Circumstantial Evidence

Chapter 2: The 5th Avenue Murder

SatanCity, Satania.4 p.m. August 26th

The heat struck Gohan smack dab in the face the moment he exited the police station with Videl. They had been inside for about two hours getting Gohan's badge and gun so he had adjusted to the cool air conditioning. Also, after going to school at West Capitol for four years and then spending time in the cool climate at Appleton, Gohan wasn't prepared at all for the weather swings of Satan City. He had forgotten all about the broiling summers and the freezing winters.

"Not use to the heat?" asked Videl as she led Gohan towards the police station's parking lot. She noticed that Gohan was starting to sweat and was adjusting his tie in annoyance.

"Yeah… I forgot about why I went to West Capitol to go to school in the first place. It's miserable here."

"Ahh I see… It was the weather that lured you away, not the fact that Capitol University is probably the most prestigious school in the world?"

"That had a little to do with it as well," admitted Gohan with a smile. He whistled admiringly when they got to Videl's car. It was a sleek Porsche 911 Carrera 4 Cabriolet. "Nice car."

"One of those off benefits of my father's success. I couldn't say no to this one. It was just too beautiful." Videl disarmed the alarm and unlocked the doors. She stopped and looked at Gohan over the roof of her car for a second before she got in. He had bulked up significantly since she had last seen him six years ago. "Wow, Gohan. You really have grown up. Look at you… I can't believe you're the same geeky Son Gohan that Sharpner use to make fun of in high school."

"Yeah… I'm a late bloomer. Don't look too bad yourself Videl… I'm really still in a little bit of shock that we're working together," he said as he opened the door and got in on the passengers side. "How long have you been a detective now?"

"Started about six months after I graduated college. Was in school for three years, and then I graduated with a degree in political science. I joined the force and started in Swat at first, but after Saiyaman had cleaned out the hooligans and such there just wasn't much to do there. Always plenty of homicides though… so I ended up doing this. Its been what? Four years now almost."

"Saiyaman wasn't the only one who was responsible for cleaning up the streets. You had a lot to do with it too. I can still remember you racing into class late or taking off early," mused Gohan nostalgically.

"Yeah, but he was the one who scared off the criminals. Anyway, how are you feeling? It's not often that you get a case on your first day."

"I'm a bit nervous; this being my first case and all."

"Oh, don't worry about it Gohan… Homicide is fine if you have a strong stomach. It's just as rewarding putting away freaks, wackos, and serial killers as brainless thugs. A little bit more in fact. You'll see. It's something you have to experience." Videl started up the car and slowly drove out of the lot. "Anyway… I hear you graduated from Appleton. Best law school in the world, and you're working homicide? Why aren't you making the big corporate bucks, Gohan?"

"Oh… well I figured I'd eventually go into politics. I wanted to get a good grip on the way the police force worked before I did it. You know crime is probably the leading issue around these days," he explained.

"That's an interesting plan. A pretty good one too I think. Crimes been picking up again since Saiyaman hasn't been showing his face around. I wonder what happened to him. I haven't even seen him in like two or three years."

"He probably had to go off to college or something," smirked Gohan.

Videl just laughed. "I couldn't imagine that goof in college. The guy was such a goof Gohan. I don't think I've ever seen anyone so… what's the word I'm looking for… bizarre."

"Bizarre? Why was he bizarre?" asked Gohan good-naturedly. Talking about Saiyaman was something he perfected in college. He could do it with natural ease without drawing any suspicion now. He'd come a long way from the socially inept kid that he was at Orange Star High.

"Those poses of his were really out there. Cute… but really out there." Videl smiled as she thought back over the years that she and Saiyaman had fought crime. Even after all these years she was still trying to figure out who he was; it was a serious obsession with her. In fact, it was one of the reasons she had become a detective. She wanted to have access to some sources to figure out who Saiyaman really was. "I swear he had the weirdest voice. His costume was pretty weird too… though it became pretty popular once the movie came out. Ever see it?"

"Saiyaman the movie? Wasn't there one when we were out in high school? I saw that one and it sucked. It was totally corny."

"Oh, this new one grossed in 120 million nation wide on the first weekend… record setting. I would have thought it was pretty good if I didn't know the guy. I can't believe you haven't seen it."

"It never really caught my attention. I'll have to check it out sometime though. Was it any realistic?" asked Gohan. He absolutely loved it when people talked about Saiyaman. It amused him to no ends that he could sit there in a room with a bunch of people talking about his alternate-ego while he sat there amongst them.

"No, not really. I mean they had Saiyaman as a young college student who had all this technological gear. He had like a anti-gravity belt and all types of boy toys," she commented as she pulled up to an apartment complex. The complex was a relatively nice one. There was a gate guard, and the outside at least looked very clean and classy. There were several police cars in front as well as an ambulance.

"Come on, time to get to work," she said. Videl got out of the car and slowly walked towards the crime scene. There were a few reporters and somewhat of a crowd. A stretcher with a body on it was waiting to be moved into the ambulance. Gohan followed Videl along and took note that the neighborhood was a nice one. In fact, it wasn't far from the Brief's Satan City townhouse.

"Yo Vidy! Over here!" shouted an officer in their direction. Videl acknowledge the officer with a wave and started to walk over in that direction.

"Hey, Lorenzo. How've you been?" greeted Videl to the officer.

"Good Vidy… Glad you got this case. It's pretty wacked out." His eyes turned to Gohan who was just walking up next to Videl. "Who's this?"
"Oh… Lorenzo, this is my new partner Gohan. He's an old friend of mine actually. Son Gohan, this is Officer Lorenzo Vinacelli," introduced Videl.

"Nice to meet you," said Gohan with a smile as he took the man's hand.

"You too."

Videl broke out a pack of cigarettes. Gohan was shocked. He hadn't thought Videl the type to smoke. She was a martial artist and worked out all the time. She offered one to him, but he passed.

"I don't smoke," he said. "It's not healthy for you."

Videl looked at him with a strange knowing look. "You're going to have to buy your own later then," she said with a strange smile. Turning to the other officer she said, "Ok Lorenzo, what do you have for me?"

"Not much Vidy… We know that the girl's an accountant for Capsule Corporation here in Satan City. They found the body this afternoon when they heard a shot go off. The girl, Amanda Rochester was shot in the mouth with a .50 caliber rifle. The gun was lying right next to her."

"Any idea how they got the gun in or was it hers?" she said while she took a drag.

"Doubt it was hers. No ammo or anything around in her apartment. I have no idea how anyone smuggled in a rifle."

"You guys already talk to the desk men?" asked Gohan.

"Yeah… they said she came in with a guy last night. Security says he just dropped her off and then left ten minutes later. We're waiting on the video tapes to make sure of that."

"So no real suspects huh? Damn, I was hoping this would be an easy case. For some reason I have a feeling this one is going to suck. I think we're going to have to take a look around." Videl flicked her cigarette onto the floor and put it out.

"Be my guest Vidy… Its apartment 8b."

"Thanks Lorenzo."

On the way up towards the apartment, Gohan checked the area for cameras. There were two of them in the lobby, but there weren't any on the various floors of the building.

"Killer could be a resident," he thought out loud. When he saw Videl look at him strangely he elaborated. "There are cameras on the lobby, but none on the floors. Killer could live in the building and just walk from floor to floor without being detected."

Videl nodded. She'd come to the same conclusion herself. "That's a possibility. Or the killer could have come in much earlier with someone else. Never know with these psychos; they hatch some truly whacked out plans."

Gohan nodded and then let Videl step out of the elevator first when they arrived. He followed her to the apartment and greeted the two officers that were on duty there. "Ok boys, anything from the neighbors?"

"Same as the desk, Videl. Just a guy who came up and left in ten minutes. She seemed to have been fine when he left. Neighbors did comment that the girl had several different men up at her apartment over the last few days."

"Oh, how many and any descriptions?" asked Videl.

"Yeah… One guy was reported to have had a whacked out hair do. Like it was standing straight up. Very short, but extremely well built. Another guy was described as tall, dark hair, and very handsome as well. That guy had scars on his face so shouldn't be hard to track him down."

"Alrighty then... When we get back to the precinct we can run those descriptions into the computer and come up with some probable matches," said Videl to Gohan. Turning back to the officers, "Did you guys dust for prints and everything?"

"Already did V. Sent them back to the station already. Forensics should have them for you later," relied one of the officers.

"Great… Well I guess we'll just take a look around," smiled Videl. "Thanks for the great work guys."

"Hey… no problem V… anything you need… you get. You know that."

Videl flashed the two a devastating smile. It seemed that she had learned to use her beauty over the last 6 years since Gohan had last seen her. In high school she was quick with her fists and was essentially a tom boy. Now, looking over her, Gohan noticed that she was quite the woman; not that he hadn't noticed that in high school. She just seemed to show it off more now. He couldn't help but notice the way she moved in those slacks as he followed her through the door.

The apartment they entered was nice. It was clean and well organized. Other than that it was relatively ordinary. There was a TV, and entertainment center in the living room. None of this surprised Gohan as he had met Amanda Rochester before at a Capsule Corporation reception. He went into the bedroom while Videl went through the woman's cds. One look at the bed and Gohan knew that the woman had slept alone. Yamcha, it had to be Yamcha, who else had a scarred face and lived in Satan City, must have left exactly like the desk people said they did. The problem that Gohan was having was wondering how Vegeta fit in this. It wasn't like him to go out to another woman's place. No he was fanatically loyal to Bulma, and the thought of him cheating on her was absolutely absurd.

"Gohan?" called out Videl. "Can you come in here for a sec?"

"Yeah?" he asked as he walked out of the bedroom and into the living room. Videl was at the kitchen counter looking at a name card. On the counter in front of her was the woman's jacket. "Do you know anything about a club by the name of Ciara's Haven?"

"Sorry Videl but no I don't. I've met this woman before though. I just remembered that I've been introduced to her at a Capsule Corp reception."

"Really Gohan… A Capsule Reception? That's pretty high class… how'd you manage to get yourself an invite? Even my dad has to go beg for one."

"An old friend hooks me up," he said truthfully. His relationship with Bulma was one that he kept to himself. It wasn't that he was ashamed of it, but after several experiences in college he learned that it led people to judge him on that relationship instead of who he was. He hated that.

"Hmmph. Well, I hate having to tip toe around a case. We're going to have to go over to the Capsule Corp. Office and have a look around. I'm definitely going to get a call from the mayor on this one."

"Nah… you won't. I'm sure the Capsule Officers want the killer as much as you… they protect their own?"

"And what if she was killed by Capsule Corp?" asked Videl.

"What?" He was about to refute that completely. To defend Bulma, but then he'd have been coming into the case with prejudice. Gohan decided to step back and look at the whole picture. "True… then they'll have something to hide. Why don't we go over there and then head to that club you mentioned."

Videl looked at Gohan as if he had grown two horns.

"What?" said Gohan. "What did I say?"

His reaction caused Videl to laugh. It was just like being back in high school, and those memories were good ones for Videl. "Nothing Gohan… but we're going to lunch first. I'm starving. Then we head for the Capsule Corp's Satan City office."

"Alrigt… sounds good to me. So where are we going? I'm famished."

"Why… Ciara's Haven of course. Kill two birds with one stone that way…" she said over her shoulder as Gohan followed her back down to the ground floor. "You're also go into have to tell me exactly what you know about this girl Gohan. It may be important."

Gohan just laughed. "Buy me lunch and I'll spill everything I know."

"Deal… no holding back no me now though… got it?"

"Yes Ma'am… Now do you have any idea where this club is?"

"Nope… but we'll find out," she said with a smile. For some reason, being around Gohan always made her feel good. She was really beginning to enjoy working with him on this case. Maybe she'd get to catch up with him over lunch and get to know him a little better. That, she thought to herself, as she looked him over out of the corner of her eye, would be a good thing.

A/N: Well… This story is still on hold, but I had much of this written for a very long time. After seeing 10 reviews for 1 chapter, I decided that I should float another one out and see how it does. I hope you all enjoyed it and are wanting more. Let me know… and I'll update this one more frequently.

Ciao,

Cka3ka.