"Hello, are you Mr. Jiro Watanabe? I am Takagi from the Metropolitan Police Department. That's it. We would like to confirm with you some more about the case of the Jiuji Police Department..."

"...Ah, no, no, no, your suspicion has been confirmed and cleared. According to the testimony of the proprietress of the supermarket downstairs of the victim's home, the victim went to their supermarket to buy things after eight o'clock in the evening. Your alibi is confirmed to be valid.

.”

"...Yes, we want to confirm some other things with you...For example, as far as you know, does the victim have any other enemies? Or is it a suspicious person who will attack her..."

"...Okay, I've recorded it. Thank you very much for your cooperation. Goodbye."

Takagi hung up the phone and turned around.

"Is that all right, Mr. Mori?"

In the Mori Detective Agency, all the police officers involved in the case have arrived except for Matsuda Jinpei and Furukawa Kumisa.

Mouri Kogoro has also assumed the iconic "sleeping" posture, sitting upright on the chair with his hands on his chin, looking very serious.

Officer Megu looked at Mao Li and frowned: "What on earth does this mean? Brother Mao Li, I'm a little confused..."

"Well, Officer Memu, don't be anxious. Listen to me and explain slowly."

Mouri Kogoro's voice came from his seat, just like countless reasonings in daily life - no one would doubt that the real voice was the little detective who was squatting under the desk in the office.

Everyone thought that Mouri Kogoro was about to start reasoning, but they heard his next question: "By the way, the Furukawa officer who was at the scene that day is not here today?"

Officer Megure was stunned for a moment - he was not familiar with the female police officer from Section 2, so he looked at Takagi and the others.

Takagi was also startled for a moment, he didn't expect that Kogoro Mori would open his mouth to care about the police officer whom he had met only once.

"Um...Officer Furukawa left after asking the supermarket proprietress what she said to us. Maybe he had something to do?...Is Mr. Mori looking for something to do with her?"

Edogawa Conan held his bow tie and fell silent.

He couldn't say whether he was happy or not about Furukawa Kumisa's absence.

Performing the double act "Sleeping Kogoro" under the nose of Kumisa Furukawa, there is a risk of being exposed by her.

She had already sensed his intelligence. If Edogawa Conan was missing when Kogoro was reasoning, she would probably be able to figure out the trick within him within a few times.

But Edogawa Conan didn't want to miss any opportunity to observe Furukawa Kumisa.

He sighed softly, suppressed the inappropriate complexity in his heart, and then spoke in the voice of Mouri Kogoro.

"No, I just want to confirm some details with the female police officer who has a good memory. Since she is not here, let's get started."

Edogawa Conan found a comfortable position to lean under the table and began to prepare his reasoning.

Sato has been thinking about what Mouri Kogoro just said, "What Mr. Mouri just meant is that the deceased's ex-husband Watanabe Jiro is not the murderer of this case?"

"No, the murderer in this case is him, Jiro Watanabe."

"Then his alibi...?"

"That may not be accurate. It should be said that Jiro Watanabe is one of the murderers in this case."

The air in the room was stagnant for a moment, and Takagi spoke first: "What Mr. Mori means is that Jiro Watanabe has an accomplice? Is it... his son? Or his son's classmates..."

The biggest problem with Jiro Watanabe now is his strong alibi - in full view of seven or eight people, he did not leave the house even half a step around 8:30 when the crime occurred, and there was no chance of committing the crime.

.

But what if those people are all accomplices?

However, Mouri Kogoro rejected his speculation: "No, his son and those classmates are not his accomplices. They are innocent."

Officer Megure was even more confused: "Brother Maori, who are the accomplices you are talking about?"

"He is a person that no one has ever thought about."

When Kumisa Furukawa knocked on the door of Watanabe's house, the setting sun in the sky was like blood, orange-red cirrus clouds were bit by bit eroding the bright sunlight, the sun was setting in the west, and night was approaching.

The person who opened the door was Watanabe Jiro. He no longer looked as neatly dressed as when we last met.

The black and blue under his eyes were several layers deeper than last time, and the stubble on his chin was clearly defined, as if he hadn't shaved since that day.

He was slightly startled when he saw Furukawa Kumisa, "You are..."

"Furukawa Kumisa, Officer Takagi and I came to Mr. Tobebe's house that day."

Watanabe Jiro remembered the accompanying female police officer, stood up and welcomed her in.

"Hello, Officer Furukawa. Well... if you are here to ask me about Yongzi, your colleague just now, Officer Takagi, has already called and asked."

Hearing this, Furukawa Kumisa paused slightly: "Oh?"

She looked at the expression on Watanabe Jiro's face - although he was neglected and had some symptoms of sleep disorder, his face was no longer as nervous as when they last met, as if someone had given him some reassurance.

She had the answer in her mind.

"If I guess correctly, Officer Takagi said on the phone that Mr. Watanabe's suspicion has been cleared?"

Her question was very strange. Watanabe Jiro was slightly startled before replying: "Yes."

"Officer Takagi should also tell you that it was the testimony of the proprietress of the supermarket downstairs from Officer Jiuji that confirmed your alibi for you and cleared your suspicion?"

"That's right."

Watanabe Jiro led Furukawa Kumisa all the way into the living room and asked her to sit down on the sofa.

"I wonder what else Officer Furukawa wants to know?...Actually, I have already told Officer Takagi most of the things about Yongzi..."

Furukawa Kumisa did not answer his words, she just narrowed her eyes slightly and fixed her gaze firmly on Watanabe Jiro's face.

When Furukawa Kumisa is not smiling, her dignified face loses a bit of vivid intimacy. Her face is serious, and she looks at Watanabe Jiro with restrained eyes, causing Watanabe Jiro to be stunned by her gaze.

It made my spine sweat.

It is hard to imagine that a man in his late forties would feel confused and confused under the gaze of a girl in her early twenties.

Fortunately, Furukawa Kumisa didn't intend to embarrass him for a long time. She withdrew her gaze and picked up the water glass on the table.

"I came to visit Mr. Watanabe today, not for investigation."

"Then you are...?"

"Let me tell a story to Mr. Watanabe."

In the Maori Detective Agency, Takagi frowned when he listened to Maori Kogoro's words: "Is there anyone you haven't thought about?"

It shouldn't be... Due to the high pressure from above, they have checked all the interpersonal relationships around the Kyuji Police Department, including Jiro Watanabe's.

Under such a blanket search, were there any suspects they missed?

Mouri Kogoro remained motionless, and only the voice came: "Yes, that person was perfectly hidden behind this murder. No one thought that she would be Watanabe Jiro's accomplice."

Mouri Kogoro's voice became serious, "No, not an accomplice. It can be said that that person is the mastermind of this entire case."

"Master, mastermind! Who is that person?"

Mouri Kogoro did not answer this question directly.

"In the case of the Kushi Police Department, the most critical point is actually Watanabe Jiro's alibi. When it is known that the victim's death time was 8:30, Watanabe Jiro has a strong alibi, which is absolutely

There is no possibility of committing a crime."

"Yes, yes... We have also considered other methods, but Mr. Watanabe does..."

"Then have you ever considered that the victim's death time was not eight-thirty as estimated now, but seven o'clock?"

"Seven o'clock?" Sato's eyes widened.

"According to the Furukawa police officer and the surveillance camera of the Second Search Division, the time when Jiuji Police Department left the Metropolitan Police Department was 18:35. Jiuji Police Department's home is a total of fifteen minutes' drive from the Metropolitan Police Department. It is very likely that Jiuji Police Department was in

Be home before seven o'clock."

Takagi thought: "Mr. Mori, what you mean is that Jiuji Police Department was killed when he got home at seven o'clock...?"

Sato denied his speculation: "No, this is impossible... Even if the proprietress of the supermarket downstairs took Watanabe's money to give perjury, the time of death was estimated based on the residue in the victim's stomach, not just the food he ate that night.

A venison lunch box, and a whole day’s meal for the Jiuji Police Department…”

At this point, Sato suddenly paused.

Officer Memu also reacted: "It's difficult, can you say...!"

"It seems that everyone has thought of it."

Conan sat under the table and looked at the setting sun outside the window, his lenses reflecting a blood-like color.

"This is the most astute thing about the 'mastermind' of this case - he knew the police's methods of handling the case and got the supermarket proprietress's confession in advance. He was also familiar with the forensic doctor's death inference on the corpse, so he could fake the time of death.

"

Watanabe Jiro looked at the policewoman sitting on the sofa opposite him, holding a water glass and drinking water quietly.

"So, story?"

Furukawa Kumisa held the water cup in her hand, and the soothing warmth came from her palms, and she smiled slightly.

"Yes, a story."

Watanabe Jiro was speechless, as if he didn't know how to reply.

Furukawa Kumisa didn't wait for him to speak, and continued speaking on his own.
To be continued...