Kogoro and Conan witness secretary Shinkai stabbing moneylender Takarada with a chef's knife. However, Takarada had been murdered two hours earlier. Kogoro believes Shinkai stabbed Takarada without realizing he was already dead. Kogoro had been summoned to the apartment by Takarada to discuss a murder threat he received in the mail. Inspector Megure reasons that one of Takarada's financial victims killed him for revenge, and Shinkai testifies that he stabbed Takarada to prevent said victim from becoming a murderer. Megure also suspects one of Takarada's family members may have committed the crime and questions his wife, Mika, and younger brother, Koji.