"Everyone, the winner is the great detective Kogoro Mouri! Let's invite him to say a few words!"
"At last, I can finally say goodbye to renting cars! Hahaha!"
Conan pressed a hand to his forehead with a helpless expression.
'What is the old man even talking about?'
It's not like he can't afford to buy a car. He just wastes too much money on pachinko and horse racing every now and then.
Sawaguchi walked over to Onizawa with a smile.
"Excuse me, Onizawa-san. Tokiwa-san would like to invite you onto the stage to enjoy the presentation with her."
"Certainly."
Ritsu had been wondering how he should approach Mio. Now he didn't even need an excuse. The title of The Pride of the Police really was quite useful.
Taking long strides toward the backstage area, he noticed that every suspect in Iwamatsu's murder had gathered there. If he hadn't already deduced who the culprit was, even his sharp eyes wouldn't have been enough to keep track of everyone at once.
The lights in the banquet hall dimmed.
Hiro and the others were unable to enter backstage, so they instead stayed alert, watching for anyone who might try to make a move under the cover of darkness.
Backstage, prompted by Conan's reminder, Ritsu kept his attention fixed on Kisaragi's every movement.
Whether his gaze had given him away or Kisaragi simply had no intention of hiding his actions, the elderly painter stepped directly toward Mio, whispered a few words to her, and prepared to fasten a pearl necklace around her neck.
The moment he saw that, Ritsu knew the old man was about to strike.
Without the slightest panic, he walked forward. He didn't even bother muffling his footsteps because the host outside was loudly introducing Kisaragi, completely masking any faint sounds.
"Kisaragi-san has loved Mount Fuji all his life. For over thirty years, he has devoted himself to painting its magnificent beauty. To celebrate the completion of his student Tokiwa-san's Twin Tower Skyscraper, he has specially gifted her his latest masterpiece!"
"Everyone, please direct your attention here! His newest work is... Mount Fuji in Spring Snow!"
The guests eagerly turned their eyes toward the red curtain as it slowly parted.
But what greeted them left everyone stunned.
Onizawa stood beside Mio with one hand suspended above her head, his cold gaze fixed on the silent Kisaragi as the two faced each other in a wordless standoff.
Mio also noticed that the pearl necklace around her neck had suddenly tightened. She was about to ask what was happening when a strange sound echoed through the pitch-black banquet hall.
Something crashed to the floor with a tremendous bang. The guests immediately erupted into terrified screams.
Ritsu's expression darkened instantly.
Both Mio and Yoshiaki were on stage.
'Then who made a move? And who was killed? A handgun fitted with a suppressor... Could the Organization have another target among the guests?'
He shouted toward backstage,
"Lighting technician! Turn on the main power immediately! Hurry!"
Ritsu yanked hard on the necklace, not caring that the cord sliced open his palm.
Once he was certain Mio was safe, he looked toward Hiro, who had rushed onto the stage in the darkness, and calmly said,
"I'll leave the people backstage to you. Please keep an eye on them. Leave the murder investigation to me."
Hiro originally wanted to object. But after thinking it over, this really was Ritsu's field of expertise.
At this stage, the Public Security Bureau's highest priority was protecting Yoshiaki, the low-ranking Organization member who had defected.
"Understood."
Ritsu leaped off the stage.
Before he even had time to switch his glasses into night-vision mode, the lighting technician restored power to the entire hall.
Everyone then saw a male guest lying crushed beneath the fallen chandelier, already showing no signs of life.
Looking around at the restless crowd, Ritsu said coldly,
"No one is allowed to leave the banquet hall. Every one of you is a suspect in this case."
Kogoro frowned as he stepped forward.
"Onizawa-san, let's identify the victim first, shall we?"
"Right. I need a few adult men to help lift the chandelier. Be sure to put on gloves first. Otherwise, if your fingerprints end up on it, it'll be difficult to explain."
Working together, everyone finally moved the chandelier aside.
A female guest gasped.
"Th-That's Councilman Nomiguchi! Oh my goodness... How could it be him?!"
Ritsu took out his phone and contacted Takagi, instructing the MPD officers to enter and maintain order.
As for the murderer, the answer was practically obvious.
Even if it wasn't Pisco, all they had to do now was check who had gunshot residue on them or who was carrying a handgun.
Of course, there was also another possibility. The killer could have disposed of the weapon somewhere in a public area after committing the murder.
Ritsu crouched down and confirmed that Shigehiko Nomiguchi was completely dead.
He already had a good idea what had happened.
Like Iwamatsu, who hadn't even been eliminated by Pisco, the councilman had most likely been trying to free himself from the Organization's control after conducting shady dealings with them.
The reason Gin hadn't informed him of this assignment wasn't because he suspected Ritsu of cooperating with the police.
Rather, it was more like a subtle hint that he should seize this opportunity to eliminate Pisco.
He noticed Conan looking toward him. The boy was clearly asking whether this murder had been carried out by the Organization.
Ritsu casually brushed back the bangs over his forehead, using his hand to conceal his face while giving Conan the slightest nod.
Pisco, the old bastard, was watching him from nearby. He couldn't make the signal too obvious.
Receiving confirmation, Conan clenched both fists tightly. It wasn't sorrow over the murder that filled him.
It was helplessness.
Right now, there was nothing he could do. His opponent was an enormous, mysterious criminal organization. One wrong step and he would fall into an endless abyss.
So all he could do was remained silent and wait for his teacher to handle everything.
Suddenly, Conan felt a hand rest on his shoulder. Turning around, he saw Haibara, curled up as tightly as she could make herself.
Her head was lowered in terror.
Her small hands trembled uncontrollably, as though she had encountered something unimaginably horrifying... or seen someone she dreaded more than anything.
"Haibara, what's wrong...?"
"Don't turn around and look at me. Someone from the Organization... Someone from the Organization is watching me. So don't look back."
Conan froze for only an instant before reacting.
He immediately turned around, took a fruit candy from his pocket, tilted his head with a cheerful smile, and said,
"Haibara, are you not feeling well? I've got some fruit candy here. Want one?"
Understanding what Conan meant, Haibara accepted the candy. Following his guidance, she moved to the side, using the banquet tables as cover.
Sure enough, the skin-crawling sensation disappeared.
Conan lifted the tablecloth and whispered,
"Hide underneath. At least the Organization won't find you for now. I'll keep watch outside."
"...Okay."
Haibara reluctantly crawled beneath the banquet table.
Curled up in the darkness beneath it, she couldn't help recalling the time Augier had locked her inside the poison gas chamber.
It had been just like this.
—"Don't be afraid. As long as I'm here, I won't let anything happen to you."
Onizawa's promise resurfaced in her mind.
For some reason, Haibara gradually calmed down, and the violently pounding beat of her heart slowly returned to normal.
He had managed to use APTX4869 to free her from the Organization. He had even found a way to protect her older sister.
If it was him, he would probably be all right.
A bitter smile appeared on her lips.
She thought of that black-haired young man whose blunt way of speaking concealed a gentleness like that of an older brother.
'If only he were still here. If Augier had appeared sooner, would he have been able to save him too?'