Death's Vigilance

[NPCs and Joints]

"It's not like that!" Ran insisting quickly, waving her hands almost a little frantically. Her cheeks flushed upon hearing the idea that Shinichi's mother was suggesting. "Shinichi probably didn't even have anything important to say," she added with a small laugh.

But when Ran heard her mother's thoughts, she couldn't help but protest. "Mom!"

Somehow, maybe she should have expected it after all this time, but the end of the conversation had turned into the start of another case.

Ran stood up immediately after her mother and Shinichi's mother ran off. "W-What was that scream?"

Following the two who ran towards the commotion, Ran's eyes widened at the sight in front of her. Both hands flew to her mouth as she gasped, resisting the urge to scream in horror. Just like every other time when she had gone out with Conan-kun and her father, someone had died.

She nodded, and pulled out her phone immediately when her mother told her to call for the police. "Hello, is this the police? Just now, there has been a murder at the Beika Central Building's Observatory Restaurant."

[Kudo Yukiko]

"Ran-chan, Shinichi isn't the type to take someone on an outing like that without it being of importance!" Yukiko reassured her, giggling at her response, teasing as she added, "You have to remember that he's a lot like Yuusaku in that aspect! Besides Ran-chan, it's pretty obvious how the both of you feel about each other!"Yukiko frowned at Ran's possibility of a murder, "Ran-chan, I think it's a bit too quick to assume right now!"

"What happened here?" Eri demanded, turning towards one of the men at the table.

"I-I have no idea," he responded. "Kyoko-san just collapsed! It happened right after that girl and that waitress passed by!" Akihiko pointed towards both of them.

"Is this true, Nakamori-san?" Eri asked.

[NPCs and Joints]

"Yukiko-san!" Ran's cheeks reddened at Shinichi's mother's words. She sank a little further into her seat. It couldn't be could it--Shinichi would never say something like that would he? Even back then, back when they had been in London when he said that.

She smiled a little at the precious memory. Although some time had passed since their trip to London, she still remembered encountering Shinichi there. That time, she had been upset with him for not telling her that he was in London. Somehow, with everything that had happened, Ran didn't think that she could ever quite forget the trip, from the case to Shinichi's words. Especially not Shinichi's words.

But when someone had collapsed, she forgot about the case in London completely. She looked down, a little embarrassed when Yukiko-san pointed out that it was possible that nobody was murdered. Somehow, she had thought it was a murder. Everything was a blur when her mother told her to call the police, with everyone panicking and everything happening so quickly and suddenly. Just like every other time when she was out with Conan-kun and her father.

Ran shook her head slightly, mentally chiding herself. She should have first thought that person who collapsed was fine. Really, it was almost as though the idiot deduction geek's joy at seeing murder cases happen had passed onto her!

Her thoughts were once again cut short when the man sitting with the lady who collapsed, Kyoko-san, spoke up. Ran looked up in surprise at the man's comment though. "Aoko-chan?" she turned towards her new friend.

"Aoko did pass by those two, but Aoko just accidentally knocked over a salt shaker and picked it up!" Aoko-chan said when her mother asked. Ran felt slightly relieved at the words. Aoko-chan just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. She was sure that everything would turn out to be fine as soon as the police came.

Somehow, her relief did not last long when she noticed that the waitress the man was referring to was the same waitress who had served their table not too long ago. Ran's eyes widened slightly, before she found herself asking, "Is that true--" Realizing that she did not know the waitress's name, she stopped abruptly.

"Kohaku. Shimizu Kohaku," the waitress offered, smiling as though nothing had happened.

"Shimizu-san?" Ran tried again.

"Yes, I did pass by," Shimizu-san said, turning towards the man, "You asked me to replace the salt shaker, since your previous shaker had fallen to the ground, didn't you?"

[Kudo Yukiko]

Yukiko was also relieved when Aoko confirmed that it was an accident. It was a shame that almost every time she went out with the kids, they encountered something, and sometimes even on their own too! She had hoped that tonight would be different, but she was once again reminded of Beika City's nature—death was commonplace.

"Aoko-chan, do you want to call your father before the police arrive?" Yukiko asked, turning towards her. But as she reminisced about their initial encounter, Yukiko quickly said, "O-on second thought Aoko-chan, don't call Nakamori-keibu right now! We'll call him afterwards."

As Yukiko contemplated on it, if she understood Aoko's father's personality, he probably would have caused a riot if Aoko was a suspect. After encountering death several times, Beika City wasn't the most appropriate place for adolescents, particularly those who weren't used to death—namely, Kaito and Aoko. Even today, Yukiko was still surprised that Inspector Nakamori granted Aoko permission to stay with her—a complete stranger!—even if Kaito was staying with her.

"Yes," Akihiko confirmed the waitress's story.

"They're dead," Eri confirmed after examining the body.

[Nakamori Aoko]

Aoko frowned, and glanced around. It was strange how Ran-chan, Yukiko-san, and Ran-chan's mother seemed concerned. But it made sense. Something horrible had happened after all. Someone collapsed suddenly! Aoko bit into her lip at the terrible sight.

Ever since coming to Beika, so many things have gone wrong. Aoko loved staying at Yukiko-san, and there were so many nice people to meet here. But she still remembered what had happened during that stupid thief's heist. That time, it had been all that stupid thief's fault, even if he wasn't the killer. Now, something had just happened during dinner.

When Yukiko-san suggested to call her dad, Aoko nodded vigorously in agreement. "Okay! Aoko will call him right now!" Yukiko-san really thought ahead! Dad would solve the problem in no time!

But when Yukiko-san changed her mind, Aoko wondered aloud, "Why?"

[Kudo Yukiko]

Yukiko wasn't entirely sure how to answer Aoko's question. Admittedly, she was still terrified of Inspector Nakamori, and she hoped that she'd never have to encounter him face to face again alone when he was angry. Granted, she had Eri with her and that put her at ease a little bit, but the idea of Aoko as a suspect and his reaction was terrifying!

"I know that you're incapable of murder Aoko-chan, so involving Nakamori-keibu right now might make him think something terrible happened to you." Yukiko informed her, choosing her words as carefully as she could and failing at it.

"By the way Ran-chan, did the police mention who was coming?" Yukiko asked, turning towards her in an attempt to change the discussion while Eri was conversing with Akihiko. If it was Inspector Megure, then that eased the situation, but if it was somebody else Yukiko wondered how the situation would unfold.

[Nakamori Aoko]

Aoko's eyes widened in surprise when Yukiko-san explained why she shouldn't call her dad. "Aoko didn't do anything though!" she explained, sincerely holding out both fists in front of her. She only picked up the salt shaker that fell. It couldn't be that the man sitting there thought she murdered the lady. It didn't make any sense! That idea was even crazier than stupid Kaito's pranks. It was impossible for someone to kill anyone without being noticed unless they were a magician like Kaito. But a magician would never do something so horrible!

"Shouldn't we call Dad for sure then if he thinks that Aoko did something? Dad will solve it in no time, and then it won't worry him anymore! Dad has solved many cases before so Aoko is sure that he will understand if we explain clearly!"

When Yukiko-san turned to Ran-chan, Ran-chan shook her head. "No, they didn't say who will come, but usually Inspector Megure, Detective Satou, or Inspector Shiratori come."

[Kudo Yukiko]

Yukiko had expected Aoko's reaction, and tried to refrain from appearing nervous—which she was, to a great degree—it did involve Aoko's father after all! And Yukiko knew how much she admired her father too, despite his inability to keep calm.

"I know!" Yukiko insisted, waving her hands in a pleading fashion, wishing that Kaito was here to help put Aoko at ease. "But Aoko-chan, the police don't know that, and you were here before Kyoko-san died, you know? Until they figure out what happened here, anyone who was near the table is a suspect even if they're innocent!"

She refrained from face palming when Aoko mentioned that her father could easily solve the case. After what she witnessed during the murder at Kaitou Kid's heists, she highly doubted that—she had to rely on Shinichi's and Yuusaku's assistance, after all, and Inspector Nakamori was very unhelpful!

"Besides," Yukiko tried to refrain from insulting her father, "Eri's here and she's all we'll need, right Ran-chan?"

"Oh," Yukiko frowned at Ran's response to her previous question.

[Nakamori Aoko]

Aoko nodded. Yukiko-san's words made sense. But she still wondered how it would be possible for anyone near the table to harm the poor lady. It was almost like magic, but some sort of horrid, twisted and evil trick. It wasn't like magic was supposed to be. Aoko remembered Toichi-ojiisan saying that magic was used to bring happiness.

Whoever did this horrible thing was a terrible person, Aoko decided with fists clenched.

"Aoko understands, but please let Aoko know if we want Dad to come here!"

When Yukiko-san mentioned Ran-chan's mother, Aoko turned to Eri-san. her eyes wide with admiration. "Wow! Ran-chan's whole family must be amazing! Ran-chan should bring Eri-san to that stupid thief's next heist Aoko is sure that she can catch that Kaitou Kid!"

"Mom really is amazing," Ran-chan agreed. "But it's not really like that, Aoko-chan!"

Maybe she was imagining it, but Ran-chan seemed a little nervous. "Besides, Mom might not be interested in going after Kaitou Kid!"

At the sound of sirens outside, Ran-chan glanced and the window and said, "The police are here."

[Kudo Yukiko]

Yukiko was relieved when Aoko understood, easing her own tension.

When Eri heard her daughter's friend's remark, she was surprised—chase Kaitou Kid?—absolutely not, she didn't have the time, and it was very unfitting for her to engage in such an activity.

"I'm not," Eri confirmed Ran's response, looking at her from the corner of her eye after she finished conversing with Akihiko. Firmly, she said, "Despite his crimes, Kaitou Kid should be left to the authorities."

"Ran, I need you and Nakamori-san to go downstairs and inform the police that we're looking for another man that was at this table. According to Kondo-san," Eri began, gesturing towards Akihiko, "a man in his forties—who's wearing a white suit and a striped tie, named Koga Ryouta-san—dismissed himself to make a call downstairs."