The residence of the painter Kamo Gozo.

The police and guests gathered in the main hall, which had dark wooden floors and a large blue rug with edges.

The beige puppy Paul kept barking "woof..." beside him.

"Uncle, please don't look down on the high school detective." Sagi sneered at the sarcasm from the Okouchi Police Department in Aomori Prefecture.

"Do you still think you are better than experienced police officers?" The gray-haired middle-aged police officer pointed at him with a black pencil and cursed.

"So, are the results out? Who stole the self-portrait at Lavender Villa?"

"It goes without saying! Gentleman Phantom Thief, only a habitual thief would do such a thing." Ohuchi replied without thinking clearly.

"Then why is there no card dedicated to the Gentleman Phantom Thief on the wall of the villa?" Saoki glanced at the restless Paul, and a light flashed in his eyes, "You know, this is the custom of the Gentleman Phantom Thief!"

"Well... maybe time is tight..." Ohuchi hesitated as he held the black pencil against his chin.

"So, the Okouchi Police Department thinks that after stealing the self-portrait, the prisoner fled Lavender Villa and escaped to the outside world?"

"I think so!"

"No!" Kindaichi, who also noticed Paul's strange behavior, retorted, "The prisoner is hidden among the people at the scene!"

"Hello?" Ohuchi turned around and stared at the high school student with pigtails, his mouth wide open in surprise, "You mean, he didn't run away?"

"What?" Pu Shenggang shouted angrily.

"Senior is right!" Saoki in a blue and white sweatshirt walked up to Paul, squatted down, and picked up the beige puppy that was still barking. "There are two police officers guarding the main entrance of Lavender Villa, and prisoners can only pass through the house.

Enter through the unlocked floor-to-ceiling window on the back. In this case, he would have to go around the lavender fields. At this point, the investigating police officers should have found his route of action?"

"Hmm..." Ohuchi's nose made a deep sound, "It was a man's footprints. He made a large circle to avoid the sight of the police at the door. After he succeeded, he left the area along the previous route."

"I have observed the flat land before, surrounded by water on three sides and backed by deep mountains and old forests. The only thing connecting it to the outside world is the bridge over the water. Judging from the wetness of the footprints at the scene, it should have been not long before we arrived at Lavender Villa!

"

"Sagi-san, you mean that after committing the crime, the prisoner turned back here from the bridge?" Kenmochi Yong's sharp eyes swept towards the rest of the people present, and of course he focused on the four guests, "What on earth is...

…who is it?"

In addition to the down-and-out painter Kanjiro Kira and the astronomer Haruhiko Kazuda, there are also the 24-year-old art correspondent Daigo Maki, and the 27-year-old elegant famous painting dealer Seiji Hazawa.

"Well, leave the rest to Paul!" Zuomu put Paul back on the ground, patted his butt, and shouted softly, "Go ahead!"

Immediately, Paul ran past several people like a wild horse, ran to the feet of Kazuda Haruhiko, and yelled at him.

"The prisoner has come out, it's you and Mr. Kuta!" The high school student with the Jarhead raised his ink umbrella and pointed at the astronomer who was frightened by Paul.

"Why is this?" Monk Dahechi Zhanger was confused, "What do you use as evidence?"

"Stop talking nonsense!" Wakuda calmed down and retorted loudly, "How is that possible? I just got barked by a dog a few times. Why do you think I am a criminal!"

Kindaichi bowed and picked up the puppy, "Saoki-kun just made it very clear that criminals must pass through lavender fields to commit crimes, and the scent of lavender will remain on their bodies, and Paul is very sensitive to this smell.

As soon as I smell it, I will keep barking.

"So, Mr. Wakuda, you are the criminal who stole the Three Self portraits of Tsuyoshi Kamagata!"

Wakuda Haruhiko made a speechless retort and took a small step back.

"Then you are the gentleman thief?" Okawachi, who accepted the reasoning, asked him fiercely.

"No... no, I'm not a gentleman thief!" Frustrated, he knelt on the ground and said, "Indeed, I was the one who stole the painting, but that's because... because I don't want to lose all of uncle's paintings.

He was taken away by that woman!"

Izumi Sakura looked gloomy.

"Papa" Daigo Maki, who was wearing a short skirt, a dark yellow top and a light blue silk scarf, clapped her hands, "You are worthy of being a famous high school detective. Compared with the two stupid police officers over there, you two are really awesome.

What a world of difference!”

Okouchi suddenly felt as if he had eaten a fly, and Jian Chiyong was also speechless.

"Who are you?"

"I am art journalist Daigo Maki, please give me your advice!"

Wakuda continued to kneel like a dog, wagging his tail and begging for mercy, "Believe me! Please believe me!"

"Haruhiko, you guy..." Kamo Gozo raised his fist as if to attack the astronomer.

"Don't... don't hit me!" Wakuda dodged around.

"There are still people like this who just want to steal and come up with such a disgusting reason. As the daughter of the painter Gozo Kamo, with her father's permission, of course she has the right to control these paintings and other people's housework.

It’s not your turn to worry about things, right? As an outside guest, such criminal behavior is too bad.”

Saaki was really disgusted by Wakuda's ugly face, so he turned to Ohuchi and said, "Officer, please arrest Wakuda immediately!"

"Well... I don't need your advice." Dahechi said calmly.

"Okay!" Sagi shrugged.

"No, I don't have any other intention. I'm just afraid that the woman who doesn't know how to paint will do whatever she wants after getting Uncle Kamouchi's paintings." Seeing that Ohuchi was indifferent, Wakuda turned his knees and cried bitterly to Gozo Kamou, almost kowtow.

"Uncle Pu Sheng, please forgive me! I was ignorant for a moment!"

"This..." After pondering for a moment, Kamo Gosan softened his tone and said, "Why don't we forget about it, Okouchi Police Department, and give Wakuda another chance!"

"Is this good?" Zuo Mu couldn't believe it.

"Since Mr. Kamao has said so, I won't say anything more." Okouchi Police Department nodded, "Then let him return the painting!"

"Okay, I'll take you there right now!" The astronomer wearing gray-framed glasses felt like he was being amnesty. He quickly stood up and led everyone to the place where he buried the painting.

Two police officers were tinkering with shovels and digging for a long time next to a designated tree. They dug out a large hole 40 centimeters deep, and there was no trace of the painting.

"Hey...where are you hiding?" Ohuchi said with a livid face.
Chapter completed!