The strangled school idol (3)

Shiruka watched as the culprit opened a locker and placed bags of cocaine in it.

"Dammit this isn't good. They're definitely framing someone for insurance. But who? All I know I can see is the locker number. Hmm? They're leaving?"

The culprit left after planting the cocaine.

"Didn't even change the shoes, though could the shoes even be used as evidence?  Well I can peer through the walls so let's check."

                                                                               ...

Reiju walked through the hall as she went to lunch.

"Only caught the tail end, but still managed to get the right answer. Well, guess I should be glad I soaked all that knowledge into my head when I was 3," Reiju grumbled.

"Hold up. Ginkawa, I wish to speak with you," Bentaro, the head of the disciplinary committee growled.

                                                                            ...

"So what do you want?" Reiju asked as she lounged with her feet on the desk.

"First take your damn feet off the desk!" Bentaro ordered.

"Want me to put my feet on you perv? Bet you'd get hard if I did," Reiju smirked.

Bentaro slammed his hand on the desk and approached Reiju.

"Why were you hanging out with those detectives!?"

"Why're you so worried? You guilty of something Hentaro?"

"It's Bentaro! Just because you're a woman doesn't mean I won't slug you like everyone else that pisses me off."

"*Whistle* Well someone wants to brawl. I could beat you up though."

"Even though you're a delinquent, you have never been recorded directly physically assaulting someone in school."

"Doesn't mean I can't fight, or that I haven't beaten someone up out of school. Say, you have any beef with Miyabi?"

Bentaro paused.

"No, she is a 1st year and I am a 3rd year. We don't know each other."

"Well no clue if you're lying. I'm not close with her either."

"What did you do with the detectives!?"

"Found out your little secret that's what!" Reiju shouted as she got up and walked out.

                                                                              ...

In the cafeteria, Reiju ate alone.

"Loner type right?" Shiruka asked as he floated by."

"Find anything foot fetishist?" Reiju growled.

"The culprit is trying to frame someone."

"OI! That's pretty serious!"

"But if you word things poorly, all suspicion will be thrown on you. I also got something we could use as evidence, but I'm not sure if others would be able to see it even if I sent it to your phone."

"Phone?"

"It's best not to overrely on it. Tripping up the culprit is the best way we can win this. But we have to be quick. First off, let's discuss the students. I was there with you when everyone gathered. There were 2 male students, 2 female students, and 3 teachers that stood in the front."

"Yeah, Bentaro, Hayato, Chibi, and Hoshi are the students."

"We'll focus on them. I was able to confirm that there was cocaine, a fair amount in the grooves of the heel of a shoe. That means they intentionally spread it around in the dirt. I bet they didn't think it would get stuck there. However, the key will be getting the culprit to trip up."

"What about their hands? They might have signs of trauma from the rope."

"If they didn't wear gloves."

"You mentioned how Miyabi was only murdered when she noticed something right?"

"Yes."

"Do you know why she was there?"

"I think she was following someone. She then saw them unearth their hidden cocaine stash, let out a gasp, and was caught and strangled by the rope lying around."

"Then the murder was unplanned."

"Seems that way."

"How did they string up Miyabi?"

"They first stood on the bucket and tied the rope to the top of the frame crudely. Then they opened the window as stealthily as they could and dumped Miyabi out before booking it with the cocaine."

"Was there any excess cocaine left in the building?"

"Maybe, their whole plan was likely to have the case written off as suicide, and have the body taken away. Worst case scenario, the cocaine would be found during the autopsy, but it wouldn't change a thing."

"Could you go check on the investigation?"

"Sure, I'll also test out whether we can communicate via phone, so give me your number."

"That just makes you sound like a creep."

"Wanna catch the criminal or not!?"

                                                                               ...

Shiruka floated into the old school building.

"No finger prints like none at all not even from the victim. It's 100% murder," Kaemi stated.

"So now the question becomes why was she killed. Was she a customer? The dealer? or just an unfortunate witness?" Kintaro mused.

"I couldn't find anything on the bucket, though the culprit undoubtedly had to have stood on it to reach the place they secured the rope to. Our victim is about 150 cm tall, but would have just barely been able to feasibly do this. Though what's more interesting is that on the window still I noticed..."

As Kaemi explained what she saw, Kintaro received a call.

"It's from HQ. Hello. HUH!? In which locker!? Alright we'll check it out."

"Looks like our culprit is going all in on their getaway bet. Well I was able to get that detective's number. Now let's see if I can call Reiju," Shiruka smirked.

                                                                            ...

Kintaro approached the shoe lockers with a forensics team member.

"Someone called and said there was evidence in locker 78. Let's open it up."

As he opened it up, the forensics team member took a picture.

"Now let's see. __. This confirms it. Let's go question our prime suspect. Oh and grab that Reiju girl, I want her present as well.