Chapter 240
After realizing the problem, Edogawa Conan immediately rushed back. The old police officer couldn't keep up, and he couldn't worry about him. His short legs ran like a blur until he finally made it back.
But by the time he returned, it was already too late. The third murder case had appeared along with a suicide note, and Inspector Megure was about to declare the case closed.
"Um..." Hagiwara Kenji tried to stop him with a sweating face. "If he's writing a suicide note, there's no need to use a cipher, right?"
Matsuda Jinpei also said speechlessly: "And if it's suicide, there's not even anything to stand on. Did he jump to stick his head into the noose?"
Inspector Megure: "...Ahem, you have a point."
Edogawa Conan breathed a huge sigh of relief.
Thank goodness there were reliable people here, otherwise if he'd been any later, the crime scene might have already been destroyed!
So Edogawa Conan hurried to examine the scene and scanned through that suicide note written in cipher—it was about what he expected. Sure enough, these dead guys had partnered with Aso Keiji in drug trafficking years ago. Taking advantage of Aso Keiji's global concert tours, they would purchase goods abroad, then hide them in secret compartments in the piano to transport back. Aso Keiji was silenced because he wanted to quit.
As for why it looked like suicide, there was no need to look into that—it was obviously an excuse the killer found. Edogawa Conan already knew who the killer was. Now he just needed to confirm a few more points, then trick Mouri Kogorou into the broadcast room so he could use the "Sleeping Kogorou" identity for his deduction.
There was only one thing he still couldn't figure out.
...Whether Samukawa Shinryu was involved in this matter or not.
Even after Edogawa Conan knocked out Mouri Kogorou with an anesthetic needle, he still hadn't sorted this out.
But he understood primary and secondary contradictions clearly. First solve the case, then deal with these trivial matters after.
So Edogawa Conan turned on the voice changer and conducted his deduction through the broadcast.
After a long deduction, Edogawa Conan finally stated his conclusion.
"...The killer is Dr. Asai Narimi!"
"What?! Miss Asai?!"
"Asai is just his adoptive parents' surname. He's male, and his real name is Aso Narimi!"
Everyone was greatly shocked. Hagiwara Kenji's pupils especially shook—despite his nickname being "friend of women," he hadn't even noticed the cross-dressing.
A living cross-dresser had been standing right in front of them all these years without anyone noticing anything wrong. Everyone instinctively looked at Aso Narimi, but even knowing the truth, he still looked like a girl no matter how they viewed him.
Aso Narimi didn't refute, just pulled out a gun from somewhere.
However, he wasn't planning to threaten anyone with this gun, but pressed it under his chin. With just a pull of the trigger, the bullet would pierce through his brain.
"Wait!" Hagiwara Kenji was shocked. "Although you're the killer, legally speaking, you wouldn't get the death penalty. Put the gun down quickly... Where did you get this gun?!"
Hearing the commotion here, Edogawa Conan was also shocked, not expecting Aso Narimi to have such a fierce personality—directly wanting to commit suicide after being exposed by his deduction!
And this gun, could it be given by Samukawa Shinryu?!
"It's Nishimoto's gun. He anticipated that the last person I planned to kill was him, so he secretly brought a gun for protection. But I discovered it and got it into my hands before he could guard against me." Aso Narimi said. "Yes, I killed them all."
His expression was very calm. Although he had made such detailed murder plans, he seemed to have long prepared for his identity to be discovered.
"Sorry, I don't really want to scare everyone. If possible, could you let me return to that room with the piano? I want to die together with my father's piano."
Edogawa Conan was frightened by Aso Narimi's mental state.
Based on his experience, usually after he exposed criminals, they would cry, kneel, and repent. This was the first time he'd seen someone directly wanting to commit suicide, and he even felt that if Aso Narimi died, he would bear some responsibility.
So he hurriedly tried to persuade: "You should have already seen your father's last words—he hoped you could live well!"
"I know, I did try my best. This is the small island where my father was born and raised. I hoped I could spend a peaceful life here... But I couldn't do it." Aso Narimi's voice was suppressed. "Seeing them walking around on the island, I realized that as long as they were alive, my soul could never be at peace. Even if I reported them to police, they wouldn't get the death penalty. In that case, trading my one life for their three lives, avenging my father, mother, and sister—I think it's worth it."
"...Was the former village chief's death related to you?"
"I asked him about my father's affairs and did nothing else. He really was scared to death." Aso Narimi answered while backing toward the door. "You don't need to worry about me escaping. Without a boat, there's no escape route from this small island. I just don't want to leave everyone with psychological trauma—"
An arm suddenly reached out from behind Aso Narimi and deftly took away the handgun.
Aso Narimi turned back in shock, and a familiar face entered his view: "Sa-Samukawa-san..."
"You're a doctor. After you get out of prison, save a few more lives. That would be more valuable to society than your life, otherwise it's just one more dead person." Samukawa Shinryu calmly put away the gun. "Alright, this is confiscated—who brought handcuffs?"
This sudden turn of events left everyone still unable to process what happened.
Hagiwara Kenji, worthy of being Samukawa Shinryu's former partner, was first to come to his senses. He quickly came over to help handcuff Aso Narimi, preventing him from suddenly having dark thoughts and finding other ways to commit suicide.
Edogawa Conan also stopped staying in the broadcast room, hurriedly rushing downstairs to reach the scene. Seeing Aso Narimi still standing there safely, he finally breathed a huge sigh of relief, feeling like he'd been on a roller coaster.
My god, he almost drove someone to death...
Revealing the truth and using words to corner criminals until they had no choice but to confess—this had always been his habit. He'd never thought it could lead to new murders.
For a moment, Edogawa Conan's feelings were extremely complex, and he even began reflecting on this habit. In the future, he should try to leave criminals some room, persuade them to surrender if possible, and not use such harsh words...
"It's already very late and inconvenient to take him back to the Metropolitan Police. Let's have him stay at the island's police box for the night." Hagiwara Kenji sighed. "Miss Asai... no, Aso-kun, is there something we police did poorly that made you not trust us enough?"
The suicidal mood comes in waves. After being interrupted, he no longer had the urge to continue. Besides, that was a surprise attack earlier—now with so many people watching, he couldn't find new tools even if he wanted to, so he could only give up and cooperate obediently.
"No..." Aso Narimi looked apologetic. "Both Officer Hagiwara and Officer Samukawa... Samukawa-san are very admirable to me. I just... couldn't accept that even if they were caught, they could still live well."
Hagiwara Kenji had no way to respond to this.
After all, some of these people had money and others had power. Killing one person plus drug trafficking—in Japan it really was hard to get the death penalty.
"...Sorry." Hagiwara Kenji sighed.
"It has nothing to do with Officer Hagiwara. Officer Hagiwara already did very well. Rather, it's me..." Aso Narimi saw Samukawa Shinryu walking over, hesitated, then lowered his head. "...Sorry, Samukawa-san."
Edogawa Conan: "...???"
Why specifically apologize to Samukawa Shinryu?! Could his earlier guess be true? Samukawa Shinryu already knew the killer was Aso Narimi, so he deliberately avoided the chance to solve the case... Would this count as dereliction of duty? Harboring a criminal?
Hagiwara Kenji also noticed something subtle: "Wait, what are you apologizing to him for?"
"Because two years ago, Samukawa-san discovered I was cross-dressing. Thinking I had some unspeakable difficulties, he specifically asked me to find him if I needed help... But I wasted that kindness." Aso Narimi bowed to Samukawa Shinryu again. "Although things have come to this... thank you, Samukawa-san."
"You're welcome." Samukawa Shinryu said blandly. "Get out of prison early to treat patients and save lives."
Aso Narimi smiled bitterly: "I no longer have the right to save people. These hands that have killed..."
Samukawa Shinryu turned to Hagiwara Kenji: "Arrange a psychologist for him. Can't waste resources—it's too difficult to train a doctor nowadays."
Hagiwara Kenji cooperatively nodded: "Indeed."
Aso Narimi: "............"
His emotions suddenly became disconnected...
But he was still very grateful to Samukawa-san.
Because Samukawa-san had actually been suspecting him long ago, right? He'd said many meaningful things several times... He even suspected that two years ago, Samukawa-san had already seen through something.
It was also because he discovered Samukawa-san was there that he decided early on to commit suicide after completing his revenge, knowing that no matter how perfect his plan was, Samukawa-san would definitely solve it.
But even so, Samukawa-san still gave him time to complete his revenge and helped him find reasons to live and atone...
What a considerate person.
"...Thank you for your comfort. Until we meet again, Samukawa-san."
—He couldn't keep thanking him. That elementary school student's gaze wasn't quite right. If he thanked him more, it would cause trouble for Samukawa-san... What was that elementary school student thinking? He couldn't have guessed that Samukawa-san went easy on him, could he?