The Iron Horse: Murderous Machinations

As the police drew in around Gadget, Vanderbull stood in front of her, his nostrils flaring and his fists raised. “Stay back, all of you!” he shouted. “You keep your hooves off her!”

“Don’t make this difficult, Mr. Vanderbull,” Neighstrad warned. “It will not go well for you or her if you interfere!”

“Chief Inspector Neighstrad,” Turing said, stepping forward. “Please wait a moment. I believe you may be acting with excessive haste. My friend did not commit this crime.”

“If that’s the case, then we’ll find out during the interrogation,” he said, waving her off.

“Neighstrad.”

It was Dupon who had spoken. And something about his calm, clear voice caused everyone gathered to stop in their tracks and look in his direction. “I concur with Minister Turing. While your theory is possible, it is but one potential explanation.”

Neighstrad grit his teeth. “Is that so?”

“Miss Gadget has stated that she stumbled over the corp— the victim,” he said, adjusting his wording when he saw her shiver. “That would explain the smeared stain on the ground there, which matches the smear on her dress.”

Gadget looked like she was about to be sick again.

“She could easily have done that on purpose to throw us off track,” Neighstrad said.

“So you believe this was premeditated?” Dupon asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Well, clearly, if she rigged her device to cause the power outage!”

“But to do that,” Turing said, drawing their attention, “Gadget would have had to time her sabotage with Beacon Bomber’s arrival, and she stated to me that she was unaware that he would be arriving late. To my knowledge, I was the only one who knew this in advance.”

Neighstrad’s mustache twitched. He looked back to Dupon. “All right, granted, it’s not a perfect fit just yet, but the fact remains: a pony is dead - murdered - and that mare is the most likely suspect. Isn’t that right, Inspector Dupon?”

“That is the case, yes,” he said with a nod.

“Well, there you have it! Officers—”

“Ah, but wait! I meant that she is our best suspect for now, Chief Inspector,” Dupon cut in. “I propose we investigate the situation further, question the other attendees, and see if that holds up under scrutiny. After all, we’re unable to take anypony into custody until the ferry arrives tomorrow, or at least until we can send a pegasus to fetch the authorities from the coast. I will gladly take responsibility for the investigation myself until then.”

A murmur went through the crowd of spectators, and as it grew, Neighstrad’s expression became more tense, his teeth gritting loud enough to be audible (and not just to Turing).

“All right, Dupon,” Neighstrad said with a sigh. “I suppose we need to do that to shore up any loose ends anyway.” He turned to the gathered crowd. “Attention, everyone! All attendees are to return to their rooms immediately and not to leave for any reason! Officers, I want one of you posted in each hallway and watching every corner of the hotel. We’ll hold the kitchen and service staff in the ballroom.”

Turing Test strode up beside him and raised her hoof. “Please comply with the police, everypony,” she said loudly. “I apologize, but under the circumstances, we must cancel tonight’s symposium. This is regrettable, but I will make certain to reschedule at a later date and see that each one of you is compensated for any expenses taken in coming here.”

The crowd, though obviously not pleased, began to nod appreciatively.

“...Unless one of you is the actual murderer,” Turing added. “In that case, no compensation will be offered.”

“Wait a minute!” shouted one aging stallion. “So you mean that there could still be a murderer loose on the island?!”

“If Gadget is not the killer, then that would be the logical conclusion. But do not worry; now that we are aware of the killer’s presence, your chances of likewise being murdered in a brutal fashion are statistically quite low.”

“Minister!” Neighstrad hissed.

Turing Test looked to him, and then back to the crowd of ponies, most of whom wore looks that ranged from “mildly anxious” to “terrified nearly to the point of fainting.” (And Maud, who wore a look of “Maud.”)

“Ah,” Turing said. “An error has occurred.”

The police confined the guests to their rooms and the staff to the ballroom just as Neighstrad ordered. Vanderbull and Gadget were put in the master’s chambers, and Beacon Bomber’s body was carefully moved to the trot-in refrigerator in the hotel’s kitchen. Constable Clipper - being the best flier among the officers, was ordered to fly to the mainland to get some backup, a medical examiner, and a ship to take everypony back (and Gadget into custody, if her name could not be cleared).

Turing Test and Maud Pie accompanied Gadget and Vanderbull on their way to their room.

“Do not worry, Gadget,” Turing Test said. “I am certain that Inspector Dupon’s investigation will prove your innocence.”

Gadget smiled weakly. “Thanks, Turing,” she said quietly.

“And if he doesn’t,” Maud Pie said, “and you get sentenced to hard labor, I can teach you some great rock-breaking techniques.”

“...That’s… helpful?”

“It will be if you get 20 years to life,” Maud said. “Actually, breaking rocks every day for a few decades doesn’t sound so bad. Sure, they don’t let you keep samples, but…”

She paused, realizing the rest of the group had frozen in their tracks. Gadget was trembling, her four knees knocking loud enough to be mistaken for a swarm of woodpeckers or a horde of migratory coconuts.

“...Sorry,” Maud mumbled, looking away abashedly. “Um… well, that detective guy will probably clear your name after all, if he’s as impressive as you say he is.”

Gadget seemed to ease somewhat at this.

“I am optimistic as well, Gadget. Furthermore, I believe Dupon—”

She paused, her ears twitching.

“...is coming this way.”

Sure enough, a moment later, Dupon rounded the corner and trotted up to Turing Test.

“Ah, Minister, there you are!” he said. “Apologies to your friends, but might I trouble you for a while? I’d like to make a request of you.”

Turing tilted her head at this, but then nodded. “Understood. My friends, please return to your rooms. Maud Pie, perhaps you should go with Gadget to provide her with further comforting comments.”

“No no no, that’s okay!” Gadget said hurriedly.

“Er, yes, I will see to it that she’s looked after,” Vanderbull said. “But thank you just the same, Dr. Pie.”

“Anytime,” Maud said.

When they’d gone, Turing followed Dupon back to the main foyer.

“How may I assist you, Inspector Dupon? I will be glad to provide you with any observations I’ve made or further information about our guests.”

“That would be quite helpful indeed, but I actually have another proposal,” he said with a grin that dripped slyness across his entire mutton-chopped face. “Minister, I’d like to ask you to assist me in investigating the case.”

Turing’s eyes contracted. “Please clarify: you wish for me to act as a detective?”

“Essentially, yes,” he said. “You see, I’ve been contemplating our earlier conversation and disagreement over whether or not a machine could adequately perform detective work. And though the symposium is canceled, we still have a mystery on our hooves, and therefore a chance to put our bits where our mouths are.”

“But I do not possess a mouth.”

“Er, figuratively, Minister.”

Turing tapped her chin, considering this. “An interesting proposal, Inspector Dupon. My capabilities may assist in discovering evidence, and my logic should be able to come to the correct conclusion more swiftly.”

“I’m glad to see that you are confident. And I would love to see you in action.”

“I am likewise eager to learn more. However, considering my friendship with Gadget, is there not a conflict of interest for me to aid in the investigation?”

“The fact that you’re asking actually makes me more confident that you will not let your bias influence you. But I’ll put it more directly: while I personally have strong doubts about Miss Gadget’s guilt, she is currently our only suspect. If, in the course of our investigation, we find evidence that indicates that she is the murderer, do I have your solemn word that you will abide by our findings?”

Turing paused for a moment, processing the question. Her ears twitched noisily. Then, after a beat, she gave a nod. “I know Gadget well enough to be certain on an emotional level that she is not guilty. However, I will let logic dictate my actions. You have my word that I will seek the truth, even if it is not favorable to my friend.”

Dupon smiled and put out his hoof. “Then in that case, Minister-slash-Detective Turing Test, I believe we have a case to solve.”

Turing took his hoof and shook it. “Affirmative. I will inform Maud Pie of this decision and then join you in your investigation. Please clarify: where shall we begin?”

Dupon began trotting in the direction of the hotel’s kitchen. “We begin at Beacon Bomber’s end. Don’t dally for long, Minister; we have a dead body to examine.”

To be continued…