Case Closed Fan Fiction ❯ Only Hope ❯ In Which a Case is Solved and a Truce is Made ( Chapter 5 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

By: Atheria

Atheria: I'm trying to stay on top of my stories more often. So I'm getting the chapters out sooner. Here's the wrap-up to the first case of the story. There will be a little moral for Jimmy as well. Disclaimer time! :

I do not own Cased Closed or any of the assorted characters used from that universe, they belong to Gosho Aoyama . They are used without permission, but I don't suggest suing me, as I am a very poor college student with no financial assets. (I.e. it would cost you more to sue me than you would get from me monetarily.) I'm pretty sure the lawyers of Aoyama don't notice little `ole me. Unless I was doing something with Prince's music, those guys are everywhere!

I'm sure you know this, and yet:

Thoughts: `Blah'

Spoken: “Blah”

In Which a Case is Solved and a Truce Made

The occupants of the room let out a collective gasp of shock. Then, slowly, Victoria Johansson's face twisted into a mask of rage.

“How dare you!” she sputtered indignantly.

“Easily. All I'm doing is exposing the truth.”

“The truth?” Victoria cried at Richard's response, “You wouldn't know the truth if it bit you in your incompetent half-rate detective derriere!”

“Wouldn't I Victoria?” Richard quipped back.

“You wouldn't. It took you a week to find the most well-known and talented oncologist in Japan. Hell, we found him ourselves after a day or two. If our daughter hadn't insisted we pay you for your services, you never would have been even been here.” Richard frowned.

“Well that's besides the point. The point is: you've had yet to specify where you were after you left the group.”

“I already-” Victoria began.

“After that then, and we haven't even confirmed you were there that long either.”

“None of your business! The murder took place around 4:00pm, 4:30 at the latest. I was at the office `til after 6:00pm, and that's all you need to know.”

“Actually Mrs. Johansson,” Officer Hartwell interrupted, “I just got off the phone with the nice nurses at the Tanaka's practice. Turns out you left their office nearly immediately after 4, and in his sports car no less.” Richard slid his eyes from Officer Hartwell towards Mrs. Johansson.

“How did you have the keys to his sports car?” He asked.

“I don't. I got it from the girls in the office. They said Eiji had taken a cab to lunch today.”

“It's true Mr. Moore,” Emiko piped up,” Mr. Tanaka and I took a cab into the city, that's why we had to take one back to his home.”

“Alright, a better question is, why would they let you just take an expensive car out to God knows where?”

“I had somewhere important to be, and didn't have time to wait for a taxi or limousine to arrive.”

“Somewhere important, like Eiji Tanaka's murder!”

“I won't stand for these false allegations against my wife any longer. Mr. Moore, if you've got some actual logic, I'd love to hear it,” Anthony Johansson stepped between is wife and Richard.

“Certainly, I'll start from the time you left the group at 4:00. You walked into the office and asked for the keys to Mr. Tanaka's sports car. Knowing it was all right to give you the keys, maybe from prior instructions from other visits, they hand over the keys, and you get into the car. You leave soon after 4, let's say 4:05. Junior over there obviously got his love of fast cars from dad, I bet Eiji Tanaka's car has a top speed around Hideki's.” Richard eyed Hideki.

“Sure. Hell we used to race, but his is faster.” Hideki responded.

“Gotcha. With a car like that you could have made it here in half an hour tops. Arriving here at 4:30 or 4:35, you use your house key and disarm the alarm. That's when Miss Fujimoto hears you in the front of the house and Mr. Tanaka descends the stairs, when he hears the commotion. Walking into the foyer, he sees you in the front of the house. His fear of an intruder abated, he says a few words to you and turns to walk back into the kitchen, most likely to calm Miss Fujimoto. That's when you struck! Taking the gun from out of your enormous sack of a purse, you shot him in the back at point-blank range. After he fell forward, you shot him in the head, and then around his body. Finally, you donned a mask to hide your features from Emiko in the next room, and rush into the kitchen where you shoot her in the thigh and rush up the back stairs. You have no time to spare, because you knew we'd be here any minute. After taking 15 minutes to shoot two people and ransack the house, you drop the incriminating mask in Hideki's room. Thinking you could use him as a fall guy. You then rush back out the front door, which is why you didn't notice Emiko still alive on the floor, and into Eiji Tanaka's sport's car. Where you made the leisurely one-hour drive back. You left here from 4:50-5:00, and we arrived a little after 5 ourselves. Around 6:00pm you returned the sport's car, asked if anyone had called the office, presumably for you so you could establish an alibi, and called a limo that arrived at 6:30pm. That car then arrived back at the Tanaka's at 7:30pm. You honestly expect us to believe a driver for Limousine Company couldn't find the most well-known and expensive neighborhood in Osaka? Why don't you come clean and admit what you've done!” Richard completed his deductions and pointed an accusatory finger at Mr. Johansson.

“That's great conjecture Mr. Moore, but where's your evidence? A murder weapon, fingerprints, clothing fibers, anything at all? Because from where I'm standing, this theory is like a hot air balloon full of holes.” Anthony smugly stated.

“We've found the murder weapon, Anthony, but there won't be any fingerprints on them, if those gloves Victoria's wearing is any indication.” Anthony Johansson smirked at that statement. “However, that doesn't mean she's off the hook.”

“Alright then, what about that house key she was supposed to have?”

“She could have easily tossed that out the window on the drive back to Mr. Tanaka's office. I wouldn't be surprised if she no longer had it on her person.”

“Then what Moore! From where I'm standing-”

“Wouldn't matter if you were standing in your wife's jail cell, you'd still think she was innocent.”

“The evidence detective?”

“Simple. A strand of hair.” Anthony's eyes lit up behind his spectacles.

“What exactly is that supposed to prove?”

“Well in her rush to get that mask over her head, I'm sure a strand or five of that pretty long hair got struck to the inside of the very same mask she was using to incriminate Hideki Tanaka. If not the one the police already have, then there's a second one filled with all the proof I need to place her at the murder scene. That is, unless you both were lying and met the Tanaka's here last year for Halloween.” Richard came to his conclusion with a smirk on his face. Anthony and Victoria began to sweat.

“Wait just a second,” Victoria started “you don't know where he was any more than where I was, what's to say it wasn't him? He fits your scenario perfectly, and more importantly, he actually has a key and knows the code for the alarm.”

“So you say Victoria, but the proof is in the pudding, or the hair this time. We just need to wait until the lab analyzes that mask. Then we'll have our answer.” A lab tech came into the room, and handed Officer Hartwell a sheet of paper.

“Speak of the devil, just got the lab report, turns out that mask has Hideki Tanaka's DNA*”

“Then the other mask must be around here somewhere.”

“No way Moore, my men have turned this place upside down.”

“Then do it again! It has to be here.”

“Your deductions fit perfectly for Hideki Tanaka as well.”

“Maybe so, but I didn't do it. I wasn't even here and I can prove it.” Hideki interjected.

“That's interesting, because you sure were alibi-less a few hours ago.”

“Yeah well, I didn't want this getting out, but I was at the family lawyer's”

“Doing what?!”

“Trying to see if my father can really cut me out of my inheritance.”

“Well this is suddenly convenient.”

“What can I say, I was worried.”

“About what? What exactly is more important than a solid murder alibi?”

“Well, thinking I was trying to override my father's dying wishes puts me at the top of the suspect list, and until we had the security tape, there was no evidence to actually prove I was there with my lawyer.”

“Well good point.”

“Alright assuming we can verify his whereabouts via tape, that gives him a perfect alibi.”

“So we can book Victoria and close this case?”

“No physical evidence Moore. All we can prove is that she took Mr. Tanaka's sport's car somewhere a little before the time of the murder. Even with no alibi, we can't place her at the scene.”

“Then find that mask!”

“We've already looked Moore!”

“Then look again damn it; I know it's here!”

`Richard is barking up the wrong tree' Jimmy thought frustrated. `He's looking in entirely the wrong direction, and no one else has caught onto why…It's not like I have proof, solid physical evidence, either. At least not yet.' Jimmy walked from the foyer, where Richard was busy arguing with Officer Hartwell over the validity of his deductions, to the kitchen again. Jimmy's eyes traveled along the floor, along the path of a dried blood smear. `It goes from the window to the far side of the island counter. There's no way the intruder shot Emiko while he ran from the living room to the kitchen. There's just no proof. And with as much blood as she was losing, it would be obvious if she had drug herself back behind the island where we found her. No, she was never on the other side of this counter, and so wasn't in the direct path of the assailant as he fled from one room to another.' Jimmy turned from the entrance to the kitchen proper. As he made his was back along to the foyer, he noticed something along the inside of the open freezer. Sneaking up behind the officer examining the freezer door, he spots some brown-black speckles all along the inside. `What are those? It almost looks like high velocity blood splatter, but the spread isn't fine enough.' Jimmy leaned closer over the back of the officer. `Actually it looks like drips now that I get a closer look, why would they-' Richard's angry voice rang out through the kitchen, “Hey Brat! What the hell are you doing?” Jimmy slipped and hit his head on the inside of the freezer door.

“Hey there little man, I didn't see you there. I can't have you messing up evidence.” The officer smiled over his shoulder and picked Jimmy up.

“Give him here, I've already given my statement, I'm not staying here any longer. Rachael!” Richard bellowed and began marching toward the foyer again, carrying Jimmy under his arm.

“Now hold on a second Moore, -”

“Not another word, I have no obligation to be here any longer. Johansson,” Richard turned towards Anthony, “send me the check in the mail, if you can afford it after the lawyer fees. Now where is Rachael?”

“I'll get her!” Jimmy wriggled out of Richard's grasp.

“Now hold on, there she is.”

`Damn.' Jimmy thought irritably.

“Don't take another step! Rachael, let's go.” Richard grabbed a miffed Jimmy by the seat of his pants and started towards the front door again.

“Oh, dad wait, maybe you should just calm down and-”

“No way! Now get out this door. I'm calling a cab.” Richard turned away from Rachael and started stomping towards the exit.

`I need to think of something quick, or this case is never going to get solved. Too bad I can't just hold him still…or maybe I don't have to.' Jimmy wriggled into a better position to enact his hastily made plan. He lurched suddenly in Richard's grasp throwing him off balance. With a jerk, and a yell, they both came tumbling to the ground with an oomph. They landed into the doorframe, and the whole area around them shook. Jimmy held his head, he had hit it on the wall on the way down. Richard reached down to hit Jimmy on the head, and found a bright pink bag lying on top of his lap.

“Huh? Where did this come from?”

“Looks like it fell from up in that chandelier.”

“I wasn't talking to you brat.” Richard unzipped the top of the purse and looked inside. “Nothing out of the ordinary. Does anyone recognize this?”

“Yes, that purse is mine.”

“Yours Ms. Emiko?”

“Yes, but I have no idea how it got way up there…”

“The murderer probably tossed it somewhere while he was rummaging through the house. Don't worry about it Ms. Emiko.”

“Mr. Moore, if you could hand that over as evidence.” Officer Hartwell reached towards the purse.

“Sure as soon as I get done examining it.”

“Out of the question, that is part of an on going investigation.”

“Only because you refuse to see what's straight in front of you!” Officer Hartwell argued back adamantly, but it wasn't the heated argument that had Jimmy's attention.

`What's that smeared along the inside?' He ran a finger along the inner edge of the purse. `Black, thick, and oily. It almost reminds me of-' A smug smile crept across his face. `So that's it is it? Now all I need to do is prove she had the time, and the distraction necessary to pull it off.' He walked away from the quarreling pair and towards the stairs. `The proof I need is in this house somewhere. The only place I haven't been is upstairs. Which reminds me, that walking annoyance hasn't bothered me in a while. She said she was heading upstairs, and that's the last I remember hearing from her.' Jimmy topped the last stair and turned into the first room he saw. He let out a low whistle. “Spotless. Wish Richard's house could stay this clean.” Jimmy walked around the edges of the room, before setting in front of the massive computer desk made from oak. 'It's not that this room is clean it's obviously Hideki's, it's the meticulous near obsessive attention to detail.'

“Odd isn't it? The room doesn't match his personality at all.”

“There's that, but it's apparent he doesn't take care of this room himself. I've never met a teenage boy that cleaned much of anything. Plus there isn't much emotion or pers- what are you doing here?” Jimmy turned from facing the computer desk, and looked towards the door.

“Looking for you. Mr. Moore is occupied, so much in fact, he didn't even notice me getting something you might be interested in.” Candace reached into her pocket and pulled a sliver colored object. She tossed it across the room. Jimmy turned the object over in his hand.

“A key?” Jimmy asked.

“I've figured out that she's lying about the some things in her story.” Jimmy looked up from the silvered key in his palm, and towards Candace across the room. “Her time or someone.”

“That's not the half of it,” Jimmy said as he turned the key in his hands, “there's no way some intruder shot her, at least not like she said.”

“Oh come on, that entire statement as a lie.”

“She addressed her bosses informally a few times-”

“-and there was gun grease along the inside of the purse.”

“That's not the only th- gun grease?” Jimmy paused in their exchange, and rolled his eyes. “I can't believe you didn't notice. It was thick, black, and right on the side of the lining.”

“Forgive me Little Detective, but I was a little busy sneaking that key you're holding.”

“This key came from the purse? How did you-”

“I'm surprised you didn't notice, and here I thought nothing slipped past your, `Sherlock-Scan.'” Jimmy was having trouble deciding on whether to glare at her for the insult, or be complimented by the comparison. “You look shocked. I did tell you Mr. Moore was distracted, or did that get past you as well?” He decided on glare, and turned back towards the computer desk. Candace let out a short laugh. “Don't look like that! No one is perfect, so perhaps you shouldn't expect others to be.” Jimmy grumbled under his breath, “Minna-san wa paafakuto jaa nai, demo Candace-san wa paafakuto desu. ”

“Dakara Chisaii Meitantei, watashi to Conan-kun wa paafakuto desu ne?”

“Listen, its harder for me to think with you breathing down my back, so why don't you head downstairs?”

“I would be happy to. I will be sure to help Mr. Moore find you.”

“You wanna help so badly? Then why don't you go find me some evidence?” Jimmy looked over his shoulder, and found Candace right behind him. “What are you-?”

“I figured if I was literally `breathing down your back', you would be so stupefied that you would shut up for a few moments.” He turned and faced Candace. He had an inch and a half on her, and was happy to be able to literally stare down his nose at her.

“I'm listening.” Candace took as step back, then began.

“As far as I can deduce, this is much closer to the actual timeline of the murder. They arrived here closer to 12:30 or 1:00pm. That's why there's an hour “missing” from her story. The statements from the cabbie and the nurses can confirm that. She probably killed him 1:30 the latest, though I'm not sure why she did it. I'm also not sure how she moved the time of death to sometime after 3pm, when I'm sure he was dead before she made that call. I am also sure the house was in disarray before they arrived, but how much and how much he noticed is up in the air.”

“How do you know the house was ransacked beforehand?” Candace reached into her pocket in response. She pulled out a yellow piece of paper, and handed it to Jimmy.

“I found it on the floor in this bedroom. Curiously, it proves she was late, and she made sure to mention she wasn't. From that, I deduced- why are you looking at me like that?” Jimmy's eyes looked glazed and mindless; he was anything but. His mind whirled like a dynamo, as the pieces fell into place. Jimmy turned and picked up the key on the desk with a grin plastered on his face.

“What do you wanna bet,” he said while he turned, “that this key opens the front door?” Jimmy's eyes were shinning like a roaring fire. Candace looked up from the key and back towards Jimmy.

Realization dawned on her face as she said, “She broke in early, right after everyone had left, and ransacked the house.”

“She arrived late because of it, and lied about it to cover it up.”

Jimmy interrupted, “They left the clinic and came here after lunch. Mr. Tanaka opened the door-”

“to find to whole house in disarray. He then-”

“Started looking around the house for an intruder, and left the alarm off.”

“While he was distracted-”

“She took the gun down from a purse she had hidden earlier in the light fixture, an-”

“Shot him in the back.”

“Then she hid the body in the freezer-”

“Turned off the A/C-”

“Called the office-”

“Set him out to unthaw,”

“And shot herself in the thigh!”

“Conan-”

“Candace-”

“-You're a genius!” they said simultaneously.

“I'm going to go hand these to Mr. Moore, I'm sure once he has them, he'll be able to figure this out.” Jimmy ran towards the door, key and time punch card in hand.

“Wait! Just who are you exactly? No other kid my age even comes close to your ability.” Jimmy stopped at the doorframe, and turned to look back into the room.

“I thought you of all people would know already. I'm Conan Edogawa, detective,” he said with a wink, before disappearing for the stairs. Jimmy walked down the stairs in though. `I think I should be asking you that question. “No other kid” huh? That description applies to you more than me. I think I have another mystery on my hands.' Jimmy trekked through the foyer, dodging the packing police crew, and headed into the kitchen. Richard was standing by the window, facing the said of the next house, grumbling to himself. `Well,' Jimmy thought, `now is as good a time as any.' He reached down and prepared his stun gun watch, took aim, and fired. The needle sailed through the air and hit its mark. Richard wobbled and fell ceremoniously, into a kitchen table chair sitting behind him. With a little coaxing, Jimmy got Richard into position and ran into the adjoining room to convince everyone to join “the Great Richard Moore” in the kitchen for a true explanation of the crime.

“Alright Mr. Moore, why don't you explain your kooky scheme this time?” Jimmy slipped under the table; it was show time.

A few minor bowtie adjustments, and, “No scheme Hartwell, just the truth.”

“The truth eh, Moore? Haven't you been claiming to have 'discovered the truth all night?”

“I had, but all the pieces weren't available to me. That is, if some new pieces of evidence hadn't come to my attention.”

“What's that Mr. Moore? Found some new groundbreaking evidence? Well let's here it.”

“Not so fast Officer Hartwell, I think it might be best to start from the beginning.” Officer Hartwell frowned, and then Jimmy continued. “At 11:30am, Eiji Tanaka left his office right outside of Osaka. He and his secretary traveled into the city, but they didn't stay long. They picked up something quick to eat, the fast food wrappers are in the kitchen trash.”

Officer Hartwell interrupted, “How do you know those are from today?”

“Because, the receipt is in the bag. In any case, that's half an hour into the city, then one hour back to this house. Add 15 minutes for that fast food stop and that means they arrived here around 1:15, the latest instead of two. Second, even if we take Ms. Emiko's word for their time of arrival, you really expect us to believe it took an hour to get Mr. Tanaka settled? Even the most ornery patient wouldn't take that long.”

“Alright then Mr. Moore, what did she do with that extra time? “

“I'm getting to that. Emiko claims they arrived and the house was in order. She claims that the thief ransacked the house after shooting them both.”

“You disagree?”

“I do, Hartwell, in fact, I'm sure there wasn't a thief at all.”

“We've been over this Moore-”

“Let me speak! Ms. Fujimoto, do you remember if the A/C was on when you arrived?” Emiko looked surprised.

“Um no. It was hot when we got here.”

“Well why didn't you turn it on then? I mean Mr. Tanaka did have a fever, so why keep the house so hot?”

“Wait a second, Mr. Moore, I remember keeping the A/C on when I left. I was the last on out of the house, so I checked before I left. My husband hated the summer because of the heat.” Mrs. Tanaka offered.

“Right so, Mr. Tanaka hated heat, and had a fever, but you chose to not turn up the A/C? He must have complained.”

“I don't recall whether it was on or not. I fail to see the point of these questions. Even if the A/C was on, I'm sure the burglar let the A/C just run out of the house when the door was opened.”

“He wouldn't have left it ajar, that's too suspicious.”

“The back door then? Why are you asking me this?” Emiko snipped back.

“Indulge me. So you're sure you arrived at 2pm?”

“Yes.”

“So what did you do for an hour before you called the office back?” Emiko sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose.

“I settled Mr. Tanaka in at 2pm, and I honestly watched television. Before I called in, I was on over-time, so I loafed a bit to get some more cash.”

“So nothing in the kitchen?”

“No! How much clearer do I need to be?”

“I was just wondering because there's blood drips all over the inside of the freezer.”

“What?” Emiko inquired.

“Well I thought you had maybe made some food. Maybe some raw meat.”

“I don't know anything about that.”

“Well, just thought I'd ask you before I reveal the lab results. The blood in the inside of the freezer door belongs to Mr. Tanaka.” A collective gasp went through the room. “Don't believe me? Ask the technician, and look for yourself.” Officer Hartwell walked over to the freezer and opened the door. He looked around and turned back towards Richard.

“Alright, where's the proof this isn't cow or chicken blood?”

“Officer Hartwell, I informed Mr. Moore of the identity of that blood.” A lab technician spoke up.”

“So Ms. Fujimoto, you have no idea how that got there.”

“N-” She began.

“Let me rephrase, would you like to admit to murdering Mr. Tanaka now or in your holding cell?”

“I've done no such thing!” Emiko exclaimed.

“Really? Well two things tell me differently. My first clue,” Jimmy said while tossing the key into the table, “is this.”

“A key? What does this have to-wait are you saying-?”

“Exactly. That's the key to this house.”

“Well Moore, you've gotten the proof you needed to send Victoria Johansson to jail.”

“Hardly, that key was inside that pink purse we found, the one Ms. Emiko admitted was hers. Correct?”

“Well…yes.”

“You know what else I found in the purse? Gun grease. What do you want to bet it matches the type inside the gun?”

“What gun? The officers didn't find one.”

“You're right Ms. Fujimoto, but 7mm only use certain types. If that grease matches any of those, it`ll prove you had a gun matching the murder weapon in your possession.”

“I hear conjecture,” Emiko stated fiercely, “do you even know how I could have committed the murder?”

“I do.”

“Then get on with it.”

“Gladly. After everyone had left at 8:00am, you came into the house with that key. You destroyed the place, then left for work. After you arrived, you acted normally, until 11:30am, when you and Mr. Tanaka went for lunch. After a fast stop at 12:05, the time stamp is on the receipt, you came back to this house. Mr. Tanaka was shocked to find his house in disarray. While he was distracted, you pulled down that purse you had hidden in the foyer chandelier. You took out your gun and shot him in the back. Then you shot him in the head, and then around his fallen body, to make it look like the robber had bad aim.”

“If I killed him at 1:15-1:30, why did the coroner say he died at 4pm?”

“I was getting to that. You go and turn off the A/C, and began cleaning up Hideki Tanaka's room. His needed to be spotless, in order to be a scapegoat for your crime. If you check upstairs, you can still smell the cleaning products used. Funny for a house supposedly ransacked by a random criminal.” Emiko frowned at that statement. “You then came back downstairs, and place Mr. Tanaka inside the freezer, that's when his blood dripped along the inside of the door.”

“Wait, Moore are you saying she used the freezer to stop the decomposition process?”

“That's right Hartwell. After that she might have messed the house up a little more, or maybe she did just loaf off and watch TV. What I do know is she called the office to tell them Mr. Tanaka wasn't coming back. She then took him out of the freezer to unthaw, and left some windows open. With the A/C already off, the condensation from the humidity would mix in with the moistness from Mr. Tanaka unthawing. The coroner wouldn't know the difference, and with him laying face down in the same position, his blood would settle just like if he had stayed face down the whole time. Some time before we arrived, she shot herself in the thigh with the same gun she killed Eiji Tanaka with.”

“Well where did she put the gun then? She can't stand now, after first aid, so where did she put the gun?”

“I'm not sure, I have a hunch, but it's irrelevant.”

Emiko retaliated, “I fail to see how not having the murder weapon is irrelevant! You don't have any hard evidence. I don't have any gun powder on my clothes.”

“You had plenty of time to wash them and your hands.”

“I don't have the gun next to me, so how did I get rid of it? At this point, you can't prove it was me. I don't have a motive, and you don't have any concrete evidence. You can`t even prove I was in this house before 1:00 this afternoon.”

“You know, a few minutes ago I would have believed you, but that slip of paper on the table says otherwise. Take a look Officer Hartwell, that proves she was late for work.” Officer Hartwell picked up the slip of yellowish paper on the table and turned it over. His eyebrows flew up into his hairline.

“Ms. Fujimoto, this is a time punch card. It has your name on it, and says you arrived at work at 9:30am.”

“I um…” Emiko stuttered out.

“Didn't you make a point to tell us you weren't late for work today? Since you are the only assistant for the mornings, the only other person who can confirm your time of arrival is dead. So why were you late for work today? Why you're at it, you might want to explain why there's gun grease in your purse.”

“No need detective,” the room grew silent in anticipation. “I confess.” “Emiko, you can't honestly mean-”

“I killed him Atsuko. That man, he was a menace to society, he deserved to die.”

“Emiko how can you say that!”

“How can you defend him, Atsuko? You know damn well he was cheating on you, he has been for years.”

“Yes, but he started so long ago, and Hideki was so young, I stayed for him. After high school, I was going to demand that he break it off, or leave him.” Emiko smiled, and turned towards Atsuko.

“He'd never let you do that. You'd leave with his money, and he'd never have that.”

“That's not-”

“It is true. How blind can you be? I know everything about this man, because I have been his mistress for years.” Emiko stopped and made her way carefully to her feet. “Do you know why I killed him? Because he wouldn't marry me. He hated you. He told me so, and the way he spoke of you, I know he meant it. But he wouldn't leave you. At first I thought it was because of your child, but as time went on…I noticed more and more, the only thing he loved was his money.”

“You're just jealous, that's why-”

“Don't you understand! He was trying to deny his own child the rights to his inheritance. He refused to divorce a woman he couldn't care less about because he didn't have a damn prenuptial! He…he paid me less than the other receptionists for years, because he knew he could get away with it. He didn't love either of us; he didn't love anyone. The only thing that monster cared about was money… I was his plaything and you were a means to an end.” Emiko smiled through her hysteric tears, “ in my opinion, we should bury the bastard with his money, it's the only thing he's ever loved…” Officer Hartwell handcuffed Emiko, and walked her carefully towards the door. While everyone's attention was turned towards the front door, Jimmy climbed from under the table.

“Mr. Moore,” Victoria started “I'd like a full apology for trying to claim I was the murderer earlier today.” Richard stretched his arms as the aesthetic wore off.

“Wha' that?” He said while brushing sleep from his eyes.

“I said apologize for saying I was a murder!”

“What? You know you killed Eiji Tanaka, just admit to it already.”

“Don't be silly dad, you already proved it was Emiko Fujimoto, she just confessed.” Rachael intervened before Richard could dig himself any deeper.

“Ah, that's right…well don't blame me for suspecting you, you were awfully suspicious.”

“That's not an apology!” Victoria screeched.

“Well-” Richard started.

“Don't bother! I don't want to hear another word come out of your mouth. If you so much as say I was suspected to anyone, I'll sue you to the poor house.”

“Um, that is-”

Victoria bellowed, “Shut up! Candace!” When her daughter didn't appear as prompted, she stomped off into the adjoining room from the kitchen after her.

“What's her problem?” Richard asked as he stood from the table.

“Come on Rachael, let's find the brat and get out of here. This day has been nothing but a wash.” The two of them passed over a brooding Jimmy on their way to the foyer, too distracted by Victoria's hysterical calls for her daughter.

`He kept her hanging on for years, just stringing her along. It makes me wonder sometimes. I don't know how long I'm going to be stuck like this, maybe I should just let her go?'

“My, what has you so engrossed?” Jimmy nearly jumped two feet in shock.

“Where did you come from? Can you just materialize out of nothing?”

Candace smiled, “You know I was going to ask you the same question. You disappeared for a while there, and here I thought you'd want to be around for the big reveal. You like detective work so much…”

“Er, that is I was in the back hall. It's much more fun to watch from a distance, that way, you can see everyone's reactions.” Candace smile widened, but she didn't say anything else.

`I swear this girl, she's keeping me on my toes.'

`I swear this boy, more full of surprises and contradictions than I thought. I wonder-' “Is the hallway big enough for two people to stand in without noticing each other?” Candace queried to no one in particular. She looked over her shoulder at Jimmy, and then ran to meet her mother outside. Jimmy ran to catch up to her.

“Wait a second, you can't tell anyone I wasn't there with you…” Jimmy hurriedly spoke as he caught up to her.

“I won't.” Candace said quietly.

“That's right you…you won't?”

“No I will not. Clearer now?” She stopped a few feet from the curb and looked Jimmy in the eye. Richard was busy trying to apologize properly in the background, while Mrs. Johansson ignored him, and Mr. Johansson phoned for another limousine.

“I don't understand. Don't you want to get back at me for getting you into trouble? You could easily get me into trouble.”

“I could, but I'm not going to.”

“Why not?”

“I think it's because I'd like to propose an irenic solution to our,” Candace paused looking for a word, “formerly hostile acquaintanceship. What do you say? Truce?” Candace held out her hand. Jimmy looked at it suspiciously. The last time he had taken it, he'd ended up on the ground with a ball bouncing off his head. Hesitantly, he reached out and shook it.

“Truce.” He said with finality. Candace smiled and turned to look back down the road. The moon was out, and this far from the city, you could see the stars as well. She smiled up at the sky.

“Hm, you know the only time we've gotten along is when we're staying up at the sky?”

“I hadn't noticed…”

“Well, here's hoping there's peace more often than when we are star gazing.” The rest of the evening passed uneventfully, though uncomfortably, with Richard trying to apologize to Mrs. Johansson, and Victoria being as obstinate as possible about it. The two of them provided the cabin's chatter, while the rest of the riders sat quietly on the ride back home. Jimmy, and the Moore's were dropped off first, and the limousine pulled away. Candace said not a word on the way home; she was too lost in her own thoughts. Jimmy was no better though, and even if she had tried speaking to him, he was a mile away and halfway through time. The two settled for bed in different houses, their thoughts more mirrored than their surroundings.

`And so I wonder, how long is Rachael willing to wait?'

`And so I wonder, how long till I crack this puzzle?'

* Yeah DNA test take longer than that to get back, but…crime time lines…

Japanese translations: These are approximate as there are no “you” second person forms or “no one” in Japanese. These are what these are supposed to be in English before translation.

“No one except you “Perfect” Prima Donna.”

2. “Well of course Little Detective, only as perfect as you.”

Atheria: Cheese and Crackers! This chapter is long. I mean I knew it was going to be, but wow did it just expand on me. Needed more words than I thought to explain everything. Also, our favorite detective and Candace are at an uneasy truce, and now their guardians are fighting, reversals are nice. I'll be able to get the next chapter out soonish. After all of this came out of me, my fingers are a little tired. So, be sure to R&R.