A Case Of Identity

The Heist, Part 2

Chapter 8 has been divided. This is part 2

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"Dialogues"

'Thoughts'

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Note: This is Part 2. The chapter has been divided due to the abnormal length.

Check the GLOSSARY for anything you might not understand.

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Bonus Chapter 8: The Heist, Part 2

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"Yo, Saguru!"

Hakuba merely grunted at Kaito's cheerful greeting, sipping irately at his take-away cup of coffee.

"What's got you in such a mood?" Kaito asked, plopping down next to Hakuba's desk, turning the chair around so he could lean his arms on the back rest and face the detective at the same time.

"A case," the blond muttered, "two cases, in fact. Hardly got a wink of sleep last night."

"Eh?" Kaito blinked, "Shinichi was home by late afternoon, or so he told me. What took you so long?"

"Paperwork," Saguru sighed, "their share of paperwork as they had to leave for Kyoto –"

Kaito grimaced slightly, remembering Shinichi's words from the day before.

" – and then I was taking a break at a café," Saguru continued, "when one customer falls down, dead."

"Yikes," Kaito murmured sympathetically, "That couldn't have kept you too long though, could it?"

"It did," the detective answered dryly, "the man was sitting alone at the table. His companions had left nearly half an hour ago. We had to wait till they returned before commencing interrogation and inquiry. I couldn't even leave the case to the police since I was one of the witnesses," he sighed again, "I reached home by two hours, thirty minutes and forty seconds after midnight –"

"Geez, where did you have the energy to check the time to be so precise –"

"– ate dinner and went straight to bed." Saguru said, ignoring the magician, "Unfortunately, functioning on three hours of sleep is not enough after chasing a serial killer and his accomplice for more than half a day, the previous day, for which," the teen added acidly, "I had to wake up at precisely 4:00:21 am too,"

"My sympathies," Kaito muttered, not sounding very sympathetic at all after listening to that tirade but Hakuba simply brushed him off.

"I'm going to take a nap at lunch time," Saguru told him.

"You do that," Kaito agreed, just as the professor walked in.

***

"Hello?"

"Good morning, Suzuki-san,"

"Ah, you're him! Kudo Shinichi, aren't you?"

"Yes," Shinichi answered, "Sonoko introduced us at this year's New Year celebration."

"She did, she did," Jirokichi-san agreed, "The celebration was well planned, Kudo-kun! And that boyfriend of yours – Kuroba-kun, wasn't it? – his magic show was one to behold!"

Shinichi chuckled, "Very true."

It had been Ran's idea to hold Kaito's debut show at one of the Suzuki auditoriums, both for publicity as well as the glowing recommendations and praise from Jirokichi that was sure to come. Also, they could have a New Year party there and then, allowing the audience a chance to mingle with each other as well as meet the magician if they so wished. Perfect to build connections.