As Yukiko continued to explain over the phone, Shinichi was hooked on what went wrong with Peggy's secret marriage.

"In Japan,  there is some sort of taboo for entertainers that if one gets married, their popularity might decline. Which is true, since I had seen many of them lose their careers over this matter."

"I don't understand," Shinichi found himself asking his mother, "How is that a taboo? In Hollywood, it's normal for people to marry, divorce, and remarry anyway. And they still get work."

"Oh, Shin-chan, you have no idea how strict the entertainment industry can be in Japan." Yukiko chuckled dryly.

Shinichi scratched his head, trying to wrap his mind around the concept. "But isn't it the talent and skill that matter the most? Why would getting married affect someone's career?"

"It's about the image, Shin-chan," His mother sighed, the weariness evident in her voice. "Fans in Japan are....what one would say: fickle creatures, you know. They want their beloved entertainers to be untouchable, like ethereal beings floating in a cloud of stardust. A pure fantasy. The moment they tie the knot, it's like the illusion is shattered, and suddenly, they're reminded of reality."

"That's just absurd!" Shinichi let out an exasperated groan, before realizing, "But Peggy is a comedian! She ain't an Idol, or an actress or anything!"

"Comedy maybe her domain, but even comedians are subject to the relentless scrutiny of the public eye. In fact, even if you choose to work as a classical musician like a pianist or violinist in Japan, any talent agency that signs you up will not let you date, because you want to be presented as 'approachable' by their fans."

Shinichi was gobsmacked by the disturbing details of the entertainment world in Japan.

"Anyway, back to the conversation at the bar between the two men, that was exactly what happened to Peggy. When she got recruited, she was forced into this same situation between her marriage and her career at the time. At first, they gave her 3 years to decide. And as you can guess, considering her marriage with him was falling apart because of the constant travel she had to do overseas, she didn't have any hesitation to cut all ties with him before the agency sent her to the U.K since. The moment that actor husband of hers found out through her ex-manager, he sent divorce papers immediately without hesitation. And this obviously reached everyone's ears, including mine. It was the talk of the city, that everyone think she is a heartless opportunist. I mean, she didn't even make an attempt to save her marriage through counselling from what I heard."

"Huh, so far of promising the 'Till death do us apart' vow, no wonder she kept on marrying so many times," Shinichi remarked, his voice tinged with a mix of disbelief and dark amusement. "Why am I not surprised?"

"Shin-chan, she isn't that kind of person who heartlessly ditch love for a life of luxury, you know?" Yukiko sighed sympathetically, her tone heavy with resignation. "She was force to make such a decision because this line of work makes you do things you wouldn't think you are capable of doing, even heartless decisions as well. Anyway, not to get side-tracked," Yukiko cleared her through before she bubbly explained, "After she was sent straight to the U.K, and the marriage between her and that actor fell apart, she dated freely, and then the rest of the 24 divorces followed."

"What was the name of her first ex-husband? The 26th guy?"

"Takashi, Uyehara Takashi."

"Michio," Shinichi put his phone on pause before ordering, "Type out the name Uyehara Takashi, then 'Punch and Judy'. See if there was any lead?"

As Michio diligently typed out the name "Uyehara Takashi" followed by "Punch and Judy" on his computer, Shinichi couldn't help but wonder what bizarre connection they might find. He then remembered the lounge at Peggy's main residence. "Neh, Okaasan, this question about the case may not be relevant, but does Peggy love 'Punch and Judy'?"

"Eh? Why do you ask this question?"

"I was at her luxury lounge earlier while being interrogated, and Ranran noticed that the colour scheme matched the puppet show."

"Well yes, she does. Which is why she and Takashi bonded closely over this matter. They used to go to the events every year during their anniversary."

He imagined a twisted scenario where Takashi, in a fit of rage, joined forces with a gang of rogue puppeteers to seek revenge on Peggy for their failed marriage. It was like a dark puppet show gone wrong, with strings tangled and hearts broken.

However, to Shinichi's disappointment, the search results didn't reveal any direct connection between Takashi and the Punch and Judy show. It seemed like his dark and whimsical fantasy was just that—a figment of his imagination.

Cause the moment Michio entered his name into the search engine, up came dozens of entries, mostly relating to old men of such names. Much to Shinichi's disappointment.

"Just pictures of old men," Michio muttered to himself, feeling a twinge of disappointment. "No puppets, no revenge plots. Just a bunch of old dudes with the same name. What a buzzkill."

Shinichi sighed and rubbed his temples, trying to come up with another lead. The mystery surrounding Peggy's secret marriage was becoming more convoluted by the minute. Maybe there was something else he could search for, something that would unravel this tangled web of deceit and broken dreams.

While Emiko is still sketching the intruder Shinichi had described next to Shinichi, as the blue-eyed boy hung up upon thanking his mother over the phone, Michio scrolled rapidly down through sites about the history of ventriloquism, hoping to stumble upon a clue. His eyes darted across the screen, scanning paragraphs and snippets of information. Suddenly, a peculiar fact caught his attention.

"Huh, Shinichi, who knew here in Japan, there is an event about Punch and Judy!"

"Wait, what?" Shinichi exclaimed, his interest piqued. "An event about Punch and Judy in Japan? That's unexpected."

Michio nodded eagerly, his eyes wide with excitement. "Yeah, apparently there's this annual festival called 'The Puppet Carnival,' and one of the highlights is a Punch and Judy performance. It's held in a small town called Nagatsugawa. People from all over come to watch the show and celebrate the art of puppetry."

Shinichi leaned closer to the screen, his curiosity growing. "Is there a site dedicated to it?"

"Let me check," Soon, a reference to a newspaper article about the event popped up, "So it appears that the event's purpose is to celebrate Mr Punch's birthday every single year," Michio muttered.

Recalling Ranran's narration about Punch and Judy, Emiko who heard of this chuckled darkly, shaking her head in disbelief. "Who would've thought that a character like Punch, a notorious wife-beater, would have an entire festival dedicated to celebrating his birthday?"

"Talk about twisted tastes." Shinichi gave a silent nod to this.

"It's bizarre, right? But people seem to have a strange fascination with these dark and macabre characters. They find humour in the most unsettling things." Michio nodded in agreement, his eyes scanning the article for more information. "Ah," Michio's eyes grew wide at that, "There are even group photos of people dressed accordingly to the colour theme of the event."

"Really?" Shinichi's brows shot up, excitedly he asked, "Is there anyone by the name of Uyehara Takashi?"

Michio's eyes darted across the screen, scanning the group photos of the Puppet Carnival attendees. His finger traced the faces, searching for any sign of Uyehara Takashi. After a moment of intense scrutiny, he noted that there was a list of participants' names and it included Uyehara Takashi. "His name is in there!"

"Then is there a photo of him?" Shinichi probed.

Hardly daring to breathe, Michio opened the page and found a photograph beside the feature. He clicked to enlarge it. Two dozen men stood in a line, each with a Mr Punch on their right hand. And there on the end was a man in a red-and-white striped blazer, with the caption that read Uyehara Takashi.

"Hey, wait a minute. That blazer he is wearing...." As Shinichi took a closer look, his eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Wait a minute," Shinichi murmured, his mind racing. "I've seen this face before. But where?"

Michio tilted his head, studying Shinichi's expression. "You know him?"

"I'm not sure," Shinichi muttered, his thoughts swirling. "There's something familiar about him, but I can't quite put my finger on it. Is this the recent photo?"

"No, it was taken decades ago."Michio sighed, "It seems this photo is from the Puppet Carnival decades ago. Uyehara Takashi was indeed a participant back then."

"Then this is going to be a problem," Shinichi's disappointment was palpable. "If they showed his latest photo instead of his outdated one, at least the cops would know where to look."

"By the way, Shinichi, I am done with the guy you allegedly saw. Do you want to take a look?" Emiko was done with her work.

"Sure, show me what you've got," Shinichi replied, curiosity burning in his eyes.

Then, Emiko handed him the sketch she had been working on, and the sketch depicted a paranoid elderly man in a red-and-white striped blazer.

Suddenly, it struck him in the head as to why the man in the photo looked familiar.

Shinichi's eyes widened as he studied the sketch, then at the outdated photo. "No way, it's him!"

"It's who?" Michio and Emiko exchanged looks, wondering what was with Shinichi's reaction.

"It's him," Shinichi breathed. "The intruder!" Shinichi said, his voice filled with a mix of awe and unease. "This guy... he's the one I saw. The one lurking around Peggy's house."

"EH!?" Both Emiko and Michio exclaimed while they stared at the sketch, and then at the website.

The resemblance was uncanny. The man in the drawing looked eerily similar to the Uyehara Takashi in the photograph from the Puppet Carnival. Meanwhile, Emiko couldn't help but feel a sense of unease creeping over her. The sketch she had drawn seemed to capture the man's essence, his dark presence radiating from the paper. It was as if she had tapped into something beyond her comprehension, something that sent a chill down her spine.

Michio, on the other hand, was torn between excitement and fear. The prospect of solving a mystery was thrilling, but the thought of facing a potential criminal was daunting. Nevertheless, he knew they couldn't turn a blind eye to the truth that was unravelling before them.

As the realization sank in, Shinichi's mind raced with questions. Why was he lurking around her house? After he shared everything he knows about Peggy's secret marriage to Emiko and Takuma, Emiko can't help but ramble, "I don't understand. I mean they divorce decades ago, right? So what would he be doing here? At his ex-wife's place?!"

"I wish I knew," Shinichi muttered, his brows furrowing. "I mean....I have a lot of questions."

"Could it be that he's seeking revenge?" Michio suggests.

"Why now? And why target Peggy after all these years? It doesn't make any sense!" Even Emiko herself can't find the logic of this revenge.

"But there were people on the news who hold on to grudges for many decades and commit the crime later on," Michio argued.

Suddenly, Shinichi remembered the letter, Primrose, the temp secretary of Peggy having mentioned that the deceased comedian received, the address was in Japanese. "No matter how I think of it, it is really strange."

"What is?" The two kids asked in unison.

"I mean...." Shinichi struggled with how he should put this, but he had to put it into words, "I did an Internet search, ok? And she does world tours during her stint as a comedian. For the past several decades since she left, she had never once been reported as having returned to Japan. Aside from the fact that she announced her retirement, that was all everyone knows." Shinichi considered.

"So?" Emiko and Takuma were perplexed as to where was Shinichi heading with this.

"This mansion we are on," He pointed to their surroundings, "We had no idea Peggy lived in this place, right? So how is it possible that her ex-husband, the one she had not spoken in decades, would suddenly know that she had recently moved back to Japan and is living here?"

Shinichi's words hung in the air, and the gravity of the situation settled upon the group.

"Maybe they search online?" Michio figures. "She has her own social media accounts, right? Even did skits in the videos. Perhaps he did an intense investigation by checking the video frame by frame, then figure out where she lived? Some of the skits were after all done at her home."

"I doubt it," Emiko furrowed her brow, deep in thought. "It seems highly unlikely that he would have just stumbled upon this information by chance. And to rely based on the videos and photos she posted....not likely."

"Why not?" Michio pouted.

"Because, Michio," Emiko explained patiently, "if he had discovered her current whereabouts through her videos and photos, he would have most likely reached out to her directly through the phone. It wouldn't make sense for him to resort to such extreme measures as breaking into her house and leaving threatening letters. Also, she is living on the hillside! It wouldn't have been practical for him to do the things he sets out to do. There has to be something more to this."

"Aside from that, even if she knew that her ex-husband Uyehara Takashi is a huge threat, why moved back to Japan after all those years?" Shinichi agreed with Emiko on this point, "She never once set foot back to Japan after becoming more successful in the U.K, so why? It wouldn't make sense to move back to a place where danger lurks around, right?"

"Anyway, considering that he is an old man, and with your theory about him being too old to climb over the wall, with no leaves and scratches onto Takashi, does that still mean it was very likely that it was Peggy's daughter from her 10th's marriage, Aurelia, tipped Mr Takashi off where her mother lived, then sent him the address to settle the score?" Michio strongly suggests, "Cause I could think that is the only way how Takashi may have figured out where Peggy lived. By getting rid of her own mother through her first ex-husband the world has no idea about, she gets to inherit everything! No one would suspect that it was Takashi since her mother never once brought up her name to the press at all!"

"Plus, Peggy was a bit secretive over him, was she not? According to Primrose?" Emiko reminded them.

"I suppose so. But...." Shinichi felt like something is rather off with this theory, "If that were the case, then by right Aurelia wouldn't even have known of Takashi's existence. Also, again, this plan is flawed. Cause don't forget, Aurelia isn't the only child within the Punchard family, there is also the eldest son, Felix. He too will inherit a lot."Shinichi reckoned.

"Neh, do you think Felix is going to be in serious danger?" Michio grew worried, "I mean his half-sister is dead, so he gets to inherit the entire thing."

"I mean considering he is in South America though. He should be safe enough there." Emiko shrugs.

.................................................................

Meanwhile, Ranran, Ran, Takuma and Junko were all over Shinraku Heights, busily trying to interview one person after another.

After Sergeant Genzo's press conference, the TV news had run a story about the Punch and Judy murderer.  The story of the Punch and Judy murderer had captured the attention of the public, and the residents of Shinraku Heights were no exception.

Since Sergeant Genzo was still under manpower, considering that the intruder is still nowhere to be found, he had sent most of them to scour the hillside for any potential witnesses or leads, while some of the men remained back at Peggy Punchard's residence to protect the crime scene, leaving the 4 children to do the interviews.

And honestly, the three of them had to heavily rely on Ranran for one unexpected reason.

"I was honestly shocked, is it true that Miss Peggy was murdered?"

One Caucasian woman can't help but express herself in English, she sounded American, which leaves Takuma, Junko and Ran at a loss on how to respond. Although their schools taught them basic English, their accent made it difficult to interact.

Ranran, being fluent in English, stepped forward to address the woman's question. "Yes, it's true. Peggy Punchard, the famous comedian, was murdered in her own home. It's a shocking and tragic event that has left everyone in disbelief."

The woman nodded, her expression turning sombre. "I can't believe something like this could happen here. Shinraku Heights always seemed like such a safe and peaceful neighbourhood."

Ranran nodded sympathetically. "Yes, it's definitely shaken the community. We're trying to gather information and interview residents to see if anyone saw or heard anything unusual around the time of the incident. Do you live nearby? Did you notice anything out of the ordinary?"

The woman shook her head. "No, I don't live in Shinraku Heights. I'm just visiting a friend who lives here. But I haven't seen or heard anything suspicious."

Honestly, Junko was taken aback that the entire Shinraku Heights inhabitants consist of foreigners, even though this is Japan. How is this even possible? No matter which door they knocked, it was one foreigner after another! It was as if they are not living in Japan at all, but rather, living in Ranran's neighbourhood!

Even the others couldn't help but feel a bit out of place in a neighbourhood filled with foreigners. It seemed unusual for a predominantly foreign community to exist in the heart of Japan.

As the group continued their interviews, they encountered residents from various backgrounds and nationalities. They listened to their accounts and gathered as much information as they could. Some residents expressed shock and disbelief, while others shared their concerns about the safety of the neighbourhood. The community was on edge, and the children could sense the fear and unease that lingered in the air.

One elderly man they spoke to shared his own theory. "I've lived here for years, and I can tell you, this place isn't what it used to be. It's become a hotbed for drama ever since Peggy moved here."

"Was she a terrible person to deal with?" Ranran asked in her mother tongue language.

"No, she is very decent. But as for her daughter, ugh...." The elderly man shook his head in disapproval, "Everytime we head out for lunch with our other friends, she always kept rambling when will that useless daughter of hers finally move out of the damn house!"

Ranran listened attentively, realizing that the elderly man's words echoed Shinichi's suspicions about the mysterious connection between Peggy's secret marriage and the Punch and Judy festival, as he texted through the group chat.

Finally, one of the residents whom they interviewed earlier called out to them. "You might want to talk with this lady. Erin Roberts, she works from across town."

Curious, the group turned their attention to the direction the resident pointed. There, they saw a stout Caucasian woman in her early thirties, with an extraordinarily large flower pinned to her apron, making her way towards them. "Hi, I am Miss Erin," She introduced herself, her accent giving away that she is from Britain, "I worked in a Flower shop not far from here."

The woman then pointed to a nearby flower shop with a colourful sign that read "Blooms & Petals."

"I couldn't help but overhear your conversation with the other residents," Erin continued, her eyes filled with concern. "It's about the man in the striped blazer...I sold him that carnation in his breast pocket a couple of days ago."

"A carnation?" Then Ranran suddenly remembered having witnessed the carnation in the evidence bag shown by Sergeant Genzo, "The red one?"

"Yes, that one," The woman hurriedly nod, "When I saw the sketch of that fella on the TV I swear I almost died!"

The children's eyes widened with excitement as they realized the significance of the information Erin had just shared. Ranran quickly took charge of the conversation, her curiosity piqued. "You're saying you sold a red carnation to the man in the striped blazer a couple of days ago? Can you remember anything else about him?"

Erin nodded eagerly.  "I remembered him because he was wearing that eye-catching blazer, not to mention, Japanese. Around this community here, rarely Japanese ever come here. So I asked what was the occasion, and he told me it was a long-awaited reunion for decades. Then when I asked what sort of flowers he would want, he requested he wanted one flower that may look plain, but at the same time: tasteful. Told me a story about how his wife ditched him for a career, then sent a letter to him wanting to meet again after several decades. He never married as I heard. After hearing his story, I told him that he deserved someone better and not to pin on a horrid woman like his ex, but then he reassured me that she had changed her ways since they exchange letters."

"Do you recall in specific what he requested?" Ranran jotted down her notes.

"Yes, a single bloom with just one piece of greenery. Looked pretty small to me but I gather that's the British taste." She sniffed disapprovingly. "Anyway, he pinned it to his jacket and I have to admit he looked just swell. And that guy was so happy! He was acting like it was his wedding day. Who was I to know what he'd do next? When I think of what happened after he left! Gee! If I'd had the slightest idea he was homicidal I'd have called the cops right away. And I had no idea that his ex was none other than the legendary comedian, Peggy Punchard! D'you know I was one of her biggest fans?"

The children listened intently as Miss Erin shared her encounter with the man in the striped blazer. "You must have been shocked to learn that he was her ex-husband." Ranran can't help but say.

"I honestly am! And I will tell you why," Erin admitted, "I have followed her career since the beginning of time, bought all her records –"

"Huh? Records?"

"Ah right, you are now in an era of computer downloads, no more CDs and stuff." The woman puffed a bit as she rambled, "But back in the day when the Internet didn't exist, I used to buy recordings of her stand-up comedy. Honestly, it is hard to stay on top of all this new technology. Some days I wonder how I'll manage to keep the store going with people ordering their corsages and wedding bouquets from halfway around the world over the net. I can't figure out why they won't just use the local store where they can choose their own flowers..."

The woman took the smallest of breaths as Ranran continued to probe, "Did he pay using a credit card?"

"Cash."

"Cash. There's no credit card receipt? Nothing we can use to trace him?"

"Well no, but I thought you'd want to know I'd seen him."

"Of course ma'am." Then Ranran beckoned over one of the officers Sergeant Genzo had sent to accompany Ohta Bunko and the children while they were busy collecting all of the interviews, "Officer, take this lady's statement. See if she can identify the carnation that is in the evidence bag."

.................................................................

As Ohta Bunko drove the children back to the estate, they couldn't help but notice the swarm of reporters that had gathered outside the entrance. News of their involvement in the investigation must have spread quickly. The children exchanged nervous glances, unsure of how to handle the situation.

"Damn, I guess the press was quick to arrive as soon as Peggy Punchard's death is announced at the press conference." Takuma can't help but comment, his voice filled with a mix of excitement and unease.

"I think I am starting to understand how celebrities feel being in this vehicle," Junko looked out the window and sighed. "Trap in the box like a zoo animal, while everyone is all eager to get a glimpse of us."

"How the heck were they able to arrive so fast?" Ran can't help but wonder, "Doesn't it normally take hours to get up the hills?!"

As the children pondered over the quick arrival of the reporters, Ohta Bunko explained, "Well, news travels fast, especially in this age of technology. The moment Sergeant Genzo held the press conference, the news about Peggy Punchard's murder spread like wildfire. Reporters from various media outlets would've definitely rushed to the scene to get the latest scoop. I wouldn't even be surprised if they even took helicopters or other quick transportation options to reach Shinraku Heights as soon as possible."

"Wait, helicopters!?" Takuma and Junko's jaws fell.

"Don't forget Miss Ohta works for a movie investor as a secretary, it ain't surprising for her to know these details," Ranran sighs, seeing her friends' surprise. "When one of the royalties my mother knows of died in a car accident in Paris, the news outlets use helicopters to cover the story. If we didn't have the cops around this area thanks to Sergeant Genzo, we would've been dead meat."

As they reached the estate, the children noticed that the police presence had increased since their departure. Officers were stationed at various points, while Ohta Bunko slowed to a crawl to ease the car through the crowd and ground to a complete halt as we waited for the gates to swing open and let the children through.

"Neh Ranran, are we going to be safe here?" Looking up at the mansion, Mouri Ran felt suddenly anxious. "I mean Miss Peggy and her daughter Aurelia is dead! What if that Uyehara Takashi comes back?"

"With armed police crawling all over the grounds?" replied Takuma. "There is no way anything can go wrong with more cops now around the area."

"Yeah, but don't forget that when Genzo had his men here overnight, the killer still somehow manage to strangle Aurelia with plastic sausages before putting her corpse on the inflatable crocodile at the guest house's indoor pool!" Junko is slightly irritated by how naive Takuma is.

"Well, we can always rely on Ranran, right?" He beamed at his red lip friend, "This is the girl who used a Yo-Yo and killed the serial killer back on the island."

"Yeah, but who's to say lightning will strike twice?" Ran retorted, her expression turning serious. "We can't let our guard down just because there's a police presence, let alone, have Ranran around. We need to know how to protect ourselves as well besides relying on her."

"I genuinely hope they didn't take a photo of my face, I am worried that The Snake will one day find out about our real identities," Junko whispered, trying to maintain her composure.

"I don't know, but I hope they don't recognize me. I'm not ready for the paparazzi life," Takuma replied with a chuckle.

Soon, the van pulled up in front of the house in the driveway, Shinichi ran down the steps along with Michio and Emiko to meet them. "Did you find anything?"

"Dude, it's been one crazy day!" Ran exclaimed, stepping out of the van. "We've been interviewing people left and right, and guess what? One lady sold a red carnation to the man in the striped blazer!"

"Really?!" Shinichi exclaimed, his eyes widening.

"And you would not believe this," Takuma too jump out of the van along with the others as he excitedly narrates to Shinichi, "Every single person in Shinraku Heights is all Caucasians, either American or British, so we had no choice but to let Ranran do all of the interviews!"

"I mean seriously, just out of curiosity, why on earth is Shinraku Heights filled with foreigners?!" Junko rambled, while she couldn't register any of the logic, "I mean ain't this Japan?"

"Eh? That's insane!" Shinichi exclaimed, his voice filled with disbelief.

"I know, right? It's like I am right back home!" Ranran chimed in, shaking her head in bewilderment.

"Of course," The spectacle girl rolled her eyes with her hands on her hips, "I forgot you used to live in the U.K.!"

Michio and Emiko exchanged glances, clearly taken aback by the revelation. "You guys must have been shocked," Emiko mouthed as Michio nod next to Emiko.

"Oh Emiko, you had no idea! It was as if we stumbled into a foreign enclave right in the heart of Japan," Junko added with a bewildered expression.

Shinichi scratched his head, trying to process the information. "That's...odd. I mean, I did an Internet search about Shinraku Heights, and they did mention it is a diverse community neighbourhood, but I didn't expect it to be predominantly foreigners."

While Shinichi continues to digest all of this, he is beginning to wonder whether Uyehara Takashi, a Japanese man who ended up becoming a suspect, feels out of place coming here.

.................................................................

As they made their way inside the mansion, Shinichi pulled Ranran aside to say, "Ranran, what do you truly think of this case? Regarding Takashi as the killer?"

Ranran looked thoughtful as she considered Shinichi's question. "Honestly, Shinichi, I'm not entirely sure. Takashi being a suspect does seem suspicious, but I doubt he is the killer."

"And what are your grounds for this?"

As they walked further into the mansion, Ranran toss him an unexpected question, "Shinichi, if you were in Peggy's shoes, what would be the reason for you to avoid going to Japan?"

Shinichi pondered for a moment before responding to Ranran's question about Peggy the comedian.

"If I were Peggy...aside from avoiding dealing with that stupid culture of not being able to date anyone..." As everyone gathered in the living room, waiting for dinner that Primrose and Ohta is preparing in the kitchen as they plop on the sofa, Shinichi snap his finger, "That's right! The ex-husband! No one at that time besides herself and Takashi knew that they used to be married to each other! If Peggy's ex-husband found out she was in Japan, it could have potentially caused some trouble for her. "

"Exactly," Ranran nodded in agreement. "If Takashi is the killer and he found out Peggy was in Japan, it could have reignited some old conflicts or even put her in danger. Peggy might have been trying to protect herself by staying away. So why out of all the places without warning, did she decide to retire in Japan despite the risk?"

"Now that you mention it...." Shinichi furrowed his brow, deep in thought. "If I were Peggy, I will never want to move back, unless I do research that he isn't around the country, only then, it would be safe for me to return to Japan to retire. Wait a minute...." He then cast a glance at Ranran, "You don't think Takashi is the killer, do you?"

Ranran shook her head at him in silence.

"Cause if Takashi was, Peggy wouldn't have simply retired back to Japan and be wary of him. Let alone, lived in the residence for over a year. And Takashi would've simply killed her a year ago had he known, "Shinichi's realization caused a shift in his perspective, and then he was left with more questions than answers, "But if he isn't the killer, what is with the Punch and Judy theme the killer had set onto Peggy and Aurelia?"

"Hey, what you guys talking about?" Takuma and the others approach them, and each of them took their own seats.

Shinichi quickly gathered his thoughts before responding. "We were thinking that Takashi might not be the killer."

"Eh? Why?" Junko pushed her glasses while confronting, "He is the only one whom you saw fleeing the scene before we discovered Peggy dead."

"Also, he is her 26th ex-husband, deshou?" It was Ran's turn to argue, "An ex-husband that not even the entertainment world is aware. The one whom Peggy heartlessly abandon for her career!"

"Technically Peggy wasn't heartless, the marriage was already in shambles anyway, so she see no issue to cut ties with him for her career." Emiko corrected her.

"Plus, there is a photograph of him! In that Punch and Judy festival!" Michio excitedly expressed his words, then adds, "Don't forget, Peggy and Aurelia's murders were all done based on that theme! And only he is the only one who had ties."

"It's because of that, it was also another reason why I doubt Takashi is the killer," Ranran reasoned them with her deductions, "Even if Takashi resented her all those decades for ditching him for her career, the easiest way to ruin her, is to talk to the press. Because in the first place, only 25 of her divorces with all those entertainers were documented except Takashi's. And we all know people who are opportunists don't end well in the public eye, killing her would just do worst for him. Especially when he stupidly fled out of the mansion in that striped blazer, if I were him scheming to kill her, I would not be caught wearing something flashy to attract anyone's attention."

"You have a point," Takuma scratched his head, pondering over Ranran's words. "A word to the press would've been enough to end her."

"But Ranran, you forgetting something. There is a thing called 'slandering' and 'lawsuits' you always brought up. Ain't it not possible that he feared his own ex-wife might do the worst thim if he ever spoke out to the press?" Emiko crossed her arms. "You don't forget, this woman was capable of hiring expensive lawyers to gain custody of Aurelia at that time, not to mention, avoid paying alimony to 25 of her ex-husbands."

"True," Ranran admitted with a nod, but she argued, "However, it's still a risky move for Takashi to resort to murder."

"Why?" Michio titled his head, "No matter how I look at it, he is on the losing end should he ever try to deal with Peggy, hence, a good motive for murder."

"You are right, but she has more to lose than Takashi in comparison." Ranran refutes.

"And you know this, because.....?" Mouri Ran prompted her to speak.

"Mina-sama, what is the reason that out of all of the 25 failed marriages Peggy had dealt with, would she keep this failed marriage between her and Takashi a secret for 8 decades?" Ranran challenged them to think.

Ranran's question hung in the air, causing everyone to ponder. Shinichi rubbed his chin, deep in thought, before finally speaking up.

"I believe the reason Peggy kept her marriage with Takashi a secret for so long is that there was something more to it than just a failed marriage. There must have been some hidden truth or secret that she didn't want to be exposed."

Takuma furrowed his brow. "But what could be so significant that Peggy would go to such lengths to keep it hidden?"

"I may not know what it is, but this is what I know," Ranran deduces, "You know, that flower lady earlier who mentioned that Takashi headed over to her store a few days ago to buy one carnation and he was seen in that get-up...she mentions remembering him because he was a Japanese, in a community filled with Caucasians. Not to mention, wearing such eye-catching clothes...no killer would make such a mistake. If one goes for the kill, one would go low profile."

"Well, then why for the two killings, the killer made it so obvious then?" Ran grows more baffled by the minute.

"Simple, and the answer lies in that 'Punch and Judy' lounge we were at not long ago." Ranran gave a hint, observing whether the other members could figure out what she meant.

All of a sudden, Shinichi's eyes widened as he considered Ranran's theory. "You mean....the killer knew about the relationship between Peggy and Takashi thanks to their love for Punch and Judy, made full use of it by purposefully making Takashi appear suspicious by tricking him to dress him up in accordance with the 'Punch and Judy' theme? To serve the killer's purpose and ended up framing Takashi!?"

Ranran smirked, pleased with Shinichi's deduction. "Bingo, Shinichi! The killer used Takashi's connection to Peggy and their shared love for Punch and Judy as a tool to manipulate the situation. By making Takashi look guilty, the real killer could divert attention away from themselves. In fact," Ranran adds, "I bet that somehow, he or she had something to do with tricking Takashi to come into the residence, to let him see the corpse of Peggy, he ended up fleeing the mansion, which is why Shinichi saw him in the first place."

Everyone gasped at that thought.

"There is no way!" Junko chuckled in mockery at that thought, "How can the killer be capable of doing so? It ain't as you could simply write a letter, tell Takashi to dress up, then convince him to meet up at his ex-wife's place!"

"I agree!" Ran nodded alongside the glasses girl. "That would be plain stupid! If I were Takashi, the last thing I would want to do is to follow some letter that tells me to do so willingly!"

"Same here," Emiko shook her head at that theory, "This is a comedian who ditch her loving husband for her career! And it has been decades since it happened, if I were Takashi, I will not want to see that woman again!"

"But should he still continue to have feelings for her, despite several decades later, it would make things easier, right?" Ranran smirked mischievously, drawing everyone's attention.