Scotland Yard? Detective?!
—— “No way, you’re kidding— you’re a real detective!? Oh man I’ve been waiting my whole summer for this!”
Dipper doesn’t even realize there was a small crack in his voice, his grin as wide as one would think humanly possible as the boy paces back and forth in excitement, hands moving energetically as he talks.
—— “I’ve been investigating this town too! And— And I found this journal that has all the answers you’re looking for just—”
As he’s sliding the book from his inner vest, floorboards creaking under the weight of someone walking cause him to push the journal back, tugging the strangers sleeve closer and lowering his voice.
—— “Maybe we should, uh, talk about this somewhere else…”
Although the enthusiasm was refreshing, the sudden shift in moods concerned the detective. Hakuba bent to listen when tugged and looked him over once more before nodding. A journal? Interesting. Even if it turned out to be nothing, it was certainly worth taking a closer look. Conan-kun couldn’t be the only extraordinarily bright child in the world, after all, and it had been proven time and time again that kids often observed far more than anyone was willing to give credit for.
“Of course,” Hakuba said, smiling in a way that he hoped would be taken as reassuring. “Do you have a safe location in mind, ah– what was your name, again?”