Part 13 – Trouble in Chinatown – Part 5

As soon as he arrived, Shikamaru and Iruka were watching surveillance footage from the surveillance cameras at Dillard's located in the mall.

"You going to tell me what we got here," Sasuke asked, "Or should I start guessing?"

"We got footage of the shooter," Shikamaru said as he pointed to the area next to him, "Pull up a chair."

Sasuke grabbed the chair from behind his desk, and wheeled it up next to his partner and his commanding officer, "Surveillance footage," he asked.

"Yep," Shikamaru said as he pointed at the red BMW in the parking lot, "Right there is his getaway car."

The gunman ran up to the BMW and in a haste, almost tore his pants as he was pulling his keys out of his pocket, he unlocked the car, jumped inside, and tore out of the parking lot.

"That pretty much confirms what we're saying," Iruka said, "Someone with long hair."

"Wait a minute," Sasuke said as he walked up to the screen, "Rewind that," Iruka used the tablet which was Bluetooth connected to the screen to rewind the footage which showed the suspect getting into the car, as he peeled out, "Stop right there."

Sasuke noticed that the suspect was reaching up to his head.

Flashback

Afghanistan, 2011…

Sasuke had been given the job of over watch during a routine patrol while his squad was in Kabul, their new CO, Second Lieutenant Martin Kerns was leading the squad in the streets below while Hinata was up in the overwatch perch with him.

"You can't prove that Naruto cheated last night in the card game," Hinata said.

"There was a card in his lap," Sasuke said, "How much more blatantly obvious can you get than that?"

Sasuke's weapon was an M110 with the standard issue Harris bipod, a Leupold Mark 4 scope, and a vertical foregrip.

"We told you, it fell onto his lap as you were shuffling the deck," Hinata said.

"I noticed the card in his lap after you were finished shuffling the deck," Sasuke said.

"So it's my fault then," Hinata said, "So what, I made one mistake."

"I'm just saying that next time, maybe take some more care when shuffling," Sasuke said, "Right now, most of our poker nights consist of us betting on items our families send from home, at least one person cheating once a week, and someone messing up the shuffling. I'd like to keep us from accusing each other of cheating because it's not really fair."

"I hear you, Sarge," Hinata said.

"Sweep clear so far," Second Lieutenant Kerns said.

"Roger that," Sasuke said as he pressed to fingers to his throat-mike.

It was then that Sasuke noticed a civilian walking across the street dressed in a long dress that was almost dragging along the ground, and there was hair hanging out of the back of her hijab which was unusual because the hair was almost unnaturally shiny.

"You see that," Hinata asked.

"Yep," Sasuke said as he reached up to press his throat-mike, "Hold up, we have a woman about two hundred and fifty yards out heading toward you guys."

"I see her," Naruto said over the comm.

As Sasuke observed this woman he noticed something was budging underneath her dress, "Her dress is swinging weirdly, she's hiding something," Sasuke said, it was then the woman ducked into a nearby car and from what Sasuke could see in the window was the hajib coming off, and she then reached up to her head to pull the wig off, revealing she was a he, and he was carrying some type of AK, "Weapon confirmed, weapon confirmed. Permission to engage."

"Sergeant, you are not cleared to fire unless hostile intentions are confirmed," Second Lieutenant Kerns said, "Repeat, you not cleared unless hostile intentions are confirmed."

"How do I confirm," Sasuke asked.

"If she aims the rifle at us you are cleared," Second Lieutenant Kerns said.

"Range it," Sasuke said.

"Two hundred and fifty…" Hinata began, "Two hundred and fifty-five yards."

The man stepped out of the car, and what exited next was an AKSM: he racked the cocking-drive, aimed downrange toward the convoy, and placed his finger on the trigger right before his chest exploded.

"Target down," Sasuke said.

End flashback

"It's a wig," Sasuke said as he pointed at the screen, "I saw it over and over again in Afghanistan."

"Easy way to hide one's identity," Shikamaru said.

"What about the BMW," Sasuke asked

"Only the last three letters," Shikamaru said as he pointed at the license plate on the back of the car.

"What about these," Sasuke asked as he pointed at the LSU bumper sticker and a small square sticker on the back window.

"What about them," Shikamaru asked as Iruka was signaled over to the Sergeant's desk.

"An LSU bumper sticker," Sasuke said before pointed at the small square sticker on the back window, "What are you willing to bet that this is an LSU student's parking pass?"

"I'm afraid that'll have to wait for now," the Iruka said as he walked back over to them, "We have your victim's cousin in interrogation room one."

"Then it's time to talk to him," Shikamaru said.

"Let's find out why he was hiding a wanted fugitive," Sasuke said.

The two of them walked in to see the kitchen manager, Lucas sitting at the interrogation table, "Mr. Uchiha, I knew it would be you," he said as he stood up, and held out his arms to Sasuke, "Can you please get these cuffs off me?"

Shikamaru shoved him back down into the chair as and spoke up, "Sit down and listen," he said.

"Detective Uchiha," Lucas said as he looked back at Sasuke, "You're a reasonable man, surely we can come to an agreement."

"Are you trying to bribe my partner," Shikamaru asked as he pounded on the table, "Why don't we pin that to the list of things we can add onto you're growing rap sheet."

"What rap sheet," Lucas asked, "I haven't done anything wrong?"

"How about harboring a fugitive," Sasuke asked as he put the wanted poster they got from the safe onto the table.

"That's Johnny," Lucas said, "What's he doing on a wanted poster?"

"Don't fucking lie to us," Shikamaru said, "We know that Marcus Wong is your second cousin and that you purchased the gun we found in his safe."

"Harboring a fugitive," Sasuke said, "Providing a wanted felon with a firearm, all these things mean jail time for you buddy."

"For doing what," Lucas asked, "I don't know what you're talking about."

Sasuke placed the order for the Taurus Judge on the table that had his signature on it, "We can prove you two are second cousins," Shikamaru said, "We can prove that it was you that provided Marcus Wong with the firearm, and that's you doing jail time, not him."

"What do you want me to say," Lucas asked.

"You help us find who killed your cousin," Shikamaru said, "And we'll speak to the D.A. on your behalf."

"But first you have to do something for us," Sasuke said as he leaned over the table toward Lucas, "I want to know what happened back in 1991 when he came to you after he became a fugitive."

"Three days before he arrived, he called me," Lucas said, "He said he was in trouble out in California, and needed to get away from the state. He arrived three days later on a Greyhound bus from Houston."

"He told you about what he did," Sasuke asked.

"He didn't have to," Lucas said, "Before he arrived a few Federal Agents came around asking questions. He wasn't there, so I couldn't tell them anything."

"You lied to a Federal Agent," Sasuke asked.

"No," Lucas said, "They never asked me once if I knew where he was. So I didn't tell them."

"Alright then," Sasuke said, "What else can you tell us?"

"I don't know if it helps," Lucas said, "But I noticed a mysterious car across the street parked there every day the last week."

"Red BMW," Sasuke asked.

"Yes," Lucas said as he reached into his pocket, pulled out his wallet, and then a small slip of paper, "I took down the license plate number."

Shikamaru took the piece of paper, on it was a three-number, three-letter license plate, "We'll go run this plate," he said, "In the meantime, we'll have you brought somewhere more comfortable."

As they walked out into the squad room, Shikamaru quickly dialed the number into his computer, and it came back to give him quite a shock.

"You got the plates," Sasuke asked.

"Yes I did," Shikamaru said, "And you're not going to believe it."

Sasuke walked around to the stand behind his partner, and he was right, he didn't believe it: the car was registered to a twenty-two year old LSU college student named Johnny David Butler, the cousin of Rose-Anne and Bella Simons Butler.

Thirty minutes later

"Alright," Sasuke said, "Thanks. See you in an hour."

"Well," Iruka asked as he looked at Sasuke.

"That was the head of the LSU Police Department," Sasuke said, "Johnny Butler was detained by campus police just this morning. He missed an entire day of class yesterday, which according to his teachers is not normal. He came back to the campus yesterday, was stopped for a speeding violation, and when they questioned him, guess what the officer found in his car?"

"Was it a 9mm pistol and a black wig," Shikamaru asked.

"If by 9mm you mean a compact Glock 19 loaded with RIP rounds, then yes," Sasuke said, "Fourteen round fired."

"With the pistol, the RIP rounds, the car, and the wig, I'd say you have your man," Iruka said.

"Campus police are flying him out," Shikamaru said, "We'll get him."

As Shikamaru said that, Sasuke sat back, "What is it, Detective," Iruka asked.

"Sir," Sasuke asked.

"You're thinking of something," Iruka said as he pulled up a chair next to Sasuke, "Come on, what is it?"

"It doesn't make any sense," Sasuke said as he pointed at Johnny Butler's college record on his computer, "Look at that. He's a straight-A student, he's never missed a day of class, and according to friends, he's only been to Alexandria once. So how does someone go from a clean-cut, goody-two-shoes Chemical Engineering Major to a guy who knows exactly where the man that kidnapped his cousins almost twenty years ago, then shooting him eleven times?"

"You're thinking someone set him up," Iruka said.

"The guy had a lot of enemies," Sasuke said, "Ms. Wong said he's been abusive."

One hour later

Officer Temujin of the LSU Police had brought him into the interrogation room where he was just sitting there, his head facing the desk.

"Officer Temujin," Sasuke said as he walked into the room, and shook his hand, "I'm Detective Uchiha," he pointed at Shikamaru, "My partner, Detective Nara."

"Good to see you two," Temujin said, "He hasn't said a word. Not even on the plane."

"He'll talk," Sasuke said before looking at Johnny, "I'll take this one."

Sasuke walked through the door into the interrogation room, Johnny still not saying a word, not even looking up to acknowledge him.

"Johnny Butler," Sasuke said as he sat down in front of him, "I'm Detective Uchiha. You comfortable," Johnny didn't answer, he just continued to fidget with his shackles, "Those too tight," Johnny nodded, like a scared little kid, "You want them off," Johnny nodded.

Sasuke walked over to the wall, retrieved the keys, and unlocked Johnny's shackles.

"Thank you," Johnny said.

"Of course," Sasuke said as he sat down in front of him, "You don't look like you've slept. Thirsty," Johnny nodded, "We have a vending machine down the hall. Soda?"

"Dr. Pepper," Johnny said, "Please."

"Wait here," Sasuke said as he stood up.

Walking out of the room, he walked down to the vending machine, swiped his credit card, and walked back to the interrogation room where he placed the soda in front of Johnny.

Johnny took the drink, and had a small swig before putting it down, "Thank you," he said.

"You're shaken," Sasuke said, "You're afraid."

"What are they going to do to me," Johnny asked.

"I don't know," Sasuke said, "It depends."

"Depends on what," Johnny asked.

"On whether or not you're going to confirm my theory," Sasuke said as he placed Johnny's transcript, record, and a picture of Marcus Wong, "You're a straight-A student, the biggest trouble you've been in with the law, a few tickets for parking violations. Someone as green as you doesn't go from being as clean-cut as my father's lawn on Tuesday afternoon to shooting a man eleven times unless someone put you up to it."

Johnny looked up at Sasuke, "You would believe me," he asked.

"Yes," Sasuke said as he spread out a few pictures on the table, "Do you recognize anyone in these pictures?"

Johnny looked through the pictures, and handed Sasuke one that he recognized, "It was her, she was the one that told me about him," he said.

Sasuke stood up, walked over to the window, and held up the picture of Ms. Wong.

Two hours later

Ms. Wong was brought into the station, and left in the interrogation room while Sasuke and Shikamaru waited in the adjacent room behind the privacy glass.

"So she's behind this," Iruka asked.

"Johnny pulled her photo out," Sasuke said, "According to him, he ate at the restaurant once, and she took their payment."

"Hence the reason she knew they were related," Iruka said, "But that doesn't explain how she knew about what happened."

"I guess we'll find out," Sasuke said.

"How are you going to do that," Iruka asked, "If she's manipulated Johnny into committing murder, then what makes you think she's going to fall into your trap?"

"That's where you come in," Sasuke said, "You know what to do."

Sasuke and Shikamaru walked inside to see Ms. Wong sitting there.

"You better have a good reason for dragging me into this," Ms. Wong said.

"You mean besides the fact that you manipulated an innocent person into murdering your boss," Shikamaru asked.

"What do you mean," Ms. Wong said.

"Drop the act," Sasuke said as he leaned back against the wall, "Johnny's implicated you up to your neck."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Ms. Wong said, "I have an airtight alibi. If you have the man who killed my boss, then charge him, and let me go."

"We'd love to," Sasuke said, "But…"

Iruka opened the door to walk into the interrogation room, "Yes, Lieutenant," Shikamaru asked.

"I wanted to say that David accepted that plea deal," Iruka said as he handed a file out to Sasuke, "File from Judge Jiraiya Malone."

"Well," Shikamaru asked.

"David has agreed to plead guilty to manslaughter in the third," Sasuke said, "A couple months of house-arrest, some probation in California, and he's home free."

"Sweet," Shikamaru said.

"Yep," Sasuke said, he then pulled out a slip of blue paper, "The weapon however will have to be returned."

"You're going to let him go," Ms. Wong asked.

"It's the law," Sasuke said as he folded the binder up, "I'll go take care of it," he walked out of the room, leaving Shikamaru alone with Ms. Wong.

"You can't let him know I'm here," Ms. Wong said.

"He already does," Shikamaru said as he pointed at the one-way window, "It's called making a positive identification," Shikamaru stood up to leave, "I'll be right back."

"Wait," Ms. Wong said, "Where are you going?"

"To grab the gun so we can return it," Shikamaru said.

"You can't let him go," Ms. Wong said, "With him out, and me out there, I'm next."

"Next for what," Shikamaru asked, "You didn't do anything."

"Alright," Ms. Wong said, "I'll tell you what you want, but you have to keep him away."

"Ok," Shikamaru said as he sat in front of Ms. Wong, "Start with why."

"You didn't know him like I did," Ms. Wong said, "He was beyond abusive. I was constantly hounded by his never-ending affection."

"You and him," Shikamaru asked.

"I was able to hold off his advances long enough," Ms. Wong said, "Then one night, he…"

"He forced himself on you," Shikamaru asked.

"Just a kiss," Ms. Wong said, "Nothing else."

"So you found out about the Butlers," Shikamaru asked.

"I overheard him and Lucas talking," Ms. Wong said, "They were in Baton Rouge for a restaurant expose. Johnny was there, and they were talking about him."

"You sought him out," Shikamaru said, "And you made him commit this act?"

"Yes," Ms. Wong said.

"Ok then," Shikamaru said, "I'll speak to your lawyer. We'll draw out a plea deal."

"And what about Johnny," Ms. Wong asked, "He going to jail."

"Johnny," Shikamaru asked, "Johnny's being charged with possession of a firearm in a gun free zone."

"What," Ms. Wong asked, "Your partner said he was being charged with Third-Degree Manslaughter."

"Your file says you're from Oregon," Shikamaru said, "We're not in Oregon. Louisiana doesn't have degrees of manslaughter."

Ms. Wong's head hit the desk in defeat as Shikamaru walked into the observation room where Johnny was waiting with Sasuke.

"It's funny," Johnny said, "She was so confident she wouldn't get caught. Then you lie to her, and she cracks like an egg shell."

"That's why most masterminds get caught," Sasuke said, "There's always one weak link. In this case it was her."

"Is what you said true," Johnny asked, "That's all I'm being charged with?"

"It is our findings that you were not in control of your actions," Shikamaru said, "You will have to surrender the firearm. You'll receive a fine of $2000 from the LSU Campus Police, and then you're good."

"Is that all," Johnny asked.

"I'm afraid not," Sasuke said as he put his hand on Johnny's shoulder, "The Campus Legislature called me when our officers were bringing her him. I'm afraid you're tenure at LSU is over."

"I'm expelled," Johnny asked.

"No," Sasuke said, "But they rescinded your scholarship. I would start looking for another college."

One hour later

Sasuke and Shikamaru sat at the bar in Konoha, Sasuke was nursing a tall glass of Johnnie Walker Red, and Shikamaru was just staring at his beer.

"So she's going to jail," Shikamaru asked.

"Her attorney accepted the deal," Sasuke said, "Seven years in Angola Prison."

"Meanwhile Johnny's life is going to change forever," Shikamaru said, "He has to leave LSU at the end of the semester, he has to find a new college, and he killed someone."

"Yea," Sasuke said, "Killing a man was an acceptable afterthought when we were in Afghanistan, and it's almost a given for a cop. He's never going to be the same."

"Nope," Shikamaru said as he downed another swig before holding up his glass, "It's a victory, but it's a bittersweet victory."

"I'll drink to that," Sasuke said as he held up his glass.

"Here, here," Shikamaru said as he tapped his glass against Sasuke's

*Sorry it's been so long guys, I've been busy with school, and now I have to start looking for a job so don't be surprised if I don't update for a while.

Again I would like to say that what you have just read is a work of fiction, the crime of murder never happened, and the actual crime was resolved…