Volume 33

Chronology
‹ Volume 32	List of Chapters • List of Cases	Volume 34 ›

Volume 33
Information
Release date:	July 18, 2001
Chapters:	329-339
ISBN:	ISBN 4-09-126163-9
Publisher:	Shogakukan
English release date:	January 9, 2010
English ISBN:	ISBN 1-4215-2884-3
English Publisher:	Viz Media
Featured Detective & Keyhole
Philo Vance Kazunobu Chiba
Aoyama's death & Conan side images

Volume 33 was released on July 18, 2001 in Japan.

Cast

Characters
Conan Edogawa Ran Mouri Kogoro Mouri Wataru Takagi Miwako Sato Ninzaburo Shiratori Sonoko Suzuki Tomoaki Araide Kazunobu Chiba Juzo Megure Shinichi Kudo (background) Yukiko Kudo (background) Makoto Kyogoku Hiroshi Agasa Ai Haibara Ayumi Yoshida Genta Kojima Mitsuhiko Tsuburaya Jodie Starling James Black (background) Mrs. Sato Isokichi Kamoi Kamen Yaiba (cover book)

Gadgets

Gadgets
Voice-Changing Bowtie Stun-Gun Wristwatch Earring Cellphone

Chapters

Sato's Omiai Case

File 329 - Sato's Odds

Sato confirms her deal with Shiratori, and they agree to set down twilight as a deadline, since it may last a very long time. Next doors, Conan wonders if Sato's really serious, while Sonoko comments on things taking now a very exciting turn. Ran is worried by the possibility of Takagi's absence after all, and Sonoko suggests maybe Sato is interested in Shiratori's money, since he's very wealthy - he knows the Suzukis very well. Though, Ran is convinced Takagi and Sato make up the perfect pair. Araide comforts her saying if Sato chose to take up the challenge, that means she's very confident in her winning chances. Indeed, Sato knows Yumi has planned things from the very beginning, and someone, apparently Takagi, will come and rescue her in the end. Though, she can't explain why Takagi would care for her that much.

Meanwhile, Takagi tells Chiba none of the testimonies matches, unless one of the witnesses lied, or all of them. They decide instead to question the three suspects, in order to get a couple of clues from their declarations. Kamieda is a private school teacher, he had come to buy a book at the close-by bookstore, and he halted at the restroom for a moment. Zama is unemployed, he had come to rehearse with his band, and afterwards he went to that restroom. Koshimizu is an office worker, she was having a walk around when suddenly she got a stomach ache and rushed to the restroom. She tells Takagi now it's really time they leave since the police found nothing wrong with their statements and with the tesimonies, and it's very late now. Takagi remarks she has two watches, and she replies this has to do with her boyfriend being abroad, and she constantly needs to know what time it is there, so as not to disturb him when calling. Zama says he would also wear two watches when he was in secondary school, since he would always arrive late. He gets angry at Kamieda when seeing him laughing about it, but Kamieda says actually it's the opposite with his students : he always orders them to remove their watches during class in order to get more concentrated on the lesson. He even removed the class's clocks. Zama says his music band is visual kei - which means they disguise as women during concerts - and this goes like a dream, something everyone in the car can barely imagine. Chiba reminds Takagi to check his mails since Yumi sent him something earlier on, though Takagi believes it's still a karaoke invitation, and he rather tries to focus on the case.

Shiratori phones Megure to know where Takagi is, and he is told the latter is currently investigating an unexpected convenience store robbery. Shiratori tells Sato Takagi is having a hard time solving the case, since the testimonies don't match at all. Sato then tries to call him to get more information, but Shiratori stops her, saying this is violating their agreement : the only thing she can do is waiting and hoping he will be here on time. He then asks Sato if she really trusts Takagi, and she hardly says yes. He adds he would be really amazed if Takagi dared to leave an offence scene just to rescue Miwako, since he already got a reprimand and wages cut due to the Shinkansen Case (Vol. 30), therefore if he did it one more time, he could be fired this time, something Sato is quite afraid of. In the next room, Sonoko seems to be making fun of the situation, to Ran's great displeasure, and Conan says he'll go to the bathroom for a while. Once there, he uses his bowtie and impersonates Shinichi's voice to call Takagi, as the latter is up the creek without a paddle, and the suspects start losing their temper. Shinichi says Conan called him to explain what's happening, and Shinichi asks Takagi to check his mail. Takagi's face turns deadly and flabbergasted as he reads about Sato's Omiai. Conan tries to calm him down saying he's still got time, and Minatoro isn't very far away. Though, he tells him Sato will accept her suitor's marriage proposal if he's not here on time.

Conan asks Takagi to tell him about the events, and Conan finds the case very interesting. He tells Takagi to go to Mamehara's, the bartender he actually knows, and take him outside his bar. Doing so, Takagi notices Mamehara wears special glasses whose lenses get automatically tinted when he's outside, in order to protect his eyes from UV light. Since Mamehara was settling the menu in front of his bar when seeing the robber, he therefore saw everything darker, and believed the latter's jumper was black. Shinichi has known Mamehara for a long time now and he thinks he still wears the same special glasses. Mamehara confirms it and apologises for not remembering it, since he's used to wearing them. Though, Mamehara swears the robber was 1.70 meters tall. Takagi tells Shinichi it's in complete contradiction though with the girl's testimony. Then Conan asks him to go in front of the clothes' shop where she was when seeing the offender. The shop is close to a busy subway entrance, near a bus stop, and then it's perfectly normal the crowd will gather here at around noon, when the burglary took place. Conan says if this was the case, and given the culprit needed to run away without being hindered by the crowd, he would probably step on the curb's small low wall and run along it, which would give he impression he was taller than everyone else, while actually he's not. Conan explains this kind of situation works just like a puzzle : things are the right ones, but they need to be turned or understood in another way so as to fit in.

In the meantime, Dr Araide comments on Conan's long-lasting absence, and Ran goes to see what's going on, believing he might not have well digested his breakfast or lunch. In the corridor, she meets Shuichi Akai who has just emerged from the bathroom. The restaurant's waitress is sorry he didn't find the person he was looking for. Ran thinks to herself she's sure she's already met him somewhere. Back to the case, Conan says it's now time to explain the old man's testimony, and Takagi is amazed at Shinichi's brightness. But they are interrupted as Ran comes in the bathroom and asks if Conan's OK. The latter hangs up all of a sudden after telling Takagi to question the old man once again, and he'll find the solution to the case. Takagi thinks about the man's testimony, and realises Zama could be the robber since he wears a blue sweater and an earring, explaining why the old man saw a woman. But he quickly rules it out due to the robber wearing a helmet during his crime. As night is about to fall, Takagi still doesn't get it, and thinks to Miwako, but suddenly, when glancing at his watch, he understands something.

As the sun is about to set, Shiratori tells Miwako that, before the proposal, he will also demand a token of her promise: a kiss.

File 330 - Sato's Feelings

Ran and co are shocked to hear about the kiss, and Sato says yes to it, since a promise is a promise. Though, she's secretly overanxious and wonders what the heck Takagi is doing, given night will fall very soon. The latter, after phoning Conan, and probably questioning the old man again, comes back to the police car in a state of deep dejection, saying he's still not solved the case. He says though they still have some time to think about it, since it's only 3:30 PM. The three suspects immediately cast a glance at their watches and tell Takagi he's utterly wrong, his watch is at least one hour slow: it's actually 4:30 PM.

  Show spoilers »

Takagi suddenly grabs Yasuo Kamieda's arm, saying he's the robber. He perfectly fits the three descriptions actually : the bartender saw a 1.70 meters tall person, the high school student saw a man's body wearing a green sweater, and the old man actually mistook him for a woman with a blue sweater. Indeed, elderly people often confuse blue with green (especially if it's turquoise or so, just like Kamieda's sweater). Moreover, Kamieda is used to wearing and glancing at his watch like women do, with the dial under the wrist, and looking at it by turning his wrist upside down. He does this because, as a teacher, he needs to know what time it is during lessons without his students' notice, given there are no clocks neither watches during class at all, and he needs to wear it that way, in order to quickly glance at it while holding and reading a book. Takagi then explains the curb and dark glasses things, and declares Kamieda under arrest.

Shiratori notices Sato's tenseness, and he comforts her saying they actually won't tie the knot right now, rather, Shiratori is ready to wait for Miwako's feelings to get clearer as far as he or Takagi is concerned. He then says he'll always be on her side, and she starts to feel seduced by him. Right at that moment, Takagi calls, saying he's closed the case at last, and is coming as soon as possible. He asks Sato why she agreed to such a bet relying only on him, why he is so important to her. Sato replies she knew Takagi would be the only one to come, if it was to save her. Takagi tries to ask her if she loves him too, but is interrupted by Zama leaving the car, and Kamieda violently shoving Koshimizu out of it, and escaping once again. Chiba runs after him, and shouts at Takagi to stir himself and run too. Takagi is still phoning Miwako and thinks to hismelf it will be too late now if he starts chasing the robber. But Miwako asks him which one is the most important : she or the robber ?, and, saying so, she orders Takagi to go and catch him, which he does. She hangs up and Shiratori says now it's indeed too late if Takagi does it, but she answers it's her fate, her punishment for having involved Takagi in such a story. She says she'll hold to her oath and prepares for the kiss.

Takagi eventually catches Kamieda, and the latter starts weeping, saying he needed money for that girl he had been stalking in the street, a kind of compensation (it's unsure if it's a legal compensation or just a gift to her). Takagi comments on Kamieda having forced him to run too much and too far away now to hope for the best. Chiba turns up and congratulates Tkagi for getting him, and the latter says he didn't get her at all, the one who means a lot to him. As they are about to kiss, Shiratori secretly comments on Miwako's face showing tears and sadness, which actually means she's not ready at all... Yet, he embraces her, saying now he'll take care of her and nobody will ever part them. Sonoko can't wait for the kiss, and stops Ran from going there and stepping in. Conan thinks of something and asks Araide to come out of the room with him for a second. Chiba tells Takagi he is a man, and a policeman besides, and accordingly he must never give up, to the last second, and rush to rescue Miwako, while he'll deal with the rest of the case himself. After the embrace, Miwako feels better and agrees to kiss Shiratori, though she can't explain how and why Takagi took so much importance in her life and heart, and she thinks to herself she's a moron and it's really time she leaves police for good, and she wishes Takagi good bye.

Conan asks Araide to come closer, and suddenly he steals his glasses and messes his hair up to have him look like Takagi, and then hides the glasses up the door of Sato's and Shiratori's room. Araide goes and fetch them, and Conan uses his voice-changing bowtie to impersonate Takagi. Therefore, Miwako and Shiratori are about to kiss when they hear Takagi in front of the door, asking Inspector Sato to come as soon as possible since there's a urgent case to deal with, and they need her quickly. Sato and Shirtaori see "Takagi's" shadow behind the shogi, doing the military salute, and Miwako rushes out of the room, only to find Araide, recovering his glasses, and Conan. The latter is at a loss for words when questioned by Miwako, but Araide gives him a hand, telling Miwako Takagi has just left in a hurry and is probably in front of the restaurant by now. She runs there too, and Araide smiles and kindly winks at Conan. Ran is overjoyed, while Sonoko finds it too bad. Mrs. Sato and Kamoi meet Miwako in the corridor, and wonder what's going on.

Meanwhile, Takagi is out of breath, and notes with despair that it's too late now, it's full dark. However, Sato calls him from behind, and asks him to get into her car since they have a urgent case to go and deal with... Conan says to himself he really wanted to help those two shy and hesitant lovebirds, since they remind him exactly of he and Ran. He says he's sorry for Shiratori, and the latter is being solaced by Kamoi and Sonoko.

People

Mrs. Sato
	Miwako Sato's mother

Isokichi Kamoi
	Ninzaburo Shiratori's butler

Hiroshi Zama
	21 years old Unemployed

Eiko Koshimizu
	28 years old Office worker

Yasuo Kamieda
	32 years old School coach

Old man
	Retiree

Girl
	Shopping girl

Mamehara
	Café owner

Major events

• Takagi is determined to not let Shiratori marry Sato! Also, Yumi has a plan that involves Takagi running in to save Sato just in time.
• Sato and Takagi's feelings for each other are heavily explored. Everyone knows about their feelings for each other, except Sato and Takagi themselves!
• With a little help from Chiba, Conan, and Dr. Araide, Takagi is able to stop the almost kiss! And we get to know why Conan (Shinichi) is helping Takagi with his love! Ran sees Shuichi Akai in the resturant, and she thinks she have seen Akai before.
• Before she is about to kiss Shiratori, Sato finally admits to herself her strong feelings for Takagi, mentioning how much she'll miss him. Takagi stops the kiss in time!

Valentine Chocolate Case

File 331 - Bloody Valentine 1

Conan comments on the fact he hates Valentine's Day, saying this is nothing but a marketing operation to have the chocolate industry thrive, but none seems to notice it at all. The DBs rather think it's ace to be offered delicious chocolates, and they think Conan says the opposite since he's usually not offered anything - the latter secretly answers they're not far from truth, since he's not given anything as Shinichi, but as Conan, and it's only Yaiba chocolate for kids... Ai sticks her oar in, saying Japanese people wrongly believe Valentine's has to do with love and chocolates, while actually Saint Valentine was a Christian martyr who was tortured and killed during the Ancient Roman Period. The DBs suddenly lose their happiness, though Ayumi says her mom told her chocolate is both sweet and bitter, in order to give maidens courage to confess her love and make that moment unforgettable. She adds though her dad forbade her to buy chocolates - and Conan says indeed she's far too young for love things. Ai asks Conan what the "girl at the detective agency" will do as for her, and Conan says he was told he, Ran and Kogoro were going tomorrow at a chalet in Suito Mt., but he wasn't told anything about chocolates at all. Ai hopes they'll be all right then, since Valentine's Day also has to do with Bloody Valentine, or Valentine's Day Massacre, on February 14th 1929, in America, Chicago, during which the Capone family machine-gunned seven members of the Moran family as part of mafia business, in front of their garage. Conan is also reminded when James Black told him he was from Chicago, "Al Capone's city".

The day after, Conan and co are driving with Sonoko to the said chalet where actually they'll bake chocolates. Sonoko says Suito Chalet's chocolates are reputedly enabling pairs to be formed. She adds she wants to bake one for Makoto, but she starts feeling depressed, explaining that after her missed attempts with the jumper and cup, she phoned Makoto to tell him she'll go and bake chocolates for her lover, but since then she hasn't been able to phone Makoto anymore, given she always comes upon the answering machine. She thinks it's a very bad sign, and she hasn't gotten any news from him since then. She wishes she had told him clearly about her attempts earlier on, but Ran comforts her saying he will be very happy when receiving the chocolates. Sonoko says Ran is a strong girl : while she is worried sick just because of Makoto's not having answered her for a week, Ran hasn't gotten any news from Shinichi for several months, and isn't making so much fuss about it. Ran replies she's used to it, and doesn't know what difference his absence or presence makes anymore. Conan thinks seriously about it.

Once there, they meet Chiyoko Yuasa, the lodge's owner, who tells her the chalet became famous after a pair was formed 10 years ago after baking and eating chocolates there. Her husband was the previous owner, he died 4 years ago. After this, a ghost story spread up and the number of visitors dropped dramatically : whenever the snowstorm rises, people who are outside may receive a strange gift from the mountain ghost. Yoshitaka Nigaki, one of the lodge's guests, says these are chocolates, that were found near the corpses of victims of avalanche or freezing. People say this is the work of a woman who got lost in the snowstorm and died while on her way to the chalet, and who would leave chocolates near corpses afterwards, since she couldn't bake any. Or it might be Yuki-Onna, the infamous "snow woman", etc. Though, the police say this is only due to wild animals searching the corpses' belongings, attracted by the smell of chocolate. Nigaki then says he'll go in the forest for now, and one of his friends, Mika Konagawa, a camerawoman, tells him to be careful there, just in case, and Nigaki replies he won't be seduced by Yuki-Onna since his heart is already owned by his girlfriend Ako Amari, who is also his assistant. The two girls tell Conan Nigaki is a reporter and he went there to shoot and take pictures of the place in order to find some clues as far as his 5-year-long investigation is concerned : he wants to know whether the Japanese wolf, whose breed was wiped out around a century ago, still exists, since people including Nigaki saw one some time ago.

Then comes a hunter, Yuzo Sakami, who came to the lodge with a rifle in order to scare the wolf and attract it into a trap, and then capture it. Sakami leaves as well towards the forest, asking Yuasa to greet his friends who will come soon. Though, Yuasa delegates this task to Kogoro, saying she'll go in the forest too to commune with herself at her late husband's tomb. She's not afraid since she knows the mountain inside out, and will go with her pet Japanese dog Saburo. The girls tell Kogoro it's impossible Saburo could be the wolf Nigaki or some others saw some time ago, since Nigaki saw it at night, and Saburo is usually locked in his doghouse at that time. Amari treats the girls to the kitchen in order to prepare chocolates. They say they are responsible now for the chocolate workshop, as a sign of gratefulness given Yuasa kindly invites them every year to the lodge, though she still has to check their work right after. Konagawa tells Ran Yuasa's husband died in an avalanche about 3-4 years ago, on Valentine's Day, he had been stuck under the snow for a week now when Saburo found his corpse. Yet, the other victim's body was never found, it was Amari's brother. She's been coming to the lodge since then, hoping in her heart he were still alive, and also to pay tribute to the late owner. Konagawa forbides Conan and Kogoro to come in the kitchen, fearing they might get injured just like Nigaki did. When looking at Sonoko's beautiful chocolate dedicated to Makoto, Ran feels sad and stops herself from writing Shinichi's name on hers, and Conan observes her from far.

They take a snap of all chocolates afterwards, and notice the snowstorm is about to rise. Amari and Konagawa are worried about Nigaki and rush to the forest to tell him to come back, and meet Yuasa on their way. They come back frightened, saying they found absolutely none, and Kogoro says everyone will go back there, except Conan - who disobeys of course, and goes there on his own with Saburo. After he leaves, an unknown breathless figure enters the kitchen and comes closer to the table with the chocolates. The searching group suddenly hears a gunshot, and another hunter named Hajime Itakura comes along, hoping someone didn't get it before him. He starts looking for Nigaki with the others. Meanwhile, Conan has found Nigaki thanks to Saburo, but the photographer is dead, he was bludgeoned, and Conan finds Amari's chocolate on him.

File 332 - Bloody Valentine 2

The searching group worries about the snowstorm growing stronger, and Itakura is scared, and suggest they should rather all go back home and wait for the blizzard to end. They suddenly hear a dog's barking and notice a flash light. Everyone rush there, believing this is probably Saburo with Conan. They indeed find him and he gets severely scolded by Ran, apologising and explaining given Saburo had found Yuasa's husband's corpse some time ago, he could as well find Nigaki's, especially since the latter was now a regular of the lodge, and then Saburo knows his smell. He eventually shows them Nigaki's corpse and Kogoro finds a big bloodied tree branch next to him, which means he was murdered. Kogoro reveals he is the famous Detetcive Mouri, and says it's impossible to figure out the time of the death due to the freezing cold, and the snow covered any footprints. Though, there might be blood marks on the murderer's clothes, and Nigaki was probably killed at around noon or later on. The blood on his face seems to have been cut by something on its way down, as if someone had tried to wipe his face. He can at least say the murder happened at noon, because very later on it would actually be complicated since Nigaki has his sunglasses put on, which means if it had occurred when the night was falling, then he would probably have taken them off, in order to find his way through the dark snowstorm. Yet, Conan says it's maybe not the case, given his left eye's contact lens seems to have moved a little, and the other is nowhere to be found. Which means either he was bashed without his glasses, then he must have been murdered at twilight or night, or he fell on the ground after a first blow, and his glasses fell as well, along with the lenses. Apparently, the killer could have put Nigaki's glasses on again after his death in order to have the others believe he had been killed during daytime.

Conan then shows Amari's chocolate he has found on Nigaki, though she can't be the killer : why would she have left her own chocolate ? What's more, they all left at the same time, and the chocolates were still on the table, and none left the searching group and came back. Probably the true murderer did it to put the blame on Amari. They decide to head back towards the chalet, and suddenly Sakami turns up, saying police won't come at all, or at least not before a day, since at around 8 PM he saw the tunnel of the only road which leads to the lodge completely blocked by a snowslide, and the police are trying to clear it, though it will take hours. Sakami says he came here after hearing a dog's barking, and he recognises his hunting friend Itakura. Konagawa can't believe they'll have to spend the night at the lodge while Nigaki's murderer is probably here aamong them. Itakura secretly tells something to Sakami. The hunters then tell the others they'll head back home, leaving the women here the choice to become or not cute frozen Yuki-Onnas... Once there, Kogoro calls the police and they confirm Sakami's story. Ran also confirms Amari's chocolate is missing. Kogoro can't find any clue in Nigaki's camera since the only tape is blank, and they can't know the content of the photographic film for now. Konagawa says though she's skilled at developing pictures, and she actually brought her development set with her as Nigaki had asked her to. She says she'll use the bathroom as a darkroom, and Ran will assist her. Itakura and Sakami ask Kogoro if he's found any other tapes or films in Nigaki's bag, and Kogoro says the whole equipment was still under packaging then he didn't really check.

Sakami says then Nigaki was killed before shooting even the slightest thing, and Kogoro says maybe he preferred taking pictures, which Amari says isn't right, since he actually prefers shooting, and he even filmed a lot yresterday. Conan asks Amari to show them that filming. She goes and find the tape, while Itakura tells Conan it's probably not a good idea to watch a deceased person's film. Kogoro suspects Nigaki might have filmed something embarrassing for both hunters, but they completely deny it. They all watch it on Yuasa's TV, and suddenly the image gets blurred and Kogoro angrily shakes the TV, which causes the Daruma doll over it to collapse, yet it doesn't break thanks to Saburo which catches it with his fangs. Yuasa says her "antique" TV is actually a treasured present her late husband bought with his first wife Reiko some time ago. Reiko died of illness 12 years ago. Yuasa then retrieves the doll from Saburo and takes him to the doghouse for the night. Sakami and Itakura tell Kogoro Yuasa's husband felt depressed after the death of Reiko, but some day he met Yuasa at his chalet and they got along very well, to the point of getting married. Yuasa then started to bake chocolates, and the latter became very famous. Then maybe, Yuasa and her husband are that couple who enabled that rumor of Suito Chalet to spread up. But then the husband died too, and they comment on the fact it's not easy for Yuasa to live alone now. Conan aks the hunters if they are regulars too since they know these stories very well, and they answer it was just once, a long time ago. At last, they finish watching the 4 tapes of Nigaki's yesterday's filming. Kogoro is suprised that none of the hunters are on the filming, and they reply they actually arrived the day after, which is today, on the morning for Sakami, and on the evening for Itakura.

As Kogoro says watching this was useless, Konagawa and Ran turn up, saying they know the time of the death : they've got a bloodied picture which was then taken in the course of Nigaki's death, in broad daylight. The picture is the last one of the film, and none of the others were bloodied. The blood was on Nigaki's camera's lens, which means the camera fell down when Nigaki was bashed, and automatically took a photograph. The girls also checked the other films and tested the lens, then it's really bloodied. This means Nigaki was really murdered around noon, though, Conan says there's definitely something wrong with that picture. Kogoro says Yuasa, Sakami and Itakura are the only ones without an alibi at that time. The hunters reply it's impossible because who would have brought the chocolate then ? Whereas Sakami was actually near the tunnel when the chocolate was allegedly placed on Nigaki, same thing for Itakura, who wasn't at the chalet yet. None would be dumb enough to kill someone, go back to the chalet, take the chocolate, and bring it there, especially given it takes far too much time. Yuasa believes there must indeed be a ghost or something prowling around, responsible for the murder.

Itakura says actually, before meeting the searching group, he spotted from far a strange and very tall man wearing a black knit cap. He thought it was a bear at first, but quickly found out it wasn't before firing. Conan wonders if this is not Shuichi Akai. Meanwhile, in the storm, facing the lodge, a breathless person, wearing a black knit cap, has just arrived...

File 333 - Bloody Valentine 3

While Conan thinks about Shuichi Akai, Ran asks Itakura how that man looked like, since she may know him, something which astounds Conan. Itakura replies he was a tall and bulky person, then most probably a man, wearing only a long winter coat, a scarf, a black knit, and ski goggles. Konagawa thinks it must be Natsuya, Amari's brother, he's alive after all, and she rushes towards the door to go and look for him, despite the storm, since he's waiting for them. Amari holds her back and shouts that her boyfriend Natsuya is dead and gone by now, it's been four years, she'll never find him alive. Konagawa bursts into tears, and Amari explains she had prepared a chocolate with stripes for her brother, since he loves it, and intended to put it over his grave. Yuasa says there are many graves in the forest, among which three tombstones : her husband's, Reiko's and Natsuya's. As for the others, they're just makeshift wooden graves that were done hastily, since none went to claim the corpses of those victims of avalanches. It's a pity because wild animals constantly wreck them, and they always have to put it back. She tells Conan no animal though wrecked the tombstones because Yuasa goes there every day with Saburo, something her husband would also do. The hunters say the killer is probably that man with the black knit cap. Furthermore, only the culprit could have placed the chocolate there, and none of them, not even Conan, put it there, and could have anyay, since there's a 20-minute walk between the corpse's location and the chalet. They all left while the chocolates were still on the table, and Itakura had just met them when they started the search, then that can't be him, same thing for Sakami who was near the tunnel at 8 PM when they left. Since none went back to the lodge before finding the corpse, then the killer is, in all likelihood, that person prowling in the forest.

Sakami couldn't have heard the news on the radio since the police told Kogoro they were broadcasting the info just as he called them. The hunters rather accuse Amari : she could have wanted to make it as if someone was trying to put the blame on her, while actually she could well have baked beforehand another similar chocolate she would have placed on Nigaki after killing him, without using the one in the kitchen she could have discarded later on. Indeed, Amari went first to look for Nigaki with Konagawa, and they split for a moment, then it's perfectly possible she could have killed Nigaki at that instant and left the chocolate there, and then joined Konagawa to go back home. She could have done that to turn suspicions away from her, since it seems impossible otherwise, that she did only one chocolate. Konagawa declares it's false since it wasn't snowing on Nigaki's last picture, while it was when they went to search for him. She shows him the picture of all chocolates, and compares it with the chocolate found on Nigaki : it's perfectly impossible someone could succeed in doing two absolutely similar chocolates. Though, Kogoro notices the chocolate found on Nigaki has traces of having been crushed or melted or so. The hunters acknowledge they're wrong and go to their respective rooms to sleep for a while. Conan asks if all the pictures developed were really taken between yesterday and today, because the film roll could well have been switched with another one, since the roll they developed was full, and the real one could have not. Konagawa suggests they compare all pictures and videos shot between yesterday and today.

Kogoro does it and notes indeed the clothes of Yuasa and co are exactly the same on the videos as they are on the pictures, and both were taken during the night. Then, given the last picture is the bloodied one, he was indeed killed today at around noon. None took his camera between yesterday and his death, he was the only one to take the picture, though it was completely accidental. Ran confirms Konagawa didn't add any blood marks while in the darkroom. She used gloves not to leave her fingerprints, and it's easy to check if she changed anything on the roll by looking at the negatives. The only odd things are these two pictures that were taken just before the bloodied one : these pictures are completely dark, one can't see anything on it. Konagawa says it's probably a mistake from Nigaki. Nevertheless, Conan is certain the photo is a faked one, but he can't figure out why a chocolate was left on Nigaki while there was already a trick with the photograph ? He can't explain neither one nor the other, and can't believe the killer is the man with the cap. He suddenly watches the video and sees that, yesterday, Nigaki threw Saburo's favourite ball near the dog, but the latter didn't move an inch, and Nigaki commented it was rather unusual, given last year he would instantly leap on it, and play with it. Conan asks Yuasa why is her dog named Saburo, and she replies because he's the third one of the same breed she and her husband have owned : the first one was Taro - her husband's first name too, and the second one Jiro, but they both died long ago - Jiro died of illness just like Reiko, not long after the latter. On Conan's request, Yuasa decides to go to Nigaki's room, actually her late husband's room, to get a photo album so as to show how the dogs look like, but Amari and Konagawa say they'll do it in her stead.

Conan asks Yuasa if she saw any change in Saburo's behaviour recently, like going out alone or so, and she answers the only moments during which he goes out are when Yuasa takes him to the forest's graveyard. She adds Saburo is far from being stupid since he runs by himself to her husband's grave when they are within sight of the graveyard, and waits there in a very calm and peaceful manner. According to her, Saburo usually eats a lot, but during snowstorm days, when he can't go out, he doesn't even look at his food, and then when the weather is set fairer, he eats with much appetite and leaves nothing at all. Suddenly, Amari and Konagawa yell, and everyone rush to Nigaki's room, only to find the hunters were caught red-handed searching Nigaki's belongings. They say they wanted to check if any clue hadn't been left aside, and they are ready to be searched by Kogoro to prove they didn't steal anything. Conan notices Nigaki's sweater, that he wore yesterday when shooting, has a blood mark wiped in the middle, around the stomach. Konagawa explains Nigaki had injured his finger yesterday while cutting chocolate, as the knife had skidded. He panicked a bit and spilt blood on his sweater, and he didn't want Yuasa to help him with the first-aid kit. Amari didn't understand why he refused to be treated, and left, crying, towards Nigaki's room, since he was getting angrier. Konagawa tried to calm him down, and it was nothing after all, and afterwards everything went back to normal. Later on, Amari, despite her own sadness, went down to solace Nigaki who was ashamed of his behaviour towards everyone. Yuasa then shows Conan a picture of Jiro and Saburo, but she can't say for sure which one is which. They each wear around their necks a medal awarded by the department for having helped to rescue several victims of avalanches.

Conan then goes to see Saburo in his doghouse and drops his favourite ball in front of him, causing him to try and catch it. All of a sudden, Conan finds the solution to the case. The only things left now are evidence that the culprit took the chocolate with him, and evidence against the murderer, since he/she doesn't have any blood marks on him/her. He then goes in the kitchen and sadly remarks Ran's chocolate is very simple, and probably for Shinichi, but his name isn't featured and he perfectly knows why. Suddenly, the kitchen's back door opens and the storm's coldness gets inside the room and something/somebody comes in, making Conan smile. Kogoro pops in and asks what Conan is doing, and wonders what "it"'s doing here, before being once again put to sleep by Conan, collapsing violently on the floor. Mouri/Conan then asks everyone to gather into the kitchen, since he's found out the truth. First, Kogoro says there's no need to know the mysterious man's identity, since Nigaki's killer is one of them. He explains the key to the mystery - and especially the chocolate mystery - is "that one", and they all stand amazed when turning their eyes on "it".

File 334 - Bloody Valentine 4

  Show spoilers »

They watch as Ran carries Saburo in her arms, Saburo is actually the one who brought Amari's chocolate to Nigaki. The hunters say it's impossible since the only time Saburo left the lodge after being with Yuasa was with Conan, and the latter would have seen it if Saburo had taken the chocolate, and anyway it was already on Nigaki when he and Saburo found him. Kogoro explains indeed Conan was with "that" Saburo, ad he goes on explaining there are actually 2 Saburo : one is Jiro, that Yuasa pretended was dead, and the other one is the Saburo they know. Taro, Yuasa's husband, had trained Saburo and Jiro to go and guard the tombstones day and night in turns. One would be at home with Taro and Yuasa, and the other would be at the graveyard to prevent wild animals from wrecking the stone graves, and then when Taro or Yuasa would go every day to the graveyard with one dog, the latter would rush there and actually go and hide in the forest, and the one Yuasa would find at the grave would be the other one she would then take with her back home after visiting, and the other one would then come back to the grave after they'd leave, and so on. At first Yuasa didn't know her husband had done it to protect the graves, but she realised it after noticing her dog's strange beahviour. She kept it secret as well in order to have the tombs protected daily and constantly, and this has been going on for 12 years at least. Taro, and then Yuasa, had trained the dogs to eat only once a day, which accounts for their greedy appetite at meal time, since they would have to get used to staying at the graveyard for a whole day and night without moving nor eating anything. The dogs wouldn't eat anything during snowstorms as they had been trained as well to do it only when the weather would be set fairer, when they would at last be able to go to the graveyard and play their roles. Also, one of the dogs, either Jiro or Saburo, loves to catch and play with objects, which explains why Nigaki found Saburo's behaviour unusual every now and then. Jiro was Saburo's lookalike, none ever found it out.

Sonoko then shows up with the Saburo/Jiro which was in the doghouse, to prove Kogoro's declarations are true. At first, Taro didn't say anything not to hurt Yuasa who could think he was doing it only to protect Reiko's grave. Though, Yuasa had never discovered how exactly both dogs could do it, then she assures Kogoro she didn't know for the chocolate, which Kogoro says it's true. Five years ago, Nigaki didn't see a Japanese wolf but rather Saburo or Jiro, hiding in the forest, waiting for Yuasa and the other dog to leave the graveyard before going back to the graves. Saburo and Jiro are rescue dogs that were trained to find victims of avalanches, and if they did, they would bring chocolates to them, in order to enable them to survive thanks to the high sugar content in chocolate, since the victims were in a state of hypothermia. This happens only when the chalet bakes chocolates at Valentine's Day's time, and it accounts for the chocolates that were found near avalanche victims in the past. Saburo/Jiro found Nigaki dead while on its way to the graveyard, and decided to rush to the lodge's kitchen, grab a chocolate - a random chocolate - and take it to Nigaki's. This also accounts for the crushed-melted marks on the chocolate : this means the chocolate had been in the mouth of the dog, given the fang marks and melted parts due to the warm temperature of the mouth. Though, Nigaki didn't react at all and Saburo licked his bloodied face to wake him up, explaining the weird mark, and eventually left to go to the grave. Since the dog did actually bring the chocolate, that means anyone could have murdered Nigaki, but not at noon, because actually the picture isn't a fake one, but was used in another way in order to have them believing he was indeed killed at noon. Kogoro adds if this picture was the last one, and that it got taken automatically when the camera fell down, then the murderer should have heard the automatic rewinding sound of the device, as usual, and therefore check or remove the roll from the camera, fearing he/she might have been photographed.

This means, this picture had been taken beforehand, even before Nigaki met the murderer, and it was taken by Nigaki himself. He didn't notice the blood marks since they are dark, and he might have confused them with tree leaves, and moreover he was wearing his ski goggles. Nigaki had taken it at noon, and was ignorant of blood marks having been on the lens since the day before. Besides, the lens is dark, and the blood marks went probably missing afterwards due to the snowstorm. Nigaki had injured his finger the day before, and he had spilt blood on his camera's lens because it was hanging around his neck, on his sweater, accounting for the wiped mark on it. Though, the murderer knew actually Nigaki would take his last picture : he/she had discreetly taken two dark photographs in order to leave Nigaki no other chocie but to take the last picture, and he was unaware of it, since he's a camera enthusiast and has many rolls and tapes with him constantly. The culprit knew the picture would "prove" Nigaki had been killed at noon, while actually he had been killed very later on, when night was falling, as he was supposed to meet the murderer as part of an appointment. There, the culprit killed him and put on Nigaki's goggles back on his face to give credit to the "noon" theory. That person is revealed to be Ako Amari. Amari insisted on going and searching for Nigaki as soon as the wind rose, since there was a possibility Nigaki could have come back home earlier due to the weather and night falling quickly. Amari also took two dark pictures because it would be rather suspicious to find or to take two or three bloodied pictures then. After the murder, she retrieved the tapes on which she was and checked the other ones as well as the pictures. But actually, she was the one who had, earlier on, put some new and still packaged filming and photo material in Nigaki's bag in order to prevent him from checking the roll with the bloodied picture when it was over - since he hadn't some with him in his bag, but Amari put some then - and also so as not to atract the others' attention if they had found incriminating tapes or rolls having to do with Amari.

Kogoro says after Nigaki got injured, Amari looked for some plasters or so, and she glanced at something rather unusual in his bag, which prompted her to steal those tapes and rolls, and replace them by new ones. Actually, she stole the things and then pretended to cry and run towards Nigaki's room in order to fetch new material, and then when she came back to solace Nigaki, she put the new ones into his bag unnoticed, just like when she stole them. Kogoro says Saburo/Jiro gave him irrefutable evidence of her murder : actually, her blood marks vanished due to the coldness and wetness of the snowstorm, but when she stole the other rolls and tapes Nigaki had used before being killed, and that she added them to the ones she had stolen beforehand, she put everything into her bag, and left it in the forest, waiting for the case to end, and retrieve it later on. But Saburo/Jiro saw her and thought she had dropped it, and rushed there to give it back to her. Inside the bag, there are all the incriminating tapes, especially one on which Conan saw Amari being filmed by Nigaki as she was arriving to the meeting place, before killing him. He also found a four-year-old tape which probably has to do with the avalanche causing the death of natsuya and Taro. Amari confesses to being the killer, saying that the four-year-old tape features Taro trying to rescue an injured Natsuya before being seized by the rest of the avalanche, a scene Nigaki shot from the faraway forest with absolutely no shame nor regret for not having rushed and given them a hand. Nigaki did this to get rid of Amari's brother who disliked her dating Nigaki. Amari spotted the tape while searching for plasters or so in Nigaki's bag to help him, and the tape was featuring the date of her brother's and Taro's deaths. She watched it discreetly on his camera he had removed, believing that Nigaki intended to make a surprise for her with it, having to do maybe with the wolf or so, but actually it was the evidence of his complicity. This is why she cried and left the kitchen too. Amari didn't expect Saburo/Jiro would bring her chocolate to Nigaki, maybe it had saw her or had guessed she was the culprit, and that she loved him anyways.

Yuasa says she acted stupidly given she's not even sure he was the one filming, but Amari denies it saying she heard him say something like "bye bye Natsuya, and thanks for your sister", after two gunshots were heard and the avalanche triggered. Conan suddenly figures out something when listening to her, but it's too late : Sakami fires in the air, and Itakura takes aim at them, saying indeed they were the ones who had accidentally triggered the avalanche after shooting at what they thought was a wolf but actually was Natsuya, dressed in black - something Sakami also did prior to finding Nigaki's corpse, when he saw the dog or the man with the black knit cap. Nigaki didn't rush to rescue Natusya and Jiro because he wanted to film the surroundings, to find who were the hunters who had triggered the avalanche. He actually did find them after a long investigation, and started to blackmail them in exchange for big sums of money, since they had fled the scene after the avalanche, and didn't go to the police afterwards. Nigaki knew where Natusya's body was thanks to the tape, and he knew Natsuya had been accidentally injured by the hunters, and that the police could then easily find Natsuya's body later on, with a few lead shots on it. The hunters had come today as Nigaki had told them to, in order to give the money. They say though Amari paid great service to them, and actually she killed her boyfriend for nothing. Even though Amari wouldn't have, they would have trapped Nigaki by triggering another avalanche and killing him, and then stealing the tape. They order everyone to gather around Kogoro, wondering how they will kill them all. Conan can't do anything given his shoes are at the entrance, and he used his last sleeping projectile. As Sonoko wishes someone would save them for her to be able to give Makoto her chocolate, she is ordered by Itakura to grab a knife and stab Ran, or else she'll be shot down instantly. Suddenly, someone knocks at the service door, and Itakura goes to check what it is. He instantly gets violently kicked inside the room, and passes out. The man with the black knit cap comes in, and Sonoko tells him not to come closer or he'll get killed, though the man says he's skilled at focusing on the rifle's cannon, trigger and direction so as to avoid the bullet just in time. Sakami fires and he indeed avoids the bullet which only breaks his goggles away into pieces, revealing the fishy man to be Makoto. Ran takes advantage of Sakami's distraction to quickly slip behind him, while, as he notices her presence, he turns to her, and Makoto runs towards him. Sakami is eventually violently kicked twice in the face, and passes out too.

Makoto explains he came here to see what Sonoko's lover looks like, and what makes him better than himself. Since Sonoko would offer "that man" a hand-made sweater, cup and now chocolate, while Makoto didn't receive any of these, he wants now to see that guy right now and challenge him. Sonoko answers Makoto is that person, and she shows him the chocolate she baked for him. Ran explains Sonoko sent him the cup but he thought it was a vase, and actaully she gave up knitting a sweater as she's unskilled to do it, and also gave up buying one since she wanted a true handmade present for her boyfriend, just like the chocolate. Makoto understands his mistake and feels embarrassed, and as he's about to leave, Sonoko offers him the chocolate, and Conan comments on Sonoko's plans being unexpectedly successful at the end of the day. Makoto says he bought her a nice sweater with animal patterns on it, and they both blush, and Ran secretely comments on how happy she is for her friend. The police arrived eventually and everyone could go back home afterwards.

Later, on Valentine's Day, Ran tells Sonoko she didn't write anything on her chocolate in order to have more time to think about what she would write later on, once at home. Sonoko eventually leaves Ran to go with Makoto at the airport - they may be travelling together. Once alone, Ran comments to herself that she's actually unable to write anything on it, since in order to move the loved one's heart, a chocolate has to be given on Valentine's Day to the person face-to-face, but that person isn't here, as usual, then it's impossible to give and even less to write. She goes back home very sad, and decides to give her chocolate to "sleeping Kogoro". But when looking at it, she remembers Sonoko telling her how strong she is, and she starts weeping, thinking that actually it's false, she's no strong person, if only she were, but she's just nothing but an idiot. Conan observes her from behind the door, and thinks about something. Later on, Ran wakes up, realising she's been sleeping on the agency's sofa for a very long time, and she wonders who could have blanketed her with her own coat. She notices "Detective Kid" sent her a mail with a picture attached : "I've taken a snap of your asleep face", and she sees indeed her sleeping face on the sofa, while she is covered by the coat, near her phone.

Suddenly, her phone rings and she picks up, only to hear that "Detective Kid"/Shinichi is speaking to her. She rushes to open the window and check where he is, and Shinichi explains he had actually come to the agency but didn't dare to wake her up, since she was sleeping so well, with dribble on her lips. Though, Shinichi was so hungry and didn't want to wait for her to wake up, and he eventually ate the "peach-like" chocolate on the table, such a delicious chocolate that he asks Ran where she could have bought it - and the latter comments that this is a secret she'll never disclose, a store only her knows. She feels happy again and, in the snow, tells Shinichi that "Detective Kid" is rather cheesy, something Conan expected actually.

People

Chiyoko Yuasa
	61 years old Lodge owner

Yoshitaka Nigaki
	Victim (beaten) 28 years old Lodge guest

Mika Konakawa
	26 years old Lodge guest

Ako Amari
	25 years old Lodge guest

Yuzo Sakami
	42 years old Lodge guest

Saburo
	Chiyoko's pet dog

Hajime Itakura
	37 years old Lodge guest

Major events

• Sonoko and Ran are making chocolates! Sonoko's is for Makoto, but Ran's chocolate is still un-named. However, we all know who she will make it for.
• Makoto saves everyone! He gets incredibly embarrassed when he finally learns just who Sonoko has made the chocolate for. Ran is heartbroken, as it is Valentine's Day, and Shinichi is not there for her, again. However, Conan knows just what to do to help alleviate her tears.

Missing Watch Case

File 335 - Memento of a Wife

At Suito Mt., Ran had also baked chocolates looking like each DB's face, along with Agasa, and she gives them to the kids and professor, who say it's delicious. She goes to fetch drinks for them, and Ai, seeing her whistling in happiness, comments on Ran probably trying to conceal her sadness behind a joyful poker face, given how both half-sad and half-happy the chocolates are, which Conan acknowledges. Ai says the hand does what the heart commands to do. She thinks how similar to herself her own chocolate is, on the verge of melting into tears. Conan comments ironically that, sometimes, Ai speaks like a girl at last. Kogoro asks the kids to be quieter since he's trying to get concentrated on his work. Agasa apologises but the DBs ask Kogoro if he is really working, since they were told he usually sleeps a lot. Kogoro replies he's actually listening to a very important client's tape. Ayumi unplugs the earphones and everyone hear the horseracing results. Kogoro tries to take it over, as a client named Hideo Morita rings at the door and comes in, asking Kogoro to find his watch. Kogoro proves he's a very busy and popular detective by accepting the client's request, even if it's not so important - but at least showing he actually never sleeps. Morita says he desperately needs to find his late wife's watch, an old item he had offered to her a long time ago, because his wife haunts his nights constantly asking him what time it is. Morita says he or his wife lost it at home, since neither him nor his wife are very tidy people, and if Kogoro found it, they could be at peace at last. The latter suddenly yells at him saying he doesn't have time to lose with such bullshit, he's not going to search in his stead something he lost in his own flat, even if Morita isn't so good at finding things. He tells him he is the famous Sleeping Kogoro, and Morita understands he made a mistake, he actually entered the agency without knowing who he was. The DBs whisper that Kogoro chooses his clients according to whether he likes their face and if their wallet is big enough, adding there are no "bullshit cases", and he just doesn't want to work at all. Kogoro eventually agrees to find the watch, but Morita leaves, apologising once again. Conan's curiosity is aroused, and he and the DBs go after Morita. The latter watches at the agency in worry, where Kogoro's name is featured in big size, and sighs when glancing at his watch. Suddenly, he meets the DBs who agree to help him find the watch, and free of charge besides.

He welcomes them at home and Ayumi marvels at the beautiful flowers in a big vase. Morita says these are withered, since his late wife did have a green thumb, but not him, and these were bought recently - his wife died three weeks ago. Morita is scared when the DBs enter his amazing home cinema room, with several state-of-the-art hifi devices, huge plasma TV and speakers, many disc players with their respective controls, and so on. Also, Morita loves cinema and has tons of books and magazines on the floor, probably accounting for his or his wife constantly losing their belongings. Suddenly, someone rings at his door and it frightens him. He goes to open the door and comes upon his wealthy friend and building resident Eiko Idetsuki. She asks him if the money's ready, and Morita gives her 5 million yens, saying the 15 remaining millions will come as soon as his flat is sold. She says she is sorry for more or less kicking him out of his home, and Morita says it's perfectly fine, apologising for her waiting so long for him to pay her back the loan. He offers her, as a compensation, to watch "Sakura Sanjuro", a rare movie she loves and has been searching for for so long, in his home cinema right now. Morita asks the children to stop searching and free the room for Idetsuki, and they'll come back later. Morita prepares the cassette, VCR and armchair for her friend, asking her to hand the movie back to the video club they know as soon as she's done with it, which she agrees to do. He wishes her to enjoy the movie, and Idetsuki laughs about it being just like the interest he owes to her. Once she closes the door, Morita looks daggers at her and Conan notices it. He then treats Agasa and co to the other rooms to keep searching for the watch. The movie's volume is too high and this annoys the children, though the movie sounds ace. Ai tells them to keep searching quickly since night will fall very soon. Ayumi says however they've searched every single room of the apartment and found nothing, and Genta says he's too hungry to continue searching. Morita suggests they eat some of his amazing club sandwiches he's excellent at preparing, since he owns a bar not far away from Tokyo, and has all the ingredients at home to make some. He turns down Agasa's offer to help him, and some time after they one and all relish.

Morita gives some tea and sandwiches to Conan and Ayumi for them to bring to Idetsuki. Conan secretly glances at Morita, and also at Idetsuki when coming in the home cinema. The latter orders them to hush since she's watching an important passage, and she tells them to put the food on the table. Once out, they meet Morita who asks them if she's enjoyed it, and when Ayumi tells him Idetsuki's decided to eat them later, Morita replies there's no wonder since she loves movies just as well. Conan spots a peculiar plastic bag with something inside, and Morita says it's dirty laundry to be brought to the laundromat very soon. Though, Conan says he saw a washing machine in the bathroom, and Morita says it's a brand new model he doesn't know how to use, only his late wife did. Morita tells Conan her wife loved that watch and constantly wore it, except the day of her accident, because she had lost it. But Conan said she would most probably take it off to have a bath or shower, and, saying so, he takes them to the bathroom and searches the washing machine, throwing the wife's clothes away here and there. A garment falls down on the floor, and Ayumi finds the watch, saying it's still working. Conan can't believe it's true, as Morita confirms it to be his wife's. She probably took it off and put it on the machine before having a shower/bath, and it fell into it at the end. Though, Conan thinks he's probably lying, it's way too easy, and the watch isn't the wife's. Suddenly, they hear a violent sound of something heavy crushing on the floor, and of someone running in the corridor. Conan thinks about something, and runs towards the home cinema, as he hears someone leaving the flat and slamming the door. He notes with fear that the vase is missing, and when entering the home cinema, they all find Idetuski was killed by someone who's smashed the loud vase over her head.

File 336 - Clean Scent

The police arrive and investigate the case. Takagi says the weapon of the crime is Morita's vase, which was filled with water, and still had the flowers in it, accounting for its heavy weight. The killer probably came in Morita's apartment, grasped the vase, entered the home cinema room and smashed it over Idetsuki's head, as the film was over - since the cassette was rewound - and she was retrieving the video cassette from the player, using the remote control. Morita explains why her friend had come to visit him and what she did before dying. In turn, Agasa and co go on explaining what brings them here, and Megure and Takagi wish Mouri were here since they know something very important related to him. Agasa and the DBs say Morita was in the bathroom with Conan and Ayumi when Idetsuki was murdered, probably by someone from the outside, since they heard someone running away and slamming the entrance door, therefore Morita can't be the culprit. Though, the only time when he was alone was while he was preparing sandwiches in the kitchen, away from Agasa and co's sight. He shows them where the kitchen is, far away from the cinema room. Yet, there is a blind spot which prevents anyone in the lounge to see if anyone leaves the kitchen to go to the cinema room. Therefore, Megure thinks Morita had prepared sound recordings - sounds of broken vase, running in the corridor, door slamming, etc. - beforehand and used a timer or so to set them going after he could have left the kitchen quick as a flash and gone to the cinema room, and killed Idetsuki there, and then come back. He could well have prepared sandwiches beforehand too. None could have heard anything since the movie's volume had been turned very high. Yet, Conan says it's impossible, since himself had come to bring sandwiches and tea to Idetsuki with Ayumi after he had made them, and she was still alive. And then, Morita didn't leave Conan and co until they found the corpse.

Chiba turns up and says he finished questioning the building's residents, who one and all told him Idetsuki would agree to loan enormous amounts of money to them, and if they didn't pay her off on time, she wouldn't hesitate to come in their flats and foreclose a valuable by way of interests, which means she wasn't a very loved person. Moreover, they all know she was at Morita's due to the movie's high volume which could be heard everywhere in the building, and they know she loved movies and would often come at Morita's to watch one. Then it's perfectly possible one of them could have planned a murder knowing she was alone in the cinema room. Megure orders Chiba and some other agents to do a list of all the people to whom Idetsuki had loaned money, especially those who had taken on a big debt to her. Agasa tells Conan he won't have to step in that case this time since the killer probably came from the outside, however Conan says it's entirely false, Morita is the killer. The watch they've found in the machine isn't his wife's : if she'd really lost it there, then since she died three weeks ago, and given it's an old-swing watch, it shouldn't be working anymore, or at least it shouldn't give the exact time anymore. This because a watch especially works with human movement, and this type of watch has a 50-hour or so maximum self-working capacity, and it starts running slow afterwards, since it needs its holder's motion. The watch is probably Morita's or another one he bought and tossed inside the machine today. Morita used that watch story because he expected Mouri or someone else to come with him at home in order to build his alibi for the murder, and have the witness swear Morita wasn't the killer. Yet, Conan says it's impossible Morita could do it since he wasn't in the cinema room when the murder took place, and when he was in the kitchen preparing sandwiches, Conan would keep an eye on him every two or three minutes, and he didn't leave the place. And after the body was found, his behaviour didn't turn abnormal. How did he do it then ?

Takagi asks Morita if he met any suspicious person around Mouri's agency, and he says he didn't. Conan asks Takagi why he asked him that, and Takagi, making sure none is eavesdropping their conversation, tells Conan someone is secretly interested in Kogoro Mouri. They don't know yet if they should tell Mouri about it and protect him. Actually, all the reports and files of the cases Mouri has solved in Tokyo and its department, and that were stored at the Prefectural Police, were stolen recently. Hopefully, the police always duplicate the reports and files, and keep them into their well-protected archives, then there won't be any incidence on the trials. The most surprising thing is that all the files and reports were sent back to them yesterday evening by post, but the sender's name or place wasn't mentioned. As Takagi tells Conan the theft occurred the same day the hijacking bus case (vol. 29) took place, Conan thinks about Shuichi Akai once more. The police have a few leads as far as who among Mouri's "victims" or enemies are concerned and could do it, yet these are only suppositions and they're reaching stalemate as for now. Though, Takagi says this might be some bad joke after all, and anyway if Conan spots someone fishy around, he should come or call the police at once. Conan inwardly comments that Kogoro may not be the one actually targeted, but probably Conan himself, or someone he knows. Conan tells Agasa that what Takagi told him isn't so important, and Ai hints at the fact he's still trying to conceal something from them. Conan says Ai did the same and still does, and actually he has good reasons to do it. Ai inwardly thinks that, constantly trying to fight for justice and truth at all cost without thinking twice about the consequences it could bring about, Conan/Shinichi actually and eventually takes upon himself a whole lot of pressure without people noticing it at all. She finds very attractive the way he always endangers himself for others, though she thinks Shinichi still doesn't get it that this "clean scent" will, at the end of the day, trap Ran and all the people around them, including himself, into a treacherous solitude.

The DBs cut their thoughts saying it smells like something is burning, coming from the microwave or oven, but they find nothing inside it. Conan deduces something and searches the garbage can, only to find dried up and withered flowers, probably discarded by Morita. Then, Conan thinks that there should be "that thing" around here, something very visible, and he goes looking for it. Genta says he's still hungry and eats the remaining sandwiches, Ayumi calling him a foodie. Conan looks at them and thinks about something, and searches the cupboard, eventually finding the object. He then rushes to the cinema room, asking Takagi's help to find his paper plane he lost between the curtains over the plasma TV. Takagi inwardly comments how childish Conan is after all. Takagi pulls the top curtains open and finds nothing, except several hifi devices Morita stores there, since they are old now and he doesn't use them anymore. Conan spots a timer on one of the devices, and switches it on, starting up another device to its left, on whose screen he notices a "cassette symbol", and eventually deduces how Morita killed Idetsuki without being here.

File 337 - Life of a Flower...

Conan calls the agency but none picks up the phone, which worries Conan, since neither Ran nor Kogoro told him they would be out tonight. Agasa comes up to Conan saying Megure and co agreed to do as he told them, and they added this was a brilliant idea. As for the DBs, they are sent by Conan to do as he told them too. Conan still worries, gazing at his phone, and Ai gets it this has to do with Ran. She tells Conan to continue keeping it silent as far as his true identity and the Black Organization are concerned. She understands though that, just like most boys when they are offered chocolates by their loved ones, Conan feels over the moon about Ran. But Conan denies it, saying he actually didn't answer anything to Ran's present, which astounds Ai. He explains though he accepted the chocolates, deep down, this increased so much his desire to see her again. He says that boy who forces her to wait and suffer, and who's unable to recover his initial appearance, actually wants to see again and even more his dear love, though this sounds rather stupid. He doesn't want to see her cry anymore, and to do so, he'll go up to the point of accepting Shinichi's fading away from her heart forever, if this is needed. Then he already had the intention to do what Ai suggests him to, and knew it way beforehand. He comments on the fact his situation is so childish and ridiculous. Agasa tries to comfort him saying for the moment they're helpless, but it's only temporary. Ai inwardly thinks it's hard not only for him but for everyone actually. The DBs tell Megure many items belonging to Morita have been stolen, very strange items, and this is probably the murderer's work. They tell everyone to follow them to the kitchen, and, running past Conan, they wink at him with a knowing smile, which means this is part of their plan.

  Show spoilers »

Megure asks the DBs which objects were stolen, and they reply someone actually stole the bottoms of two big terracotta bowls. Morita says they were like that when he bought them, he probably wanted to use them for another purpose. Takagi comes up saying all the preparations are over, they just need to follow him into the cinema room. Megure tells Morita they're about to do a kind of reconstitution of the events. Morita enters the room and gets suddenly panic-stricken when noticing all the VCRs over the TV are turned on. Megure asks him if everything's okay, and he answers he's just surprised to find so many cassettes in piles on the shelf over the TV. The forensics apologise saying they're actually analysing them, and they put them there to get more space. Megure then proceeds to the reconstitution, and Morita is shocked to hear they'll use the VCRs, because Idetsuki was retrieving a cassette from the VCR when she died. Agasa is told to play the victim, while Takagi will play the murderer. Though, Morita suggests he'll play the victim instead, since he and Idetsuki knew perfectly the home cinema room, and then he can play the role in a more realistic way. Megure agrees and inserts the cassette into the bottom VCR's slot. As the film is over, the victim should rewind the cassette - while the murderer supposedly sneaks behind him/her - and eject it, and Megure tells Morita to do it. Morita gets up of the armchair and kneels on the floor to press the eject button. Conan suddenly shows up just in front of him, asking why he doesn't use the eject button which is also on the remote control. Conan does it, and the cassette is ejected, but Morita, awe-stricken, looks up, shouts in fear, and protects his head.

Since nothing happens at all, and they're all staring at him, Agasa/Conan reveals the cassettes over the TV won't fall down since he modified the code of the controls and VCRs on the top. He goes on explaining Morita had actually turned on and set both the bottom VCR and the top one which is just over the TV to the exact same frequency, therefore, the remote control Idetuski had in hand, and that Morita had given her, would work for both VCRs. Morita had also inserted a cassette into the top VCR, and did the same for the bottom one - but in front of Idetsuki. He then placed another cassette just in front of the top VCR's eject slot, and on this cassette he balanced a heavy vase, the exact same as the one in the corridor near the entrance, and which was also filled with water and flowers. He then half pulled the curtain rightward to conceal it. Morita lured Idetsuki into coming into the cinema room with the "Sakura Sanjuro" movie, asking her to hand it back to the video club later on, which accounts for why she rewound the movie after watching it. Morita inserted the cassette himself, and gave her the remote control, and later on, when Idetsuki would be done with the movie, she would get up, press the eject button on the control, come up to the bottom VCR and kneel on the floor to retrieve the cassette, and would eventually die due to being violently smashed over the head by the vase. This because the top VCR would also react to the control and eject its cassette too, and the latter would then push the other cassette forward and cause the vase to topple and fall down. Only Morita could prepare it, as he knew Idetuski's habits, and could then set the perfect timing. Agasa proves his declarations by pressing the eject button on another control he had set, causing the top VCR to eject its cassette, and the latter bumps into the pile of cassettes, and causes all of them to fall down on the floor.

Conan had found out there was a casssette inside the top VCR due to the symbol on the screen, and the timer on the right. Afterwards, since the top VCR's cassette, in both cases, would bump into something, then it couldn't be ejected and would accordingly be "gulped back" into the VCR, and would of course set off again. And if the content of this cassette were actually the recorded sounds Conan and co heard after the crashing vase sound, then it's clear why the sounds were so realistic : the top VCR would play them after the cassette was forced to go back into it, it would play these sounds of someone running and slamming a door, sounds that could be heard anywhere in the flat since Idetsuki had turned the speakers' volume so loud - and Morita knew it perfectly. If the cassette's protective tab had been removed beforehand, then it's possible indeed. Morita had put Idetsuki's cassette into the bottom VCR so as she would have to kneel on the floor to recover it, and then it would increase the fall distance between her head and the shelf, which accordingly has more chances to kill her if the distance is very large. Furthermore, Morita had left the timer on the shelf in order to make the police believe he often uses one in order to set specific movies or music pieces going whenever he wants it, and to justify the turned on VCRs over the TV. Megure concludes saying they also got the vase trick : there were two vases actually, and the one in the entrance was a fake one made out of the two bowls found in the kitchen : when clipping them together, they would make up a vase, and Morita then just needed to put flowers inside. And actually, the flowers were withered because there couldn't be any water in the fake vase. The true one was used for the murder. Conan discovered it when thinking about how sandwiches were stacked bits of food, and Morita probably did the same for the vase. Conan adds Morita discreetly and quickly left the kitchen (one minute or so) to recover it in the entrance, and unclip it, and then pile up the bowls in the cupboard, and also scorching flowers in the microwave or oven, in order to have a reason to discard them if the police ever found them. Indeed, it would have been strange if the police had found two similar vases in the flat.

Ayumi says it's unkind to kill such beautiful flowers, that his wife had bought him. Morita explains these flowers aren't his wife's but Idetsuki's, she had bought them for Morita when she came to his wife's burial. The Moritas were so destitute that they couldn't even buy flowers anymore, and Morita even had to use some of Idetsuki's flowers for the murder. Idetsuki didn't even have the decency to buy sober flowers as it usually suits burials. His wife had committed suicide with her car because she was trapped into debts : Idetsuki had convinced her, while Morita was away, to invest massively in certain stock market deals, and it resulted in Morita's wife being then compelled to run into debts, so much that she ended up losing the taste for life and decided to kill herself in a car accident, after owning up to her debt problems to her husband. These problems were also theirs, since she also invested their common account's money in it, and Morita had to sell everything he had afterwards to pay Idetsuki off, and wasn't even sure it would be enough. Morita's wife only left a note with her wristwatch to her husband. This explains why Morita doesn't care a fig about these flowers. As Takagi takes Morita away, Ayumi still says it's so sad these flowers who had dressed up to the nines for him were forced to wither, since they only blossom for a short period of time. Ai inwardly comments that this is so true, especially as she sees Conan leaving the flat in a hurry, making a connection between he and Ran : flowers are weak and don't live long, they stand rain and wind to beautify themselves and love the sun more than anything else, but when the storm arises, this beauty is completely useless when it comes to sheltering oneself. Ai hopes Shinichi understands that.

Conan rushes to the agency, calling it, but finding none on the other end of the line. He wonders what the heck is going on, and when coming in, he finds the place empty, the TV is on, the dinner is half cooked, as if Ran or Kogoro had been all of a sudden interrupted in their activities. Conan fearfully wonders if all this has to do with the one secretly interested in the Mouris, and if this one is Shuichi Akai. Suddenly, someone mask Conan's eyes from behind with their hands, and play "guess who ?".

It's actually Ran, who had been in a hurry to the supermarket to buy premium meat, alcohol and a bunch of other products to prepare an excellent dinner, since Kogoro hit the jackpot on the horses, and is wandering around the neighbourhood to tell everyone about it. As Ran says she'll cook a dinner worthy of the greatest chefs, Conan remembers her saying at Suito Mt. that she might know the "man wearing a black knit cap", and he starts asking her about it, but, looking at her angelic face, he stops, asking instead if she could add onion with the meat. Ran says Conan is a true connoisseur, and the later thinks it's impossible such a nice girl could have ever met such a bleak guy.

Meanwhile, in a back alley just in front of the agency, Shuichi Akai lights a cigarette, and stares at the place with a dark interest.

People

Hideo Morita
	49 years old Mouri Detective Agency client

Eiko Idetsuki
	Victim (beaten) 46 years old Apartment's owner

Mrs. Morita
	Deceased Hideo Morita's wife

Major events

• Takagi tells Conan that someone stole the records of Kogoro's solved cases. Conan fears that the Organization is suspicious of Kogoro's newfound powers of deduction.
• Ran sees Shuichi Akai, and believes that she may have seen him before!

Escalator Message Case

File 338 - The Meaning of X

During an English class, rather than listening, Ran thinks about the mysterious man with a knit cap (i.e. Shuichi Akai) and ponders where she could have met him. She also wonders why every time she thinks about that man, the feeling that arose when Shinichi left her at Tropical Land to not come back - the feeling that something is about to be destroyed - is engendered. Her thoughts are interrupted by Jodie, who asks her if she is following the lesson; since the answer is affirmative, Jodie asks Ran about the meaning of the cross on the blackboard. Ran answers hesitantly that it is simply the capital letter X, which causes her classmates to burst into laughter. Jodie, on the other hand, asks Ran to think about it as "homework" and tells her that it is something that cute ladies should know.

On the way home, Ran discusses the symbol with Sonoko (who did pay attention in class) and Conan. Conan comes up with a number of ideas ranging from the unknown "x" encountered in algebra to X-rays while Sonoko comments that Conan, being a child, will not know this. As Ran tells Conan that it is something important for women, Conan recalls that Yukiko often sends him letters ending with "To my little Shinichi - XXX - Yukiko".

Jodie suddenly appears behind them and asks Ran about her “homework”; Ran admits that she still does not know what the cross means. Sonoko suggests that Ran should write an e-mail to Shinichi to ask him and put at the end "If you find the answer, I will give you my precious X". Conan, apparently bothered by Sonoko's words, starts thinking hard again, but gets nowhere. Jodie suggests that the four go to a café because she has something important to ask; the others agree.

After being served drinks, Jodie asks whether Ran and Sonoko have recently been stalked or harassed, and explains that she asks because it has happened to several female students of Teitan High School on public transport. The girls say that this has not happened to them, and that because of Ran's martial abilities they do not have to worry. Jodie still advises them to be cautious, and says in a stern tone that such a person would prowl around where they live and wait patiently for them to lower their guard. The girls repeat their previous answer, and Jodie restores her casual and joyful tone to say that if they ever notice someone suspicious tailing them, they should call her, as Japanese people do not take stalkers seriously, but she thinks that such people should be taught a lesson. Conan notices the change in Jodie's tone and turns serious.

At the table next to theirs sits a company executive called Norihisa Kisugi. He startles them as he shouts in his call to Katsunori Chujo, a detective; he is in the mall where the café is located. In their conversation, Chujo says that the "problematic person" has offered to give him two times of what Kisugi and he agreed on in exchange for Chujo not revealing his findings to Kisugi. Hearing this, Kisugi says in panic that he is willing to pay four times of the previously agreed amount as long as Chujo reveals the name of the problematic person and hands the evidence to him. Chujo accepts, starts walking towards the escalator that leads to the café and tells the problematic person that he is done and that there is plenty of incriminating evidence in the envelope that he is holding.

Upon hearing this, the problematic man approaches Chujo, stabs him and tries to steal the documents inside the envelope. A blackout immediately ensues, and when the light comes back on Chujo is found dead on the next floor, sitting on the uppermost stairs of the escalator. He manages to hold onto his envelope, and a few symbols (a circle, a cross and a triangle in that order; they are of roughly the same size) that were previously not there are on it. A large crowd gathers around the lifeless body, and Conan and company are attracted to the murdering scene. They call the police after seeing the body.

Megure, Takagi and Chiba arrive at the mall to investigate. They deduce, despite not knowing what the three symbols mean, that they represent a dying message. Jodie deliberately makes a rather silly comment; she says that the symbols can be found on a games console. The police find that the last call that Chujo made before death was to Kisugi, and they sit down at a table in the café to discuss Kisugi's relationship with the deceased.

Kusugi explains that he is an executive of the company located on floors 8 to 11 of the mall, and that one of its employees embezzled a large amount of money last month. He has been ordered to find the embezzler, and as a result he turned to Chujo (more precisely, the detective agency that Chujo headed). Chujo found the person behind the embezzlement and they arranged a meeting in the café so that Chujo could give his findings to Kisugi. However, Chujo was late (probably because the problematic person was talking to him), leading to the phone call. The police deduce from these pieces of information that the embezzler was the problematic person, that he killed Chujo to not get exposed, and that he took advantage of the accidental blackout to escape to his office in the company. Megure asks whether Kisugi has any idea of who the embezzler is, and the latter hands him a list of the 58 employees that Chujo was suspecting a week ago (the list was the mid-term report of Chujo's investigation). Megure is slightly overwhelmed by the number of suspects and comments that it will take a very long time to thoroughly investigate all of them.

File 339 - OX△□!?

Takagi reports that Chujo's fingerprints have been found on the symbols written by blood, thereby confirming that the envelope does contain a dying message. Conan and the police thus start thinking about things relevant to the symbols, and Ran innocently suggests that the cross in the dying message might have the same meaning as Jodie's cross. Jodie and Sonoko dismiss this idea and laugh out loud, and Takagi joins the conversation (as he also knows what the cross means in that case). Megure overhears their laughter and orders Takagi to explain, but Takagi insists that that interpretation is completely irrelevant to the case. Conan points out that since there is a vertical line on the left edge of the envelope (i.e. on the left of the circle symbol), there must be more to the dying message. He suggests that it might be found on a step of the escalator, as Chujo likely wrote the dying message during the blackout (meaning that he could not see where he was writing; even if he knew that he was writing in the wrong place, since he knew that his death was likely imminent, he probably did not try to rectify it) and while he was being transported by the escalator to the current floor. By using the luminol reaction, it is revealed that the fourth symbol is a square which is slightly bigger than the other three symbols.

Meanwhile, by collecting the alibis of the employees on the list, Chiba is able to reduce the number of suspects to 31 (i.e. there are 27 employees with a verifiable and reliable alibi). Sonoko grabs this renewed suspect list from Megure and Jodie, Ran and she point out that some kanjis on the list can be formed by combining two or more symbols and others represent an object that can be drawn as one of the symbols. For example, the first kanji of the suspect Suzuki Tsubasa (the native form of this name is 鈴木翼) is "鈴", which means "bell" and thus can be simplified to a circle. Since Sonoko and this person share the same surname, she impatiently tells Ran that he cannot possibly be the culprit. Megure, feeling that their conversation has gone astray, gets the list back and orders the girls, Jodie and Conan to leave the case to the police.

Now that Ran can no longer contribute to the case, she approaches Takagi (who left the crime scene to help Chiba, who had returned to the company to conduct further investigations) to ask about the meaning of the cross. Takagi tells her what it means, and says that he knows it because Yumi Miyamoto often sends him messages with multiple crosses at the end as a joke. On the contrary, when Conan asked him the same question a moment ago, Takagi just pat Conan on the head and told him that he is too young for such matters; this response rendered Conan visibly annoyed.

Back at the crime scene, Jodie, who seems to have figured out the meaning of the dying message, gives hints to Conan. She mentions that in the U.S. federal government, one of the most important agencies is the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation), and tells him about a saying that goes "you can hide the head (of an ostrich), but not the tail". This saying inspires Conan and allows him to instantly figure out who the embezzler is from the list of 31. As confidence emerges on Conan's face, Jodie, who is gazing at him, smiles.

People

Norihisa Kisugi
	50 years old Administrative manager of a Trading Company

Katsunori Chujo
	Victim (stabbed) 43 years old Detective

Cover in other countries

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  China
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  Finland
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  France
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  Germany
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  Hong Kong
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  Indonesia
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  Italy
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  Korea
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  Malaysia (Chinese)
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  Malaysia (Malay)
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  Rep. of China (Taiwan)
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  Singapore (English)
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  Spain (Spanish, Volumen 2)
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  Sweden
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  Thailand
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  United States
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  Vietnam

See also

• Manga
• Volume 31-40
• Detective Conan