The Anthology of Detective Pipe Glass

by The Stainmore Phoenix

The Shadow Bolt Part 2

Another two weeks passed since he found the case. He had more crackpot clients come and try to hire him to either spy on lamp posts, mail boxes and get evidence a letter was selling secrets to enemies.

“Can't I get a decent client?” he groaned.

Another dreary, rainy and cheerful Wednesday came around. He was in the small postage apartment, cooking up a roasted pepper stew. Reading a recipe book he got from his dad, he was up to the part where all the ingredients had to stew in the oven for 20 minutes. Placing the pot in the oven, he went to grab a book to read.

Walking into the small hallway that attached the apartment to the office, he glimpsed a light pink coat and crystal heart cutie mark.

“Why is Cadence here?” he thought. “Surely Spitfire or one of the Wonderbolts would be here to hire me, not the Princess of the Crystal Empire.”

He walked out and took his seat behind the desk and faced her.

“How can I help you?” he asked.

“I'd like to hire you,” she said. “To investigate this crime Rainbow Dash is convicted of.”

He chuckled.

“Princess, may I ask why you, of all ponies, are the one hiring me?” he asked.

“Because the rest of the Wonderbolts and the others who read the paper believe her to be guilty,” Cadence said. “Even Aunt Celestia believes her to be guilty.”

“I see,” Pipe replied. “Well, I'll consider taking the case. Expect a letter either later tonight, by express messenger or tomorrow in the morning post if I take the case.”

She nodded.

“Thank you,” she said. “One minor question.”

“Yes?” Pipe asked.

“What's your rates?” she asked.

“150 an hour,” he said. “I'll send you a bill for expenses.”

“Sounds great,” she replied.

She bid him farewell and left. He returned to the kitchen and pulled the stew out and tasted it, finding it just right for his tastes. Dishing up a bowl, he sat on the bed and ate, considering the case.

“It seems that she's convinced that Rainbow is innocent,” he said after swallowing a spoon of stew. “And it seems that Celestia's not herself. She'd be defending Rainbow, after all she did for the princesses. Something smells here and there's no rotten food around.”

After finishing his lunch, he went for a stroll. The rainy weather picked up, but it brightened his spirits. His first stop on his stroll was the newspaper stand, in hopes the paper had some new information on the case. Reading the headline, he saw it had nothing new.

“Wanna a paper?” a rather grouchy unicorn mare asked in a tone that would have soured the ocean.

“Nah,” he said. “Maybe later.”

He hurried away to the newspaper office, where he was shown into the office of a pegasus mare. Bright red coat, soft snow white mane and a printing press cutie mark. Her soft pink carnation eyes lit up.

“Ah, Pipe, what's up? Need something?” she asked.

“Yes, Paper Press,” Pipe said.

“What?” Paper Press asked.

“Any information on the crime that's not being published?” he asked.

“One thing, the party, the honor party had an unnamed guest,” she told him.

He wrote down the fact in his note pad. After getting a few more questions answered, he left. Heading down to the precinct, he bumped into Desk Jockey.

“What're you doing out of your little office?” she asked.

“On a job,” he replied.

“What kind of job?” she asked him.

“Oh, I was asked to investigate something,” Pipe said innocently.

Desk Jockey began to growl. Whenever he used his innocent tone, it meant he was going to straight up horn in and that he had a client he wasn't going to spill.

“You just have to stick your big, fat muzzle in!” she snarled.

“You know me too well,” he smirked.

“I should! After 25 years of you sticking it in!” she snarled again.

“The Precinct should keep you on a leash,” Pipe told her.

She growled and he made his way down to the precinct and after playing a game of “Who's the prisoner?” with the desk sergeant, he was allowed to see Rainbow Dash. He was taken to the interrogation room, where two officers stood waiting. Fifteen minutes later, a Cyan pegasus with a rainbow mane was shown in.

“So your the famous Rainbow Dash,” Pipe said.

“Yes,” she said.

“What can you tell me about the party?” Pipe asked, cutting to the point.

“Well, it was a party to celebrate the new additions to the Wonderbolts. Spitfire said it was a custom in the Wonderbolts before she started. As for the party, it was a complete mess. It started two hours late due to half the guests being delivered to the wrong destination, the food was delayed, Spitfire was delayed in her office and the hosts were either running around or constantly stepping outside,” Rainbow said.

Pipe wrote that down in his notepad and continued to question her, getting nowhere. Once done, he returned to his office and wrote a letter to Cadence, accepting the case. He hurried out once finished and found a messenger system and had it sent off, urgent delivery. He went back to his office, but didn't get a chance to relax.

No sooner had the door shut, he heard a familiar bang. Peeking through the glass, a familiar Brownish Silver chitin in a large black trench coat stood there, with a red face. He swung the door open.

“Inspector, isn't this a sur....” he began.

“Can it, clown,” she interrupted. “I came to ask a few questions.”

“Take a seat,” he said. “What questions do you have?”

Sitting, Moorland barked out, “You have a client?”

“Yes,” Pipe said.

She growled, “Figures. You get a client and horn in.”

He chuckled and sat back.

“Have you learned anything?” she asked.

"Many things,” he said.

“What have you learned?” she asked, raising a brow.

“Many hidden facts,” he said sweetly. “Things your officers missed. Now, before I divulge, care to answer a question for me?”

“Shoot,” Moorland replied.

“What's Dash's Alibi?” he asked. “I tried to get it and she stalled out.”

Moorland sat back and closed her eyes. In five minutes, she opened them.

“During the time of the theft, she was in the bathroom, tending to a feather that caused her no end of bother,” Moorland said.

“I see,” Pipe said.

“What did you get out of her on the alibi front?” Moorland asked.

“ “It's embarrassing”,” he said.

Moorland chuckled.

“Doesn't surprise me,” she said. “That mare's ego is bigger than Canterlot.”

Pipe chuckled as well.

“Agreed,” he said.

“Anything else?” Moorland asked.

“No,” Pipe replied.

“Good,” she said.

He nodded and she left. Once gone, Pipe sat back.

“I think it's time to question a certain princess,” he said at last.