//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 // Story: The Problem at the Cavaliere Mansion // by keithsterling //------------------------------// It's 0900 hrs Equestria Standard Time, the following week, Lunar Canyon Park, between San Caballo valley and Grazing Hills, Coltifornia, city of Los Ungulas, Bridge crime scene. Lunar Canyon Park rests on 605 acres near the center of Los Ungulas between the San Caballo Valley and Grazing hills with two semi-deep lakes (smaller upper lake and large lower lake) with a concrete bridge going over smaller upper Lunar Lake near the heavenly pond in the upper part of the park. Walking down the chaparral trail toward the smaller upper Lunar Lake was Lord Somnus Silverlight and Lady Adrian Nightwing. As they near the bridge, they can make out a figure standing in the center of the bridge, the closer they get more detail they can see. Standing in the center of the bridge was inviting looking dark purple unicorn mare with a pastel yellow mane and tail. Her very fit 6 feet even equine figure was attired in dark brown V-neck short sleeve blouse and light gray curvy fit perfect trousers. On her eleven inches, long dark purple bare feet with turquoise toenail polish were black open toe wedge pumps with three and one-fourth heel. This unicorn mare was Police Detective Suzanna Lightly, a Police detective from the city of Grazing hills and honorably discharged Military Police officer from the Solar Guard unit. "Greeting your highness and you to Lady Nightwing, before we get started, I just want to say my heart remains loyal to your father, Colonel Justice Silverlight. He gave us mares a chance to prove ourselves." Suzanna said, impassioned saluting Somnus and Adrian. "Thank you, 1st Lieutenant, Lightly; my father always knew that a mare was just as good or better than a stallion. If you allowed them to prove themselves." Somnus comments as a single tear runs down Suzanna's cheek. "Now police Detective Lightly the reason we came," Somnus comments as Suzanna shook her head and ask them to follow her. "Believe it or not, your highness; I have some serious doubt about this crime. All the evidence against Miss Faith Marigold is too perfect. We found the gun in her dresser drawer at the estate, and a bullet has been fired from that weapon. The murder victim was holding a message from Miss Marigold stating that she will meet her at this bridge at that time." Suzanna explains as she looks at her MCV on her forearm. "Detective lightly, do you have the statement from Miss Faith Marigold for the night of the crime?" Somnus inquiry as Suzanna shook her head and brought it up on her MCV. "Could you read it for me? All information I have is from news reports send to me by the Princess." Somnus said as she calls up the statement. "Yes, your highness, Miss Marigold said: 'The night before the crime, she found a message addressed to her in the room she used as a classroom to teach the Lord's foals. She opens the message; she knew the message was from Lady Cantara Cavalier. She wants her to meet her at 6:30 on this bridge. Lady Cavalier asked her to leave her reply under the sundial on the estate ground, and she did. That message Lady Cavalier was holding in her hand was the note that Miss Marigold put under the sundial. She met Lady Cavalier at the time she was told on this bridge. Upon arriving at the bridge, Lady Cavalier was in the bridge's center, spouting profanity toward Miss Marigold, waving the gun in her hand. Fearing that Lady Cavalier was going to kill her, she ran off. She heads back to the estate.' “Suzanna explains as Somnus asks his bat pony to lie in the exact same position as the body of Lady Cantara Cavalier and look around for anything unusual about the bridge. "Huh! On the left-hand side of the bridge their chip of concrete lineup with the body." Adrian said, pointing toward the chip in the bridge with her finger. "Huh? Did your CSI team note this chip on the bridge?" Somnus inquiry "No, your highness, I guess the team thought it was chipped by a park staff small vehicle," Suzanna explains as Somnus helps his bat pony to her feet. "Did Miss Marigold hear a shot?" Somnus asked, looking over the side of the bridge into the small semi-deep lake. "No, your highness. Miss Marigold was already back at the house by that time." Suzanna said as she to look over the side of the bridge into the small semi-deep lake. "Detective Lightly come back to the bridge in few more days, and I'll tell you what really happens here at this bridge to Lady Cantara Cavalier. We have some loose end to tie up for this case." Somnus explains as he and his bat pony must walk back up the trail back to the parking lot to head to the estate of Lord Cavalier. Its 1000 hrs Equestria Standard Time, Cavaliere estate, Small Mediterranean style mansion home, Golden Horseshoe Neighborhood, City of Grazing Hills, Coltifornia, city of Los Ungulas, Living area. Walking down the thick, white stucco walls hallway of this small Mediterranean style mansion home was smooth looking white earth pony stallion with red wine-colored mane and tail. His 5ft 9in able-bodied equine figure was attired in a medium gray classic fit suit. On his eleven inches long socked bare white feet were black dress shoes. This earth pony stallion was Assistant Curtis Cheval, the assistant to Lord Faxhir Cavalier. He reels with astonishment waiting at the end of the hall was Prince Somnus Silverlight and Lady Adrian Nightwing a few hours early for the scheduled meeting with Lord Faxhir Cavalier. "Your Highness and Lady Nightwing, you are an hour early," Curtis exclaims as he stands in front of them with a force smile. "My mother says never let any appointment wait for longer than needed." Somnus comment as Adrian nodded her head. "Yes, your highness, but the Lord is not ready to see you, he on a conference call right now," Curtis explains as Somnus slowly sighed. "That fine, Mr. Cheval; I am wondering may we see the guns that Miss Marigold was said to have used," Somnus asked as Mr. Cheval shook his head. Prince Silverlight and Lady Nightwing follow Mr. Cheval into a different room. The large room is filled with a display case full of different kinds of guns. In a small display case, Mr. Cheval reaches into the case and brings out a small wooden box. He opens the small wooden box; inside the box were two indentions that once held two identical service-six Ruger revolvers. From what Somnus's remember, service-six Ruger revolvers weigh less than two lbs and chamber for six bullets in the side loading cylinder. A few moments later, Lord Faxhir Cavalier walks into the display room after being told by one of his maids that Mr. Cheval walked into the room. "Greeting your highness and Lady Nightwing, sorry for the delay. I had some business to complete with my business associates." Lord Faxhir cavalier said in a warm tone of voice as he bows to Prince Somnus Silverlight. "It quite all right, Lord Cavalier, it gave me a chance to see the said weapon that Miss Marigold was supposedly used to kill Miss Cantara Cavalier and ties up a small loose end in this case. But still, their one huge loose end to tie up, and I hope you can tie up that loose end, Lord Cavalier." Somnus explains as Faxhir slowly sighed. "As you wish, your highness, First, let start with how I met Lady Cantara Cavalier. I met her in Saddle Arabia went I was trying to expand my business into that market. She was an exotic beauty full of unending passion. The only reason I married her after the death of my first wife and the mother to my foals. The first few years of being married to her were full of passion, but the following years that excitement faded." Lord Cavalier explains, pausing momentarily to catch his breath. "I quickly learn we had nothing in common that what my foals were trying to tell me for a long time. I didn't understand. Once I realized it, I tried everything to make Lady Cavalier leave, but that passion never abated. Figuring that I was stuck forever in a loveless marriage, I absorbed myself in my business. In doing so, I started to neglect my own foals. That went; I hired Miss Faith Marigold as a Governess for my foals. The more time I spent with Miss Marigold, the more I saw what I lacked." Lord Cavalier said clarifies as Sommus and Adrian follow him outside to the archery range. "So many ponies saw me as an uncaring and ruthless business stallion; even your own mother thought that. It was mostly my own fault for that image; I never tried to change it. But went Miss Marigold started to teach my foals, I saw the tenderness and compassion from that mare. Plus, my foals loved her. Because of that, I was trying to find a way to divorce Lady Cavalier. But then this happened. Well, your highness, that my story. So yes, Miss Marigold and I do have a relationship but not in the way the tabloids have it." Lord Faxhir Cavalier explains as Somnus taps his finger against the lower half of his jaw. "I see Lord Cavalier. Now can you tell me a little bit about Lady Cantara Cavalier?" Somnus asked as Lord Cavalier's face flushes with indignation about that Mare. "That wicked mare! Could give Nightmare moon a run for her bits, no offense toward your aunt (Somnus with a pouting grimace). If she perceived another mare as an obstruction, she would do anything it takes to remove that obstruction. She was a downright vindictive mare; nothing could change her mind. If she wanted that mare out of the way, she would do it." Lord Cavalier said spitefully as Somnus had a clear picture of the events. Its 1300 hrs Equestria Standard Time, a few hours later, Lunar canyon park, between San Caballo valley and Grazing Hills, Coltifornia, city of Los Ungulas, Bridge crime scene. "Did you bring that identical service-six Ruger Revolver like I ask, Adrian?" Somnus asked as Adrian handed him the unloaded revolver from her pocket. "Here, Somnus, why did you want that?" Adrian asked as she watches Somnus push a heavy stone over the side of the bridge with a piece of rope tied to the butt of the gun and held the gun to his head. "Here what happen that night Lady Cavalier was in a rage over Lord Cavalier apparent growing attraction toward Miss Marigold, being a vindictive mare, like she is. The thought that a beautiful younger earth pony mare was getting the attention she rightly deserves. She sends the message asking Miss Marigold to meet her here; Miss Marigold was hoping to put this detest toward her to rest. But Lady Cavalier was going to hurt Lord Faxhir Cavalier by killing herself and frame her rival for the crime." Somnus explains letting the gun go. The three ponies watch as the butt of the gun knocks a chip off the bridge before falling into the water from the heavy stone that Somnus tied to the gun with a piece of rope. It sinks to the deeps of the lake, with that Somnus using his unicorn levitation spell to float the demonstration gun out of the lake back onto the bridge. A moment later, Police Detective Suzanna Lightly, using her own unicorn levitation spell, floats the missing gun out of the lake's deeps. A few hours later, Governess Faith Marigold has released from Twin stables correctional facility and is whisked away by Lord Faxhir Cavalier. Meanwhile, back in Canterlot at the Grand Royal Palace, Prince Somnus Silverlight walks down the hallway on his way to the family's private living area where the royal bedrooms are located. He walks up to the wooden door with a carved moon motif and knocks on the door. A moment later, the door is open by a dark blue alicorn mare with black mane and tail. She smiles at Somnus. "Greetings Auntie, if you are not busy, I come to visit you and talk to you," Somnus said friendly. "I am not busy, my little Somnus; I would enjoy talking to you. Please come in." Luna said, opening her bedroom door to allow Somnus in.