Detective Yoko - The White Dove 『Detective Conan』

Chapter 150 - Braille

  Conan had put Kogoro to sleep. The young boy had therefore found out who the criminal was.
   Yoko was placed next to the desk at her brother's request.
   He really takes me for his dog sometimes...
   She sighed. This affair had irritated her but she had to keep calm.
   -Itakura-san was tied to a chair, wrapped in a blanket held together with adhesive run! Someone's stopping her taking her medicine, so tell us who it is! Megure snapped, pointing at the desk.
   In fact, the cause of death was due to medication not being taken. Someone had prevented the victim from taking them, even though he had a heart condition.
   -Indeed... I know that... And Itakura-san told me. Explained the young detective in Kogoro's voice.
   -What is it? Don't tell me you're hearing the voice of the dead now...
   -It's his ankles. You've seen it, keibu-dono, on this one on the right, there's no trace of a sock...

   From there, the former high school student explained that the victim had removed a sock in order to grab, turn and move things. Megure and Takagi's gaze turned to a board containing Go pieces. These counters were Itakura's last message.
   Yoko also turned her gaze towards the tray, standing on tiptoe to see over the desk. But that was all she could do, as the kid in glasses ordered the inspector to take the newspaper and go to the computer.
   He'll do it... Let's hope so.

   So the policeman sat down at the desk.
   -Start the computer! ordered the detective.
   -Shall I... ? Launch it how? Like this? asked the man as he lifted the device.
   The young girl almost laughed. She hadn't expected that.
   Should I be worried though?

   Fortunately for her, Takagi helped Megure to turn on the machine and copy the newspaper. Once this was done, and the computer switched off, Yoko quickly retrieved the disk while the two policemen concentrated on the game of go.
   -What are you doing? Ran shouted from behind the former schoolgirl. You're not doing anything stupid, are you?
   The latter gasped as she turned around. What was she supposed to say?
   -I'm the one who asked her to check the computer keyboard for Braille. Kogoro cut in.
   The two children looked at each other, the girl to thank him for intervening and to indicate that the diskette had been retrieved, the boy to check this last fact.

   The mention of Braille made one of the three customers, Naitō Jōhei, who could read Braille, react. He was thus able to read the last message, which accused Sōma Ryusuke. And the proof was his watch, still bearing the victim's fingerprints. Itakura had touched this recently purchased watch.
   -Go ahead and... Have it examined... You're bound to find fingerprints in several places... confessed the culprit. While he was looking carefully at my watch, I took the opportunity to put a sleeping pill in his glass of wine... He fell asleep and I wrapped him in the blanket...
   He paused for a moment before continuing.
   -That was twenty years ago... He was an unknown games designer and I had just joined a games company... We were young then... We met in a shogi club... We often chatted over a drink... "When we're known in the industry, we'll create a shogi game capable of challenging the greatest". But three days ago, after finally finding out where he was hiding, this is what he said to me... "I've been waiting but you're too late"...

   He took another pause. Yoko took the opportunity to speak.
   -This is not my opinion, and I don't know everything, but... Don't you think that, while he was alive, it was still too late? Or perhaps he had a reason for saying that...
   Ryusuke looked at the girl before coming down to her level.
   -You know, little one... With distance, people's hearts and dreams change... And in life, we sometimes hear ourselves say "Too late"...
   Yoko opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but stopped herself as the man turned to Megure.