"Ahem… ahem… ahem…" "You're coughing so badly. Are you okay? Don't worry—the doctor we're going to see is very skilled. This minor illness c
"You're coughing so badly. Are you okay? Don't worry—the doctor we're going to see is very skilled. This minor illness can be cured in no time. You'll feel better soon."
The child's coughing and the woman's gentle voice echoed through the eavesdropping device, mingling with the subtle hum of a moving car.
The time was just past eight.
Hayashi Yoshiki glanced at the ticking clock while checking the messages on his phone. One of them came from Vodka.
"Everything is in place, right?"
He relayed instructions to Shimizu Reiko, Seiran Hoshi, and the others regarding the full moon event.
It doesn't matter who wins the show—as long as we walk away with the reward.
Vermouth was trouble. Though she'd go to great lengths to protect Kudo Shinichi and Ran, she held deep-seated hatred for Haibara Ai… hatred that seemed rooted in the girl's parents.
Meanwhile, Jodie Starling drove to the dock, with Conan disguised as Haibara Ai in tow. Following closely behind was Vermouth, in disguise as Tomoaki Araide.
She didn't even need tracking skills—Jodie was leading her directly to a remote dock.
But then, Jodie abruptly turned the steering wheel, skidding the car into a 180° drift to face Tomoaki Araide's vehicle.
"Oh~ Doctor Tomoaki, what can I do for you?"
"I was going to ask you the same thing. What are you planning to do with that child?"
Vermouth stepped out of the car with a calm but serious expression.
The two women—who had long known each other's true identities—were still acting… until Jodie exposed the disguise.
Vermouth slowly peeled off her mask.
They reminisced briefly. Vermouth finally remembered Judy as the little girl who had survived the family she once slaughtered.
And then, the act ended.
Vermouth reached for her gun, but before she could aim, Jodie shot it down.
The weapon clattered to the ground. Jodie quickly stepped forward, holding her revolver steady and pointing it at her:
"Stand there and don't move!"
"Oh, this is a headache… You really brought such a dangerous thing with you?"
Vermouth still didn't seem shaken.
Because she had counted on this.
They wouldn't dare kill her—not if they wanted information.
"I have something to ask you."
"Why is it that you…" Judy's grip tightened. "Never grow old?"
Jodie had investigated Vermouth for years. Her appearance hadn't changed in twenty years.
More chilling still—her fingerprints matched those of her mother, Sharon Vineyard.
But before Vermouth could answer, a tiny flash flickered in the distance.
A bullet whizzed past and struck near Jodie, sending a splash of blood onto the windshield.
Conan's eyes widened in horror.
Vermouth walked up to the wounded Judy and crouched, casually picking up the revolver.
"You really should be more careful with your toys."
She began interrogating the agent.
This was her trap. She had known Jodie was watching her for months and even snooping in her apartment.
Conan pulled off his disguise and stepped forward.
Vermouth's eyes widened in panic.
Had her plan been exposed? Was this Cointreau's doing?
But no—that didn't make sense. Cointreau was on the ghost ship.
This couldn't be him.
Conan raised his wristwatch and pointed it at her.
"You'd better not move. You're in the rifle's blind spot. Your teammates won't be able to help you… so how about you get in Jodie's car and we drive to the police together?"
Conan allowed himself a satisfied grin—he had finally caught a big fish.
A small red dot appeared on the ground, wobbling, and then fixing itself squarely on Conan's forehead.
His eyes froze. Vermouth's expression also shifted.
She spun around and stared into the shadows.
That's not where Calvados is positioned!
Conan was too stunned to react. Vermouth lunged at him, knocking him down as the red dot landed on her instead.
She rolled aside and avoided the second shot.
Someone else… not from my team?
"What's going on?! Calvados!"
But Calvados, perched from another angle, couldn't hear her.
She quickly disabled Conan with an anesthetic needle and turned toward the wounded Jodie.
This mission has gone completely off-script.
Worse, she had failed to capture Sherry.
If Cointreau found out by dawn, and she still hadn't dealt with her… it would be very problematic.
She raised her gun again—
But a calm male voice called out from the darkness:
"He has a rifle, a shotgun, and three pistols. I thought he was an arms dealer from somewhere."
A man with piercing eyes stepped into view.
He held a shotgun lazily at his side.
Vermouth's eyes widened.
"I broke both his legs, by the way. So he's done trading."
"Shuichi! This woman—she's not alone!" Jodie shouted from the ground.
"I know. But it's a bit far for them to help… and I distance. Makes it easier to stay invisible."
Akai answered without the slightest tension in his voice.
Vermouth's smile vanished.
She began calculating her escape.