Case Closed Fan Fiction ❯ Going Down ❯ Memorabilia ( Chapter 7 )

Going Down

Disclaimers: I do not own Case Closed/ Detective Conan. Whoo boy. Never thought I would say that, did ya?

Ah. This chapter may be a bit boring/confusing. I still am struggling with how to write it. Who knows! Maybe it will be the best yet. But I will try my very best to make it worthwhile.

Some people said I was rude in my last chapter’s author note. I’m sorry if I was. I didn’t realize I was being so. Was just irritated- really. And I greatly appreciate those who have stopped emailing me harassing emails. Sure- It’s funny to some extent- but some of it is real bothersome. Opening up an email with just the words Update Going Down on it- can get old real fast.

So I appreciate you people being so kind to me. I really don’t deserve you all. Thanks so much.

And on to the next installment of Going Down!

LAST TIME ON GOING DOWN

The climax of everything had come.

“Who’s the witness?”

The bandages fell limply apart in his hands.

The snapped wire of a damned elevator.

“That’s Hiragana for ‘tsu’. What the hell did he mean by that?”

 “It doesn’t matter. The case is open again, isn’t it, Inspector?”

“Yeah. You win, Richard.”

It’s funny what brings people together.

Maybe elevators should fall more often.

“Do you see... Conan, Richard?”

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Chapter 7:

Memorabilia

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

“Perhaps even these things, one day, will be pleasing to remember.”

-Virgil

xxx

The sun shown merrily in the bluest sky Tokyo had seen in years. Birds chirped and sung from makeshift nests in skyscraper nooks and swung peacefully from telephone wire to telephone wire.

They bounced back and forth, chirping in excitement to each other. Twisted their tiny necks into side glances, as if they understood each other.

Richard did the same today, in the police station, trying to understand a certain murder suspect.

“I did not kill them! I didn’t! I did not!!” The man screamed in absolute protest, slamming his fists on the Inspector’s desk.

The mess of papers and files flopped over pathetically, and the nearby birds took flight leaving an ominous silence ringing in the air.

Richard stood up and bent over to pick up the unlucky files that spilled all over the floor. The inspector proceeded to rub his temples.

“You really need a filing cabinet, Inspector,” Richard muttered tapping a folder lightly on the desk to keep the papers inside strait.

“Shut up, Moore.”

“Shutting...” Richard nodded, continuing to clean up.

He had been here on strained invite. The man they were questioning was none other than Mr. Jirashii, who had been, for the last few weeks, tossing impressive amounts of money at the police to keep them out of his business. Now that they had refused the money, the confrontation was much less polite. That and Jirashii had lost all barriers of sensibility. It was very difficult to discuss murder with a man who every few seconds started proclaiming his innocence.

Richard wanted to ask the man questions himself, but by the way Mr. Jirashii had first set eyes upon the private detective this afternoon, it was evident that Richard asking the questions would get them no further. Mr. Jirashii was terrified of Richard. It was in his guilty stare. But, to Richard, the man seemed all too pitiful to be Conan’s murderer.

“Mr. Jirashii, calm down,” Meguire ordered crisply. “There’s no reason to shout.”

“But I didn’t do it!” Jirashii shrieked.

Richard rubbed his exposed ear discretely.

“We aren’t trying to accuse you of anything yet, Mr. Jirashii. Please. Take a seat,” Meguire motioned to the chair before him.

Cautiously, Jirashii sat down.

“Now. You obviously know what this is about, then.” said Meguire wisely.

Jirashii nodded.

“Good. So, for the sake of those killed, please tell us all that you know about the incident.”

Jirashii swallowed, and kneaded his hands in his lap.

“Please, sir,” Meguire pleaded urgently. “Your knowledge could help us trap the perpetrator. It could clear your name. Your money can’t hide you anymore...”

“It’s not mine.”

“What?” Meguire blinked.

“That money,” Jirashii spoke with eerie like calm. “I got it from an anonymous donor. Just after the accident, this money just came in the mail. I thought it might be to keep me silent... there were threatening messages as well.”

“Do you have any of these messages on hand?” Meguire asked earnestly.

Jirashii looked surprised. He cast his gaze downward and shook his head.

“I burned them all.”

Meguire had trouble hiding his disappointment. Taking a moment reprieve for profanity’s sake, Richard took the question stand.

“Do you remember what any of them said?”

“No,” Jirashii looked up at the two men before him sternly. “Look. I’m telling you the truth. I’m unemployed. How do you think I’d get all that money?”

“I know you’re unemployed,” Richard frowned. “But that money... It could have come from anyone. It could be completely irrelevant to this case. You could just have enemies, Mr. Jirashii.”

Jirashii smiled softly and lowered his gaze again.

“I wouldn’t doubt that,” He murmured.

“You came to Mr. Kasei that evening for a job interview, am I correct?” inquired the Inspector.

“Yes. That’s correct.”

“May I ask why you continually came after this job even when you had been refused...” Meguire took a moment to look in his file. “...seven times before?”

“Because,” Jirashii said simply.

“Because why?” pried Richard.

Jirashii looked up angrily at the private detective. “This is no fair ganging up on me.”

Meguire sent Richard a glare. Richard backed down.

“Although you aren’t in much position to protest, Mr. Moore will be quietly observing from now on- won’t you, Richard?” said the Inspector testily.

“Yes, sir.” Richard nodded humbly.

“Now could you answer the question please?” Meguire snapped.

“Because it’s a good job,” Jirashii sent a glare the detective’s way as if daring him to argue. “Why else?”

“You seem awfully persistent, sir,” Meguire frowned. “It’s a bit strange.”

“So I’m strange! I wanted that job! But now that damn elevator dropped- I’m out of job! Mr. Kasei hired and then fired me in only an hour’s time.”

“Mr. Kasei hired you?” Meguire repeated dumbfounded.

“Don’t sound so surprised,” Jirashii huffed. “It wasn’t official but he said he expected me in his office on Monday to finish the paper work. After that incident- he said he wasn’t looking for new employees anymore.”

“Now why would he do that?” Richard muttered to himself.

“Moore...” Meguire began, and Richard buttoned his lip.

“Were you with Mr. Kasei just before the elevator crashed?”

Jirashii thumbed his chin and then nodded. “Yes. I think so. Either that or I was going down the stairs...”

“Stairs? Why were you taking the stairs?” Richard snapped. Meguire sent him another look.

“Because Mr. Kasei suggested it,” Mr. Jirashii frowned softly. “The elevator left without me. The kid tried to keep the door open for me but...”

Richard removed his gaze, suddenly preoccupied with what little scenery Beika could provide for him.

“Alright, Mr. Jirashii-“ The inspector stated rising from his chair.

Just then Meguire’s office door slammed open. In came a young subordinate too exhausted to quite yet say what he had run all this way for. He had to have been just about Rachel’s age. Blonde hair and blue eyes, was he, bent over on his knees to catch his own breath.

“Yes?” Meguire pressed quietly, eyebrows raised.

“Sir!” The boy saluted. “We were able to detain the personal belongings of the victims from Mr. Kasei.”

“Good.”

“And-“ The boy tried to continue, still heaving in air.

“And?”

“Some of the other officers were able to uncover the missing security tape from a nearby dumpster. It’s a little damaged but-“

“What the hell were you boys doing in a dumpster?!”

The boy looked startled at the question and quickly tried to cover his blush.

“Oh hell. I don’t wanna know,” Meguire sighed shaking his head.

“Meguire. I suggest we go to Kasei’s building and watch the tape. That way we can examine the objects and tape at the same time,” offered Richard.

And I can have that son of a bitch right where I want him.

“Alright, Moore. Mr. Jirashii, you will join us, won’t you?” Meguire nodded swiftly to the man before him.

Jirashii covered a sickening look.

“I guess I have no choice.”

“Good answer!” Richard cheered patting a disgruntled Mr. Jirashii on the back.

xxx

“Knock, knock,” Eva playfully rapped the doorframe of her daughter’s room. “May I come in?”

Rachel looked up and smiled. She gave a soft nod and her mother entered.

It had probably been the first time Rachel had been home for the past week.

“What are you doing up here all alone?” Eva asked soothingly, taking a seat next to Rachel on her bed.

Rachel looked down again at the photo album in her lap. As if it wasn’t obvious.

“Just looking through some old stuff,” Rachel sighed flipped another page. “Just feeling rather nostalgic lately.”

“Ah,” Eva nodded looking over her shoulder.

“Oh. I remember that. Your fifth birthday party,” Eva reminisced before pointing to one of the pictures. “Look! There’s Jimmy. Covered in your birthday cake. Oh. He was an awful big brat sometimes, wasn’t he?”

Rachel smiled, “Yeah. He was. Still is actually.”

“You guys were practically inseparable back then.” Eva sighed softly flipping the page for her daughter, “Every birthday party. Nearly every picture... geez. He even looks like Jimmy.”

Eva let out a gasp when Rachel abruptly slammed the book shut on her. She cast a cautious look over her daughter surprised to see the girl was not angry but yet was crying.

“Rachel. Sweetheart,” Eva cooed rubbing her daughter’s back.

Rachel tried to push her mother away but inevitably fell back into Eva’s arms. Eva held her child close and listened to her cry. It was strangely settling.

“He said he’d always be here. They both did.”

“Rachel,” Eva sighed remorsefully. “I’m sorry.”

Rachel only shook her head, tears still falling down.

xxx

Richard looked up at the Inspector after just finishing looking through the line of items. The contents of the two purses were melted and charred by the fire. The glasses were indeed only frames. And the briefcase was completely empty.

“Inspector. I didn’t find anything,” Richard announced.

“Good for you, Moore,” Meguire responded bending backwards to stretch his back. “I haven’t either.”

“See.” Kasei frowned, still flanked by some of Meguire’s boys.

“It just means you removed some of the critical evidence we could have used to convict you,” Richard spat in detest over to the man. “That does not let you off the hook.”

“Are you accusing me of the murdering of my own son, Mr. Moore?” retorted Kasei.

“Damn right, I am.” Richard barked, only to be held back by the Inspector.

“Stop it,” He hissed in an undertone to the detective. “Now.”

Richard pulled away angrily leaving the Inspector to apologize for his behavior. He left the whole group without realizing it. Richard found himself suddenly before the decaying and sad ruin of a monster that he had braved to save Conan’s comatose body from only weeks before.

He stared at it desolately- thinking back on the night. Thinking back on the what ifs and how comes... It was enough to drive anyone into madness.

“How could Kasei do that to his own son,” Richard muttered darkly- looking away from the wreckage.

A sudden sound of laughter tickled Richard’s ears. He looked up in bewilderment to see a young brown haired boy climbing under the caution tape and into the unsafe area.

“Conan!” Richard shouted, and in fear he rushed forward.

The rest of the group flocked into the lobby at his shout- just to see Richard rush over into the crime scene.

“Moore!” Meguire cried running over. “Moore! Get back here!”

Richard ignored them- crawling into the crushed space. Conan sat in a lone corner nearest to him, smiling encouragingly.

“You moron!” Richard snapped, hitting the boy upside the head. “It’s dangerous in here!”

Conan rubbed his head in pain, and then whined, “But I found something!”

“What did you find?” Richard spat, unimpressed.

“Here,” Conan groaned handing over a small metallic ball.

Richard blinked at the weight of the object. Like a small lead bullet- yet so smooth.

“Kind of like the balls in the pachinko arcades, aren’t they?”

Richard nodded, thumbing the ball indignantly.

“Why would someone be carrying that around? Wouldn’t it be heavy? Especially if they had lots of them?”

“Shut up, brat!” Richard snapped spinning around to give the boy another lump on the head- only to find himself facing air. He blinked and looked around him to see no one there.

“Moore! Moore- are you there?”

Richard cast one last look around the ruin and then wearily climbed out. He was met by a very angry Inspector.

“Richard! What the hell-!” Meguire trailed off his reprimanding at the sight of the tiny ball. “What’s that?”

Richard looked over at Jirashii and Kasei- both of them looking back very guiltily. “I think they know, do you boys?”

Neither would return his gaze. Richard’s confidence increased.

“Ever played Pachinko, Meguire?”

xxx

“Pick up. Oh, please pick up,” Rachel muttered to herself holding the receiver close.

There was a fuzzy tone and then click. A low voice answered her own pleas.

“Mushi mushi.”

“Mr. Kudo! Please! I have to talk to your son!” Rachel cried the receiver shaking in her hands. “I need- I need to talk to Jimmy.”

“Rachel-!” There was a silence- obviously influenced by the couple’s bewilderment of the call, request, and how she got their number. Finally Mrs. Kudo’s voice rang clear through the phone.

“Sweetie. What’s wrong?”

“It- It’s Conan,” Rachel whispered softly, fighting the coming tears.

“What about Conan?!” came the caustic reply.

Rachel looked at the phone uncertainly and then closed her eyes.

“He’s hurt.”

xxx

“I don’t wish to see this,” Kasei proclaimed boldly.

“What? Afraid it might convict you?” Jirashii muttered in an undertone.

“I’ll let you know that it’s because I don’t wish to see my son die over again, alright?!” retorted Kasei causing the other man to cower back.

Meguire gave Kasei a look full of pity and nodded, “You may leave.”

Kasei smiled softly back and took his exit. Jirashii stood uncertainly in his place. Meguire motioned to a seat and Jirashii took it without hesitation. Sitting upright and uptight in the chair, he almost resembled a very awkward coat rack.

“You can go too, Richard,” Meguire uttered softly, placing a kind hand on his comrade’s shoulder. “I’m not asking you to see this.”

“I want to see it,” Richard frowned. “I have to see it.”

Meguire lowered his hand sadly, eying Richard’s frigid form. His arms were crossed tightly across his chest as if he was keeping something in. And his face was filled with great determination.

The sight reminded Meguire how much he hated drunks.

Their facades changed with the day and night. No matter how resolute Richard looked this afternoon, Meguire knew that tonight he’d be passed out with beer cans encircling him like some kind of sick summoning.

Alcohol can do that to you sometimes.

Meguire nodded to another one of his boys and then pushed the tape cautiously into the VCR.

The image slowly fizzed into view. It was a down cast view of the little moveable room. And the group watched aptly as the silent movie progressed.

One of the women entered first. Then the older man. And then the shrewd business man no one missed. They didn’t talk to each other. Only watched the numbers over the door. Next came Ms. Tokiko with Naoki at her side. They were chatting about something.  

Richard leaned forward- eyeing their faces curiously. It seemed a very serious discussion. The other three occupants of the elevator didn’t pay them much mind.

 Then the door opened and in walked Mr. Ritani, briefcase in hand. He took a spot in the middle of the elevator just as a hand parted the door. And in came, none other than Conan.

Meguire cast Richard a side glance. The man was very firm- eyes fixated on the black and white screen. His fists were in taut fists and trembled ever so slightly at Conan’s presence. Meguire removed his gaze.

Conan appeared to be out of breath. He said something to the people in the elevator and pointed behind himself. The doors closed. Jirashii was just beyond their reach.

Meguire looked over to Jirashii. His face was white. Chalk white. He didn’t look like he wanted to see this either. Richard’s facade was the same. Meguire looked back to the screen again.

The elevator moved smoothly until reaching just past the 14th floor. There it came to an sputtering stop. The members cast each other disturbed glances.

They were talking earnestly amongst each other. Then the faces went from amusement to absolute terror.

Conan was shouting something. Meguire had to lower his eyes just for a moment. Their terror was well placed... they all knew they were about to die.

When Meguire looked back, the group’s mouths had grown still. They looked around at each other sadly. Conan took a corner to himself.

The wait was nearly unbearable. One of the women broke out into a fit of screams. Ms. Tokiko San no less. It made Conan jump and grip the walls. Meguire assumed someone slapped her. His eyes could not leave the little boy’s. He was looking directly at the security camera.

And in a move everyone had doubted, Conan removed his glasses. He stared remotely at the reflection they cast and then hurled them into the floor.

Meguire held his breath.

Conan picked up a shard and began to cut into his hand. Blood slipped onto the floor. The other adults in the elevator looked on with little interest.

Out of the corner of his eye, Meguire saw Richard flinch.

Hand covered in a thick amount of black blood, Conan looked up at the camera and smiled... almost childishly. He said something left without interpretation and raised the hand.

And then the people screams and clutched walls. Conan bent low, holding himself tight. They all gritted their teeth and braced themselves. And the camera shorted out.

Richard let out a long low sigh. Meguire was startled to see there was a bit of extra moisture in the private detective’s eyes.

But he was even more surprised to hear Jirashii groaning. They turned just as the man lost his lunch all over the floor.

“Mr. Jirashii? Are you alright?” Meguire inquired in shock, rushing to the man’s side.

Jirashii waved the concern off, tears pouring rapidly down his face.

Richard only looked on indifferently.

“There’s another reason I wanted this job, Inspector,” Jirashii said wryly through his dry mouth. “Timon is my older brother.”
To Be Continued... Please R & R!

Whoo. That was a mouthful. I hope you all enjoyed the continuation.

Please review and remember-

With a keen eye for detail, one truth prevails!