Your Son Is My Son

Fujino remembered this case. It was the Monthly Present case from Conan...

If he remembered correctly, this case had been triggered by a little boy who had died of appendicitis after being treated by Ogawa two years ago.

The boy's father had sent him the insurance money and presents, only to come and take the life of his son, Yuta, two years later...

"My son?!"

Ogawa stood up at those words and looked at Fujino with a puzzled expression. "Is that really true?!"

"Twenty-five million yen—that's no small sum..."

As he spoke, Fujino picked up a toy from the coffee table and pointed at its wrapping. "And haven't you noticed? These packages are all very old... There are even some scratches on the toys."

"Detective Fujino, you mean..."

"The toys that person sent you should all be old toys. The money and the toys were clearly aimed at your son."

As he spoke, Fujino took out a game machine, turned it on, and brought up the character name screen. "Do you know the name Ogino Tomoya...?"

"Ogino Tomoya..."

Ogawa furrowed his brow, then suddenly shouted, "I remember! He should have been a patient I handled when I had just started working three years ago!"

"That patient was a little boy. He died because his appendicitis wasn't discovered in time. After the child died, his father even beat me up, so I remember it especially clearly!"

"That should be it."

Fujino nodded. "Twenty-five million—I remember that being the payout for accidental death under elementary school insurance."

"Ogino Tomoya unfortunately died during treatment. Unable to bear the pain of losing their son, his family began sending you presents and money from then on, until today, when the total reached exactly twenty-five million..."

"As for those toys, I imagine they were the child's belongings."

Fujino slowly stood, wearing a contemplative expression as he reasoned:

"Taking the contents of that letter into account, if I'm not mistaken, the person who sent you these things intends to take your son's life today, so that you can experience the pain of losing a son as well!"

"I'll call my wife right now and have her pick Yuta up!"

Just as Ogawa was about to make the call, Fujino suddenly shouted, "Don't rush yet!"

"Then what should I do now?"

Ogawa was already at a loss, asking Fujino anxiously.

"Cough, cough..."

Fujino cleared his throat. "First, use our phone to call the kindergarten and confirm whether he's been picked up."

Ogawa hurriedly called the kindergarten. Only after confirming that his son had not yet been picked up did he breathe a sigh of relief and sit back down on the sofa.

"Then, Detective Fujino, what should I do now? Should I call the police?"

"Since your son is still safe, we still have time to prepare. There's no need to panic."

As he spoke, Fujino poured Ogawa a cup of steaming tea and explained, "If we call the police, we don't have solid proof that someone intends to abduct your son. I'm afraid it would be useless even if we did report it..."

"How could this happen?"

Ogawa lowered his head and squeezed his thigh, his dejection plain to see.

"But this matter isn't without a solution..."

"Please, Detective Fujino, tell me!"

Ogawa raised his head, already treating Fujino as his last hope.

Clearly, the detective before him was absolutely dependable.

He had identified the person who sent him the money and presents based on nothing more than scattered clues, and had even deduced that person's intention to harm his son.

If even this man had no solution, then perhaps no one did.

"It can be solved."

Fujino poured himself a cup of black tea and took a sip. "But the original 60,000-yen investigation commission fee may have to rise to 600,000 yen for protecting the client."

"What?"

Fujino was used to that kind of reaction and explained, "Strictly speaking, you're consulting me right now. Although you're my client, you only hired me to investigate who the other party is."

"Hiring me to protect your son is another commission altogether, and the fee is different. Ordinary investigation cases cost 60,000 yen, while commissions to protect someone's personal safety cost 600,000."

"If that person is after your son's life, no one can guarantee whether he's carrying a weapon... Sixty thousand yen isn't worth risking my life for."

"I'll pay the 600,000!"

Ogawa tightly gripped Fujino's hand. "Please, Detective Fujino, protect my son!"

"In that case, your son is my son. I absolutely won't let Yuta suffer even the slightest harm!"

Fujino said solemnly.

Then he added to Ogawa, "Oh, and consider the 60,000 yen you paid earlier the deposit. Remember to transfer the remaining 540,000 to my account once the commission is complete."

"No problem!"

Ogawa nodded vigorously.

Over an hour later, outside a daycare center.

"Detective Fujino, are you sure that person will come to pick up Yuta?"

Ogawa, sitting in the passenger seat, saw no movement for a long while and could not help asking Fujino doubtfully.

"According to my deduction, I can't be wrong."

Fujino glanced sideways at Ogawa and explained, "Even if Yuta doesn't encounter any danger, the previous 60,000-yen commission has already been completed. You won't suffer any loss, will you?"

"I understand..."

Ogawa nodded, feeling that made sense.

A moment later, he looked up and spotted a furtive figure appearing at the entrance of the kindergarten.

"That's him!"

His eyes widened as he excitedly pointed at the sneaky figure. "I can't be mistaken! That was the person who beat me up three years ago!"

But just as he was about to get out of the car to stop the man from abducting his son, Fujino held him back.

"Are you just going to watch him abduct my son?!"

Blinded by rage, Ogawa shouted at Fujino.

"That's enough!"

Fujino tightly gripped his shoulder and said in a low voice, "You need to know that he recognizes your face. If you alert him now, your son won't be the only one who dies! The other children in the kindergarten could be dragged down with him!"

"How could this happen..."

He slammed the glove compartment. "Why did something like this have to happen to me?"

"I understand how you feel."

Fujino nodded and assured him, "Since I accepted your commission, I absolutely won't let Yuta suffer even the slightest harm!"

After saying that, Fujino glanced at the dented glove compartment and could not help feeling a little distressed. After a pause, he added, "But you'll have to compensate me 50,000 yen for the glove compartment repairs."

"No problem."

Ogawa nodded, feeling guilty over his earlier outburst.