Detective Yoko - The White Dove 『Detective Conan』

Chapter 122 - Smile

   They all looked the same, and the culprit was about to be revealed.
   -Doyle! Where did you find him? asked the animal's master.
   -You'll find out in a few seconds. Ayumi, your turn! announced Conan.
   The clock started ticking again. The dog jumped out of Ai's arms and headed towards the familiar sound. The one that announced the time for his treat.
   -Doyle heard the clock strike and, as usual, headed for the Japanese room to receive his piece of cheese... began the detective.
   -Now, where do you think... Where's Doyle? Yoko finished with a smile.
   -It's obvious! The clock's still ticking... He's waiting for his treat in the Japanese room! It's obvious... exclaimed one of the two women.

   As the group made their way towards the famous Japanese room, the girl with the glasses concentrated on the camera, trying to find the passage where the culprit was visible.
   If I take it from there, that should do it...
   Keeping her object in her hands, she joined her brother in the living room.
   -We recorded the ringing earlier on a cassette and that's what you've just heard. Mitsuhiko explained.
   -We used this recorder
that we found in your room! Genta added.
   -Doyle was attracted by the recorded sound of the clock... Understood Agasa.
   -Not just the sound... We also needed a cushion.

   Kano looked at the bespectacled boy, looking as if he didn't quite understand.
   -You said it yourself. Doyle was still sitting on a blue cushion as he waited for his treat. 'Fin... The colour is just a coincidence, he only took what had his scent on it... Is that right, Conan? Yoko explained.
   -Yes, that's right. Dogs have almost no colour perception. The culprit was able to find out which cushion was the right one thanks to the bites. replied the young detective.
   -But I... Tsunashima-san and I came straight to this room to look for Doyle and we found neither dog nor cushion... Said one of the two women present in the house.
   -What if he's really hidden? asked the brown-haired girl before pointing to the back of the stereo.

   Everyone approached it, looking into the object. Doyle quietly ate his cheese. The former schoolboy explained how he had been lured into this hiding place by the smell of his cushion, and why he hadn't come out when he was called, given that what he had eaten contained a sleeping pill. He also pointed out that the clock was set for midnight and not midday.
   -But... Who could have done such a thing? asked the owner.
   -I filmed it, hiding a camera I'd just bought. I'll let you watch!
   The girl with the glasses passed the object in question to the adults, who quickly turned to the man in the video. The culprit who was looking at the camera. Tsunashima. He had prepared everything in advance, and had set the clock back before anyone noticed. He'd made sure everyone thought Doyle had disappeared, all to get a piece of jewellery off the dog's collar. Conan had found it behind the pendulum, which had caused a malfunction.

   After these revelations, the culprit tried to flee. Arthur and Christie quickly stopped him. Tsunashima could only confess to the reason for the attempted theft, being unable to hit the dogs to escape. He needed money.
   -The number of dogs I breed has increased too much and I needed money to feed them... Most of my dogs are bastards who have been abandoned... no one would buy them... Let them starve to death or have them put down... Those are the only two solutions left...
   -No one will want to buy them because they're not purebred? Not everyone is like that! You're bound to find masters for them, believe me! Besides, cross-breeds can be magnificent, can't they? Yoko tried to reassure her with a smile.
   The culprit didn't reply. Kano, for his part, decided to offer the jewel to the man, to help the dogs.

   A few minutes passed when Agasa decided to return to the question of the shoes by the oven earlier.
   Shoes?
   Conan quickly knew who the culprit was. Arthur, who happened to be taking a pair elsewhere. He got into an argument and took refuge behind Ai. The bespectacled boy explained that he was doing this so that Christie's owner would stay. The latter was planning to follow the animal and the man to London.
   -Silly boy... Nobody's angry any more... Don't worry! reassured the redhead, stroking the animal's head.

   She's...
   A smile lit up Yoko's face at the sight of her friend's face. She immediately jumped into his arms, followed by a "Hurrah" from Genta, Ayumi and Mitsuhiko.
   -We were worried about you! explained the girl with the headshake.  
   -You haven't been in very good shape lately. added the bulk of the group.
   -So we had a chat to try and find a way for you to get better! finished the freckled boy.
   -And you're so much prettier this way! said the former schoolgirl, before feeling uncomfortable with her own words. She didn't know why she'd said that. But in any case, now she was reassured.