Mouri Detective Agency.
Mouri Ran and Toyama Kazuha were inexplicably hung up on. They looked at the receiver. A moment later, Mouri Ran suddenly realized something and abruptly looked toward the ornament on the table.
"That Guan Yu figurine... could it be, could it be the marker the arsonist left behind...?"
Hearing her soft, breathy voice, as though she were afraid of disturbing something, Toyama Kazuha broke out in goosebumps.
She stiffly said, "I-I feel like there's been some rustling outside the door. Could that demon have come looking for us...?"
If an actual criminal had simply appeared before them, they might not have been afraid.
But this mysterious method of "first placing something terrifying in the target's home, then drifting in like the Grim Reaper," coupled with the frightening aura of having just killed someone, made their hearts pound violently.
The two sprang to their feet and reached the same conclusion. "Let's get out of here first!"
They ran to the door, hastily slipped on their shoes, and pulled it open—only to suddenly see a terrifying figure standing outside.
A watermelon haircut parted down the middle, unfashionable round-rimmed glasses, a slightly pudgy build... It was the man who had handed them the "Red Horse" keychains on the bus. Somehow, he had come right to their doorstep!
"Ahhh—!!"
The two high school girls let out terrified, helpless screams. At the same time, they instinctively kicked out, their shoe tips whipping up a sharp gust of wind as they headed straight for the "arsonist's" face.
Just before they struck, the Antique Shop Owner suddenly toppled to one side, as though someone had forcefully yanked him away.
The girls' attacks missed, and they swiftly pulled their legs back.
They warily looked to the side, then suddenly froze—the Antique Shop Owner had not