Conan and Gin are both my brothers, what's wrong with meeting them once?

Heiji Hattori and Conan chased after them one after the other.

After only a few steps, the woman got into a car and drove off.

Kudo Kazuma caught up from behind: "Didn't catch up, did you? Luckily I took a picture of her, look."

As he spoke, he held his phone screen up in front of the two of them, and the picture showed the license plate number of that car.

"Speaking of which, why did that old lady run away?" Kudo Kazuma tilted his head to look at the two of them. "She didn't run away because she heard me shout. She ran away because she heard Hattori say that the knife pierced the victim's wallet in his pocket and then pierced his chest. There must be some reason, right?"

Conan looked up at Heiji Hattori: "What was that case you mentioned earlier?"

Before long, they all arrived at the Higashijiri Police Station.

Hattori Heiji then explained to everyone that this was the third case, and each time the murderer first strangled the victim, then stabbed the victim's wallet through the chest with a knife, and then stabbed the victim in the chest with the knife.

With her hands supporting her chin, Kazuha asked curiously, "It's always their wallets. Could it be that they've made enemies over money?"

“No, that doesn’t make sense. The first person killed, Hidetoshi Nagao, was a store manager at a supermarket; the second victim, Mrs. Tayo Nishiguchi, was the owner of a small bar; and the person who just fell, Kazuto Noyasu, was a taxi driver.”

"It is unlikely that these people will have any dealings with each other because of money or personal connections."

Kogoro Mouri frowned and asked, "So far, apart from the methods used, these three cases don't seem to have anything in common?"

“That’s right.” Heiji Hattori rested his chin on his hand. “Although the three deceased were born, grew up, went to school, and worked in Osaka, they were in different areas and had nothing in common.”

Kazuma Kudo tilted his head: "Maybe the common thread is in the wallet? Otherwise, why would you have to stab the wallet with a dagger?"

Based on his hypothesis, many people speculated that the common point was likely the driver's license in the wallet.

At that moment, Yusuke Sakata also arrived.

He also discovered a common thread: the first victim had been the secretary of the village councilor, and the third victim had been the driver of the village councilor. By this time, several of his predecessors had already gone to the village councilor's house.

“Officer Sakata, call them and have them check the driver’s licenses of the three deceased and the woman who ran away. Then let’s go to Councilor Goji’s house.”

"Edogawa, your cough seems to have lessened a lot. Would you like to come along?"

Kazuma Kudo stepped forward, blocking most of Heiji Hattori's body: "Okay, let's go together."

"Kazuha knows how to get to our house." Hattori Heiji waved to Kogoro Mouri, Ran, and Kazuha. "You guys go home first."

"Heiji!" Kazuha asked with some concern, "Did you bring that amulet with you?"

"I brought it with me, don't worry."

After the two followed Sakata Yusuke into a new ordinary private car, Sakata Yusuke looked curiously at Hattori Heiji's bulging belly in the rearview mirror: "I've been wanting to ask you this since earlier, Heiji, what's wrong with your belly?"

Kazuma Kudo shrugged: "This guy is abducting children, and I came along as a family member of one of the children."

Amidst Yusuke Sakata's bewildered gaze, Heiji Hattori unzipped his jacket, and Conan emerged. After taking a few deep breaths, Conan glared at his bratty younger brother with annoyance.

Now that you're feeling a little better, you're starting to talk nonsense again, right?

After emerging from Heiji Hattori's clothes, Conan sat down between Heiji Hattori and Kazuma Kudo.

Sakata Yusuke said somewhat awkwardly, "Shouldn't we inform Mr. Mori before this child comes along?"

Conan smiled and said, "It's okay, my brother is with me, and I'll call Uncle Mori in a bit."

Sakata Yusuke felt relieved and told the others that he had found the middle-aged woman's phone number and home address based on her license plate number.

“That person’s name is Sumie Okazaki, 39 years old. She has been living alone in the nearby Saito Apartments since her divorce. Shall we go to her place first?”

"Okay, let's see how she reacts. Maybe she knows something."

Since someone had already gone to Councilor Goji's place, the group discussed it and decided to go to Sumie Okazaki's house first.

While Sakata Yusuke was on the phone with Okazaki Sumie, Conan sidled up to Hattori Heiji and asked, "I wanted to ask you this back at Tsutenkaku Tower. Why were you talking so strangely? You were saying something about how we humans don't know when we'll die..."

Hattori Heiji paused for a moment, then said in a somber tone, "I had a bad dream. Just as I was about to catch the thug, he stabbed me in the back..."

He suddenly pointed at Conan and laughed gleefully, "And that's how you die!"

Conan's eyes immediately narrowed into crescent moons: "Don't kill people randomly!"

Kudo Kazuma raised an eyebrow: "Where did you come from, Mr. Cao? You also kill people in your dreams?"

Heiji Hattori waved his hand: "Oh dear, the one who committed the murder was a criminal, not me!" After saying that, he sighed and looked at Conan seriously, "You'd better be careful."

Before Conan could say anything, Kudo Kazuma reached out and ruffled his hair.

"Don't worry, with me here, I won't let Conan get into trouble."

Just then, Hattori Heiji suddenly exclaimed, "Oh no! We just passed the Xidu Apartments! This road is too congested, and it will take a long time to go around. I think it's faster to run!"

After saying that, he opened the car door, ignored the slowly moving vehicle, and jumped out.

Without saying a word, Conan also rushed out.

Kudo Kazuma cursed under his breath, but had no choice but to follow him out—if he followed this policeman, he probably wouldn't have time to kill anyone.

When they arrived at Sumie Okazaki's house, Heiji Hattori rang the doorbell, while Kazuma Kudo glared at his unlucky older brother with annoyance: "Are you two really not afraid of getting hit by a car?!"

Conan coughed awkwardly, and unusually, didn't say anything.

When no one answered the doorbell, Heiji Hattori tried pressing the doorknob, and the door opened, but the room was empty...

Conan went to look for clues in the room, Heiji Hattori went to call Yusuke Sakata, and only Kazuma Kudo stretched lazily.

He had already vaguely sensed the existence of the spirit...

Sure enough, a terrified scream came from downstairs.

When the three got downstairs, they found Sumie Okazaki strangled to death in the public restroom. There was a dagger that had pierced through her wallet and then her chest...

Kudo Kazuma stepped forward, felt the other person's pulse, and absorbed their spiritual essence in the process.

"He's beyond saving, completely dead. Is this the fourth person to die?"

"Why would she come out when she was just staying at home?"

"And it's the same method again... Who could have done this?"

Kazuma Kudo shrugged.

It seems there are no other victims, so we can probably expose the murderer now, right?