"I told you that you didn't need to follow me!"

Ranran hissed quietly at Shinichi as he quietly shut the door behind her, careful not to wake everyone up.

Shinichi's eyes darted nervously around the dimly lit hallway, his heart pounding in his chest. The oppressive silence of the mansion seemed to suffocate him, amplifying the intensity of their clandestine mission. He whispered back, his voice barely audible, "You think I am going to simply let you wander off while your picture is specifically circled by Primrose before she was murdered? Not to mention, she had close alliances with the killer. No, that ain't happening. Not on my watch!"

Unsurprisingly, although all of the bedroom doors upstairs were shut, they were able to hear the sounds of snoring from the officers who are on the same floor with them, snoring as they stood up leaning against the wall.

The snoring of the officers provided a faint cover for Ranran and Shinichi's movements as they tiptoed through the hallway, their footsteps barely making a sound on the polished floor. Every creak, every whispered breath seemed magnified in the oppressive stillness, threatening to expose their presence.

They carefully made their way towards the staircase, their eyes adjusting to the darkness as they descended into the lower levels of the mansion. Each step felt like a betrayal, a piercing echo in the silent night. The air grew colder, a chilling reminder of the secrets hidden within these walls.

As they reached the ground floor, they paused to survey their surroundings. The mansion's vast corridors stretched out before them, the shadows dancing along the walls, concealing the mysteries that lay within. They could almost taste the tension in the air, a palpable reminder of the danger that awaited them.

"Do you think we would be able to find a thing in this mansion? I mean this is Peggy's mansion that she retired in, after decades of becoming a comedian." Shinichi is a bit worried about the whole situation, "She only retired last year and lived with her daughter Aurelia before getting murdered, I doubt we would be able to find a thing about Felix."

"But according to Primrose, she mentioned something about Felix and Peggy being particularly close as mother and son, always talked on the phone daily, so I doubt there would be no trace of Felix in this place." She moved forward, her steps deliberate and cautious, her senses heightened. Every inch of the mansion seemed to whisper its secrets, a symphony of hidden truths. They slipped through the hallways like ghosts, their presence barely a whisper in the night.

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

As they reached Peggy's study, a room filled with memories and remnants of a life once lived, Ranran's eyes gleamed with a mix of determination and anticipation. She carefully searched through the stacks of papers and files, seeking any trace of Felix's involvement in the macabre web of murders. "Found anything?" Shinichi could be heard asking.

"No. You?"

Shinichi's expression fell as he shook his head, disappointment etched across his face. "Nothing. There's nothing in this office."

They continued their search, scouring every corner of the mansion, hoping to uncover a hidden clue or a forgotten piece of evidence. Once more, Ranran tried to take a good look at the late comedian's office.

Her late mentor once taught Ranran that sometimes, the interior of the house gives a glimpse of the personality of the owner. Peggy's office was no exception.

The room exuded an eerie atmosphere, with the walls adorned with faded posters of Peggy's comedy performances, now relics of a bygone era. The shelves were lined with dusty trophies and awards, testimonies to her success. Yet, amidst the memorabilia and trinkets, Ranran couldn't shake off the feeling that something was amiss.

"Neh Ranran, when you were living in the U.K, is it normal for British families to not hang photos of their love ones?" Shinichi can't help but notice, "Why are there no photos of Aurelia or Felix with her since we entered the mansion?"

Ranran's gaze lingered on the barren walls, void of any personal touch or familial warmth. A sense of unease washed over her, the absence of family photos seeming out of place in a home where memories should have been proudly displayed.

"Now that you mentioned it, even at the guest house, we found no such photos," she replied, her voice laced with a haunting realization. "In most households, especially those of celebrities, family photos are cherished possessions, reminders of the ties that bind. But here, in Peggy's mansion, there's not a single photograph in sight."

Shinichi's eyes widened, his mind racing to piece together the significance of this observation. "Aside from the photos Peggy took with her staff members, there were no photos with her children. How strange. There is not even a child photo of Felix and Aurelia in sight."

Then the red lip detective girl quietly wonders, "It is possible that the killer removes them all?"

"But for what purpose? Aurelia is dead, and if the killer is Felix, why would I want to remove my photo from my mother's house? Felix is after all coming over to this house tomorrow to be interrogated for the murder of his mom, his half-sister, as well as his on-and-off girlfriend, Primrose."

Ranran's voice was barely a whisper as she contemplated the sinister implications. "Perhaps the killer wanted to erase any trace of their connection, their existence within this mansion. Removing the photos could be a way to sever ties, to eliminate any reminder of their presence."

A shiver ran down Shinichi's spine as he considered the implications. "But why? Why would someone go to such lengths to erase their own history, their own family?"

As they continued their search, a realization struck Ranran. "Wait, Shinichi."

"Hmph?"

"Had we checked the bookshelves earlier?"

Shinichi's gaze snapped towards the bookshelves lining the walls, a flicker of hope igniting within him. "No, we haven't, cause we were eager to search for those letters. But now that you mention it, let's see if there's anything hidden among the books."

They approached the bookshelves, their fingers tracing along the spines of the books, searching for any sign of an anomaly. The room remained shrouded in an eerie stillness, the silence broken only by the soft rustling of pages.

And then, Ranran's hand froze. Her fingers had brushed against a book that felt different from the others. With a mix of curiosity and trepidation, she pulled it out, revealing a hidden compartment behind it.

Inside the secret compartment, they found a collection of old photographs, carefully tucked away from prying eyes. The images depicted Peggy, Felix, and Aurelia, frozen moments in time that had been deliberately hidden away.

Shinichi's eyes widened as he took in the sight. "These... these are the missing family photos. The ones that should have been proudly displayed. Why were they hidden away?"

"Who knows....?" One photo after another, the two children closely examine it, mostly there were photos of their childhood, capturing moments of laughter and innocence. But as they delved deeper into the collection, the tone shifted. The smiles faded, replaced by strained expressions and distant gazes.

"These photos... there's something off about them," Ranran murmured, her voice filled with a mixture of curiosity and unease. "Look at Felix's eyes. In each picture, there's a hint of darkness, a shadow lurking beneath the surface."

The little blue-eyed boy's brows furrowed as he studied the photographs intently. "You're right. It's as if there's a deep sadness, a hidden pain hidden behind his eyes. And Aurelia... she appears to be genuinely smiling. What could have caused such a transformation on Felix?"

As they examined the remaining photos, one photo suddenly dropped out of Shinichi's hands.

The photo fluttered to the ground, its descent accentuated by the eerie silence that enveloped the room. Ranran and Shinichi exchanged a quick glance, their instincts telling them that this photo held a deeper significance.

Shinichi bent down to retrieve the fallen photograph, his hand trembling slightly. As he turned it over, his breath caught in his throat. The image captured two smiling babies, behind the caption reads: Felix and his sister. "Huh, so is this Aurelia and Felix when they were infants?"

Shinichi brought the photo, but then he realize that the theory itself is rather off. Way off.

"Wait a minute, that can't be possible," Shinichi muttered, "Aurelia is the daughter from Peggy's 10th marriage, while Felix is from the fifth marriage. There should be a 5-year-age gap then."

"So if the baby boy in the photo is Felix, then this sister who is with him.....it can't be Aurelia." Ranran pointed out. "If that's not Aurelia, then who is she? And why would Peggy keep a photo of Felix with an unknown sister hidden away?"

"We know that Peggy was a famous comedian, beloved by millions. But behind closed doors, her life may have been far from perfect. Could this mystery sister be a result of a hidden scandal? A secret love child?" Shinichi's mind raced, trying to piece together the puzzle before turning to Ranran, "Did Michio and the others mention Peggy having a third child?"

"No, just Felix and Aurelia," Ranran took a good look at this photo, "They look like babies, not even close to two years old. Are they twins I wonder?"

"Even if they are twins, why didn't Peggy address that to the press then?" Shinichi became baffled, "I did search around videos on Youtube and when the press announced it, only Felix's name was announced. And this was before Peggy eventually divorced Felix's real dad and had Aurelia 5 years later."

A chilling realization washed over Ranran and Shinichi. The hidden photo held a dark secret, a secret that had been carefully concealed from the public eye. Peggy, the renowned comedian, had kept the existence of this mysterious sister a secret, even from her closest confidants.

As they delved deeper into the collection of photographs, a pattern emerged. The unknown sister appeared in multiple pictures, always by Felix's side, their bond evident even at such a tender age. But why had Peggy hidden the truth? What had driven her to keep her daughter's existence a secret?

"Perhaps this sister... she was the key to unlocking the motive behind these murders. Maybe her very existence posed a threat to someone, someone who would go to great lengths to protect their own secrets." Ranran's voice was barely a whisper as she contemplated the sinister implications.

"If this sister was hidden away, it means she had been kept apart from Felix and Aurelia. She may hold the key to a dark family history, a history that someone is desperate to keep buried."

"But where is she now? Why haven't we heard of her until now?" Ranran's voice carried a mix of frustration and urgency. "Are they anymore photos about her?"

"I don't know, let me check," Shinichi scrambled to find more photos within the hidden compartment. As he sifted through the remaining photographs, his heart sank. There were no more pictures of the mysterious sister. It was as if she had been erased from existence. "Is there really nothing?"

Shinichi's eyes fell on one last photo, tucked away at the very back of the compartment. It was a faded image, the colours muted by time. As he brought it closer to the dim light, the figures in the photo gradually came into focus.

In the photo, the younger Peggy stood with Felix, who looks as though he was about 4 or 5 years old, with a man, presumably her 10th husband, with the infant in her arms, which should be none other than Aurelia. But the appearance of Felix looks disturbingly different. His eyes were filled with haunting darkness, his expression devoid of the innocence that should accompany childhood. It was as if a shadow loomed over him, casting a pall of darkness upon his young soul.

Ranran's breath caught in her throat as she studied the photo, her mind racing to comprehend the implications. Then she notices something off about the photo, "Neh Shinichi, there are only four of them, but the mysterious sister with Felix....there is no trace of her in it. Also....there is a ribbon on his right breast pocket here."

Shinichi's eyes widened as he noticed the ribbon in the photo Felix is photographed wearing, a ribbon that he had seen before. "Wait a minute... that ribbon....?"

"What about it?"

"It's green."

".....so?"

"It's the idiot ribbon."

"A what?"

"Idiot ribbon, whoever wears this, you will know that the child born biologically an idiot for life until the day he or she dies," Shinichi recalled, while Ranran couldn't understand where he was heading with this as he explained, "When I was in kindergarten, I remembered this one particular kid, he didn't behave normally like the rest of us. Had a green ribbon on him, I used to see him sit on a chair and do nothing the whole day, his eyes are literally void, and whenever the lunch lady brought over a pot of soup, he would yell out loud and claim he hated that smell, tell her to go to away. Even tried to push her multiple times while she held the soup, it almost scalded her."

"Damn, it sounds like you guys had it rough," Ranran can't help but pity him, "You all didn't put up with this till your kindergarten years ended, right? Cause I wouldn't."

A flashback took Shinichi back to the school rooftop, recalling Ranran confiding with him about the mall playpen incident, where she shove the toy soldier through the boy's nose when the boy tried to steal the toys from her, which he later ended up hospitalized fighting for his life at the age of 2.

Yup, I can see that. Shinichi wasn't going to say this to his mentor directly.

"No, it didn't last long," Shinichi replied while recalling. "Initially, the teacher told us to stop being mean and tried to get us to get to know him. That he preach to us that this boy was unfortunately born that way and that we should be nice. Truthfully, at that time Ran, Sonoko and I barely interact with him because he showed disturbing behaviour, like a wild animal. He ain't normal at all, and it was clear as night and day. The other kids didn't like that and argued, but since our teacher is an adult, we had no choice. But towards the end, we decided not to talk to the kid at all. Long story short, the parents of that kid took him away to someplace call 'special school' for him and we never saw him again."

"Just out of curiosity, how is it that someone like you know what this green ribbon meant?" Ranran quipped.

"My Okaasan once took me to this charity event with green ribbons, I was around...4 or 5, so the details are a bit hazy. But what I do remember from that time was...while I was sitting in the corner reading a book, those children there were wearing those green ribbons tried to rip it away from me, even tore it. Ugh...." Shinichi shivered, recalling that moment, "After I pushed them to the floor and took my book back, they cried and their parents were pissed off at me, being all so unreasonable by telling me they were born mentally ill, and that I should apologize to them. The worst part? My mother actually made me apologize to them! Even though their children were in the wrong!"

"Damn! They sounded like spoiled privileged idiots!" Ranran grew horrified hearing his story, before adding, "Also, what the hell!? There is actually a charity event that exists for idiots like them!? And what was your mother thinking? She is siding idiot kids over her own son!? When they were in the wrong!"

"Right? And it didn't end there," Shinichi continued, "When Okaasan drove us back home, and she told Tousan about it, he scolded me about being insensitive for calling those kids 'idiots'. And defended that those idiots can't help it, because they are born that way."

"Damn, you really had it worst." Ranran couldn't help but feel sorry for him, then suddenly it dawned on her, "Hang on, so judging this...." Her eyes cast on the photo, "Does this mean Felix is born an idiot child?"

"Not necessarily that any child who wears this is biologically idiot," Shinichi too inspect closely at the photo, "When I was at that same charity event when those idiot children's parents confronted me about being rude, I noticed they too were wearing those ribbons, but it was mostly to support to cause for the sake of their love on who is biologically born an idiot."

Raced with newfound understanding, it then dawned on Ranran, "So if Felix is the said idiot, he couldn't scheme the crime. Or....."

"....or what?"

"The sister here," Ranran picked up the photos of Felix and the mysterious infant sister in the photo, then pointed to say, "Is the one who is the idiot." 

"Eh?!"

"If Felix is the idiot, that would render him incompetent in staging and scheming the three murders. But if his mysterious sister is the one, it would be a good motive for murder."

"How?"

"Think about it, kids of such predicaments are not liked by anyone, they can be a huge burden to their parents. Consider this: Peggy is stuck with a kid who causes tons of problems on a daily basis thanks to this illness, a lot of parents in her stature, especially rich loaded ones that I know of back in the U.K, ditch them in the mental hospital. Cause it is easier not to deal with them anymore. And to top it off, entertainers of all kinds: Be it comedians, actors, or media personalities are always on the road filming project after project, raising a child in this sort of life is bad enough, but to deal with an idiot child would make anyone insane, even for a sane adult. And Felix could've been resentful that Peggy dumped his sister in that mental hospital ever since. Even more so that when Peggy remarried her 10th husband and had Aurelia, it would seem as though the comedian had replaced Felix's sister for a healthier child."

"But why frame Takashi specifically? What connection does he have to Felix's sister?"

"No clue, but one thing or another, it must be connected."

Come on, take some pictures with the smartphone, we are heading to Primrose's room next."

Ranran and Shinichi quickly snapped photos of the hidden compartment and the mysterious photographs, making sure to capture every detail. With the evidence secured, they made their way towards Primrose's room, their hearts pounding with a mixture of anticipation and dread.

"Ranran."

"Yeah?"

"Do you think....Felix's sister is still alive?" His eyes grew a bit hopeful at that, "If so, we can-"

"I think seeking her out would be useless," Ranran sighed.

"Eh?!"

"Remember when Aurelia was being interrogated as to who is likely to inherit Peggy's fortune? She mentioned since her mom is a reasonable woman, she would split half of her fortune for both Aurelia and Felix should she pass away. But oddly, there is no mention of this mysterious baby girl's name next to Felix." Ranran checked her smartphone to browse the photo of Felix and the mysterious sister, "There are two reasons I could think as to why that child's name didn't come out of Aurelia's mouth. Either A, the heartless option: Since the kid isn't born normal, her presence may have been a forbidden topic to be brought up in front of Peggy, therefore, she is not entitled to this fortune. Or B....."

".....what about B?"

"The likeliest scenario is...Peggy loves her, but due to circumstances.....that girl is likely to be deceased, which is why it brings nothing but painful memories to everyone. So much so...it would be better as if she never existed to be reminded of the pain ever again."

Shinichi's face fell, his hope extinguished by Ranran's sobering words. 

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

As they reached the door to Primrose's room, Ranran hesitated for a moment, her hand hovering over the doorknob. The room held the secrets of a life cut short, a life that had become entangled in a web of deceit and murder.

With a deep breath, Ranran pushed open the door, revealing a scene frozen in time. Primrose's belongings remained scattered about, her presence lingering in the air. The room held an eerie stillness as if it were holding its breath, waiting to unveil its secrets.

Ranran and Shinichi began their meticulous search, sifting through the belongings, searching for any clues that could shed light on the motive behind Primrose's murder. They carefully examined every item, their gloved hands treating each piece of evidence with utmost care.

"By the way, Ranran, surely Sergeant Genzo had dug about Primrose's smartphone right? Regarding her mystery boyfriend?" Shinichi can't help but ask while searching high and low for clues.

"About that, there was no smartphone."

"Eh!?"

"I searched through the pockets of her corpse earlier, but no such luck. I think the killer must have stolen it."

 "Seriously!?" Shinichi's eyes widened in surprise. "No wonder Sergeant Genzo brought up finding the wedding magazines in this room."

"The killer took it probably to ensure no one knows who was manipulating Primrose to aid in the killings," Ranran observe vigilantly around her surroundings, "They went through all the effort to scheme these murders to frame Takashi, I doubt the killer would be stupid to leave the smartphone of someone who is particularly close to the killer behind to be discovered."

Shinichi's expression hardened as he absorbed Ranran's words. The realization that the killer had taken Primrose's smartphone added another layer of complexity to the case. It was clear that the person behind these murders was meticulous and calculated, leaving no loose ends that could lead back to them.

Silently, Shinichi approached the desk where a few framed photos of Primrose were displayed. The images captured moments of joy and laughter, a stark contrast to the darkness that had befallen her. As he studied the photographs, a glimmer of recognition sparked in his eyes.

One of them happens to be a wedding, Primrose is the bridesmaid standing happily to a woman in a wedding gown, standing next to a familiar groom, along with the other adults. "Eh....so this is the missing sister Ranran was talking about, huh? They looked alike."

"They are very alike, the whole family of leeches they are," Ranran who isn't looking back at her apprentice, abruptly revealed, "Before Primrose's sister met Director Fisher, she and her entire family used to live in the slums. Her calculative mother coached the eldest one, which is the bride in the photo, to seduce Director Fisher, since she was pregnant with Millie at that time with some unknown dude."

The apprentice's eyes widened in disbelief, "And is Director Fisher aware of that time?"

"He is too kind for a director, so even if he is told upfront about it, he wouldn't buy it." Ranran shrugged, opening one book after another from the bookshelf. "Which is why years later after his wife ran away and went missing, he never married anyone. Which I pitied him."

"And let me guess, was Primrose in on this at that time?"

"Of course," Ranran chuckled, still not looking at him, "Who wouldn't want to move out of a stale neighbourhood filled with trash and crime and end up moving into a luxurious neighbourhood?"

The web of deceit seemed to grow more intricate with each new piece of information about Primrose, "How is that possible?" Shinichi clarified, his voice tinged with a hint of disbelief. "Millie is 8 years old, right? And you mention meeting 17-year-old Primrose not long after that. If you said that Primrose's side of the family had been scheming around the time Primrose's sister fell pregnant, that would mean Primrose was around 9 when it happened!"

"You would be surprised if you ever set foot at the slum cities in the U.K, a lot of young kids around my age are capable of things you wouldn't expect," Ranran explained, finally turning to face Shinichi with a sly smile. "Survival instincts kick in early for those who grow up in such harsh environments. Primrose was no exception."

Shinichi couldn't help but feel a mix of shock and awe at the revelation. The depths of deception and manipulation surrounding Primrose and her family seemed to know no bounds. Then it dawned on him, "And were you any different, Ranran?" 

"No, I wasn't any different," Ranran's smile faded, replaced by a distant look in her eyes. "Even after I ended up in Edgewood Academy after my maternal great-grandmother reconnected with my mother, the school was no different than the slums."

"Eh?!" His brows shot up in response, "But that school I heard is prestigious!"

"You are not wrong, however, bring in Edgewood—it was a different kind of battle, but the same darkness lingered." Ranran's voice carried a tinge of bitterness as she continued, "I never thought to meet my mentor's murderers there, and the worst part is that there are all the same age as me. I mean, they are all around our age, yet, they are capable of such extreme levels of evil."

His eyes widened at her bombshell, too speechless to reply.

Hoping to distract himself, he then eyed the next photo, this one seems to be Primrose's high school photo in Edgewood Academy, but with a little girl who is around 8 years old. "And this must be Millie."

Shinichi's first impression of the child in the photo was that she looked as innocent as one could be, and considering Millie is a child actor, it wouldn't be difficult for her to be cast in the role of an innocent beloved heroine. But after hearing from Ranran about her true self, Shinichi's perception of Millie began to shift. The innocence he initially saw in the photograph was replaced by a sense of unease. He wondered how someone so young could be involved in bullying.

"It's shocking, huh?" Ranran glanced at the photo, her expression filled with a mix of caution and suspicion. "You wouldn't suspect the level of evil she was capable of, including murder."

"Eh!?" His gaze remained fixed on the photograph, his mind racing to reconcile the innocent face of Millie in the image. The contrast was jarring, a stark reminder that evil could hide behind a facade of innocence. "Murder? What are you talking about?" Shinichi couldn't help but voice his confusion.

"She was one of the few children who played a huge role in my mentor's murder." Ranran bitterly replied.

Shinichi's eyes widened in shock as Ranran's words settled in. The revelation that Millie, the young girl in the photograph, had played a role in Ranran's mentor's murder sent a chill down his spine. It was difficult to comprehend how someone so young could be involved in such a heinous act. "I can't wrap my head around it," Shinichi murmured, his voice filled with a mix of disbelief and horror. "Why?"

"Did she commit the murder?" Ranran finally stopped what she was doing before turning to Shinichi, and scoffing, "She got kicked out of Edgewood."

"Hah!?" Shinichi was in shock over how Ludacris the motive was, "You mean she killed a boy just because she got expelled!?"

"You heard what I said, it is what it is," Ranran repeatedly bitterly, her eyes at some point hardened, "When my late mentor and I managed to manipulate her in such a way that she was exposed for her bullying, the press back in the U.K. condemned her act so severely....that Edgewood Academy knew they had to expel her, or else face the wrath of those angry noble parents and royals alike for letting her continuing to study in Edgewood. And the press was literally hounding them to make a good example of bad students like Millie. Anyway, since Edgewood is a famous prestigious school back there, anyone who is kicked out of there...should word travel about the reason for their disgrace to the other kids, anyone in Millie's shoes is going to be bullied severely."

"Millie's expulsion from Edgewood must have been a turning point for her," Shinichi mused, disturbed by how things turned out, "But wait a minute, how did they know she studied in Edgewood?"

"Blame her aunt, Primrose," Ranran sneered, "After the marriage, when Millied was old enough to start out her studies in Edgewood, they posted that photo you saw on the desk on Instagram, in front of the Edgewood Academy school building."

"Good, they asked for it." Shinichi nodded, satisfied that justice was served, though it was a bit on the evil side.

He then scanned the last framed photo, and to his surprise, his mind was racing to make sense of its significance. The image of the locks, engraved with the initials 'F and P 4ever', held a weight of meaning that he couldn't quite decipher. 

"F and P... Felix and Primrose? Who writes this on a lock nowadays?" Shinichi wondered aloud, turning to Ranran for her thoughts.

Ranran's eyes narrowed as she studied the photo, her mind searching for connections. "In Paris is possible," she replied, her voice filled with a mix of uncertainty and intrigue. "My mentor and I once went to Paris, I used to often see it on bridges or fences where couples leave them as symbols of their eternal love."

"So you are saying that this photo is evidence of Primrose's relationship with Felix?" Shinichi grabbed the photo and brought it close to his eyes, "Bringing this to Sergeant Genzo would've done us wonders, but all we have is circumstantial evidence."

The blue-eyed detective girl looked around before noticing a computer desktop on the other table, "Why don't we check out her computer then?" The little girl pointed.

Shinichi's eyes followed Ranran's gaze, landing on the computer desktop in Primrose's room. It beckoned to them, holding the potential for more clues and insights into Primrose's life and the tangled web of relationships that surrounded her.

"Good idea," Shinichi nodded in agreement, making his way towards the computer. He powered it on, the soft hum of the machine filling the room as the screen came to life.

As the desktop icons loaded, Ranran and Shinichi exchanged a glance, their anticipation growing with each passing moment. The computer held the key to unlocking more secrets, and they were determined to uncover the truth.

But then came a problem.

"Password?" The two children's faces fell in disappointment.

The two stared at the password prompt on the computer screen. They had come so far in their investigation, only to be halted by the need for a password. It was another obstacle standing in their way, preventing them from accessing the crucial information hidden within the computer.

Shinichi tapped his fingers on the desk, deep in thought. "We need to figure out the password. There must be a clue somewhere."

"Let's think about what we know about Primrose, by pretending to be her," Ranran leaned back against the chair, pretending to be Primrose as Shinichi watched, "I know the killer, I agree to let him commit the murders on Peggy and Aurelia. But I can't let Peggy or Aurelia snoop into my room and check my computer. So I need to put a password that only I would know."

"If we think from that perspective, the password could be something personal to Primrose. Something that only she would know, but others would have a hard time guessing."

They both delved into their memories, recalling the conversations they had with Primrose and the information they had gathered throughout their investigation. They retraced Primrose's footsteps, mentally stepping into her shoes, trying to understand her better.

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

For an hour since remaining in Primrose's room, Ranran and Shinichi tried all sorts of possibilities.  Each attempt ended in disappointment, as the password prompt remained stubbornly locked.

"Birthday?" Ranran suggests, and Shinichi quickly typed on the keyboard: Access Denied.

"Ok, let's try again," Shinichi pondered about this, before typing down, "Her sister's birthday?"

Once more, another disappointment.

"Should we try her mother's birthday?" Ranran suggests.

"Worth a try," Shinichi typed in the potential birthday of Primrose's mother. The screen flickered for a moment, and their hearts raced with anticipation. But once again, the password was not accepted.

Ranran sighed in frustration. "This is proving to be more difficult than we anticipated. The password could be anything personal to Primrose, but we need to think outside the box."

The apprentice typed in the potential birthday of Primrose's mother. The screen flickered for a moment, and their hearts raced with anticipation. But once again, the password was not accepted. Shinichi then sighed in frustration. "This is proving to be more difficult than we anticipated. The password could be anything personal to Primrose, but we need to think outside the box."

As Ranran stretched her limps from her seat, Shinichi asked, "Neh Ranran, should we not let Sergeant Genzo's forensic team look into this tomorrow?"

"We could, but there is a problem, "Ranran rubbed her chin, "After Felix's interrogation with the cops, he would be flying back home to Los Angeles due to work obligations. If the cops find it too late, Felix might find a way to flee overseas and escape justice."

Ranran's words hung heavy in the air, their implications sinking in. Time was running out, and they couldn't afford to wait for the forensic team to arrive. They had to find a way to crack the password on their own, no matter the risk.

Time ticked away relentlessly, the pressure mounting as Ranran and Shinichi found themselves at a dead end. The password seemed impenetrable, a barrier keeping them from the truth. Desperation washed over them, threatening to drown their hopes.

In a final act of defiance, Ranran slammed her hand against the desk, frustration etched on her face. "There has to be something we're missing, Shinichi. Something that would give us a clue to the password."

Shinichi's eyes scanned the room, searching for any possible hints or clues that they might have overlooked. And then his gaze fell upon a small photo frame, back to the framed photo with the lock.

"Wait," Shinichi whispered, his voice barely audible. "The photo...perhaps it is the date when it happened!"

Hastily grabbing the photo frame, he broke it open to check when the photo was taken, hoping there is a date stamp on it. The glimmer of hope returned to their eyes. There, nestled behind the photo, was a date, written in delicate handwriting. It couldn't be a coincidence. This had to be it—the key to unlocking the password. With trembling hands, he entered the date into the prompt, praying that it would grant them access to the encrypted files.

The room fell silent, the only sound the erratic beating of their hearts. Seconds stretched into eternity as the computer processed the input, its digital gears turning.

And then, a low buzz filled the room—a signal of success.

Ranran and Shinichi exchanged a glance, their eyes reflecting a mix of relief and anticipation. The password had been cracked, revealing a gateway to the truth they so desperately sought.

"Way to go, Shinichi," Ranran pat him on the back, before proceeding to say, "Look around her computer, see if there was anything we could use as evidence."

As they combed through the files on Primrose's computer, a sense of foreboding settled upon them. While doing so, Ranran whispered to ask Shinichi, "By the way, what made you think Primrose would use their first date as a password?"

"When I saw the lock in the photo, with the initials 'F and P 4ever', it made me think about the depth of Primrose's feelings for Felix." Shinichi crossed his fingers while his elbow planted on the table, "I was thinking....considering she loved the killer enough to aid in the murders, that would mean she would put the date or anything she wholeheartedly trusts as her password, right?"

Ranran nodded silently while Shinichi continued, "No way she would put the wedding date of her sister's since she went missing and never returned, it would be a painful memory to put that as a password. And although a lot of significant dates, for example, Millie's birthday to qualify as her password, I realized that neither of them was enough to lead her to commit crimes of that sort. One does not do something that extreme unless they love this person way more important to them than anyone else in the world. So seeing that lock photo led me to think that only a lover would be enough."

"You did good," Ranran pats his back in amusement.