two years ago," the manager said, pointing to an office building across from the bookstore, right next to the police station.
"What kind of people come and go there?" Conan asked, looking up.
"I don't pay much attention to others, but the newspaper's boss is a woman in black, always wearing a wide-brimmed hat."
"But come on, who'd print counterfeit money next to a police station?" the manager said with a laugh. It was just a small outfit printing tabloids.
"Alright, it's dark. Stop playing detective and go home. Leave this to the police," he added, waving them off before heading back to his agency.
"Could that newspaper office be…" Ayumi glanced at the building across from the police station.
"But what's that got to do with Soseki Natsume?" Mitsuhiko shook his head, still puzzled.
Conan pulled out his earring phone. "Gargling on stones, pillowing on the stream."
"Normal people gargle by the stream and pillow on stones."
"But some people do the opposite."
"Exactly. Everyone assumes a counterfeiting operation would be in some remote suburb, not near a bustling station—let alone next to a police station."
"That might be the real message Nakadai's brother was trying to send."
The phone rang twice before connecting.
"I'm at Odawara Station," came a slightly irritated voice.
"It's by the police station—hurry up!" Conan urged.
"Conan, who're you calling?" Ayumi asked curiously.
Before she finished, a red pickup screeched to a stop by the road.
"Where are they?" Tsuneo asked, leaning out the window.
Judging by his expression, he wasn't in the best mood…
"Probably that newspaper office over there," Conan said, pointing to the sign next to the police station, checking his watch and shoes, ready for action.
Tsuneo grabbed the biggest wrench from his truck, a forearm-length steel beast glinting silver, and strode toward the newspaper office across the street.
Something about that wrench felt… chilling.
"Wait here, don't follow!" Conan ordered, hopping over a barrier to trail Tsuneo.
As the Teitan trio exchanged glances, Ai smirked faintly and followed the big guy and the little detective.
No way she'd miss this show.
…
CRASH!
Tsuneo didn't bother with stealth. At the third-floor newspaper office, he kicked the door with full force.
The lock shattered, the door warped into a C-shape, creaking like scrap metal.
For tonight's big dinner, he'd skipped lunch.
Then he'd been dragged in as a suspect, played detective, and raced to Odawara Station without a break.
Starving and running around, Tsuneo's mood was, well, a tad sour.
"Don't be so reckless, alright?" Conan said, following close behind, eyeing the mangled door, trying to calm him.
"Heh," Ai said, hands behind her back, smiling faintly. She slipped past them, strolling into the office.
Her sister was right—this guy was something else.
Conan blinked at the transfer student's back, wondering if she was fearless or just clueless.
Tsuneo, wrench in hand, stepped inside.
Conan started to speak but was cut off by the Teitan trio, who'd crept up behind.
"Didn't I tell you to stay put?!"
"You're trailing Tsuneo-nii, so how can we just stand there? That's not loyalty!" Genta said, peeking into the office.
The office desks were littered with painting supplies, but it was quiet—empty.
Ai pulled a sheet of uncut counterfeit bills from a stack of newspapers.
"Yukichi Fukuzawa."
The sheet held dozens of ten-thousand-yen bills with Fukuzawa's face, each missing its left eye—unfinished.
"Kid, you'd better put that down," a voice said as another office door opened, revealing the so-called woman in black.
She aimed a handgun at Tsuneo, wrench still in hand.
Her wide black hat hid her expression, but her tone was almost amused.
"You'd better put that down," Ai said, glancing at the C-shaped door, a playful smirk on her lips.
"She's right. Listen to me—put it down!" Conan said, shielding the kids behind him at the doorway.
"Heh, you brats, all of you, get in here!" the woman said, shifting her gun slightly, laughing.
At that moment, three men emerged from the room behind her, dragging Nakadai's brother.
"Brother!" Nakadai's eyes widened.
"Run, get out of here!" his brother shouted.
"Can we not waste time?" Tsuneo said, slightly raising his wrench.
"You—" the woman started.
But then a glinting wrench filled her vision.
CLANG!
Her black hat crumpled, and she staggered, collapsing flat on the floor.
"Next!" Tsuneo called to the three men behind her.
"Who are you?!" The men were rattled.
They hadn't even seen him move, and their boss was down, blood pooling.
"I warned her," Ai said, picking up the dropped gun with a blank expression.
At the doorway, Conan watched, frowning tightly.
Picking up the gun to keep it from the others was smart, but that icy calm—what was with her?
"You—don't move!" A chubby accomplice, seeing Tsuneo approach with the wrench, reached for his own gun.
BANG!
A shot rang out.
Not from the accomplice—he hadn't even drawn. A bullet lodged in the wall by his head, still warm.
"Don't move."
Ai held the gun with both hands, staring at the man, her voice ice-cold.
(End of Chapter)
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