"High School Drama" Chapter two.
"Who are you? Why are you here? Who is this girl?" Richard interrogated the woman, right as police arrived and herded the masses outside again. The woman sobbed throughout her words,
"My name is Mrs. Hanae. I came down to this room to get my briefcase, which I accidentally left here a half hour ago. That's when I found my best student, Mitzy Yasahero, at my heels." She wiped her eyes, but it did not help, "When I saw her I couldn't help it- I just broke down and cried... It was then that you all showed up." She indicated all four of them.
"Was anyone else around when you came here?" asked Richard.
"N-no" Mrs Hanae continued to sob through her words, "I was the first person in this hallway after the fire bell went off..."
"Or were you?" Richard asked, somewhat rhetorically. "How are you so sure of this, Mrs. Hanae?"
The woman ran a hand up her short grey hair, "Well I have no proof, but-"
"Ah-ha!" Richard shouted, "Search the halls! The killer's in here somewhere!"
Sammy looked puzzled, Conan took a sigh.
Poor fool, he thought, didn't even bother searching for evidence first.
Sammy and Rachel had gone down opposite ends of the hall to search. Richard simply glanced over their heads. Mrs. Hanae remained, on her knees, crying by the door. Conan, meanwhile, looked down. Something had caught his eye- something that caught nobody else's.
There was a small bottle right next to the victim.
"Look!" Conan called, making everyone turn. He pointed to the tiny perfume bottle. "It could be a clue!"
Richard stopped and bent down to it. It was copper-colored, just like the substance on the victim's clothes.
"Ah-ha! So this must be what killed her- a poison!" He jumped, trying to look smart.
Conan silently congradulated him for actually doing something right for once.
"It's all over her" said Rachel quietly.
"Yeah, and look at her hand!" Conan added. The girl had cuts all over her left hand, all of which were soaked red- both of blood and poison.
"She was a genius" sighed Mrs. Hanae, "But awfully clumsly." Everyone turned to her. "She tripped coming up the front steps two days ago- she broke her leg, as well as scratched her hand up badly... Odd though, last time I saw her her hand was bandaged-up. Don't see why she took them off..."
"Or did she?" Conan interjected.
"What are you saying?" asked both Mrs. Hanae and the previously-silent Sammy.
Richard jumped up in front of Conan.
"Heh, imaginative kid- saying random things- don't listen to him. Just wants attention, you know?"
Conan steamed at Richard, but despite knowing he would not be taken seriously, he commenced deducing in his head. He slipped out from behind them all and inched around into the room, unseen.
Looks like a teacher's lounge...
He turned to the body and shuddered, but not out of fear. He looked back to the radiator by the window, which was silent.
"Conan get back here!" called Rachel, as Richard paced back and forth thinking. Mrs. Hanae dried her eyes, Sammy stared blankly out the door.
"Sammy" Conan turned, ignoring Rachel. Sammy snapped back.
"Yes?"
"Sammy Michaels... I've heard that name somewhere."
Sammy started to blush. Conan continued.
"Are you on the Honor Roll here by any chance?"
"Actually, yes, I am" she replied evenly.
"Have you ever competed in any contests at all? I'm sure you've heard of the Eastern Nationals, no?"
"Y-yes, I competed in them just recentally. Got second place."
Rachel and Richard stared at Conan.
"How'd you know that?" inquired Rachel, surprised.
"On the news this morning- didn't you see?"
"Not really, we were kind of too busy packing." Rachel answered, kind of peeved.
"Yes, Sammy Michaels received second place in the largest scholarship program of Eastern Japan... Very big accomplishment, I might add." Conan said nonchalantly. Sammy blushed more and stared at the ground.
"But apparentally" he continued, "It wasn't big enough. Sammy wanted more- she didn't want second place. Nobody wants second place... At least not when the ability for first place is so close."
At this point everyone was silent, ever-watching this child unravel the case. Richard was still as glass, eyes transfixed on the boy. Rachel held a similar look, but with an expectant air rather than contempt (which was growing on her father's face). Sammy held a complex expression of surprise and horror. Even Mrs. Hanae was watching him but, like Rachel, she seemed to be anticipating an answer rather than a death sentence.
"Without further ado" Conan said, ready to conclude, "I introduce to you all the killer- Sammy Michaels!"