Chapter 44 Could It Be Him?

Having his confusion resolved, Moray did not forget to prompt Conan: "Come to think of it, you know an awful lot, Conan-kun."

Conan froze entirely.

"Not only did you make the immediate mental leap from the abbreviation 'BS' to satellite broadcasting, but you also happened to know that between midnight and four o'clock, the moon passes directly between artificial satellites and the sun..."

"Ah, haha... I heard about that on a science educational program on TV..." Conan’s eyes shifted evasively.

"And Shinichi-niichan didn't teach you this time?"

Conan was speechless and could only respond with a silly laugh.

"Speaking of which, would Moray-brother like to come along?" Facing Moray’s (feigned) suspicious gaze, Conan chose to change the subject.

"Come along? Where?"

"Tonight, let's go to the rooftop of the Beika Hotel to corner Kid!" Conan shook his fist with confidence. "With your skills, capturing Kid will be an absolute breeze..."

"No thanks." Moray rested his hands behind his head and turned to walk away.

"Eh?" Conan was somewhat baffled.

"April Fool's Day, isn't it?" Moray glanced back at Conan. "That pearl on exhibition is a fake. Kid surely knows this as well, so tonight is merely a probe."

"Fake?!" Conan was greatly startled.

"Did you figure it out?" Shiro Suzuki, who had been conversing with Kogoro Mouri, smiled kindly upon hearing this. "It was my wife's idea. I never expected you to see right through it."

He leaned in closer and lowered his voice. "Indeed, the gem currently on display is a fake. The genuine article will be exhibited on April nineteenth aboard the *Queen Elizabeth*, setting sail from the port of Yokohama. I sincerely hope I can count on everyone's assistance then!"

How could this be... Conan felt somewhat deflated.

"Kid never breaks a promise." Moray sensed the weariness in Conan's heart. "Even though he won't actually steal the gem, he will definitely show up."

"What if we manage to catch him this time, great detective?"

"Ah, haha, absolutely. With me, Kogoro Mouri, around..."

Kogoro Mouri was thoroughly flattered, yet Conan noticed that Moray had not been looking at Kogoro Mouri, but rather at him.

Had he discovered something?

A hint of gravity settled deep within Conan's heart.

***

In truth, Moray had never once imagined that people of this caliber could possibly capture Kid.

Back when Kid stole the *Dark Star*, Moray had secretly gone to observe Inspector Ginzo Nakamori, who was in charge of apprehending him. Nakamori was experienced and his subordinates were elite, but it still wasn't enough.

That Kid was a magician, and quite a skilled one at that. If he could be caught this easily...

That evening, Moray watched the live broadcast of the police's joint operation to capture Kid.

Sure enough, after loudly and sharply critiquing both the police and the detectives, Kaitou Kid vanished into a smokescreen amidst a dazzling burst of bright light and confetti.

This kid has an overwhelming desire to perform... Moray thought speechlessly.

Pulling a book at random from the pile on the right side of his desk, Moray caught up on recent technological developments.

It looks like these journals will have to wait... He sighed, shoving a stack of bound mathematical journals of past years, which he had scavenged from the Organization, back into the cabinet.

Although he had already scanned all their contents and could review them mentally whenever he wished, he still relished the tactile sensation of reading physical books—which was why he always kept the books he intended to read near at hand on his desk.

"Hmm, so computer programming is written like this..."

***

In the blink of an eye, the nineteenth of April arrived. The luxury liner departing from the port of Yokohama for Tokyo Bay, the *Queen Elizabeth*, which was to exhibit the world's largest black pearl, officially set sail.

Everyone boarding the cruise ship had changed into formal attire. Even Kogoro Mouri wore a pristine white suit, making him look elegant, composed, and dependable.

Sonoko Suzuki casually brushed off the various young elites continuously hitting on her, feeling anxious as she searched the crowd for that one figure she longed to see.

Cutting through the crowd, at a corner, she finally encountered him.

Moray was squatting in a corner, looking like he was conspiring sneakily about something with that brat staying at Ran's place.

What a nuisance! Sonoko Suzuki's eyelid twitched. How on earth am I supposed to have a chance encounter with Moray-kun like this?

"Respected guests, good evening!" Shiro Suzuki stepped onto the stage as head of the family to deliver his opening remarks. "Let us put that shadowy, elusive phantom thief out of our minds..."

Out of politeness, Moray stood up, holding a glass of wine and listening attentively to the speech.

A golden opportunity! Sonoko Suzuki's eyes lit up as she hurried over to greet him: "Moray-kun..."

A tremendous wave of commotion suddenly erupted from the crowd.

"What an extravagant gesture!"

"Let's see what Kid does now!"

She turned her head and saw that her mother, Tomoko Suzuki, had announced that she was providing every single guest with a replica of the *Dark Star*, asking everyone to wear them to confuse Kid's vision. This was what had sparked the lively discussion among the guests.

Distracted by the guests' reaction, she turned back, only to find that Moray and that brat had already vanished to who knows where.

Mother... Sonoko Suzuki let out a long sigh.

"A gun that fires playing cards, flash-bangs, smoke bombs, a hang glider, a grappling hook gun... Why does this guy have so much equipment?" Conan asked, feeling somewhat a headache as he listened to Moray's shared experience.

"Actually, based on previous cases, there is a strong possibility he also carries sleeping gas canisters." Moray led Conan as they threaded their way through a "forest of shins" (from Conan's perspective), finally reuniting with Kogoro Mouri. "Brother Mouri!"

"Ah, Brother Moray..." Kogoro Mouri wore a bitter expression. "So much fine wine, yet because of this commission, I can't drink any of it... Sigh, I'm going to drink my fill once we get back!"

"Shall we go together some time after this?"

"Ahem, I suddenly remembered I seem to have another case to handle..."

"Where is Ran-neechan?" Conan was still more concerned about his girlfriend.

"Who told you brat to wander off for so long?" Kogoro Mouri said speechlessly. "She went looking for you."

Right at that moment, however, a commotion broke out among the police security detail.

"What? Kid has already sneaked in?!"

Ginzo Nakamori shouted in disbelief into his walkie-talkie. "Mr. Shiro Suzuki, who was just speaking on stage, was actually an impersonation by Kid?"

Hearing this, Conan crept stealthily to the edge of the police contingent and pricked up his ears to eavesdrop.

"Yes, we already found the disguise mask Kid used inside the restroom," an officer said, collecting Kid's disguise paraphernalia in an evidence bag. "Miss Sonoko Suzuki just called home, and Mr. Shiro Suzuki is still at home right now."

"Damn it..." Ginzo Nakamori frowned, then gave a grand wave of his hand. "All units, lock down the venue first!"

"Conan?" Conan, who had been eavesdropping, was suddenly hoisted into the air. He turned his head to see that Mouri Ran had returned. "You mustn't get in the officers' way, okay?"

"Yeah!" Conan nodded vigorously and returned to Moray and the others alongside "Mouri Ran."

Heh, that detective brat from the other night isn't much after all.

Kaito Kuroba felt a secret thrill of pride. What a detective—nothing more than a nitpicking critic trailing behind a phantom thief!

Still, this silver-haired man... Why does he look so familiar?

He gazed at Moray, doubt filling his heart.

His facial features were strikingly similar, his hair color identical, and his mannerisms and habits closely matched...

Moreover, that person also claimed to be a magician, so fashioning a disguise certainly wouldn't be difficult for him.

Could this detective named Moray be that same person from the other night?