𝐁𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐋𝐄 𝐒𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐒

file 007 | worst nightmare imagined

The Kudo shut her mouth with an audible click, looking put off.

~ — — — ~

"What?!" Kogoro shrieked, slamming his fists onto the table. Ran and Suzume stood off to the side, trying to appear like they weren't listening to the conversation taking place. "Somebody's spying on you?!"

"The furniture's been moved whenever I come home, somebody's been sending me candid photos they took of me, and I've been getting anonymous phone calls every day!" Yoko told him.

Kogoro was enraged. "How dare they!"

"If at all possible, we'd like you to look into it quietly," Yamagishi Eiichi, Yoko's manager, requested, interrupting Kogoro's would-be tirade.

"Who are you?" Kogoro asked blankly, and Suzume slapped a hand onto her forehead.

Yamagishi handed over a card. "I'm Yamagishi, her manager."

Kogoro looked the card over with a raised eyebrow. "Her manager?" He cleared his throat. "Very well. I will investigate as discreetly as possible." He held out some papers and a pen. "I'll need your address and phone number here." She went to fill them out when Kogoro continued. "And if you could autograph this too... Don't forget to write "To Kogoro"..."

Suzume wanted to slam her head into the wall. In fact, she turned to do just that when Ran grabbed her shoulders and spun her back around, holding her in place. Ran knew her a little too well if she could predict what she was going to do with a single action.

"Don't make your headache worse," Ran scolded quietly.

Suzume rolled her eyes. "Your dad's doing that already, thanks."

Kogoro laughed as he escorted Yoko and her manager to the door. "Now that the great detective Mouri Kogoro is on the case, you have nothing to fear!"

"Can we come too?" Ran interrupted, gesturing between her and Suzume, who already had a backpack on her shoulder. "I've always wanted to see a celebrity's home, and Suzume here can be a big help in figuring out who your stalker is."

Kogoro looked like he was going to say no, but Yoko spoke before him. "I did come for both you and Kudo-san's help..."

His attitude made a full 180. "Of course they can come!" He gave them a look. "Just don't get in the way! Got it?!"

Suzume sighed before nodding. Yeah, we'll see how that goes...

Ran gave her a look out of the corner of her eye. Don't make things more difficult for you, Suzume. You know Dad already doesn't like you taking his cases from him.

Suzume rolled her eyes. That is not my fault and you know it. I can't help who comes to me for help.

Ran gave her a hard look that cowed Suzume immediately. Ran grinned and clapped her hands at her win.

Yoko looked at Kogoro. "Does that happen often?"

"Yep." Even Kogoro looked tired after watching the exchange. "Don't try figuring out what they were talking about. No one but them understands that...whatever that is."

~ — — — ~

"So, this is it?!" Kogoro cheered as they stood outside Yoko's apartment building. "This is exactly the kind of place I thought Okino Yo—"

The rest of his words were muffled by Suzume's hand. "Don't get too far ahead of yourself, Kogoro-san," she advised, narrowing her eyes at him. "Do you really think that information should be public knowledge?"