“What business?”
He huddled himself over to the mini-fridge and opened the freezer to look for an ice pack. “In case ya haven’ noticed, I already solved th’ case. Woman, 26, cheated on by th’ victim, so she drove over here an’ stabbed th’ both’f them in th’ back. Wouldn’ve gotten caught’f she’d remembered not ta leave cigarette ashes all over th’ bathroom floor while she was tryin’ ta fix her makeup.”
When he’d located the item in question, he grabbed for it with a nearby dampened towel and walked back to Hakuba, offering it plainly. “Pretty open an’ shut case if ya ask me. I don’ see what sort’f business we have left here.”
“Oh, it has nothing to do with your deduction…”
Hakuba took the offered ice pack and towel, wrapped it, and pressed the compress against his face. This step completed, he crossed one leg over the other and leaned forward, smirking in amusement.
“Honestly, I’ve been far too busy with my own work to go around criticizing your every move. No, the business I refer to is right here in this envelope. I only used this case to find out where you might be."
The blonde detective held the envelope up between two fingertips, waved it, then held it out to the Osakan.
"It’s from one of my clients. I think you might find it… intriguing.”
The letter inside of the envelope was not more than a magazine clipping of Heiji and a simple piece of copy paper, folded in threes, and scrawled upon with sticky, purple ink.
Meitantei Hattori-san,
Enclosed is the only photograph that I could find of you. My daughter is your biggest fan and would love to have it autographed. If there is a fee, please let Hakuba-kun know so that I may be billed for it. Miki-chan will be thirteen years old soon, I hope to give it to her for her birthday.
Thank you!
Sei