Detective Yoko - The White Dove 『Detective Conan』

Chapter 109 - Mermaid Island

   Yoko was enjoying the sea air, more or less listening to Heiji talk. Following the previous case, the high school detective in the west had come to collect the children, Kogoro and Ran from the victim's flat, announcing that the strange woman from Osaka was her mother.
   -Say... What's the name of the island we're going to? asked Kogoro.
   -Bikuni Island. A small isolated island in the Wakasa archipelago. The people there call it Siren Island.
   Siren Island?
   -They say there's an old woman who once ate mermaid flesh. She'd be really old. explained the schoolboy.
   -Ah! I've heard of her! Three years ago, it made a lot of noise: she'd be immortal! Ran said.
   Immortal? But that's totally ridiculous!
   -Yes! That's it! Well, so am I! That's what I came for! Eternal youth and beauty! Kazuha added.
   Oe... You think you're going to be immortal with mermaid ramen?

   Yoko couldn't help but sigh at the girls' excitement. Heiji, for his part, began to explain the case.
   -In a letter, there was only one sentence written with badly formed letters... "The siren is going to kill me, help!
   An unease set in at the word 'kill'.
   -Hey... have you phoned your client to confirm all this? Kogoro finally asked.
   -Yes, I did. At the bottom of the letter was the mobile phone number of the person who sent the letter, Kadowaki Saori. I called her but the first time it cut off as soon as I spoke and then I couldn't get through. But the sound I heard when I phoned is still very fresh in my memory... That woman's trembling voice and the sound of the waves...
   The girl with the glasses just looked at the water. She didn't know what to think, and the story of the call didn't reassure her.

   They had all arrived on the island to find out about Heiji's client at the town hall. There, they learned that she had disappeared on the very day the detective had received the letter.
   It's still worrying... I don't like it...
   -Mr Deputy Mayor! We're off! called a woman
   -Right! I've got to go and make preparations for the party... he announced.
   -A party? Yoko and Kogoro said at the same time.
   -Yes! Today's the day of the Dungong festival, which only takes place once a year! If you want to find out more, go and ask at the souvenir shop where Saori used to work as a seller!
   With that, the mayor left.

   The girl with the glasses turned to the schoolgirls.
   -Ran-neechan, can we go and see the party in question?
   -I don't see why not! What do you think Kazuha-chan?
   -I'm all for it! Heiji, you agree, don't you? asked Osaka's daughter.
   -If you like... he sighed before starting to leave to go to the shop.
   Once there, Yoko looked at the souvenirs on sale. Everything had to do with Sirens.
   We're not on Siren Island for nothing...
   The former high school student looked at the products on sale, even though she wasn't really interested in them, apart from the food. Mermaids had never been something that interested her. And that had never changed.
   Sighing, the little girl waited for Heiji and Kogoro to finish questioning the cashier.
   Maybe I could go and take some photos...
  
   The group went to the home of the friend of the western detective's client. There, a young woman told them about the old lady who had apparently eaten mermaid flesh.
   She was born on the twenty-fourth of June in year two of the Meiji era! She'll be just shy of one hundred and thirty this year! If you look her up in the civil register, you'll see! Everyone's making such a fuss because she's so old...
   But given her age, it's normal for people to make a fuss...
   Yoko sighed with a smile. This mermaid story was unbelievable, and it's a good thing she wasn't the only one who thought so.