I was working late in my office that night, the sound of the rain hittin’ the roof of my building filling me with the feelings of melancholy but also a bit of euphoria, a weird combination I know.
I sit there at my desk as I file some old cases, some solved and some that have since been cold, a few of them catch my eye as I read the headline ‘Precious Jewel Found.’ That was my first case, a rare cornflower blue sapphire was stolen from Canterlot Museum of Archeology, and I was called in to help, following the clues that the other gumshoes had gather I suspected a single perpetrator, but the lack of a broken display case led me to one Individual.
I lean back in my chair as I read the article about how I found out it was a traveling magician by the name of Trixie Lulamoon who pulled off the heist, unfortunately for her she didn't get the chance to reap her reward, the sapphire never left the museum, but instead was hidden in an hollow wood out display case, somehow the illusionist got in and placed the gem in one of her trick cases and when the lights went out, the gem had been pulled inside, she was waiting for the chance to go back to the museum and steal the gem entirely without anyone knowing,
A smile creeps its way on my face as I recall that day, Trixie got put away, but since she didn't cause any real harm and she was only stealing it to feed herself, I along with the court system took pity on her.
“Mr. Applefai, here’s your coffee,” A voice rang out, snapping me back to my senses. Trixie stands there as she places a mug of hot coffee on my desk. “Would you like anything else,” She asks me.
“No, I’m fine but thanks,” I tell her as she returns to her desk. I can’t help but smile at how she has been doing since I gave her this job, though I am proud I brought her to justice, I don’t hold her crime over her head, she has helped me out on a few cases herself with how she understands sleight of hand and the seedy underbelly of Canterlot.
As I begin to drink my coffee, I suddenly hear a knock on the door, Trixie immediately answers it and in walks a fine looking, number, her black silk dress tells me she at least rubs elbows with the upper crust of the city, her face is pained and fear-stricken.
“Are you, Applefai,” the woman asks, fear and desperation in her voice.
“I am, how may I help you, miss,” I ask the woman standing before me,
“Rarity,” she introduces herself, walking deeper into my office and sitting in a chair.
I extend my hand to shake hers, the rough feel, but also delicate way she shakes my hand tells me she’s a seamstress, and though she is masterful at her craft, she gets nicked from time to time. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, miss Rarity, now what may I do for you,” I ask as I take out a pen.
“You can just call me Rarity, but I require your help to clear my name. I've been accused of a crime and I did not commit it,” she replied, fear overtaking her voice as policemen came rushing into my office.
They quickly grab the dame sitting in the chair across from me and handcuff her. “You have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney, if you can not afford one, one will be provided to you,”
“Applefai, are you alright,” the lead detective asks as he comes up to me. I nod as I watch the lawmen handcuff and haul Rarity away before my eyes.
“Yeah, I’m fine Shadow, so can ya tell me what’s going on,” I ask, confused by the sudden raid.
Before he answered, the detective lit a cigar and took a big puff, blowing out a cloud of smoke as he held the stick between his fingers.
“We got a tip about a murder over at Prince Blueblood's Mansion. Don't you fret none, pal. We already got the prime suspect in our clutches. Looks like it's gonna be an open and shut case.”
He says as he puts his lighter back into the inside pocket of his olive green trench coat.
“And I assume that prime suspect is the woman you just arrested,” I ask him as I organize any toppled items from the raid
Shadow takes another puff from his cigar as he makes a smoke ring. “"You better believe it, pal. We got the goods from a stand-up citizen who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
I stood there shocked, I had heard Rarity’s name from countless papers and news interviews, but to think she would be capable of murder. “I don’t suppose you would be so kind as to tell me the name of this “stand-up citizen” and allow me to see any evidence you got,” I ask, knowing that I stand on thin ice with Shadow’s department since I left to become a private eye.
"Listen up, Applefai. You know I can't just hand over that kind of intel. I already told you, this case is cut and dry. So why don't you scram and let me do my job, eh?"
“Shadow, you know I would if it was cut and dry, but I don’t think that that it is, Prince Blueblood, was a royal, but I don’t think that she would have any motive to kill him, besides this is my job,” I reply standing my ground, Shadow and I always remained professional, but at this moment you could cut the tension with a knife.
Shadow puffs a large smoke cloud towards my face, making me cough a bit as he shows his trademark cocky smirk on his face. "Now, listen here. That dame definitely had a motive. See, Rarity and the prince used to be an item. But the key word here is 'used to'." He sits down on one of the chairs as he flicks some of his ashes on my desk. “Whatever went down between those two ain't important now. What matters is that the girl was probably only with the prince for his riches."
“You seem desperate for an arrest, Shadow, has the prosecutor threatened to dock your pay again?” I ask as I grimace at the ashes he flicked on my desk, I slide the back of my hand over my desk, relocating the ashes to a waste bin.
"Whoa, hold up there, pal. Just so you know, I've been holding my own just fine with that prosecutor.” Shadow stammers plainly sweating as he tries to hide the fear in his voice with bravado, “Unlike you, ditching the team to play a dime-a-dozen private eye." He asserts as he folds his arms, donning an upset looking expression.
“Then I think it’s best you scram and let me do my job, pal,” I say, tossing Shadow’s words back at him as I grab my coat and hat, preparing to head out to search for evidence to help my client.
Shadow immediately rises from the chair as his cigar falls to the ground, promptly smashing the cigar with his shoe, "Hey, come back here, buddy! You can't just steal my shtick like that! We ain't finished talking yet!"
I look back and smugly smile. “I believe we are, so why not be a good little cop and pick up that thrash from my floor before you leave,” I say as I walk out the door, Trixie staying behind to file the cases.
After I left my office I hightailed it to the police station, there I requested an audience with the accused to hear her side of the story. The wardens allow this and bring me to the visiting room, Rarity is escorted in and sits in the chair behind the glass that separates us.
As I pick up the phone I ask the most important question ringing in my mind. “Rarity, what was your relationship to the victim?” I ask, wanting to hear what she has to say. “I’m sorry, but if I’m going to investigate, I need to be thorough,” I assure her as I talk to her.
“It’s ok, darling, I understand.” she says as she leans in to steady herself on the desk she has.
“Blueblood and I did date, he was a perfect gentleman, he would occasionally take me out to see a talking picture and even fine social gatherings,” she told me, I could see a tear starting to form in her eyes as she told me about her endeavors with the royal.
“Detective Shadow tells me he thinks you were only after his riches, is that true?” I ask as I write down what she tells me.
A look of shock and offense appears on her face and in her eyes, she holds her chest as she lets out an offended gasp. “Heavens no, I don’t know what kind of woman you think I am, but I could never stoop so low as to do something like that,” she says as I write down what she says.
I tip my hat to her, “I’m sorry, ma’am, I don’t think that at all, I just needed to ask,” I say as she lets out a sigh.
“I understand, but I do have my standards,” she says as she continues.
“I understand, and I wouldn’t think you’d do that either. Now, why did you and the prince split?” I ask hoping I can get some more information.
“I found out that he was embezzling from me, my business was doing well, but I would always wind up about one thousand bits short.” she replies as anger takes over her eyes, “He tried to explain himself, but I don’t take kindly to being used like that, so I called things off with him.” she finished as I wrote down what she said.
Looking at the notes I decided I had enough to investigate the prince, my gut feeling was telling me that he was hiding something, and Rarity’s profits were his ticket to something.
“Ok, I think I got enough for right now, don’t worry, I’ll find out who’s framing you soon,” I assured the seamstress as I got up.
“Wait, why believe me so readily?” she asks me, her eyes full of hope but confusion.
“Because, I know how you are from the articles, “A Seamstress from a humble place makes it big in Canterlot,” That was the article that I read, you come from Ponyville right?” I ask as a look of surprise spreads on her face.
“Yes, I do, but the papers forgot to mention it and just called it a humble town,” she replies as I crack a smile.
“I thought so, I do come from there,” I say as a look of recognition appears on Rarity’s face.
“Wait, are you in any way related to the Apples?” she asks, as I smile but yet sigh.
“I am indeed, I moved here to become a detective but after a while left to become a private eye, with the ban on cider it’s good to be in this business to fly under the radar.” I say as Rarity nodded.
“I understand, and don’t worry, I won’t tell.” she assures me, I get the feeling that she isn’t so innocent either, but I know in my gut she did not murder Blueblood.
I take my leave from the police station and go to Blueblood’s Mansion, his gates stand above me as I walk to his door and knock.
With a tissue clutched in her hand and tears on her face, Celestia greets me personally at the door. “Oh, are you here with the others?” she asks as my optimism fades, ‘Drat, Shadow’s already here sniffing for answers, I thought I smelled his cigar breath at the gates’ I think to myself as I take off my hat.
“No, ma’am, I am working independently, I was asked to investigate this case as well to offer alternative views,” I say as Celestia waves her hand and welcomes me in. She is dressed in a black silk dress and a black veil covers her face, her white pearls hug her neck.
“I’m sorry to disturb you in your time of mourning ma’am,” I say as I walk in and place my hat on the rack.
“It’s quite alright, I know in order to catch who killed my nephew you need to investigate.” she tells me as she shuts the door. “So what can I do for you?” she asks.
“I would like to investigate his room if you don’t mind, but first I want to ask you a few questions,” I say as he nods and motions for me to sit.
I sit down on the couch as she joins me, taking out my notepad. I ask the first question on my mind, “Do you know of anyone that would want Blueblood dead?”
Putting a hand to her chin, Celestia starts to think. “Not that I can think of, He’s always been so well liked, just how I raised him after his parents died, he may have been used to the finer things, but I taught him to respect the lower classes because of their part in making those goods.” she answers as I jot down her replies, she tells me about his donations to charities and how he was even awarded the key to the city at one time.
“It sounds like you raised him to be the quite upstanding gent,” I say as she wipes a tear from her eyes.
“I did,” she replied as she blew her nose.
“Did he display any odd behavior before he was murdered?” I ask.
Celestia’s eye widen as if a lightbulb went off inside her head, “Why yes actually, he quit donating to charity and even became paranoid, I would occasionally find him looking under his bed and double checking to see if the doors and windows were locked, he wouldn’t even take food from me or his aunt unless he seen it being prepared or he made it himself,” she answers.
I write this down, the intrigued building up inside me as I wonder why he’s done all this if he was so well liked and led a philanthropic lifestyle.
“Would you be ok if I searched his room?” I ask
“I don’t mind,” Celestia replies
"Easy there, tough guy. The warrant's already in my mitts, so you'll just have to cool your heels if you want to ransack that joint. You want to make a move, you'll have to go through me first, like a true gumshoe." Shadow walks in, and right on que of course, as always.
I sigh as I look at him, having not the time nor the patience to help stroke his ego, “Shadow, I already interviewed the suspect, like a true private eye should, I have good reason to think she’s telling the truth, so unless you want the commissioner to hear about some daming activity, I suggest you let me take a look at the room.” I say smiling at the knowledge that I have.
Shadow growls a bit as he bites down on his cigar, "Who do you think you are, hotshot? You ain't on the team no more, and we got the authority here. Unless you got a warrant of your own, you better step aside and let us do our job, savvy?" He implies as he pokes on my chest.
I smile as I look him dead in the eye and knock on a nearby nightstand, a knock I’ve regretfully used myself but know that Shadow as also, “Sound familiar?” I ask as I smugly grin.
Shadow's Adam's apple bobs as he takes a step back, his eyes wide with fear. "Fine, have a gander. But don't go thinking you're top dog just yet, chump." Shadow grumbles under his breath as he strides towards the door, the guards parting for him like the Red Sea. One of them has the nerve to give him the stink eye, but Shadow fixes him with a glare that could stop a freight train. "You got a problem, bub?" The guard stammers and quickly averts his gaze. "N-No, sir. No problem at all."
I smile to myself as I walk up to Blueblood’s room, I start by examining his floor, the outline of his body marked by tape, a red stain on the floor suggests that blood was indeed spilt, but I would need to see a protograph with the body.
As I look around I notice a small piece of paper sticking out from one of his drawers, I open it to see what it was and a mountain of papers practically jumps out at me when I open it, examining the papers closely I am met with dollar amounts one can only dream to obtain, five thousand dollars to Jack Ante, 50 million to Chrysalis. It was all right there in his hand writing, sweat begins to pour from me as I start to think of new suspects.
“You find anything, mister?” Celestia asks, snapping me back to reality.
“Yeah, I believe I did, but I would double your guards and make sure that your windows and doors are secure.” I tell Celestia as I pocket the notes and snap a few pictures of the scene.
“Oh goodness, why?” Celestia asks, shocked and terrified at my response.
“I believe whoever killed Blueblood, may come after you next, it appears he has been gambling and taking out loans.” I say as I now think to myself, “No wonder he was embezzling from Rarity,”
“I understand, but I believe I’ll be fine,” Celestia tells me as she escorts me out, I grab my hat from the rack and make my way down the street deciding to make a few visits to some family and old acquaintances, but first I had to see if I couldn’t get my mitts on a crime scene photo with the body.