Trigger Happy Equines

“NO, THAT’S WRONG!”

Reph’s Account <> Anyone could’ve run up and stabbed Yoko

< Argument Break >

“You probably didn’t realize that argument was covered too,” I said sternly. “After all, it was only from someone’s word, but since we know he’s innocent, perhaps we can take his testimony a lot more seriously.”

Elsie’s cheeks flared. “What are you talking about?”

“Reph, you made yourself extremely clear when I asked you about the ordeal. Shall I let everyone know what you said?”

“No, now that I think about it, I’m pretty sure it w-was only one. The steps were rather slow, so I don’t think it could have been two. I was listening r-really carefully, you know, and my d-door had a hole knocked into it by that point. If something else was g-going on in the hallway, I would’ve heard it.”

“If we’re to assume that someone else ran up and stabbed Yoko, we have to assume that Reph was either lying, or got himself confused. Reph, if you’d like to reiterate your point?”

“W-well, yes,” the stallion said wearily. “I didn’t get to s-see what was happening outside, but I know f-for sure that I would’ve known if someone else came ch-charging along the corridor. I have pretty good hearing, you know.”

“What are you talking about!?” Elsie cried, looking exasperated. “We’re meant to trust such an odd statement!? Why weren’t you looking outside with such a ruckus!?”

“I don’t know,” Reph replied. “I j-just stood there in shock, I suppose.”

“It still changes nothing,” Elsie harrumphed. “Okay, so if nobody ran up, someone could’ve flown up.”

“I don’t think so,” Copper said. “I know it might seem obvious for a pegasus like myself to say such a thing, but this goes for Reph and Dopple too. Those corridors are pretty narrow for flying in, even if you sprinted and dived into flight you wouldn’t be in the best position. And, what, one of us flew up to Yoko, stabbed him a few times, then dropkicked off of him so we could fly off again?”

“It’s not impossible!” Elsie shrieked.

“But why would anyone do that?” Copper continued. “Let’s say, hypothetically, that I was about to commit a murder right outside Reph’s door. What would be my biggest worry? That he might hear my hoof-steps and give me away after a long and laborious trial filled with uncertainty, or that he might be staring out of his peephole? Regardless of the fact he wasn’t doing that, it would be a hell of a risk, especially if Yoko was seen banging on Reph’s door.”

“Not to mention,” Lancet said, “being stabbed in the jugular multiple times would produce quite the shower of blood. If Copper had committed the stabbing, it's likely that some of the blood splatter would've been left on her.”

“And!?” Elsie raged. “Showers exist, you know!”

“Then she would’ve been soaking wet,” Lancet countered.

“Towels exist!”

Lancet frowned. “That scenario still seems unlikely. She would’ve had less than three minutes to completely wash the blood from her coat, and dry herself off.”

“Also, there would’ve been other signs,” I cut in with. “To get back into her room Copper would’ve either needed to land on her hooves – which would’ve left bloodstains on the carpet – or flapped her wings to remain hovering in the air while reaching for her keycard, which would’ve also splattered blood on the carpet. Yet the only bloodstains we found were the ones leading from the rec room to Yoko’s body. How do you explain that?”

“She’s an illusionist!” Elsie fumed. “Who knows what special techniques she has in her bag of tricks!?”

“That’s a lot of ‘what ifs’ in your theory,” I replied. “If only you had some proof to back it up.” Not that it matters, I mused. The key to Copper’s innocence – and your guilt, Elsie – is proven by the knife itself. The question is, have you figured out why?

“So, a unicorn, then?” Maribelle spoke up. “If they had the knife, they wouldn’t have needed to get close to Yoko in order to stab him. They could have done it from the other side of the corridor, if need be.”

“Where Elsie’s room is,” Dish Panner said, staring off into space as if coming to a sudden realization.

“That’s not proof!” Elsie cried. “There’s nothing to stop any of the other unicorns from doing the same thing! You really expect Reph to have heard someone creeping up the stairs or from the other side of the hotel?”

“I still don’t understand,” Lancet said. “I comprehend the reasoning that the killer would also be a unicorn, but what is there to suggest that it was the same unicorn who set off the nail bomb? It seems like quite the leap in logic.”

“There’s a lot that doesn’t make sense,” Sanscript muttered, sighing. “To begin with, if the piece of rope we found led us to believe a makeshift grappling hook was used in order to peer in through the window, why was the rope then found inside the recreation room? Whomever used it wouldn’t have been able to feed the rope through the window while they were still hanging on or they would’ve fallen right off and injured themselves. And if they’d climbed to the ground before feeding the rope through, they wouldn’t have been able to look through the window in order to carefully guide it into the fire. Yet still, that’s where the rope ended up.”

“Hiding the evidence, I guess,” Inky said with a shrug. “The best way to get rid of rope is to burn it up, right? But then why was a piece left hanging over? I guess they were rushing?”

“It still confuses me,” Dish Panner said. “Why would the bomber go back to the scene of the crime? That explosion was so loud everyone heard it, so it’s not difficult to believe someone might already be there to investigate. Even if the unicorn in question was a decent distance away, why risk going out with a coil of rope and a knife if someone could’ve been there? Wouldn’t the best solution have been to put it somewhere else? We found the service bell on the roof, didn’t we? I don’t think any of the unicorns here would be stupid enough to make that mistake, especially after such a complex murder attempt.”

“Oh, I know!” Button exclaimed, hopping excitedly. “What they should’ve done was cut open their mattress and hide the rope and the knife inside. Even if everyone’s room was searched, who would’ve even thought about that?”

“That’s actually very clever,” Dopple remarked.

“Yeah, I know,” Button said smugly, puffing out his chest.

“But even if it makes sense,” Dopple added, “we can’t say for certain the killer would’ve tried that, especially since we found nothing of the sort.”

“That’s exactly right,” Elsie said coolly. “And better yet, I have a more pressing question. Why are we assuming that the unicorn responsible for the nail bomb even had a knife?” She looked back and forth between Mesmer and I, her eyes fierce and resolute. “What we have here is a case where we have no evidence as to the identity of the killer, no evidence as to the identity of the bomber, and no way to say definitively whether they were one and the same, or two completely different attackers! So why am I getting singled out, all of a sudden? Greyscale!?”

“Yeah?” I replied, my stomach trembling. It was an inexplicable, eerie feeling, one that flared whenever I locked eyes with Elsie. This wasn’t terror at gazing at a merciless killer. In fact, it felt as if I was the one to be scared of. Well, that makes sense, I decided. I’m the one who’s going to prove she was the killer and get her executed, and she knows it.

Elsie took a long, deep breath, and spoke softly and deliberately. “I want you to think very carefully about this. You don’t want anyone else to suffer, right? You don’t want any more unnecessary death, right? If you continue on like this, that’s what’s going to happen. Stop asserting this silly theory, and we’ll all go over the case from the beginning.” Elsie’s jaw clenched, and a tear came to her eye. “Because we don’t have any evidence for who the killer is, right?”

The stage was silent, as if time had stopped and wouldn’t start again until I had made my decision. I closed my eyes, listening to nothing but the faint hum of the magical forcefields and my own breathing. “Hmph.”

“Greyscale?” Elsie said, her jaw loosening as the truth dawned on her.

“You really thought you could fool me with puppy dog eyes? Nice try, but I’m not falling for it.”

Elsie stared back in horror, the color draining from her face. “You’re making a huge mistake.”

“No,” I said, shaking my head. “In fact, I’m more convinced than ever that I made the right call. I’ll say it again: Elsie is the killer.”

Elsie scrunched up her face, a single tear hitting the floor. She took a series of sharp breaths before rising again, crazed and vengeful. “You’re wrong! You don’t get it do–”

“Let’s discuss that point again,” I interrupted with. At this stage I knew my prey was helpless, merely thrashing about as they circled the drain. “You said there’s no way to know if the two perpetrators are one and the same. What if there was? I think that should be our next point of discussion.”

“Right,” Dish Panner said weakly. I could understand why she was so forlorn, especially since she was one of the few who had gotten on well with Elsie. But I could sense she wasn’t about to let emotions get the best of her and deny my claim. “Let’s do that.”

“It’s pointless!” Elsie screamed.

The end was drawing near. I looked across the stage at Mesmer, expecting a knowing smirk or look of approval. Instead, he was looking at Elsie. Not with fury or disdain, but with worry. Why? I asked myself. The logic checks out. You should know just as well as I do that she’s the killer! You didn’t give a damn when Shetland was about to be killed, so why now? What am I missing here?

Truth Bullets

Crowbars

Threatening Sign

Service Bell

Fireplace Guard

MonoMart Stock Check

Lancet: If the two attackers are one and the same, it means whoever set off the nail bomb must have had the knife.

Elsie: Anyone could’ve taken the knife!

Maribelle: The question is, what would they have even needed the knife for?

Inky: Maybe it was a backup plan in case the bomb didn’t work. I mean, it sure looks like it came in handy. Givin’ Yoko the old one-two!

Button: I still think they needed it to hide some of the evidence. I’m telling ya, hiding it in the mattress would’ve been perfect!

Dish Panner: I’m wondering if we missed something about the nail bomb. Maybe they needed a knife for that plan to work?

Lancet: It’s a long shot, but what if they kept the knife in case anyone came near? They decided to burn the rope and would’ve needed to make sure there were no witnesses.

Reph: They must have p-planned to use it since the beginning, right after the first trial.

Maribelle: What if the knife wasn’t supposed to be for the murder attempt at all? What if it served an entirely different purpose, but was used once the killer realized that Yoko was still alive?

Copper: The knife can’t have just been an accident. What would be the point in incriminating themselves further?

Elsie: Can’t you see this is all just hypothetical!? There. Is. No. Proof!

The use of the knife is key to proving who the killer is. I just need to show that to everyone!