There's a Ghost
Noelle, following close behind Conan, let out a sigh, a twinge of guilt nagging at her. How was it that she, time after time, couldn't react as quickly as this little boy?
Truly worried that Conan might run into danger, Mouri Ran could only set down her phone for the moment and prepare to follow after him with Sonoko.
It was Kaeya who stopped them. Citing the possibility of danger, he suggested that Ran, Sonoko, and Lisa stay in the vicinity, call the police, and stand by to protect the scene until the officers arrived, while he — the only man present — went to check things out.
Seeing that Ran was still gazing anxiously in the direction Conan had vanished, Lisa spoke up to comfort her. "It's all right. Kaeya's quite capable. With him around, nothing will happen to our little Conan."
Then she paused, and her tone shifted. "Still, Ran dear, you really must have a proper talk with that boy. Running off without a word like that — he's bound to get into danger sooner or later."
At those words, Ran thought back to what had just happened. Even as worry for Conan gnawed at her, she couldn't help growing angry. He'd been absolutely incorrigible today. The moment he got back, she was going to give him a proper scolding — he needed to stop running off without telling anyone.
Sonoko rolled her eyes and muttered, "That little brat with the glasses is exactly like that idiot detective in the worst possible way."
Conan, sprinting ahead of the group, had no idea what was unfolding behind him. All his attention was fixed on reaching the spot where the voices had come from.
Before long, two figures appeared in the distance ahead of him.
The sun was already beginning to set, and the surrounding maple trees screened out much of the remaining light. From that slight distance, Conan could only make out two blurry shapes — one tall, one short; one stocky, one slim — standing not far apart, apparently talking.
He slowed his steps, creeping closer as silently as he could, and gradually fragments of sound reached his ears, though he couldn't make out whole sentences.
"You... who are...? Stop... police...?"
"You... killed someone... not letting you... get away... police..."
The moment Conan heard the voice of the taller figure, his eyes went wide. That voice belonged to Albedo.
He was just about to edge a few steps closer, hoping to hear more clearly, when a hand shot out from behind and seized him by the collar.
The shock of it stopped Conan's breath in his throat; only when the voice spoke behind him did he finally exhale.
"Conan, no more running off." Noelle gazed down at the boy dangling from her grip, her expression complicated, growing ever more convinced that this child was a menace to himself.
Running wild was one thing — but he never, ever watched his own back. She had been following him the whole way, and she had stood directly behind him for a good while without Conan registering her presence at all.
If she hadn't grabbed him when she saw he was about to press onward, he probably wouldn't have noticed her until she thumped him over the head.
Noelle made up her mind then and there: if she was ever assigned to look after this child again, she would keep her guard up at every moment. Preferably he wouldn't slip away right under her nose twice in one day, the way he just had.
Hearing that it was Noelle behind him, Conan relaxed.
He turned his head and shot her a look to let her release his collar, then pointed ahead — there was a situation over there, and he needed to sneak closer.
Suddenly, Conan remembered Albedo standing over there. His movements froze mid-gesture, and he stiffly craned his neck to look up at Noelle.
Noelle hadn't noticed anything odd about Conan's reaction. She simply shook her head quietly, declining his proposal.
"What are you two doing? Not a word out of either of you — are you performing a mime?" Kaeya called out as he strode toward Conan, making no effort whatsoever to lower his voice.
"Mister Kaeya!" Noelle protested, her voice rising a notch.
She reminded him that he shouldn't go carelessly exposing Conan's position when there might be danger about.
"My apologies." Kaeya raised both hands, then looked past Conan and Noelle. "Noelle, you worry too much. With this many of us, I hardly think there's anything to fear."
Conan turned to follow Kaeya's gaze and, sure enough, saw that Albedo and the stranger across from him had noticed the commotion and were now looking their way.
"Albedo, what are you doing? And who's that with you?" Kaeya shouted, waving as he called out, while Conan watched on in mute exasperation.
Conan thought Kaeya's approach was a textbook case of flushing out the snake by beating the grass, but at the same time it put his mind at ease. Clearly, Albedo wasn't doing anything untoward with that man — or rather, the man probably wasn't one of the Black Organization.
Only now could he calm down and think. Piecing together the broken phrases he'd overheard, the person facing Albedo was very likely the one who had murdered the owner of that notebook they'd found.
"On my way out, I spotted someone suspicious stabbing another person from a distance, then hurrying to flee, so I stepped in to stop him." Albedo looked at Kaeya and answered calmly.
Kaeya glanced at the so-called suspicious character, then swept his eyes over the woods behind the man, the corner of his mouth curling. Things were getting interesting.
There were far more people hiding out there than Kaeya had expected, but he didn't let it concern him much.
Observing the movements of those lurking behind the trees with his Elemental Sight, Kaeya could easily tell that although they were numerous, they were untrained, incapable of coordination, and not much good in a fight — an obvious rabble.
No matter how many of this sort showed up, Albedo alone could handle them. Never mind that he and Noelle were there as well.
Kaeya brought Noelle and Conan over to Albedo's side, gathering together so they'd be ready to act at a moment's notice.
Only up close could Conan get a clear look at the man.
The "suspicious character" of Albedo's account was an elderly man with graying hair, somewhat portly, wearing glasses — the kind of face that, at a glance, made you think of a kindly old grandfather.
"What suspicious character?" the old man said indignantly. "I was just trying to get down the mountain quickly. That's the only reason I was hurrying."
"You're the one who blocked me without the slightest explanation and nearly injured me! If anything, I ought to be asking what you intend to do!" Clearly the man had nerves of steel — facing people who might have witnessed his crime with their own eyes, he still managed to turn the tables and play the accuser.
Conan frowned. He believed Albedo; this man had to be the killer. But without evidence, if he flatly refused to confess, there was nothing the police could do to arrest him.
Conan was just preparing to question the man and hunt for a crack in his story when the corner of his eye caught what looked like a flicker of yellow light flashing before Albedo — there and gone.
He peered carefully at the space in front of Albedo, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Just as confusion began to set in, the suspect suddenly let out a terrified shriek: "A ghost! There's a ghost!"