Detective Yoko - The White Dove 『Detective Conan』

Chapter 49 - The photo

  -I hope Ran comes home soon...
   Kogoro had fallen asleep on his desk, totally drunk. He'd fallen asleep between several cans of beer that Yoko was clearing away. Conan was at Agasa's and Ran was at school.
   Once she'd finished tidying up, she headed for her bedroom. She was going to have to keep busy for a while yet.

   An hour passed when Yoko suddenly heard Kogoro shouting.
   Is he on the phone?
   She put down the book she had picked up and went downstairs to the study. The detective was indeed on the phone. At the same time, Conan entered the room.
   -What took you so long..." sighed the young girl.
   -Sorry... my mother was telling me about my father...
   He landed on one of the sofas. He lay down and put a book on his head.
   I could also rest a little...
   She looked around.
   With Kogoro...
   The girl with the glasses ended up on the sofa opposite.

   -It's me, I'm home!
   -Ran-neechan! Welcome back!
   The schoolgirl had just returned. Yoko greeted her. Ran smiled at the girl, then looked around for Conan. She approached him, began to take off his book and then, smiling, his glasses. After that, she didn't move.
   What's the matter with her?
   The girl with the glasses moved closer to the detective's daughter.
   Don't tell me...
   -Ran-neechan, what's for dinner tonight? Yoko asked loudly, waking Conan up.
   -What do you say? Erm... I'll make something to eat straight away! replied the long-haired girl.

   She got up and walked away. The boy woke up at the same moment. The girl who was his improvised sister gave him back his glasses, which were on the coffee table.
   -It looks like I saved your ass..." she sighed.
   -... Thank you... yawned Conan
   -I hope she doesn't have any more doubts...
   -You think too much.

   -Er... forgive me... is this Detective Mouri's office?
   Everyone turned their heads towards the entrance. A woman with short hair stood in front of the door. She was invited to sit down, Ran bringing coffee.
   -It's about my husband who died a week ago.
   -Died? He was murdered? Kogoro inquired.
   -No, I think... it was suicide...
   -Do you think so?
   The customer began to explain the sequence of events. She had left her husband at home, and found him in his workshop, lying dead on the floor, with a bottle containing anicotine. Conan then began to talk about this poison, to be precise. He tried to make up for it in a clumsy way by saying that he had heard about anicotine in Kamen Yaiba. Yoko sighed.

   The lady continued, explaining that she had discovered the body with the three apprentices of her husband, who was a magician.
   -My husband, Tsukumo Motoyasu, was known the world over.
   -I know him! They were talking about him in a TV programme: "The genius of magic dies tragically". Yes, I remember! We went to see his magic show once! We even took a photo with him, I think...
   Ran walked over to the bookcase next to the desk and grabbed a photo album. She opened it, looking for the photo she wanted. Yoko turned her head, a little more interested in what the schoolgirl was doing.
   She found it...
   The girl tried to see. She climbed onto the desk, and managed to catch a glimpse of the photo. Ran as a child, with Shinichi and that magician. The detective's daughter turned her head towards Conan. Yoko climbed down from the desk.
   -Ran-neechan! Can I see the photo? asked the kid in glasses, hoping to change the teenager's mind.
   -Sorry, I can't find it. I must have got it wrong. It's true that you like photos.
   But I did see it...

   Several minutes passed, and the customer talked about her husband's apprentices, the day of his death and the fact that it was her daughter's birthday soon, so she thought suicide was impossible. Then she showed two cards stuck together. Finally, they decided to go to the crime scene. Ran insisted that Conan come along.
   When everyone was at the bottom of the stairs, Yoko pretended to check her pockets before saying she'd forgotten something. She went back into the office and rummaged through her bag, which was propped up against the wall, and Conan's to find the detective's badges and her camera, which she hung around her neck.
   It might come in handy...
   She then quickly grabbed the photo album from the desk to take a photo. Then she went back downstairs.