Unmarked

It was a three and a half hour travel back to the crime scene, where Coltstein stood in the dimly-lit evening. There was crime scene tape everywhere around the small clubhouse, along with hoofprints from media and family members, but that was from the night of the crime. The entire crime scene was deserted, making it easier for Coltstein to navigate, as he lifted the tape, into the crime scene. A strange feeling came over him entering the area, but he didn't care. He was going to solve this case, no matter the cost.

He grabbed his handgun, making his way up the steps of the clubhouse, into what seemed like hell. The door of the clubhouse made a squeaking noise, as he entered the clubhouse, noticing a trail of blood, more than likely from Apple Bloom being drug out of the clubhouse the night of the murders. Other than that, nothing seemed to be out of place, so he worked his way toward the back of the clubhouse, where another door was placed, leading to the back end of the clubhouse.

He stepped over everything with ease, noticing the blood trail leading toward the door. He had not been to the crime scene the entire case, due to the sheriff being very sceptical about Coltstein investigating the crime scene, so the blood trail leading to the back of the clubhouse intrigued Coltstein. He carefully opened the back door, leading to a back patio, and a wooden staircase that led higher into the tree. Coltstein noticed the blood trail continuing up the staircase, so he climbed up the stairs, into pitch-black darkness, until he came to another door.

With caution, Coltstein opened the door, only to immediately inhale a familiar smell; the smell of death. The room was too dark to see anything, so he entered with caution, hoping to find some sort of light switch. To give himself better perspective, he flicked on his provided flashlight, immediately spotting a wire hanging from the ceiling, but the lightbulb was completely shattered. He immediately noted that, seeing lightbulbs don't just explode, unless a strong enough electric serge enters a circuit. The night of the murders, there was no storm or anything that could cause a surge that powerful, so how did the lightbulb explode?

He examined the room more, noticing a metal table with four restraints on it. Surprisingly, there was no blood on the table, but there was bloodstains on the floor near where the back hoofs would be held down. Exactly where a cutie mark would be located on a pony. Coltstein decided to examine the blood closer, seeing he could tell if the blood was newer or older. He got down on his knees, examining the blood closely. It was crusty, brown, but surprisingly was still thick.

He decided to feel it, noticing that the thickness of it was still fresh, but thickness didn't determine the age, but the smell. He took one sniff of the blood, immediately catching the smell of iron. It was clear to him that the blood was only 3-4 days old, lining up perfectly with the night of the murders, which was three nights ago.

"There was an unmarking the night of the murders. The question is, who was on that table? I've also got a lightbulb that exploded, due to my past experience. It wasn't broken by any physical contact. Also, there isn't any sort of weapon, and Apple Bloom's friends were found with slit throats, according to the crime scene report. There's no way that the knife could've been used, because I found it in her bedroom, undisturbed from the night before, and when she was found by police, she had a bow on her head. That proves that knife had never moved from the bedroom. So, how did this unmarking happen, and how did Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo end up with slit throats?"

Coltstein took a closer look around, noticing another table soaked with blood, and something on the table. He walked toward the table, and illuminated the surface of the table, only to see two slabs of rotten flesh, cut in the pattern of a cutie mark. He examined the cutie mark close, noticing it was an apple with a pentagram in the middle of the apple. He jumped back, having never seen that cutie mark before, and immediately had an idea of who's cutie mark it was. He immediately thought out all of his evidence that he had obtained, thinking hard about it.

"I have Apple Bloom, possessed by a demon named, Annie. Two dead fillies that could not have died from the impact of a knife. An unmarking taking place the night of the murders, and two slabs of flesh that had to be cut by a knife, but no knife is present. How could these murders be possible?!" he exclaimed, attempting to piece together what he knew.

The scene and evidence didn't fit together, and Coltstein knew that a critical piece of the puzzle was missing. That's when his mind peaked, and his anger grew to a near uncontrollable level.

"That son of a bitch," he said.

He stormed out of the clubhouse, knowing of who one of the killers was.

After fetching a ride back to Canterot, Coltstein arrived at the Canterot Police Station, storming through doors, and arriving at the front desk, not stopping.

"Uh, Coltstein, you can't come back here right now," said Cadwell.

"The buck I can't," replied Coltstein, storming through the entry to the sheriff's office.

Cadwell attempted to stop Coltstein, but it was too late, as Coltstein kicked open the door to Sheriff Hoofman's office, startling the sheriff.

"What is the meaning of this...

Hoofman's remark was cut off by Coltstein, landing a hard punch to his face, knocking Hoofman from his chair.

"Coltstein, what the hell?!" asked Cadwell, attempting to pull Coltstein away from Hoofman.

Coltstein's anger was at a dangerous level, as he looked at Cadwell.

"That bastard is one of killer's in the "Unmarked" case!" exclaimed Coltstein.

Cadwell's expressed a look of confusion.

"What?" stated Cadwell. "Why would he kill those fillies?"

Coltstein stared at Hoofman with a look of death.

"He didn't kill her physically, but he tried to frame her!" exclaimed Coltstein.

"What evidence do you have!?" exclaimed Hoofman.

"Simple, sheriff," stated Coltstein. "The evidence in the case doesn't add up."

"That doesn't prove anything, Coltstein," stated the sheriff, standing back up.

"Normally, you'd be correct, but you didn't cover your tracks very well, sheriff. You gave yourself away, when I received the crime scene note that I couldn't investigate the area, until three days after."

The sheriff's face fell to a look of guilt, because he knew Coltstein had him.

"First, let's take a look at the murder. You stated in the crime scene report that her friends were found with their throats slit. That could have never happened, because no knife is present at the crime scene. In fact, the only knife I found was in Apple Bloom's bedroom when I investigated the home for the medicine given to her by my only suspect. It had not been moved since the night BEFORE the murders, so no knife could have been used in the murders!" Therefore, you've lied about something found at that crime scene to frame Apple Bloom for murder! Not to mention you've also tampered with the crime scene, which is against the law as well, sheriff!"

Cadwell looked at the sheriff with a shocked look.

"Is all of this true, sheriff?" asked Cadwell.

The sheriff had been caught, making it hard for him to answer.

"Well done, Coltstein," said the sheriff. "You may have the proof, but the piece of evidence you need is long gone, and I'm not saying anything to a piece of manure like you!"

Coltstein gave an uneasy smile.

"No need, sheriff," stated Coltstein. "I'll figure it out myself, by going to the most important source of this case. The bodies. For now, you're under arrest on the charge of perjury and tampering with a crime scene. I'll make full sure that you never see daylight again, only cell bars."

Coltstein grabbed his handgun, pointing it at the sheriff.

"Get your hooves behind your back, and your ass on the ground," commanded Coltstein.

"Whatever you say, detective," said the sheriff.

Hoofman lowered himself to the ground, but before Coltstein could cuff his hooves, Hoofman fired a taser at the doctor, infusing his body with 50,000 volts of electricity, immediately making him collapse. Coltstein's vision became blurry, as Hoofman attempted to escape from the office. The doctor refused to let him escape, so he fired two shots through his blurred vision, hitting Hoofman in both his back knee joints. The sheriff collapsed, due to having no support in his back legs, as Coltstein passed out from the impact of the taser.