Two hours later, Shai was strolling in through the golden double doors of the fanciest hotel in all Manehatten. The Gilded Griffin.
Mazra had briefed her on the train. The only daughter of the wealthy Maxentier family, Rosalina Maxentier, had disappeared from her suite on the top floor of the Gilded Griffin. No witnesses, and no one saw anyone leave. The police had been trying to get clearance from the hotel's all-griffin management to conduct their investigation, and none of it helped to calm the nerves of the poor Mr and Mrs. Maxentier, who were told to wait in the lobby till the police got everything under control.
Concerned guests, all dressed in tuxes and gowns lined the walls of the lobby, with cops scrambling around arguing with gold mask wearing griffins who seemed adamant that the police carry out their investigation in a more orderly manner. Speaking of Manners, the head detective who was also here, could be seen arguing with the manager of the hotel, using far more coarse language than he needed to.
"Apparently this guy had been named based on what he lacked." thought Shai as she walked taking in the amazing splendor of the lobby.
Manners spotted her and immediately stomped over to her. "Oh Luna, what the hell are you doing here?" he snapped.
"Solving a kidnapping," replied Shai not missing a beat. "And you, I can see your busy being rude to the griffins who work so hard to maintain such a lovely establishment." Shai turned to the manager. "My apologies, sir; he hasn't had, or stolen, his Saturn Bar yet today. Makes him a little cranky."
Manners was about to retort, but was called by one of the nearby officers. He glanced back at her as he left. "This isn't over!" he yelled.
"And yet, you're the one walking away." Shai remarked. She turned back to the manager. "Would you be so kind as to point out the Maxentiers for me? It would be hard to find them in this crowd, even with psychic powers."
The griffin looked at her oddly, but nonetheless pointed out the wealthy couple sitting together at the bar near the back of the lobby. Burly bodyguards patrolled around them. That was them alright.
Shai approached them only to be stopped by one of the bodyguards. "Sorry, ma'am. I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask-"
She read his boorish thoughts in an instant. "Me to please move along, as the family doesn't want to be disturbed unless it concerns their missing daughter?" she finished for him. "Is that what you were going to say? Don't answer, I know it was."
Shai looked over at Mr. Maxentier. A handsome aged stallion in a black suit and cowboy hat with a white mustache and perfectly combed hair to match. "Mr. Maxenteir? As a matter of fact this does concern your daughter." she took out the badge Mazra had given her and held it up. "My name is Shai Sideways, I'm a psychic detective. I was asked to aid the police to help you find your daughter."
At that, Mr. Maxentier nodded to the bodyguard. "It's alright Jerome, let her through." he spoke in a voice as rich as the rest of him. Like listening to leather.
Shai approached the couple. "Mr. and Mrs. Maxentier, I know you are both going through a hard time right now, but is it alright if I ask you some questions?"
"Of course. Anything to get our Rosalina back, detective." Mrs. Maxentier sobbed. Mr Maxentier comforted his wife as he nodded in agreement.
Shai scanned through his thoughts. "You're in the property buisness, Mr. Maxentier? You own several estate firms back west, correct?"
"Why, yes I do." he sounded impressed. "How did you know that?"
"Lucky guess, may I ask what brought you to Manehattan?"
"Business, as usual. I was meeting with the owners of this hotel to discuss a partnership with the new resort I plan to build in town."
"And they agreed?"
"Don't rightly care now. After Rosalina, not a single other thought has gone through my skull other than getting her back in my arms."
"I understand. When did you first notice she was gone?"
"Early morning, around breakfast. I was meeting with the managers in the dining room, just off the west wing. I had told her to wait in her room till I got back. I promised her we would all go out for ice cream after I was done. But when we came back, she was gone. Vanished into thin air."
"Did anyone see her leave her room?"
"No. I had my guards practically ripping up the carpets looking for her, but nopony saw her leave at any time. More than that I had that wing under surveillance the whole time I was gone. And yet despite all that..." Shai saw tears forming in his eyes. "I still couldn't protect my little girl."
"Don't think like that, Mr. Maxenteir. I'll find her I swear it."
"You do that," he said holding back sobs, "and I'll pay you enough money to build a hotel of your own, that's a promise."
Shai had already been assured by Mazra that she would receive substantial compensation for her help with the case, but that didn't sound too bad either. Regardless of money, Shai knew the only thing that mattered was bringing Rosalina Maxentier back to her family.
"I'll do everything I can." she assured him. "Do you have any leads where I can begin? Have you spoken to anyone recently?"
"The last person I talked to was that one griffin in a top hat. Name of Morgan, I believe. Helps run this place and that fancy Talon Lodge, they're so famous for."
He said those words with enough disdain to get Shai to read his mind again. "Those damned griffins, I swear to Celestia if they have anything to do with this, I'll raze this whole hotel!"
It seemed Mr. Maxentier was not at all trusting of the griffins who ran the show at the Gilded Griffin Hotel. He was even suspecting that they may have something to do with Rosalina's kidnapping. But was he right to suspect them? The masks they all wore certainly didn't help to make them all that trustworthy. But it was still only suspicion at the moment.
If Shai was going to get anywhere, she had to find Morgan. Perhaps he could shine some light on things.
After reading a few minds of the waiters, Shai found out that Morgan was currently in the southeast wing of the hotel.
Heading that way, she followed a long hallway to another room, a large vaulted lobby, decorated to look as if it was taken from a regal palace. She could practically smell the money burning in the furnaces as she passed. Looking down she saw a blue carpet, emblazoned with crowns, leading to a desk on the other side of the lobby.
Here, wearing a top hat and a tail coat, stood Morgan.
She was about to walk up to him, then she saw them. Ghostly blue letters hovered over Morgan's head, spelling out pieces of information about Morgan for her to use. They read:
He's a liar.
Don't trust him.
He hides a dark secret.
Another ability of hers had kicked in. It allowed her to receive information from the future regarding a person or object, appearing in the form of ghostly blue letters visible only to her. She had no idea where this information came from and it wasn't always clear but it was never wrong.
And because of this hint, she now knew she couldn't ever trust Morgan. And it was now almost guaranteed he had something to do with the kidnapping.
But as she read his mind. "Huh. The seating arrangements in the main atrium." she read. 'Keeping your mind on other things, Morgan? Clever. But that only makes this more fun for me."
"How may I be of service, madam?" he asked politely as she approached.
She feigned the role of a tourist. "Oh, hello!" she said in a cheery voice. "Sorry to bother you, but I was in the lobby, and I was hearing a lot about something, about a....missing person?"
"Now don't you worry about that madam." he said quickly. "I assure you we already have someone looking into it."
"Oh thank goodness." Shai fake sighed with relief. "I was worried for a sec. Thank you so much Mr--I'm sorry what was your name sir?"
"Morgan, my dear." he bowed politely. "Please if there is anything I can help you with, you have only to let me know."
'Well, I don't mean to be nosy, but I have heard about your organization, the Talon lodge so many times, and with so many good things said too!" she pretended to be impressed. Morgan was eating it up. "Would you please tell me a bit more about it?"
"My, what a popular question lately." he chuckled. "I suppose it's only natural to see us and wonder what makes us so special." (She had to bite her tongue to keep herself from laughing at that) "The Talon Lodge," he continued, "has only just made itself known to the public, of course, but our pedigree was established over generations. Were we always so refined? I'd be lying if I said yes, but I've always felt we were destined for a place atop modern society, and well...here we are!" he chuckled again. Shai wanted to punch him. Hard.
Wow this guy. Shai had never met a griffin with his beak so far up his own ass in her life. But reading his mind was useless and he obviously wasn't going to say anything to her directly. She knew he was hiding something, but her investigation would have to continue elsewhere. Plus anything that got her away from Morgan seemed like a good idea to her.
"Thank you so much for enlightening me, Mr. Morgan." she fake swooned. "I should return to my friends now, but I do hope we meet again! Ciao!"
"I as well, my dear. Enjoy your stay."
After enjoying Morgan's 'charming' conversation, Shai decided to explore the rest of the lobby.
To the east of Morgan's station was a doorway leading to a backroom. Going through she spotted an elevator off in the distance, and a locked door to the south east. She could easily have picked it, but not with so many Talon Lodge griffins patrolling the halls. Not worth the trouble.
For now, she headed over to the elevator. It had only one stop, and the sign above told her what that stop was. Gilded Griffin Penthouse Suite. She made another note of that, then headed back into the lobby.
Moving to the southwest wing she fake smiled at some passing griffins, as she entered another vaulted hallway. To the right of her, was a barricaded door. The sign on the outside said Talon Lodge in fancy gold lettering. They must have conducted meetings or perhaps rituals in there? They were a secret society after all.
Turning away from the doors, Shai spotted two double doors to the hotel rooms. Rosalina had disappeared from the penthouse suite on the top floor, as that's where the family was staying. But it didn't hurt to check out the other rooms as well; being thorough was one of Shai's specialties.
Going through the doors, Shai climbed some stairs to the guest room level. Another luxurious vaulted hallway. She saw plenty of guests walking around outside and lounging in chairs in the hall. To the right she saw a door that was locked from the outside. It could only opened with a key. This couldn't have been someone's room...could it?
After making sure no one was looking, she stepped up and put a hoof to the door. Her stomach suddenly heaved, she clutched at her mouth to keep herself from throwing up; the feeling was so powerful it nearly knocked the wind out of her. Backing away from the door, Shai managed to regain her breath, keeping her lunch down in the process.
She eyed the door like it was suddenly alive. There was something horrible behind that door. She knew that for certain. But she had no way in. She would need to find the key to see what was waiting on the other side. She looked up. The sign read 221. She'd remember.
Wanting to get as far away from the door and the horrible aura surrounding it as possible, Shai headed down to the end of the hallway where the doors to the bathhouse were wide open for her to enter through.
The bathhouse was stunning. A curtain sculpture on the ceiling reflecting the stars of the night sky overlooked a crystal clear Olympic sized pool that was so clean, it looked empty. But the guests lounging and swimming around in it, told her otherwise. The steam from the water helped to ease the feeling in her stomach.
Feeling better, she continued to explore the bathhouse. She saw lockers lining the halls, lounge chairs where many guests were reclining and to the south she found a door that lead to a steam room. She saw cider bottles and personal effects some guests had left but nothing too interesting.
Going through a second door, she entered a small sauna. Here she found bottles of wine scattered about. "Nothing like getting drunk, while getting sweaty." she thought, thoroughly grossed out. Backing out of the sauna and steam room, she headed around the pool to the left and saw a refreshment corner, but strangely there was no one attending it. She spotted several Cinnicola crates, a refrigerator, and some bottles of fine cider and wine on a shelf. Sadly, there was no server to serve her, so she moved on.
Heading through a set of double doors, Shai saw that it put her out in a small room on the other side of Morgan's desk in the lobby. Peeking around the corner she spotted the smug griffin going over what looked like guest records at his desk. So this was just the other side of the lobby.
Suddenly, the smell of food caught her nose. Following it, she spotted a set of double doors directly across from her. These were the doors to the hotel's resident restaurant, The Gourmet. Looking around for so long had taken it's toll on her energy and she was starting to feel peckish. Though she highly doubted she would be able to afford even the crumbs off the ground in The Gourmet. Maybe she would head out to the vending machine in the parking lot instead.
But then she saw them again. Hovering above the doors to the Gourmet.
Go inside.
Heading inside Shai found herself in the lobby of a beautiful restaurant. Granite and marble walls, lush dark green drapes, and oddly enough a beautiful pegasus mare in a black dress, serving as hostess of The Gourmet.
Shai approached her and the mare bowed her head respectfully. "Welcome to The Gourmet. My name is Margaret, and I will be your hostess this evening. Table for one ma'am?"
Shai' stomach demanded she say yes, but her wallet won the argument. "Thank you, but I was actually hoping to ask you some questions. Are you busy?"
"Not at all. Whatever I can do to make your stay more enjoyable." she was extremely polite.
"Do you work here, ms. Margaret?"
"I do, but I would hardly call it work." she replied. "I think of myself as a caretaker rather than a common laborer. I suppose it can be called a labor of love, if it must be called labor at all."
"I'm inclined to agree." Shai loved her job too much for it to be called work as well. "But what I really wanted to ask you about was the missing girl?"
Margaret suddenly looked annoyed. "This again? I thought this was all settled. I answered every one of that detective's questions to his satisfaction and gave all the help I could." she sighed. "I know our reputation hasn't always been spotless, but that's all in the past now. How some people can't get over it is beyond me."
She suddenly looked deadly serious as she locked eyes with Shai. "For the last time, The Talon Lodge has never and will never consume equine flesh for any reason. Why would I, an equine myself, have joined an organization like that? My life would be in grave danger. if that were the case."
Shai nearly fell over. "Wait what?? Did...did she just say-" she couldn't even think out the words.
"I'm sorry but," Shai put both hooves on the desk and locked eyes with her. "Did you just say that The Talon Lodge used to eat....ponies? Is that what I heard?"
"Now didn't I just say that was just speculation?" Margaret looked offended. "Honestly the rumors you people will-"
"Yeah, no, I'm done playing nice." Shai leaned over the desk making Margaret jump back. "You just said something about the griffins running this place, consuming equine flesh; eating damned ponies, that's what that means, that can't ever mean anything else. Why did you just say that? Tell me right now."
Margaret fell silent, looking shocked and mortified. But Shai could read through her mind in a second. She was only thinking one thing. "Can't talk about the old ways, I was given instructions!"
"The old ways, what are they?" asked Shai.
Margaret gasped. "How...how could you possibly-"
"What are they and why aren't you allowed to talk about them?"
Margaret had no choice. "I am forbidden to speak of it but...the Talon Lodge wasn't always called that. There was another time, a dark time, when they went by a different name. And they had...very different traditions." she looked at Shai with a pleading look. "But that's all changed now! They've evolved past those times. I'm proof that those days are behind us." she sounded almost desperate. Like she had to believe it.
So it was true. The Talon Lodge really did used to eat ponies; probably a hunting tradition of early griffin tribes. The world was very different back then, obviously it wasn't too much a big deal back then. But....today? In our civilized age? There would be a war over something like this. And not only that but Shai now knew that there was in fact two missing people in the hotel.
So who was the other?
"Who was this detective you talked to about the disappearance?"
Margaret had regained her composure quite quickly. "There was a detective who came in here last week. He'd been hired by a young man whose bride to be went missing during their stay here." she explained. "Rather pointless; it's obvious she got cold feet and ran off. Poor dear."
Shai admitted that was indeed one possible explanation. But she wasn't talking about a bride to be.
"I'm actually a detective myself," Shai showed her her badge," and I'm investigating another disappearance. Rosalina Maxentier. Went missing recently, actually."
Margaret looked mortified. "Mr. Maxentier's daughter is missing??" she looked sick. "I...this can't be. Two disappearances in my hotel? What will people say?! I'm going to have a word with the head of security on the premises."
"You do that, but before you do I have one more thing to ask you."
"Of course, what is it?"
"You said there was another detective investigating this missing bride. Is there any chance I could talk to him?"
"Well...yes, actually. I don't think he's checked out yet. I had Morgan offer him a complimentary room for as long as he needed during his investigation. Please talk with him and tell him I sent you for the room key. I'm sure he'll cooperate."
"Oh. I'm sure he will too." Shai snarked. "Thank you Margaret. Would it be alright if I have a look around the restaurant as well?"
"By all means, detective." she said politely. "Anything to put this heinous business behind us."
Moving into the dining room, Shai saw that the tables were on a lower level, and the many patrons were having portions so small she was surprised they weren't using microscopes to eat them. None of them paid her any mind.
Except one. A hoof clamped onto her shoulder, and she glanced back to see it was Manners. He didn't look happy to see her. "What the hell do you think you're doing? I'm trying to put together an investigation and you're just waltzing around the hotel like you own the place!"
"What makes you say that?"
"Because officers have seen you walking around, outside our supervision! You are here under police jurisdiction, you don't get to just walk around as you like!"
"I'm under no one's jurisdiction, Manners." Shai said cooly. "Plus, I was hired by the Maxentier family to find their daughter, personally. So by that logic, it's actually you who is interrupting my investigation."
Manners looked even angrier. He stuck a hoof in her face. "Look," he snarled. "I don't care what kind of psychic-nonsense you're trying to sell off on people, but this is my investigation. And I don't need you here, making things-"
"Is everything alright here, Manners?" It was chief Mazra.
Manners looked at her and tried to smile. "Chief! Um, yes of course, I was just telling Sideways that we don't need her to look around the restaurant, as we already have a team combing over the place."
"On who's authority, Manners?" Mazra probed, eyeing him. "Sideways is conducting her own investigation, it's independent of your own, you shouldn't have a problem here."
"B-But, ma'am, she's just been wandering around the hotel!" Manners stammered. "She hasn't actually been investigating any-"
"Yeah gonna stop you right there." Shai interrupted. she looked over at Mazra. "Can I talk to you for a moment chief?"
"Is it important?" asked Mazra.
"Urgent. Life or death." said Shai.
Mazra nodded and they left Manners there to stammer some more while Reese tried in vain to calm him down. When they were finally out of earshot of the restaurant, huddled near the coat room, Shai told her everything.
When she had finished, Mazra looked mortified. "Dear Celestia," she gasped. "And this is all true? Your sure of it?"
"Margaret said they used to eat equine flesh, back when they were a tribe. She swears up and down that those days are past."
Mazra finished for her. "But two ponies disappearing in the same hotel, and one happening just last week." she shook her head. "No, it's too much of a coincidence. And you can confirm this from Margaret?"
Shai pointed to Margaret who was sorting through dinner menus at the hostess desk. "You can go ask her yourself. She told me everything; and she wasn't lying either, in her mind or her words. It's all true, she knows it and she's scared."
Mazra thought hard for a moment. Things had gone from a fifty to a hundred, if not a thousand pretty damn quickly. She wasn't prepared for something like this to be happening. "Do you have any leads?"
"I do. A detective is staying here at the hotel. He was looking into the missing bride from last week. I was going to go talk to him."
"Good. Do that." Mazra ordered. "Find him, get everything he has on this, and report back to me. I'll be in the lobby; until we can confirm that these rumors are just that, I don't want anyone else wandering this hotel. You find him and then report right back to me, understood?"
"Understood, Chief." Shai nodded.
"Good." Mazra nodded back. "Now get moving!"
Shai continued to investigate The Gourmet while Mazra escorted Manners, Reese and the police team outside and back to the lobby. Guess she knew Shai would be fine thanks to her abilities. And she was right.
Heading up from the diner level, Shai saw a drawn green curtain, with big neon letters that read 'The Gourmet (Super fancy) and then moving around to the east section of the room, she saw a gourmet food supplier.
As she approached, the mask wearing griffin behind the counter acknowledged her. "My, you look positively famished, madam!" he cried. "We simply can't have that. What can I get you?"
At first Shai was going to ignore him, but then she had a thought. If the rumors were true....then what did that have to say about the food they served here? It wasn't worth the risk of ignoring it.
"Actually, my good sir." Shai feigned a regal air. "May I trouble you for some information regarding the food served here?"
Shai grilled him over everything he served but it all looked perfectly normal. And overpriced. As she listened to him drone on about the 'tenderness of the brisket' or the 'freshness of the zucchini', Shai spotted behind him was a door to the kitchens. Locked with a heavy brass lock. What were they hiding back there that they needed to practically chain the doors shut?
She'd find out sooner or later. For now, it was time to check in with Morgan. Margaret had said that Morgan had the key to the investigator's room, and that he would happily give it to her.
Shai left the Gourmet, wondering if that was a good thing.
"Ah, hello again miss." Morgan looked rather happy to see Shai again. Only to her that meant that her acting skills were still top notch. "What can I do for you?"
"Margaret said you had given a free room to a private detective." said Shai not putting on an act this time. "The one who was investigating the missing bride."
"Ah yes, I remember the gentleman." said Morgan nodding. "And that poor bride. Such an awful thing; I do hope he finds her whereabouts."
He then looked at her, a searching glint in his eye. "If I might pry, detective Sideways, have you found something that will help his investigation?"
Of course he had found out from the police who she was. But that didn't bother her. She wasn't going to tell him anything. "Actually, I just need to speak with him." she lied.
"Of course, of course." he nodded. "Ordinarily we don't give out guest information, but I think given the circumstances, he'll definitely want to speak with you, detective."
Morgan checked the hotel guest records. "Hmmm....it appears he hasn't checked out yet. Room 221, if you head back to the hotel rooms, his room will be one floor above you after you exit the lobby. I hope we can put this whole matter to rest at last." With that he dropped the room key into Shai's hoof. "Have a good day."
But Shai wasn't listening. 221. She had remembered.
Shai made her way back from the lobby to the door. The door with something horrible behind it.
The door that was this detective's room.
Shai turned the key, unlocked the door, went inside and stopped in her tracks.
At the far end of the room, near the bed laid the detective faced down on the ground, dead.