Chapter 64: Gin: Outrageous

"Get lost!"

Tequila kicked Conan, who was blocking his way, sending him stumbling aside, before walking over to the counter to grab the briefcase used for the transaction.

Conan cast a suspicious glance at Tequila.

He had caught a glimpse of the serial number on Tequila's suitcase—it looked identical to Mr. Nakajima's briefcase.

Curious, he followed him and watched as Tequila picked up a telephone inside the game company, speaking directly in front of Conan:

"Hello, it's Tequila. Gin, you don't need to worry, the transaction is complete."

"Alright, I understand."

Sitting in the Porsche parked outside, Gin hung up the phone.

He flicked his cigarette butt into a trash can outside the window, gazed toward the headquarters of Mantendo, and smiled coldly.

"Tequila is one of the organization's capable operatives; how could he possibly be poached by that fellow Cointreau?"

"Indeed. Having Curaçao is already more than enough to ensure his safety," Vodka agreed.

Then, Vodka added, "I think I saw Cointreau enter this company as well. Could he have gone there to recruit Tequila?"

"Impossible," Gin shook his head.

How could a member of the organization ever be recruited by someone else?

Furthermore, Cointreau had no knowledge of the organization's operation plan and couldn't have known that Tequila would be there.

"Perhaps that brat just wanted to play some video games," Gin sneered, mocking Masakazu's age.

"Boom—!"

"Huh?!"

Gin snapped his head toward the direction of Mantendo, where a massive flash of fire had erupted, billowing thick smoke into the air.

"What's going on?"

...

"What's going on?"

The president of Mantendo rushed to the explosion site the very moment it happened.

Seeing the blown-to-pieces restroom, he gripped the construction company business card in his hand with a deathly white knuckle.

This was merely a shameless terrorist attack, and it had absolutely, positively nothing to do with Mr. Masakazu!

It was simply that he possessed foresight, knowing I would need a construction company, and had thoughtfully recommended one to me in advance.

Mr. Masakazu is truly so considerate!

Tears of absolute gratitude streamed down the president's face, completely unstoppable.

Soon, the police arrived.

Nagamune, the forensic investigator, immediately searched for casualties.

"This person seems to still be alive," he said with a hint of disappointment.

Officer Sato hurried over and stared cautiously at Nagamune, terrified that he might impulsively strangle the victim to death, especially since she had just noticed Masakazu standing right there.

"Get him to the hospital first," Officer Megure ordered.

After sending Tequila off, forensic investigator Nagamune remarked, "I just examined the victim's body. The blast injuries aren't actually all that severe. Based on the wound patterns, the bomb must have detonated right at the entrance of the restroom."

...

"At the entrance of the restroom?" Officer Megure murmured.

Masakazu stood outside with Koyo and Haibara, waiting out of boredom.

Because of the explosion, the police had ordered everyone to stay put.

"Was this your doing?" Koyo gently poked Masakazu with her finger.

"Why would you suspect it was me?" Masakazu asked, looking at her with a puzzled expression.

Could this simply be my stellar reputation preceding me?

"I had no grudge against him whatsoever."

Even Officer Megure and the others hadn't pinned the blame on Masakazu because the victim's identity hadn't been verified yet.

That made finding a motive all the more difficult.

Masakazu yawned. Finally, I'm not being wrongfully accused by anyone. It feels wonderful.

...

"Tequila still hasn't come out."

Seeing the police enter the building, Gin knew things were heading in a bad direction.

"Should we ask Cointreau what's going on?" Vodka suggested.

Tequila hadn't brought a mobile phone with him when he went out on the mission; otherwise, he wouldn't have needed to use a landline inside the game company to call Gin.

Just as Gin pulled out his phone, a new email popped up onto the screen.

[Tequila might be in a bit of trouble. He got caught in a bomb blast and has been sent to the hospital now. ——Cointreau]

"A bomb?"

Vodka said, "Boss, do you think the person we traded with could have done this?"

"No," Gin replied coldly.

They had merely traded a list of software designers in exchange for a massive sum of yen; nobody in their right mind would turn that down.

Besides, he knew very well that behind the party he traded with stood a massive corporate conglomerate.

Unless that person was completely insane, they would never resort to killing Tequila.

The person most likely to have killed Tequila was actually Cointreau!

Gin's pupils constricted.

To Cointreau, murder was just another game.

"If he can't have him, he destroys him?" Gin muttered to himself.

What a maniac.

...

"Huh?"

Inside the game company, a giant question mark popped up in Masakazu's mind.

Me?

Wanting to kill Tequila?

What does Gin take me for? How could I possibly murder a fellow organization member?

Standing nearby, Koyo stood on her tiptoes, trying to sneak a peek at Masakazu's phone, only for Masakazu to press her head down with one hand.

...

The police have stopped wrongfully accusing me, and now here you go again, Gin.

"Takagi, go to the cafe next door and buy me a cup of coffee," Masakazu called out to Takagi, who looked busy with something or other.

"Huh? Me?"

Takagi looked at Masakazu with a bewildered expression.

He didn't want to go.

Because he had no desire to become the next Officer Megure—a disgraced cop reviled by the public.

"Serving the citizens is the duty of the police. Officer Takagi, as a police officer, you have a responsibility to soothe the public's anxiety."

Forensic investigator Nagamune stepped forward and chimed in, "Mr. Masakazu was frightened by the explosion; shouldn't you go comfort him?"

Takagi wore an expression of intense inner conflict.

However, Officer Megure acted as though he hadn't heard a word from Masakazu's side, intently examining the crime scene without even lifting his head.

A few other patrol officers looked eager to help, but hesitation held them back.

"Alright, I'll go right now," Takagi said.

There were no reporters here yet, so it was safe to go.

He had to buy the coffee and get back before any reporters showed up.

"There's a little pervert over there," Koyo suddenly said, pointing at a little kid.

Masakazu and Haibara followed her gaze and saw Conan attempting to grope Ran's backside, only to be caught red-handed.

"Youth is wonderful," Masakazu said with a smile.

Koyo gave Masakazu a strange look.

Wonderful?

She silently pulled Haibara back a few steps, putting some distance between herself and Masakazu.

Haibara wore an expression of helpless resignation.

I'm just a kid anyway. Even if Masakazu wanted to act like a pervert, he wouldn't go around groping me.

"I bought your coffee." Takagi handed the cup to Masakazu and then bolted away as if fleeing for his life.

"I already know who the killer is."

Kogoro Mouri, having been knocked unconscious by Ran's kick, once again entered his sleeping deductive state.

Officer Megure and Sato exchanged frowning glances.

With Masakazu present, could Kogoro Mouri's sleeping deductions really be trusted?

Yet this time, Kogoro's logical breakdown was airtight, and the culprit even stepped forward and confessed as soon as the deduction concluded.

The fellow who had nearly been blown to bits by the bomb and sent to the hospital turned out to be nothing more than an innocent, deeply unlucky bystander.

This caused Officer Megure to let out a sigh of relief.

This time, it truly seemed to have nothing to do with Masakazu.

"Officer Megure, this is bad! That poor bastard who almost got blown up by the bomb was just snatched away from the ambulance!"