62

"We received a report that someone is suspected of poisoning and trying to kill Mr. Sora Natsukawa?" Inspector Megure asked, looking at the man in front of him.

"Well, that should be the case." Noel nodded and briefly explained what had just happened.

Several police officers at the scene were collecting the tea and the teacup fragments in a bag and sending them to the forensic department for testing.

"Check other people's tea as well."

Kogoro Mori added that the tea just now was poured from a teapot, and some people had even drunk it.

"We need to wait for the results from the forensic department before we can file a case." Inspector Megure nodded to Kogoro Mouri.

"But for the sake of caution, everyone who is working here should not leave until the appraisal results come out."

The identification department was very efficient and quickly determined that the tea did contain chlorine.

"The forensic department has confirmed that there is indeed chlorine in the tea."

"In that case, then it is confirmed that this is an attempted murder case."

"The victim is Mr. Sora Natsukawa," Inspector Megure turned to look at Noel, and when he saw him nod in confirmation, he continued, "First, we need to rule out your social connections."

"They are the only two suspects. I have never offended anyone else." Noel pointed directly at Boss Manaka and Kubota, and his meaning was obvious.

"This kid, I really don't know if he is too straightforward or too self-righteous..." Kogoro Mori couldn't help but mutter. After all, in society, most people can't say that they have never offended anyone.

Noel smiled but said nothing. It had only been a short time since Xia Chuankong was created, so naturally he couldn't have many personal connections. If one had to say, many people would be uncomfortable with Li Ang's identity, but only a few people knew that Li Ang was Xia Chuankong.

"Natsukawa Sora, stop slandering people!" Boss Manaka immediately got angry and said, "In my opinion, this guy named Kubota is the most suspicious."

"Was Mr. Kubota just fired by the art museum?" Inspector Megure looked at the information he had just checked and looked sharply at Kubota, the most suspicious person present.

"It's not me at all!" Kubota looked a little guilty and said violently. He had been very excited since he had just detected cyanide in the tea.

"Investigate the surveillance." Inspector Megure ordered the police beside him.

"One more thing, why is it that only Kong Ge's tea is poisonous?" Conan couldn't help but ask.

"Indeed, the teacups are exactly the same, from the same tea set, and someone is in charge of placing the cups." Maori Kogoro lowered his chin silently and analyzed, then his face was calm and he asked loudly:

"Who made the tea?"

"It's me," the staff member who had been following behind Director Ochiai said cautiously, "But I will never murder Mr. Natsukawa, he is our new boss."

"But it is possible that you are dissatisfied with the new boss." Kogoro Mori's words made the staff member's face change drastically, and he became excited and wanted to explain something.

"I......"

"Iijima, since it wasn't you who did it, then cooperate with the investigation." Director Ochiai was very calm and spoke slowly.

"Tell me what happened first. Is there anything different from before?"

"Today, Mr. Manaka suddenly came to visit, and he asked me to prepare something, so I prepared tea as usual." Iijima thought seriously, and suddenly thought of something, and said:

"It's a different place. If I must say something, the boss specifically asked me to prepare some desserts..."

"But Brother Natsukawa, you don't know that Sister Xiaolan is coming here today..." Conan immediately looked at Noel. This sentence conflicted with what Noel had said before, "usually some desserts will be prepared."

"I prepared it for myself, is that not okay?" Noel said calmly, his expression natural and frank without any shyness.

"Okay, no problem..." Conan said in a muffled voice. He wasn't the kind of person who would think it was wrong for a boy to eat dessert, but at this "dangerous" moment, it was okay for him to be a little sensitive!

"Xiao Guang told me before that Kong Ge prefers sweet things." Xiaolan replied with a smile, and Conan instantly felt bad again.

Concentrate, the focus now is the case, the case is the most important!

Conan sighed again and reminded himself not to think too much. Although he had only met Natsukawa Sora a few times, his personality seemed a bit natural. It was more like admiration for Xiaolan than liking her. If he said he liked her, then his eyes were too frank.

"Xiaolan, are you a little tired from the exercise just now? Sit down and rest for a while." Noel saw that there seemed to be nothing to do with himself as a victim, so he turned to Xiaolan and said.

"Hmm? No need."

"Thank you so much. If you hadn't kicked...moved the teacup away for me, I might have drunk it and died." Noel changed his words temporarily, thinking that the statement of kicking the teacup to pieces did not fit the image of an angel.

"I am really grateful for this. I don't know how to express my gratitude. How about tonight..."

"Brother Natsukawa, you'd better cooperate with Inspector Megure to find the murderer." Conan immediately came over and pushed Noel towards the police.

Are you nervous now? Noel looked at Conan who was pushing him forward and didn't continue teasing him.

Inspector Megure and his companions have already questioned everyone present, and naturally focused their attention on boss Manaka and Kubota. Staff member Iijima does lack motive, but he is the most likely to have committed the crime, so there are still three suspects.

"First of all, we need to know why the teacups placed randomly happened to be poisonous in front of Natsukawa Sora?" Kogoro Mouri looked quite deceptive when he was serious, but his next sentence was somewhat disillusioning.

"Is this kid just unlucky?"

"Brother Mori, why do I feel that you don't like this Natsukawa Sora?" Inspector Megure couldn't help but quietly ask his friend whom he had known for many years.

"This brat was just looking at Xiaolan." Maori Kogoro was obviously very unhappy with any brat who took advantage of his own cabbage, especially someone like Natsukawa Sora who suddenly appeared and whose background was unknown. This father would immediately become extremely alert.

"But that's normal. Xiaolan is such an excellent girl. Even if Kudo is not here, she will naturally attract the admiration of others." Inspector Megure comforted his friend, but he didn't want to make Maori even more upset. "The same goes for Kudo. I don't know where he has been during this period."

"Inspector Megure, the surveillance footage has been leaked. It is confirmed that this Mr. Kubota secretly went to the tea room."

This sentence immediately raised Kubota's suspicion to the maximum, and everyone's attention was instantly focused on this person.

"Kubota, it really is you!" Iijima couldn't help but say,

"No!" Kubota immediately denied loudly, looking extremely excited.

"So what did you do in the tea room?" Inspector Megure asked sharply.

"I...I want to find some tea leaves?" Kubota's momentum gradually weakened and he stammered.

"Tea?"

"That guy Natsukawa Sora is going to sue me. I'm afraid he'll have to pay a lot of money." Kubota said, and he cursed a little, saying, "I know Ochiai will put some expensive tea leaves in the tea room."

"But using the money from selling tea leaves as compensation will surely make the court suspicious." Conan couldn't help asking, but saw Maori Kogoro snorted disdainfully and said:

"I see you have no intention of paying off your debts. Instead, you want to sell the tea leaves as capital and run away."

Kubota made a few illogical excuses, but his guilty look was enough to show that he really intended to do so.

"So what's next?" Inspector Megure looked at Boss Manaka and was about to ask, but he suddenly said:

"But I was sitting here the whole time. How could I have put the poison in Xia Chuankong's teacup?"

"Uncle Iijima, did you really place the teacup randomly?" Conan suddenly pulled Iijima's corner and asked:

"According to the general etiquette of drinking tea, you should pour tea for the guests first and then for the host."

"Mr. Iijima's square tray is held by the right hand and the tea is placed on the plate with the left hand. In order to keep the center of gravity stable, the cup in the middle is usually placed last."

"Then it shouldn't be difficult to find out which cup of tea is Natsukawa brother's." Conan immediately changed to a sweet child's tone with the last sentence, as if his calm analysis just now was just his momentary cleverness, making Noel want to rub his head.

"Indeed, although Iijima said it was random, this is more like a habit." Inspector Megure concluded:

"Shouldn't the time for poisoning be from when Mr. Iijima made the tea to when it was served, rather than when Natsukawa Sora received the tea?"

"I have been in the living room all this time." Boss Manaka said immediately, with a hint of pride in his expression.

"No, there is another possibility. The poison could have been added before the tea was brewed." Conan began to induce cautiously, but suddenly froze and met Noel's gaze.

You continue.

Noel simply lip-synced, and Conan was suddenly startled, thinking that the other party had begun to suspect something.

But there was no way, the case still had to be solved. Conan could only try to control his tone and continue to ask Iijima.

"Uncle, have the teacups in the living room always been this set?"

“Yes.”

"How do you usually get your teacup?"

"Put them one by one on the tray in order?"

"In other words, this can be guessed in advance." Kogoro Mouri clenched his fist and slapped it against his palm, suddenly realizing it.

You finally understand, Conan wiped the non-existent sweat and thought a little tiredly, but at this moment, Noel's extremely clear eyes were like sharp rays, forcing Conan to turn around and reveal a naive, tender and innocent smile.

I'm really just an ordinary kid.

Who would believe you?

Noel gave a look back and continued to watch the development of the case.

"What the perpetrator needs to know is the order in which Mr. Iijima takes the cups and his habit of where to put the tea." Inspector Megure concluded:

"Besides, the poisoning could have been done even earlier."

"Mr. Manaka, Mr. Kubota, do you have an alibi for that time?"