Dexy

CHAPTER 5

“Little Pet Shop of Horrors”

Slice of Life 2, early in the morning.

Too early for me if you ask me (YAWN). I receive a call about a murder in a local Pet Shop, on Sunday. Dam it; I always forget that my room is a small cabin and hit my head almost every morning. My son does not have that problem. By now he must be in front of the television eating sugary cereal. It is in school days when he doesn’t want to wake up, like any normal colt.

Living in a Yacht comes with pros and cons, there is not much room but if you do not like the neighborhood you can always raise anchor and move to another dock. Besides the dock rent is cheaper than the rent of an apartment.
The living room was in the center, a red sofa on the starboard side, a table in the middle and a big flat screen television on the port side (with satellite). Works as a dining room, the kitchen was next to it. Small but well equipped.
Before I notice my son, Harrison was doing the cooking for both of us, and he´s good at it. Especially using the knife, it is like he was born to be a chef. I guess I should not let him use knives at such a young age, but seeing how well it handles them, I allow him to use them. But after thinking about it and see how well he used knives, I started to worry. Not for their safety. He was at that age when everything young pony is about to get his cutie mark and I feared the worst.

I went to the living room.

• Morning son. – I said.

• Morning dad. – Eating cereal and watching television like I said.

• I have to work today. – I continued. – Don´t see cartoons all day and don´t open the door, uh, the hatch to nopony, ok?

• Ok dad, take care

I went out the yacht, from the deck I could appraise the cloudy day, a rainstorm was programmed last night by the local weather team. They are still water puddles in the street. They supposed to have cleared the sky as soon the rain stops so the sunlight could dry the streets. The weather team has become lazy lately.

I enter my car and drive to the crime scene, taking care not to drift because of the water.

****************

Pet Shop, other side of town.

By the time I arrived, there were already lots of curious ponies gathered around. EverFree Pet Shop was written on the sign above the business with big green letters; the exhibit window was covered by the metallic curtain. Ray allowed me to pass as usual.

Pretty curious pet shop it was, there were no cages. All animals were displayed in small open habitats; small beds on the floor for puppies and kittens, there were a lot of bunnies in the window display, birds' nests hanging from the ceiling so that small birds could fly freely in the store, even a small bat has place to hang in out. A large vulture and an owl were perched on a post and there were lots of mouse holes on the wall.
But every animal were unusually quiet. The dogs did not bark, cats do not purr, mice showed no signs of life from their holes, the vulture do not.... Wherever they do.

Every animal there were with a sad expression on their faces. Even a couple of snakes, spite of being cold blood can´t hide their sadness. An eagle and a falcon were too depressed that they couldn’t lift from the floor, the mice doesn’t give sings of life and the bunnies wasn´t in the move to eat anything spite of having a lots of carrots there.
Dusty was there looking for hoof prints on the cash register.

• Sup, Dusty. – I said.

• Oh, hi Dex – he said- the body is in the back, another mare, I´m afraid.

I went in to the back shop, without saying anything else. A small warehouse filled with boxes of pet food of various types and a forced back door. Cliff and Chuck were already there waiting for me. At their hooves, the body of a young mare, a Pegasus with a yellow coat, a log pink mane, three dog´s biscuits on her flanks and a sharp blow on the rear of her head. Some pet food boxes were sprinkled with blood.

• Sup Dex. - They both said.

• Sup guys. What we have? – I asked while started to photography her.

• Butternice, age eighteen – Cliff said. – She was the owner of this pet shop.

• She loves animals. – Chuck continued with a sad voice. – And the animals love her. You can said that for the look of the animals in the out there.

• Why she was killed? – I asked.

• We think is a botched robbery. – Cliff answered. – Somepony called the police because the animals were doing scandal, so the murder gets spooked when he tried to open the cash register and ran away.

• Do you find the murder weapon? - I asked.

• Nope- Chuck said – the murderer must take it with him.

• Well then, -I continued – until I get the coroner´s report, I have not much to work with here. Until then I can only make assumptions, but given the blood splatter and the fact that there are no signs of struggle, suggest that the murderer took his victim by surprise and didn´t move the body. If she was lucky her death will have been instantaneous.

• And you know that with just a quick look? – Cliff asked. - You never cease to amaze me.

• Well, - I continued. - I could give a more accurate analysis once the coroner determined the murder weapon. Until then, I can do experiments in the laboratory to determinate that myself.

Dusty appears in that moment.

• Sir, I have finished examining the front, just found one kind of hoofprints on the cash register, from her probably, I will confirm that later in the lab.

• Wait a minute. – Chuck said. – That´s mean that he never touched the cash registred.

• Yeah, - Cliff replied. – I already established he ran away because of the animal´s scandal.

• Indeed, - Chuck continued. - But after all the effort at least should have tried to open the cash register despite of the scandal.

• Are you suggesting this was a just murder instead of a botched robbery? – Cliff asked.

• Yes, I do.

• A clever theory, my boy. – Cliff said. – I suppose we have to investigate the mare´s background to see if she has any enemies.

My cellphone rings in that very moment.

• Dexy here…..Uh? Cheryl? How do you get my number?

• “I hacked into the…. Not important, listen.”

• You did what!?

Chuck and Cliff began to chuckle.

• “Just listen, I investigated a little about the building you are now.”

• I´m listening.

• “Looks like a local business pony named Nasty Rich has been buying all the building of the block; He wants to demolish them to build a Shopping Mall, and that Pet Shop was the only building Left. Probably the victim did not want to sell”

• Interesting, that’s means we have a suspect then.

• “Yeah, but I don’t think he was the one who actually killed her.”

• Obviously not, rich ponies usually hire somepony else to do the dirty work.

• “I will investigate further to see what else I can find. See you at the station darling.”

• See you there pumpkin. (Shit! Did I say that at loud? It was a reflex!)
  Cliff and Chuck broke into laughter, by then the coroner´s attendants were picking up the body and heard everything as well. They chuckle.
  Since some weeks ago, everypony at the station knew that Cheryl has a crush on me and started to believe that we have been hiding a relationship. This surely going to make them believe is true. That might work for me, make me look like a normal pony but, I don´t think I like it. I stared to miss the good old times when they call me a Cold Blood Freak.

• Gentlemen, gentlemen, - Cliff exclaimed after control himself – A little respect for the deceased, please.

• Ejemmm, -Chuck contained himself. – So, Dexy, looks like your girlf… I mean, Cheryl gives you a hint. Do you mind to share it with us?

• Ok, - I said – But I want to clarify that Cheryl and I are just friends and nothing more.

• Sure, sure, “Pumpkin” – He chuckle again.

• Chuck! – Cliff exclaimed.

• Sorry.

• So Dex, if you please. - Cliff said.

• It was about….

After tell them the whole story, they decide to pay Mr. Rich a visit. Chuck already heard rumors about him. Apparently Mr. Rich have been threatening other ponies in the area to make them sold their properties. But the police have not been able to prove anything because he always uses others to do their dirty work.

Time to go back to the station; I have work to do.

****************

Dexy´s Lab, at the station.

After enduring the taunts of my colleagues in the station, (apparently already ran the gossip) I finally achieved to lock myself in my lab. Not a big lab, basically a small office adapted with basic lab instruments.

• "Jerks" – I thought. - But I have more important thing to do than worry of them. Let´s start with the blood samples, and while the centrifugal machine is working I can see what I can learn from Mr. Rich in my computer.

After I enter the name, the picture of an aged Earth Pony wearing a tie with a money symbol on it was displayed on the screen with the following data:

“Name: Nasty Rich, Age: 58”

“Breed: Earth Pony”

“Coat: Khaki, Mane: Black with gray hair”

“Cutie Mark: Big Green Money Symbol”

“Record: None”

“Address: Rich´s Apartments, Penthouse. Ponylvania Avenue number 34.

“The wealthiest pony of Manehattan, owns half of the buildings of the city and several business all around the city. He was center of controversy when he decides to demolish a residential area of low-income ponies and an orphanage for the construction of a private Golf Club; Suspected of having shady business but nothing has been proven yet.”

• What the…! – I exclaimed – He is a bigger monster than I am.

I´m practically new in town and I don´t knew this guy but if I but if I had known him before I probably had putting him in the top of my list. But he´s a very public figure, I can´t kill him without drawing attention however there is something I can do instead. I heard that the best way to take vengeance on a rich pony is making it poor. If I can prove that he ordered the murder of Butternice, his empire of greed will fall and I can at least put my dark hoof on the peon pony he used.

• It's as simple as check the phone records. – I thought.
  But the system blocks me, Mr. Rich has a private number, I should imagine, and cannot be access without an order and permission of the Chief of the department to gain access. But I can’t do that or they get on my prey too. My hacking skills are not that good, I only know how to hack e-mails and stuff like that, unless….

• Cheryl!! – I exclaimed in my mind – She said on the phone she can hack, know the smart she is, she´s probably better than me.

I immediately came out of my lab and went directly to Cheryl´s lab trying to avoid being seen by anypony. Due the present situation, if somepony sees me entering into her lab only makes things worse.
I enter to Cheryl´s lab. Bigger than mine and have better equipment. She's the best scientist of the department after all.

• Hi Cheryl. – I saluted her. She was working on her computer.

• Hi Dexy, - She answered with a lovely voice. – What do you need?

She was looking me with seductive eyes. Maybe this wasn't a good idea after all.

• Eeeee, I wanted to ask you a favor, if you can.

• Of course Dex, What it is?

• You know how to hack don’t you?

• Yes I dooo.

• At high level?

• Yeaaah.

-Sooooo, could you hack into the phone records of a private number?

• Without an order? Uuuuu, that will risk my career. I can do it but it going to cost you.

-How much?

• He, he. – She giggles as she approached to me and looked very closely into my eyes. – It is not about money silly pony. I want a date.

• A DATE! – I exclaimed loud.

At that precise moment the sound of something crashing on the floor outside Cheryl´s lab make both of us turn to the door for a moment, we turn to each other at the moment. I think about it for a moment. Cheryl was still looking direct to me.

• Ok, - I said. – But you have to promise but you must promise not to tell anyone of the date or information that you give.

• "Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye”

• What was that all about? - I asked her.

• It is something I learn from my last visit to Poneyville. – She said. - It is called “Pinkie Promise”

• All right, it is a deal then.

• Good, I start right away. - She sat at her computer, and starts typing.- So, the phone number of who you want me to
  investigate?

• Mr. Nasty Rich.

• Oh! – She exclaimed. – Him, it was time for someone to take out the dirty laundry of him.
  Only took her a couple of minutes to infiltrate the database of the telephone company. A list of numbers, times and dates were displayed on the computer screen.

• How old would you like the history? - She asked.

• Since a month ago will be enough. – I said.
  She prints.

• Done, - She said – here you go – she gives me the printed list.

• Thank you, Cheryl, I appreciate it. So, when and where do you want to have the date?

• Oh I haven´t decide that yet, I will call you.

-Ok, I will see you then, thanks again. Bye.

• Bye Dexy. – She said with a lovely voice.

I went out of Cheryl´s lab while putting the list in my pocket. I walk through the hallway to the Main offices where mi lab is. When I get there I noticed that everypony there where unusually quiet. Trying to work but showing an unusual nervousness. Especially Dusty, he was so nervous that spilled the coffee that he was taken. At that moment Chuck comes to me with a worry face and told:

• Dexy, better brace yourself.

• What? Why?

• DEXY, CHERYL, TO MY OFFICE, NOW!!!

The voice of the chief was reverberating throughout the office. We close our eyes and lower our ears to support the cry because it was so loud that the whole building shook to its foundations.

• For that - he said.

• How is it that he learned so soon?!- I exclaimed

-So soon? – He asked – But it's been almost a…. – he was abruptly interrupted.

• I SAY NOW!!
  Cheryl ran past us with frightened face saying:

• Fast Dex, before the boss gets angry more!

• Ok, I'm behind you. – My voice began to sound nervous.
  We stopped at the door´s office. It have “Gordon Badge, Chief of the Police Department of the City of Manehattan” written on it. We never had been in the chief´s office. It has a creepy air or maybe is just our imagination.

• Oh dear Celestia, - Cheryl said. – I feel like the time I was sent to the principal´s office at the school.

• What did you did? – I asked her.

• Nothing serious, - She answered. - Nothing serious, I just blow up the science laboratory.

• “Dear Celestia” - I thought. – “I will be suspended.”

• Enter now. – A voice coming from above us said.
  We looked up and we saw a camera pointing at us. I immediately put my hoof on the door knob and open it. A large office with an old fashioned style was before us. Lots of framed pictures were hanging on the wall at the right of us and a filled bookshelf on the opposite side. The Chief´s desk was in front of us; an old rustic desk of made out of wood. It has a fancy lamp on one side and an old typewriter on the other. Two empty chairs were in front of the desk and a venerable Pony with grey hair, brown coat thick glasses and smoking a cigar.

-Sit down you two. - He said.

• Yes sir. – We both said.
  He looks at us for about one minute in silent with a mean look and his hooves touching each other. We smiled nervously until he finally said something,

• I’m very disappointed of you two. – He said – I…

• I confess! – I did it. – She interrupted sharply.

• I ask her to do it, - I interrupted her. - I will take full responsibility.
  He suddenly put his hoof on his face and said.

• By Celestia I don´t want to know the details of your relationship! I just want to know What I want to know is why I was not informed before.

• WHAT? – We both exclaimed.

• I have understood that you have been hiding this for almost a year.

• A year! – I exclaimed.

I was expecting Cheryl to say the same ting but she doesn´t, so turn to her. She was smiling and blushing while she looked at me.

• The regulation indicates that, - The Chief continues. - Any loving relationship between members of the department should be reported to the Pony Resources department and sign an oath which states that your relationship will not interfere with your work.

• I think there is some kind of mist… - I tried to say

• But – He continues without listen. - As your work has not been affected. I'll overlook the fact that you two have hidden this from me. You two have a date tomorrow with the pony of Pony Resources to sing up the papers. You are dismissed, if you excuse I have an important phone call to make.

He said the last thing while he was pushing us out of his office and closed the door behind us.
Every pony there were looking at us amazed that we get out of the office of the chief in one piece in one piece. There was an awkward silence. Cheryl whispers in my ear:

• “You still owns me a date”- and went jumping back to her lab with a smile on her face.

I began to walk to my lab; still trying to understand what the hell just happened when I encountered Chuck in the way. He turns his head to see Cheryl jumping away and immediately turned to me.

• I´m sorry Dex, - He said.- everypony here tried to hide the secret but apparently the janitor hear you talking in Cheryl's lab and began to pass the gossip that apparently arrived to the Chief.

• It, is ok Chuck, I said. – The Chief was benevolent on us. He just wants us to sing some silly papers by tomorrow.

• That’s unusual on him. - He wonders.

• Apparently he has other more important issues to attend. If you excuse me I have some pending blood analysis to do.
  I walked to my lab and when I was about to open the door:

• All right then, good luck with your date with Cheryl! - He said at loud

Everypony there chuckle. He´s taunting me again, but this time he is just messing with me. I won´t give him the satisfaction If I could.

I walked into my lab, once I finish my work I started to do my real work. I take out the phone records that Cheryl gave me and started to study it. Nothing suspicious this far, all phone calls were made in office time; except this one, past midnight, on Sunday, a day before the murder.

• “Interesting” – I thought – let´s see who´s this number is.
  I introduce the number in my computer, a public number, the police, in fact, everypony has free access to those phone records; the power of the internet.

“Name: Willy Lucky A.K.A. Lucky Bastard, Age: 32”

“Breed: Earth Pony”

“Coat: Light brown; Mane: Black, short and curly”

“Cutie Mark: Black number 13”

“Address: Filthy Apartments, Room 13, Mane Street number 7

“Record: 17 charges of assault and armed robbery, 3 charges of rape, 8 charges of robberies at convenience stores, 30 charges of D.U.I.”

"It was never convicted, always released the next day due to technicalities, bureaucratic errors and lack of evidence. That’s why he´s called Lucky Bastard."

• “Well Willy, - I thought – Your lucky has just ended.”

I take out a key from my pocket and opened a drawer of my desk. From there, I take an old book titled "Ancient Spells and Magical Rituals" author unknown, but it had embossed the shape of a crescent moon with a unicorn's head. During my young days, Harry took me wherever I can learn stuff I can use to survive. We found this book in a small library of a small rustic town. A warning was written on the first page.

“Beware; the black magic contained in this book can corrupt the soul of any Pony”

But Harry said that because of my “Dark Passenger” I won´t be affected at all, he was right.
I began to browse the book looking for a magical ritual I had seen before. Here it is.

“Magical ritual to remove the good luck from a Pony that born with this star”

-“I know this will handy someday; and it comes with the instructions to create an anti-luck amulet so that it can approach the victim.”

It was complicated, but it worth it. I will kill two birds with a single shot. It is time to pay Willy a visit.

****************

Outside Filthy Apartments. Night.

I know that Willy is like me, a pony with nocturnal habits. So I parked across the street from his building waiting from him to come out. I´m pretty sure I will find some incriminated evidence against Mr. Rich.
After a couple of hours he finally came out of his building and enters in a old rusty car and drives away. I came out of mine an walked to the door of the building. A very old building; Many windows were broken or boarded up. It should have been demolished years ago. It is used to be a cheap motel or I think it still is.

The door doesn´t even have a doorknob, so I enter without difficulties. The place was a dump, the walls were cracked, the roof leaked the floor was not dirty, this dirt is floor. An old drunken pony was sleeping on the reception desk with a bottle of liquor in his hoof. Without bother him I went to the second floor by taking the stairs next to him.
I found to Willy´s apartment and when I was to about to use my pick locking spell a slight breeze opened the door for me. I enter and shut the door behind me.

• “Obviously, - I thought – in this shit hole what can possible worth to steal.”
  Willy´s apartment resembles Bling Bling Bits old hideout, but smaller. An old television; adult magazines on a table;

-“A telephone with an answering machine! Excellent! – I thought – Let´s see what Willy has been involved into”

“Mr. Willy, I have a business proposition for you, meet me at the back alley of the EverFree Pet shop on the other side of town”

• “I don’t ‘recognize that voice, Mr. Rich maybe?”
  I began to hear footsteps in the hallway; the door has started to open.

-Shit - I said

I quickly teleported myself into the closet and began to spy through the keyhole. Willy enters the apartment holding a brown paper bag on his back.

• “Willy? Why he came back so quickly? - I thought”
  He walked to the table and put the bag on it. He puts hi hoof inside the bag an take out a big submarine sandwich that immediately devours in a couple of bites and burps.

-“Oh, he only went to buy his dinner.”

He then walks to the phone next to the bed, takes the handset (I refuse to make any pun here, the English is starting to get too confused already) and dials a number. He waited a moment.

• It´s me old pony, Willy. Guess what? I decide that the money you gave me it´s not enough. If you don´t give me the triple for tomorrow by midnight I will tell the police, they not worry me. With my luck I just have to make a deal and I will be out the very next day. Think about it greedy bastard.
  He hung up the phone and lay down on the bed. He began to snore in an instant.

-“Like in a silver plate- I thought while smile.”
I came out of the closet (SHUT UP) with a syringe in a hoof. I walked next to him and inject the syringe in him in his neck. He wakes up.

• What the..?

• Good night Willy – I said.

• Mother fu…. - He sleeps again.

I was preparing to take his sedated body when the telephone rings.

• “You little nopony, if you think you can black mail me you are wrong! I'll kill you like I kill all who stood in my way, or I stop calling me Nasty Rich!”

I smiled, like I never smiled before.

• As an amulet you worked better that I can possibly imagine it. – I said – Don´t you think, Devil?

A little black bunny with red eyes came out of my pocket and sat on my back, he has a serious look in his face. A dark energy was emanating from him, my little living amulet.

****************

EverFree Pet Shop, That night.

Willy wakes up in a dark room with only a small lamp over his head.

• Uuh . What happened? Where I am? What the…!!
  He notices dozens of pairs of red eyes watching him right through the dark. And also that he was wrapped in plastic and strapped to a table.

• What’s going on? Help! – He yells!

• You may yell wherever you want, at this time in this part of town nobody can hear you. – A pair of red eyes said.

• W-what? W-who are you?

The red eyes began to move towards him followed by another smaller pair of red eyes.

• Willy, Willy, Willy, see what you get for doing other pony´s dirty work?
  The light reveals the figure of a white unicorn with brown short hair with a little black bunny on his back. Under the light, the eyes of the unicorn became normal, but the ones from the bunny, remained red.

• What the, do you t-think you can hold me just like t-that. I-I´m a lucky b-bastard, you know? – His fear was evident. - In any m- moment, ironically, the police will come t-to s-save me.

• Oh, I do not count on it, you see, I perform a magical ritual to remove all that annoying luck you possessed. Now you are just like any other of my victims.

• Y-you are kidding r-right? Ho-how anypony c-could possible d-do that? Unless you u-used some kind of b-b-b…

-Black Magic? – I said while I use a scalpel to cut his right cheek to took my trophy.

• Ouch!

-It is pretty natural to me, since I was a little colt. Let´s cut the cheap chat ok, it is getting late and my son is waiting me at home.

I turn on the lights revealing all the pets from the shop looking at him, accusing him, hating him. An altar with a picture of Butternice was displayed in front of him. She was smiling and surrounded by her beloved animals.

• Look at them! - I exclaimed – they lose their innocence because of you! I understand his suffering and his anger very well.
  He didn´t say anything about it, the fear tied his tongue.
  I look under the table and take out a baseball bat stained in blood. I showed to him.

-Remember this? – I ask him.

• What? How d-did you f-fin it?

• When I hear of your business reunion in your answering machine I decide to check in the back alley a little more a little more thoroughly. I found it in a trash can at the end of it. Is still has her blood, and I’m going to mix it with yours.
  I raised the baseball bat over his head with my hooves.

• Wait! – He exclaimed. – I’m sure we can work this.

• No, we can´t.

• Why?

• Because you are dead, Willy!

In the precise moment I was about to strike him with the bat, the vulture suddenly perched on his chest.

-Eh!? – I exclaimed.

Before I could react, the vulture extracted his eyes with its beak. He cries in pain.

• Aaarrghh! Take it away! Take it away!

The other animals rushed on from their nests or beds, attacking him from every flank, the dogs bits his upper legs and the cats scratched his lower ones, the owl team up with the vulture on pecking his face, the mice climbed to the table and began to gnawing the plastic to break through to his stomach without stopping. The bunnies jump on the table an do the same. The snakes were already on the table, they sneak up there in some moment I didn’t notice, and bite him in every spot they could forgetting that they were a poison less breed. Even the little vampire bits his neck and began to suck his blood. He couldn´t scream anymore because the falcon made his way through the vulture and the owl and take out his tongue; A complete carnage.

When I realized what was happening I decide to let it happen. They deserve his vengeance, besides it wasn´t the first time I remained as and spectator and for I can see it won’t be the last. Devil wasn’t there; he stayed on my back watching everything, without losing his serious look and eating a carrot, slowly. I think I find a finally find a friend I can trust.

The blood began to spill from the table; I put the baseball bat in the blood stream. I said I will mix his blood with her blood, this fulfill my oath.

I guess I'll have to wash all the animals, going to be a long night.

****************

Home, next morning.

My son and I were taking the breakfast while watching the news on the television. Waffles!

• I’m sorry I have to work all day of yesterday son.

• It´s ok dad I understand. Hey look, Mr. Rich is on the news!

“In an historical twist of events; Mr. Nasty Rich, the wealthiest pony of Manehattan was arrested early this morning under the charge of murder conspiracy. His alleged victim was the owner of a local pet shop for a matter of real estate. More details at 12 o´clock”

In the television, Chuck and Cliff were taking Mr. Rich hoofcuffed into a patrol car.

• Oww, what´s going to happened with all the pets? - He asked

-The guys at the station are organizing an adoption day for tomorrow. I’m going to go to help them out.

• Can I go dad? Can I? Can I? I want a pet too.

• Sure son, but about the pet, I already pick one.

I turn to my pocket.

• C’mon, don’t be shy, - I said. -Came out and meet my son.

Devil came out of my pocket an jump on the table. He still has the serious look on his faces but with a little shyness too.

• Awwwww, he´s cute. – He grabs him with his hooves. –And it has a devilish look that I like.

Devil smiled slightly and my son gave him a hug.

• In fact son his name is Devil.

• Cool.

I was worry that they don´t get along but looks like Devil liked my son, or maybe, this may be my imagination, maybe Devil knows how important is to mend into society.

Why I pick Devil? When I photographed Buternice´s body I notice small footprints made out of blood that matches his feet. he saw his mother murdered, as I did.