Sleeping was honestly difficult for Ranran.

In a way, every gust of wind rattling the window panes jolted Ranran awake. Tossing and turning did little to put her to sleep, as Ranran's thoughts drifted to Shinichi, stationed diligently by the door.

He is after all 6-years-old, it's difficult for any kid to keep themselves awake throughout the night.  She couldn't help but worry for him, knowing that the burden of protecting them all rested on his young shoulders. The image of his determined face, hardened by the weight of their situation, lingered in her mind. She wondered how long he could keep his fatigue at bay, how long he could stay alert in the face of an unknown, merciless adversary.

Then again, she isn't surprised to see Shinichi very much wide awake.

Shinichi has this habit of reading Sherlock Holmes's story every night without fail, at times he would even stay up until 4 am. Even before she met him in person, learning all of this from the projector was honestly surprising to the then 5-year-old Ranran. As much of a bookworm, she is like Shinichi, she wouldn't stay up all night burying her nose in a book.

At the beginning when she and he were not interacting, Ranran assumed that was some overly exaggerated old-wives tale made out of the budding 21st century Heisei Sherlock Holmes. Then, not long after opening Tantei Association, around the period when they were receiving no cases, Ranran had planned on inviting her two online friends, K and O, for a midnight-hour battle at some online event tournament game.
Her parents were away overseas working, and there were school holidays, so why not?

And so she played, until exactly around 12 am sharp, before she could go any further, a message popped up on the screen. It was from Shinichi.

"Ranran, it's time to sleep. Goodnight."

Ranran was taken aback by the message. How did he know she was still awake? How did he know she was about to join an online gaming tournament? It was as if he had eyes everywhere, watching over her every move.

Then she remembered: Her house is behind Shinichi's, so it would make sense for him to see the light in her bedroom. Adding in the fact that he would stay up late at night to read Sherlock, it made sense that he would know she is awake.

"Still awake, Ranran?"

Ranran's thoughts snapped back to the present as Shinichi's voice broke through the silence. She turned her gaze towards him, seeing his silhouette outlined by the faint glow of the candlelight. The weariness that she expected to see in his eyes was absent, replaced by an unwavering focus and determination.

"Are you still up?" Ranran asked softly, her concern evident in her voice.

Shinichi nodded, his gaze fixed on the door. "I'm fine, Ranran. Don't worry about me."

"But you've been awake for so long," Ranran pressed, unable to shake off her worry.

"Don't worry too much," He reassured her, "I am used to staying up all night reading Sherlock anyway."

The founder sighed softly, her worry tempered by Shinichi's reassurance. She understood that he was accustomed to late nights spent immersed in detective stories, his mind sharp and alert even in the early hours of the morning. But this situation was different, and the weight of their safety rested heavily on his young shoulders. "Neh Ranran."

"Hmph?"

"Why didn't you bring up Felix's name as the potential suspect of Primrose's murder in front of Sergeant Genzo? You suspected for a while that Primrose is likely to have secretly dated the deceased comedian's son."

Ranran's brows furrowed as Shinichi's question caught her off guard. The thought had crossed her mind briefly, but she didn't have anything to go by. "Do you remember the compromising photos of Primrose I used to blackmail her the other day? When I used it to prevent her from  moving Peggy's corpse upstairs when she tried to play it off that Peggy's shoe snapped and she fell down the steps to her death?"

The memory of that confrontation still lingered in her mind, the weight of Primrose's secrets hanging in the air. "What about it?" Shinichi asked.

"I suspect....her relationship with Felix is on and off."

Shinichi's eyes narrowed as he listened to Ranran's theory. "On and off? What makes you think that?"

"I have someone in the U.K. look into it, regarding how Felix met Primrose, the timeline as to when those compromising photos of Primrose seeing other men were taken and everything....." Ranran paused, before revealing, "Yeah, when I asked them, they told me their relationship is rather volatile. They would break up and get back together multiple times. In between, she would go on multiple hookups, which are those photos I had with me."

"That's interesting." Shinichi's interest was piqued, before realizing, "Is that why you didn't bring his name up? Cause if he and she had broken up-"

"Then it wouldn't really be him that Primrose would consider as someone she is willing to spend the rest of her life with. Let alone, the killer we are seeking for." Ranran finished his sentence.

Shinichi nodded, understanding Ranran's reasoning. If Felix and Primrose had a volatile relationship, with frequent breakups and reconciliations, it wouldn't make sense that Primrose would be browsing all those wedding magazines to marry a life partner like Felix.

"I see," Shinichi said, his voice tinged with a mix of curiosity and concern. "But you....still think Felix is behind the murders, right?"

Surprised, she turned her head to blink, "How do you know that?"

"His half-sister Aurelia is killed, and so was his mother, leaving him to benefit the entire mass fortune," Shinichi spoke as he rambles on, "Also, he has no fixed alibi, even though Primrose mentioned that he was working in South America at that time due to his eco-warrior duties, those words were merely through her and not from him."

"Another problem is...certain things don't at up," Ranran remained on her bed, staring up at the dark ceiling.

"......such as?"

"Primrose's motive for instance," Ranran brought this up, "As one of our members within the association mentioned earlier, nowadays we don't need the parent's permission to get married. One could just simply elope and be done with it, so she didn't really need to help the killer execute the plan to get married. So I can't really understand why did she aid the killer."

"There must be something more to it, something we're missing." Shinichi furrowed his brows, deep in thought as he considered Ranran's point, "She isn't lacking financially, so what is with all of these lies?"

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to them, they were not the only members awake at midnight.

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

"Alright, it's time we delve into the depths of the enigma surrounding the identity of the elusive figure connected to the recent heinous murder of Primrose Envy!"

Mouri Ran presided over this clandestine gathering in her dimly lit bedroom, where her four compatriots—Emiko, Michio, Junko, and Takuma—congregated to exchange their theories and unearth any pertinent clues. The atmosphere hung heavy with a palpable tension, casting an eerie shadow over the room. Yet, amidst the ominous ambience, Takuma, the sole dissenter, succumbed to a stifled yawn, his fatigue seeping through the cracks. "Ooi! No yawning!"

Takuma hastened to cover his mouth, suppressing the yawn, and apologized with a trembling voice. "Sorry, sorry. Staying up late has never been my forte."

"Takuma, really?" Junko rebuked, pushing her glasses higher up on her nose.

"Nor mine," Michio and the others chimed in, their eyes welled with fatigue-induced tears. "Honestly, couldn't we just postpone this meeting until tomorrow?"

"No!" Ran insisted, her voice carrying a fervour laced with desperation. "We must press on! The closer we get to unmasking the killer's identity, the sooner we can head home!"

To their astonishment, Ran had managed to procure a whiteboard, dragged into the room with an eerie aura clinging to it. "Mouri, where did you obtain this board?" Junko inquired, her voice tinged with apprehension.

"From the office of the comedian who met an untimely demise yesterday," Ran responded, her words laced with an unsettling nonchalance.

"Is Genzo even aware?" Emiko raised a sceptical eyebrow, her gaze piercing through the shadows. "You brazenly pilfered the board from the deceased comedian's office—the very same person whose life was snuffed out in the early morning hours when we stumbled upon her lifeless body sprawled beneath the treacherous staircase."

"Well, he never explicitly forbade me from taking it. Besides, Ranran has done so on multiple occasions before, so why can't I?" Ran brushed off Emiko's concern, her determination unwavering.

"In the first place, the board she obtained from us were through the school clubs who are jealous of our facilities, not from some murdered victim's room," Takuma argued.

"It ain't any different, she extorts and blackmails them. Also, I am certain if Peggy is alive, she will be more than happy to lend us the board to solve her murder, including her useless daughter." Ran shrugged off Takuma's comment, determined to proceed with the discussion. "Let's not waste precious time quarrelling over the origins of this board. We have far more pressing matters to attend to."

With a firm grip, she seized a marker and began etching on the whiteboard, meticulously documenting the key fragments of information they had gathered thus far.

"I am surprised how far Ran has changed," Junko whispered, her voice barely audible, shared with the other three members while Ran remained oblivious to their conversation.

"Indeed, it is uncharacteristic of her to exhibit such unwavering passion for unravelling a crime," Michio responded, his words shrouded in a veil of foreboding.

"But make no mistake," Emiko interjected, a bead of sweat glistening on her forehead, "her true motivation lies not in unmasking the killer, but rather, in her inability to bear the thought of Ranran and Shinichi sharing the same bedroom."

Emiko's revelation cast a chilling pall over the room, leaving the members stunned and exchanging wide-eyed glances. "Eh?!"

"Ran is obviously jealous of seeing Shinichi being with Ranran, especially sharing a bedroom," Takuma chuckled as he explained to the others, "The longer the murders remain unsolved, the longer we'll be trapped here, and the more days Ranran spends in Shinichi's bedroom."

The revelation left the members speechless for a moment. Michio couldn't help but sigh, his voice heavy with resignation. "Love triangles seem to haunt every corner of my existence."

"Why am I not surprised?" The girl in glasses crossed her arms, her voice laced with cynicism. "I suspected Ranran deliberately chose to stay behind in that bedroom to stoke Ran's jealousy, didn't she?"

"No, there is more to it," Emiko adds, "Shinichi's apprenticeship heavily relies on Ranran. If Ranran were to perish, his dreams of being a detective would crumble. Not that Ran isn't aware, but she would do anything to get Shinichi back."

"No wonder his friendship with Ran and Sonoko fell apart." Takuma's feelings about this resonated with a click.

The room fell into contemplative silence as the members processed Emiko's words.

"Alright, let's refocus on the evidence we've amassed thus far," Ran declared, diverting their attention from the tumultuous emotions festering within their midst. Photos of the suspects and victims adorned the board, dispelling thoughts of Ran's jealousy, at least momentarily. "Peggy, the comedian whose lifeless body we discovered beneath the stairs yesterday, her heels snapped, had a staggering count of 25 ex-husbands. Allegedly, she was drowned in a toilet bowl before being found by Primrose, who granted us and Miss Ohta Bunko access to the mansion. And then, the following morning..."

Ran wielded a laser pointer she had pilfered from Peggy's office desk, directing its piercing beam toward Aurelia's photo. "As Takuma, Junko, and I were making our way there, we spotted Aurelia, alive and floating atop an inflatable crocodile in the indoor pool around 7 am. Soon after we left her, Primrose went to refill Aurelia's drink at her request, only to witness the intruder—the same figure Shinichi had encountered—who turned out to be Peggy's secret 26th ex-husband," she pointed to Takashi's photo. "According to Primrose, he was seen lurking near the pool and fled after strangling her with plastic sausages, prompting Sergeant Genzo to initiate a manhunt."

The children listened in stunned silence, marvelling at Ran's meticulous recall of the case's intricate details.

"But during the manhunt, yesterday evening, as Primrose prepared our dinner, Ranran confronted her about her lies. We left around 7 or 8 pm, arranging for her to confess by midnight. However, things took a sinister turn at precisely 11:59 pm. We heard unsettling sounds before discovering Primrose's lifeless body in the kitchen, sprawled on the floor with an English police hat nearby, alongside a bat."

The air grew heavier with each passing revelation, shrouding the room in a blanket of darkness and uncertainty.

"Now I've been plagued by unsettling thoughts ever since Sergeant Genzo stumbled upon a photo of Ranran and the other kids from Edgewood, with Ranran's head circled, in Primrose's room," Ran muttered, her steps echoing as she paced the room. "And then there were those wedding magazines we found. It's been gnawing at me, and I can't shake Takuma's suggestion that the killer might be Primrose's fiancé. Considering Primrose's line of work as a supermodel, finding her Instagram account shouldn't be too challenging. Perhaps her boyfriend might make an appearance in one of the photos she posted?"

The room fell silent, and all eyes turned towards Ran expectantly. Takuma tilted his head in curiosity, mirroring the collective intrigue shared by the others. "So... did you find anything?" he inquired.

Ran paused, her restless pacing coming to a halt. She drew in a deep breath before delivering her response. "Here's the thing," she began, her voice laced with hesitation. "I enlisted Sonoko, who possesses an uncanny knack for navigating the depths of the internet, to delve into Primrose's Instagram account. And what she discovered... it's a tangled web of romantic entanglements."

A heavy air settled in the room as the members absorbed Ran's words, their minds swirling with a mixture of curiosity and trepidation. The murky love life of Primrose unfurled through the digital realm, hinted at a complexity that added another layer of intrigue to the already convoluted murder case.

"I thought at first when Ranran speculated that Felix might be Primrose's secret boyfriend since he is also Peggy's son, it would make things easier," Ran admitted, "But as Sonoko dug deeper, she discovered....things to suggest that Felix might not be her only one." Gasps echoed through the room as the shocking revelation settled over the group like a heavy shroud. "It appears that she had all sorts of boyfriends, whenever she and Felix break up....you get the message."

"You mean... like an on-and-off boyfriend? Primrose and Felix?" Takuma suddenly grasped the revelation.

"That's precisely what the evidence seems to suggest," Ran responded, her expression weighed down with seriousness.

"But hold on a moment, if Primrose led such a tumultuous life..." Emiko's voice trailed off, her mind reeling with the implications.

"Exactly, Emiko," Ran interjected, cutting through the mounting tension. "That means, apart from Felix alone, the other men entangled in Primrose's web of relationships could be Aurelia, Peggy, and Primrose's killer."

The room plunged into an eerie silence, the weight of this realization settling heavily upon the group. The tangled web of relationships surrounding Primrose added a new layer of darkness to the already macabre atmosphere.

Michio's eyes widened, a mixture of concern and fascination etched across his face. "How many men are we talking about here? It can't be that many, can it? We need to narrow it down."

"That's the challenging part," Ran admitted, her mind racing to navigate the increasingly convoluted case. "According to Sonoko's investigation, she has identified a staggering total of 35 individuals involved in Primrose's amorous escapades."

"3-3-35!?" Junko sputtered, her words stumbling over each other in disbelief. The others echoed her shock, their minds grappling with the daunting task of unravelling the intricate threads that connected Primrose's complicated love life to her untimely demise.

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

"Are you certain that it may not be Peggy's 25 other ex-husbands who might want Peggy dead?" Shinichi, who was still standing guard outside his bedroom, turned his head towards Ranran, who was tossing and turning on his bed, unable to find rest.

"It's highly unlikely," Ranran responded with conviction. "I have a network of friends in the entertainment scene in the U.K. Most of Peggy's ex-husbands have moved on, rebuilding their lives, remarried, or retired. Let alone, have an airtight alibi. It's highly improbable that any of them would still harbour such intense animosity towards her. Yes, they were scoundrels, demanding alimony and causing her heartache, but to believe that they would abandon the lives they have painstakingly built just to seek vengeance against Peggy... it seems like a far-fetched and wasteful pursuit."

Shinichi absorbed her words, the weight of her logic hanging in the air. The thought of Peggy's ex-husbands as potential suspects had seemed tantalizing at first, but Ranran's insight cast doubt on that theory. "But you are that insistent that it had to be Primrose's 35 alleged lovers that are behind the killing, why is that?"

"Primrose as far as I known since I was in Edgewood is a girl who is although at times calculative, she is also dimwitted when it came to people praising her," Ranran answers while pondering, "There were additional things she did besides putting a rat under the desk of her love rival that I hadn't reveal to you, Shinichi."

"Additional things?" Shinichi leaned in, his curiosity piqued. Ranran's revelation hinted at a hidden side of Primrose, one that might hold the key to unravelling the mystery.

Ranran nodded, her expression growing sombre. "During our time at Edgewood, Primrose had a habit of collecting personal information about her admirers, especially their vulnerabilities and secrets. She would meticulously gather these details, using them as leverage to maintain control and influence over those who held affection for her. It was her way of....you can say, ego surfing."

"Ego surfing? What is that?"

"To put it simply, it means searching for positive comments or praises about oneself on the internet," Ranran clarified. "Her way of boosting her own ego basically involved her wanting an unlimited source of praise. And I remembered she will do just about anything to anyone who opposed her admirer's praises towards her. Like, she would go extreme lengths to protect them."

"Boosting her ego? How does that relate to the murder?" Shinichi inquired, intrigued by the hidden side of Primrose that Ranran was revealing.

"Once, there was that infamous incident where Primrose discovered that one of her admirers was told off that they were merely wasting their lives worshipping Primrose. To ensure the praises continued on, she went to extreme lengths to retaliate." Ranran explained. "She bankrupted the family business, an up-and-coming film company, right from the start," Ranran continued, her voice filled with a mix of disbelief and anger. "She manipulated her influential brother-in-law, who had no idea about her true intentions, into filing charges of 'infringement copyright,' which, in truth, held some validity."

Shinichi's eyes widened in astonishment as the true extent of Primrose's vindictiveness was laid bare before him. The depths to which she would go to protect her image and secure the admiration she craved were chilling.

"Based on this pattern alone," Ranran continued, her voice filled with determination, "the only way someone could convince Primrose to aid in their crimes is by coaxing her with praise and then manipulating her into helping them. The prime suspect for this would be Felix, considering his connection to Primrose, his mother Peggy and his half-sister Aurelia. However, we cannot overlook the possibility of the other 35 alleged lovers playing a role in the murder as well."

Shinichi mulled over Ranran's deduction, his mind wrestling with the complex web of relationships and motivations surrounding Primrose.

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

Back in Mouri Ran's room, Junko was in disarray over the number of lovers the recently deceased Primrose has, "How the hell does one date 35 men!? Is she trying to build a reverse harem or something!?"

Junko's exclamation echoed through the room, mirroring the incredulity felt by everyone present. The sheer number of lovers associated with Primrose seemed mind-boggling and left the children grappling with the logistics of maintaining such a tangled web of relationships.

"You are not the only one, even Sonoko questioned a lot about this," Ran let out a sigh, her expression a mix of frustration and amusement.

"But weren't those relationships short-lived or casual? If so, it makes it all so possible that Felix could've been the true mastermind behind the murders." Takuma chimed in.

"Right?" Michio nodded in agreement. "It ain't possible at all that any of those men would be something that she would willingly cover up a crime for."

"So we are back to Felix," Ran tapped her foot, "The only problem is that when Sonoko dug in and out about him, he seemed.....too clean."

Ran's statement about Felix being "too clean" hung in the air, causing the group to exchange perplexed glances. "What do you mean by 'too clean'?" Emiko asked, breaking the silence, sensing a crucial clue in Ran's statement.

 "When Sonoko delved into Felix's background by asking others about him, she couldn't find anything incriminating or suspicious. His reputation is relatively spotless." Ran furrowed his brows, deep in thought. "But I felt like there is no such thing as a perfect person."

"I don't buy it," Emiko shook her head at that, "Did no one once ever brought up the time he partied in his 20s?"

"Eh?! He did?!" Ran exclaimed.

"He used to," Michio nodded, his expression serious. "My mother said Felix used to have a reputation for partying and living a carefree lifestyle in his 20s. He was known to frequent clubs and indulge in excessive drinking and gambling. Got in trouble with the law."

"But I heard he reformed a lot," Junko thoughtfully recalled, "Cleared up his act after he checked into rehab, then became an activist that protects the environment. Hadn't touched booze since, and now in his 40's."

"Reformed after rehab and became an environmental activist?" Ran repeated a glimmer of suspicion in her voice. "That's quite the transformation. But did he really change?"

The room fell silent as the members contemplated Ran's words.

"Maybe we should delve deeper into Felix's activities after rehab," Emiko suggested, her voice laced with a sinister undertone. Her analytical mind was at work, fueled by a dark curiosity. "If he has truly turned over a new leaf, there should be concrete evidence of his involvement in environmental activism."

Takuma interjected, his voice dripping with scepticism, "But the press was always there, right? Documenting his every move. Why bother verifying? It's all there, uploaded on their official page. It can't be fake."

"You're right, the press coverage does provide some level of credibility to Felix's activities as an environmental activist. However, let's not forget that he is also Peggy the comedian's son." Emiko reminded the athlete, "Any mother, mainly a rich comedian like Peggy, would do just about anything to construct some image and sell as if her son has finally reformed."

Emiko's words sliced through the air, lingering like a poisonous vapour in the room. The group paused, their minds clouded by the shadowy implications. The possibility that Peggy, a wealthy and influential comedian, could manipulate her son's public image for her own self-interest sent shivers down their spines.

Takuma defiantly crossed his arms, his words tinged with defiance, "I don't see why she would bother. What does her son have to do with her? She isn't the one engaged in debauchery and excess."

Emiko paced before them, her gaze piercing through their souls, revealing the dark truths of the world. "That's where you're mistaken, Takuma," she whispered, her voice carrying the weight of forbidden knowledge. "Children from privileged families, especially those of celebrities, live in a twisted reality. Their lives are moulded differently, and their parents go to great lengths to maintain a facade of perfection."

"Hah? What is the logic in that?!" Confusion etched on Ran's face, she couldn't comprehend the twisted logic.

The blunt artist's eyes bore into Ran's, filled with a haunting intensity. "A bad child is seen as the product of bad parents. Remember the incident when you tried to separate Shinichi from Ranran? When your mother came to our school, did you not consider that the adults might think she failed as a parent, unable to teach you proper behaviour?"

The brunette's laughter erupted, tinged with desperation, "No way! My mother raised me well. It's Ranran's parents who-"

"Mouri, think carefully. When that video of Sonoko and Mamiko went viral, exposing your attempt to sabotage Shinichi, everyone sided with Ranran, despite her cunning behaviour. Do you know why?" Emiko shook her head, her expression serious. "Of course, I am aware that your mom raised you well. I used to run an intel business after all. But the parents from the other kids might not think of it that way." Ran fell silent, as Emiko persisted, "It's the same for Felix, or maybe Aurelia for that matter. Since both of their parents are celebrities, it would be way worst than what you had to go through. Each time they did something wrong in school, it will reach the press, and the whole world knows it. What Ranran did to you is merely a slap of the wrist."

The younger girl's expression shifted, her previous dismissiveness replaced with a thoughtful frown. Emiko's words struck a nerve, making her reconsider the impact of fame and public perception on the lives of children from wealthy and influential families.

"Anyway, now that I mentioned it....perhaps this would be Felix's motive for murder towards his mother." Emiko guessed.

Junko's eyes widened, "Eh?!"

"If you think about it, no child would like to continuously live like a puppet of their parents." Emiko thought hard about it, "Although Felix may not be what he used to be in the past, it doesn't mean he didn't have any lingering resentment."

"It's for his sake, is it not?" Michio countered, "He partied a lot according to my mother, and even once got in trouble with the law when he drank and drive."

The artist's lips curled into a sly smile, her eyes gleaming with a macabre fascination. "Ah, yes, the wild partying days of Felix. A life of debauchery and recklessness, indulging in vices that society frowns upon. But then, he miraculously transformed, didn't he? Rehab, environmental activism, a complete 180-degree turn from his past. Or so they want us to believe." Her voice dripped with disdain as she continued, "But tell me, do people truly change? Can one simply erase their dark past and emerge as a virtuous saviour of the environment? Or is it just an elaborate façade, carefully constructed to hide their true nature?"

The room sank into an eerie silence, the weight of Emiko's words hanging heavily in the air. "Alright, even if he had the motive to kill Peggy, then what about Aurelia?" Michio blinked, staring at Felix's photo attached to the whiteboard, "She is his half-sister, and although there were reports that they squabble as any siblings would, what would be his reason to kill her then?"

"Money," Emiko's lips curled into a chilling smirk, her eyes glinting with a dark intensity, "He is the only surviving member of the Punchard family, is he not?"

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

"Alright, say that it is truly Felix, which I agree he is the likeliest suspect. Even if he was capable of murdering his on and off again girlfriend, Primrose, to prevent anyone from pointing the finger at him, then what about Takashi? His mother's first ex-husband? What reason did he have to frame him for the murder of his mother, his half-sister, as well as Primrose?"

Shinichi remains at the door guarding while questioning his mentor who remains on his bed, worrying that the killer might strike.

Shinichi's mentor, with a weary expression etched on her face, leaned back on his bed, lost in deep contemplation. The room's dim lighting cast long shadows, mirroring the sombre mood that enveloped them.

"Truthfully, I ain't sure point, Shinichi," Ranran responded, her voice laced with a mix of weariness and determination. "But I believed it had to be personal."

"Personal?" The apprentice blinked, "In what way? From what we know, Peggy never once revealed Takashi to the press, and it was only revealed to the public after we discovered her murdered."

Ranran's gaze pierced through the darkness, her eyes shining with a glimmer of insight. "Punch and Judy, the three murders are all intentionally tied to this theme. And Takashi and Peggy used to bond closely thanks to their love for this puppet thing...yet, the killer uses this love to frame Takashi, how is this not personal? To use something they love against them?"

The apprentice's face fell, "Are you implying.....the killer despises Takashi so much so...he too is about to become the killer's next victim?"

"Considering that the killer went to such lengths to frame Takashi for the murders, by likely using Primrose to forge a fake letter coming from Peggy's side to lure him over under the pretence of reconciliation, only to set him up, it suggests a deep-seated animosity towards him." Ranran is certain of this, "And I am going to bet by the time Sergeant Genzo's men discover Takashi, the killer is likely to frame Takashi as if he committed suicide out of guilt for those murders."

"So, it's not only about revenge for past grievances, but the killer wants to annihilate Takashi's very essence, driving him to the edge of madness and desperation." Shinichi's eyes widened, realization dawning upon him.

"Exactly. The killer wants to break him down, to strip him of everything he holds dear. By framing him for the murders of Peggy, Aurelia, and Primrose, they aim to shatter Takashi's life, leaving him bereft of hope, love, and any semblance of a future." Ranran nodded grimly.

With Shinichi approaching Ranran close to the bed, he asked, "Neh Ranran, if you know all of this, why didn't you inform Sergeant Genzo earlier? Had you did, Takashi might not be at risk of getting killed!"

"We are dealing with a killer who knew the mansion inside and out, knew Primrose well enough to fake Peggy's letter to lure Takashi over to be framed, and easily killed Peggy, Primrose and Aurelia despite the cops being stationed around this mansion. The only person capable of this is none other than Felix. But telling Sergeant Genzo would just utterly speed up the killer's process to eliminate Takashi. You think I didn't think of that?" Ranran's voice carried a mix of frustration and resignation. "I knew that if I alerted Sergeant Genzo too soon, that would be the end of Takashi, and so will the case be shut."

"Then we have to outsmart them. We can't sit idly by while Takashi's life hangs in the balance."Shinichi clenched his fists, his determination intensifying before focusing on the little girl on the bed, "You mention that Felix is likely the killer, right? Then let's interrogate him."

"I don't think dealing with him is going to be easy," Ranran cautioned, her voice carrying a dark undertone. "We still have no motive to go by besides Primrose. How are we going to tie him to Peggy and Aurelia's murder? Let alone, the link between him and 'Punch and Judy? Without that, we have no cause to get him arrested. The worst is that since he is the only sole survivor, that would mean the fortune he inherited would've been enough to bail himself out of trouble."

Shinichi's mentor let out a weary sigh, the weight of the situation pressing down on the two. The room seemed to close in around them, suffocating in its dimness. 

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

"I hate to admit it, but Emiko is right about one thing: If we can't prove that Felix committed these murders, he will escape justice."  

The room seemed to darken further, mirroring the bleakness of her words. "Not really! He had the motive to kill Primrose because of their on-and-off relationship! Their tumultuous relationship could be a motive. It could be enough to convince an arrest!"Takuma responded.

"But not his mom and half-sister, without that, his stay in prison will be but a fleeting moment. And Takashi, the poor man who was framed will end up getting killed." Junko's voice dripped with disillusionment as she spoke, the weight of the truth settling heavily upon her weary shoulders. 

They had come so far, yet the path ahead appeared insurmountable, shrouded in darkness.

 "Then let's turn this place upside down," Ran's voice cut through the stillness, sharp and resolute.

"Eh!?" All of them turned their attention to her, wondering if had she gone mad.

"There must be something within this mansion that the police hadn't discovered, something about Felix that will reveal everything!" Ran's gaze hardened, a flicker of determination igniting within her eyes.

"Ran, you must be losing your mind. This mansion we are in belongs to Peggy, the first murdered victim. Not to mention, it was a place she chose to retire to live quietly, not a family home whereby she raised her two kids here. If you are looking for anything about Felix, I doubt we may find anything." Michio pointed out.

"Plus, if the police hadn't found a thing, what makes you think we might find anything about Felix?!" Takuma challenged.

"Peggy is no matter what, Felix's mother. A mother would definitely keep something about their children, even as they grow into an adult. So there must be something we could've overlooked that may tie him to the three murders." Ran reasoned.

A chilling silence descended upon the room, the air heavy with uncertainty.

"But where do we even begin?" Takuma's voice quivered with a mix of fear and anticipation.  

"Tomorrow, Sergeant Genzo mentioned that he is bringing Felix over for questioning, right? While all of that is going on, this is the time we sneak around the mansion to search for clues." Ran suggests.

"Sneaking around this mansion, searching for clues... It sounds like a futile attempt. How can we find what the police couldn't? What if we get caught? This is madness!" Emiko's voice quivered with a tinge of despair.

"Desperate times call for desperate measures. We can't rely solely on the police. We must uncover the truth ourselves, no matter the risk. The sooner we solve this, the faster we can all head home." Ran's eyes gleamed with an unwavering resolve, undeterred by the doubts that filled the room.

"But why not tonight?" Emiko suggested a glimmer of hope in her voice.

"Tonight is out of the question," Ran dismissed the idea, her tone firm. "After discovering Primrose's lifeless body in that kitchen, it sent chills down my spine. We must proceed with caution."

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

"You want to venture out into the mansion to search for evidence? In the dead of night?!" Shinichi's voice rang out in disbelief, his eyes widening as he processed Ranran's proposal.

"It's our best chance to uncover the motive. With Felix scheduled to arrive tomorrow morning, tonight is the only opportunity I have to gather crucial evidence." Ranran remained resolute, her gaze fixed on a distant point. "It's the perfect chance to uncover the motive. With Felix scheduled to arrive tomorrow morning, tonight is the only opportunity we have to gather crucial evidence."

"But it won't be as simple as it sounds, Ranran. Sergeant Genzo has stationed officers both upstairs and downstairs since Primrose's murder. How do you expect us to carry out our investigation without raising suspicion?" Shinichi's concern deepened, his brow furrowing with worry.

"Who says you are coming?" Ranran's lips curled into a sly smile, her gaze piercing through the gloom.

"Eh!?" Shinichi's voice quivered with a mix of surprise and confusion.

"I'll handle it on my own. Sneaking around is second nature to me, something I've honed since my early days as The Fox," Ranran declared, her tone filled with eerie confidence. The shadows seemed to dance around her, amplifying the air of mystery that surrounded her.

Shinichi's eyes widened, a flicker of fear dancing in their depths. "But Primrose had your face circled! Which means it is likely that should the killer find out, they will kill you in a heartbeat!"

"Exactly, which is why I must turn the tables back at them," Ranran's laughter filled the room, but it held a chilling edge that sent shivers down Shinichi's spine. "How dare the killer try to use Primrose and manipulate me!"

The young girl's eyes gleamed with a dark intensity while Shinichi wonders if there was something more going on with her.