Across the table, Vermouth listened to Jiang Xia, the corner of her eye twitching. That excuse is way too crude. What if Angel notices something wrong and picks up on a few clues? Then, going by the Organization's usual habit of silencing people...
Gin's murderous face, followed by the forcibly shrunken "Edogawa Conan," surfaced one after another in her mind. Vermouth took a deep breath and silently clenched her hands in her lap.
However, the terrible scene she had imagined did not occur.
"I see." Mouri Ran believed him without the slightest suspicion and even felt rather apologetic.
"I wanted to call Sonoko, but I don't know why it went through to you instead. I was just about to hang up after realizing it when you answered... Um, I didn't interrupt your case, did I?"
"No." Jiang Xia smiled. "You called from your recent contacts, right? You probably pressed the wrong one—I've actually already finished my case and am getting ready to head over. How's your shopping trip with Sonoko going?"
Mouri Ran remembered the Police Figurine and scratched her cheek a little awkwardly. "We bought some small gifts. I wonder whether Jodie sen—would li—"
Vermouth listened to the strange, choppy call mixed with static, her brows drawing tightly together.
Jiang Xia seemed to notice as well. "Is your signal bad over there?"
"Hm?" Mouri Ran finally realized it. Her intermittent voice came through the receiver again.
"Maybe. I'm in the underground par... Sonoko went to meet up with... earlier, and I went to the... Restroom. After I came out... I couldn't find the way..."
Piecing it together through guesses, Vermouth understood. The girl had most likely gotten lost in the underground parking lot. Though Ran had excellent athletic reflexes, her sense of direction was far worse. She had to