Part 14 – Hunter Safety – Part 1
"So you were never in the military," Naruto asked as he and Shikamaru cleaned the glasses at Konoha.
"Negative, Ghost Rider," Shikamaru said as he finished with a scotch glass, and went on top polish a pint glass.
"Our boy here's a pureblood cop," Sasuke said as he checked the liquor bottles, still clean.
"Straight into the police academy after high school," Naruto asked.
"Not exactly," Shikamaru said, "I got an associate's degree, and then I went to the academy."
"Associate's degree," Naruto asked, "In what?"
"General Studies," Shikamaru said, "I knew I wanted to get at least a two-year degree before I went off to become a cop."
"You always wanted to be a cop didn't you," Naruto asked.
"There a problem with that," Shikamaru asked.
"Just curious," Naruto said.
"Might I remind you Naruto, that Shino joined the academy right after we all graduated and left the Army," Sasuke said.
"And you joined two weeks later," Naruto said, "After numerous arguments with your father."
"I know he wants what's best for me," Sasuke said as he checked another bottle, "Clean as a whistle."
"I really appreciate you guys helping me out," Naruto said as he opened the cash drawer, and started counting the day's intake.
"Anytime buddy," Sasuke said as he placed the glasses back onto the shelves, "Crime's been kind of light around here lately."
"It's weird," Shikamaru said, "A few days ago we busted someone for making an innocent person kill a wanted fugitive, and we haven't gotten any new cases since."
"Just a lot of serving warrants, but nothing else," Sasuke said.
It was well beyond closing time for Konoha, Sasuke and Shikamaru had just finished their shift, went to Konoha for a quick drink, saw Naruto was cleaning the bar and decided to pitch in.
"Nothing else," Naruto asked.
"We went down to the range yesterday," Sasuke said, "Keep our gun arms strong."
"I haven't been in a while," Naruto said.
"Been busy around here," Sasuke asked.
"Very much so," Naruto said, "That and I've been thinking about taking Hinata somewhere special for our anniversary, but we're both really busy."
"She's an insurance fraud attorney," Sasuke said, "You're thinking dinner?"
"Yes," Naruto said.
"Dude, you own one of the best bars in town," Sasuke said, "Just invite her here, and cook for her."
"You sure about that one," Naruto asked, "I'm not exactly the best cook."
"You love ramen," Sasuke said, "But you do know some good cooks. Just ask Ino or Tenten to help you plan a meal."
"I like that," Naruto said, "As well as the idea of going to the gun range."
"Sounds pretty nice," Sasuke said, "Kick the rust off the, and enjoy it."
"I have a few guns we can take out there," Naruto said, "Think they'd let us bring a few other items out there."
"If you're asking about bringing any kind of exploding targets out there, then I'd advise you to give that a second thought," Sasuke said, "You know how much the people out at the sheriff's range are about the rules that have to deal with explosives."
"I wasn't talking about that," Naruto said.
"Oh boy," Sasuke said, "Not a bad idea. They'd definitely allow that big bastard."
"What are you guys talking about," Shikamaru asked.
"You'll see," Sasuke said, "What do you say? This Friday, we get a few of our friends down there, and get some trigger time?"
"Yea, it sounds…" Shikamaru said before he heard his phone ringing, as he pulled it out, he turned toward Sasuke, "It's the boss," he opened the phone, "Yes, sir?"
"Please tell me you two are sober," Iruka said, "I have the locator in your truck at Konoha."
"We each had just one drink," Shikamaru said, "We decided to help the owner close up."
"Well your 'help' needs to end now," Iruka said, "We have a body out by Magnolia Trace."
"Homicide," Shikamaru asked.
"Yes," Iruka said, "I need you two out there, pronto."
Shikamaru hung up his phone, and looked up at Sasuke, "Come on partner," he said, "We're on the clock."
"It far," Sasuke asked.
"Nope," Shikamaru said, "But anyway, yeah, I'll grab a few guns, and we'll meet down at the range. Later, Naruto."
"See you Friday," Sasuke said as he left, making sure to give his friend a slight wave as he walked out the door.
"Later, bro," Naruto said as he continued counting his money.
"Where to," Sasuke asked, pushing the door open behind his partner.
"Magnolia Trace," Shikamaru said as they walked over to his truck.
"You're shitting me," Sasuke said, opening the door, and stepping into the truck.
"Wish I was," Shikamaru said as he started up the truck, "I'm pretty sure it's the woods just off to the side of Versailles," he put the car into reverse, and pulled backwards so he could begin driving.
Flashback…
Another stop on their trip to New York was Grand Central, the architecture on the ceiling, the market, and food court below. Just don't bring a tour group there unless you want to be surrounded by other tourists in a matter of minutes.
"Amazing place isn't it," Fugaku asked as he looked up at the ceiling of the station the constellations of Orion, Taurus, and Gemini displayed proudly over their heads, "Wonder how long it would take to survey the place."
"I've never thought of that," Sasuke said as he too saw the constellations, "And I don't really want to."
"You're gonna have to," Fugaku said, "As soon as you're done with plumber school, you'll have to join up."
"Can we talk about that," Sasuke asked.
"About what," Fugaku asked.
"About my alternative," Sasuke said.
"Alternative," Fugaku asked, almost in complete disbelief.
"Yes," Sasuke said, "Now can we please get something to eat, I'm starving."
End flashback…
If you know Alexandria (which I'm betting a few of you don't), the location I placed Konoha and the Magnolia Trace Apartments are a ten-minute drive apart, but where they were going was only nine minutes away.
Tsunade was already there, there was a cop to direct them to the area in the woods of what is today a housing block still being developed. The area was cordoned off, they had lights set up because it was late in the evening, and they were in the woods.
"Evening, doll," Shikamaru said.
"Shikamaru," Tsunade said as she photographed the body.
"What've we got," Sasuke asked.
"Female, early forties," Tsunade began before pointing at the back of her ribcage, half an inch below the tip of her shoulder blade, "Single GSW in through her back," she then used her other finger to point to the upper-outer quadrant of her left melon, "Exit out through the front of her chest."
"Any I.D.," Shikamaru asked.
"None," Tsunade said, "No purse or anything."
"Mugging gone wrong," Shikamaru asked.
"Depends," Sasuke said, "Any idea where the shooter was?"
"Probably a few yards," Tsunade said, "I got no gunshot residue on her clothes."
"Bet I can help," Sasuke said as walked over to the body, "Any blood residue on the trees?"
"Yes," Tsunade said as she pointed to the tree next to the body, "More blood on this one," the one behind her, "A little bit on this one," she pointed to the one to her left, "And a smaller amount on this one here."
Sasuke knelt down to the leaves, "Leaves are slightly misplaced," he said as he looked at the body, "She's lying on her back," he pointed at the tree, "Blood on that tree," he looked back to see a set of trees, one of which made a 'Y' shape, "You have any revealer?"
"Right here," Tsunade said as she pulled a spray bottle out of her kit.
"Blacklight," Sasuke asked.
Tsunade held up her light as Sasuke signaled her to follow, "Where to," she asked.
"Right over here," Sasuke said as he walked Tsunade over to the tree, and pointed at the fork in the tree, "Spray around this area."
Tsunade sprayed the area with the revealer, and as she scanned it with her light, the entire fork glowed like someone had emptied the contents of a glow stick on it.
"So we have our kill area," Tsunade said.
"Yep," Sasuke said as he walked around the tree, and held his arm in a way like he was balancing a rifle on the tree, "Nature's perfect bipod. I'd say that's about…" he began before Tsunade held up a laser measuring tool, "Thank you," he aimed the tool at the tree, and checked the distance, "That's about one hundred and twenty yards," he pointed at the tree, "This much residue? Looks like a rifle."
"Any idea what kind of skill would be required to hit our victim," Tsunade asked.
"With a scope our without," Sasuke asked.
"Pick," Tsunade said.
"Be a stretch if you were trying this at fifty yards, without one," Sasuke said, "Nowadays you have scopes that can allow anyone with almost no training to hit someone at one thousand yards. But if you're going to do that with one of those scopes, they have bipods, so why would you bother using a tree-like this to balance your weapon?"
"You think just a regular scope," Tsunade asked.
"Depending on the scope, this is a relatively easy shot," Sasuke said, "Let's see if we can find a casing. Do we have a metal detector?"
"Right here," one of the examiners brought over a metal detector.
As Sasuke turned it on, Shikamaru was scanning the area and came across a mark on one of the trees in line with where the shooter was. The splintering on the outside and a small speck of what he thought was blood on the inside were only found in gunshots.
"Tsunade," Shikamaru exclaimed before signaling her over.
Sasuke gestured for her to go ahead as he kept scanning the area, and after gathering her tools, she jogged over to Shikamaru, "What've you got," she asked.
"Right here," Shikamaru said as he pointed at the splintered side of the tree, "Am I mistaken, or is that blood in there?"
Tsunade pulled out her spray bottle of luminol, and after spraying down the tree, she scanned it with her blacklight, "You're not mistaken, that's blood," she said as several specks of blood appeared on the tree, even a few that they couldn't see by just looking at it.
"Bullet exited out her chest, and deflected off this tree," Shikamaru said as he pointed off at a slightly off-center angle away from the tree, "Then the bullet would have probably ended up over there."
"Careful, though," Tsunade said, "We found dog crap in that direction."
"Dog crap," Shikamaru asked.
"Yep," Tsunade said as she pointed back to where Sasuke and Shikamaru entered from to see a series of evidence markers near their path.
"How'd we miss those," Shikamaru asked, "Aside from that do we know what made those?"
"Dogs," Tsunade said as he pointed at the corpse.
"She is dressed for walking," Shikamaru said, "But why was she walking her dogs this late at night?"
"Don't think she was," Sasuke said as he walked up to the two of them, "Notice right now it's kind of warm. Those clothes are designed for someone running in the morning and remember it was cold this morning. Perfect for those kinds of clothes. Plus, the droppings are dry, as is the blood."
"I concur," Tsunade said, "Temperature of the body states she was probably killed about eight this morning."
"If she was killed at eight, then where are her dogs," Sasuke asked.
"So three questions," Shikamaru said as he stood up, "Where are her dogs? Where did the bullet go? And who is she?"
"Four questions actually," Sasuke said as he lifted the metal detector onto his shoulder, "I checked the maximum distance a shell casing can travel. Unless the casing was flung further than I'm checking, our killer took the shell casing so we couldn't match it."
To be continued…
