Going undercover

Kaemi, Reiju, and Fumiyo all blankly stared at one another.

"Wait, what if one of them got replaced just like what with Miko?" Reiju suggested.

"We can't just barge in with just a theory. Now if the DNA of the corpse matches with one of these women, different story," Kaemi stated.

"I think this one's the victim," Fumiyo said as she placed her hand on the picture of the woman Shiruka identified as the victim.

"And this is based in what exactly?"

"Instinct. I felt Nobuto guiding me."

"You're dead boyfriend again? I heard about the tantrum you through when his death was ruled a suicide."

"He was murdered."

"Then who did it? Even just by reading the reports, I'd conclude the same thing that he killed himself and that newscaster."

"What about Niles Thorndyke?" Reiju asked.

Fumiyo's eyes went wide as Kaemi gave a confused look.

"Anyway, let's get back to the topic at hand. It'll probably take a few days to identify that corpse, but if assistant's theory is true, then time is of the essence. All four of those women are diplomats from various nations," Kaemi stated.

"Diplomats!? Well then I'm doubling down even more on my theory. We've gotta stop the culprit before they cause an international mishap!" Reiju declared.

"What's all the fuss? I brought you two some tea," Yoriko smiled as she entered and set two cups of tea before Reiju and Kaemi.

"Where's mine?" Fumiyo asked.

"Hmm, so one of them might be up to something? Well If it's the economic summit I guess you'll just have to go undercover," Yoriko mused, completely ignoring Fumiyo.

"Or we could just ask the guards stationed there to do some surveillance," Kaemi countered.

"Nah, just look at you. You need to go undercover with that gorgeous look, nobody would know it's you."

"No, and how would I- "

"Hello father, we think one of the diplomats at the conference is up to something shady, think you can pull some strings to get an officer in as an undercover agent? ... Really!? Thank you so much!"

Kaemi groaned and flashed her phone to Reiju before running out.

"Where are you going!?" Yoriko shouted.

"I'm going to get my own outfit," Kaemi growled.

"Yoriko's got a crush on Kaemi and wants to marry her and have sex with her," Fumiyo snickered.

"DO NOT! I just think she needs to bring out more of her womanly charms. Oh, and get out of here," Yoriko growled.

Shiruka suddenly received a vision.

"Reiju, we need to get to the conference, if we don't Kaemi might die," Shiruka warned.

As Reiju left the station, Fumiyo followed behind.

"What do you mean?" Reiju asked.

"I saw it in a vision, Kaemi was bound and gagged as she was hung by the brunette-haired woman in a hotel room," Shiruka explained.

"No way that's happening right now, how much time do we have?"

"I believe the time said 3 in the morning on March 15th."

"Today's the 13th, so we have two days?"

"Yes, I could clearly see the date on the clock."

"Anything else?"

"No, that was it."

"Well, I guess I'll have to pull some strings of my own to get in," Reiju sighed as she pulled out her phone.

                                                                               ...

The next day, Reiju got up early and put on a nice dress before throwing a hooded sweatshirt over it. She then put some dress shoes in her purse before heading to the door and slipping into some sneakers.

                                                                             ...

"What's with the odd look?" Shiruka asked as Reiju approached him.

"My connections didn't work out, so I'm going with plan B," Reiju answered.

"And that's why we're back at the scene of the crime?"

"Yeah, after thinking about it, I think this might be a bit bigger than we thought. Going here will kill two birds with one stone if I'm lucky."

"I assume your look has something to do with this then?"

"Not bad ghost, the outfit is going to play a part."

Reiju entered the salon and looked around. There were no customers and only Sada, Aisha, and Kagura were present. Kagura was busy working on a dummy head as Aisha watched while Sada manned the counter. Sada immediately recognized her as soon as she took off her hood.

"And what brings you back? Even the pervert doesn't come back daily," Sada snarled.

"Hey, don't treat a customer like that. You should be trying to be more friendly considering business is probably going to take a hit because of the incident," Reiju retorted.

"Hey, don't give her flak Sada! It's thanks to her they caught the criminal," Aisha glared.

"And thanks to her that we now have to deal with the fallout over what happens to this place," Sada glared back.

"They'll sort things out. Just service the customer while I train the newbie."

Sada clicked her tongue and showed Reiju to the back. Reiju deliberately went to the seat furthest away. She then took off her hooded sweatshirt and stuffed it into her large purse.

"A dress? So you going on a date?" Sada sneered.

"Yes, though I want a completely new look. How about a perm and dye. Dark red, eyebrows too," Reiju stated.

Sada glared and caped Reiju before turning her towards the sink. After washing her hair, Sada dried it with a towel and began combing it out.

"So why'd you come back so quickly? I for one am suspicious of how you came right as we opened," Sada glared.

"Hey, something just came up," Reiju retorted.

"Mmhmm, and how about I accidentally drive these clippers straight up the middle," Sada growled as she flashed a pair of hair clippers in front of Reiju.

"I'll just sue you know, besides, you'd be the big loser anyway."

"Are you still playing detective? The killer was caught."

"And how close were you with her?"

"Quite close, heck the closest to Takemi out of all of us," Aisha chimed.

"Shut up!" Sada snarled.

"I think I can guess why she'd come back. There was a second corpse wearing the salon uniform, yet everyone was accounted for. Though now that I think back on things, it was weird how Mocha was acting. Heck, it was even weirder how Takemi was acting when she spoke with Mocha. Come to think of it, Mocha really sounded off then. Almost like it wasn't her."

"Maybe it wasn't really her. Maybe it was Sada flirting around in a green wig," Reiju mused.

Sada flipped on the clippers and glared at Reiju.

"Want me to shave your head and eyebrows instead?"

"For what? Did you not hear I'd sue, and make sure you'd match in style?"

"Sada, cut it out," Aisha glared as she walked over and took the clippers out of Sada's hand.

"Then perhaps I'll give you a "facial". Kagura, fetch the same cream you used yesterday," Sada called out.

"I only messed up because of Fumiyo, This time I know which one's wax and which one's facial cream," Kagura huffed.

"I didn't request a facial anyway, now hurry up," Reiju sneered.

"You piss me off, though there is a chance your hair could be damaged by the service you requested. We are not liable in that case," Sada snarled as she began wrapping Reiju's hair tightly in perm rods.

                                                                      ...

Once the perm was done, a customer along with Mira and Mocha arrived. Sada then began dying Reiju's hair and eyebrows dark red.

                                                                     ...

Eventually Reiju was finished. As she was uncaped, she took her dress shoes out of her purse and quickly changed into them before sliding her sneakers into the purse. As she finished paying, Shirahoshi arrived.

"Why are you scowling Sada?" Shirahoshi asked.

"None of your business. I'm going on break now. You take the register," Sada glared as she finished writing the log and stormed away to the back.

Sada took over the register as Reiju quickly left and began walking to where she'd meet Kaemi.

"Talk about a makeover, I don't recognize you aside from your eyes," Shiruka stated as he floated alongside Reiju.

"That's the idea. As for my plan, 2 possibly 3 of the suspects know about my new look," Reiju stated.

"You still think one of the salon girls did it?"

"It had to be one of them. There's no way anyone else could have moved around the salon as naturally as you saw."

"Yeah, that fake Mocha acted pretty natural aside from washing the makeup off, but then again, that's only when you take things into context. Do you think one of them is replacing the victim at the conference?"

"Possible, but unlikely.  I think said replacement is the ultimate mastermind behind this. Which is why I've laid some traps."

                                                                          ...

Reiju rounded the corner and saw Kaemi sighing as she looked at her phone. Her hair was still wavy, though now she sported a nice pair of glasses, a red sleeveless dress, and white  hi-top sneakers.

"I'm here," Reiju announced.

Kaemi was taken aback by Reiju's appearance.

"If you hadn't spoken, I'd have assumed you were just a stranger, but now that I look closely, I recognize your eyes. So is that a wig?" Kaemi asked.

"Real, just had it done at the salon. Oh, and lets try and get hotel rooms next to each other if you plan on staying there, now let me explain some things before the taxi gets here."