Ch 1, A strange request for a strange case.

4/16, Saturday, Sunny.

Morning

It started on a day, just like any other, meaning business was slow, Conan snorted in dry amusement, (try non-existent), and Mouri-ojisan was already well on his way to being drunk.

They didn't know it then, but the call coming in would lead them to their strangest case yet.

The phone rang around 10 AM, a bleary-eyed Kogoro answering, "Mouri Detective Agency, what can I help you with?"

Both occupants of the agency waiting room sat up a little straighter at the sound of the familiar voice coming from the receiver, "Mouri, it's Meguire."

Conan had maneuvered himself over to the desk to glean what info he could, he'd not often heard the keibu this grim.

Meguire sighed, the sound of paper rustling could be heard over the phone, "Look, have you heard about that bizarre murder over in Inaba?" The heavy-set head of the Homicide division looked at the two files in his hand.

Conan was instantly intrigued. Since he'd first heard about the odd case, he and Agasa-hakase scrounged for information, with what they could find, he knew there was something very different about this case, something about this was proving to be difficult to solve, even for one as sharp as he was.

Mouri blinked in muddled confusion, trying to piece together in his alcohol addled mind why this sounded familiar. "Inaba, Inaba..." he jolted upright then. "I remember now! That's the case from a few days ago where they found that television announcer murdered, hanging upside-down from a T.V. antenna."

The keibu on the other end of the line just heaved a weary sigh, "Yeah, that's the one." He put the files down, "Listen... their was another murder there yesterday, in the same fashion, a young girl was found dead, hanging upside-down from a telephone pole. In fact, it was the girl who found the first body." Meguire pinched the bridge of his nose, the truly gruesome nature of these killings taking a toll on even him.

Conan and Kogoro both paled at that, being able to vividly imagine the scene, Kogoro gulping and glancing at the receiver warily, "Meguire-keibu, why are you telling me this?"

"Look, Mouri, the lead of the task force put together for this serial murder case was a good friend of mine during the academy, Dojima-kun, if you remember him. I think they're going to need all the help they can get for this one." Meguire leaned back heavily in his chair. "There's been a disturbing lack of evidence. No one can figure out how the bodies got on up there either."

"I don't know, Meguire-keibu, this doesn't seem like it'll be wrapped up quickly, what about Ran," he asked, "and the brat?" he muttered the last bit into the phone.

"Because of the nature of the case, you'd be hired as a paid consultant. And if that is the case, for the kids? Take them with you. You'd be able to keep an eye on them, and the schools there are actually rated pretty high." Meguire said, shifting his bulk forward as he continued, "Look, at the very least, take a look at the case files before you decide, alright?"

Kogoro leaned back in his own chair, rubbing his forehead, "Alright, I promise I'll take a look at the files before I decide anything."

Afternoon

A few hours later, Takage-keiji showed up with the case-files in hand. "Here are those files, Mouri-san." He handed the older detective the files.

Mouri took the files, walking back to his desk, muttering about all this work coming in so early in the day, especially when he could be watching Yoko-chan right now instead.

"Hello to you too, Conan-kun," he turned and smiled at the small boy, happy to see one of the Detective Boys, even if this particular one always seems to be tripping over dead bodies. ...And had unnerved him on a handful of occasions.

The young boy looked up, giving the officer one of his brighter kiddy smiles and tone, "Hello Takage-keiji," before running back to over to the couch and picking up the manga magazine he had dropped there, feigning interest in it, whilst hoping to eavesdropping on Mouri and Takage.

From what he was able to overhear, it seems the police didn't find much more than he had already found. Well, he'd try and sneak a look at them later, after the old man had gone to bed.

"Alright, Mouri-san. I need to head back." Takage made his way out, stopping at the door, and turning to the elder detective, "And Mouri-san, please call Meguire-keibu once you've made a decision, one way or another."

The door closed with a click, young officer's footsteps growing softer as he left.

Mouri looked at the door, more worn than normal, "Damn," he muttered under his breath, riffling through his pockets for his cigarettes. He pulled one out, lit it, and leaned back in thought. "Hey, bra-Conan. How would you feel if we moved? I need to talk to Ran about it first but..."

He leaned back, taking a long pull of his cigarette, the plume of smoke billowing as he sighed, "I suppose she could arrange to stay with Eri if she doesn't want to go, you too for that matter." Mouri shook his head, "Eri likes the two of you well enough."

Conan looked up at Kogoro from the couch, watching how heavily the case seemed to be wearing on the man's mind. "I don't mind moving, Oji-san." He looked at the harried man, concern mixed with his childish mask, "I can alway write the other Detective Boys while we're there."

Kogoro gave the boy a slight smile, "Thanks kid." He leaned forward to tap the ashes into the tray, propping himself on the desk, staring at the files, "All that leaves is Ran, I guess."

Kogoro made a call that lasted for close to an hour. After that, nothing more was left to say, the atmosphere hanging over the agency's occupants, heavy with the severity of the case.

Evening

"Oto-san, Conan-kun! I'm home!" Ran intoned as she came through the agency's door. She stopped just inside the room, noticing the heaviness in the air. She looked at her father and adoptive little brother, both looked thoughtful, worried.

She looked nervously at her father, "Oto-san?"

"Welcome home, Ran. Sit down, I have some things I wanted to talk to you and ask about." He motioned as he got up to sit on one of the couches, gathering the case-files as he did.

She walked over and sat down, eyeing her father warily. "What did you want to talk about?"

Kogoro sighed as he sat down, and placed the closed files before him on the table. "Do you remember that murder they announced on the news a few days ago, the one about the t.v. announcer?"

Ran nodded her head slowly, glancing between the two "I do, why are you bringing this up?"

Kogoro scratched the side of his face, trying to figure out how to proceed, and decided honesty would be best right now. "There was another murder, almost identical to the first, and the police there are absolutely stumped. To be honest, I've never seen anything like this myself."

He leaned back into the couch, absently fiddling with his lighter. "Meguire-keibu is old friends with the lead investigator, and asked if I would go help." He looked up at his daughter, "I've got a bad feeling this case won't be wrapped up quickly. I've been offered to be a paid consultant, and living space in the town of Inaba."

He gazed sadly at his daughter, "I'd have to move there to help with the case, and, if you don't want to go with me, I've already talked with your mother, she's more than willing to have you and Conan stay with her if you don't want to join me."

Ran sat still, the information sinking in. "You're taking the case then? And you really need to move out there to help?"

Kogoro nodded, "I am. Someone who would do this can't be left alone." He tapped the case files, before folding his hands in his lap, "Whatever your choice Ran, I'll respect it."

She looked down at the case files, and then up to her father. Ran took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled, making her choice. "Alright, when do we leave?"

The old detective looked at his daughter, "Ran, you're coming with me?" He was astounded his bright, cheerful "little" girl would leave her friends behind to go out to a rural little town for a case.

She smiled, perhaps a bit sadly, at her father. "Well, I can't very well leave you one you're own, now can I? Besides, who'd look after you and Conan if I didn't tag along."

Kogoro was slightly off-put by that, "Now wait a minute, I don't need to be looked after," he trailed off.

"Oh, really," Ran intoned with a knowing air, "Did either of you learn to cook when I wasn't looking?" She gave the two of them withering looks, "If I don't come with you two, you'd be living off instant meal and convenience store bentos." She gave Conan a pointed stare, "That's certainly no way to raise a child."

Kogoro sighed in defeat, waving one hand idly, "Alright, alright, you've made your point." He got up from the couch, walking to his desk, "And Ran, thanks."

He picked up the phone, dialing a well worn number, "Hello, Meguire-keibu? It's Mouri."

The head of the homicide division had a worn tone to his voice as he answered, "Hello Mouri-kun, I take it you've come to a decision?"

"I have, I'll take the case," he nodded though the inspector couldn't see it. "I've talked to Ran and Conan about it; they both agreed to come with me, so when do we leave?"

A relieved sigh could be heard, "Can you be ready in about three days? We can have movers ready to overnight your things and train tickets ready by then, as well as transfer papers for Ran and Conan-kun."

Kogoro, put a hand over the receiver, turning to the pair, "You two think three days is enough time to get ready?"

Ran sighed as she got up off the couch, "It's short notice, but it's going to have to be, isn't it." She walked out of the office, going up the stairs to the apartment, "I'll go start cataloging things and packing. I know this is important." The door shut behind her, a muffled groan heard, "Sonoko's going to flip."

"And you, brat?" He asked Conan, eyeing his small charge.

"Um, three days is fine," he nodded. "The rest of the Detective Boys won't be pleased, but, they'll understand," he looked away, mumbling, "I hope."

Kogoro turned back to the phone, lifting his hand. "Three days is fine, Meguire-keibu."

"Thank you, Mouri-kun, we'll have everything in order by then." The phone was hung up with a click.

"Well, better get started." Mouri got up from his desk, shuffling out the door to start packing, Conan close on his heels.