Detective Conan 723

File 723
The Locked Room Above the Lake
Caption: What in the world is it that you remember?

２
Sidetext: The arrogant, lecherous, scriptwriter is found dead at Kojyou Roten bath's rocky area...

Teradou: Huh? Is something going on?
Natori: I have no idea!

Natori: I came to go inside the Kojyou Roten bath, but these kids won't let me pass...
Mitsuhiko: It's because Conan
said not to let anybody in!

Haibara: Hey...Is he dead?
Conan: Yeah, he's not breathing...

Ayumi: No way...
Haibara! I hope you've contacted the police!
Haibara: Yes...

3
Tanzawa: Huh...
Tetuyama-sensei...

Tanzawa: It can't...
Why is sensei...

Tanzawa: Sensei!
Tetsuyama-sensei!

Yokomizo: Cause of death is due to a strong blow to the back of the head, resulting in an acute hematoma as well as cerebral contusion below the dura mater.
Time of death is estimated to be approximately 5am.

Yokomizo: Clinging to the bottom of the deceased's feet are traces of foam...
Which are also on the tiles beneath him...

Yokomizo: Furthermore, opposite the feet...
we see a bar of soap that has flown off in that direction...

4
Yokomizo: So it definitely appears that when he left the bathtub he inadvertently stepped on the soap, slipped and fell...
and in doing so hit his head against one of the rocks around the tub, accidentally killing him...

Conan: But isn't it strange...
That he's in the women's bath?
Yokomizo: That brat again...

Yokomizo: I also thought it was strange...
But the old man was approaching the Roten Bath at 4:30am, and must have mistaken the men's and women's baths because it was still dark...

Conan: But we came here after he did, and the words on the entrance indicating which bath was which were clearly visible!
Yokomizo: Then you also met the two employees who were at the entrance to the bridge from the main building?

Yokomizo: The two of them were saying...
Man: Before the children came the only one to go through the entrance was the old man!

Yokomizo: If you were the only ones to go in after him it had to have been an accident!
Conan: But look over there!
Around the old man's collar bone...

5
Conan: There's water puddled there!
And over there in his navel, too!

Conan: If he had hit his head from a fall forcefully enough to kill him, wouldn't the water have been blown off from his body?
Yokomizo: That's true...

Conan: Perhaps after the old man fell somebody used water to try and wash something away!
Yokomizo: Wash something...away?

Yokomizo: That's right, blood! When he was first hit, his shoulders and back were conspicuously splashed with blood...
After hitting him in the head and killing him with a bath stone, he washed it away...to make it appear as an accident...

Yokomizo: Hey, wait a minute...
When you discovered the body there wasn't anybody else here but the other kids?
Conan: No!

Conan: I didn't even hear anything that sounded like someone jumping into the lake!
Yokomizo: That means this Kojyou Roten bath is a perfect locked room...

6
Conan: You mean an impossible crime?

Conan: But first we have to solve this puzzle...
Yokomizo: Yes, that's right...
I mean...

Yokomizo: Little brats shouldn't go pretending like they're detectives!!

Hey, call forensics back! I want a complete re-examination!!
Officer: Right!
Mitsuhiko: S-so, Conan-kun...

Mitsuhiko: H-how was it?
Genta: Didn't you see?
Conan: See?

Mitsuhiko: In there!
Ayumi was screaming loudly!
Conan: Yeah, I saw...

Ayumi/Haibara: Eh?
Mitsuhiko: I knew it...
Genta: You saw!?
Conan: Yeah! Of course!

7
Conan: Being naked and exposed when going into a bath...
It's quite natural...

Genta: N-naked...
Mitsuhiko: Exposed!?

Haibara: Why you...
Ayumi: Stupid, stupid, Conan!! Stuuuupiiiiiid!!!
Conan: Huh? Didn't you guys also see the old man's body?

Kids: Eh?
Conan: What are you guys talking about?

Mitsuhiko: Oh, if you mean the old man's body we saw it, too!
Genta: Before the police came we went wandering around...
Conan: How could you? You didn't come inside!

Mitsuhiko: We saw him from the outside!
We went on that path around the perimeter!

Mitsuhiko: See, the outdoor ventilation fan is mounted here...

8
Mitsuhiko: There!
You can see everything!

Yokomizo: What, you kids?
Where the heck did you come from?
Conan: On the outside pathway connected to this veranda!

Yokomizo: What!?
Conan: Furthermore, this glass door doesn't have a lock...

Haibara: I see...
Last night before the Roten bath was closed if he hid himself in a shielded area...

Haibara: The next morning after killing the old man he could walk through the pathway from the veranda and slip into the group of guests clamoring about outside, unable to get in...
Conan: Just like that...

Conan: Well, first of all, could you pick out those guests who came to the Kojyou Roten bath by themselves without telling anyone? The culprit might be one of them.
Ah. yes...

9
Yokomizo: And so...
Those who came to enter the Roten bath by themselves without telling anyone are,

Yokomizo: Oddy enough, you 3 who have connections to the deceased, Tetsuyama Ganji-san...
Well, nearly all the other guests are here with their families...The only ones staying here alone were Tetsuyama-san and you 3...

Yokomizo: So, while you show me all your belongings...would you please tell me where you were and what you were doing at 5am, the approximate time of the crime?
We'll begin with the one playing Tetsuyama-san's movie script heroine...

Yokomizo: You, Natori Mishio-san...
Natori: I really don't know anything, but I have these makeup tools in this pouch, and this towel...

Natori: My room key is at the front desk...
since I was told to leave it there when going to the bath...
Sign: Natori Mishio (28) Actress

Natori: I was just getting up at 5am...I came here around 5:30...to watch the morning sun while soaking in the bath...I love onsens, after all...
Inspector: Oh...

Inspector: So your relation with Tetsuyama-san was only that of scriptwriter and actress?
Natori: Yes...
Teradou: Liar...

10
Teradou: It seemed like you were being wooed by Tetsuyama-sensei!
Aren't there even heard rumors that the latest heroine role was to become his lover?

Natori: What? I got the role on merit! Not like you, who kissed up to him until he finally gave you a place as one of the contenders for the lead!
Teradou: A contender? I'm the pick!
Yokomizo: Then what was the leading man doing at around 5am?

Teradou: Yes...at that time I was sleeping in my room...I came here before 6am for a morning bath...
I only have a towel, cigarettes, and my room key...
Sign: Teradou Unbei　（３３） Actor

Inspector: You didn't leave your key at the front desk?
Teradou: Too much trouble...

Tanzawa: I also brought my key instead of leaving it at the front desk...I came to look for her since she had been gone from her room a long time...

Tanzawa: Therefore I have my room key, wallet, and cell phone...
At 5:00 I was in my room watching TV...
Sign: Tanzawa Jyunsaku (34) Mishio's Manager

Yokomizo: Watching TV at 5am...an early riser...
Tanzawa: Yes...Actually, I was up after 4:00 and went down to the front desk at about 4:30 to get some change...

11
Conan: Perhaps that change was to buy the canned coffee? I met you around 4:30 in front of the vending machine, right?
Tanzawa: Yes...

Yokomizo: Then that means Tanzawa-san couldn't have hidden himself here all night, waiting to kill Tetsuyama-san...
Natori: Kill?
Teradou: So this really wasn't an accident?

Yokomizo: No...I can't say for sure, but...
Teradou: If so then it's clear who the culprit is, Mr. Inspector...

Teradou: It must be this woman!!

Teradou: Last night in the lobby I overheard Tetsuyama-san on the telephone...
He said something about finally convincing the other person..and the morning sun shining down on them while in the Kojyou Roten bath, all while having a smirk on his face...

Teradou: He also said if you didn't like the leading man he could have him switched...
She must have used her feminine wiles to lure Tetsuyama-sensei here to murder him!
Yokomizo: I see...If so then that explains why he died in the women's bath...

Yokomizo: So?
Were you on the phone with him?

12
Natori: Yes, it was I...He told me to come to the women's bath first thing in the morning before the other guests arrived and he would get the both of us in...
But I intended to keep him waiting in disgrace...

Natori: I'm not the only actress who was sick to death of his sexual harassment...
Yokomizo: ...In other words, both of you have a motive to kill Tetsuyama-san...

Teradou: Hey, now wait a second! This guy has a motive, too!
Five years ago Tetsuyama-sensei dropped him from the lead role in a film and he hasn't had a role ever since!

Yokomizo: Is that true?
Tanzawa: Yes...At the time I was a bit resentful but now I'm grateful...Thanks to him I've been able to experience many things besides acting...

Natori: I-I didn't hate him enough to want to kill him!
Teradou: Neither did I!!

Officer: Inspector Yokomizo!
This was behind a box in the dressing room!
Yokomizo: Huh?

Yokomizo: A plastic tea bottle...
But that doesn't look like tea inside...
Officer: Yes...it appears to be just water...

13
Officer: Also, around the crime scene there are match cinders floating atop the lake surface.
Yokomizo: Match cinders? Why is that?

Miitsuhikko: Uh, excuse me, why don't we show these 3 people to the employees at the entrance to the bridge from the main building?
Yokomizo: Hm?

Haibara: That's right...if someone was hiding here all night, he wouldn't have passed through the entrance today, would he?
Genta: They would know after seeing them, right?
Ayumi: The person they hadn't seen today would be the culprit!

Man: Yes...but even if you say that...
Up until 6:00am the light is turned down so it's dark...
With all the police officers there was a crowd going through, and I couldn't tell the difference between one person and the other...
Man2: I remember that Tetsuyama-sensei was the first to come, and then the children...

Yokomizo: When he came how did Tetsuyama-san appear to you?
Was he in a good mood?
Man: Well...he had a towel wrapped around him like a muffler, so I couldn't see his expression, but he had the same frown　as always...
Conan: Hey!

14
Conan: You said Tetsuyama-sensei was let into the Roten bath before everyone else. Was it always that way?
Man: Yes...he liked being the first to bathe...Whenever he stayed with us, we always had the bath with the lights on and ready for him before 4:30am...

Man: A long time ago this ryokan was the model for the ryokan where one of his movies he wrote takes place. As a result it became famous...
Mitsuhiko: That reminds me, didn't that story also have a locked room murder?

Mitsuhiko: Maybe they used the same trick...
Tanzawa: Impossible! That trick was to use the spaces between the bridge planks like monkey bars to move hidden underneath the bridge...

Tanzawa: This bridge doesn't have spaces between the planks...
Natori: I heard that scene was filmed with that bridge in a studio.
Teradou: It wasn't me who did that, but instead they arranged for a stuntman...

Officer: Inspector!
It appears the victim is missing one of his rings...

Yokomizo: A ring?
Officer: Yes...there was just an empty case lying in his room...
On the case it says, "Nichiuri TV Newcomer's Scenario First Prize"...

Natori: Yes, that ring had a pea-sized gem in it!
Teradou: That's right, it's silver! He often showed it to me with pride...
He said it was a good luck charm for big occasions like lectures or congratulatory parties...

15
Yokomizo: You can't find it anywhere?
Officer: No! We even looked all over the bathtub...probably sunken in the lake along with the murder weapon...

Yokomizo: Did you find anything in the rooms of these 3?
Officer: Yes, we found something odd in each of their rooms...

Officer: The ash tray in Teradou-san's room had a large quantity of match cinders...
Yokomizo: Matches!?
Teradou: What's wrong with that? I use matches to light cigarettes...

Officer: In Tanzawa-san's room we found only a single glove in his bag. The left one...
Tanzawa: It's a golf glove...Lot of people only wear one on the left hand to prevent slipping...I'm right handed, after all...

Officer: As for Natori-san's room, we found a shattered wine glass in her waste basket...
On the desk　we found a script with just one page crumpled up...
Natori: I was creating my part...

Natori: Last night when reading the script I was getting into my part. In a scene I get exasperated, tear up a document, and throw a glass at the other person...
I did all that without thinking...

Natori: When I concentrate on a role, it's my way to become that role completely...
Conan: Concentrate on a role...become completely...

16
Conan: That's it...
That's how it happened...

Conan: That person was so completely absorbed in their role...
that they completely forgot...

Conan: The definitive proof...
Is hidden against their own chest...
Sidetext: What's the trick behind the locked room? Next issue!!