In Detective Conan: Intercepting Miwako Sato at the Start

Page 32

“Fine, we’re acquaintances anyway. For Inspector Megure’s sake, I’ll go back with you.” Takada Yuuki was silent for a few seconds, looked at him, and finally made a decision.

The noisy crowd at Tokyo Station fell silent for a moment.

His eyes, behind his glasses, quickly assessed Kogoro Mouri's expression.

His honesty, tinged with a hint of regret, didn't seem feigned.

He glanced at Sato Miwako beside him, made eye contact with her, and then asked for her opinion.

Sato Miwako nodded slightly, indicating her willingness to let Mouri Kogoro go back with them.

“Since you were the one who got the tickets, and Inspector Megure specifically handed them over to us… Alright, you can come with us now.” Yuuki Takada said to him, then his gaze returned to Kogoro Mouri.

“Perfect timing, Mr. Mori. I have some questions about why you're at the racetrack today.”

"Oh?" Kogoro Mouri was taken aback, seemingly not expecting Yuki Takada to take the initiative to invite him to ask questions.

To my surprise, the other party immediately jumped into the "question" section.

But he quickly realized what was happening and put on a smile again: "Oh, that's wonderful!"

"Inspector Takada is indeed straightforward! Come on, let's talk as we walk." He hurriedly and enthusiastically led the way for them, while thinking to himself that he should first take the two of them back to the detective agency.

After all, it's not too far from the detective agency.

The three walked through the bustling station hall and headed towards the parking lot at the back of the station.

On the way, Yuuki Takada asked casually, "Mr. Mori, you went to the racetrack today, it seems you didn't just go to relax? Or rather, did you go with some kind of 'purpose'?"

Despite his calm tone, Yuuki Takada's words immediately got to the heart of the matter.

Kogoro Mouri paused for a moment, then laughed, trying to cover up his momentary embarrassment: "Hahaha, as expected of Inspector Takada, he's really perceptive!"

"Actually... it was at the request of an old customer. He suspected that a promising racehorse he had boarded at the racetrack had been tampered with, and after the matter was settled, he got itchy fingers..."

"As you know, it's not normal for me to take on cases as a 'detective' on a regular basis. Besides, when I came to the Donghuang Racecourse, I couldn't resist the urge to bet... well, I did place a bet."

He puffed out his chest, trying to maintain the demeanor of a detective, and said, "However, after observing the area today, I haven't found anything obviously unusual."

"But you two, Inspector Takada and Officer Sato, appearing there... you couldn't have just been there to watch the horse race, could you?"

A bead of cold sweat flashed across Sato Miwako's face as she gently replied, "Mr. Mori, you're absolutely right. Today happens to be our day off, so we came to Kyoto to take a look around."

"Oh, I see. I thought you came to Kyoto specifically to handle something?" Kogoro Mouri said softly, but his eyes seemed to suggest that the police work year-round without a break.

Before long, the three of them got into Mori's somewhat old rental car. Takada Yuki sat in the passenger seat, and Sato Miwako sat in the back seat.

The car drove away from Tokyo Station and merged into the evening traffic.

Looking at the neon lights flashing past the window, Yuuki Takada spoke again, his tone more serious than before: "Mr. Mori, did you obtain the tickets for Inspector Megure through regular channels, or... through some special means?"

Kogoro Mouri tightened his grip on the steering wheel, sensing the weight behind Yuuki Takada's words.

"Uh... it's the manager of the racetrack. He was a client in one of my previous cases, and he gave me these inside tickets as a token of his gratitude. Absolutely legitimate! Inspector Takada, I can guarantee that!"

He quickly explained, fearing that the source of the votes might be misunderstood.

"Internal tickets..." Yuuki Takada pondered, his fingertips unconsciously tapping on his knee. "So, what's the name of the staff member who gave you the ticket? What's their job at the racetrack?"

"His name is Kensuke Yamamoto. He should be considered a sponsor of the Donghuang Racecourse this time, mainly responsible for the sponsorship and advertising for the Emperor's Prize." Kogoro Mouri answered very decisively this time.

Yuki Takada didn't press Kensuke Yamamoto further. A brief silence fell over the car, broken only by the hum of the engine and the hustle and bustle of the city outside the window.

Kogoro Mouri sensed that the police inspector in the passenger seat seemed to be thinking about something important, and the atmosphere was somewhat tense.

“Inspector Takada…” Kogoro Mouri broke the silence, his tone tentative, “Do you suspect something?”

"I always felt that you two... seemed to doubt me?" he asked, recalling their sharp gazes in the crowd and their constant resistance towards him.

Yuki Takada did not answer directly, but simply said, "No, after all, this case is now a case involving the Kyoto Prefectural Police."

“However, Mr. Mori, since you are also concerned about the racetrack and sent tickets to Inspector Megure, who then passed them on to us…” Turning his head, Yuuki Takada looked at the light from the streetlights reflected in the glass window, “You really are a very kind person.”

He paused for a moment, as if weighing his options, and then made a decision: "How about this, come and sit in your office."

"I just want to talk to you about who killed the 'Mejiro McQueen' jockey?"

"Ah..." Kogoro Mouri listened, feeling somewhat puzzled, and asked, "The death of that 'Mejiro McQueen' jockey wasn't due to normal overexertion during sports, so why is it related to a murder case?"

"To the firm?"

Kogoro Mouri was initially surprised, but then his face lit up with immense joy, and he exclaimed excitedly, "No problem! Absolutely no problem!"

"Welcome, Inspector Takada, Officer Sato. I should have some detailed information about the racetrack, as well as some observation notes I took before!"

"Ran should be home today, she can even make you a good cup of tea!" With that, Kogoro Mouri immediately turned on his turn signal, skillfully changed lanes, and drove towards Beika Town.

Chapter 49 is worth the trip.

Sato Miwako smiled silently behind him; she wasn't surprised by Takada Yuki's decision.

Her boss has always had a keen intuition; Senior Takada must have sensed some unseen connection between Kogoro Mouri's line of work and their case.

Going to a detective agency is both an opportunity for in-depth investigation and a chance for close observation.

Yuuki Takada leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and quickly sorted through the bits and pieces of information he had gathered at the racetrack that day.

The Tokyo night flowed past the car window, and the familiar detective agency in Beikacho 5-chome seemed to be a point where more mysteries would be revealed.

"I hope your information is worth the trip, Mr. Mori," Yuuki Takada said calmly.

"Leave it to me!" Kogoro Mori replied confidently, pressing the accelerator harder as the car sped towards its destination.

The car came to a smooth stop on the somewhat cramped side of the road below the Mori Detective Agency.

Warm light shone from the third-floor windows, standing out prominently in the quiet night of Beika Town.

"We've arrived, Officer Takada, Officer Sato!" Kogoro Mori deftly pulled the handbrake, his tone carrying a barely perceptible hint of self-satisfaction.

"Thank you for your hard work, Mr. Mori." Miwako Sato got out of the car first, politely thanked him, and habitually glanced around at her surroundings.

Yuuki Takada opened his eyes, his deep gaze falling on the familiar door through the car window.

The brief jolt did not interrupt his thoughts; instead, it allowed him to relive the fragments he had captured at the racetrack.

He opened the car door, and the cool, damp night breeze brushed against his face, invigorating him.

"I hope your information is worth the trip, Mr. Mori." Yuuki Takada repeated what he had said in the car in a flat tone, without any hint of praise or criticism, simply stating a fact.

"Leave it to me! Don't worry, Inspector Takada, this trip will definitely be worth it!" Kogoro Mori patted his chest confidently and led the way upstairs.

Pushing open the office door, a mixture of faint smoke, instant coffee, and old paper wafts out.

The overhead light was on inside, and a horse race replay was playing on the television. Ran Mouri was tidying up the dishes on the coffee table.

"Oh my, Dad's back? Huh? And who are these two guests?" Ran Mouri was a little surprised to see the newcomers. She quickly put down what she was holding and gave them a gentle smile. "Welcome."

"Good evening, Miss Ran, I'm sorry to bother you." Sato Miwako replied with a smile.

"These two are police officers I met in Kyoto; they've come here on some business."

"Hey, Ran, get the officers a cup of tea." Kogoro Mouri took off his coat and casually draped it over the back of his chair as he strode toward his desk, which was piled high with various documents and outdated horse racing newspapers. "Inspector Takada, just a moment, I'll find the precious files right away!"

Yuuki Takada nodded slightly, his gaze calmly sweeping over the somewhat messy office before finally settling on Kogoro Mouri, who was frantically rummaging through piles of documents.

Miwako Sato stood quietly a little behind Yuki Takada, her gaze also fixed on Kogoro Mouri's movements.

Although Yuki Takada stood seemingly casually, his posture was upright, with his hands hanging naturally at his sides, a posture that indicated he was ready to deal with any unexpected situation.

Sato Miwako appeared relaxed, but her eyes, like searchlights, silently swept across every corner of the room, finally settling on the pile of documents that Uncle Mori was searching for.

"Found it! These are the ones!" Kogoro Mouri finally pulled out a slightly worn brown paper folder from a pile of horse racing magazines, his face beaming with excitement at his discovery.

He vigorously patted the dust off the folder, turned around and walked to the guest sofa, solemnly placed the folder on the coffee table, and pushed it in front of Takada Yuki.

"Inspector Takada, please take a look! This is the exclusive information I've gathered about 'Mejiro McQueen,' including the relationships between related racehorses and their recent movements, based on your tip and combined with my keen observation skills and connections!" Kogoro Mouri puffed out his chest, sporting a beaming expression.

Yuki Takada did not open the folder immediately; his slender fingers simply rested lightly on the rough kraft paper cover.

"Mejiro McQueen's information?" He looked up at Kogoro Mouri, his tone still calm as he said, "Mr. Mouri, you seem to have misunderstood my focus."

"I am interested in the unusual events that happened at the racetrack today, and any suspicious persons or clues that may be related to that jockey, rather than the actual racehorses."

"Huh?" Kogoro Mouri's smug expression froze instantly, like a punctured balloon. "B-but... weren't you investigating 'Mejiro McQueen' today? The information I received..."

“Takada-senpai is concerned with a broader range of issues,” Sato Miwako interjected at the opportune moment, speaking softly, “For example, before Mejiro McQueen’s jockeys participated in the race, were there any suspicious individuals frequently seen in a particular area?”

Are there any seemingly unrelated conflicts that coincide in timing?

"Blind spots in surveillance? Or, unusual reactions from certain staff members at specific times? These are the key questions."

Kogoro Mouri opened his mouth, his face turning red and then white.

His painstakingly collected "exclusive secrets" seem to have gone completely astray.

He frantically flipped through his prized folder, which was mostly filled with gossip about the "White Ryan" horse and juicy news about the horse trainers.

There were even a few blurry "internal photos" that appeared out of nowhere, which were far removed from the hard-core clues that Yuuki Takada wanted.

"Uh, well... actually..." Kogoro Mouri's forehead began to sweat as he tried to explain, "This background information is also very important! For example, this horse owner is said to have some unclear ties with a certain gang, maybe..."

Just then, Ran Mouri, who was carrying tea, tripped over a pile of magazines on the ground without noticing, and her body swayed suddenly!

"Watch out!" Sato Miwako reacted quickly, immediately reaching out to support Ran's arm to prevent her from falling.

However, the tray in Xiaolan's hands tilted due to the violent shaking.

A freshly poured, steaming cup of tea, along with its tray, was poured precisely onto the kraft paper folder that had just been opened on the coffee table!

"Ah!" Xiaolan exclaimed.

"My data!" Kogoro Mori let out a heart-wrenching scream.

The scalding hot tea splashed mercilessly onto the open folder.

The paper was instantly soaked and stained with tea, the ink quickly spread and blurred, and several photos were immediately covered by water stains.

Time seemed to freeze at that moment.

The only sounds in the office were the dripping of tea onto the documents and the floor, and Kogoro Mouri's desperate wails.

Yuuki Takada looked at the mess and the quickly destroyed "important data" in front of him, but his face remained expressionless.

But his deep, pool-like eyes narrowed slightly as he silently assessed the unexpected and completely unforeseen situation.

Sato Miwako supported the still-shaken Ran, her gaze also falling on the pile of papers that had quickly become unrecognizable, her brows furrowing slightly.