//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 // Story: The Incognito // by keithsterling //------------------------------// Its 0900 hrs Equestrian Standard Time, the following morning, Spanish revival style home, Center city Neighborhood, City of West Apple wood, Coltifornia, city of Los Ungula’s, master bedroom and apparent suicide of Mr. Russell Merriweather. At 8 o'clock that morning, Justice received a phone call from Nurse Elethea Red Heart to quickly come to Mr. Russell Merriweather's home in the City of West Apple wood. After rapidly gathering his two mare's partners, the group drove to the Center City neighborhood and came upon Los Ungula’s Police Department crime scene. The group is met by an attractive light blue unicorn mare with a pink and yellow mane and tail. Her 6ft even very fit equine figure was attired in light green short-sleeve satin blouse and black jeans. On her, eleven-inch light blue bare feet with bright yellow toenail polish were black ballet flats. This Unicorn mare is Police Detective Elvia Wishes, A Los Ungulas Police Department Police Detective. "Greeting my lord and ladies, what interest does the Princess have in this case to send her Royal Investigator to look into this case?" Elvia asked as the three ponies returned the greeting. "Nothing at all, Detective Wishes. We were brought in by the request of Nurse Elethea Red Heart by her employer Mr. Russell Merriweather." Justice answer as the three ponies follows Detective Wishes into the home. "May I ask my lord, why did Mr. Merriweather ask for your help? This doesn't seem to be a case for the Princess's Royal Investigator to be involved with?" Elvia commented as they walk up the staircase to Mr. Merriweather's bedroom. "It doesn't matter if it is a noble or plain civilian, Detective. If they request my assistance or want my advice, I will give it. It is the will of the Princesses of Equestria, and I must follow that will." Justice said noble as his two mares softly chuckle under their breath, knowing the real reason for looking into this case was interest. "As for asking for my help, Mr. Merriweather was worried about a burglary. But that case is a moot point in the light that something happened here." Justice comments as Detective Wishes opens the door into the room. In the room hanging from the ceiling was Mr. Russell Merriweather, a rope was tied to one of the outside decorative wrought-iron work spindle in the window, and a black hood was over his head. As Justice's looking around the room, he discovers three chairs positioned around the room. One chair by the door, a second chair by the four-drawer dresser, and the last chair by the small nightstand. "It looks like he hung himself, my lord," Elvia commented as Justice shook his head no. "On the contrary, Detective, he was executed." Justice comments as Detective Wishes face glazes with shock. "Executed! How so, my lord?" Elvia exclaimed as she recoils in horror with comment from the Royal investigator. "Observe Detective," Justice said, walking over to the first chair by the door and pick up a medium blue feather from off the ground. "A pegasi sat here, most likely a mare as this wing feather has been preen quite a bit. As my own pegasi mare does regularly (Looking toward Anita who has a sour look on her snout that she preen quite a bit)." Justice's comment walks over to the second chair by the dresser. "An earth pony stallion sat here," Justice comments as he walks over to the last chair next to the nightstand. "And here too." Justice comment "How do you know that the last two were earth pony stallions, my lord?" Elvia asked as Justice helps to lift the rope off the hook on the ceiling as another officer unties the rope from the window. "Pretty easy Detective, like most unicorns, we can pick-up unicorn magic even those none has been used. We unicorn release excess magic regularly; if not, it would quite mess if we didn't." Justice comment as they lay the body down on the stretcher to be removed. "So went the three of us enter the room; we didn't pick-up magic residue, so there was no unicorn in this room. As for being a stallion, the boot prints we found the first time we came were stallion size, too big for Mr. Merriweather. As you can tell, my two partners are mares, like you, Detective. If you didn't notice, I have been conscientious moving around this small room as not to destroy any evidence." Justice explains as Elvia shook her head once. "Understood, my lord, but you said it was executed. For what?" Elvia asked as Justice gestures his hand toward his Pegasi mare. "Revenge Detective, did you recall the Royal Bank of Equestrian heist in Canterlot about twenty years ago, "Anita says as Elvia gasp with shock. "Almost one thousand bits were taking during that heist, and if I remember correctly, a Royal guard was killed during that heist," Elvia explains as Anita shook her head. "You are correct Detective; it was a group of five ponies that broken into the vault two earth ponies' brother the Bicker brothers, a pegasi mare named Storm Runner, third earth pony name Sutton or in his case Merriweather and the leader a unicorn stallion named Cartwright. During the heist, the Royal guard was killed by Cartwright went he try to stop them." Anita explains as Anita paused for a moment before starting again. "After the heist, Sutton turn informant and turn in the other members of the gang. The bicker brother and pegasi mare Storm Runner both got twenty years each in jail. Cartwright was hung for killed the Royal guard. What caused Merriweather distress was the early release of the Bicker Brother and the pegasi mare Storm Runner from prison." Anita explains as Emerald had a puzzled look on her snout that was quickly pick-up by Detective Wishes. "My lady, is there something wrong? I have noticed you have that puzzled look on your face?" Elvia inquiry as Emerald looked around the room. "What happened to the other two unicorns that were here?" Emerald inquiry as Elvia's eyes widens with alarm. "What other two unicorns, my lady?" Elvia comments "A light gray unicorn mare and a medium gray unicorn stallion, the Housekeeper and the Butler," Emerald exclaims as Elethea gulps went she realizes that the housekeeper and butler are no were to be found. "You are right, Lady Luster, The Looter," Elethea exclaims, looking around for the looters. Its 1100 hrs Equestrian Standard Time, a few weeks later, Solar wind estate, Small colonial Georgian style mansion home, Golden Horseshoe Neighborhood, City of Grazing Hills, Coltifornia, city of Los Ungulas, Solar wind study. It has been a few weeks since Mr. Merriweather's death at the hands of his compatriots in the Royal Bank of Equestrian heist in Canterlot; with the best efforts of Royal investigator Justice Silverlight, the three ponies who killed Mr. Merriweather have gone underground and vanished. As for the Butler and Housekeeper, who called themselves the Looter, a report said that two unicorns matching their description were seen as pick-up by a pirate galleon on Basalt beach south of pine needle barrens on the other side of Froud Valley. It was sailing south-west toward Barbary Island (formally known as Storm King's Realm). The strangest thing was that the witness that reported it said that the unicorn mare had a pair of feathered bird wings folded on her back and seem to be calling the shots. Sitting at his desk in the Solar Wind study was Royal investigator Justice Silverlight; he was finishing up his report for Princess Celestia Borealis of this case in Coltifornia. As he signs his name to the account and makes a magic copy of the report. In a blink of an eye, the report vanishes and reappears in the hands of his fiancée Princess Celestia Borealis in Canterlot; she floats the report into a file cabinet to look it over later. As her own desk in her private office at the Grand Royal Palace is just littered with royal documents. A moment later, the door into the study is opened by an elegant looking light blue pegasi mare with a peach-colored mane and tail. Her 5ft 10in sleekly muscular equine figure was attired in lavender (very pale blue) colored slightly below the knee-length fit and flare dress. This day the pegasi mare silky light blue legs were bare as the gray thigh-high stockings with lace trim were left off as requested by Lord Justice Silverlight. On her, ten inches, long flawless, and unblemished light blue bare feet with creamy white colored toenail polish were stone-colored Dryden wedge heel pumps with a one-inch platform and two and three-fourths inch heels. Folded on her back were her regular sized light blue feather bird wings. This pegasi mare was Personal Royal Maid Diane Sheer, the senior maid for Lord Justice Silverlight and his executive assistant. "Greeting Diane, my tee time is at one o'clock today, so please bring around a car for me. Have my two mares left for their shopping trip to Rodeo drive in grazing hills yet?" Justice asked as Diane stands by the side of Justice's desk. "Yes, my lord. As for Lady Emerald and Lady Anita, both have left together for their shopping trip. I have never seen two mares more excited to go on a shopping trip to Rodeo drive." Diane comments as Justice's chuckles. "Well, those two mares deserve some time off. They were planning a shopping trip before that case stops it cold. As for you, Diane." Justice comments as Diane chuckled into the back of her hand and smiles at Justice. "I am without my gray thigh-high stockings with lace trim today as requested, my lord. And yes, I have rubbed cream on my feet as requested; they are soft and smooth to the touch. Shall we get started, my lord? I have ordered the other maids to only disturb me for an emergency." Diane explains as she reaches down and unbuckles her pumps, and steps out of them.