Options system in my brain: Detective Conan

"My sister is a second-year university student and is about the same age as me. Does that mean I'm around 20 years old now?"

"That's really surprising. I thought the original owner was just a high school student."

Akikawa Kyousuke listened as Nakajima Takuto spoke about his sister while sorting out the information from his words.

"He repeatedly asked me if I had any insomnia. In other words, last night, the doctor detected sleeping pill ingredients in my body."

"That's why they decided I was suicidal."

When Akikawa Kyousuke was in the bathroom a moment ago, he wasn't sure whether the poison or sleeping pills had been detected in his body.

Although this was somewhat inaccurate, sleeping pills can turn into poison if taken in large enough quantities.

What concerned Akikawa Kyousuke the most was the method the original owner used to commit suicide.

The half-life of decreasing concentrations in the human body also varies depending on the type of drug.

As long as the concentration of poison in the body is detected, the time it took to ingest the poison can be calculated.

Akikawa Kyousuke still considered himself lucky not to be the murderer, which made him think about the tiny possibility that the original owner might have actually been innocent.

"The police also concluded that I took sleeping pills after the woman's death. It seems pointless to keep thinking about this."

Just as Akikawa Kyousuke felt something strange in his heart over his naive thoughts, Takuto Nakajima's words caught Akikawa Kyousuke's attention again.

"By the way, my little sister is really annoying. She likes to contradict my mom since high school. I thought it was just teenage rebellion, but even at this age, she still fights with her."

"This... is like this..."

Akikawa Kyousuke seemed unsure how to respond and stammered.

"After talking about my sister's insomnia, we're now talking about her relationship with my mom?"

"So, the woman who died in the car was really the original owner's mother?"

After Akikawa Kyousuke concluded that it was most likely that the original owner was abused by the woman in the car and put under house arrest, he made a guess.

Unexpectedly, it really was the original owner's mother.

"So, the original owner, who had been under house arrest by his mother since childhood, prepared sleeping pills and daggers in advance, planning to kill his mother and then commit suicide the day they traveled together?"

"Everything I can think of, the detectives must have considered as well. But they haven't come to arrest anyone directly, which proves the evidence is still inconclusive..."

"Besides the fact that my fingerprints weren't on the murder weapon, they couldn't get a definite answer from the witnesses either?"

"Since I opened the car, it created the possibility that a third party committed the crime."

"As long as this possibility isn't ruled out, they can't convict."

"Since the original owner took sleeping pills after his mother's death, he should have witnessed this 'nonexistent third party'."

"To convince the detectives and police, the story I crafted about my mother's murder had to be reasonable."

"If my description of the third party doesn't match the details of the original crime scene, the detectives will immediately notice that I'm lying..."

"But when I woke up yesterday, my head was really foggy. How could I have noticed so many details?"

There was no way to go back to yesterday and observe the crime scene again.

Akikawa Kyousuke judged that he only had one way left to gather information—

That was the detective in front of him, who had been complaining incessantly about his sister's relationship with his mother.

Takuto Nakajima complained to Kyousuke Akikawa for a while about the poor relationship between his sister and mother.

Then, he looked at Akikawa Kyousuke and curiously asked:

"Although it's a bit presumptuous to ask now that your father is in trouble, I wonder what your relationship with your mother is, Akikawa-kun?"

"This has nothing to do with you, Mr. Nakajima, right?"

"I'm just curious."

"Well, the relationship is pretty good..."

Akikawa Kyousuke avoided Nakajima Takuto's gaze with evasive eyes.

Naturally, Takuto Nakajima couldn't miss this scene.

In fact, for a detective who is better at observing words and emotions than an average person, Akikawa Kyousuke's lying skills were simply too obvious.

"However, Akikawa-kun didn't seem to show any sadness after your father was killed."

"If you really have a good relationship, this shouldn't be your reaction, right?" Nakajima Takuto's tone, which had been gentle and kind at first, gradually became more serious.

At the same time, he also leaned closer to Akikawa Kyousuke, looking closely at his eyes, which avoided his gaze, and continued to apply pressure.

"Nothing. It's just too sudden. I don't know."

Akikawa Kyousuke's words gradually became a bit incoherent.

Nakajima Takuto immediately realized that Akikawa Kyousuke was doing his best to make excuses, but his excessive nervousness prevented him from forming smooth and complete words.

"Akikawa-kun, please stop lying. You're really bad at it."

"Just a little. The relationship isn't good."

Akikawa Kyousuke muttered quietly, then raised his eyes and secretly looked at Nakajima Takuto, whose attitude suddenly became frightening.

As if to see if the nurse in front of him, who had suddenly become terrifying, believed his words.

"Well—"

Nakajima Takuto sighed deeply.

"I want to do my best to help you, Akikawa-kun."

"Eh?!"

Akikawa Kyousuke's eyes widened with astonishment and confusion.

"It was you, Akikawa-kun, who killed your mother, right?"

Nakajima Takuto said in a deep voice.

"Ah--?!"

It was as if someone stabbed him in the back with a knife. Akikawa Kyousuke shouted in surprise and moved away from Takuto Nakajima.

But how could Takuto Nakajima give Akikawa Kyousuke the chance to breathe? He immediately stood up, placed his hand on the small table with the dishes, and leaned in to look at the pale Akikawa Kyousuke.

"Answer my question."

"I wouldn't accept that. Mom, didn't she die in a car accident?"

"Mom, while driving, accidentally crashed into the guardrail. So she died."

"Isn't that right? The woman was obviously hit from behind after she suddenly stopped and then hit the guardrail!"

Nakajima Takuto made a judgment in his mind as he saw Akikawa Kyousuke gasping violently, his brain deprived of oxygen due to the extreme tension and pressure.

From the moment Akikawa Kyousuke began to fabricate the cause of Akikawa Ryoko's death, he was already convinced that Akikawa Kyousuke was the one who killed Akikawa Ryoko.

Precisely because it was Akikawa Kyousuke who caused this car accident, he wanted to cover up the cause of the accident.

"What a pathetic kid. Didn't even know the police can tell what happened to the car before the accident just by looking at the tire tracks on the ground."

"Even though the dagger was still stuck in my mother's body, he still said his mother died in a car accident."

"What a clumsy lie."

Nakajima Takuto slipped his hand into his pocket and silently activated the voice recorder button.

Although recording without the other person's consent has no legal effect, a recording of the prisoner's confession could serve as compelling evidence.

"Do you still want to lie to me? Mrs. Ryoko was still alive after the car accident. Stop pretending, you just killed her, didn't you?"

Nakajima Takuto emphasized his tone again and repeated his question.

In addition to continuing to pressure Akikawa Kyousuke, who was on the verge of collapse, he also wanted the recorder to clearly document his problems.

"You need to provide proof when you speak. I clearly saw my mother die after the car accident."

Nakajima Takuto looked at Akikawa Kyousuke's red eyes, which seemed like he was about to collapse and cry, and knew that Akikawa Kyousuke had reached his limit.

He directly reached out and took Akikawa Kyousuke's hospital gown off, exposing his thin shoulders with clear bones.

Nakajima Takuto pointed at Akikawa Kyousuke's shoulder that had no scars and mocked:

"You want proof, right? Here's the proof!"

*(End of Chapter)*