Rummaging through his cigarette pack, Ritsu discovered it was empty. Wasting two cigarettes really was disgraceful.
With an unhurried pace, he headed toward a convenience store. After buying his favorite brand of cigarettes, he walked to a nearby riverside.
Instead of striking a match like usual, he took out the special lighter, the critical piece of evidence, and used it to light his cigarette.
After deleting the photos stored inside, he tossed the lighter into the river. Fortunately, there were no surveillance cameras nearby, otherwise he might've ended up sentenced to up to five years in prison for violating the Waste Disposal Act.
He had no appetite for eating out. After finishing his cigarette by the riverbank, Ritsu prepared to return to the Metropolitan Police Department and report Miho's wishes to the higher-ups.
Of course, his actual plan was to have Mikako turn herself in. With the help of a lawyer, she probably wouldn't spend too long in prison.
However, the moment he got into a taxi, Hayasaka called. A bad feeling instantly rose in his chest.
'Don't tell me another case happened already?'
"Hello?"
"Inspector Onizawa, stop fooling around with your girlfriend. We've got a case."
Ritsu couldn't help giving a bitter smile. What girlfriend?
He coughed lightly and replied, "Alright, I'll head over immediately. Send me the crime scene address."
"The scene is in the parking lot of Green Hills Apartments, 6-Chome, Beika Town. The case is pretty nasty, so hurry over."
"Got it."
After hanging up, Ritsu quickly said to the taxi driver, "Excuse me, please take me to Green Hills Apartments in Beika Town 6-Chome."
The middle-aged driver asked curiously, "Are you a police officer? I heard you mention a crime scene."
"That's right, so I'd appreciate it if you could drive a bit faster."
"You got it, Officer! Hold on tight!"
The ride took less than ten minutes.
After paying the fare and getting out, Ritsu headed toward the apartment parking lot with a grim expression. A small crowd had already gathered nearby to watch the commotion.
Putting on his white dust-free gloves, he approached the black Nissan sedan surrounded by forensic officers, only to spot a very familiar figure in blue casual clothes.
Frowning, he said with obvious annoyance, "Why are you here?"
"Oh? Fancy seeing you again, Inspector." Shinichi acted completely at ease. After all, he was genuinely interested in the case, and if he wanted to get involved, he had to sacrifice a bit of pride.
Beside him, Ran sighed softly. She was still somewhat shaken. As an ordinary first-year student at Teitan High School, this was the first time she had encountered two murder cases in a single day.
And compared to the corpse they had seen that morning, this one was far more horrifying.
Hayasaka also looked somewhat helpless. Walking over, she explained, "Coincidentally enough, Kudo is the first witness again."
That "again" sure carried some weight. The corner of Ritsu's mouth twitched slightly. Looking at the boy overflowing with the urge to show off, he asked.
"Go on then. How did you discover the victim's body?"
Finally getting his chance to speak, Shinichi immediately said,
"A detective's intuition! After lunch, Ran and I were walking along this road to buy some novels at a nearby bookstore. When we passed by here, I smelled something strange. I followed the scent and found the victim's body in this car's trunk."
'Followed the scent… What are you, a dog?'
Ritsu raised a brow with amused interest while studying Shinichi, a sly glint appearing in his eyes.
"I don't think you're suited to being a detective."
"W-What do you mean by that?"
Becoming Sherlock Holmes was Shinichi's lifelong dream. Naturally, being denied like that irritated him.
"Your nose is so sensitive. My department happens to be short one police dog. Interested?"
Even in such a grim setting, the line successfully made both women laugh. After suppressing her smile, Hayasaka couldn't help punching Ritsu lightly in the arm.
"Stop fooling around and hurry up to examine the body. There are so many onlookers that headquarters already ordered us to solve the case within three days."
Ritsu curled his lips into a confident smile and replied, "Have you ever seen me take three days to solve a case?"
That was actually true.
Most of his cases were closed within five hours. His efficiency was genuinely impressive, and Hayasaka admired him greatly for it.
Approaching the black Nissan sedan that reeked of blood and decomposition, Ritsu finally saw the victim curled up inside the cramped trunk.
At last, he understood what Hayasaka meant by "nasty."
The female victim's hair… was completely gone. Women usually cared deeply about their appearance, especially their hair.
Ritsu's expression darkened as he looked toward the waiting forensic officers. "Take her out. Leaving her curled up in there… it's pitiful."
"Yes, Inspector!"
After putting on a mask, Ritsu crouched down and began the preliminary examination.
He had gradually grown accustomed to handling the medical examiner's initial work, though the more advanced autopsy procedures would still be left to professional coroners.
Carefully pulling open the victim's eyelids, he observed slight cloudiness and white spots on the cornea.
Large purplish-red livor mortis patches had already appeared on the body. There was no need to think too hard to know the side compressed against the trunk had far more severe discoloration.
Even after being removed from the vehicle, the body remained curled up, proving that rigor mortis had spread throughout the entire body.
"Preliminary estimate for the time of death, between six and twelve hours ago."
Ritsu glanced at the watch on his left wrist and said solemnly, "It's currently 11:07 AM, so working backward, the victim was likely killed sometime between 11 PM last night and 5 AM today."
Looking toward the belatedly arriving Takagi, he asked, "Takagi, have you identified the victim yet?"
"Yes, sir!" Flipping through his notebook, Takagi reported.
"The victim's name is Yoshiko Yositaka, age twenty-nine. She was a single mother. Her husband died in a traffic accident four years ago, and she has a six-year-old daughter currently attending preschool."
A single mother, a six-year-old daughter, and a husband who had died years ago.
After hearing the victim's background, everyone present fell silent. They all understood that even if the killer was caught, the little girl would likely end up in an orphanage.
The kind-hearted Ran even teared up. Tugging lightly at Shinichi's sleeve, she whispered, "Shinichi… you and the Inspector absolutely have to solve this case."
"As a detective, it's only natural to uncover the truth." Shinichi's expression turned serious as he looked toward Ritsu.
"Inspector, I think we should investigate the residents of this apartment building. Someone here may know something."
"Canvassing is basic procedure." Still crouching on the ground, Ritsu looked up at Hayasaka.
"Hayasaka, you handle questioning the residents of this apartment complex. Focus especially on what they were doing between 11 PM last night and 5 AM today, and whether they saw any suspicious individuals."
"Yes, sir!"
"Takagi, go investigate Yositaka's workplace. If possible, obtain surveillance footage and determine the victim's movements yesterday."
"Understood!"
He really was a reliable inspector. His thinking was clear, and his investigative direction was precise.
Shinichi couldn't help admiring this young inspector with his strange hair color and equally unusual eyes.
The estimated time of death had basically been established. Next came determining the cause of death.
Ritsu glanced at the intensely focused Shinichi standing nearby and said irritably,
"If you insist on staying here, at least settle things with Mouri-san first. Just because you're interested in the case doesn't mean she has to stand around looking at corpses with you."
"Huh? Does that mean you're allowing me to—?"
"Hurry up already."
"Ran, maybe you should head home first? It's probably not good for you to stay here."
"Mm."
Ran truly didn't want to remain at the crime scene any longer. Smiling at Ritsu, she said, "Good luck, Inspector Onizawa. I'll head home first."
"Mm. Be careful on your way back."
----
[Author's Note: Another original case not found in Conan +1]