User blog comment:Bumblebee the transformer/Kitten detective round 2/@comment-4189499-20150206004845/@comment-4189499-20150208074243

Part 2
"This is the second Candy Crush related death in a week," said Miller. "Something odd is going on around here."

Hardy just looked on at the newest crime scene. The sky scraper towered 100 storeys over their heads, the top obscured by clouds.

"The girl, Kimmy, was found on the top floor, near the observatory deck, with a gash in her stomach, made by a kitchen knife," said Hardy, reading out the forensic information which had been handed to him upon arrival. "Apart from the knife wound, there seems to be no further signs of a struggle, which suggests the murder was unexpected and that the victim knew and trusted the attacker to get close enough to put a knife through her. No signs of the murder weapon, but there are some bloody footprints leading away from the scene of the crime.  Large shoe size."

"That's just awful, being attacked by someone you thought you knew," said Miller, with a touch of empathy.

The two detectives stepped into the building to be greeted by Hunter, standing at the head of his crime team. "What are you two doing here?" he asked. "The case I called you in here for has been solved, and so there is no further need for your help. I don't need you to guide me any more, Hardy."

The two outside detectives were taken aback by the sudden change in attitude. "Well," began Ellie, "since we're here, we may as well review what you've brought in. Make sure it's all watertight before going to court."

"Didn't you just hear what I said?" asked Hunter in a threatening voice. "I don't need your help! I've solved this on my own, and you are not going to sweep in after the work has been done and let you take all the credit!"

"I suggest you take Miller up on her offer," replied Hardy. "I know it's a lot harder to prove things to a jury when barristers are involved than it is to find the truth in the first place. Let us just have an unofficial look over your evidence, help you get ready for the court.  As far as our superiors are concerned, we were never here."

Hunter looked back and forth between the two of them, and finally caved in. "Alright," he said. "You can check if we have enough on him to keep the courts satisfied, and then you can be off on your ways."

"First of all," Hunter started, "it's obvious that the crimes are related. You don't have two closely related people die within a week and not expect a connection.  But the killer was smart, conducting the murder in a different manner to try to throw us off the scent.  So, who are the people who were near both crime scenes at the correct time?  Enderman and Tiffi, that's who.  Now, Tiffi's just a kid, and her feet were much too small for those boots, so there's no way that she could have done it.  It could only have been Enderman.  He's a video game player, and you know how violent those video games are getting these days.  His feet are the right size for those shoe prints too.  So we must conclude that he's the murderer."

"Who else was either a witness or a suspect to the crime?" asked Hardy.

"What does it matter? It was Enderman who did it.  Nobody else was at both crime scenes," Hunter stated.

"The lawyers are going to want to know who the other suspects are, and will claim you never investigated them enough in order to get the defendant off the hook," Hardy replied.

Hunter sighed. "Well there were some tourists, Terry and Maria Spencer, who couldn't have been familiar enough with Kitty to have gotten close enough to stab her without more of a struggle. Then there were some locals, Hilda from Fudge Fjord and Rockstar from Polkapalooza, who were nowhere near the other crime scene when the first murder occurred.  Then there were some editors who worked in the tower, DoCheonGong and Candycrushlover100, and the director who, although not seen in the building last night, is known to hold keys to the building and have a private entrance.  Those last three also were unable to be connected to the previous murder.  So, there's only one person who could have reasonably done it, and V has a bad feeling about him too.  V always knows who the guilty ones are."

"The jury isn't going to take the word of a cat," said Ellie. "Anyway, wasn't that Rockstar person one of the suspects in the case last year? And I believe Hilda is also a close friend of Kitty's."

"Rockstar was found innocent at the previous case, and Hilda's feet are too small for those shoe prints. I promise you, it was Enderman," said Hunter.

"A person can always wear bigger shoes," said Hardy. "Have you taken witness statements yet?"

"Only here at the scene of the crime," replied Hunter.

"Let Miller sit in while you're taking the official statements back at the station," said Hardy.

"Why not you?" replied Hunter.

"I'm better at it," replied Ellie, not letting slip the real reason that Hardy couldn't go on record.

To be continued