Moonlight Magician

Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Shinichi flinched as the metal of the stethoscope touched her chest.

"Did that hurt?", Haibara asked, frowning at her.

"No, it was just cold." Shinichi allowed her gaze to wander as the miniature scientist listened to her heartbeat. Haibara was insisting on her coming over to regular checkups every few weeks or so, to check that her body was in working order after being cured.

"You're all good", said Haibara, leaning back and putting the stethoscope away.

Shinichi pulled down her shirt. "Thanks."

"By the way", Haibara began slyly, "your little thief came here yesterday."

Shinichi paused in the act of opening her bag. "He did? Why?"

"He was asking about a certain child named Christie Edogawa." She turned towards Shinichi and widened her eyes meaningfully. "I know her, but not where she is. Does the name ring any bells?"

Shinichi looked at her. "I knew one once. But she's long gone by now."

"Do you know where? He seemed worried for her."

"I haven't a clue. She told me one day that she would be leaving, then vanished."

A wicked gleam entered Haibara's eyes. She smirked at Shinichi. "Maybe she's dead."

Shinichi glared at her. "No, I'm certain she isn't. She's just had a very radical image change."

As they spoke, Haibara led her across the room and pointed out a black speck high up on the wall. She carefully pulled it down and studied, smiling. Then, she stuck two fingers in her mouth and gave a piercing whistle down it. She dropped it on the floor and Haibara crushed it beneath her foot.

"Was that the only one?", Shinichi said quietly, scanning the room for any other listening devices.

"I got all the others", Haibara said, picking bits of metal out of her slipper. "Such obvious places."

Shinichi laughed. "Only to you and me."

They both looked down at the mashed listening device.

"Would you like some cake?", Haibara asked finally. "And you can tell me about your encounters with that elusive thief."

"Okay", said Shinichi.

===

Kaito toppled out of his chair and onto the floor as an ear-splitting squee screeched down his earpiece. He wrestled it out and glared at it as the sound stopped.

"Kaito!", Aoko hissed. "Get up! Everybody's looking at you!"

Kaito looked up to see that the whole class was indeed looking at him. He smiled apologetically as he slid back into his seat. "Sorry, my, er... elbow slipped."

The teacher looked at him distrustfully. "Make sure it doesn't happen again."

As the class turned back towards the front, Kaito grimaced and rubbed his aching ear. Either the bug had malfunctioned, or someone had found it. He wouldn't put it past Shinichi to have found it and destroyed it or something. He would have to check on it later.

But first, there was a little something he had to drop off...

===

Several hours later, KID found himself prowling the Kudo mansion in the fast-fading sunlight, looking for Shinichi's bedroom. Not, neccessarily, to do anything weird, but to return the clothes he had taken from her at the last heist and put them somewhere they wouldn't be overlooked.