If You're My Brother, Come Take a Swing at Me!

"That daughter-in-law really was strange!"

On the way back, Sonoko sat in the back seat, puzzled. "Kikuemon really did release more than ten pieces last year. So why did he say he'd only made two or three...?"

Ran nodded. "Yeah, I thought that was odd too."

Conan lowered his eyes in thought. "If it's like Sonoko said, where did the other seven pieces come from?"

"Fakes."

Ai Haibara, sitting in the passenger seat, thought for a moment. "I've heard of family members using a famous artist's name to swindle people and sell fakes."

After a pause, she added, "Though no one can say for sure they were fakes. Someone might have secretly sold pieces from the family collection."

"If that's true..."

Ran froze. "Then the person who sold those pieces must be..."

"Let's not dwell on it."

Fujino cut them off. "Some things are better left hidden. Once they're out in the open, everything changes. Kikuemon cares deeply about pottery. If he found out... you get the idea. Let the old man live a few more years."

Fujino didn't know why she'd done it. Maybe she needed money to support herself while caring for the old man, or maybe she was simply greedy...

But Kikuemon was a lonely old man now. His son was dead, and he had no family at his side. The only person he still had any connection to was his daughter-in-law, Masuko Tsuchiya.

If he learned that his reputation had been tarnished so late in life, the little old man might drop dead of anger, even if no one else said a word.

Artists of his stature were like that. From their conversation earlier, Fujino could tell Kikuemon placed great importance on his reputation and integrity.

Even if the news didn't kill him, it would certainly