(no subject)

[stalking_horse]

[And somewhere in the jungle, there is a wandering detective in a drab tan suit, currently following something that might be a path, and might be a game trail, but should at least go somewhere sooner or later. His current mission: See if there's signs of other human life!
He may have been wandering off the beaten path for a while now.]

[While he can do quite a bit if he finds tracks in the trail itself ... wilderness tracking is not his strong suit; city boy is a city boy.]

[Besides that, he's weathering it rather well, if coping via resigned indignation.]

[Disturb/flag down/attempt to stalk/get tracked, stumbled across, or found?]

Comments

[stalking_horse]

Same problem here. All I can think of is, there's some stones known to change color depending on the type of light they're under; alexandrites will look like entirely different stones depending on if they're under sunlight, or under artificial light. But, I haven't heard of any where there's a special difference with moonlight, nor do I have a guess why it'd be worth so much specific trouble on that alone.

[Flat frown.] That probably was a brush with one of them. [Act like if there's a murder = give chase, right? :| ] A word of advice on "acting like you would with any other murderer"? Don't. These aren't normal members of society that just snapped, or went morally bankrupt over some catalyst; these are people who make their living by killing, and chasing them like you would any other will only get you dead, and possibly people around you that might count as witnesses. Also ... Promise me that you won't go talking about that aspect of the case.


[Though, the comparison to Heiji gets a laugh.] Not like Heiji, no - there's no competition, he just doesn't like me for some strange reason. I think he's still agitated about being treated as a suspect... [And Saguru is as innocent as driven through a few mudholes snow.]

[17-going-on-8.livejournal.com]

That's what gets me. There might be something. Some plants have acted odd depending on the solar and lunar cycle, but even if a stone did something, and only after a full moon...what could it do beyond pure wealth that they'd kill for?

[Oh, Hakuba, if you only knew. If you only knew.] Of course not! It's not like all the cases are always just one time murderer. [He came across crimes far too frequently for that.] I'm not going to mention people shooting at Kid to other people. Besides, they might not let me go, and it's not THAT often if we haven't been warned off already. And it's not like I go looking for trouble or anything. Just sometimes a kid can only manage something an adult can't and I want to help in that case.

[Quirks an eyebrow.] Heiji, Hakuba-niisan? And I think he was more annoyed you misjudged him for being hotblooded. [Shrugs.] And what do you mean, suspect?

[stalking_horse]

Unfortunately, I think we'd need more information to tell that. [Well, there is the part where "The ones that get the most attention are the ones with stories about curses and weird folklore", buuuttt...]

But how often do you deal with organized crime and career criminals? [Pointed look. Oh if only again, eh?] There's a big difference in psychology and behavior. They won't react like the murderers you're used to confronting, and they will be shooting to kill.
And besides all of that even - groups like that hate being pointed out more than anything. If you say something, they will move - I haven't even said anything myself to anyone because with how little I have, all I'd be doing is drawing a target on my back.

[Oh hush he was just in London.] There was that. [Shrug; he really doesn't have anything against Hattori...] Suspect as in he's been off and on of the Kaitou Kid suspect list. He'd probably be under more serious investigation, if not for times like the heist he spent handcuffed to me... [No clue why Kaito's high-strung about him, not at aaaaalllll.]

[17-going-on-8.livejournal.com]

Yeah. [Sighs. One day, he was going to find a way to get Kaito to give a straight forward answer about it.]

.... [A long silence.] It was...really only because of chance and I was set to safety as soon as possible. But I saw enough to understand that, Hakuba-niisan. And while they've never had any idea to actually target ME, it's not like people haven't tried to kill me ever. [Conan lifted his shirt a bit, showing an obvious bullet wound on his stomach before letting it go again.] Murderers are all different, depending on motive. It's kind of obvious an Organization would be different too. [Oh, he knew the risks. He knew them well. It was why he wasn't worried about Kaito knowing that Conan=Shinichi. He was already in the same situation anyway.] Though maybe that's why we haven't been told. They haven't wanted attention and the police don't want them to realize?

[What? He likes to tease.] Hattoi-niichan hates to be misjudged on his detective skills. He really hates it when people think his success is because of his father too. But you saw how good he was on his own, right? So hopefully it won't be so bad next time.

[A look of AWE.] You think he's Kid?! I suppose the age and being a magician...but there has to be more? But he's a fan of Kid. Wouldn't he think of it more as a complim- [A pause and then a thoughtful frown.] Oh...unless it was that...

[stalking_horse]

[...For once, less of the "little kid" act for a change was a very good thing to do, although there's a small wince at the bullet wound.] That's part of it. Nakamori-keibu knows, I'm sure, and half the Task Force, but ... any change in routine or mention would risk notice.
Do be careful, though. I'm not trying to be a pain, I just don't want to see you end up on a casualty list. [Calmed down from the Straightface of Doom though!]

Likely not. Hattori-san's perfectly intelligent, and I think all of us have our moments where we've acted on impulse.

[Oh heh heh heh.] The age, being a magician, family history, some other things. [Why no, he's not suddenly truncating the list of details and evidence that makes him sure Kaito's Kid.]
...Unless? [You have him curious now, what you're thinking.]

[17-going-on-8.livejournal.com]

[Kind of a blank look at the wince. It was kind of traumatic, the whole event was just...bad during that time. Almost dying, making the kids realize mortality, and disappointing Ran. Well, it was better just to brush those emotions away.] They probably do. After all, even if people think they might be bumblers, they've never chased Kid themselves to know that really is what he does to everyone. [Even if it was kind of funny, he knew the officers well enough from his times at those heists to know they were certainly competent enough. It was just Kid's way.]

[Snickers.] Oh, he's very impulsive. He's the only one who might deny it. But he's very aware too and knows more or less what's around him even rushing in.

What you said, family history. If he WAS Kid, logically the person he succeeded would be his father. A talented magician and all. To have someone accuse his father of being a criminal, even a criminal he admires, it might still be insulting and might be why you get on his nerves. [A pause.] ...but it seems doubtful of Kid ever being Kuroba Toichi.

[stalking_horse]

You're quite right in that - they're perfectly intelligent officers, just ... Kid. I know I haven't come off unscathed in that, myself. [Solve fifty major cases and get one string of reporters with pictures of you grumpily handcuffed to a rooftop door-handle with your own handcuffs...]

[small nod] In some ways I'd imagine the impulsive streak might work in his favor; since it might mean people thinking he's not paying attention simply because he's reacting so loudly. [Which, yes, impulsive, but then, who actually remembered to leave some clue so that help could get out to that island?]

Mmmmn. I didn't look into him as a suspect without researching Toichi as well, even though it's much harder to work much with what's essentially a cold case. I suppose one could argue that Kudo, being on close terms with Kuroba Toichi, would've caught on if he were Kid, but ... [Shrug and a lazy handwave-gesture at the two of them; just look at the current generation and the relatively amiable relationship Kid has with the cops etc. after him...] If that's the case, it's reasonable enough for him to be ruffled, but, sometimes ruffled feelings can't be helped if you're going to address all possibilities and gather evidence to find the truth.
[And a small deadpan addition] He's also called me a stalker more than once.

[17-going-on-8.livejournal.com]

That's probably why the less frequent detectives don't suffer. Since Kid is their main focus, they look the worse. But it is hard to resist the fun of a heist when I get the chance, so I think I understand where they're coming from.

[Nods.] Though I don't think that's intentional. It's just how he is, but when he has a troublesome fault, he learns pretty quick to correct it. [At least two of those things where Kudo was 'perfect' and he wasn't was pretty quick. He never did talk to him about a few others, but then again, those WERE with the best of intentions.] And he was the reason we got off the Island anyway.

Exactly. Since Kuroba Toichi taught Yukiko-obachan, and Kudo-ojisan is the best detective I've ever met. [He just BARELY hid his annoyance at admitting that. He was good, but he knew his father was better than him and any other brilliant detective. Of course, he also knew his parents would probably have no problem in keeping that secret if they wanted too. Then again, his father DID miss the truth about Sharon Vineyard...]

[Well, either way, it was about pointing out a reasonable reason for Kaito being high strung.] I'm going to guess that's why he always has such an annoyed look about detectives. He's not a detective and you're talking about his father. [Shrugs.] And you really can't blame him for being defensive as well as ruffled and not care as much about that truth. Especially since all the danger is hidden.

.... [Yeah, he's gonna laugh at the stalker comment.]

[stalking_horse]

Heh. Reputation holes aside, most of the Task Force seems perfectly happy with the work; it's certainly not boring, and as long as Certain Other People aren't showing up, it's not like they're in danger of the person they're pursuing harming them. [Truism about heists: if anyone gets hurt, it's mostly likely to be Kid himself.] I've heard a few say that if Kid ever seems to be reconsidering his nonviolence, they'd retire.

[Aww. Cute little detective ego.] It's always possible that Kudo would have reasons to not want to catch Kid; after all, while the normal logic would be for a detective to always go out of their way to pin down a criminal, Kid has never been a threat to anyone, and they've always had the habit of meddling with worse criminals. I think no matter who the original Kid was, Kudo probably had a good idea of their identity, with as long as he was on the case.

Ah-heh. I suppose not? Still, I've come a bit far with the case to just give up and walk away, and I haven't been bothering him about it that badly for a while. [Because even Saguru can admit that dear god, when he first transferred into Ekoda...]

[17-going-on-8.livejournal.com]

There never seems to be a lack of energy, so they must. [That also seemed to be another thing about Kid.] That'd understandable. Kid and violence just seemed...wrong. I don't think I could even believe it's the same Kid if he did start to act violent.

You sound like you've been thinking about it a lot. Do you think there are detectives who know the truth? [Though now he was going to have to ask his father about this. At least get a hint or something if he did knew. He might have missed considering he missed...]

[And with that train a thought, a frown formed on his face. Seeming without any reason. It did seem...odd that a strange woman was near someone like that. But it was a thought for another time and the frown was gone a moment later.]

Of course not. Just be careful if you REALLY think it. Since nothing is solid and everything. Oh! And if you try to get him to admit it here, don't do it in front of Kazuha-neechan, Ran-neechan, or Tear-niisan. Maybe not Crow-niisan, but he might think it's a joke. The girls are really scary though and might get annoyed at you too. [And he didn't want Kazuha or Ran to suspect a thing. Tear knew, but she was possibly close enough to those two in personality type it'd be risky to exclude her.]

[stalking_horse]

Mmmm...I'd imagine it would take - quite a disaster, to put enough of a dent in him for him to consider it, and honestly, he seems more like the sort to self-destruct than to lash out if something horrible enough did happen. Although I doubt I'd be there to see it if things went that wrong... [And with that morbid aside over-]

Possibly. Outside of the Task Force, there don't seem to be many that're so heavily involved in it besides myself. There was one Interpol agent that may've caught on, from what I heard, but... [That memory gets a distasteful frown; the whole case was nasty business.]
... [But it's not quite enough of a distraction to miss that.] Something wrong?

I'll be careful. Most of our class stopped paying attention, but I know better [now] than to start something serious for no reason. [This doesn't mean he won't backhandedly tease Kaito.] And honestly, if I were to try another confrontation here, I'd be avoiding dragging other people into it; no reason to drag the girls in - although as long as none of them have a mop, I think I'll be alright.

[17-going-on-8.livejournal.com]

...he would. Someone who represses everything and puts on a brave face... [He has a rather worried look on his face. Cause now that he's thinking about it, it makes him kind of worry about Kaito.]

Yeah. Well, Jiroki-ojisan is starting to get pretty involved. [Pauses.] That agent that died...? [It stuck out to him. The one heist where someone died and he wasn't there.]

...it's nothing. [Shakes his head.] Just something I remembered Shinichi-niichan mentioning once.

Good. They're really defensive of their friends and Ran-neechan and Kazuha-neechan are really scary. Tear-niisan...well, the Pow Hammer is just weird. [S-so very weird.] ...mop?

[stalking_horse]

[You wouldn't be the only one that worries about him sometimes. :| ]

He is - I don't know him very well, he didn't strike me as the type to be going out of his way to investigate possible suspects or be trying to find Kid "out of uniform", so to speak; he seems more intent on beating Kid at his own game. [Not that there's anything wrong with that.]
...Yes. Nasty business all around, that incident. [And another round of "nothing solid but-"...]

Is it something that might be useful? [What happens when you dangle possible information in front of a detective?]

[Half-nervous laugh; really that's business as usual.] Mop. Nakamori-san's weapon of choice. I haven't had her bring it to bear on me yet, but I have been threatened. I'm sure you could ask Kaito about it, he's seen more of it than I have... and while we're on "scary girls", I think if I've managed to avoid getting Nakamori-san or Koizumi after me, I'm managing something.

[17-going-on-8.livejournal.com]

[Really, we worry too much about criminals.]

Well...true. But I think a lot of people go for that first. It's almost weird to think of him as having a secret identity at times. [Luckily he hadn't thought Kaito was Kid right away or he might have had a problem with that.]

...did something else happen?

[Right. He should know better. Conan shrugs.] I don't think so. Just how the other student Kudo-obasan trained with other Kuroba Toichi gave him the creeps. [It wouldn't matter. Sharon Vineyard was 'dead,' after all.]

Oh. I haven't heard a lot about Nakamori-neechan. I just know she was here for a while and she's Nakamori-keibu's daughter and Kaito-niichan's good friend. Whose Koizumi?

[stalking_horse]

[Only the special ones.]

I suspect it's part of how he plans things; as spectacular as his heists are, I doubt many people think much about the image of Kid when he's not Kid.

Just the whole, Nightmare business. I wasn't there for most of it, but... [frown] There's several things that weren't right about that case.

Oh? [Really should know better, you have his distinct interest now.] Did he say much about that other student, or why they bothered him?

Koizumi is another classmate of ours. She's... [Well, "witch" might get him disbelieved...] terrifying. [And muttered-]And he calls me a stalker...

[17-going-on-8.livejournal.com]

[True.]

...probably. [A hand goes to the back of his head.] He's good at blending into the crowds. During the Teleportation heist, he had the card gun at the back of my head when he was distracting me to plant a bug. No one noticed at all and it was hard to spot him even if he only had a second to get some distance.

Really? Odd that it's not known. Kid usually likes to have the entire truth revealed when a murder has happened. Other than his identity, of course.

[Shakes his head.] Not really. Said he just didn't like the woman. Doesn't matter much though. She died a few years ago.

[Raises an eyebrow.] Really? More so than others? And what about stalkers?

[stalking_horse]

[Nodding] He's a magician - half of it is learning to predict and control where people's attention is.

...It wasn't a murder. It was an accident. But... [frowning more] Eh. There's things I wonder about, but there's no evidence, and if it is right, then I would understand why Kid wouldn't have gone out of his way to drag the truth out. In some ways, it's enough that someone was trying to blackmail Kid to do their bidding, if not planning on killing him.

Even so - [Sigh] I almost wish I could ask him some questions on that; if something was up, it could still be relevant. [And as much as he'd like to press that one, if there was something up, Shinichi not telling Conan much would've likely been for the kid's own safety...] [[[<--You know at some later date this is going to come back to haunt you]]]

Yes. Nakamori-san will blow up for a while, maybe chase Kaito with a mop, and then calm down and everything will be normal. Koizumi does not blow up, she plots. And repays with interest. And she's very ... possessive. [Saguru respects Koizumi and gets along with her! ...she still scares him.]

[17-going-on-8.livejournal.com]

I know. It's a pretty common thing to do.

An accident? I thought it was caused by that Nightmare and Kid just tried to save him? That was the verdict, wasn't it? [A pause.] But for someone to blackmail Kid...what could they have on him?

[Of course it's gonna haunt him.] It can't be that serious. Shinichi-niichan hasn't gone after Kid once since he went away on that big case. Besides, Kid doesn't kill people and she died when Kid wasn't even heisting. [A pause.] But you might get a chance. Shinichi-niichan was on the Island a little while ago. It was only for s short time, but he might come back.

[The thought of Kaito getting chased with a mop like that causes him to laugh. He's still a TAD bitter about that tazer.] Possessive, Hakuba-niisan?

[stalking_horse]

Kid did try to save him. And ... well. [He's going down this somewhat detached; logic, deduction, sidestep the squidgier reactions.] Nightmare worked by either bargaining his partners into cooperation with a cut of the take, or by blackmail if they wouldn't cooperate. Kid always returns what he steals, so he wouldn't bite on a share of the profits - if anything, he'd object to being told not to return it. So, Nightmare had to have blackmailed him, and I suspect just threatening Kid himself may not have worked - it probably included his accomplices as well. Of course, he'd have to know Kid wouldn't just accept the deal and let it go, and there was a precedent for Nightmare's ... less cooperative partners being found dead later. In order for him to've gotten Kid to play along, he likely had to know who Kid was, and who Kid's allies were. As for what bothers me, there's - inconsistencies, in the entire Nightmare affair.

[And oh look, something else.] Either Kid isn't directly related to whatever case Shinichi is working on, or Shinichi is being kept too busy with that case to deal with Kid; nevermind that if he's going to this much trouble to avoid showing his face, a Kid heist is the last place he probably wants to get involved. [Pause] And just because Kid wasn't connected to her death, doesn't necessarily mean she's not connected to other events of interest. [PS, your sudden implied running with the theory that Toichi was Kid is duly noted.]
I certainly hope he does turn up again; finding him to talk to him back home is apparently damn near impossible. [Oh the irony of Hakuba's irritation at this.]

Let's just say that when I was more ... vocal in my suspicions [Understatement is understated], from some of the looks I got from her, if I were to fear for my life because of anyone in that class...

[17-going-on-8.livejournal.com]

...so it's possible for people to figure it out then. [Frowning at that. It was ringing so many worry bells in his mind. If someone like Nightmare who usually got rid of partners figured it out, then how likely was it someone like Vermouth....? Damn, he really hoped this was just paranoia kicking in.] He threw a heist to protect an accomplice. It'd definitely make sense then. What other inconsistencies? [Starting to slip out of kid mode. His mind is starting to run a mile a minute and taking up his focus.]

Eh? [Looks surprised at that.] How did you know he was hiding his face? [Shrugs at the next part.] Well, you just seemed interested in her and since Kid is your interest. It just seems like if she might have been something big, then her death might be suspicious or something like that. [Another interested look.] You've been looking for Shinichi-niichan? [He hadn't heard a thing about it, after all.]

[Blinks.] Ah, so Kaito-niichan is pretty popular, huh?

[stalking_horse]

Oh, it's entirely possible for people to figure it out; any deception or trick to hide identity is going to have weak points.
[You're not paranoid if they really are out to get you. :| Also, you are lucky: it's not a major slip, and it's on a subject that's a little distracting.] Mn. He did succeed in stealing the target, and getting away from the initial scene with it, so I don't know if you could say he threw the heist; that he was going along with Nightmare at all was done to protect his accomplices. The inconsistencies have more to do with Nightmare's identity than Kid's actions, and the scene at the end. The mask was close to the body, and showed no signs of cracks or serious scrapes or impact that should've been there if it'd fallen off the bridge by itself. There was someone running heard leaving, but the witnesses were hazy and assumed Kid was pursuing Nightmare; nothing was heard after about Nightmare, and Kid's glider was seen not long after. If Kid had been pursuing Nightmare, I doubt he'd have let it go that easily; even if Nightmare escaped him, he wouldn't have packed it in and gone home easily, particularly not with a dead body to account for, and if Kid had caught Nightmare, he wouldn't have simply let him disappear into obscurity. Also, all of Nightmare's activity stopped after that. [He's not going to fill in the obvious conclusion that wasn't the official resolution of the case.]

[There's actually a surprised blink that it -came- as a surprise.] Well, he suddenly disappears, there's an occasional report of him but nobody knows where he is or what he's doing besides a nebulous case, my understanding is that even the people close to him haven't heard from him; it would have to be a large case to keep him busy this long, but there's not a peep in the news - really, if he's alive, the only explanation for him to have disappeared so thoroughly is if he's hiding for some reason, and being seen would mean something horrible happening; it's not like he's shied away from attention before. [The sad part is, he honestly hasn't taken that much interest in it, just ... Oh look, other high school detective disappears, the Koushien, people can't figure out how to contact Shinichi for the life of them- Huh, he must be up to something where he has a reason to stay hidden.]
Well, it wouldn't be the first time there was a death that got written off as normal that turned out to be something suspicious later, and I would think that a fellow detective wouldn't take a dislike to someone "because they were creepy" unless they had some reason to think it was worth worrying about. And I do get involved in cases besides Kid now and then... [He's not going to try to protest that one too hard, he knows he'd lose.]
...I haven't been before, no. I'd noticed he'd gone missing, but I think that's common knowledge. [And then there's this dangerous wheels-turning expression...] Although come to think of it, I do wonder what he could've gotten involved in that would necessitate him hiding out this badly for this long...

[but going back to the class, now that is amusement.] Something like that - he has a habit of being the center of attention, regularly pranks the class, and hasn't really lacked girls trying to get his attention. I do wonder what the story is with Koizumi, but from what dealings I've had, I doubt I'd ever hear it and I'm not sure I want to ask.

[17-going-on-8.livejournal.com]

I could see on a personal level, but when it could be anyone in Japan and the fact it's not common knowledge this Kid is a second one, it seems less likely.

[Sadly he's never paranoid, isn't it?] Ah, I met the Teleportation case. He gave up the target to get his accomplice out. [Listening to the deduction and frowning.] ...someone close to the agent was at the scene, weren't they?

.... [Well, damn.] I-I guess. It just...it seemed a jump you THOUGHT he was hiding. He was telling the police when we saw him to keep his involvement quiet, so I didn't know how...you knew. [Hakuba had been involved when attemtps to call Shinichi were made. That was the only reason he noticed, right? He hoped so.]

Ah, I guess. [Something HAD always unsettled him about Vineyard, but he had assumed it was just because his mother's friends were crazy. It was only recently he found out there was more to the woman.]

[Oh shit.] Hattori-niichan is helping him. I'm sure he's fine, whatever it is. And his parents know how to contact him! It can't be that bad.

Well, hopefully she never comes here. I think he has a thing with Tear-niisan.

[stalking_horse]

I don't know how more people don't figure some of it out, but then, I don't think most people want to. [They're different heights and appearances! The styles of the heists are different! There's weird time gaps! How do people miss all this ;_; ]

[Further frown] His son - Nakamori-san and their driver had been taking him home when he'd recognized his father's car. [And if that wouldn't explain Kid's actions...]

[Blink] Well, he's dropped off the face of the Earth compared to his previous activity, but there hasn't been any mention of a missing persons case for him. Hattori and Mouri-san didn't seem surprised that he wasn't there at the Koushien, and that attempts at contacting him for that failed, even though that normally should've been something he'd have been right there for; Mouri-san, what little I've seen of her, doesn't seem to know where he is, but isn't going out of her way to go looking, and Hattori acted funny about sidestepping his absence - between that and the lack of a missing persons case, he has to've given indications he's alive to them at least, so he has made some contact, just kept it very restricted, and apparently has the people closest to him either out of the loop or sworn to secrecy. I hadn't heard that he'd had police contact, but if he's told them to keep quiet, that would only confirm that he's hiding. [Whups. Can't say anything around him, really...]
...His parents are more elusive than he's become, and Hattori's oddly agitated about keeping people off the subject. [And you know something too, don't you, Little Sir Short Chopped Off Dodging Question Sentences? Congratulations, you are now getting subjected to the "I know you're hiding something" not-smile.] Considering some of what he's dealt with on record, it can't just be one simple murder case; it'd be over and done with by now, or at least have less reason to be quite that paranoid. If it were some more abstract serial murder, then it wouldn't make sense to be dodging public attention so much, or avoiding much contact with law enforcement; you don't worry about the mere mention of your presence for such an extended period of time unless you're hiding from more than one pursuer, and to be that thorough about avoiding traces of existence, probably pursuers that're organized, with resources to devote to the pursuit. [There is a very pointed edge to that look you're getting.]

...oh that'd be amazing. [Deadpan'ed] Granted, she hasn't begrudged Nakamori-san's presence.

[17-going-on-8.livejournal.com]

...it could be. It's kind of like thinking santa died or something.

[A long pause and a nod.] Then he would do it. Hide the truth from the son who might have idolized his father, right?

... [Well, Hakuba COULD find it all out easily enough if he digged, considering his connections.]

Stop giving me that look. [Looks annoyed and puts on a kid pout, crossing his arms.] I don't know anything. If I did then I'd tell Ran-neechan. I know he's on some big case. I know he contacts his parents and Hattori-niichan. He doesn't like the police to say his name. I don't know anything beyond that. [And it was all information that Hakuba could gain too easily so hiding it would be too suspicious.]

Hattori-niichan is bad at lying. If Shinichi-niichan wants to keep something quiet and Hattori-niichan knows even a little bit, of course he'll get agitated. He doesn't want to betray that trust. Because he EARNED that trust from Shinichi-niichan. [And Hakuba didn't. He doesn't know near enough about Hakuba to know how well he'd handle the case.]

...begrudged her presence?

(Lesson in why he drives Kaito insane sometimes y/y? >.>; )

[stalking_horse]

Certainly one way to put it.

[Nods] Right ... As unpleasant as it all was, there's no reason for the child to suffer for it.

[....] Point taken. [Backing off. He is learning this.] I think I'm turning paranoid; I suppose there wouldn't be much point to involving you much and putting you at risk. [Besides, until there's evidence, coincidence can't be assumed to be so obliging as to have That connected to This, right?]
I think the Kid case is getting to me a little; too long knowing something is up, but not being in any position to do much besides wait. Although - I do have to wonder if I was the first one to give you the warning about not all criminals being alike.


Eh, well, Nakamori-san and Kaito grew up together; as possessive as Koizumi is, she seems to get along with Nakamori-san, so it's hard to say how she'd take someone else being close with Kaito.