Shirai Mitsuo's face was deathly pale. He couldn't utter a single word.
Kurosawa Hoshino glanced at the crowd outside and said with a smile, "When I was online before, someone said that my reasoning was so fast because I also have a murderer inside me. When I see the scene, through certain details, I put myself in the murderer's perspective and reconstruct the process of the crime."
"Since you're not going to talk, let me deduce."
"First, you were in your office. You used your cell phone to call your office landline and put it on speaker. Then you took your phone and waited here in the warehouse. After you heard Ms. Nakayama deliver the coffee, you answered with your cell phone here, and the speaker played the sound."
"As for why you were here—you were actually looking for a scapegoat. You were hiding behind the warehouse door, ready to attack the first person who arrived and frame them as the murderer. But you miscalculated this time. You didn't expect three people to come at once, so you abandoned that idea and pretended to discover the crime scene along with Uncle Mouri and the others."
"I believe you still have weapons on you that you intended to use to attack someone. Alright, that's all for now."
Kurosawa wasn't without other evidence. With his Scene Rewind superpower, he had indeed discovered a lot of evidence that didn't appear in the original work. Not to mention that the current plot was somewhat different from the original, so there was even more evidence.
The scene fell silent. Everyone inside and outside stared at Shirai.
Shirai slowly lowered his head, lifted his white coat, revealing a wooden stick at his waist, and took out a pair of surgical gloves from his pocket. Instantly, many people gasped. Kurosawa had been right—this Dr. Shirai really had wanted to find a scapegoat.
Shirai sighed, threw the wooden stick to the ground, and calmed down. "Kurosawa-kun, does a murderer really reside in your heart? What you're saying sounds like you saw it with your own eyes. Yes, I did kill Eto. Kurosawa-kun, if only you weren't here tonight. I never expected a famous detective like you to be here at this hour."
Ran glanced at her father. If he hadn't been hospitalized tonight, they wouldn't have come to this hospital. Perhaps Dr. Shirai's plan would have succeeded then.
"Dr. Shirai, why did you kill Dr. Eto?" Sato Miwako asked seriously.
"Next month, our hospital's head of surgery will be retiring due to age. Eto and I were both candidates for that position. But at this time, that Eto guy was forcing me to resign. Because he had evidence that I bribed someone to get into this hospital. The professor I bribed was Eto's father."
With that, Shirai approached Sato and extended his hands.
Kurosawa glanced at this scene, said nothing more, and turned to walk toward the door.
The crowd outside tactfully parted to make way. But just as he stepped out, the path closed instantly. Kurosawa's lips twitched.
Looking at the group of nurses and patients around him, their eyes practically sparkling, he said helplessly, "Everyone, photos are fine, autographs are fine, but please, no touching."
Inside the warehouse, Ran asked worriedly, "Will Hoshino be alright?"
Kogorō tried to keep his voice calm, but a hint of bitterness could still be heard. "What could possibly happen to him? It's just taking photos and getting autographs."
Conan didn't join the conversation. His eyes were fixed on the corpse of Eto Tori. Once again, he felt the gap between himself and Kurosawa. This time, Kurosawa hadn't even looked for evidence. He had simply focused his suspicions on the extra person at the scene, assumed he was the murderer, and forced him to confess.
And was what he just said true? Is his deductive reasoning so strong because a murderer lives in his heart?
Conan thought of this, and the image of Gin appeared in his mind. He put on a fierce expression and roared in his heart: Gin! I'm going to kill you! I'm going to tear you to pieces! Gin! Die!
After a while, Conan returned to normal. He rubbed his stiff face and complained inwardly: This is completely useless. I've practically scattered Gin's ashes in my mind, and I can't find that state he was talking about at all. So Kurosawa was just joking?
Thinking this, he looked up and found Sato Miwako staring at him with concern.
"Officer Sato, what's wrong?" Conan asked, puzzled.
Sato, still holding Shirai, whispered, "Conan, your expression was really off just now. Were you scared by the corpse? Honestly, a little kid like you shouldn't stay in front of a corpse. Get out of here. Don't stay here."
Conan's expression froze. Then he gave a bitter smile. Besides a bitter smile, he didn't know what other expression to show. He had really lost his mind, believing Kurosawa's lies. He had lost to him too many times, and it had even made him feel a little irritated.
Ten minutes later, Kurosawa fulfilled the last nurse's request for a photo. The group finally stopped surrounding him, giving him a chance to leave. Taking advantage of the opening, he quickly squeezed through the crowd and hurried to Kogorō's ward.
After waiting a while, Kogorō and the others returned.
"Officer Sato, why did you bring Dr. Shirai along?" Kurosawa asked curiously, watching Sato escort Shirai in.
"I already called Inspector Megure. He's on his way. I have to keep an eye on Dr. Shirai, so I'll just stay with you."
"Officer Sato, I won't run away," Shirai said wearily.
"I know. Find somewhere to sit." Sato waved her hand casually.
Shirai had nothing to say. He pulled over a chair in the room and sat in a corner, withdrawing into himself.
"Hoshino." Ran leaned close to Kurosawa and whispered, "Um, I want to ask you something."
"What is it?"
"Well... well..." Ran opened her mouth, but ultimately didn't say it. No, I can't ask like that. I'll ask Sonoko tomorrow and see if she has any good ideas.
Kurosawa couldn't fathom the girl's thoughts. Her sudden silence made him realize that asking more questions wouldn't get him any answers.
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