The tension in the room was palpable as Ranran and Shinichi meticulously searched through the files on Primrose's computer. The truth they sought lurked within the digital confines, waiting to be unveiled.

"Ok, considering Primrose left her passwords in those chat lines, we should be able to discover something out of this." Shinichi's fingers danced across the keyboard, accessing various encrypted chat logs and hidden folders. "Let's start with the username named 'Pinkie'. Honestly, look at this, Ranran, even the profile picture is creepy. Just a mere photo of a Barbie doll with soulless eyes."

He hovered the cursor to point to Ranran, its lifeless gaze seeming to pierce through her. "Huh, wonder why does this doll look familiar?"

"Let's see what secrets 'Pinkie' holds," Ranran murmured, her voice filled with a mixture of apprehension and curiosity.

As Shinichi delved into the encrypted chat logs, the room grew darker, the shadows seemingly stretching and contorting around them. One of the messages read something like this:

'Hi, my favourite aunt in the world! How have you been doing in Japan?'

"Favourite aunt...."Ranran pondered about it, then figured out what was going on, "I get it! 'Pinkie' is Millie!"

"Eh? Are you sure?!" Shinichi blinked.

"Positive! I recalled she loves the colour pink, her entire bedroom is filled with the same tone of colour," Ranran answered confidently while staring at the profile pic, "And I remembered why I find this doll familiar, I remembered it was stolen back in Edgewood Academy 2 years ago from Salome, my ex-client from Fox and Deer after Millie was kicked out of the academy," Crossing her arms with a frown, Ranran spats, "The damn audacity of that girl, to steal this doll, take pictures, then use it as her profile pic, ugh!"

"How certain are you? That Barbie doll is something anyone could buy." Shinichi refuted.

"Not really, considering we were children of nobility, that doll you are seeing in the profile picture was customized for Salome's 3rd birthday, it cost about 4000 pounds to have it custom-made." Ranran pointed out.

"4000 pounds?" Shinichi turned to her, puzzled, "How much is that in yen?"

Ranran scoffed, her voice dripping with disdain. "In yen? It was around 550,000 yen. That's how extravagant it was."

Shinichi's eyes widened, the realization hitting him. "That's an exorbitant amount for a doll! What in the world Salome had to spend on, that the doll would be so expensive!? Is her brain alright?!"

"Well, do you know Walter Kensington?"

Flashbacks of that conversation between Walter and Ranran through the Tantei Association Main HQ surfaced in Shinichi's head, "What about him?"

"Well, she pays him to customize the gowns and shoes for the doll, Shinichi. And the materials they use ain't cheap, I remembered one time that while we were at school, Walter showed me how he made one of the dresses using real diamonds. It was a splendid doll." Ranran recalled. Shinichi's mind reeled at the extravagance and the lengths to which Salome had gone to create such a luxurious doll. It was a world he had never glimpsed before, a world of opulence and excess that seemed far removed from his own reality. "You looked unexpectedly shocked as if you never heard of this."

"Of course I never did!" Shinichi exclaimed under his breath, shaking his head in disbelief. "I mean, I had seen the extravagant ways Sonoko celebrated her lavish birthday party, and I admit that I lived with privilege, but what you just said is on an extreme level!"

"No, it ain't."

"Yes, it is! Look, we can continue to argue on and on about this, or focus on the investigation, alright?!"

As the weight of their conversation settled upon them, Shinichi refocused his attention on the encrypted chat logs. He continued scrolling through the messages, his eyes scanning the text for any crucial information that could help them in their investigation.

Suddenly, a message caught his attention. From the same chat between Pinkie and Primrose, who goes by the username 'Rose', Pinkie messaged in English:

"Dear Auntie, I got the photo you asked for. But why did you need it so badly?"

Shinichi read it out loud to Ranran, and to his surprise, it was the same group photo of Ranran when she was 3 with the elder children of Edgewood Academy. Unlike the one Sergeant Genzo had handed to Ranran with a red circle drawn onto Ranran's head, this photo appeared to have no red circle.

"Good, how were you able to obtain it?" Ranran reads the next message, and to her horror, the message says, "I snuck into Edgewood, so many students were rushing to head home, so I was able to blend in with my old school uniform, then entered the student council office to take that photo. By the way, why do you actually need it?"

Ranran's heart skipped a beat as she processed the implications of Millie's message. The realization hit her like a tidal wave, crashing down upon her with a force she couldn't comprehend. Millie had infiltrated Edgewood Academy, her former school, and stolen the group photo. But why? What purpose did it serve?

"Don't think too much of it, my sweet Millie. I am just curious to see how that girl Ranran who ruined your life is doing, that is all."

The words hung in the air, their meaning sinking in with a chilling realization: Primrose needs Ranran to aid in whatever it is she and Primrose's killer had set out to do. The pain and resentment Ranran had felt from their previous encounter had festered and transformed into something much more sinister.

Ranran's hands trembled as she absorbed the sinister implications of Millie's message. The room seemed to close in around her, the air heavy with a suffocating sense of dread. Her mind raced, connecting the dots and piecing together the twisted puzzle before her.

Millie, the innocent-looking child actor, had not only played a role in Ranran's mentor's murder but had also infiltrated Edgewood Academy with a hidden agenda. The stolen group photo was not a mere act of vandalism; it was a calculated move to keep tabs on Ranran, to monitor her every move.

"What in hell's name could they possibly want from me?!" Ranran muttered, her voice barely a whisper, yet it echoed with chilling intensity.

Shinichi, too, was shaken by the revelations. The dark undercurrents of the case had become even murkier, and the web of deceit had ensnared them all. The boundaries between victim and perpetrator blurred, leaving them with a disturbing realization—that the line between good and evil was not as clear-cut as they once believed.

"When this case is over, and I mean it, I am going to destroy Millie's life so cruelly, I am expecting her to take a plane, fly all over the way to my school, then be on her knees begging me to end her life!" Ranran swore with a vengeance, she was seething in a fit of anger so vicious that Shinichi was taken aback to not see this side of her before.

The darkness that had consumed Ranran seemed to intensify, her eyes burning with a newfound fire. He had never seen her in this state before— alright, maybe he did during the parkour incident when he once insulted her as an illegitimate bastard, something Shinichi regretted to this day, but to see this force of raw rage and determination was unnerving.

Deciding he had to shift their focus away from the intensity of the moment before Ranran goes all out, Shinichi quickly switched to another message from a different user, desperately searching for any other clue that could provide a breakthrough in the case.

As he scrolled through the chat logs, the words blurred together, his mind struggling to process the overwhelming darkness that had enveloped them. 

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

By the time the two children had done their research, it was around 3 am, the late hour casting an eerie stillness upon the scene. The dim glow of the computer screen was the only source of light, illuminating their faces with a ghostly pallor.

As the clock ticked past 3 am, exhaustion gnawed at their bones, their bodies weary from the relentless pursuit of answers. The weight of the investigation bore heavily on their young shoulders, the gravity of their discoveries hanging over them like a suffocating fog.

What they needed to know was enough. It was time to check the last room. "Aurelia's room is the last room we needed to check, right?" Shinichi's eyes were bloodshot, his once vibrant gaze now dulled with weariness. He yawned, trying to stifle her fatigue, but it only served as a reminder of the sleepless night they had endured.

Ranran nodded, her voice hoarse as she responded, "Yes, Aurelia's room is the final piece of the puzzle. We must gather every shred of evidence we can find to uncover the truth."

With heavy steps, they made their way towards Aurelia's room, the anticipation mingled with a creeping dread. The air felt heavy, laden with secrets that threatened to consume them. The journey to the last room felt like a march towards their own unravelling.

Upon entering Aurelia's room, her room was as lavish as Marie Antoinette's.

The opulence of Aurelia's room only heightened the sense of unease that Ranran and Shinichi felt. The room was adorned with exquisite tapestries and ornate furniture, each piece a testament to wealth and extravagance. The soft glow of chandeliers cast flickering shadows on the walls, adding an eerie ambience to the already tense atmosphere.

"With a lavish bedroom like Aurelia's, no wonder she wasn't that eager to seek a job after divorcing her husband back in the U.K." Shinichi couldn't help but comment, "I too wouldn't want to seek work at the age of 30 if I had a mother like Peggy."

"But she is dead, so no point now," Ranran's eyes scanned the room for any signs of suspicious activity. 

They meticulously combed through every inch of Aurelia's room, their gloved hands delicately inspecting each item for hidden clues. Drawers were opened, closets were searched, and even the underbelly of the bed was thoroughly examined. But despite their exhaustive efforts, the room yielded little in the way of concrete evidence.

While Ranran rubbed her eye a bit from exhaustion, she took a good look at Aurelia's bedroom once more.

Similar to Primrose's, there were pictures placed in her bedroom. Friends, her childhood photos with her half-brother Felix and her ex-husband, and a few pictures of Aurelia attending extravagant events and parties. Ranran's eyes narrowed as she studied the photographs, her mind piecing together the connections.

Then, she sees the mannequin in Aurelia's bedroom.

The mannequin stood in a corner of the room, dressed in an exquisite gown that shimmered under the dim light. Its lifeless eyes seemed to follow Ranran's gaze, unnerving her to the core. 

It then brought her back to the first time she and Shinichi stumbled upon Peggy's corpse at the entrance of the main residence. Now that she recalled about it, Peggy was wearing a white silk dress, adorned with a red-and-white striped sash tied in a large bow at her hip. 

Suddenly, a question Ranran hadn't thought about it surfaced in her head. "Neh Shinichi."

"Yeah?"

"Yesterday morning when we discovered Peggy's corpse....she was dressed nicely, right?"

Shinichi furrowed his brow, his mind retracing the events of their grim discovery. "Yes, she was wearing a white silk dress with a red-and-white striped sash tied in a large bow at her hip. Why?"

"If she was still working as a comedian, you would've naturally thought that she is out to attend a red-carpet event, right? But she is retired. So....what would have been her reason to be dressed up like that?" Ranran can't help but ask anyone.

Shinichi's eyes widened as Ranran's question sank in, his mind racing to find an answer. The realization hit him like a bolt of lightning, electrifying his thoughts. "You're right, Ranran. Peggy's appearance on the day of her death... it doesn't make sense."

Their investigation had uncovered a web of deceit and manipulation, but this new piece of information added another layer of mystery to the case. Why would Peggy, a retired comedian, be dressed in such a formal and extravagant manner? What was the significance behind her attire?

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

The morning sun cast a pale glow through the curtains of Shinichi's bedroom, as the members of the Tantei Association gathered for an emergency meeting. The fatigue etched on their faces was evident, remnants of a sleepless night spent unravelling the dark secrets that had plagued them.

"I hate waking up early in the morning," 

Ranran pinched her nose bridge with a groan, as Shinichi shook his head to say, "We don't have a choice, today is the day we get to the bottom of it, or it is likely Mr Takashi might die."

"Who? You mean Peggy's secret ex-husband that the media has no idea about?" Emiko yawned, and so did everyone.

Ranran and Shinichi exchanged a glance, their expressions mirroring a mix of concern and determination. Emiko's words struck a nerve, reminding them of the situation's urgency.

"Yes, I am afraid...we have found some disturbing news," Ranran confirmed, her voice steady despite the weariness in her eyes. 

The room fell silent as the members of the Tantei Association leaned in, their attention fully focused on Ranran's words. The weight of the investigation pressed upon them, a tangible force that seemed to suffocate the air.

"We have uncovered a secret... a secret that links Peggy, Aurelia, and the man known as Mr Takashi," Ranran continued, her voice filled with a mix of gravity and unease.

"Like what?" Ran can't help but asked, curiosity was evident in her eyes.

"Like...." Ranran paused before continuing, "The fact that Peggy has a secret child no one knows about."

The revelation hung in the air, an invisible storm brewing within the confines of the Tantei Association. The members exchanged bewildered glances, their minds struggling to process the gravity of the revelation.

"A secret child? Peggy?" Junko's voice trembled with disbelief.

"Wait, how is it possible?" It was Michio's turn to be speechless, "She only had two children, the eldest Felix from the fifth marriage, and the recently murdered Aurelia from the 10th marriage!"

"Why is this child a secret?" Ran had to know, she couldn't understand what sort of parent would hide their child.

"Is this kid the one she had with Takashi, perhaps?" Takuma suggests, "That would explain why Peggy kept her former marriage to him a secret! That both Peggy and Takashi had a kid together!"

"That would be difficult to pinpoint, Shinichi, show them the photo of Felix and that....baby sister photo," Ranran ordered.

Shinichi reached into his pocket and retrieve his smartphone, his hands trembling slightly as he send the photo on group chat. The photo depicted two babies on a cod, the resemblance between the two was striking, their features mirroring each other in a way that left no room for doubt. It was a picture that spoke volumes, revealing a hidden chapter in Peggy's life.

As the members of the Tantei Association examined the photo, a mixture of shock, confusion, and realization washed over their faces. The truth before them was undeniable—the two babies in the photograph were undoubtedly siblings, sharing a bond that transcended blood ties.

"It's undeniable.....are they twins?" Michio whispered, his voice filled with awe.

"But if this is true, why would Peggy keep the existence of this child a secret?" Ran questioned, her eyes narrowing in contemplation.

"Is that baby girl with Felix, Aurelia? His half-sister?" Ran inquired.

As Emiko did a mental calculation by counting her fingers, she shook her head, "The maths doesn't add up, that baby ain't Aurelia."

"Shinichi, send them that photo of Felix wearing that green ribbon, and slowly explain to them the significance as you did with me." Ranran sighed.

The apprentice nodded and quickly retrieved another photo from his smartphone. He sent it to the Tantei Association group chat, and as the image appeared on their screens, an air of curiosity and anticipation filled the room.

The photo depicted Felix wearing a green ribbon tied to his breast pocket. It was a seemingly innocent accessory, but its significance ran deeper than they initially thought.

"As you can see," Shinichi began, his voice steady as he addressed the group, "This green ribbon holds a special meaning." He then explains the charity event his mom took him to, explaining the significance of this case. "Long story short, we believed that is why Peggy never revealed her to the world. I think Felix's twin sister....is born an idiot child."

A hushed silence settled over the members of the Tantei Association as they absorbed the weight of Shinichi's words. The revelation shed new light on Peggy's hidden child and the reasons for her secrecy. The pieces of the puzzle were slowly coming together, forming a picture that was both heartbreaking and tragic.

"If what you said is true, then Peggy has gone too far! I know the kid is born an idiot, but still!" Ran was emotionally riled up at that.

"Mouri Ran, keep your voice down, do you want to alert the officers who are patrolling outside the area?" Ranran gave the brunette a stern warning.

And that was enough to lead Ran in taking a deep breath, her emotions bubbling beneath the surface. She nodded in acknowledgement, realizing the importance of maintaining their composure in this delicate situation.

"Man, Peggy gave birth to an idiot child? She is doomed, I wouldn't even be surprised if she has gotten rid of it." Michio shook his head, sympathetic over the situation. 

"Michio! You can't be serious about siding with a deceased comedian who is likely to be a heartless mother who abandoned their own flesh and blood! All because she is born an idiot!" Junko's jaw dropped at his response.

"To be fair, you know that I work part-time as a babysitter before I officially became a member here, right?" Michio can't help but reveal, "I used to work for families of such children, they are way difficult to manage, and the last request I would ever accept to look after."

"Same here," Even Takuma admitted, "I once went to this mall with my girlfriend Reina, there was this kid that caused a huge ruckus and destroyed a tower of Tabelone chocolates. The sales lady who was there at first scolded the parents, and at first, the parents did tell the kid. But then as soon as she saw how they interacted with the child, and the way he behaved, the sales lady knew that the child is an idiot and ended up reassuring them that it is alright, and rebuilding the tower herself. The poor parents had no choice but to escort the kid out of the building, while everyone watched."

"By the way, Ranran, have you met kids like them before?" Emiko who is still clueless, not completely understanding the concept of 'idiot kids' asked the founder.

"I don't know if this counts, but back in the U.K. in Edgewood when I was studying there, multiple parents tried to bring those kinds of children over to my school now I think back," Ranran pondered, "It causes a huge ruckus, they didn't allow kids like them to enter the building since. I mean they don't talk normally like the whole lot of us."

"Remember that time when we were in kindergarten, Ran?" Shinichi reminded her, with his wearied face.

"Oh yes, I remembered, that kid gave us a hard time. Sensei tried to make us befriend him, but that kid ain't normal. The parents later moved him after that." Ran nodded back at him, shivering at that awful memory, "Even Sonoko had it rough."

"Anyway, back to the main point," Junko pressed Ranran, "What is her name? Is she alive? And why didn't Aurelia who was alive at that time didn't bring this up?"

"We have our reasons....." Then Ranran shared the theory that there is a possibility that the child may have died, but it was unclear what it was. "Bottom line is, we found no photos of her, aside from the baby photo we shared with the whole lot of you. That later leads us to a stunning conclusion: That Felix could be the murderer who schemed all of this."

A wave of disbelief washed over the members of the Tantei Association. The room grew quiet, the weight of their findings sinking in. The twisted web of secrets and tragedies had ensnared them all, and the truth they had unearthed was more shocking than anyone could have anticipated.

"Felix... is the killer?" Junko's voice trembled with a mix of shock and disbelief. "Why? According to Primrose when she was still alive, she mentioned that he and his mother Peggy were quite close."

"But that was before we confirmed Primrose was secretly seeing Felix," Once more, Shinichi sent a photo of the lock with the 'F and P' wording on it, "We found this photo on the desk in Primrose's room. If we were to think of Takuma's theory about Primrose aiding the killer in murdering Peggy and Aurelia because the killer might have been Primrose's fiance, it does make sense, no?"

"And he was the only one who had no proper alibi." Ranran later revealed, "Last night, I overheard from the cops that since Felix claimed he was in the wilderness of South America, it would be difficult to pinpoint his alibi. He could've booked a hotel somewhere around the hillside not far from here, then secretly sneak into this house to commit the murder."

"Also, there is more. Takuma, lock the door, what I am about to reveal in this room, can not slip out." Shinichi instructed the athlete.

Takuma nodded and swiftly moved to lock the door, ensuring their discussion remained confidential within the walls of the Tantei Association. The room fell into an even deeper silence, each member bracing themselves for the revelations that were about to unfold.

Shinichi took a deep breath, his eyes scanning the room, his voice low and filled with conviction, as he revealed everything he and Ranran had discovered.

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

By the time everyone gathered in the kitchen for breakfast, their faces betrayed their anxieties. Muniko's secretary, Ohta Bunko, greeted them with a warm smile, wearing an apron as she bustled around the kitchen. The comforting aroma of freshly cooked food filled the air.

"Come on, kids! Sit down in the kitchen. I made a delicious breakfast for all of you," Bunko called out, her concerned tone mixed with genuine care.

The members of the Tantei Association eagerly took their seats at the table, their tiredness momentarily forgotten in the face of Bunko's hospitality. Pancakes, bacon, scrambled eggs, and a variety of fresh fruits were laid out before them, tempting their appetites.

As they began to eat, the tension of the previous night gradually dissolved. The familiar taste of home-cooked meals and the nurturing presence of Bunko eased their weary spirits, providing them with a sense of normalcy amidst the turmoil.

Ranran expressed her gratitude with a smile, savoring a bite of the delicious pancakes. "Thank you, Miss Bunko. This is exactly what we needed."

Bunko's eyes softened as she observed the children, her heart filled with both worry and affection. "I'm glad you all enjoy it, Ranran."

Takuma, in his haste to enjoy the food, almost choked on his first bite. Bunko rushed to his side, concern etched on her face. "Takuma, are you alright? Take your time and chew your food properly."

Takuma coughed and nodded, his face slightly flushed. "Sorry, Miss Bunko. I got too excited about the food."

Ranran scolded him gently, "You shouldn't eat so quickly, Takuma. Take your time and enjoy your meal."

Emiko chimed in with a mischievous grin, "Mr. Seto is one lucky man. When he gets out of prison, he'll have a future wife waiting to cook him delicious meals every day."

Bunko blushed, her cheeks turning pink at Emiko's comment. "Oh, don't say that, Emiko."

Shinichi joined in, expressing his admiration, "You're right, Emiko. Mr. Seto is lucky to have Miss Ohta waiting for him."

After Miss Ohta left the room, a solemn silence fell upon the members of the Tantei Association. The weight of their recent discoveries and the challenges that lay ahead loomed large, reminding them of the gravity of their situation.

Ran was the first to break the silence, her voice filled with questions. "Shinichi, are you certain about accompanying Sergeant Genzo to translate Felix's words? I mean, I know you're capable, but he's a murderer who killed three people!"

"We don't have any evidence besides the messages between Primrose and Millie, which imply Felix's involvement as Primrose's boyfriend and a potential killer," Shinichi argued. "Being the translator is the only way to corner him."

Takuma expressed his frustration, interjecting, "But, Kudo, if you're busy with that, will we have enough time to search for Takashi? And how can we be sure that Felix kidnapped him?"

"It rained last night in the hills, and Sergeant Genzo mentioned numerous landslide incidents during rainy weather. Considering Takashi fled the scene after discovering Peggy's body, and with the police surrounding the hills, where do you think he would hide?" Shinichi reasoned. "It's unlikely he'd be foolish enough to seek refuge in the hillside hotels."

"Why don't you let Ranran do it instead?" Emiko suggested, "She too can speak English."

"She can, but she has more experience in supervising others while locating missing people." Shinichi adds, "The last time I supervised, some sociopath planted a bike to film all of our uncover exploits, and I didn't have the foresight. Had Ranran not ruined the undercover on purpose, that damn Mamiko would've obtained it for blackmail purposes, and I can't afford anymore mistakes for this case."

"Why are we not informing this bit of info to Sergeant Genzo again?" Junko blinked, "We are kids! We are supposed to leave this to the adults!"

"Oh yes, let's just trust Sergeant Genzo and his men who haven't been able to locate Takashi for the past two days. They suspect him of murder, remember?" Ranran interjected, her voice filled with sarcasm.

"In the first place, telling them would make things easier!" Junko huffed with her arms crossed.

Ranran took a deep breath, composing herself before continuing. "Remember the incident with the deer? When Primrose suddenly stomped on the brakes? "Junko, do you not recall what is the reason why Takashi became the suspect?"

"Of course I do," Junko scoffed, "Shinichi saw him fleeing with a flashy outfit."

"And what if he didn't see it."

"I am sorry?" Junko's eyes blinked several times more.

"I said if he didn't see it, would there be a manhunt sent out in advance?"

"Ranran, I don't understand, where are you heading with this?" Ran inquires.

"Ok," Ranran calms herself down before explaining, "Do you remember the deer incident? When Primrose was alive, she stomped on the brakes hard, right?"

Everyone nodded besides Shinichi.

"That was intentional," Ranran continued. "Primrose orchestrated it to make sure we spotted Takashi fleeing Peggy's residence in that costume, by keeping us all awake just to tip those cops since she knew our close ties with the police as the members of Tantei Association, not to mention, us having solved 5 major cases under our belt, it wouldn't be odd that the cops would simply not doubt our words, let alone, not question Takashi's innocence!"

Junko's eyes widened as realization dawned upon her. "You mean... Takashi became a suspect because of us!?"

"I see what you're getting at," Emiko's eyes was widening further, and then she knitted her brows with a pause, "Because of our connection with the police, it was very likely that Genzo and the others wouldn't doubt that we could have been duped."

"Damn, that woman! Seriously!?" Ran slams the table in anger, "She is damn lucky that she is murdered, 'cause I would've confronted her for having the audacity to do something as evil as this for love! I mean 2 people were dead, and when she was alive, she didn't even care and actually attempted to move Peggy's corpse up the stairs!"

"Right?" Takuma snap his finger in response, "We were damn lucky that Ranran blackmailed Primrose, otherwise, we wouldn't even have discovered any of this!"

"I am glad Karma came back at her, as soon as I put the bullseye back at her. She asked for it." Ranran spat, still furious about the fact that Primrose had manipulated them.

"Aside from that, I need to debrief all of you on the reason why we had to do this 'plan' we discussed back in my bedroom," Heads shift back to Shinichi as he explained, "According to what I manage to overhear from the cops, it appears that Felix plans to catch the next flight after today's integration, out of 'environment obligations'. That would likely mean he may stage Takashi's death as a suicide after this interrogation is over and set him up for the murders. The plan is to drag on the interrogation, that way, squeezing out more time for the most of you to locate Takashi."

"But where do we locate him!?" Ran grew worried at that prospect, "Shinraku Heights is quite big for a neighbourhood! He could be locked up anywhere!"

"I thought so at first, till I remembered something interesting," Ranran snap her fingers eagerly, "Do you guys remember after Primrose stomped hard on the breaks, the Sat Nav in her van kept blurting out one particular address?"

"I remembered," Emiko nodded, "She was in a haste to shut it down from the get-go."

"That's right," Takuma suddenly remembered, "I found it odd at first, I thought initially she did it since she found it annoying."

"She was eager to shut it up," Ran recalled. "But why?"

"I know the reason, and that is because of the same van she used to pick us up...I believed she used it to kidnap Takashi."

"Eh!?" Everyone gasped at Ranran.

"If I were the killer who was about to frame Takashi, I would want to make sure that I do just about anything to make sure my pawn is in perfectly good health before I framed him for my killings," Ranran rambled her thoughts, "And the only way after using the letter to fake it as Peggy before inviting Takashi over, is to monitor his movements, as well as where he might be staying. I am going to bet that in the Sat Nat, that address is where Takashi is probably held captive. The problem is...." Ranran and the others turned to the window from the kitchen, "The van is parked outside the driveway at the main entrance with two officers guarding there. How on earth are we going to sneak into the van to check it out?"

"Also, the keys to the van are unfortunately bagged as evidence after Primrose was murdered." It was Michio's turn to chatter."How on earth are we going to enter the van to check out the Sat Nav?!"

"Unless we could recall what the Sat Nav said. Does anyone remember what the Sat Nav kept blurting out yesterday?" Shinichi gazed at everyone, wondering if anyone remembered it.

The members of the Tantei Association furrowed their brows, trying to recall the specific words that the Sat Nav had blurted out. They racked their brains, hoping that a fragment of memory would provide them with a clue. After a few moments of silence, Ranran suddenly said, "Screw it, I have two ways to suggest. Either one tries to steal the keys from the evidence bag, which wouldn't be possible since Genzo is likely to have sent the evidence away back down the hills. That only leaves us with one solution...."

"Which is?" Everyone leans in to hear her solution.

"We...are going to need to break in the van." Ranran ended it with that.

The room fell silent as Ranran's words hung in the air.  "Ranran, it's one thing to break into a van that didn't belong to you, but a murdered victim's van? That's illegal! We could get in serious trouble." Ran protested.

"Then Mouri Ran, why don't you come up with a better idea that doesn't involve incompetent cops!" Ranran's words were enough to shut her up, "Felix is going to fly back overseas if we don't locate Takashi. By the time we do get Sergeant Genzo involved, not only we would ultimately end up speeding Takashi's death, we would ultimately end up playing in Felix's favour."

She earned silence from the others. "Also...."

"....what is the matter, Ranran?" Shinichi urges her to continue.

"Millie, Primrose's niece....you all know that I ain't on good terms with her, right?" Everyone quietly nodded, expecting one bad news after another from the stoic red-lip child detective, "The moment word gets out to Millie that Primrose allegedly aided a killer, a man she loved, into murdering 2 people, Millie will do just about anything to deflect her beloved aunt's crimes by focusing the media on how incompetent Tantei Association is."

"Eh!?" Shinichi dropped his fork and spoon from his plate in response.

"When I was around 3, this was before Millie was kicked out of the prestigious Edgewood Academy, she had close ties with the media for being a 'media darling," Ranran explained to the other members, "And whenever a child star attempted to oust her bullying, she had a knack of playing the victim to side her and made her innocent victims pay. Takashi dying would be a good tool to exploit for her to turn this lie into a truth, Millie will make it as if Takashi is the killer."

"What!? I doubt she would do that!" Emiko dismisses that thought with her observant gaze, "What niece would protect her beloved aunt's murderer!?"

"Millie's family belonged to a family of earls, and her step-dad was a prominent casting director," Shinichi suddenly realizes this, "If the press were to get the word about Primrose's exploits on aiding a murderer who murdered his own mother and half-sister for the inheritance, it would be a survival move to simply pin the blame onto Takashi if he dies, because the dead can't talk. As well as on to us, because indirectly, we can't lie that we did aid in the killer's favour through their manipulation. That way, their family name won't end up getting tarnished, and Primrose's crime will never be brought to light, while all of us suffered through Primrose's lies. Am I right, Ranran?"

Ranran's nods were deafening to the other kids. "Seriously!? How shallow can one be!? This is murder we are talking about!?" It was Junko's turn to slam the table, her glasses almost fell off her face by the impact.

"That's why we need to act quickly and find Takashi before it's too late." Ranran urgently spoke with caution.

"Ok, say even that we are to break into the van, who is going to be the one to do it without alerting the cops!?" Ran grew worried at that.

"I will do it." Ranran volunteered.

"Eh!?" Everyone grew shocked.

"I have experience in breaking into vans," Ranran smirked.

"But can you do it? There are after all two cops there guarding the main entrance, so they would have a good view of the van that is parked in front of them!" Takuma recalled.

"We will get to that later," Ranran gazed at her partner-in-crime, "Shinichi, when you do the interrogation with Genzo, can you delay Felix one more additional hour than we originally planned? Even he ever brings in a lawyer or something?"

 "No problem, I'll do my best to prolong the interrogation, Ranran." Shinichi nodded, understanding the urgency of Ranran's request."

"Ok," Ranran then turned to Emiko, "Emiko, I need you to create a distraction near the entrance of the house. Draw the attention of the police officers away from the van."

Emiko's eyes widened in surprise. "Me? How do I create a distraction?"

Ranran smirked. "I'm sure you can come up with something. Be creative. Just make sure it's enough to divert their attention for a short while."

"Consider it done, Ranran. Leave it to me." Emiko nodded, a mischievous glint in her eyes,

"Ran and Junko, I need you two to keep an eye on the police officers in this mansion, and alert us if they start moving towards the van or if they become suspicious. We can't afford any mistakes."

The two nodded, understanding the gravity of the task assigned to them. They were aware that any slip-up could jeopardize their plan and put Takashi's life at risk.

"As for Michio and Takuma, stay with me and be ready to act. We'll move swiftly once Emiko creates the distraction."Ranran then addressed the rest of the group.