You've Been Targeted

The doctor holding the morning glories had long thought Jiang Xia looked familiar.

When Jiang Xia struck up a conversation, he finally remembered—this young man had been in the newspaper a few days ago, solving several cases in a row.

The doctor: "..." Could I get a detective for free here?

Thinking like this, Dr. Ogawa immediately became much more enthusiastic.

He explained in detail:

"This pot of flowers was delivered to the front desk by someone calling himself 'Mr. Tanaka.' One arrives every year on August 3."

—and it was not just flowers.

Starting around two years ago, every month, Dr. Ogawa received old toys and one million yen sent by "Mr. Tanaka."

By now, he had received a full 25 million yen.

Previously, Dr. Ogawa had always taken these as gifts of thanks from an anonymous patient—he had a five-year-old son, so sending toys along with the money was perfectly normal.

But this month, what arrived with the money was no longer a toy, but a letter signed "Tanaka Taro."

The letter said: The 25 million has now been paid in full. I am coming to collect what I am owed.

...The faint malice in its tone was unsettling.

Only then did Dr. Ogawa panic. He hurriedly sought a detective's help and, more than ten minutes ago, found Mouri Kogoro's Detective Agency.

At Mouri Kogoro's reminder, Dr. Ogawa remembered that an oil painting worth over 20 million yen hung in his office. What "Mr. Tanaka" meant by "collect what I am owed" might have been that painting.

That was why they had all rushed to the hospital.

Mouri Kogoro stood on the hospital steps, staring gloomily at Dr. Ogawa as he explained the situation to Jiang Xia, catching the scent of someone stealing his business.

With the mindset of not wanting to lose to a junior,

Mouri Kogoro cleared his throat calmly and inserted himself into the conversation between the doctor and Jiang Xia. "Sending the same kind of flower every year probably isn't just out of interest. It must carry some particular meaning."

Jiang Xia nodded obligingly.

"Morning glories do indeed have several special meanings. 'Ending,' 'the bonds of love,' and..."

He suddenly lowered his voice, his tone turning eerie. "'I've latched onto you.'"

Mouri Ran, listening nearby: "!"

Could these flowers have come from a patient who died on Dr. Ogawa's operating table...

Mouri Kogoro did not think ghosts existed. He rubbed his chin in confusion. "The first two meanings are indeed common, but that last one, 'I've latched onto you'... did you make that up yourself?"

"No. I received morning glories before." Jiang Xia parted the tangled vines, pulled out the greeting card hidden within, and read the words on it.

"There was a note like this among the flowers back then too, but it wasn't signed. It said, 'I've latched onto you.'

"And I really was latched onto for a while afterward, so it left a deep impression."

Conan: "..."

Why were you always so experienced in such bizarre areas?

And you were latched onto before, but not anymore...

If they dredged Tokyo Bay, would they find cement with Jiang Xia's fingerprints on it?

Mouri Kogoro's thoughts were not as unrestrained as Conan's and Mouri Ran's.

After hearing Jiang Xia out, he began eliminating possibilities step by step. "Since the flowers are sent every year, it probably doesn't mean 'ending.' As for the other two meanings, whether it's 'the bonds of love' or 'I've latched onto you,' both are rather suggestive. Um..."

As a specialist in catching mistresses, Mouri Kogoro could not help asking Dr. Ogawa a soul-searching question. "Are you being threatened by a mistress?"

Dr. Ogawa shook his head furiously. "I've never cheated!"

"Flowers generally represent gratitude or love," Jiang Xia said. "If it was meant to express thanks, never showing himself is indeed a little strange, so we can set that possibility aside for now. As for love..."

He looked at Dr. Ogawa.

Dr. Ogawa froze, and the intensity of his head-shaking increased.

Jiang Xia withdrew his gaze. "All right, we'll rule that out for now too."

"If it isn't either of those." He raised three fingers, then lowered two of them in turn. "Flowers actually have another use—memorial offerings."

"Flowers offered on a death anniversary are usually chrysanthemums or lilies. But in recent years, many people have chosen flowers the deceased liked, or fresh flowers blooming in season."

Jiang Xia calmly dropped spoilers. "And morning glories bloom mostly in summer, during July, August, and September—which happens to include August 3."

As Dr. Ogawa listened, his face turned pale.

Sending memorial flowers to a living person was simply chilling. Could the person using the alias "Mr. Tanaka"... be after his life??

At that thought, Dr. Ogawa's hair stood on end. He looked at Jiang Xia as though he were his savior.

As expected of a detective who had made the newspapers. After only a few sentences, he had already analyzed so much.

If that was the case, perhaps after another hour of talking, Jiang Xia could directly uncover "Mr. Tanaka's" true identity?

Under his expectant gaze,

Jiang Xia thought for a moment and said, "Since 'Mr. Tanaka' is also sending you toys, his purpose may have something to do with children. You should follow that keyword and think about what connection you might have with him."

"Children..."

Dr. Ogawa muttered the word, then suddenly thought of something. His expression changed drastically, and he tossed aside the flowerpot before running toward the Archives Room.

As soon as he ran, Conan and the Mouri Father and Daughter froze for a moment, then reflexively hurried after him.

The stairs were suddenly empty.

Jiang Xia glanced at their rapidly vanishing backs, straightened his collar, and leisurely went downstairs.

Successfully escaped the appointment√

And if he had not guessed wrong, this trip would bring him more than just clues related to Doctor Kazato.

After leaving the hospital, Jiang Xia did not go home. Instead, he turned into a park.

The moment he entered, Xiao Bai, which had been savoring the Hot Pot Brand Killing Intent, froze. As if sensing something, it abruptly sat upright and quickly fixed its gaze in a certain direction.

Jiang Xia followed where it pointed and soon saw a kindergarten.

Kindergarten had not let out yet. At that moment, a middle-aged man wrapped in killing intent sat on a bench outside the gates.

The moment Jiang Xia saw him, his heart settled.

...Sure enough, it was this case.