"You had it rough."

Shinichi sighs. This is probably the 101st time he had strangers expressing their sympathy towards him as he waited outside the girls' toilet for Ranran to change. Shinichi already changed his clothes, but he wonders why she has to take her time changing.

Unlike the 100 other encounters he had faced, the 101st person happens to be a teacher."Ah sensei, no, I am alright."

The little boy reassures the teacher, but it was clear to the woman that Ranran was the reason behind his recent black eyebags forming around his clear cellular eyes. Before, he never had it till he announced wanting to switch seats to be with Ranran. Now, things had changed.

Seriously...why did that girl end up in my class. The woman couldn't help but think.

Don't get her wrong, as a teacher, she truly genuinely loved her class unlike most teachers would towards their students. Their class aside from being graded as the smartest in the whole of first graders, they are no different from any other classes, in that they are friendly towards their teacher, respectful, some even more so than her, and each day was entertaining.

Yet therein lies the problem.

The reason for said problem has this problematic student in question: Kudo Watson Ranran.

That little girl happens to be at the top of her class is one thing, but if she wasn't so cunning and scheming, the teacher would've liked her a little bit more. Yet she chooses not to. Don't get the teacher wrong, Ranran at times can be sweet and thoughtful.

But those times rarely show whenever Ranran has to feed her selfish desires.

Especially what happened last week when Ranran set out boxes of cockroaches the other day in the school's staff office because she learn that they have been given far too much homework than usual. But she was never caught red-handed for her acts.

Ranran was smart. No, the teacher realizes, she shouldn't call her smart but a mad genius. Even a smart student like Kudo Shinichi didn't behave as erratic as her. However, it was clear that his student's intelligence could not be compared to Ranran's.

Kinda expected actually, especially when she learned from the school principal that Ranran is a gifted child whose IQ matches those top 1% intelligent kids to be exact.

That's right, kids with 1% intelligence genius...they had a reputation of being erratic.

"If she keeps causing you problems, you better let me know, alright?"The teacher said worriedly.

"Don't worry, we are doing fine." Again, Shinichi reassures the teacher before she left him on his own.

Sometimes Shinichi wondered what having such a life would be like, life without Ranran alongside him. Where he didn't have to constantly lecture her, follow her around, chase after her over her shenanigans.

But then Ranran was a special case.

Ranran....often do things for her convenience.

There was another incident where the school was shut down for a week upon the smell of a discomposing corpse. A week later, the discovery of a skunk was discovered neatly placed in one of the old classrooms the school rarely used. Needless to say, the suspicions were directed to the questionably moral Kudo Ranran.

This earned several wells as very pissed off teachers and a chase from a very annoyed and angry Kudo Shinichi across the school hallway. While the teacher thinks about it as she walks, almost the entire class of 1-A shortly followed suit after their teacher. To be honest, the schoolmates of 1-A have nothing to complain about Ranran's antics since they too benefited from not waking up early morning just to go to school and gain homework that kills your free time.

Then again, that is where the praises onto Ranran ends, on this aspect so to speak.

Of course, Ranran other antics beside her schemes on not wanting to go to school are very entertaining, as long as you are not the victim so to speak.

Unfortunately, Ranran is very very bored.

And whenever anyone hears Ranran is bored, that is like a death sentence for the entire school, yes, not just class alone, the entire school so to speak!

It is no wonder then, that unfortunate wearied little boy named Kudo Shinichi envied the other students. The whole lot of them had to put up with her shenanigans during school hours. Shinichi on the other hand has the option to not deal with her one bit.

No, he had to deal with her daily.

Don't get him wrong, he has the option not to get involved in her antics. And after all, he didn't live together in the same house with her. Then again, he founded Tantei association with her, and he truly needed those serious nature cases badly in his life to solve, not some stolen wallet or launch boxes case so to speak.

In the past, Ranran once said to him 'Tantei can't be choosers when it comes to cases'.

Then again, he is sick and tired of the cases that don't involve challenges and didn't seem to have the same luck as Ranran does, having attracted one serious case after another with ease. It's just that he wants to prove to himself that can handle the Tantei business.

Still.....

Ranran's antics, it is at times unbearable.

Imagine having constantly do one thing after another which seems to affect you negatively in some way, directly or indirectly, as she taunts him to no end, fully knowing that she is behind it, but he wouldn't confront her, because it will result in his life turning upside down in a matter of seconds.

Hey, he can't truly blame her. After all, he blackmailed her into getting this White tiger case in the first place.

"I am done, shall we go now?"Ranran came out of the washroom with her detective clothes in tow, with a displeased look on her face.

"Alright, let's go."He exhales before the two left and headed their way to the association in their school.

......

While walking their way to the HQ, Shinichi's phone sounded off.

Thinking it was either Michio or Junko contacting him to talk about the case, he quickly fishes out his phone to check, only to be stunned when he spots the smartphone's caller ID reading: mom.

Considering it is now 10:30 am here, it should be 6:30 pm in Los Angeles now.

Shinichi winced at his mother's voice, "Shin-Chan, this has gone too far!"His mother could be heard lecturing over the smartphone as she ranted at him, "This needs to end now! Do you not understand how dangerous this situation is becoming!?"

Ranran quietly watches Shinichi's reaction to his mother's anger. "Okaasan, I made it out alive. I don't see how is it a big deal—"

"It is a big deal, Shinichi! I had to find out through the news again to learn that the both of you two were almost killed by a wanted serial killer! And this was not long after capturing the damn paedophile in Beikai mall!"

"Maa maa, you are just making a big deal out of nothing. We made it out alive after all, Nah?"He reassured her but she wasn't having it.

"A big deal?!" The former actress blinked in disbelief, before she grew enraged, "The both of you broke into his place! His freaking place! Where he tortured his victims and dig their eyeballs out while they were alive! The both of you could've died!"

"Technically, it wouldn't be possible for us to die, because Ranran secretly poisoned him by adding battery water into his drink," Shinichi responded.

"She did WHAT!?"

Oh, snap, he shouldn't have let this slip out of his tongue. Ranran rolled her eyes, shaking her head in disapproval.

"Anyway, your father and I discussed, we both decided that you need to let this detective dream go."Shinichi could be heard groaning over the phone as his mother continued, "Your father and I ain't against you of becoming one, but lately there have been far too many dangerous encounters I keep hearing from Genzo one after another ever since you open Tantei association with Ranran."

Shinichi too rolled his eyes, deciding he wasn't going to listen to his mother. Why should he? He finally had excitement in his life, not to mention, literally putting away bad guys in jail rather than looking for missing wallets and pencil boxes. Still, his parents ain't understanding one bit, unlike Ranran's parents. They had been arguing nonstop and till now, things have been stilted between his parents.

"I gotta go. Talk to you another time."Shinichi hangs up.

"Shin-chan!"

It was the first time he hung up the smartphone on his mother in front of Ranran, and that made Ranran react in surprise." She again?"

"Yup."He muttered under his breath.

"She called? She is in L.A now right? What time....is she still awake?"

"Doesn't matter."He dismisses her, "If she ever tried to call you, block her number. I ain't going to quit not now nor ever."

"Ah, alright."Ranran decided to not press any further.

There was a long silence before Shinichi shrugged, "I can't understand why my parents ain't as lenient as yours." he laments as he went on, "Then again, I don't think two 6-year-olds solving cases of dark nature will ever put my mother to rest."

"I mean to be fair, you are her only son."Ranran pointed out.

"True, but did your parents ever tell you to quit?"

"They do, but not like I let that stop me."

"Exactly."

Before they even arrive at the front of the door, the door seemingly opens on its own as it flew off its hinges with an accompanying blast of colourful smoke with a tin of emptied paint. Shortly after, the person who came out of the door was someone who isn't a member of the Tantei association.

This child was covered in colourful sight. Shinichi couldn't help but widen in shock, then he soon realizes why he truly needed Ranran.

Ranran is, after all, a good security system for their association.

"So....you tried to break into our association again, right? How did that fair out for you?"Ranran grins widely in a mocking smile towards her 'victim'.

"Damn you, Kudo Watson Ranran!"The 'victim' blasted her anger directed toward the scheming detective girl.

"Maybe if you stop bringing our association down to its knees by trying to publish interesting stories of our association to save your failing Journalist club, Ranran will try to tone it down. Neh, Mamiko-san?"Shinichi joked.

Ishibashi Mamiko is the head founder of Teitan Elementary's journalism club. The club itself hasn't been doing well in recent months among the members there, due to the limitations, the school itself was imposing on their members. Rules like 'stories cannot be scandalous', 'stories that can damage or ruin the reputation of other children, and all sorts of stupid rules are enough to make the stories published daily 'boring'.

Because of this ruling, Mamiko's club is the only one in school to have the least member of 3 kids in total. Then Tantei Association happened, and finally, there was hope for Mamiko.

Hope as in the opportunity to lure more members into her club.

You see when you have a questionable talented girl like Kudo Ranran running a detective agency with her former enemy, Kudo Shinichi, that story does intrigue everyone in school. Especially Ishibashi Mamiko. Digging the origin as to how might that have happened would do good for her failing club.

Sure, the rules are tight, but as much as she was warned not to write about kids in a bad light, it didn't mean she couldn't write about the kids in their school regardless.

So she did what any budding journalist would do, try to pry anything out from any source. But as she soon learn, Ranran remained silent with her stiff upper lip while Shinichi remained as he is. Even the 5 members refused to utter a word. After all, Mamiko's face had ambition written all over her face.

Considering what she had been doing during the test trial of the student head council such as embezzling money, it was clear cut she could not be trusted at all.

"Though, I see no reason for it, seeing as you both are considered great detectives, I am surprised that Shinichi has yet to become Sherlock while Ranran becomes Watson, neh?" Mamiko flashed a smile in Ranran's direction as if she was taunting Ranran through Shinichi's inferiority.

Cause that is what Mamiko is good at Stirring the pot while it is hot.

But Shinichi laughs darkly, "At least it's better than becoming some whiny Johan Jameson who could barely keep her daily bugle afloat."

Ouch!

The words Shinichi spoke cut Mamiko deep, making her resent the two even more.

"You know, if you both weren't born with a diamond spoon in both of your mouths, you wouldn't even get as far as you are now. As a matter of fact, "Mamiko tries to bruise their ego even further, "You both could've just asked both of your families for the money to improvise those facilities you both earned through this school. Yet here you both are, robbing the unfortunate kids because of the headstart you are both blessed with."

As mentioned before, the clubs in Teitan Elementary works did not have a proper permanent position unlike other schools normally do. Every club within the school premises has to earn their right to stay rather than being given a permanent position in this school for life. Of course, it can't just be judged based on how many members have to join alone. After all, it could be a coincidence that the amount of students within this school has a huge passion for drawing than martial arts, no, judging the number of students who have such an interest wasn't fair.

This is where the performance score that every teacher is assigned to judge. For performance, they normally judge based on the club's circumstances.

Say, for example, the art club is assigned to compete in some random art competition. If most of the students there are given second place, it is acceptable. But below the top 3 however, the school will shut it down without hesitation.

Thinking of this, you can't help but wonder 'Why is Teitan Elementary so harsh on its students?'

Well, there be times some schools have limited funding on financing the resources and facilities to certain clubs. This school so happens to be enduring these unfortunate circumstances. The better the performance, the better facilities you gain for your club.

And lately, the establishment of the latest club (or association as Shinichi says it in English), has been causing problems to the other clubs, due to the fact the performance is doing 80 percent better than everyone else's club, let alone, 'robbing' every chance of the best facilities that is aiding Tantei association for the better.

Tantei association's performance is judged through the number of cases they received, along with the cases they managed to solve. With the eccentric Kudo Ranran who couldn't care less about the rules and a smart intelligent Kudo Shinichi, you can be certain it would be a matter of time before the other clubs shut down due to their strong performances.

"Mamiko, who knew you are the type to be particular over one's family background?"Ranran chuckled, unaffected by the head journalist's comments, "Is that why you decided to reward yourself with the money you stole to make up for 'that ugly family background' you lied about before trying to become head student council?"

Mamiko's eyes then turned hard at Ranran's witty comments, "Kudo Ranran," she began quietly, voice harsh and unfeeling. "You better watch your damn mouth!"

"You are never careful with yours, why should she be careful with hers? Also, "Shinichi grins widely before sneering at the ambitious little girl," She is born with a mouth, she has the right to speak whatever she wants."

"Kudo Shinichi!"Mamiko stomped like an angry hot-tempered horse in Ranran's opinion.

"Well, let's enter the office, Shinichi."Ranran and Shinichi exchanged smiles before entering the office and kicking the emptied paint aside, leaving the angry journalist to simmer on her own while muttering to herself.

"Just you wait, Kudo Ranran. You are going to PAY!"The ambitious little girl declared.

................

Once more, the members of the Tantei Association later gathered to hear what Michio and Junko had to say on their witness account.

Mouri Ran was in charge of keeping the criminal records. Her collection of bulging box files was stacked on a shelf. Photographs of sinister criminals stared down from the wall behind her desk. The central desk that everyone shared was an old wooden table. Ranran sat at the side alongside Shinichi.

"You two might be on to something, "Ranran announced, "I doubt it is as simple as that."

"Well, my art club although has recently taken me back in and gave me tons of assignments, I am still bored after finishing their assignments," Emiko grinned. "We need a case to work on."

"So what's the scoop?" demanded Takuma leaning back in his chair, his feet resting on his big box of special detective equipment. Ever since he'd met his girlfriend, Reina, he had taken wearing oversized hoodies over his favourite bag shorts.

As Junko described the encounter with the bleeding man and the blue-eyed incorporative man at the shopping mall, she too opened her case files and careful jot down the notes.

"Tell us more about the man who was injured," Emiko asked, making plans onto sketching the said suspect later on, "Was he young or old?"

"Old," said Junko, "At least in his 40's."

"Did he look loaded?"Takuma wanted to know, "Maybe he was being robbed?"

Michio fielded that question carefully. "It was hard to say because his clothes were badly torn, and he was very scared. But I'd say no, he wasn't a rich man or a businessman."He shook his head at him.

Junko agreed. "He just looked ordinary, just like us," she added.

"Did he say anything before he went missing?" probed Shinichi, pen poised.

"I don't think he could even speak a shred of Japanese," Junko replied, before remembering, "But I remembered he said this word. He said 'Rajah'. "

Ranran looked up, startled. "That's an Indian word."

"It is?"Takuma asked.

"Yes, it is. A Rajah as in rulers, like a king or a prince. I learn it through watching this documentary," Ranran frowned. "But then it could also be referring to someone's name, shortened to just Rajah."

"Does this make him officially an Indian?"Ran figures.

"He ain't dark-skinned tone Indian if you are wondering, "Michio commented.

"Not all Indians are dark-skinned, that'll be a stereotype view."Takuma pouted at that thought.

"Whatever language he knows, I wish I could have spoken to him."Ranran frowned, "It wouldn't be as confusing as it is now."

"If he was speaking Tamil, would you have understood what he was saying, Ranran?"Junko asked.

"Not really, but she can speak other languages," Shinichi said, as he recalled the time he turned stunned when Ranran spoke to a man from Welsh in one of their cases fluently.

"Let's talk about the other man, "Ranran move on to another question as she pressed Michio and Junko, "the one who took him into the car park when he allegedly lied about his friend being drunk, what about him?"

"He was quite....on the large side, "Michio told her, "And for real."

"Large side as in...he is overweight? Or...."Shinichi prompts Michio to remember.

"No, definitely not overweight," Michio insist to the two, "He could've been a bodybuilder or a wrestler like the ones on TV. Uh.....right!"He snapped his finger," He also had blonde hair, age-wise younger than the missing man, and very well dressed. In a suit."

Junko grimaced. "But his face was like a rock-solid. It was harsh, and he had a sharp nose, and his jaw stuck out like Superman's."

"And he had very blue eyes," Junko continued, "Pale blue, has this European accent."

"How do you know that? You barely even met a European before!"Takuma doubts Junko's witness account.

"For your information, I watch a lot of those European dramas, I know when I hear one speaks. But then...I'd say he was German. Oh yeah," She leaned forward, "He even tell us to forget what we'd seen."

"Why would he say such a thing?"Takuma flicked him a disappointed look, "It ain't like you saw him hit the other man, deshou?"

"No, we didn't."Junko shook her head admittingly.

"Also, he lied about him being drunk and hurting himself."Michio insists, "There was no smell of alcohol when I approached him."

"Why would one lie about this?"Ran hums.

"Right?"Junko thinks before she ponders about this, "I felt the whole interaction odd."

"I agree, "Michio had to agree.

"Speculation point of view, if the big man hit the older man somewhere else while making his attempt to escape, that would've made sense, right?"Shinichi's words began to stir everyone's attention to him.

"Eh? Then Shinichi, are you saying that the big man kidnapped the wounded man?"Junko was so shocked that her round glasses almost slid off her nose she pushed them back hurriedly."But if that is the case, kidnapping is a very serious crime. I think we should tell Sergeant Genzo."

"We can, but we need to have evidence."Ranran nodded to them before probing, "Did you have footage? Either of you?"

"No." Junko admitted in disappointment, "It happened so fast, we were not expecting it."

"Did the victim at least say that he was being chased by him?"Emiko asked.

"No, to be exact, he seems very...groggy and slurred." Michio shook his head." Also, the victim himself didn't even say he inflicted injury on him. Worst, we don't have any real evidence to prove to Genzo of his identity. If we know who he is, at least it wouldn't have caused so many problems."

"I am pretty sure we can, why not get the CCTV footage there?"Junko pointed out, "After all, shopping malls have CCTV footage."

"We will talk about it if we can obtain it in the first place. But for now, I think we should start our investigation first and then let him know when we're sure something criminal is happening."Shinichi suggested.

"But, Kudo, if it's a legit kidnapping, every minute counts for the victim!" argued Junko, "What if Sergeant working on the case already? Our information could've given him a breakthrough and he would eventually be saved!"

"I agree regarding what Junko has to say," Ran jumped up"If what you two said is true over the man who was bleeding felt scared, we have to give it to Genzo."

"True, but what if he is a criminal?"

"Eh?!"All of their heads turned to Ranran, as she spoke, "What if both of them are criminals? Both the alleged kidnapper and victim?"Ranran suggested, "It could be a particular feud between criminals the same way as Watanabe, The Crows and The Snake."

"You have a point, Ranran! If we do that, then he probably ends up dead regardless of whether we give it to Genzo or not."Michio agreed, not noticing Junko's angry sigh and twitching cheek as the secretary realized Ranran may have a point on this fact. Criminals don't always have the best receiving end on a stick.

Takuma got to his feet and paced to the window, "The best clue we have so far is what the wounded man said."

"That word 'Rajah', right?"Ran said.

"Yes," Takuma nodded, "That one word I've got a feeling it's the key to the whole mystery."

"But even as Takuma said that is the case," Emiko shrugged, "It could mean so many things." She frowned, deep in thought.

"Somebody's name or a royal title, or even the name of a restaurant or a club. It doesn't give us much to go on..."Shinichi tapped the end of his pen on her teeth.

'Well, it's better than nothing. Why not we do a computer search and see what we come up with?"Michio suggests.

"That is a good idea," Ranran nodded, before turning to Emiko, "Emiko, I suggest this. Why not you work with Michio and Junko regarding the identikit picture of the blue-eyed man?"

"What is identikit as Ranran said?"Ran asked Shinichi.

"Identikit is a drawing of a person base on the description of witnesses, Ran."Shinichi explained to his childhood friend, "All Emiko needs to do is draw accordingly what Junko describes the man to look like."

"I see."Ran nodded as if she understood.

"I can try, but Michio and Junko must remember what he looked like."Emiko sighs before she reached into her bag for her sketchpad and pencils. She always brought them with her to headquarters since her reinstatement from her art club.

"While you happen to do so, Ran and Takuma, use the Ipad Pro I brought for the association recently to look up and see what you can find about this 'Rajah' thing, "Ranran spoke to Ran and Takuma about her orders.

"Wait, since when does our association have an expensive tablet?"Junko couldn't help but wonder.

"Since yesterday."Shinichi grinned.

"And where did you both get it?"Junko couldn't help but become more puzzled than ever, "You ain't the type to splurge money on expensive devices."

"We earned it. It's compensation for our recently triggered alarm system this morning."Ranran responded in a mischievous tone, resulting in the other members being puzzled by her words.

Meanwhile, at the Journalist club, a little girl could be heard screaming angrily, "What do you mean the Head student council declared that the Ipad we applied for should end up in the hands Tantei Association!?"

"While you guys are doing so, Ranran and I be heading over to the shopping mall and exploring the car park. There might be some bloodstains we could check out or maybe somebody will remember seeing those men."Shinichi announced.

Michio meanwhile stretched like a contented cat. "Isn't it fantastic to have another case to crack?!"

"Majima is really into becoming a daredevil, huh?"Junko mused and so did the others.

...........................

"Keep on the hat."

Ranran sighed as Shinichi rode on the motorbike with her in the sidecar, she was holding onto the paperboy hat in the sidecar as the wind drift past them on the main road while heading to the mall where Michio and Junko earlier headed to.

However, there was a bit of a setback as that would mean having to wait till class ended at the noon to go check. Initially, both Ranran and Shinichi wanted to check immediately, but classes and unsupportive adults were in the way of their investigation, as that would mean skipping school.

Even so, Ranran insists to her apprentice: "The more time we lose, the more evidence would vanish into thin air."

So Shinichi did the unthinkable: He gave Ranran permission to scheme the unexpected to have school end abruptly as possible. After all, he did not want his mother to come home to receive a call that states her only son had skipped school to be with Ranran to solve a case, possibly involving a man who escaped from his kidnapper.

However, he did not think Ranran would resort to burning down the school with fire to be exact.

Jesus, that girl could've committed arson!

"Holmes wore a deerstalker-"But Shinichi cut Ranran off.

"I don't care, unfortunately, the designer we requested was unable to customise the deerstalker hat quality we wanted, so while they look for another, we are stuck with the paperboy hat temporarily. Mind you, that hat isn't cheap. If you lose it, I ain't paying it."

Fortunately, Ranran did as he requested, but she wasn't through.

"Don't get me wrong, but this is modern society. Who wears this during an investigation or even during a normal outing? If it was the victorian era, I would've understood. Us wearing this openly be like two sitting ducks for criminals or even The Snake to recognize us and kill us one go!"

Shinichi could endure Ranran's rants, as long as she wears this as well, "And remember to wear the mary jane shoes."

"It doesn't feel comfortable."She sees her shoes in the compartment.

"You know you just been officially diagnosed with a flat foot if you choose to not wear it, therefore, you have to wear those soles added into the shoes. Otherwise, if you do end up with back pain as an adult, don't blame me because you choose not to wear it. Ok?"Ranran appeared to truly think things through before finally submitting to Shinichi's request."Also, what were you thinking, burning down the entire school!" he blasted his anger at her while his eyes are on the road, "Do you know you could've gone to jail!?"

"Legally no, kids as young as 6 can't go to jail in Japan if they commit such crimes, let alone, murder."Ranran pointed out through her knowledge of the laws, before adding, "Also, may I remind you, I only used a gum wrapper to connect both sides of the triple-A battery before using a pen to set the smoke alarm off the school."

"Yeah, but still..."

"Unless you can come up with a better idea, Shinichi, don't argue."She gave loud sigh and got out of the sidecar. Shinichi joined her, with his slight amusement onto her before he decides to focus on the case at hand.

Ranran and Shinichi pushed open the side door of the shopping mall and looked around before locating the lift that led them to the car park. The car park stairs faced them across a small square of concrete that reflected the dawning afternoon light.

"This must be where Majima and Fuyuko saw the men."Shinichi squinted, shielding his eyes against the glare while trying to absorb the surroundings of the scene, even looking up to see if there were any CCTV. Oddly, the area they stood does not cover.

Ranran knelt on the ground and examined three small stains. "Look, there is blood," she pointed out.

"And there's more over here," Shinichi called, staring at two neat, red drops by the entrance to the car park.

"I'll find more down between those stairs."Ranran reached into her pocket for a torch.

They inched down the dark stairs. Daylight filtered in faintly through a vent. She then swung her wristwatch torch from side to side. "There's another blood drop," she announced when they were halfway down. The air became rich with exhaust fumes. At the bottom of the stairs, they found another small splash of blood.

"From the looks of things," Shinichi scanned the sea of parked cars. "They could've gone anywhere from here."

Ranran edged forward, her torch flashing over the greasy, oil-stained concrete. The trail of blood seemed to have stopped."Maybe the large man's car was parked near the stairs," she wondered aloud.

"Could be," nodded Shinichi, rubbing his chin again, "Or maybe the big man used a bandage to stop the bleeding. Maybe he thought they were leaving too many kidnapping evidence behind.''

Suddenly he froze. Her torch had revealed a small pool of blood. The two Kudos bent closer to examine it.

"This must be the exact location on where it happened, "Ranran said excitedly, "There's more blood here than anywhere else."

Shinichi thought about it. "So if we were to speculate, the old man got whacked here, tried to escape from his captor by running up the stairs, and that's when he met Michio and Junko," he said. "Then the big man followed him up, caught him, and dragged him back down again."

"And then the old man was dumped in a car and driven away. But why?"Ranran stared at the blood, as though willing it to answer her question.

"It is likely he tried to kidnap him here incognito, beat him up but he fled up here. Then the kidnapper manages to catch up with him and caught him back. But....what I don't understand is why even after he was dragged all the way back to the car park, he didn't scream or yell. Surely one would, especially in a car park where anyone's who scream would attract the attention of many?" Shinichi gripped her arm. "Unless," he swallowed, "unless his body is still down here somewhere."

"Body..."Ranran mused at that thought, "If that is the case, get Michio to contact Genzo on the spot."

And that was when Shinichi gave a shout of alarm. Someone had grabbed his shoulder and started to shake him.

"Hey kid," demanded a gruff voice. "What do you think you're doing?"