The Iron Horse: Murderous Machinations

“Go away.”

That was all Mr. Vanderbull said before slamming the door in Inspector Dupon’s face.

“Ah, well that won’t do,” Dupon muttered. “Er, Minister, perhaps if you led this time?”

Turing nodded and knocked on the door. “Mr. Vanderbull, Gadget? Apologies, but could we speak to you?”

The door opened again. Vanderbull gave a quick, sour look at Dupon, and then switched to a pleasant smile as he addressed Turing Test.

“Good evening, Turing,” he said. “My apologies, I didn’t see that you were accompanying the Inspector.”

“It is all right,” she said. “However, we would like to speak to Gadget to question her further about what happened tonight.”

Vanderbull’s smile faded.

“...I am referring to the murder.”

“Yes, I realize that,” he said through gritted teeth. “And to that, I say— wait, ‘we?’ What do you mean?”

“Inspector Dupon has requested my aid with the investigation. Toward that end, I am currently assisting him with interrogations.”

“Well, while I am glad he’s recruited someone with good sense, I have advised Gadget to say nothing without a lawyer present. It is her right, after all.”

“Understood,” Turing said, bowing to him. “Please give her my regards.”

She began to walk away as Vanderbull moved to shut the door again.

“Then we’ll have to bring her in,” Dupon said, polishing his hoof on his shirt.

Vanderbull stopped. “I beg your pardon?” he growled.

“She is certainly entitled to a lawyer during a police investigation. But if we cannot eliminate her as a suspect before help arrives from Trottingham, we will be forced to bring her in for questioning. And she’ll have to sit in jail until you’ve found a suitable lawyer. I don’t imagine it will take you long, but she’ll still have to endure the arrest and incarceration in the meantime, and that can be quite damaging to a pony’s reputation, to say nothing of the distress and humiliation.”

Vanderbull stepped forward, filling the whole doorframe as he crossed his arms and glowered down at Dupon. “You snake,” he growled. “I thought you were above coercing and bullying an innocent girl!”

“Ah. Perhaps if we were all to calm ourselves for a moment, we could—”

“Not to worry, Minister,” Dupon said. “You misunderstand, Mr. Vanderbull. I am not trying to ‘coerce’ anyone. I am simply stating the facts of the matter. I have seen all too many times what happens when an innocent pony is arrested, and I genuinely do not wish to put the young lady through that. If we can gain a better understanding of the events leading up to the murder from her, then we may be able to spare her such trauma by quickly eliminating her as a suspect. But the more obstacles we encounter to our observation, the slower it will go.”

Vanderbull said nothing for a moment. Then his gaze drifted back over toward Turing Test.

She silently gave him a nod.

“I’ll speak to her,” Vanderbull said quietly, and went back into the room.

Turing stepped in close to Dupon.

“You are lying,” she whispered.

Dupon raised an eyebrow.

“You say you are not coercing anypony, but my scan of your biometrics reveals otherwise.”

Dupon smirked. “Then it seems your lie detection ability is quite on point,” he whispered back. “That’s good to know. I admit it’s a bit of an underhooved strategy. But while my primary concern is advancing our investigation, everything else I said is still true.”

“I am aware,” she said. “Still…”

The door opened again. And this time it was Gadget who stood there.

“Um… you can come in,” she said weakly.

They stepped inside the room, the Master’s Chambers of the hotel, and watched as Gadget went back to the large bed and sat down on its edge. She glanced over at Vanderbull, who stood in the corner like some manner of sentry as he watched them all silently.

“Gadget,” Turing said, looking her over, “you look more like yourself now.”

“Hm? Oh, right, I changed,” she muttered.

She now wore her typical long, black jacket and had once again donned her spectacles.

“I couldn’t stand wearing that dress a minute longer,” she said, hugging herself. “Not with all that… b-blood on it.” She shuddered.

“And where is that dress?” Dupon asked.

“In the hamper. Oh, do you need it for evidence?”

Dupon nodded.

“Take it. Even if I could ever get it clean, I’d never be able to wear it again.” She took a long breath and let it out shakily.

Turing went to her and put her hoof on Gadget’s shoulder. “Please try to relax, Gadget. The Inspector and I wish to ask you some questions.”

“...All right,” she said, patting Turing’s hoof as she managed a weak smile. “I’ll tell you whatever you want if it’ll help end this whole nightmare faster.”

Turing Test bowed to her. “Thank you, Gadget. Perhaps you should begin by recounting what occurred after you left the ballroom.”

“Well, let’s see,” she said. She pursed her lips as she considered the question. “I mean, there’s not that much to tell you that I haven’t said already. I ran out of the ballroom, went through the back door, took the stairs into the cellar where we have the power room, replaced the fuses, and then restarted the power. And then I went back upstairs, but the back door was locked, so I went around to the front and… um…”

“It’s quite all right, Miss Gadget,” Dupon said, holding up a hoof. “But try to think carefully and give us a bit more detail up until that point. Even if it seems insignificant, tell us anyway. For instance, was there anypony else in the hallway or behind the hotel?”

“Well, now that you mention it,” Gadget said, “there were a few ponies there.”

“Then please tell us what you can recall,” Turing urged.

“Well, I ran by the restroom and Mr. Walnut’s goons, er, guards were standing by the door. They had their horns lit up, so I could see them, but they just watched me as I ran by.

“Then I kept going and, I… w-well, I…”

“Yes?” Dupon asked, raising an eyebrow.

“...I ran into a waiter carrying a tray of food,” she said, wincing. “I heard it spill, and I heard him yelling, and I apologized, but I had to get to the power room!” She swallowed and gave Vanderbull a pleading look. “I’m sorry for the mess, sir!”

“Gadget, please, it’s all right,” Vanderbull said. “It’s nothing that can’t be cleaned anyway, and that’s the least of our concerns now.”

“I noticed a waiter cleaning up a spilled tray of food when I went to investigate Gadget’s screaming,” Turing said. “That corroborates that portion of her story.”

“Yes, I noticed him too,” Dupon said. “Was there anyone else, Miss Gadget?”

“Well… yes, actually. It was very quick, but I bumped into somepony else in the hallway.”

Turing and the others all leaned forward. “Can you identify who it was?”

“Um… I’m not positive. I heard her grunt - I mean, I think it was a ‘her,’ based on her voice - and… oh! I heard something flutter. I think she was flying and the sound I heard when I hit her was her wings.”

“Did she say anything?” Dupon asked.

Gadget shook her head. “She just grunted and was already moving past me when I tried to apologize, but I was still in a hurry.”

“And there was no one else after that?” Turing asked her.

Gadget shook her head. “No one. And I didn’t see or hear anypony else outside until… until I found Beacon Bomber.”

Dupon stroked his chin. “I would need to make certain, but I think I have an idea of who this pegasus mare was,” he said.

Turing’s ears perked up. “Ah! I believe I have come to the same conclusion. After West Walnut left the ballroom, Rio Grand flew directly after him. I thought that she intended to assist him, but if she was not near the restroom or the guards…”

“...Then she might have gone elsewhere,” Dupon said. “Possibly even outside, only to run into Gadget when she returned.”

“Outside?” Gadget asked. “Th-then you think maybe she… she’s the…”

“That rotten little firebrand!” Vanderbull roared, balling his fists. “I knew she was only here to cause trouble!”

The three ponies stared at the angry minotaur.

“S-sir?” she asked. “Just what happened between you and Miss Rio?”

“That…” he paused, stopping short as he eyed Dupon. He smoothed down his suit jacket. “That is to say…”

“Sir,” Gadget repeated, more firmly this time. “I think Inspector Dupon and Turing Test need to hear the truth.”

Vanderbull sighed. “If you must know, I bought the Canter Fe line last year, and that includes a bridge that spans the Great River of Neigh Mexicolt. A contingent of locals requested that I sell the plot of land there as it would be an ideal place to build a hydroelectric dam, at least according to them. I refused, since that would mean that passengers and cargo would be diverted through my competitors’ lines. The loss of business was unacceptable to me after I’d just put forth such a large investment in the line, so I told them to find another location and even offered several potential alternatives. But one of the key proponents of the dam would not take no for an answer.”

“And that proponent would be Rio Grand, I gather?” Dupon asked.

“Indeed,” Vanderbull grumbled. “She’s something of a local celebrity, and while I admire her respect and love for her home, she has gone beyond the bounds of reason to express her displeasure. Organizing protests, finding ways to block train traffic, putting up unflattering signs and billboards along the train line - one of which said ‘Vanderbull is Bullsh—’”

“I believe we get the idea,” Dupon said with a cough.

“Oh, far from it. She made it a point to show up to every business meeting I had in Neigh Mexicolt some months ago, dodged security, threw paint at the windows of my business partners’ offices, and even sent a massive order of succulents to my hotel room!”

“...That last one doesn’t sound so bad, sir,” Gadget said, raising an eyebrow.

“That’s because you didn’t come back after a long day to find a hotel room filled with cacti!” Vanderbull snapped.

“Oh,” Gadget said. “You meant that kind of succulent.”

“Yes, and one of them had sap that I am apparently allergic to. One guess as to how I found out…”

“So that’s why you asked me to order more calamine lotion when you got back to Manehattan,” Gadget said, nodding her head.

Vanderbull’s face purpled. “The wretched girl insists that she’ll badger me until I sell the land to her and her supporters. And despite her offenses, the authorities refuse to deal more harshly with her. A stern warning, a reprimand, a day in jail, and nothing more. And if I press the matter further, her supporters threaten to do worse. It’s maddening, but I am not about to let her have the last laugh after all she’s put me through!”

“That sounds very frustrating,” Turing Test said. “I believe I now understand why you were displeased to see her at this symposium. Had I known about this, I might have requested that she attend a different one in the future to avoid such a confrontation.”

“I don’t blame you, Minister,” Vanderbull said, calming down. “But if she has anything to do with this case and is laying the blame on Gadget, who had nothing to do with any of this, then I ask that you and Inspector Dupon show her no mercy!”

“That would be up to the courts,” Dupon said. “I am only concerned with finding the true culprit and bringing them to justice.”

Vanderbull grunted.

Turing Test turned her attention back to Gadget. “Gadget, my apologies, but I suppose I should ask the most obvious question just to allay any fears about the matter: did you kill Beacon Bomber?”

“No!” Gadget cried. “I swear, I’ve never even met him!”

Turing nodded firmly and faced Dupon. “She is not lying, Inspector,” she said.

“Hm,” he said. “Then before we leave, I would like to know one more thing: how does your device work, Miss Gadget?”

“The Piezoforte?” Gadget’s eyes lit up and her slump disappeared in an instant. “So, here’s the thing…”

Dupon stood by, patiently listening as she described its functions in elaborate detail.

When she was done, he only nodded and said, “You certainly are passionate about your work, Miss Gadget.”

“Of course!” Gadget said. “To conceive of an idea on your own, to design it, to test and re-test it, to refine it through the creation process…”

Dupon and Turing watched as her eyes grew wider, her voice louder. An intense, yet faraway look came to her eyes and her grin grew wider and wider.

“...to experience the joy of creation and see your will manifested in the world… Sweet Celestia, it’s when I feel the most alive, the most real, like the most powerful mare on the whole planet!!”

“Gadget!” Vanderbull hissed.

“Huh?” Gadget blinked and looked around as if she had no idea how she’d come there or what she was doing. Then she blushed and rubbed the back of her neck. “O-oh, sorry! I, uh… I get carried away sometimes.”

“It is all right, Gadget,” Turing said.

Dupon, however, was narrowing his eyes. “And this machine,” he said, pressing on, “is it capable of producing a power surge or otherwise disrupting the power system at the hotel?”

“No! Well… well, it shouldn’t. I don’t think so…”

“I regret to point this out, Gadget, but the power did fluctuate when you plugged it in to demonstrate it for Maud Pie and me.”

“I… well, I thought the system could handle it,” she said, beginning to squirm uncomfortably.

“Then do you know what else might have caused the power surge?” Dupon asked.

“I… I’m not sure, Inspector,” she said quietly. “To be honest, I think most of the other devices that were brought here have a lower wattage than the Piezoforte.”

Dupon nodded. “I see. Well then,” he said, tipping his hat to her, “I believe we have all we need for now. Thank you both for your cooperation.”

“Yes, you were both very informative,” Turing said with a bow. “Please remain here and attempt to relax.”

Vanderbull and Gadget thanked her as she left with Dupon and exited the room, shutting the door behind them.

“Minister Turing, do you know if Gadget has sought any mental help?” Dupon asked suddenly.

“Mental help? Do you refer to psychological therapy of some kind?”

“Yes, or treatment for any issues of that kind?”

“I do not believe so. I know Gadget quite well, and she has never mentioned such a thing. Why do you ask?”

Dupon furrowed his brow. “When she was speaking of her machines, it was as though she were briefly in another place or, more specifically, another state of mind.”

Turing tilted her head in confusion.

“What I mean, Minister, is that while the Gadget we know seems perfectly gentle and nonviolent, I wonder if her outburst might be indicative of some sort of dissociative disorder. That would mean that she could do something while dissociating and even not realize it.”

Turing took a step back, her electric eyes widening. “Then you suspect that she may have attacked Beacon Bomber in a brief state of madness? Inspector, I assure you, Gadget does not suffer from such mental disturbance. She is not insane, she is merely eccentric.” She paused. “Perhaps excessively eccentric, but she is not dangerous.”

“I am not stating that she is,” Dupon said. “However, it does leave open the possibility that she could have murdered Beacon Bomber without a clear motive and would have no memory of the act, and thus her denial to you would not be lying. At least, not to her rational mind.”

Turing said nothing, but lowered her head. “That… is a theoretically possible, if far-fetched, interpretation of events.” Then she raised her head again and stomped her metallic foot. “Then we must make certain that this is not the case!”

“What we must do,” Dupon said, his smile returning, “is get to the truth. Once we’ve done that, such idle conjecture will fizzle out.”

“Then perhaps we should question Rio Grand next, since we now have more information that could implicate her.”

“Let’s not show our hooves just yet, Minister.”

Turing looked down at her shiny metallic hooves. “Ah. Should I acquire boots?”

Dupon chuckled. “No, Minister, I mean that we should gather more information before confronting Miss Rio.”

“Then who do you believe we should question next?” she asked.

“To know our killer,” Dupon said, raising a hoof, “we should first know who it was they’ve killed. And there is only one pony that we know of who can aid us in that respect.”

Turing Test nodded. “Sea Dweller.”

To be continued…