Detective Conan 671

**This translation is for Endless Youth and Co. Group use only. thanks!

P1

File 671: Connection

What is the meaning behind the gruesome alphabet letter…!?

P2

Takagi: The victim is the 41 year old criminal psychologist, Hiramune Douji-san

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Takagi: The cause of death is massive blood loss from the knife wound that spliced his artery… // The weapon used is this fruit knife taken from the kitchen…

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Takagi: Based on the mark left on his neck by a stun gun…

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Takagi: And the alphabet letter carved onto his back… // it is very likely that the suspect is the same as the one who committed 2 murders 10 years ago and 1 murder 15 years ago…

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Takagi: We can assume the were all committed by the same serial killer…

Megure: Hmm…

P3

Megure: But, this time he wrote a Z…

Shiratori: I had assumed he would write an N…

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Shiratori: The investigation files state that the past victims had E, S, and W carved on them in that order, so it would complete the East West South North pattern…

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Conan: Wait, if it’s East West South North… / the order would be E, W, S, N…

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Megure: Well…we are sure this wasn’t committed by a copycat criminal…Conan-kun’s friends, Ayumi-kun and Ai-kun, passed by him near the elevator… // and heard him whistling the Beatles’ Let it Be…

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Conan: So the media have not reported about his whistling habit?

Megure: Nope…We didn’t tell the media about our coming across a man who whistled near both of the first two crime scenes… / We didn’t need any copycats to emerge…

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Shiratori: Although you did know a lot about the case… // For you to hear from your friend about a whistling man in the building / and tying that to Hiramune-san who had challenged the suspect on TV earlier in the day, leading you to come straight to this room…

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Shiratori: You’re just like a police officer yourself, as always, Conan-kun…

Megure: Was the challenge he made that extreme?

Satou: Yes…

P4

Satou: He said things like “the suspect must have shut himself in his room and is cowardly awaiting the statutes of limitations to expire…” / and “he’s just trying to wait it out in the safest way for himself”… / and he even says, “come and kill me if you have the courage”…

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Megure: It is a complete challenge…

Chiba: Yes…Hisamune-san has made similar statements in newspapers and magazines… / so that may have motivated the murder to commit this crime…

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Megure: And? Hiramune-san came home to this apartment right after appearing live on the TV show?

Shiratori: Yes…the program ended at 4pm and he hurried home…

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Shiratori: Apparently he had made plans to meet a friend here…

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Megure: So it is safe to say that friend is the suspect…

Shiratori: Yes…we looked into Hiramune-san’s acquaintances to track down the suspect… however, no one seems to fit…

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Conan: Maybe the guy has something to do with the copy machine!

P5

Takagi: Eh?

Conan: Look under Hiramune-san’s left hand!

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Conan: There’s blood on the “Ctrl” and “C” keys!

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Conan: Doesn’t “Ctrl” and “C” let you copy?

Takagi: Uh…yeah…that’s right…

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Takagi: But what if the suspect did this on purpose…

Conan: But there’s no blood on his left hand

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Takagi: You’re right…

Conan: There’s blood only on his fingers of his right hand that he for some reason, used to hold the mouse cord…

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Conan: Wouldn’t that mean he wouldn’t go out of his way to put blood on the keyboard using his right hand and then cover it with his left hand? / Would the suspect go through all that trouble if he purposely did it?

Satou: True…he would make it more obvious…

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Satou: He made sure not to use his left hand to leave blood marks so it would be clear to us it wasn’t coincidental…

Shiratori: And he hid it with his left hand so the suspect wouldn’t see…

Megure: Which means this…

P6

Megure: Is something Hiramune-san left for us in his final moments… // It’s a dying message…

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Megure: There is a copy machine in this room…

Shiratori: We searched it earlier but there is nothing odd about it…

Takagi: Could it mean a copy band?

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Takagi: The suspect whistles Let it Be so… / maybe he knew someone in a Beatles copy band…

Matsumoto: There are dozens of those…

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Matsumoto: The Beatles were the charismatic rock band…

Megure: Superintendent Matsumoto!

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Matsumoto: Well, there seems to be a deeper meaning in that Let it Be song…

Takagi: A deeper meaning?

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Matsumoto: You are familiar with Morimura who died 20 years ago, while investigating this case, right? He was hit by a suspicious car that he had approached for questioning.

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Takagi: Yes…

Matsumoto: When Morimura approached the car, the man was whistling that tune…

P7

Matsumoto: And was crying…

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Everyone: Crying!?

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Matsumoto: Alright! Satou and Chiba, go investigate in the vicinity!

Chiba&Satou: Yes sir!

Matsumoto: Shiratori, take another look around Hiramune-san’s room keeping the “copy” idea in mind!!

Shiratori: That’s what I was planning to do…

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Matsumoto: Takagi, go find out from the victim’s families from the past 3 cases to double check on if they had any connections with Hiramune-san!!

Takagi: Yes, sir! Roger!!

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Megure: Wow…he’s enthusiastic!

Shiratori: It is a pretty big case…

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Satou: Maybe my promise… // motivated him a bit too much…

P8

Takagi: The statutes of limitations for the old case expires in 3 days… // but if it’s the same suspect has committed a new crime, the statutes of limitations extends to another 15 years!

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Takagi: Wait…the code of criminal procedure should have been revised so that a new murder case would extend the statutes of limitations to 25 years… // If we can arrest the criminal within those 25 years…

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Takagi: Satou-san and I can… // go to the hot springs!!

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Conan: I get it now…

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Conan: That’s why you’re more enthusiastic today than usual…

Takagi: EH!?

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Mitsuhiko: How adulterous!

Ayumi: Hot springs? Cool!

Genta: Take us with you!

Takagi: Why are you in my car!?

P9

Genta: You’re the one that let us in!

Ayumi: You opened the door for us when we asked you where you were going in the parking lot!

Mitsuhiko: But you did seem like your attention was elsewhere…

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Takagi: I was just so caught up thinking about the hot springs…I mean, the case…

Ai: So? What will you do?

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Ai: Are you going to give us a ride? / Or drop us off?

Takagi: Of course I’m going to drop you guys off! / This is a serial murder case investigation!

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Mitsuhiko: But Ayumi-chan and Haibara-san have some contact with the suspect!

Takagi: But right now, I’m headed to visit the families of the victims from the cases from 20 and 15 years ago…

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Conan: Weren’t those families put under suspicion? They said so on TV!

Takagi: Yeah, but…

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Ai: Well, if you’re okay with waiting 25 years for Satou-san, as she grows older and older…then good luck by yourself!

Conan: Haha…

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Mitsuhiko: Right now she’s at her best!

Ayumi: She’s so pretty!

Genta: She’s at her peak righ?

P10

Takagi: Listen, Conan-kun is the only one who can come, ok? // Everyone else stay put in the car!

Everyone: Okay!

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Conan: So, Haibara and Ayumi-chan, look closely from there at the people we’re going to see now!

Ayumi: Ok!

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Conan: This is the house of the first victim, Boukawa Tsuguharu-san, who was killed 20 years ago? And we’re going to see his wife?

Takagi: Right…Bougawa-san was the director at a large hospital, so when he passed away his wife inherited a fortune. That’s why she became a prime suspect…

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Takagi: Especially since we didn’t know if the murderer was a man or woman at that point yet…

Conan: I see…

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Takagi: But we couldn’t find any evidence and she had no affiliation with the next victim, Mugita-san… // And she remained a suspect until the statutes of limitations passed on that case…

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Maiko: Yes…I do know him!

Box: Boukawa Maiko (62) Boukawa Tsuguharu’s wife

Maiko: It’s the criminal psychologist, Hiramune-san who is on TV a lot, yes? // What happened to him?

P11

Takagi: He was murdered in his home a few hours ago… // and the murderer is most likely the man who killed your husband 20 years ago…

Maiko: My, how frightening…

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Takagi: And so…we were wondering if he had any relationship with your husband…

Maiko: Hmm… / how old is Hiramune-san?

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Takagi: 41 years old…

Maiko: Then, 20 years ago he was 21 and my husband was 50 when he died… / I don’t believe they would have any relationship…

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Conan: Do you know if he secretly met with anyone?

Takagi: Wha…

Maiko: Who is this boy…?

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Conan: I’m doing my societal studies on what a policeman’s job entails!

Takagi: Haha…

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Maiko: Well…he did go drinking on Saturday night’s a lot…

Takagi: Do you know with who?

Maiko: Nope…

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Maiko: Once when he came home completely drunk and complained…

Tsuguharu: Shit! Making fun of me and calling me a crybaby!

Maiko: so it might be an old friend from his childhood…?

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Maiko: And, I’ve already told the police this 20 years ago…

Takagi: I see…

P12

Takagi: The next person we’re going to visit is Hidekuni-san, the younger brother of Mugita Atsunori-san. He was an associate professor of science and engineering at a university, and he was killed 2 days after Boukawa-san… // Hidekuni-san was a suspect because of the large amount of life insurance money he inherited…

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Takagi: But just like Boukawa-san’s wife, there was insufficient evidence… // and there was no connection with the first victim, so the 15 year statutes of limitations expired again…

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Conan: Any connection with the third victim, Nabei-san?

Takagi: Of course there was none…

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Hidekuni: Hmmm…a criminal psychologist Hiramune Douji-san…?

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Box: Mugita Hidekuni (56) Younger brother of Mugita Atsunori

Hidekuni: Even if you tell me he’s on TV a lot… // I don’t really watch TV…

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Takagi: Hisamune-san was killed by the man who murdered your brother…!

Hidekuni: Hmm…

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Takagi: You’re not surprised?

Hidekuni: Well…I just decided to forget about my brother’s case 5 years ago when the statutes of limitations expired…

P13

Takagi: So…your brother wasn’t an acquaintance of Hiramune-san or anything…?

Hidekuni: I don’t think so… / This man is a psychologist right? My brother taught the sciences…

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Conan: Ask about Saturday nights…

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Takagi: Did you brother used to go out with anyone on Saturday nights?

Hidekuni: Yes…my brother’s wife that passed away 2 years ago mentioned that…he often didn’t come home on Saturday nights and would return on the following morning…

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Hidekuni: Once she kept calling his beeper because she was afraid he was cheating on her… // and when he called back he was furious with her…

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Takagi: Furious?

Hidekuni: Yes… // he said, “I’m at the doctor! Don’t bother me!!”

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Takagi: Was the doctor the first victim, Doctor Bougawa by any chance…?

Hidekuni: Yes…a cop was investigating that same fact 20 years ago too…

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Hidekuni: Maybe my brother’s name was on that doctor’s patient list?

Takagi: Perhaps…

P14

Takagi: Phew…

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Mitsuhiko: How was it?

Genta: Did you find something out?

Takagi: No…nothing

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Conan: How about you two? Did he look like the suspect?

Ai: He didn’t really look like him in my opinion…

Ayumi: And that lady from before wasn’t right either…

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Ai: But if they were wearing a long-haired wig and beard like when we first saw… // they might give a different impression…

Takagi: Okay…our last stop is to see Eiki-san, the son of Nabei Susumu. He was a lawyer that was killed 5 years after these two cases…

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Takagi: At the time of the incident, Eiki-san was 10 years old and he was awoken from a nap by his father’s moaning… / and he was too scared to leave his room until his mother returned from the grocer…

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Conan: Then it’s probably better to ask the mother about the case…

Takagi: Unfortunately, she was admitted to a hospital from the shock of finding her dead husband, and is still there / so Eiki-san lives in that house alone…

P15

Eiki: I’ve had enough officer!!

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Eiki: I’ve told you all everything already!! / I’ve been having the media ambush me about the statutes of limitations almost expiring, and I’ve had enough!!

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Eiki: I don’t care if the murder killed someone else!

Takagi: Then… // can you at least tell me if your father knew Hiramune-san…

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Eiki: How would I know!!

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Takagi: Sigh…I heard he wasn’t always like that…

Conan: Really?

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Takagi: Yeah…according to the Captain, he used to call the police every time he remembered these strange stories that his father used to tell him…

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Conan: Strange stories?

Takagi: Apparently, he used to sleep under noon on Sundays and would always mumble…

P16

Takagi: “The parents got hit last night too and it was rough” // is what he would say!

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Genta: Someone’s parents got hit by a car…?

Ayumi: Oh, because he was a lawyer!

Mitsuhiko: He handled cases for the perpetrators or the victims of those cases!

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Ai: What part of that is strange?

Takagi: Susumu-san specialized in corporate cases and never handled any cases with car accidents…

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Ai: Then why?

Takagi: We don’t know why, which is why Eiki-san thought it was weird…

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Conan: I get it… “crybaby”… // “I’m at the doctor”…“parents”and “hit”…

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Conan: I finally got it! / The connection… // between the four!!

To be continued in Issue 50