Chapter 2
“Overture of Blood”
It took about ten minutes for Twilight and I to get ready. Cheerilee was now leading us towards Ponyville’s park area. Normally a quiet area where ponies could rest and play after a long day. Now, it was practically swarming with uniforms as we walked up to the area.
The three of us made our way to the police tape and a uniform stood in our way. She was a young, twenty something, yellow unicorn with a well kept blond mane tied in a ponytail under her hat. She looked at us and said stiffly “No civilians in the crime scene!”
Twilight spoke up “This is detective Private Eye, he’s here to help.”
The mare shook her head “Like I said, no civilians.”
This is weird, I’ve never been locked away from a crime scene before. Sure they would give me a hard time once I got in, but they were treating me like a civilian.
I was about to speak up, when another familiar voice did it for me. “Stand down rookie, he’s good to come in.”
I looked and saw Hoof Dunnit walking towards us. The uniform snapped to a salute “Sir, these civilians were trying to get in.”
Hoof rolled his eyes “Use your eyes Yang, one of them is a princess of Equestria and the other her husband.”
Yang started sweating as she realized her mistake. I got some flashbacks to when I was a uniform for all of six months. I’m glad I got promoted to traffic as soon as I could. She then lifted the police tape and allowed Twilight and I to pass under. Once there I gestured with my hoof to Cheerilee. “She’s a friend of the victim.”
Hoof nodded and Cheerilee was led in. Dunnit looked to Yang “Take her to Tappy, she could use friends right about now.”
Yang saluted and Cheerilee followed her towards an ambulance wagon nearby. I looked to Dunnit and saw his badge. “Moving up in the world I see.”
The orange earth pony smiled and stood proudly “Well, I have you to thank for that. Both Frisk and I got promoted thanks to that case with Pave Diamond. Now I’m a sergeant, looking after the other uniforms and making sure they don’t do anything stupid. Sadly, it’s still a work in progress.”
Twilight smiled, “I’m just glad you’re here to help.”
Dunnit gave a small bow “Anything for you guys, I knew you both back before the wings sprouted.”
“Dunnit,” I said, getting down to business “What exactly happened here?”
Dunnit nodded and spoke, “Miss Cheerilee was actually the one who called it in. About five in the morning we get this call from her about her friend lying in the park with blood all over her. I sent uniforms down here to secure the crimes scene and sure enough, that’s what we found.”
“What would Tappy be doing in the middle of the park?” Twilight said, shaking her head.
“According to Cheerilee she was unconscious when she was found. We’re having our forensics team look over her purse and other things to see if we can find anything useful.”
“Good work,” I said with a nod, “Now, I think Tappy owes us some answers.”
Dunnit led us to the ambulance carriage where Nurse Redheart was looking Tappy over, a bloody cloth in her hooves as she went about cleaning the mare. Tappy didn’t look well. Her mane was disheveled and her eyes a little red. Her coat had blood stains on it sure enough. Cheerilee was beside her friend with a foreleg over her shoulder trying to be comforting. Tappy just complied with whatever Redheart asked her.
We approached and Tappy looked up at me. “Oh, hello both of you.”
Cheerilee spoke gently to Tappy, “You remember Private and Twilight right? They’re friends of mine. I teach Private’s brother at my school.”
Tappy slowly nodded, seeming to be in shock. “Yes, I remember. Twilight let me check out some dancing books at the library.”
I spoke slowly and gently “Miss Tappy, I wanted to ask a few questions.”
Suddenly Redheart got in my face, “Listen, she’s in shock and had a terrible ordeal. Can’t the interrogation wait until she’s safely calmed down?”
“Well excuse me for trying to do my job.” I said, glaring back at her.
Redheart rolled her eyes “You detectives are all the same.”
“Redheart,” Twilight got between us “Private’s just trying to help.”
Redheart looked ready to retort, but then closed her mouth and shook her head. “Fine, but if she start shutting down I’m taking her away no questions asked. She needs care above anything else. As a nurse I cannot look away from that.”
Redheart then turned to mess with some medical equipment. I looked at Tappy and said, “Tappy, can you remember how you ended up with blood on you?”
Tappy put a hoof on her head, as if trying to push the memories into her brain. “I, it was late last night. I was cleaning up the dance studio after practice. I went outside as was on my way home when…” She shook her head, looking at me guiltily “I’m sorry Detective, that’s all I can remember.”
I then held up the pen I was writing with. “Could you, track this with your eyes please?”
Her golden brown eyes started to follow the pen as I moved it with my magic back and forth. But, after a while her eyes weren’t tracking the pen as well.
I whispered to Twilight “She may have been drugged somehow. Possibly kidnapped.”
Twilight nodded and whispered back. “Maybe she escaped and that’s how she ended up here?”
“What are you two talking about?” Cheerilee asked.
Twilight and I looked over and I spoke up. “Just that, Tappy may have been drugged.”
“Drugged?” Cheerilee said in shock “Who would do such a thing to Tappy?”
Tappy spoke up, “I, I do feel a bit woozy. How am I to perform a waltz for the girls this Saturday if I can’t…”
Cheerilee supported her friend before she could fall over. “Tappy, it’s okay, you’ve had a rough ordeal.”
“Alright, that’s it.”
Redheart got between us again. “I’m taking her to the hospital right now. If she’s been drugged than she needs care above anything else. I won’t have her suffer an interrogation without receiving it.”
With that, Twilight and I did the smart thing and turned away. Redheart helped Tappy get comfortable in the wagon before they were to set off. Cheerilee went with her friend.
“What’s their history?” I said, looking at my wife, “Her and Tappy I mean.”
Twilight looked at me, “From what I’ve heard, they were college friends. Both went to university at Canterlot before Cheerilee came back home to teach here. Tappy I heard went on to become a dancing teacher over in Manehatten believe it or not.”
“Let’s just hope Redheart’s willing to let us talk to Tappy once she’s better.” I said as we walked over to the forensics area.
I stopped as I saw somepony…
She was standing next to a tree just outside the crime scene. Her coat was the color of blood and her eyes a verdant green. Her mane was long and just as red as her coat.She couldn’t have been older than sixteen. She looked at me for a moment, her eyes seeming to stare right through me to somewhere else… Quite frankly… This filly unnerved me, greatly.
“Private?” I looked over as Twilight spoke “You okay?”
I looked back to the tree, and the filly was gone. Weird, am I seeing things? I shook my head and said, “It’s alright Twi. Let’s go check out her things.”
Twilight and I made our way to a taped area where evidence was placed. I saw a purse, a small camera, and some tracks on the ground all had plastic number stands near them. Common practice among police.
The pony standing over the evidence was a thirty something pinto with a long dark brown mane, light brown coat with tan splotches here and there. He looked over at us with bright blue eyes and a smile on his face.
“Oi, mates, how are yeh doin’? Oi’m Spottah,” he said, his accent a very loose version of Trottingham Cockney.
Twilight smiled, “A pleasure to meet you Spotter, I’m Twilight Sparkle, and this is my husband Private Eye.”
My hoof was suddenly shook vigorously by the pinto. “Well, it’s grand to meet yeh at last Private Eye. Everypona’s talkin’ ‘bout yer cases and how yeh ‘elped tha police. It’s only me second week on tha job afah I got transferred ‘ere but Oi ‘ope ta do ya proud, ser.”
“Thank yououuo” I said, trying to maintain a conversation despite the fact I was being shaken up and down by this guy.
He let go, “So, Oi reckkin’ ya want ta see wot we managed ta dig up?”
After composing myself I nodded, “Yeah, I’d appreciate that.”
He pulled a bag of hoof coverings out of his bag. “We still gotta run lab tests on tha evidence. So Oi’d appreciate it if ya didn’t get any magic powdah on ‘em.”
I nodded and took the bag in my teeth. I then walked to the purse, slipped the coverings on and opened it. I dug out your typical purse items. Lipstick, makeup, mirror.
I found a wallet and opened it, “There still a lot of money here, so she wasn’t robbed.”
There was nothing else in the wallet aside from her teaching license and a library card. I put the wallet aside and dug more into the purse. I dug around in one of the pockets and pulled out...a photograph of her class.
They were all smiling while sitting in front of the camera. I noticed Scootaloo was among them. But, I also noticed...Minty.
I compared the photograph of Lyra’s future adopted filly with the class photo. Sure enough, they were a match. “Minty was in her class. Maybe she knows what happened to her.” I said to myself.
I dug around more in the pockets but turned up empty. I moved over to the camera, careful to keep my forehooves from touching too much. I lifted the camera and looked at the film counter. “A lot of pictures on this thing, I’m sure Spotter will develop the film for me to see later.”
I set the camera down and moved over to the tracks. I held my magnifying glass to them. I saw trace amounts of blood on the tracks. “These belong to Tappy?” I asked Spotter.
“Yeah, compeahed ‘er ‘oof wit ‘em. Pehfect match, but tha tracks don’ mayke sense, they jus’ go all ovah the pahrk,” He replied.
I did notice the rather sporadic pattern to the tracks. It was as if Tappy was being chased by something, but had no idea where to go to run. They also looked like she was a little uncoordinated. Probably from the drugs she was on at the time. I’m still wondering, just what was she on? And how did it get in her system.
There’s only one pony who can answer that.
_____________________________________________________________
Twilight and I walked down the streets of Ponyville. Everypony was talking to one another. I’m guessing word got out that something happened to Tappy. I stopped as I overheard a conversation going on at an outdoor restaurant table.
Colegate was talking to her friend Berry Punch, “Did you hear what happened to Tappy? She woke up in the park all covered in somepony’s blood.”
Berry, thankfully sober, shook her head. “I was hoping Ruby might like to join her class. But, looks like there’ll be a delay in that. She’s going to be so disappointed.”
Colegate put a hoof on her friend’s shoulder and spoke words not meant for my ears. Twilight and I looked at each other. “Looks like everypony is suffering from this,” Twilight said.
I nodded, “I just hope we can solve this case soon. Before anypony else gets hit by this.”
I heard the sound of a hammer and looked over to see a pair of stallions. One of them was a tall, rather skinny looking unicorn with a long tan mane, green coat and ice blue colored eyes that looked at the poster. It depicted a colt, couldn’t be much older than five, with a pair of wings showcasing he was a pegasus. The photograph was black and white and showed the colt smiling brightly, despite the word missing written above the picture.
Next to him, was a stallion I recognized from the gala. “Spera?” I said in recognition.
The grey unicorn turned to me, a smile on his face “Ah, Private Eye, I should have known I’d be running into you.”
The unicorn next to him turned to us as well. “Are they friends of yours Spera?”
He nodded, “Yes Robust, I met them at the gala. Fine ponies, the both of them.”
Twilight smiled, “It’s good to see you again Spera. But what are you doing out here in Ponyville?”
Robust turned his eyes downward, Spera put a hoof on his friend’s shoulder. “This is Robust,” He explained “He’s a college friend of mine. We both went to university at Manehatten.”
Robust spoke up, “I was, hoping that the orphanage would let me bring home little Windstrum today.”
“That the colt?” I asked, pointing to the poster.
Robust nodded, “Yes, I came here a few weeks ago and saw him at the orphanage.” He smiled, “A wonderful colt he was, always smiling and wanting to play. I remember thinking to myself he was the son I always wanted. I was going to bring him home today, when they told me that he wasn’t at the orphanage. That he was taken away.” Robust closed his eyes, sorrow entered his expression.
“Oh, I’m sorry.” Twilight said, “I’m sure he’ll be found, you and your wife will get to see him in no time.”
Spera rubbed the back of his head “Uh, that would be impossible.”
“Why’s that?” I asked.
“Robust here um, rides sidesaddle.” Spera explained.
Oh….
Robust smiled a little, “It’s okay, I get confused a lot. Handsome stallion like me, you tend to get the ‘where’s your marefriend’ bit a lot.”
“Where’s your um,” I said, “Husband?”
“He’s back at Manehatten,” Robust said, “He works at a factory. We were going to move to Hoofington after we adopted Windstrum.” He shook his head “He’s going to be so crestfallen once he hears the bad news.”
First Minty, and now this guy’s foal. My gut tells me this can't be a coincidence.
“If you both see anything,” Spera said, “Please tell us. I’d hate for Robust to suffer any longer.”
“You’re such a worrywort Spera,” Robust laughed “I’m made of tougher stuff. I’ll be fine.”
“Sounds like somepony I know,” Twilight whispered in my ear. Causing me to chuckle a little. I do tend to get worry some as well.
Spera smiled in turn, “I only worry because I care.”
Robust just chuckled and then looked at us, “I’ll be staying at the hotel for a while, if you need me I’ll be there.”
I nodded, “We’ll see what we can find.”
Robust just turned to walk away.
Twilight then looked at Spera “So Spera, will you be staying in town?”
He shook his head, “Sadly, I have business to attend to back at Manehatten. I just came here to support an old friend.” Spera than smirked, “Before you ask, no I was not that close of a friend.”
Twilight blushed, “I wasn’t, I mean, oh gosh…”
Spera laughed a little, “Let’s just say I may have overheard a bromance comment. But, my barn door as they say, swings to the fairer sex.”
“So no dirty fics about us Twi,” I said, chuckling.
“You guys are terrible!” Twilight groaned.
“Sorry,” Spera said, “as flattering as that would be, I’m afraid I have to put the idea down.”
“Thank you, Spera!” I said, laughing.
Twilight groaned and muttered something about ‘boys’ and just trotted away towards the hospital. That was my cue to leave as well.
“See you around Spera.” I said, following after Twilight.
Spera just waved back and made his way towards the train station. As fun as it was to poke fun at the relationship, I can’t help but feel something. It was almost like, we were kin in some way…
I ignored the thoughts and trotted after my wife.
___________________________________________________________
Ponyville Hospital, we meet again. At least, this time, I’m not being wheeled in on a gurney, or poking into a friend’s medical records. And, of course, it looks about the same as it always did. Soothing greens and blues, white tiles, nurse’s desk, at the entrance, comfortable seating for those ponies waiting for visiting hours. Thankfully they were mostly empty. Just some family members with an elderly relative.
Doctor Stable looked up from the desk and said, “Ah, good to see you again Private, what can I help you with?”
“Have you guys finished checking up on Tappy?” I asked, Twilight walking beside me up to the desk.
Stable’s horn glowed green and he levitated a clipboard over. “Let’s see, the blood on her doesn't belong to her. The blood types don’t match. Aside from that, she has some cuts and bruises but nothing too serious.”
“Did you perform a drug test?” I asked.
He nodded, “Yep, found traces of mageth in her system.”
That would explain her memory loss. So I was right about her being drugged.
“Can you estimate a time when it would’ve entered her system?” I asked.
He shook his head, “I’m afraid that would be impossible, we got lucky in even finding the traces before it left her system. I’m afraid it will be a while longer before we can make an exact estimate. But, I hypothesize that she probably got them in around midnight judging by the fact her memory ends there.”
I nodded. “Well, we should ask her some questions…”
“WHERE IS SHE!?”
Twilight and I turned around, standing in the doorway was a unicorn in her late thirties early forties. Her coat was a soft pink color and her hair was forest green. Her lime green eyes were alight with fury.
Doctor Stable spoke up, “Can I help you ma’am?”
“You can tell me where that bitch Tappy is!” She cried.
“Hey, what’s your problem with Tappy?” Twilight asked.
“That bitch murdered my husband!”