Traveling back thirty years to Conan, intercepting Princess Eri

“There’s a footprint here,” Lin Xiu stood up and pointed to the location where the footprint was found. “Although it’s blurry and only the first half is visible, judging from the direction and location, it’s very likely that someone left it when they climbed over from the balcony of 602 to 603.”

“Mito Hayato…” Maeda Yoto immediately thought of the suspect living in 602. “It’s entirely possible that while my father and Minamino Momoko… uh, were in their room, or perhaps beforehand, he climbed over from his own balcony and secretly tampered with the railing of 603! That way, when they came out to watch the fireworks that night…”

“What a pity,” Maeda Yoto sighed, squatted down to examine the footprint closely, and then shook his head in disappointment. “The footprint is too incomplete. Not only can the pattern on the sole of the shoe not be seen, but the size is also difficult to determine accurately. If there were a clear footprint, and compared with the shoes in his room, we could confirm Mito Hayato’s suspicion.”

“Even if there are relatively clear footprints, it doesn’t mean you can be convicted.” Takeshi Ikenami walked over. “Mito Hayato can easily argue that he climbed over the balcony to spy on his father and stepmother’s private life to satisfy some kind of twisted psychology.”

"Or, as he just 'confessed,' it was for a secret rendezvous with Minamino Momoko."

"While this is unethical and may even involve other issues, it does not directly prove that he is the murderer who cut the railing."

“To convict him, we need more direct evidence, such as finding the tools he used to cut the railings, which have his fingerprints on them.”

"Or, there are eyewitnesses who saw him committing the vandalism; or, trace evidence that matches the cut marks and paint on the railings is found in his room or on his clothes."

"Detectives only need to find evidence and identify the suspect, but the police need to ensure the integrity of the chain of evidence."

Takeshi Ikenami's last sentence was clearly intended to teach the group a lesson.

"Let's check out room 602 next door. Maybe we can find tools or other clues," Lin Xiuyi suggested, standing up.

Everyone agreed and left the balcony to go next door to investigate.

Just then, Ono Kayoko, who had been standing silently at the back of the crowd, her face still somewhat pale, seemingly not yet fully recovered from the shock of what had happened downstairs, suddenly let out a low cry of pain: "Ah!"

Because she was distracted, she didn't pay attention to her footing and accidentally stepped on a silk nightgown that was lying on the ground when she turned around.

The smooth fabric made her slip, and her ankle twisted outwards!
A sharp pain shot through her, and the girl instantly lost her balance, about to fall backward!
In a panic, Ono Kayoko instinctively reached out to grab the side, trying to steady herself.

Right next to her was another intact wooden railing located in the corner of the balcony entrance.

She gripped the railing tightly with her palms, trying to use the leverage to stand up straight.

The next moment, a sudden change occurred!

A crisp "crack" sound rang out, followed by a heart-stopping cracking sound!

The seemingly sturdy and intact wooden railing snapped at its base, even though Ono Kayoko wasn't gripping it very tightly!

"careful!"

Konoe Daishi has been keeping a close eye on Ono Kayoko.

The instant the girl's body tilted outwards along with the broken railing, he rushed forward and pulled her back with all his might.

Ono Kayoko stumbled and fell into Konoe Daishi's arms. The two fell backward to the ground together, but at least they avoided the fate of falling from the building.

The broken section of railing fell at high speed from the sixth floor, crashing heavily onto the open ground in front of the hotel below, which had already been cordoned off by the police, and shattered into pieces.

A commotion and gasps erupted from downstairs. Fortunately, the police were prepared and cleared the area below; otherwise, the consequences could have been disastrous.

Everyone on the balcony, including the experienced Takeshi Ikenami and the calm Hideaki Hayashi and Heizo Hattori, was stunned.

Ono Kayoko was helped to her feet by Konoe Taisho. Her face was ashen. She stared at the empty corner of the balcony, now just a base, and her voice trembled as she asked, "W-what happened? This... how come this is also..."

Lin Xiuyi was the first to react. He quickly rushed to the broken railing base and squatted down to examine it carefully.

"Just like over there! The base of this railing also shows signs of being cut with tools! Most of it was cut off, leaving only a small piece of wood to connect it, so it breaks with the slightest touch!"

"They even tampered with another railing?" Kogoro Mori's eyes widened. "The culprit... did they really tamper with both railings to ensure that Shinzo Mito and Momoko Minamino would definitely fall from the building?"

“No.” Hattori Heizo immediately shook his head, rejecting this simple conjecture.

He walked to the center of the balcony, his gaze shifting back and forth between the two broken railings, his brow furrowed.

"If the killer's goal was to ensure that someone on the balcony fell to their death, then the most reasonable approach would have been to tamper with several adjacent railings, or those that people were most likely to lean against, at the same time."

"In this way, no matter where the victim leans, they will be doomed. But look..."

He pointed to the balcony: "The first damaged railing is right in the center of the balcony. The second one, which just broke, is in the innermost corner of the balcony."

"The two structures are not adjacent; there is an intact railing in between. Why would the murderer destroy them at an interval? This doesn't make sense in ensuring a fall."

Lin Xiuyi also frowned; this was indeed illogical.

If the murderer wanted to create the illusion of an accidental fall, breaking one railing would have been enough. Even if they were worried about failing, they should have broken an adjacent railing instead of breaking them in sections.

There must be something they didn't consider.

"Let's go check out 602 first." Hattori Heizo's gaze swept over Ono Kayoko, whose face was pale.

The terrifying scene of the balcony railing breaking was still vivid in his mind. Although the girl's lingering fear was genuine, a momentary pause made him feel a little doubtful.

“I’ll take her downstairs to rest and get her sprained ankle treated,” Konoe Daishi suggested.

Ono Kayoko didn't look at him, but silently nodded, letting Konoe Daishi support her arm, and walked out of room 603 step by step with slightly unsteady steps.

Hattori Heizo's gaze followed the two figures that gradually disappeared through the doorway, his brows furrowing almost imperceptibly.

When did these two become so close?

"What's wrong?" Lin Xiuyi asked curiously.

"...It's nothing," Hattori Heizo shook his head, temporarily suppressing his doubts, and walked towards the next room. "Let's go to 602." (End of Chapter)