Sirens wailed in the distance as Inspector Megure hurried off with Sato Miwako and the others.
Heiji and Eri Kisaki stood at the entrance, watching the police cars pull away.
"I didn't expect someone really did frame Officer Shiratori," Eri said with a sigh.
Heiji gave a faint smile and handed the phone he was holding to her.
"Ran called you just now."
"Ran?" Eri took the phone, doubt flickering in her eyes.
"I think you should call her back," Heiji said, already turning to leave.
Eri frowned slightly and dialed.
"I'm sorry. The person you're calling is on another line. Please try again later."
[Why isn't Ran answering?]
Eri paused, didn't dwell on it, and quickly followed after Heiji.
The pink BMW sped along the highway.
Eri cracked the window and rested her hand on the frame, quietly watching the scenery. Wind poured into the car and lifted her long brown hair, making her look unusually relaxed.
"Ms. Kisaki," Heiji asked, eyes on the road, "when does the court session start?"
Now that this matter was handled, his attention needed to shift back to the Black Organization.
[Why would Gin go after Kudo Shinichi the moment he returned? Did he suspect something?]
Traffic flowed steadily ahead. Heiji drove while thinking through Gin's motives.
"Heiji!"
Eri's voice snapped him back.
"Hm?" Heiji blinked, realizing he'd drifted. "Sorry—I was thinking. What's wrong?"
Eri stared at him, speechless, her expression dark.
"You're joking with our lives."
Heiji laughed awkwardly.
"Won't happen again."
Eri let out a breath, then glanced at him.
"Whatever can make you think that hard must be serious. Can you tell me?"
Heiji looked at her briefly.
"Ms. Kisaki, we're not at the point where we tell each other everything, are we?"
Eri froze, then pressed her lips into a small smile.
"So even the famous genius detective has his headaches."
Heiji smiled faintly and shook his head.
"Everyone has headaches. The important thing is having someone you can talk to."
The car fell quiet. The air grew heavy.
Heiji's gaze shifted slightly.
"You tried calling just now, right?"
Eri collected herself and nodded.
"Ran didn't answer. She's probably busy."
Just then, the phone rang.
"Ran's calling back," Eri said with a small smile. She steadied her mood and answered.
"Ran?"
"Mom… what did you need?" Ran's voice was low, subdued.
"You—do you have a cold?" Eri asked gently. "Why do you sound so quiet?"
Somewhere, hearing that gentle concern, Ran's tears surged again, spilling onto the grass beneath her. She cried soundlessly.
"Ran… what's wrong?" Eri's tone sharpened with worry.
"Mom, sorry," Ran said, still quiet. "The club president was looking for me earlier. I'm really sorry."
Her voice was low, but otherwise it sounded normal.
Eri exhaled in relief.
"You scared me."
"Mom," Ran asked softly, "where are you right now?"
"I'm in the car. I went out to collect evidence."
"…I see." Ran's voice remained muted. "Then be careful. The president is looking for me again, so I'll hang up first. Mom… bye."
"Alright. Bye."
Eri ended the call, her brows knitting slightly.
"Do you think Ran has something going on?" Heiji asked.
Eri felt she might be overthinking it.
"She's probably fine," she said, more to herself than to him.
Heiji only nodded, indifferent, and didn't press.
Somewhere else, Ran sat on a sloped patch of soft green grass. She hugged her knees tightly, tears constantly welling and dripping down.
Her phone screen glowed with one name:
Shinichi
She waited. No answer.
In a taxi, Conan rested his chin in thought.
Officer Shiratori really was framed… In that case, it must be the "man in black" he mentioned. A killer in black… could he be connected to the Black Organization?
His phone had been vibrating on silent, but he hadn't noticed at all.
Ran finally ended the call, lowered her head into her knees, and cried quietly.
[Why is it that whenever I need him, Shinichi ignores me?]
A heart doesn't go cold all at once. It chills, little by little.
Her phone rang again.
Ran jolted and answered with sudden hope.
"Shinichi? Is that you?"
"Ran, I'm not coming home for dinner," the voice said. "I might be back very late. Eat with that brat Conan."
It wasn't Shinichi.
It was Kogoro Mouri.
Hearing the noisy background, Ran frowned hard.
"Dad… are you playing pachinko again?"
"No," Kogoro slurred. "I'm just drinking. Hey, boss—another bottle.
"Dad, you're always like this," Ran said, anger breaking through her grief. "No wonder Mom was disappointed in you. You disappoint me too much!"
She shouted the last line, ended the call, and threw the phone into the river.
The phone sank slowly beneath the surface.
The pink BMW stopped in front of the Kisaki Law Office building.
"Heiji," Eri said as she got out, "court starts at eight tomorrow morning. I'll need you to pick me up again."
Heiji watched her walk away, then shook his head slightly, his eyes turning serious.
Today… who exactly was following us?
When he and Eri had gone to collect evidence, he had noticed someone tailing them. The person's method was clumsy, and there was no clear hostility, so Heiji had ignored it.
Were they following me? Following Eri? Or am I reading too much into it?
"I hereby announce: in the case of Shiratori Ninzaburo for intentional homicide—the defendant is found not guilty and is released."
The moment the Chief Judge's words fell, the tension in the courtroom loosened all at once.
At the defense table, Eri Kisaki let out a deep breath she'd been holding for days.
"Teacher, we won," Kazuha said, smiling brightly.
"You've been improving more and more, Kazuha," Eri replied. "Take a few days off. Go enjoy yourself with your Heiji."
Kazuha's face flushed immediately.
"Teacher, don't tease me."
In the gallery, Mrs. Shiratori froze—then broke into loud sobs.
"Old man… Saburo is okay."
"Yes," Shiratori's father said, smiling through it. "He's okay now."
In the defendant's seat, Officer Shiratori stood dazed, looking toward Heiji in the witness area with a complicated expression.
The main doors opened, and people began filing out.
"Officer Shiratori, congratulations."
"Congratulations, Officer Shiratori."
Inspector Megure and the others hadn't sat through the entire hearing. Now, as Shiratori walked out, they offered their congratulations one after another.
Shiratori forced a smile. The past few days in detention had exhausted him—body and mind.
Then Heiji walked out as well.
"Heiji," Miwako said, coming over, her eyes scanning left and right, "where's Kazuha?"
Heiji paused.
"What did you say to them yesterday? Why did your relationship change this fast?"
The night before, Kazuha and Sonoko had refused to say a word about what they discussed with Miwako.
"It's a secret," Miwako said, giving him a playful, knowing look.
Officer Shiratori approached Heiji and bowed deeply—nearly ninety degrees.
"Mr. Hattori, thank you. I'm deeply ashamed of what happened before. I'm sorry."
Heiji looked at him calmly.
"No need. It's a detective's job."
Megure and the others exchanged relieved smiles.
Just then, Eri Kisaki's phone rang.
"What?" Her face changed. "Ran disappeared?"