Chapter 787 Happy New Year’s Eve!
Hattori Heiji explained:
“When Mr. Wakamatsu was killed in Karuizawa, he was also in a villa with the same tiles.
When the body was first discovered, a death message was written in blood, but it inexplicably disappeared when the police arrived.
His fingers were stained with blood, and the posture he was in when he died made it clear that he had written something before he died, but nothing was found at the scene. Don’t you find it strange?”
Maori Kogoro guessed: "Maybe the murderer found it after returning to the scene and secretly wiped it off?"
Hattori Heiji denied: "In that case, the tiles near Mr. Wakamatsu's fingers should be able to detect the luminol reaction."
Mao Lilan asked tentatively: "Will it be like the person that Kazuha saw, who exchanged it with a tile that was not stained with blood?"
Hattori Heiji didn't object, but he didn't agree either: "It just so happened that Mr. Wakamatsu was re-tiling the bathroom tiles at that time, and the adhesive on them didn't look dry yet, so there is a possibility that they were replaced."
"But the tiles there are the same. The color of the tiles gets lighter as you go down. If they were replaced, it would definitely be discovered."
Yuya crossed his arms and thought, "So, these two bathrooms should use the same method to make the words disappear?"
Hattori Heiji nodded: "Yes, I think so too, that's why I came to Tokyo specially to visit Mr. Wakamatsu's home and ask about the details of the case. I also asked my mother to give him a heads up in advance."
"You guys are going too?"
Maori Kogoro refused and said, "I'm sorry, I have an appointment with a client next time, so I can't go with you."
"Huh? Client? When?" Conan asked in surprise. If Kogoro Mouri didn't go, how could he make his reasoning openly?
He had already lost the previous reasoning duel and was still thinking about winning back the next one.
Maori Kogoro glanced at the time and said, "In an hour. Well, anyway, with this kid from Osaka and Yuya, there shouldn't be any case that can stump you, right?"
Hattori Heiji patted his chest after hearing this and said, "Of course, I can actually handle it by myself."
Conan looked at Hattori Heiji with dead eyes, resentful - why did you agree so quickly? You are afraid of losing to me, so you don't want me to reason properly, right?
In that case... Conan wondered whether he should call Kudo Shinichi and ask him to come forward and reason.
"In that case..." Hattori Heiji began to count the number of people, himself and Toyama Kazuha, Mao Li Ran and Conan, Yuya and Miyano Shiho, "Then let's go over there."
Sera Masumi waved her hands excitedly: "Me, me, me, I want to go too!"
"Sorry," Hattori Heiji refused decisively, "We had originally agreed to have six people visit."
"Eh?" Sera Masumi said reluctantly, "But if Detective Mori doesn't go, won't there be a vacancy? Um, wait..."
Masumi Sera looked at Shiho Miyano with anticipation - she knew who had taken that spot.
Miyano Shiho smiled at her sheepishly, then held Yuya's arm tightly - this was to tell her that she would not give up her spot.
Masumi Sera suddenly turned gray, and Ran Mouri hurried forward to comfort her.
Hattori Heiji came close to Conan and whispered, "If that guy is not here, you can reason with confidence, right? After all, you have already lost a game, and I want to fight you fairly."
Conan was stunned for a moment, and said in surprise: "It's rare that you would consider it so carefully?"
Hattori Heiji's face darkened: "What do you mean?"
····
Wakamatsu family.
Mrs. Wakamatsu received the guests warmly.
Hattori Heiji briefly introduced the people who were traveling with him.
"You must be Jinghua's son Heiji, right? This is the first time we meet," Wakamatsu Serika said with a smile, "My husband would mention you whenever he had the chance, saying that although you are young, you are very smart."
While they were chatting, a young man suddenly came over and asked Wakamatsu Qinxiang, "Is dinner not ready yet? I'm starving! How long do you want me to wait?"
"Ah, Ikuro..." Wakamatsu Serika hurriedly explained, "The maid just went out to buy soy sauce. Please wait a little longer."
Wakamatsu Ikuro clicked his tongue and said, "Then tell her when she comes back that I must have cooked more food than others today!" After saying that, he turned around and left.
Several people looked at the somewhat rude Wakamatsu Ikuro and felt ashamed. Mao Lilan asked: "Is that your son?"
Wakamatsu Serika replied: "Yes... but he is my husband's son who has no blood relationship with me. We are remarried."
"That's it..."
Just then, the door of the entrance hall opened, and a white-haired old man walked in. He was surprised to see Yuye and the others.
"Do you have visitors today?"
Wakamatsu Serika quickly said, "It's the detective I told you about a few days ago, and the friends he brought with him."
"I see," the old man showed an embarrassment, "but I didn't expect so many people would come..."
"What's wrong?" Wakamatsu Qinxiang asked in confusion.
The old man held up a small box in his hand and said, "I bought the president's favorite annual cake as usual, but there may not be enough for this number of people."
"What does it matter?" A blond young man appeared from behind the old man. "The president is dead anyway. I've already tasted the food, so you don't need to count my share."
"Hey..." The old man glared at the yellow-haired man with some dissatisfaction.
Hattori Heiji asked: "Um, who are these two?"
Wakamatsu Serika introduced: "This is our company's executive director, Mr. Shiiaki Masashige, and the one behind is our chief designer, Mr. Fujinami Jun'o."
She glanced at the cake box in Shimiaki Masafuji's hand and turned back to call out, "Satake, are you there?"
"exist!"
The living room door opened and a young woman poked her head out.
Wakamatsu Qinxiang said, "Ikuro said he was hungry and seemed a little upset. Let him eat some Baumkuchen to calm down, and make him a cup of black tea."
"I see," Satake Yoshimi adjusted his glasses, "I'll go make some black tea first. I'll use the Welsh tea from England that the president particularly likes. Is that okay?"
"can."
Satake Yoshimi nodded to show that he understood, then turned and walked towards the kitchen.
Hattori Heiji asked: "Who is that?"
Wakamatsu Serika: "She was my husband's secretary, Ms. Satake Yoshimi, and now she's become my secretary."
She looked at everyone and said, "So, everyone who was at the villa on the day my husband died is here, except for the maid."
"Please come to the living room and tell us in detail what happened that day."