Chapter: Scotch

Gin eyed the organization's agent suspiciously through the rearview mirror. His clothes were impeccably tidy, his eyes fixed on world events outside the car. Every now and then the eyes twitched with interest when they discovered something special, who knows what. Gin really wanted to know more about his stay. It would be best if he engaged him in conversation.
"So? How is business in America?" Scotch's attention now turned to him.
"Which ones? My personal ones or those of the organization?"
"The organization's, of course." Gin growled.
"Everything perfect.", Replied Scotch, "The Americans X-ray everyone who comes in from the outside. But their anti-terrorism madness does not allow one to suspect a larger anti-state association in their own country. The situation is certainly in our hands . Which is hopefully the same case here in Japan. "Vodka said nothing. But Gin replied: "The local police consist only of sleepyheads and total failures.None of them have any idea that something like us even exists. "Scotch seemed to be satisfied with that. He opened a newspaper that he must have bought at the station. For a while nothing more was said in the Porsche. Then, however, Scotch examined an article very carefully and then asked," What about that strange detective, Kogoro Mori? 'The Sleeping Detective'? It doesn't look particularly intelligent, but it is said to have solved many a case in which the police didn't know what to do next… "" Which isn't a masterpiece either, "interrupted Gin. He continued:" As if we were such an idiot could be dangerous. No, he's a private investigator, as far as I know, he's got other worries. "
"Speaking of dangerous detectives," Scotch asked further, "What happened to this Shinichi Kudo, this student detective whose departure I have recommended you to do?"
"What do you think?", Gin replied, "Of course we have put him out of the picture."
"And how, if I may ask?I used to study the Tokyo obituaries regularly on the Internet, and they never said anything about a Shinichi Kudo. "Gin and vodka looked at each other questioningly.
"Perhaps his old people couldn't cope with his death," replied Vodka, "and therefore didn't have an advertisement printed. In any case, how we killed him, well," he laughed, "we wanted you because you gave us this job , give the honor and let you participate, so to speak, by using the poison that you helped to develop. "There was a loud bang in the car. Gin and vodka looked back. Scotch hit the roof of the car. "WHAT!?!", He called and rubbed his head.
"Yes.", Gin said and frowned, "Should something be wrong?"
"No, no. Not really. And it really killed him?"
"Well, he didn't get drunk from it," remarked Vodka ironically. "We were also curious to see what would happen, but the police were nearby, so we had to leave quickly, he didn't move either."Scotch groaned in the back seat.
"Is there something wrong with that?" Gin asked impatiently.
"No, it's just that the experiments were not yet finished. So we don't exactly know the effects. But if you say he was dead, then he must have been." Gin and vodka didn't ask any further questions .
"Ah," Scotch was still recovering from his thrust, "Now for the sherry thing. Did you notice anything strange about their escape?" "No, not that I know of," Vodka mused with a suspicious look, "although, There was something, yes, of course, the handcuffs we used to tie her up in the basement, they weren't damaged at all. Somehow she must have managed to make her hands, well, it sounds stupid, smaller.
"Mmm, that's all very interesting," Scotch remarked rather plaintively.
"So," said Gin, "we have arrived. They got you an apartment at the very top of this house. I think you have already got the keys." Window was completely in the dark."Yes, that's very good," said Scotch, opening the door.
"Your 'luggage' will be brought in later," said Vodka.
"Yeah, that's all really good," Scotch looked around.
"Oh yes," he looked at the two of them again, "I'll get back to you in ... let's say three days. The whole thing shouldn't take any longer." He slammed the door and went to the front door.
Gin growled and drove off. Scotch disappeared into the entrance of the house.
"Three days? Do you think it really doesn't take longer?" Vodka asked after a while.
"Could be." Said Gin, "he may be a bit strange, but you shouldn't underestimate him, that could be particularly dangerous in his case."
"Do you think so?"
"I don't mean that, I know that."
"How so?"
"Within the organization he is treated as a 'double network', so to speak. Whenever there is a problem somewhere where the others fail, the top management sends HIM to clear the ship."
"Well, if that's really the case," said Vodka, "then you must be really scared about your sherry."But gin said nothing.

Conan yawned. Another elementary school day had passed. He had once again shown 'great achievements', as the teacher had put it, by having mastered the multiplication tables perfectly (how could it be otherwise, since he had been further into the material for ten years). Now he was just before the Mori detective agency. And the old game again: pure and play the little 'smart ass', as Kogoro used to call him. He went up the stairs. From inside he heard loud hoots. When he opened the door, a victory hymn, composed by Kogoro Mori himself, came towards him, the verses of which were twisted into the unrecognizable by a few per mille. 'The sleeping detective' felt like anything but sleeping. He was sitting at the table in the living room and was just hacking another bottle of sake. Ran just came out of the kitchen. "Dad, don't drink so much! You know what that ends in. You fall asleep drunk and cannot be reached for the next twelve hours.“But Kogoro didn't give up.” Oh, don't be like that, Mausebein! You don't get big and public praise in the press every day! Besides, what was the saying? One should celebrate the festivals as they fall. And wherever they fall, there they lie! "
"I think there is someone else lying here ..." Conan remarked quietly. Kogoro turned around. "Eh, there is the little bug! Did you say something?"
"Nöööö!"
"Well, today I don't want to be like that. Because today I was named the best detective in Tokyo." A shine shone in Kogoro's face that seemed out of this world.
"Chosen? By whom?" Asked Conan.
"Here, read it for yourself! It's in the newspaper, in the newspaper!", Kogoro shouted, waving a newspaper in front of Conan's face. Conan grabbed this and started reading:
"Tokyo has a new genius when it comes to solving tricky cases that even the best commissioners surrender to. Kogoro Mori, the so-called sleeping detective.The former police officer, who resigned from work because of a terrible incident, opened a private investigation agency some time ago, but it was not successful for a long time. It was only last year that the new Sherlock Holmes got the chance to put his skills to the test. Since then he has gained more and more fame through numerous cases in which he apparently got stuck, as he successfully solved all incidents and always caught the perpetrator. When polls, the population is certain: Kogoro Mori is the best detective on the east coast! Some experts even count him among the ten most intelligent people in Japan ... "
Well, that's a bit too much of a good thing, Conan thought.
"The writer of this article must be quite an admirer of yours if he left out that you were suspended for being your own wife ..."
"That doesn't matter!" Kogoro snapped irritably and tore the newspaper away from him.
"But look at the last sentence!One of the ten smartest Japanese! "Then Japan should have sunk very deep, Conan thought cynically.
"I'll have another drink on that! Ran! Bring me another bottle of sake!", Kogoro shouted.
"You can get it yourself!" Replied Ran; "I still have to go to the library. Sonoko and I have arranged to meet there to do our homework. Conan, would you like to come with us?" Ran quickly grabbed her bag and together they went out. For a while they walked down the street without saying anything. Conan looked at Ran. If he can't tell her the truth, then there's one thing he wanted to know.
"You, Ran?" He asked.
"Yes, Conan?"
"Tell me, have you heard from Shinichi again?"
"No, not since that evening in the restaurant," she said surprisingly calmly.
"Aren't you mad about it at all, are you?"
"Oh you know," Ran began, "I trust Shinichi. I'm sure he has a good reason for all of this.Of course, it's strange that he's gone all the time. But now I've learned to wait. I know Shinichi, he will definitely come back. "Conan's heart fell from a stone.
"Phew, well then that's fine." Suddenly Ran had leaned down to him and looked at him with narrow eyes.
"Why did you want to know? Did he get in touch with you, or what? I warn you, no matter what it is, I'll get it out! So tell me right away if you have something to hide!" Conan blushed.
"No, no, he didn't. I was only worried about you because you've looked so sad lately."
"Oh, really?", Ran asked much more friendly, "That's nice of you, Conan. Come on, let me push you!"
"No, please don't! Ran, aahhh! Please don't so hard, you're strangling me!"

Together they sat at a table in the library with Sonoko. While Ran was brooding over a pile of specialist social science books, Sonoko was engrossed in a crime thriller.Ran looked at her questioningly.
"Tell me, Sonoko. How long have you been reading?"
"Well," replied Sonoko, "I actually don't either. But this book is really tough! It's the exciting story of an incredibly clever detective who can solve almost any case ..."
"Looks familiar to me.", Ran said and smiled.
"... and get all the women out in the process."
"HOW!?!", Ran shouted in horror.
"Ha ha, tricked! Of course not. The detective in the book doesn't care about women. He works with new mathematical methods and