Chapter 137: Sunday Concerto at Poirot Cafe Under Conan’s Eyelids…
Beika Town, Poirot Cafe.
There were three smells mixed in the air.
The burnt aroma of coffee. The savory aroma of a sandwich. And a cool, sweet perfume.
The source of the perfume is at the window booth.
Chrissie Wynyard.
Code name, Vermouth.
She was wearing a beige windbreaker, and her long golden hair flowed gently in the light.
She stirred the coffee, the spoon tapping against the side of the cup.
Click. Click. Click.
The fourth "click" sound fell.
The wind chimes rang.
A figure flashed through the door. The red hood was pulled down very low, revealing only the chin.
Ice-blue eyes scanned the entire room.
Like a radar, it instantly locked onto the woman in the corner.
Ai Haibara walked to the table, pulled out a chair and sat down.
The movements are clean and neat.
"You're late, Shirley. Three minutes." Vermouth didn't look up, her eyes glued to the swirl of coffee. "A secret meeting. Three minutes is enough for a sniper to lock onto the target a hundred times."
"An international criminal having afternoon tea in the turf of the elementary school detective group is a crime against public safety," Huiyuan said flatly. "I'm not here to listen to your lecture on time management."
Vermouth finally raised her eyes, a smile spreading across them.
"Don't be so cold, little scientist. Wouldn't it be nice to have a cup of coffee with a lonely lady? Or perhaps a cup of APTX4869 special?"
Huiyuan's pupils shrank.
"Your humor, like your perfume, is from the last century." She raised her chin toward the bar. "Let's get straight to the point."
Azusa Enomoto came over.
"A cup of black coffee, just like her."
"Oh? Copy me?" Vermouth laughed. "I thought you'd order a cappuccino with lots of cream and sugar. That would be more in line with your cute elementary school age, 'Haibara Ai'."
"I just want to taste what betrayal feels like."
Two identical cups of black coffee.
Reflecting two equally bottomless faces.
"My patience is limited." Huibara took a sip of coffee, the bitter taste hitting her head. "Friday. Cafe. Phonograph theft. You did it."
declarative sentence.
Vermouth put down the cup.
"Tell me about it." She folded her hands and raised her chin.
"The new barista." Huiyuan stared at her. "His acting is terrible."
"As soon as you were about to leave, he started arguing with a customer over a broken machine. The volume was just right to drown out all the noise."
"A professional barista arguing with a customer during business hours?"
"The script is awful."
“Oh,” Vermouth held her forehead with one hand, her blue eyes narrowed into slits, “You saw through me. I thought he was very dedicated.”
"That's called boasting, not professionalism," Huiyuan said bluntly. "The purpose isn't to start a fight, it's to create chaos and lock me in. And pave the way for your subsequent awful performance."
Vermouth leaned back in her chair, folding her arms in a lazy pose.
"Perfect analysis, as expected of Elena's daughter. And sure enough, while Yukiko's little detective is away, I have to find some fun."
She suddenly leaned forward and lowered her voice.
“That barista, my guy.”
"The mission is to hold me back for five minutes."
The sun shone brightly on her face.
Huiyuan's heart sank.
This woman is playing with fire. And she's playing with it so blatantly.
"The person who secretly filmed Edogawa," Huibara suddenly said, "have you found out?"
Vermouth spread out his hands: "My dear, I am not a god. I have already exceeded my mission by eliminating the organization in three days."
"Or," Huibara stared at her, "is it you?"
Vermouth smiled.
It's hard to tell the truth from the false.
"If it were me, would I need to take secret photos? I know that little detective better than you do."
Huibara interrupted her. "Don't talk about coincidence."
She took a step closer. "Why did you create all this?"
Vermouth leaned forward, their noses touching, their breaths mingling.
"Shirley."
"You and I both know it."
"There are no coincidences in this world."
"A reporter taking secret photos." Huiyuan got straight to the point. "That photo, the angle is perfect. Who is he? Your pawn?"
Vermouth put her index finger against her red lips.
A silencing gesture.
"A secret makes a woman woman."
She blinked.
Huibara narrowed her eyes and stared at the flawless face.
Every micro-expression confirms an absurd conclusion.
There are no sneak photographers.
The commotion in the coffee shop was the script.
That photo is a prop.
It's all a show.
"You directed all of this."
Huiyuan's voice was calm.
"Just to see me?"
She picked up the coffee cup and drank it all.
Vermouth just looked at her, the drama faded from her blue eyes.
She smiled.
"My little Shirley."
"I put on a big show just to see you."
"Don't you think this is romantic?"
Huiyuan let out a breath.
"madman."
Vermouth accepted with pleasure.
"Same here."
Haibara leaned back to create some distance.
"Let's get down to business."
"Is there any new move by the organization?"
Vermouth put away her smile.
She pulled the envelope from her purse and pushed it across the table.
A map of Kyoto.
Several locations are circled in red.
"Gin." Vermouth said.
"Next week, Kyoto. Big mission."
Huibara's breathing hitched.
"What mission?"
"confidential."
Vermouth's finger ran across the map.
"You should understand the significance of having him personally take action."
"and……"
She paused, tilted her head, and observed Huibara's expression.
"And what?"
"He also ordered bourbon."
Vermouth's smile deepened.
"It seems that technical support is needed."
Huiyuan was silent.
Kyoto. Gin. Bourbon.
Several words quickly formed in her mind.
"Will you go?" she asked.
"Look at you." Vermouth's eyes were still sharp. "If you go, I might go and join in the fun."
"after all……"
"I didn't want to miss the opportunity to protect you."
Huibara didn't hide. "I don't need it."
“Needing and wanting are two different things.”
Vermouth withdrew her hand.
"Just like you... you clearly have my email address, but you still chose to meet me right under your dear little detective's nose."
Another card slid across the table.
Kyoto Hotel room card.
"Appetizers are finished."
Vermouth's tone returned to efficiency.
"Now for the main course."
"Gin's room in Kyoto. Maybe you can find something good there."
Gin.
The name breaks the false warmth of the cafe.
Vermouth threw out the real chips.
Huibara reached out and touched the cold plastic card.
"Why are you telling me?" she asked.
"because……"
Vermouth stood up and put on her windbreaker.
She looked at the sitting Huibara and smiled.
"On stage, it's too boring to have only heroes and villains."
“There has to be someone like me.”
"Give clues to heroes and poisoned wine to villains."
She turned and walked towards the door, her red-soled high heels tapping lightly on the floor.
She stopped at the door and looked back.
A flying kiss.
"Until the next act, my dear Sherry."
The wind chimes rang, and she disappeared in the sunshine of Beika Town.
The scent of perfume and coffee is still intertwined in the air.
Huiyuan sat quietly for a while, then shook her head and picked up the room card.
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