"When did I say that the fingerprint on the glass was the killer's?" Heiji said calmly.
"What?" Honda Kumaji's face changed, and he was left with his mouth open.
"Then why did Heiji have them compare the fingerprints?" Kazuha asked curiously.
"Comparing the fingerprints was just a means to achieve my goal. Besides, I already knew from the beginning whose fingerprint it was," Heiji said with confidence.
"Was it my fingerprint?" whispered the steward from the side.
"Correct, it was the stewardess's fingerprint, but that doesn't matter anymore. Mr. Honda, you'd better confess peacefully."
Heiji looked at Honda Kumaji with certainty.
"This... you must be wrong. How could I have killed Akagi? It's impossible," Honda Kumaji said, waving his hands repeatedly, with an innocent smile.
"Then can you explain what that smell on your hand is?"
"Smell?"
Honda Kumaji sniffed his hand. His pupils contracted, and his face instantly turned pale.
"Did you notice that, despite your meticulous plan, you missed a detail, and now the smell of almonds is lingering on your hand?" Heiji said calmly.
"That must be... it must be..."
"It must be what? You didn't touch the corpse at any moment. Did potassium cyanide fly to your hand on its own?" Heiji said with a cold smile.
Honda Kumaji's face changed repeatedly until it finally became cold: "Since you're saying I'm the killer, then tell me how I killed him. As soon as I moved, Akagi would have noticed instantly. I had no chance to put the poison in the glass of water."
"That's true, Heiji. He was sitting there. If he had extended his arm to the glass, the movement would have been too large and surely they would have discovered it," Kazuha whispered beside him.
"Fool, did I say that Akagi died from drinking the water from the glass?" Heiji said while pinching Kazuha's pretty nose.
"What? Are you saying Akagi wasn't poisoned?"
The people present stared at Heiji in astonishment, completely confused.
From the beginning, everyone had assumed that Akagi had died from drinking the water from the glass. They hadn't expected such a drastic twist that would catch everyone by surprise.
Honda Kumaji was horrified inside, staring at Heiji in complete disbelief.
"Mr. Heiji, how did this passenger die?" asked the stewardess, who just wanted Heiji to solve the case once and for all.
"Look, here's a wound the size of a pin. This is the real cause of Akagi's death."
Heiji lifted Akagi's shirt collar, revealing the small, bleeding wound.
"I understand now! You mean Honda used a needle to inject potassium cyanide into Akagi's neck and kill him?" exclaimed Engo Masanami.
"Oh, in that case, feel free to search me. Let's see if you find a needle or something that looks like a needle."
"Perfect. Since you say so, I will proceed to search you."
"Go ahead." A disdainful smile briefly crossed Honda Kumaji's lips.
Quickly, all of Honda Kumaji's belongings were placed on another table. Heiji wouldn't allow anyone to contaminate the crime scene.
A pen, a pack of tissues, a wallet, a bunch of keys, and a nail clipper.
That was all Honda Kumaji had on him.
"See? I don't have anything resembling a needle. Of course, if you think you can kill someone with a pen, then there's nothing more I can say," Honda Kumaji said confidently.
"And who says a pen can't kill?"
Heiji's words caused a great stir among the people present, who looked at him horrified.
"Detective, don't tell me Akagi died from bleeding out from that wound! What kind of joke is this?" Honda Kumaji shouted.
The others didn't say anything, but their expressions said it all: this was simply impossible.
"Heiji~~," Kazuha couldn't help but hug Heiji, somewhat worried.
Heiji smiled confidently, unscrewed the pen, and to everyone's surprise, there was neither ink nor a cartridge inside.
"What's going on? Why doesn't it have a cartridge or ink?" Kazuha asked, surprised.
"Nothing strange about it. This pen has a special meaning for me, sentimental value. It's not for writing," Honda Kumaji said indifferently.
Heiji ignored him. He looked inside the pen and saw small drops of water on the inner wall and a faint smell. This discovery completely validated his theory.
Ding-dong! "Dear passengers, we would like to inform you that we will arrive at Beika Station in five minutes. Please make sure to take all your carry-on luggage. The exit will be through the right-side door. We wish you a pleasant journey."
Silence took over carriage number three.
"Well, we're almost at the station, so I'm not going to keep playing detective with you," Honda Kumaji tried to gather his things, but suddenly, a hand stopped him.
"If I let you collect the evidence so easily, wouldn't I look useless?" Heiji said calmly.
"What? Did you say the evidence? Is there evidence among these things?" exclaimed Katsu Nanako, surprised.
"Hey, hey, you don't really think this pen can kill someone, do you?" said Engo Masanami skeptically.
"The body of the pen is the evidence, but it's not the murder weapon. It's the container that held it. The real murder weapon is already gone."
"Hahaha! You keep impressing me more and more. The famous Hattori from Kansai? Seems like your fame is undeserved. The murder weapon is gone; do you think you can blame the murder on me by force?" Honda Kumaji laughed out loud.
"Don't rush, let me finish talking first."
Heiji let go of Honda Kumaji's hand, put his hands in his pockets, and leaned against the back of the train seat.
"Oh, there it is. Heiji's coolest deduction pose," Kazuha said with stars in her eyes.
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