"Thinking back carefully, the first time I heard the codename 'Kumeru' was actually during a conversation between Gin and Vodka."
Conan held a pen, spinning it as he recalled the past. His mind was racing just as quickly as his hand.
"At the time, Gin casually asked Vodka whether the intelligence Kumeru had provided was accurate. Vodka replied, 'His father was sloppy, and the Public Security Police have already found traces.' That information seemed to dissatisfy Gin greatly. Afterward, Vodka added, 'Then should we kill him according to our agreement with Kumeru?'"
Later, after they revealed that the person conducting a deal with them was carrying a bomb, the two got off at the next stop. Conan's attention had been forcibly diverted. At the time, he had no further understanding of that codename and had merely remembered the information.
Now, when viewed alongside all the intelligence they had gathered, those words took on a different meaning.
"Tangze told me that Akechi's true identity is actually the son of the deceased politician Shigeyoshi Tonokuchi. Shigeyoshi Tonokuchi had been under police scrutiny for taking bribes, and soon became embroiled in scandal. When we discovered that Pisco's target was Shigeyoshi Tonokuchi, the reason was also that Tonokuchi might expose important information to the police at any time. They had to silence him before he fell into police hands..."
At the time, Akechi Goro had not only appeared at the venue, but had also had a fierce confrontation with Shigeyoshi Tonokuchi.
After saying all that, Conan fell silent for a moment. So did Heiji Hattori, who sat across from him.
The two looked at each other and found the same grave expression on the other's face.
Taken together, all the information made Akechi Goro's identity seem even more suspicious.
And patricide was an extremely