In Detective Conan: Intercepting Miwako Sato at the Start

Page 37

Inside the office, Sato Miwako had ended the emergency call. She quickly put away her phone, her gaze sweeping over the secretary who was being controlled by Takada Yuki, before finally settling on Tanaka Junichi, who had completely broken down.

A dark, rapidly expanding wet patch appeared in the crotch of his expensive suit trousers—under immense mental stress and fear, he had lost control of his bladder.

A fishy, ​​pungent smell quietly spread through the tense office.

"Bastard thing!"

Kogoro Mouri was furious. He had previously held some professional respect for the commissioning company president, but now he was filled with pure anger and contempt.

He could no longer hold back, and suddenly took a step forward, grabbed Tanaka Junichi's tie, almost lifting him off the ground and throwing him away violently.

"Just for your sordid deeds, to cover up your crimes, you killed Fuyuyama Reihito, and now you want to trap Horikawa Airi to death in that cold warehouse too?!"

"She's still a living, breathing person! You beast!" Kogoro Mori's forehead veins bulged, and his spittle almost landed on Junichi Tanaka's face.

Junichi Tanaka was strangled so badly that his eyes rolled back, and strange hoarse sounds came from his throat. He couldn't even beg for mercy; all that was left was his body convulsing unconsciously.

"Detective Mouri! Calm down!" Although Sato Miwako was equally furious, as a police officer, she had to maintain order.

She stepped forward, suppressing her emotions, and forcefully but restrainedly pulled away Kogoro Mouri's hand to prevent him from doing anything rash in a fit of anger.

"Hand him over to the police! The law will give him the trial he deserves! The most important thing now is to find the bodies of the two men he killed in the warehouse!"

Kogoro Mori, panting heavily, released his grip abruptly.

Junichi Tanaka collapsed back to the ground like a lump of mud, coughing violently, tears and snot streaming down his face. His expensive tie hung askew around his neck, making him look utterly pathetic.

Miwako Sato quickly took out handcuffs from her waist and, with a "click," neatly and efficiently cuffed Junichi Tanaka's hands behind his back.

The cold, metallic touch made Junichi Tanaka shudder.

"Junichi Tanaka, you are under arrest on multiple charges, including murder of Reihito Fuyuyama, illegal detention and attempted murder of Airi Horikawa, and attempt to cover up a major crime!"

Miwako Sato declared clearly and coldly, each word striking Junichi Tanaka's heart like a heavy hammer.

She dragged Tanaka Junichi up from the ground and pinned him against the wall to restrain him.

At the same time, heavy, rapid footsteps approached from outside the office, accompanied by noisy, efficient commands coming from the walkie-talkie.

The backup police force arrived at the scene with astonishing speed.

Several fully armed police officers rushed in first and quickly brought the situation under control.

"Officer Sato! What's the situation at the scene?" the officer in charge quickly asked.

"Suspect Junichi Tanaka has been apprehended! His secretary, Yumi Matsumoto, is suspected of harboring and participating in the case and is being held by Inspector Takada!"

"The key location is the cold storage at the very back of the Sanwa Foods Abandoned Warehouse in Tatsumi-cho, Koto Ward. The victim, Horikawa Airi, is very likely being held captive there. Her condition is unknown, and she urgently needs rescue! The forensic department needs to handle both the office and the warehouse scenes simultaneously!" Sato Miwako spoke rapidly and clearly, assigning tasks in a logical manner.

"Understood! Team One, control the suspect and those involved, and cordon off the scene! Team Two and Team Three, follow me to the warehouse immediately! Ambulances, proceed simultaneously!" The officer in charge issued the orders swiftly and decisively.

Miwako Sato looked at Yuki Takada and Kogoro Mouri: "Inspector Takada, Detective Mouri, the situation at the warehouse is complicated. We need someone familiar with the case to guide us. Let's go there with the support team immediately!"

Yuki Takada handed the still trembling Yumi Matsumoto to the police officers who rushed in, nodded, and said with a serious expression, "Let's go!"

Kogoro Mouri took a deep breath, suppressed his anger, and nodded vigorously: "Let's go! We must rescue that girl!"

The office was in a mess, with only Tanaka Junichi slumped like a rag doll and being held by the police, and Matsumoto Yumi, handcuffed and pale as a ghost.

The air was thick with the despair of the defeated, the stench of crime, and the chilling atmosphere of the police's efficient operation.

Miwako Sato, Yuki Takada, and Kogoro Mori followed closely behind the fully armed assault team, rushing out of the chaotic president's office, heading down the corridor, and towards the elevator.

Downstairs, flashing police lights and roaring engines signaled a convoy of police cars ready for action.

In Tatsumi-cho, Koto Ward, in that forgotten, cold corner by the canal, a life-or-death rescue race against time is about to unfold.

The truth will be finally revealed in the depths of that dark warehouse.

The sirens ripped through the night's tranquility, shattering the oppressive atmosphere of Tokyo. The convoy sped off towards the abandoned warehouse where crime lay hidden.

Ignoring the red lights and traffic jams along the way, all vehicles instinctively made way for this impressive convoy.

The atmosphere inside the car was so heavy it was almost palpable.

Miwako Sato pressed her lips together, her sharp gaze fixed ahead.

Yuki Takada closed his eyes to rest, rapidly reviewing all the clues in his mind to ensure nothing was missed.

The reason he kept quiet about Horikawa Airi's death in the warehouse was because there was still something he couldn't figure out.

The key evidence should be the USB drive possessed by Airi Horikawa and Reiji Fuyuyama.

Only by unlocking the USB drive can the other party be completely convicted.

Kogoro Mori clenched his fists and placed them on his knees, trembling slightly with anger and anxiety. He couldn't believe that Junichi Tanaka was plotting something like this.

The terrible fate that Horikawa Airi might have suffered kept flashing through his mind, and every time he imagined it, his heart ached as if it were being squeezed.

"Faster!" Mori couldn't help but growl at the officer driving the car.

The officer slammed on the gas pedal, and the engine roared even louder.

Koto Ward, Tatsumi-cho, Sanwa Foods Abandoned Warehouse.

Chapter 58 The evidence is conclusive

The convoy came to a stop in the overgrown open space with a screeching sound of brakes.

The enormous abandoned warehouse lies sprawled along the canal, its rusty exterior and broken windows exuding an aura of deathly stillness.

"This is it!" Sato Miwako was the first to push open the door and get out of the car, her movements clean and efficient.

Support police forces acted swiftly, dispersing in a well-trained manner. Some immediately set up cordon lines to seal off the surrounding area, while others, armed with guns, vigilantly escorted key personnel as they rushed toward the warehouse gate.

The warehouse door was ajar, with a heavy iron chain and a broken padlock lying to the side—clearly signs of Inspector Takada and Kogoro Mori forcibly entering earlier.

"The situation inside is unclear, be careful!" the officer in charge whispered the order. Two team members took the lead, pushed open the door, raised their guns, and after confirming that the entrance was safe, they made a hand gesture behind them.

“The cold storage is at the very back!” Yuki Takada whispered, his voice echoing slightly in the vast, empty warehouse.

Everyone filed in.

The interior of the warehouse looked even more dilapidated and gloomy than the exterior. The high ceiling cast dim light, and the air was filled with a heavy dust and musty smell. Scattered on the ground were scraps of wood, broken cardboard boxes, and rusty metal parts.

The further you go in, the dimmer the light becomes, and the lower the temperature seems to be; a faint chill seeps into your bones.

"This way!" Kogoro Mori pointed the way, relying on his previous memories.

The team advanced quickly and quietly, with only the slight sound of boots hitting the concrete and the occasional hissing of electricity from walkie-talkies.

Finally, a heavy, insulated silver iron door, seemingly out of place with its surroundings, appeared at the edge of the field of vision.

The door was closed, but there appeared to be new pry marks on the doorknob.

"This is it! The cold storage!" Sato Miwako's heart tightened.

The officer in charge gave a hand signal, and two burly officers stepped forward and tried to push the door open, but it wouldn't budge.

"Is something stuck inside? Or is it locked?" an officer frowned.

"Miss Airi! Airi Horikawa! Are you in there? Answer us!" Kogoro Mori couldn't help but shout loudly, his voice echoing in the empty warehouse, but only met with deathly silence.

The deathly silence made everyone's hearts sink.

"Make way! Prepare for demolition!" the officer in charge ordered immediately.

"No!" Yuuki Takada immediately stopped her. "A forced explosion could injure the person inside, and if the cooling system is still running weakly, the pressure change caused by breaking down the door could cause secondary injury to her. This door opens inwards, so there's a greater chance she's stuck from the inside. Try using a crowbar to widen the gap!"

The officer thought for a moment and nodded.

Two officers immediately retrieved hydraulic crowbars and door-breaking tools, carefully inserting them into the door crack.

"One, two, three! Push!"

The metallic friction produced a teeth-grinding creak. The crack in the door widened little by little, and a colder, more oppressive air, mixed with some indescribable, suffocating smell, rushed out.

Suddenly, there was a loud "bang," as if something that was blocking the door had been moved or fallen off.

The door suddenly loosened!

"It's open!" the officers shouted, and together they yanked the heavy cold storage door open!

Instantly, an extremely strong cold current, carrying an aura of despair, swept over them, causing everyone at the door to shiver involuntarily.

The beam of the flashlight eagerly pierced into the dark interior of the cold storage.

The light first swept across the empty ground, then settled in a corner.

There was a small, thin figure huddled there, covered in a thin layer of white frost, almost blending into the frozen shelves around him.

She remained motionless, her face deathly pale, her lips purple, and her long eyelashes adorned with ice crystals.

It was none other than Horikawa Airi, who had been missing for a long time!

Her body seemed to have stiffened, with an overturned stool and a half-full bottle of frozen water beside her—something that Tanaka Junichi had "kindly" left behind, but which cruelly prolonged her suffering.

"Miss Airi!" Kogoro Mouri's eyes widened in horror as he prepared to rush in.

"Don't move! Entering such a cold environment is dangerous!" Yuuki Takada grabbed him and shouted behind him, "Medical staff! Quick! Stretchers! Thermal blankets!"

The paramedics, who were already on standby, immediately rushed forward with their equipment.

A doctor quickly crouched down, put on gloves, and very carefully probed for Horikawa Airi's carotid artery.

Time seemed to freeze at this moment.

Everyone held their breath, watching the doctor's movements with bated breath.

A few seconds later, the doctor looked up sharply, a hint of despair in his eyes, and shook his head helplessly: "It's hopeless! There's no breath left!! The body is ice cold! He must have been dead for a short time; there's absolutely no way to treat him!"

"It's hopeless!" These three words instantly filled the hearts of the people in front of them with despair. They were so close, but in the end, it was too late!

Medical staff quickly and professionally placed Horikawa Airi on a stretcher, covered her body with a thick shroud, and began emergency treatment.

"Inspector Takada, this is a USB drive that I took from Airi Horikawa. I think it might help you break through your case!" The doctor took a USB drive out of his hand and handed it to Yuuki Takada.

Watching the stretcher being carried out quickly and smoothly, Migoro Sato breathed a long sigh of relief, but his fists remained clenched.

Yuki Takada's taut jawline relaxed slightly, but his sharp gaze still swept over the interior of the cold storage.

"Officer Sato, Inspector Takada, look here." A forensic officer wearing white gloves pointed to a decomposed, unrecognizable corpse on the inner wall of the cold storage near the ground.

There were several deep, messy scratches there, as if someone had desperately carved them with their fingernails or something hard.

Upon closer inspection, they appeared to be some indeterminate letters and numbers, distorted and blurry, but everyone present instantly understood their meaning—this was the death message left by Fuyuyama Reijin before his death!