File 818-824: Mystery Train (NO SPOILER)

[kuro.shiro 0]

Here is a more complete shot at the solution to the case:

Murderer: Room D’s Komino Natsue (most likely) or Sumitomo Hiroka

Accomplice: Room C’s Andou Satoru

Basic trick description:

The victim, Murobashi Etsuto unknowingly collaborated with his soon to be murderers who created a false locked room and alibis for themselves by using an illusion to fool the attendant. Using several unique quirks of the first class car and some items planted beforehand, the culprits drew the carriage attendant to room E. While the attendant was distracted, room C’s Andou placed a large mirror previously disguised as an expensive gold framed picture in the hallway to hide the hallway behind room C. Unseen by the attendant, room D’s Komino and Sumitomo went to the door of room B and shot the victim through the chained door gap. While this was going on, the attendant glanced over at the mirror and saw the reflection of himself at the door of room E and thought it was someone at the door of room A which messed up his witness testimony later. Andou rehid the mirror after the completion of the shooting.

Plot of the crime:

A staff uniform was stolen in advance so one of the culprits could plant and remove several items in carriage 8 without being suspected. This allowed the culprit to remove the spare bulbs for the call buttons so that room A’s could not be changed. The fake attendant also left the watch in room E’s seat. Finally they added an extra link to the chain lock of 8B's door so that the crack made by opening the unlocked but chained door would be wider than normal.

The culprits rectified the problem of their would-be victim being in the wrong room 7B by giving the members of Kogoro’s 8B room and the Detective Boys a fake mystery that would move the victim to 8B, thus enabling the original trick to go forward. This is explained by Conan so I will not repeat him. Because Kogoro taking over 8B was unanticipated, chances are that the culprits had to go to the staff supply and steal some stationary to create the mystery.

The culprits made sure room A’s light was intentionally kept blown out to create a situation where if the carriage 8 attendant heard a bell sound without a corresponding light, he would go to room A by default. The culprits can make the attendant go to room A by a. playing a recording of the call button noise or b. disabling the light for their own room in advance without the conductor knowing, which allows them to make an identical sound by pressing their own call button. Calling the attendant to room A is necessary so the culprits can have the attendant verify that the victim is still alive and in his room before the confusion, thus creating their alibis.

At this time, the victim is in communication with one of the culprits, and is prompted by him/her to look outside his door where he verifies over his cellphone that the attendant indeed went to room A. It seems that the victim is unaware of the modifications made by the culprits to room A’s light. The victim goes closes the door to his room B, chains it shut, sits on the left side, and waits while holding a silenced handgun in his right hand, all by the orders of the culprit on the phone.

The man from room A shuts his door after the call button confusion is resolved. At nearly the same time, the watch hidden in room E goes off, prompting Idenami Mari to punch her call button and berate the attendant when he arrives. Her noisy arguing that would cover the sounds of the silenced gunshots and other actions could presumably be predicted by the culprits from past experience.

While Idenami is yelling at the conductor, Room D’s Komino and Sumitomo use noise as their cue to quickly wheel out of their room towards Room B.

Right after they pass, Andou from Room C who also hears the arguing as his signal, leaves his room, quickly unfolds his mirror disguised as the backing for the painting (folding mirror idea credit to AJ M), and holds it up in the hallway at some point midway after the wheelchair passes. This hides from the conductor what is happening at room B in the blind spot behind the mirror and gives the conductor the illusion that the hallway is empty save for someone opening what appears to be the furthest door A. In reality, the conductor is looking at his own reflection and the door of room E. The darkness from the tunnel is necessary for this trick in order to hide the mirror, shroud critical detail contradictions like reversed room numbers, and weaken depth perception.

The ladies go to 8B, open the door which is chained shut, and either Komino or Sumitomo shoot the sofa in front of Murobashi using a silenced handgun to draw his attention from the door to the sofa so his face is in profile. The shooter fires a second shot into Murobashi’s temple, giving the impression of a suicide. The angle of the two shots is such that they could both be taken from the door, meaning the only thing the shooter had to do was open the unlocked but chained door and fire through the crack. A line drawn through the victim’s entry wound and blood spattered exit wound aligns with the crack of the door of the room. In addition Conan commented that the shot in the couch could be seen from the crack in the door, meaning the shot could be taken from the crack in the door as well.

With the shooting complete, the ladies close the door and hide the silenced gun and continue down the hallway. Andou quickly returns the mirror to his room. He then leaves his room and approaches room E pretending to be interested in the arguing commotion between Idenami and the attendant.

After the murder is discovered, the suspects return to their rooms before they are questioned or investigated which gives them time to clean up, change clothes, hide certain things, or dispose of others out the window, or whatever needs to be done.

Evidence:

(Picture) The edges of the mirror and the mirroring of the doors is visible.

(Picture) The running gait of Sumitomo is similar to that of the masked culprit the detective boys chased earlier.

(Added Later) There is an extra link in 8B's door chain making 6 links not counting end rings, while 8E has only five links. This widens the opening of the door and gives a greater angle of possible shots through the gap, especially if the shooter must be slightly back from the door. (aka in wheelchair)

The victim should not have gunpowder burn on his head wound if shot from the door, which Conan confirmed to be the case.

Komino and Sumitomo disappeared from the hallway quicker than they would be expected to. If the door to A was really open, so they should have been blocked by it and slowed down. The reason they disappeared was because they were hidden behind the mirror.

Other potential clues:

Andou’s painting and frame, if investigated, should unfold into a large mirror.

There should be gunpowder residue on the door indicating the shots were taken from there and not inside the room.

The attendant should feel that the hallway is longer than normal or different.

The last call on the victim’s phone should be from a culprit; however, if the culprit contacted the victim using a spare phone, that person could have thrown it out of the train to avoid implicating themselves.

There could possibly be fingerprints on door of 8B because neither woman from room D is wearing gloves, but this could be defeated by removable gloves or handkerchiefs.

Notes:

A simple watch on a timer is risky. If the watch is timed rather than triggered, there is a possibility it would go off at an unfortunate time when the trick would be impossible, perhaps when other people are in the corridor. Although Suzuki Jirokichi would not stand for it, it is possible for the train to be delayed a few minutes, so it would go off when the train wasn’t in the tunnel. A triggerable mic making watch sounds would be better, and may have been what was used since the woman commented the watch stopped making noise.

Why is the victim in communication with the culprits? Perhaps he thinks he is part of a mystery setup, or that something related to the deadly estate fire, either for personal gain or blackmail is prompting him to do it.

If one member of the culprits was impersonating staff, it is possible that they could have found out in advance than Kogoro would be in 8B instead of Murobashi. In that case the stationary could be stolen and prepared ahead of time and some more thought put into the mystery.

It is possible that the shooting culprit asked Murobashi to fire a shot with his silenced pistol into the sofa in front of him, which would have had the same head turning affect as the distraction version. (idea credit to AJ M.)

great deduction.

nevertheless it has some minor and major holes.

1)as Sera said "culprit posed victim and shot opposite seat so victim will have gunpowder on his hand"

so where does gunpowder comes from? (well its true that there is no proof of victim having gunpowder,it must be there or suicide will be ruled out by police)

in my opinion ,using victim to fire a shot is impossible as he would find that there is no point in "shooting blood" (murobashi does not know that gun is real) to opposite seat.

moreover murobashi has been in mystery train before he can easily tell fake mystery quiz apart from real one(cuz real one is told by speakers)

the whole "culprit shot opposite seat from outside using wide chain lock" seems complete nonsense to me . after all why would culprit provide evidence for murder when his/her aim is to make it look like suicide.

even if we consider that murobashi shot opposite seat after being manipulated by culprit(or accomplice) ,he would realize that gun is real and try to do something other that sit quietly for murderer to shot him down.

2)the watch in idenami's cabin(just a minor point)

Culprit placed watch in her cabin and set it up so it would beep at a required time.

So how culprit accomplished such a feat ?

for some other person , it might not be such troublesome but idenami has explicitly stated that she can't stand someone intruding in her territory.

of course most of difficulties vanish if we consider that conductor's uniform has a master key or something and someone put the watch when she was in dining car or toilet.

After the murder is discovered, the suspects return to their rooms before they are questioned or investigated which gives them time to clean up, change clothes, hide certain things, or dispose of others out the window, or whatever needs to be done.

3)well from file 820 pg4 second last panel, Komino and Sumitomo has just arrived , hence they can't have changed their clothes and hence if one of them shot from the gun , they would still have gunpowder

early discovery of body may be unplanned but since Komino and Sumitomo have already passed Conan and rest , they must have expected the situation.

4)why Noto's bulb was damaged or more precisely why conductor was made to go to front of coach?

(conductors are in rear of coach so he would have gone to cabin E without passing through other cabins at all)

it could be done to confuse conductor's sense of distance etc but i can't think of anything better which can be gained from it

[Chekhov MacGuffin 1089]

1)

as Sera said "culprit posed victim and shot opposite seat so victim will have gunpowder on his hand"

so where does gunpowder comes from? (well its true that there is no proof of victim having gunpowder,it must be there or suicide will be ruled out by police)

Sera is not a forensic investigator. There has been no police evaluation saying that there is gunpowder on the victim's hand; it was an assumption Sera made.

in my opinion ,using victim to fire a shot is impossible as he would find that there is no point in "shooting blood" (murobashi does not know that gun is real) to opposite seat.

moreover murobashi has been in mystery train before he can easily tell fake mystery quiz apart from real one(cuz real one is told by speakers)

the whole "culprit shot opposite seat from outside using wide chain lock" seems complete nonsense to me . after all why would culprit provide evidence for murder when his/her aim is to make it look like suicide.

This is why I suggested the alernate solution that Murobashi himself fired that shot on instructions from the culprit. See the notes section.

even if we consider that murobashi shot opposite seat after being manipulated by culprit(or accomplice) ,he would realize that gun is real and try to do something other that sit quietly for murderer to shot him down.

Maybe he didn't mind because he was being blackmailed. If he is the one holding a working weapon, that is reassuring if he is being threatened, right?

2)the watch in idenami's cabin(just a minor point)

Culprit placed watch in her cabin and set it up so it would beep at a required time.

So how culprit accomplished such a feat ?

for some other person , it might not be such troublesome but idenami has explicitly stated that she can't stand someone intruding in her territory.

of course most of difficulties vanish if we consider that conductor's uniform has a master key or something and someone put the watch when she was in dining car or toilet.

This was done before she ever got on the train when one of the culprits was in disguise as a cabin attendant. She can't be possessive about her room if she isn't in it.

3)well from file 820 pg4 second last panel, Komino and Sumitomo has just arrived , hence they can't have changed their clothes and hence if one of them shot from the gun , they would still have gunpowder

early discovery of body may be unplanned but since Komino and Sumitomo have already passed Conan and rest , they must have expected the situation.

Maybe they took clothes with them to wherever they wheeled to, like a bathroom?

4)why Noto's bulb was damaged or more precisely why conductor was made to go to front of coach?

(conductors are in rear of coach so he would have gone to cabin E without passing through other cabins at all)

it could be done to confuse conductor's sense of distance etc but i can't think of anything better which can be gained from it

I explained this in the beginning.

[AJ M. 204]

File 822 has been released!

Quick thoughts:

-So the six-linked chain ended up being the key to solving the case (kudos to you Detective Kudo :mrgreen:).

-Mysterious woman = Yukiko, Scar Akai on the Mystery Train = Vermouth

-As for why Vermouth checked the passenger list, she most likely wanted to confirm that Yukiko was also on the train (upon hearing Yukiko uttering something to her in the corridor in File 821).

-I'm still trying to figure out what Vermouth placed under the attendant's seat (possibly a bomb).

-Ai is probably in safe hands with Okiya/Akai, for now...

-I'm sensing 2 or 3 more files before the Bourbon Arc FINALLY ends.

[TML 18]

What happened to Sera? Was she "disabled" by "Scar Akai"?

[Akazora 293]

What happened to Sera? Was she "disabled" by "Scar Akai"?

Yeah, she was tasered by Scar Akai and probably put somewhere where no one would find her.

Hm, it seems like my deduction that Andou was the culprit was correct. I just didn't figure out that mirror trick without the help of Chekhov and the way he committed the murder was a bit off in my deduction. Ah well, getting the culprit right is good enough for me.

[Chekhov MacGuffin 1089]

Something strikes me as odd with Conan's deduction. If the guy really put string up in the hall to open his own door, wouldn't the wheelchair from D had run into it since Andou would have placed it when he went to room B around the time of the phone call? Also Conan failed to mention who was the running person. There might be something else going on here, especially since last chapter's questioning...

[AJ M. 204]

Something strikes me as odd with Conan's deduction. If the guy really put string up in the hall to open his own door, wouldn't the wheelchair from D had run into it since Andou would have placed it when he went to room B around the time of the phone call? Also Conan failed to mention who was the running person. There might be something else going on here, especially since last chapter's questioning...

That's what I was wondering too... Then I thought, maybe before it was pulled, the string was lying loosely on the ground (below the door knob, across the floor, up the wall, over the handrail, and above the door frame of Room 8B). That way, any passenger can walk through without trouble.

But his deduction feels incomplete to me. Nothing was said about the missing uniform, the reason Conan asked the suspects to run for him, and the culprit's motive. Either something is off about Conan's deduction (and Yusaku pops out of nowhere and shows him up ) or his deduction will continue on in the next file.

[Black Demon 466]

I also think that the case resolution is not entirely complete, and will be continued in next file. The culprit hasn't confessed yet.

[Detective Kudo 28]

Thanks AJM and I agree with you about that the slack in the string was probably enough where they would ride over it with ease

well, Conan didn't finish his deduction, it probably will continue next file revealing the past fire accident (which i suspect as arson) connection, motive, and a few missing links. Maybe that wheelchair lady is hiding something important an he wants to connect her with it. I have a feeling she knows more about the fire than she was letting on.

As for the thing Vermouth planted, it seems to be a smoke screen, not sure what exactly see is planning yet except chaos and confusion.

[Wakarimashita 137]

The deduction will most likely continue in the next file. It was interrupted in this one. There's still the secret behind the fire to explain, the motive of the culprit as well as many other things some of you have mentioned.

[Miss Smiles 105]

There's more of it? That doesn't sound good. It sound like Vermouth rely on their reaction to have her plan proceed. It's like reading a case of Halloween over again. Vermouth's appearance will lead story forward.

[Black Demon 466]

I wonder who called Sera during the night that Conan was kidnapped (Okiya probably got a call from Yukiko). But I'm not even sure whether she was receiving a call or making one.

Also I'm smelling some kind of strategy right here. Yukiko confronting Vermouth may not entirely be for personal purpose. She's obviously buying her time here. Meanwhile Okiya (who's nowhere to be found in this file) can freely do something that we don't know of, without any obstacle.

[angelranchan 56]

ahhmm..btw..how could vermouth/scar akai in disguise listen to professor agasa and company's conversation? where the listening device could be? does this concern?

[Tsukiko 73]

^ I have to say that's a really good question.

[Chekhov MacGuffin 1089]

ahhmm..btw..how could vermouth/scar akai in disguise listen to professor agasa and company's conversation? where the listening device could be? does this concern?

I looked through the chapters to try to figure that out yesterday. I think she might have bugged the room because Scar Akai had hands in pockets when the kids, Ran, and Sonoko passed in the hallway - although she could have bugged one of the people. Amuro had to bug someone as well for him to hear about the murder case in detail despite not being around. He also knew when Sera was going to run by his door despite being in his own room the whole time, and Sera did say she was going to take the video to the kids while Kogoro was around. I think he might have bugged Kogoro himself when they met in the dining car.

[angelranchan 56]

^ I have to say that's a really good question.

whoah! at last I noticed something that maybe interesting too xDDD

and thanks for sharing your knowledge @chek

but ..how in kogoro when they first met? shakehands? ??? they never shakehands?

[AJ M. 204]

DCTP has just released File 823!

Thoughts:

-Yukiko's passive aggressiveness towards Vermouth is not doing her any justice.

-The "special guest" Yukiko mentioned is, of course, Okiya/Akai. I will be looking forward to seeing Vermouth's reaction once she realizes that Akai is still alive.

-Itakura from a LONG time ago (the CG engineer who was developing a computer program essential to the B.O.) was apparently an acquaintance of Yukiko and Sharon when they were still actresses.

-This software may be the primary reason as to why Vermouth has been keeping Conan and Haibara's degeneration a secret, perhaps because the deaging side-effect caused by APTX 4869 would corroborate some of the vital info in the program, which would probably be a breakthrough in the organization's research.

-Bourbon's identity is... Amuro! (not that we're all surprised or anything)

-Then there is Shiho, the damsel in distress in need of a hero (rhyming not intended). But who will be able to save her? Conan or Okiya or Ran?

-And finally, here is something I brought up in the spoiler discussion: Now that Vermouth and Bourbon's presence is confirmed on the train, I wonder if there will be more appearances from other B.O. members. The reason I say this is because of what Haibara said in File 819 pg. 10: "This presence... It's not just one or two people though..." She could also be referring to Okiya and/or Sera, but I'm not too sure if that's the case.

[Rye 122]

DCTP has just released File 823!

Thoughts:

-Yukiko's passive aggressiveness towards Vermouth is not doing her any justice.

-The "special guest" Yukiko mentioned is, of course, Okiya/Akai. I will be looking forward to seeing Vermouth's reaction once she realizes that Akai is still alive.

-Itakura from a LONG time ago (the CG engineer who was developing a computer program essential to the B.O.) was apparently an acquaintance of Yukiko and Sharon when they were still actresses.

-This software may be the primary reason as to why Vermouth has been keeping Conan and Haibara's degeneration a secret, perhaps because the deaging side-effect caused by APTX 4869 would corroborate some of the vital info in the program, which would probably be a breakthrough in the organization's research.

-Bourbon's identity is... Amuro! (not that we're all surprised or anything)

-Then there is Shiho, the damsel in distress in need of a hero (rhyming not intended). But who will be able to save her? Conan or Okiya or Ran?

-And finally, here is something I brought up in the spoiler discussion: Now that Vermouth and Bourbon's presence is confirmed on the train, I wonder if there will be more appearances from other B.O. members. The reason I say this is because of what Haibara said in File 819 pg. 10: "This presence... It's not just one or two people though..." She could also be referring to Okiya and/or Sera, but I'm not too sure if that's the case.

Yes! Yes! Yes! The climax is finally coming through! Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Chekhov MacGuffin 1089]

I think Kaitou Kid (and Jii) might be on the train in disguise as room D's occupants. I thought they were case culprits because the should have ran into the string, but now they have been cleared of any role they are suspicious. First Conan accused the maid of running awfully quickly like she did sports. Second he got really close to accusing them of not mentioning the string because they didn't want to get involved in the case. Third, when all the suspects fled completely panicked at the fire, room D's occupants remained where they were until Conan told them to get a move on when they should have been terrified of fire because of their pasts like Vermouth said. The thieving duo would know a fake fire when they see one because of the stage tricks.

I don't think Kaitou Kid would have a clue what is going on with the Black Org, but he might chip in a smoke bomb at the end or something like that if he sees suspicious people with guns and make some mayhem to allow Conan and crew to escape.

Edit: ⇩ lol, Detective Kudo posted the same thing at the exact same time...

[Detective Kudo 28]

I wonder if Kaitou kid is on this train as the old lady. Its obvious she can walk and her hands look too young. Also they showed no sign of pyrophobia... hahaha that bastard

hand is smooth and young, not used to resting feet on petals, veil to cover the face for long inspections, avoids much talking. The way she smokes seems uncomfortable by hand and finger placement. Note: uses left hand.

Edit: woah did not see Cheks post above me, must have happened while I was typing, great minds think alike

[Chekhov MacGuffin 1089]

I wonder if Kaitou kid is on this train as the old lady. Its obvious she can walk and her hands look too young. Also they showed no sign of pyrophobia... hahaha that bastard

hand is smooth and young, not used to resting feet on petals, veil to cover the face for long inspections, avoids much talking. Note: uses left hand.

I thought it would be the other way around: Jii as the old lady, Kaito as the maid. They could probably go either way though with their level of disguise and playing the smarter person would be more up Kaito's alley and Jii as the maid would match his real life role.

Edit: Kaito probably wouldn't have made the mistake of running too fast. The problem is the old lady smoking... but maybe he finally learned to rectify his mistake as Kogoro or is using a fake smoking device?

[Detective Kudo 28]

I thought it would be the other way around: Jii as the old lady, Kaito as the maid. They could probably go either way though with their level of disguise and playing the smarter person would be more up Kaito's alley and Jii as the maid would match his real life role.

exactly what I'm thinking. Conan knows he likes dressing as women and playing the role of the wheelchair lady would require less action and will be less likely to be inspected or noticed. who would examine an old lady in a wheelchair, whatever that happens couldn't involve her? Right? Also we all know Jii is one fast old man.

Edit: @Chek yea i think thats it, that is probably some smoking device.

[Vermouth-chan 3]

The two of you may be exactly right. Just, why would Kid show up at this crucial time? To spice up the arc? That would be cool, Kid v.s. Conan v.s. B.O.

I mean, two-in-one battle? Nice...

:lol:

[D.ai-kun 1]

At the beginning of the case I was actually against the idea of KID being on the train. But now, as long as he won't get too much involved in the BO case, I find it rather interesting to see his confused face like "What the hell is wrong with this train?!"

And I also think it's ok if he's going to use something like a smokebomb in order to help a bit...

[Black Demon 466]

About the Kid thing (if it turns out to be true): Why Gosho ? WHYYYYY !!!??????