Chapter 3:

Clues and Crime Scenes

Often Kakashi Hatake wondered why he joined the police. He was generally lazy, was often late, and didn't like confrontation. In fact, most new recruits were surprised when they found out he was the Commissioner. But looks were deceiving. Since he was voted Commissioner, crime in Leaf City had taken a sharp downturn. Beneath his sleepy exterior laid a cunning, quick witted hunter. When he put his mind to it, nothing could faze him.

Which is why Shikamaru and Choji were worried when he put in the call for the P.I's.

As his best officers, Hatake told them everything. No decision was made unless he consulted with them. So why put in the call so quickly?

The three men were standing in the alley where the body was found. The force was called out after a kitchen worker found it when taking out the garbage. The whole area had been cordoned off for five whole blocks; so much red tape, Kakashi thought. Oh joy, look. Reporters.

News casters, news writers, free lancers, political conspiracy theorists; the whole crime scene was infected. That was the word the cops used. Infected.

FFFSSSH! A rush of wind behind Kakashi, Choji, and Shikamaru. The P.I's had arrived.

"S'up, bro's?" Naruto grinned. "Having a good night, I hope?"

Shikamaru groaned, audibly. "You say 'good', I say 'a drag'." He motioned for them to follow him. "'Bout around 11:36, we got a 9-11 from some freaked out dishwasher. Said the whole alley was covered with blood. We get here, and we find old man Sarutobi lying here without a head."

"Lovely" Sasuke deadpanned.

"What's even weirder," Choji said, "is the way it looks. Not your average sword cut; looks like a bear ripped it off."

They stopped. At their feet was a bloody blanket, covering the body. Naruto peeled back the blanket. They all coiled back, holding their noses. It doesn't matter how many murders you see, there's always that one that you can't stand the sight of. Or smell of.

"Well, the bear idea obviously doesn't seem that far off." Naruto said. "Maybe it's.."

"Summoning jutsu? Checked the whole area; not one symbol on the whole place. I got my dogs to run the place over. No jutsu of any kind." Kakashi walked up from behind them. "This was a weapon…or some junkie high enough to rip off some one's head."

Sasuke looked over the scene. "Where's the head?"

Choji jerked his thumb over his shoulder. "We got a coroner examining it." Both he and Shikamaru had grins on their faces; Sasuke didn't know why. He looked where Choji pointed, and sure enough, there was a coroner bent over looking at something covered by a blanket. A coroner with… pink hair.

"Damn."

It was her. Why was she here? Why couldn't she do her thing back at her lab? Sasuke looked at Naruto for help, but his friend was grinning like a loon. That ass.

"Why don't we take a look at the head, pal?" He began walking away, whistling. Sasuke followed him.

"She's probably not there anymore" he thought. 'She was always the best, so she's probably finished and gone back to her office."

No such luck. "Damn!"

The coroner stood up, and looked right at them. "Hey, guys." She gave Naruto a hug, and then just stopped.

"Sasuke."

"Evening, Sakura."

It took all he had for Naruto not to burst out laughing. Two months since she left him, and he still clenched up when she looked at him. Like a statue.

Sasuke was trying not clench. He got away with a simple twitch in the eye.

Sakura ignored him, focusing on Naruto instead. "How's business been going for you guys?"

Naruto shrugged. "You're looking at it. First case for the last month. Think we can see the head?"

Sakura shook her head. "Can't. Head office has this thing about flashing off our finds. What I can show you," she pulled a small vial from his purse, "is this." Sasuke took the vial. In it were three small silver pieces. The caught the light of the cop's searchlights, throwing glints into his eyes.

Shikamaru took they vial from Sasuke. "Commissioner will want to see these. Any idea what they are?"

Sakura raised an eyebrow. "Are you going to act interested if I tell you?"

"Anything that'll get me home faster. Temari's due any day, so being out here's rattling my nerves."

Choji snorted. "Getting up from your chair rattles your nerves, dude."

Sakura took the vials back. "For your information, I get to keep these. And as for what I think, if this was a sword cut, then these pieces are part of the blade."

"Pieces?" Naruto asked. Sakura nodded.

"A sword made of scales…. Definitely a custom job, then." Naruto looked at Sasuke. "Any one you know who'd have the know-how to make something like that?" Sasuke shook his head.

Naruto pulled out his cell phone. "I'll get Ino to track all the sword dealers in town." He turned to Shikamaru and Choji. "Meanwhile, I want every name of every one who was in that building. Anyone who even seems slightly out of place, I want to know where they live, what they look like, everything."

The two cops nodded. The three men ran off to find there information, leaving Sasuke alone with Sakura. He was about to follow them, but Sakura grabbed his arm.

"Sasuke…" she started.

"Oh, great, he thought. Aloud, he said, "What is it?"

Sakura looked uncomfortable. "Look, I know you might not like me all that much now…"

"No crap, Ms. Sherlock."

"…but I do care about what happens to you, so I was debating whether or not to tell you this, but…"

"But what?" Sasuke was curious now.

Sakura bit her lip. "Well, when I was looking at the head, I noticed the eyes were glazed over, and the pupils were dilated in…that way when…

"…When I pull a Sharingan on someone." It took a couple seconds for the impact of that statement to sink in. "You mean…" Sakura nodded.

What it meant was that they weren't looking for one person; it was two people. One to immobilize, the other to deliver the finishing blow. And if it was Sharingan…

Damn it, Itachi. This time, you've gone off the deep end."