• Published 31st Jul 2014
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The cases of Mystery Mare - Mystery Mare42



the stories of an earth pony detective

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22
 10
 499

Case of the lost Lovedale

It was an average morning for me as I enter my office/house 22 Ponystreet Detective Agency. There are 3 levels to my home and office. The first is my bedroom, the second is my living area with a kitchen, living room and office, and the last level of my home is the basement that acts as storage. I stroll through the rooms as enter, I had just came back from a short vacation in Canterlot so it was nice to be back. I make myself a cup of tea and take a seat at my desk as the bell rang meaning that somepony had entered. They seemed to have found my office easier than most who ended up either in the bathroom, the closet, or was just staring aimlessly in the living. The pony was a burgundy pegasus stallion wearing a white fedora and black striped scarf. I knew who it was, it was one of my ex-partners Samuel Clue back from when I was in Manehatten. I nod at him. “Good Morning Sir, Do you have a case for me?”

He nods and hands over a manilla file. “Its a missing pony case, I would have gotten more info but I was in a hurry.”

I nod as I glance over the document. It had a picture of a pink unicorn mare and it said. “Missing pony, Harp Lovedale. She was reported missing by her older sister Two-Step Lovedale. She was last seen with her fiance Copper Hoofer during a party in their mansion in Manehatten, three days before the report was filed. The police are clueless with no leads.”

“Is there a reason why you and Madam Thursday, can’t handle this?” I said referring to my other old partner.

Mr.Samual chuckles as he took a seat in front of my desk. “I see you are still are with the formalities, you would think we known each other for years and you still use Miss, Sir, Mr, and Madam, to address us.”

I look at him as I close the file. “Mr. Clue, you know how I speak. I will address you as Sir, Mr. Samual or Mr. Clue. Now may we please stop with the side conversation and answer my question.“



“Same old Mystery Mare, always wanting to stay on point. Thursday and I can’t handle this because the Lovedales and Hoofers are two powerful families if you remember correctly and they only want to work with you not us. So will you take the case?” He asks.

“Yes, I’ll take the case and may I remind you it’s Miss Mare.” I look at the near by clock checking the time. “Now I believe you have a train to catch.”

Mr. Samual nods as he looks at the watch on his hoof. “I do, I’ll see you in Manehatten.”





I nod to dismiss the him and he leaves. I look over the assistant applications I have received a few weeks before I left for vacation. “Hmm I’m going to need some help, who should I pick.” I spend the next few minutes looking over the pages and decided to go with a unicorn stallion called Lucem Diem. He had a white coat, yellow mane and a reddish color horn. His file interested me so I decided to contact him right away. I give him the directions to get to the agency. I waited outside until he arrived and once he did, I let him in.

As he follows me in, he shuts the door and looks at the interior of my home/office. "When did it occur?" He sees that the rooms on this floor of the building were decorated with carpets, photos, awards, and little trinkets here and there from my cases.

"It occurred three days before the report was filed. The local police have no leads so I was summoned to the case." I said as I was heading into my office.

Mr. Lucem followed my every step until I stopped, he was looking at all the pictures and trinkets as we past them "Cozy, its nice in here."

I nodded. "Why thank you Mr. Lucem."

He had taken notice of a picture of me opening up a building in Manehatten. "You have one in Manehatten?" He smiles to me and looks around the room smiling seeing similar decor as in the other room. He gets back on the topic at hoof. "Three days? What leads do we have?"

"Yes I do. I run between them at times but mostly that one is run by some of my old partners. " I get over to my desk, move my typewriter over a bit and hand him a file. "Here is the file. The police have no leads."

He skips through it, scanning over the same information I had gone over earlier "Hmmm, any leads on who the kidnapper is or motives, maybe family background or something?" His eyes stayed fixed on the paper in front of him.

I takes a seat in my chair. "The Lovedales and the Hoofers are both powerful families. Last time I checked they both were wealthy. I suppose the motive could be for the money but for us to know more we must head to Manehatten."

"I heard the sites were nice, but you're right, money can motivate the worst things out of people but...if she was last seen at the party did anyone see her leave?" He walked around the office still reading the papers.

"My ex partner was in a hurry. All I know is that the family wanted me to investigate. We will have to ask them that when we get there. I suggest you pack a bag good sir." I say to him as I watch him walk around.

"I travel with nothing, I have enough bits in the bank to go anywhere and not worry, to shortly say I’m ready when you are" Mr. Lucem places the file before me. "We need to know how big the house is and how many guests were there, if all exits were blocked she may still be in the house" He walked out of the room to go to his own home to get his bank cards.

I rolls my eyes as he leaves. "I know what to ask and do sir. This isnt my first case."


"Yea, but it is mine!" He shouted back to me.

I chuckle and go and grab my dark red saddlebag from my room, before I go I look around to see if it needs any cleaning. It didn’t, my bed was still neatly made and the floors were spotless so since I still had a couple of hours left to wait, I double check my bag and then I went down to the living room and read one of the books I owned. I set my bag down on the floor, picked up a book and went to reading.





Mr. Lucem returned a couple hours later carrying some saddlebags. I found it funny since he had stated earlier that he travels with nothing. "I thought you said you travel with nothing Mr. Lucem."

"I usually don’t but i like to make sure I’m ready" He smiled at me and settles his bags by the door as he walks further in "What book are you reading?" he asked since he couldn't see the book cover.

"The hound of baskerville." I answered and closed the book.

“Good book, Sherlock Hooves" He nodded, showing his liking to the series.

"Yep." I nod and sets the book down. "We have a train to catch."

"I just put my bag down" Mr. Lucem looked at his bag and then at me "Can’t we sit and talk a little?

I looked at the clock. "ok we have time."

He smiled and looked around the room, there was only one couch "Room for two?"

I nodded and sat up, giving him room. “Yes there is. I’m getting a new couch soon so I have more room to entertain clients.”

He sat down next to her and looked the book over "So, who do you live with or is it just you?" he laid his head back relaxing a little.

“Just me. I been thinking about getting a pet but haven’t really decided. “ I said looking at him.

He nodded his head, eyes closed "Why not get a special somepony?" He didn’t open his eyes through the question.

“Never thought about it. I honestly have no need for a relationship in my business.” I answer.

"Eh us all to ourselves" He looks back down his eyes glowing a little "So, what can Iexpect from this partnership, adventure?"

“You can expect adventure and much more my good stallion.” I said to him.


He nods and looks at me "This will be fun won’t it” he hugged me a little and stood up.
I was a little surprised from the hug since it was rare for me to receive hugs from ponies who I barely knew. I just nodded. “Yeah it will be. We better go catch the train.” I stand up and put on my saddlebags.

Mr.Lucem does the same walking to me "So, how many times do you catch this train?" he stretched a little and opened the door for her letting me go through.

“A few times. Only if a case calls for me to be out of town or if I’m on vacation.” I say as I’m walking through the door. I wait for him walk through and once he did I locked the door.

He nodded and began walking down the street when I was ready "So what do you do on a usual case, how would it go down?"

I walked ahead of him with the urgency I usually have with a case but with more so since I did not want to miss the train. “Depends on the case. I normally speak with the client, take notes, talk with witness and search for clues.”

He nods and moves to me putting a hoof on my shoulder, causing me to stop "Want me to teleport us to the station?" he asked smiling "It would be faster than walking to the train station."

I nodded and smiled. “Sure, go right ahead Mr. Lucem, we can’t afford to miss the train.”

Pushing on some magic he quickly teleported us to the station, I noticed the small act was taxing on his magic seeing him panting a little. I look at him. “Are you alright good sir?”

“Drop the sir and I will be"He said as he calmed down a little, his golden iris glowing a little as he stared at the sun.

I shook my head noticing his eyes glow but decided not to comment on it at this time. “You should know that is how I speak and to this day I still call even my closest friends by Sir.”

"Then call me Lucey, for my sanity" He smiled at me and walked to the train looking around at its times.

“I shall try Sir but it is hard for me to break a habit. I’ll be off getting the tickets.” I said with a nod and headed over to the ticket booth. While I was gone I didn’t really notice that his eyes slowly stop glowing as the sun is covered by clouds

"This is certainly going to be fun" He muttered to himself.

I came back a minute later and handed him a ticket. “Here you go. Mr. Lucey.” I say trying to compromise with me still speaking the way I normally do and him wanting me to call him by a nickname.

"Wow, that sounded awful, go back to sir" Mr. Lucem shook his head He looked up finding clouds covering the sky. "I need the sun to come back out"

I chuckle agreeing with him that it indeed sounded awful. “Why is it that you need the sun back out?”
"Have you seen my iris glow?" He looked at me, a little sun glinting out and his eyes glowing a
little.

“Yes, I noticed it but I didn’t feel right to comment about it at the moment.” I answer.

He nods "Thats me drawing my magic from the sun...I've done it since birth" He sighed as the clouds covered it again.

“An interesting ability,I am positive the sun will reveal itself in due time. I see our train, we better hurry the longer we take to get their the less time we may have to finding the victim alive.” I said looking at him for a moment, my eyes then moving to the cloud covered sky and then to the train.

He looked at the train and he followed me on and sat in a small booth for two, awaiting me. His eyes laid outside the window as he felt the tug of the train start. I take my seat next to him and open my book to read, I always come prepared for train rides knowing how bored I could get. While I was reading I noticed that Mr. Lucem was looking out the window watching the scenery pass trying to relax. He soon falls asleep quickly for the rest of the train ride and once it stops he flies out of his seat. I hold back my chuckling as I set the book back in my bag. “Are you alright good sir?”

He sat upside down on the other side of me. "Yep" He rights himself and I notice a little blood by his nose.

I open my bags and pull out a handkerchief, I hand it to him. “Here, you have a little blood by your nose.”

He nods his thanks to me and wipes his nose. "Already here and blood spilled the dark day" he shook his head.

I looked really confused with what he said, it was mostly the dark day part. “Dark day?”

“It was supposed to be sunny but it looks like night outside" he looked back out the window seeing the darkness.

"Oh, Im sure it will be sunny soon. You just got to wait." I said.

"Yea but it went from light to dark so fast" Mr. Lucem stands up and holds a hoof to help me up.

I take his hoof and stand up. “Well we have been traveling for quite some time, it could be because it is getting closer to the evening.”

“Maybe, but I don't know, just seems weird" he begins walking out of the train and gets to the train station platform.

“I’ll go get a taxi. “ I said as I got off the platform. He followed me close behind, watching the ponies around them and looking at the sights. He could see several ponies walking past them looking as if they were in a hurry, several tall skyscrapers and a few billboards flashed up in lights. I stand on the side of the street and yelled “Taxi!” In mere seconds a taxi pulled up. I get in and he joins next to me, still staring at the skyscrapers but still watching the ponies around them, this city was big but it was connected, few things get around without everyone knowing within hours or even seconds of events going down, he was sure the city knew the mare was gone, and most would know where she is.

I look at him. “We will find her, I’m sure.”

"Yea, just can’t get rid of a feeling of worry" He shook his head staring at the crowds "Is it always so crowded?

I give the address to the driver. “I know. “ I look seeing the crowds and shrugged. “Pretty much. There is always some sort of event going on.”

"Event?" Mr. Lucem looked intrigued "So close to this case going off and the mare missing?"The last part he muttered to himself but I still heard him and just made no comment. I could tell he was trying to make a picture of everything and some pieces weren't fitting.
“Yes an event, there is always some show premiering or somepony is making a business deal.” I answer and the taxi starts moving. I look at the buildings as we passed them.
"Perfect time to move a mare, during a social event when all eyes are on the thing that isn’t important" he turns to me,smiles and hugs me again. "I have a feeling I'm gonna like this job."

I smile. “True, true.” Like last time I was surprised by the hug and I nod. “It’s an interesting job but it can also be dangerous.”

He moves back "I know, but I like mystery and danger, especially if i can help others" He smiled. "Why are you surprised by the hugs?"

“If you must know good sir, it is because it is rare for me to receive hugs from ponies who I barely know and to tell you the truth I'm just not a hugging type of pony.” I replied sounding a bit cold. My coldness made him shut his mouth as he looked the other way, he had realized he had hit a chord and didn't want to push his luck in case he blew everything. I remained quiet during the rest of the ride as we arrived a mansion with an eggshell colored paint coat. I had the driver some bits and turn to him. “Come now Mr. Lucem. Time to do some questioning.” He remained quiet as he was,getting down, he tipped the driver with a smile and a nod and walked to the large home, looking at the size and thinking how it could have happened. I walked in front of him and rang the doorbell. The butler answered.



“How may I help you two today?” He asked.

“I am Miss Mare from 22 Ponystreet detective agency Ponyville division. I am here to investigate the disappearance of Miss Lovedale. This is my assistant Mr. Lucem.” I answered him.

He nods. “Oh yes. Let me escort you to the parlor.”

We follow him and were doing the same thing as we walked, looking down each hall and every corner, thinking about exits that the kidnapper could have taken Miss Lovedale. Lucem noticed me doing the same thing so he started to watch the employees that came by. He only saw a few maids but he could notice that there was still some party decorations on the walls. It made him want to know why decorations were still up but decided to hold his tongue until they were in the presence of the household master. The butler lead us to the parlor and I took a seat in one of the chairs.

“May I offer you any refreshments?” He asked us.

Mr. Lucem took the seat across from me as he answered first "I'll be fine." He looked around the room seeing mostly family photos and gatherings. One of the pictures showed the two Lovedale sisters together.

I looked at the photos judging from them that the family was probably close and turn to the butler. “I’ll take some tea with cream and sugar.”

He nods. “I’ll bring it to you miss. The master should be here soon.” He leaves us in the room.

Mr Lucem stands and walks to the picture he had saw of the sisters "Twins?" he asked me as he looked at the two closely.

I shook my head. "Nope but they are sisters the oldest with the dancing cutie mark is Two-step Lovedale and the one with the lyre cutie mark is Harp Lovedale, the one who is missing."
"Has any threats been made, ransoms things like that?" He looked at the picture noticing the jewels they wore "And have any of these jewels been found around the mansion by maybe a servant or guest?" he walked back to his seat.

I shrug. “I do not know but those are excellent questions to ask.” The butler soon comes back and sets down a tray of tea with some cookies. Behind him was Two-step Lovedale who had a light brown reddish mane with purple highlights. Her fur was light pink and wore a light pink vest. She looked a lot like her sister, the only difference was the sister’s mane had dark green highlights and she also had freckles by her nose. Standing next to her was a stallion. The stallion was a green earth pony with sandy colored mane with yellow streaks and had a money sign cutie mark.

Mr. Lucem found a tense feeling in his stomach at seeing no tears on both of them, in fact below there eyes was not any kind of damp, he sat back down waiting for them to start talking as he stared at me and though on his questions and what he could ask at certain times.

I look at the two and I stood up to shake their hooves. "Hello. Im Mystery Mare but call me Miss Mare, this is my assistant Mr. Lucem." They shook my hoof.

The stallion spoke first. "I'm Copper Hoofer. Harp's fiance."

"I'm Two-step Lovedale. I filed the report." She said.

That pushed all the wrong buttons on Mr Lucem’s mind, fiance and a sister but not tears at all. He nodded showing he was listening but he allowed his mind to think on everything it was thinking on. I nodded at them and sat down. I pulled out my notebook and pencil, ready to take notes. “Where was the last time you saw your sister Miss Lovedale?”

“It was during the party we had a couple of nights ago. We were celebrating those her getting engaged with Copper. We both went to our rooms to fix our hair and I left the room first, I figured she was with Copper later that night or with the other guests.” She says.

I nodded as I had the pencil in my mouth writing it all down and turned to Mr. Copper. “Same question to you sir.”

“It was at the beginning of the night. We chatted with guests and then she said she wanted to speak with her friends. She said she would meet me at my house later that night.” Mr. Copper said looking at the ground.

"How many guests filled this house at the part?" Mr. Lucem asked both of them "And how many have found jewelry belonging to the missing mare?"

"Around a hundred or so and no one told me they found any jewelry belonging to my sister." Miss Two-step said.

I write this down and set my pencil down to sip some tea. “How many days has she officially been missing.”

“Four days. Three before we filed the police report and then today.” Mr.Copper answered.

“Why did it take you so long to file a report?” I ask.

Miss Two-step starts to get teary eyed. “After the party I figured that she left with Copper and she was with him getting ready for the wedding. You know picking out the chapel and ordering food. When I finally saw Copper three days after the party and he asked me where Harp was, thinking she was with me. “ She starts crying and in between sobs me and my partner could make out. “I swear he took her. Its all my fault.”

"Who is he?" Mr. Lucem asked noticing she had said he, not them so it wasn't a large group, just a pony.

“Her ex..” The mare sobbed.

Mr.Copper pats her shoulder. “She is talking about Blacktip. A bat pony who Harp dated before me.”

I write these facts down. “I see. Did this Blacktip show up at the party?”

The stallion nods at me and with a sad look he replied. “Yes at the beginning. He stormed in saying Harp was too good enough for me. We told the police did when they first investigated, they got no where with it. Since there wasn’t a ransom everypony thinks she’s dead.” He looked at the ground as he held back tears and I opened my bag and pulled out a few handkerchiefs and gave one to each of them.

Mr. Lucem couldn’t help a smile that crossed his lips, the bad feeling he had about them was now gone. He quickly got rid of it and stared to the ponies with concern "So, would he be your only suspect or is there more to it?" He still looked around the room, keeping each piece of a puzzle in his mind.

Miss Two-step wipes away some of her tears with the handkerchief I gave her and nodded. “Yes, there is no one else who would want to take my little sister.”

“Do you know where we can find this Mr. Blacktip?” I ask looking at the two.

Mr. Copper nods slowly, he continued to hold back tears, not wanting us to see him cry. “Yes. He lives in an old rundown apartment by the docks.”

"Hmmm, why are they always rundown" My assistant stated. His eyes laid on Two-step and he put a hoof on her shoulder "We will find your sister" he said calmly and with control and turned to the missing mare’s fiancé "And I will see the wedding done even if it kills me."

I took down my final note and put them in my bag. “I believe that is enough questions for the time being. If we require to look around more or ask you any more questions we will.” I stood up and shook their hooves once more.

“Please find her.” Two-step replied as she wiped away the tears from her eyes.

“I promise you we will figure out what happened.” I replied knowing better than to promise to bring her back alive. It has been four days and I know that normally after twenty-four hours of the disappearence the chance of her being alive was slim.

Mr. Lucem smiled at Mr. Copper and Miss Two-step while he stayed next to me as he watched the me finish of the situation so we could leave, we had somewhere to go.

The two of them nodded to us as we walked out of the parlor. I could hear Mr. Copper sobbing as soon as he thought we were gone. I sigh and continue for the exit. As Mr. Lucem kept following me towards the exit, I noticed him flinch from the sound of sobs. "This is gonna be a puzzle..." He said to himself.

I nod. “My cases normally are.” I start thinking of my next plan of action. I knew I was going to have to question this Blacktip but first I’m going to need more information about when the police were investigating this case before they started to give up. I dislike going to the police station so I knew that for me to get that info I need to head somewhere else.

As my assistant was walking, I noticed he nearly tripped on a small bracelet, he proceed to pick it up.I stopped right away when I noticed he wasn’t following me. “Find something Mr. Lucem?”

"I found a bracelet" He showed me it in his gold magic, making sure not to disturb it in any way at all.

I nod and open my bag to produce a plastic bag to place it in. “Good eye.”

"But it wasnt there on the way in..." His eyes looked around "That means it was placed there, but why...?"

“Good question indeed. Lets take the bracelet and head out. This could belong to either of the two sisters or one of the employes.” I said and once the bracelet was placed in the plastic bag I started walking. We soon end up back outside as the sun was still behind the clouds making everything a little bit gloomy. I call a taxi and one comes right away and we get inside.

At that moment Lucem asked me where we were headed, I didn’t respond to him as I look at the driver. "Take us to 22 ponystreet detective agency Manehatten division. "

He nods."right away." He starts driving.

As we were riding Mr Lucem at looked at me confused as he asked. "Why your HQ?"

"Its not my HQ. My ex partners run it. I need them to help us out and get us info." I said and looked out the window. "Plus we need a place to stay and the place has beds."

The clouds started to move out of the way as he looked at the sky and smiled. "But how many rooms?"

"A few." I answered.

"So I know you will have your own but will I ?" He asks.

"Yes or you could sleep on the couch. My ex partners don't use the rooms unless they work late." I said as the taxi soon stops in front of the building. The name 22 Ponystreet detective agency was on the sign. At the end in red paint the letters M.D. was added.

"And since they will be working late looks like its the couch" He sighs slightly.

“You haven’t seen them work. They can get some stuff done quickly” I said and paid the taxi driver and hopped out of the taxi and walked toward the entrance. I noticed two small bowls that looked like they were filled with cat food and milk. As we walk in Mr. Lucem looks at all the framed photos and little knicks and knacks that covered the hall. One of the pictures was the grand opening on the place. There stood me, my two partners and a stallion. He looked closer to it, at the stallion and her partners smiling at their happy faces. He continued to walk with me. As we got to the end of the hall I opened up a door, there stood Mr. Samuel Clue, the burgundy pegasus stallion wearing a white fedora and black striped scarf and Madam Thursday, the purple colored unicorn with a white and green mane with a pink bow, and wearing a white dress and a pearl necklace.

“Nice of you to finally make it here Mystery.” Mr. Samuel said looking at me. Mr. Lucem just watched us talk with one another.

“Its Miss Mare. We went through this when you dropped off the file. “ I said to Mr. Samuel. I turn to Madam Thursday. “You look lovely as usually Madam Thursday.”

She giggled. “I guess Samuel was tight when he told me you still act all proper and such. You don’t change will you.”

“You're right I don’t, now less get to the reason while I’m here. First this is my assistant Mr. Lucem Diem.” I look at my smiling assistant who had been watching. “Mr. Lucem, the stallion is Mr. Samuel Clue, he is a private eye or a detective like me if you want to call it that and the mare is Madam Thursday, she is a writer who helps create the files on clients and such. She also is excellent at finding information.”

"It is nice to meet you both" My assistant said and holds out a hoof to each. They both take his hoof and shake it.

“Nice to meet you too, Lucem.” Madam Thursday said with a smile on her face.

Mr. Samuel nods and shakes. “Same as well. Hope Miss Mare hasn’t dragged you along against your will.” He chuckles.

“I did no such thing. He came willingly.” I stated and glared at the pegasus. “I need to know the info the police got and the report they made, that you left out of the file.”

He nods and pulls out a stack of papers. “The officers didn’t have them done when I got the case so I couldn’t put them in the file when I went to Ponyville.”

Mr. Samual hands two copies of the report to us and Mr. Lucem looked at the files as he stood by Madam Thursday. I took a seat on the near by couch and look over the file, it stated that when the police interviewed Mr. Copper Hoofer and Miss Two-step Lovedale, they both seemed distraught and it took several minutes for them both to calm down so they could get a good report of what happened from them. The police soon questioned some of the guests and then they interviewed Mr. Blacktip, Mr. Blacktip claimed he had no clue where Miss Harp Lovedale was and said nothing else. I heard Mr. Lucem sigh as he read the papers. I just kept thinking saying nothing. Mr. Samuel and Madam Thursday just watched me as I was working my brain around the case. I noticed when my assistant started to pace behind my ex-partners. "If the motivation was money then why is there no ransom? If its anything why is there no letter to the family?".

“That is a good question. By now there should have been a ransom letter or if a phone call.” I said after I heard his question.

"So its not money, but its a single motive against her, if it was the family then some word would reach them about what they did and how she would pay, but nothing has been sent" He looked at me. "This is one of two things, murder or soon to be blackmail".

I nodded. “I was thinking the same thing good sir but we still have to hope that Miss Harp Lovedale is alive. Madam Thursday, Mr. Samuel, I hope you don’t mind if you gather information on both the Lovedale family and the Hoofer family and whatever you can find on the ex-boyfriend.”

Madam Thursdale nodded. “I’ll start making calls.”

“I will go talk to some of the guests who were at the party and see if they remember anything from the party and the relationship with Miss Harp.” Mr. Samuel nods.


“Good. Now Mr. Lucem and I will go question Mr. Blacktip.” I said as I got up off the couch.

Mr. Lucem walked toward me. “So down to the docks?"

I nodded. "Yes." I start walking towards the exit.

He nodded and followed her out of the room As we walked out of the building I noticed a orange and black cat covered in dirt eating out of the bowls of food and milk that were set there. “Cute cat.” After I said that I watched as my assistant clicked his mouth a little, calling the small cat over. The cat came over a little and licked his hoof. He stroked it and picked it up, walking next to me with the cat nestled on his back.

“Why are you bringing that stray?” I ask.

“I dont know, just...thought I needed to" He strokes the cat. The cat looks at me with her periwinkle colored eyes and meowed softly. As we were walking, the cat jumps onto my back.

“I guess that’s okay, as long as it doesn’t call us trouble.” I said looking at the cat as it sat on me.

He nodded and stroked the cat on my back as we carried on walking "You two are cute together" he smiles to us.

I look at the cat and tilted my head. I never really had a pet so I wasn’t sure if I did look cute with this stray. The cat tilts its head at me, meows and licks my nose. I look at Lucem. “I suppose.”

"Its cute" He walked by me. "So why does this part of town give me a few chills down my spine?"

“In the past there was a few murders around here.” I said after a few minutes of walking, the cat stayed on my back not moving an inch.

"Murders?” He replied.

"Yes murders. Two crazy ponies who were on a killing spree for anypony that had a cute flank. I caught them with the help of Madam Thursday, for a writer she can defend herself pretty well." I said as we got closer to the docks. I could hear the sound of waves.

Mr. Lucem nods and followed me silently as we approached the apartment by the docks. It was an old building with several broken windows. A few of the doors looked as if they couldn’t even lock. I could tell that he looked worried by just the site of the home. I look at him as he spoke.

"That makes me so worried just looking at it" he said and nuzzled the cat. The cat purrs softly.

“Yes the appearance of this place is unpleasing.” I said.

He smiles. "So, what questions should we ask first, we can't tell him straight on we are with a detective agency because he will just not tell us what we want."

“We will ask him where he was when Miss Lovedale became missing. We will figure out more questions as we speak with the fellow. He will probably figure out who we are since we are asking questions.” I say as we walk in. The inside of the building looked bland with no taste of style.

The manager sat in his chair by the front desk. He took one look at us and said, “ No pets allowed.”


"Sorry, but I’d rather have her with us, we aren't staying long anyway" He smiled to the manager.

The manager rolled his eyes. “ I don’t care in your the princess herself. I will not have a filthy animal in my building. Now out.” The cat jumps off of my back and hissed at him. He frowned. “Stupid cat.”

I clear my throat as I look around, taking in any information I could get out of the room. “We will be out of here soon good sir. I am here to speak with one of your occupants.”

“ Leave the filthy animal outside or get out.” He said.

Mr. Lucem’s eyes glowed a little darker with every word the manager said, looking to the cat smiling she walked outside and he looked back to the manager, his eyes still crossed.

“It’s my rule.” He said. My assistant just glared angrily at him. I headed out the door for a moment and placed the cat in my saddlebags, glad that I forgot to take them off. I walked back inside.

“Alright sir, the cat is gone. Now where is Mr. Blacktip’s apartment?” I asked the manager lying about the cat.


“Room 13B” He replied.

I nodded and headed to the room. Mr. Lucem growled slightly as he passed the manager. When we got outside the room, the cat popped her head out of the bag and meowed. He smiled at the cat and kissed its head softly smiling at the cute meow. I chuckle softly and tap my hoof on the door. The door was soon open by a dark blue bat pony with a zig zag black and red mane. His cutie mark was three stars. “What do you want.”

We noticed that resident appeared to have a short temper. I knew we had to be careful of this. I look at him. “We need to ask you a few questions if you don’t mind good sir?”

“Who are you? The police?” He asks.

Mr. Lucem stared at him "Nah, we just want to ask some questions about a missing mare.”

Mr. Blacktip crossed his arms. “You mean my ex-marefriend.”

“Precisely. We heard you saw her at the party she was having with her fiance.” I said to him.

“I was there. Telling her, she was making a big mistake with marrying that rich colt. She should be with me and not him.” He responds in an angry tone.

I set my bags down to grab some things and the cat pops her head out of my bag again with my notebook and pencil in her mouth as if she knew I needed it. I smile slightly,take them and write down everything that the stallion had said. “Why would you say that?” I said after I finished writing.

“He is spoiled and only cares about money. I mean his cutie mark is a dollar sign.” Mr. Blacktip said.

"Wouldnt she know if he only cared about money, he seemed to be in tears when we asked about her...'Disappearance'" Mr. Lucem said looking at the stallion.

The bat pony glares at him. “Love can make a pony not see things the way they are.”

"But its still love" My assistant said keeping to his point.

“Yes. I don’t know why you are questioning me about her disappearance. If you want to find her then I suggest you look into that fiance of hers. I seen him around the alleys here talking with some interesting looking ponies.” He said.

“Interesting ponies? Tell me about them.” I said ready to write things down.

He rolls his eyes. “Members of one of the gangs here in Manehattan.”

Mr. Lucem knew using the tactic of anger was a good idea "What do these gangs do on a normal day to day basis?" He looked closely to the stallion.

“Sell things, trade, hunt down ponies if they need to, I can’t really say much else.” Mr. Blacktip said. I stopped writing, placing the notebook and pencil back in my bag and started to walk around the stallion taking a closer look at him. I got a strange vibe off of him.

"What alley are they in or which one are they seen in the most?" Mr. Lucem asks.

“Few streets down look for the broken heart that is spray painted on a wall.” He replied to him and looked at me. “What are you doing?”

I stop walking around him and said. “Just getting a good look at you.”

My assistant grinned at what I said, and evil joke entered his mind but never left his mouth as he stayed silent "Steam on the water but...I guess we can give it a try" he looked to me. "Wanna get going?"

I look at him and nod. “Yeah lets, we will be seeing you again Mr. Blacktip if we need to.” He doesn't say anything else and slams the door shut.

He looks to me "Getting a good look?" he says picking my bags up and starting to walk, giving her a backward glance.

“I got a strange vibe off him. That is all.” I said moving my hoof through part of my mane. “I can carry my own bags you know.” The cat meows peeking her head out of the bag.
"Yea, but I’m nice. So, to the alley or some of her friends?" He walked at my pace, staying next to my side.

"Lets go to the alley first. I'm pretty sure I know where it is. Then we could head back to the agency. It is getting late." I said.

He nodded and followed, walking a little slower to let me take lead "So, where do you originate from?" he asked trying to make small talk.

“Im from Manehatten but I spent most of my foalhood in several towns like Ponyville or Canterlot, I would only be here when my father wasn't working an out of town case." I answered as I walked.

"Yea, how was it growing up?" He looked around them as they left the building, giving a backwards glare at the manager still behind his desk. The manager just rolled his eyes at them, glad to have them leave.

"I suppose tough at times, always going from one relatives house to another, they normally hated me pointing things out to them." I replied as we were approaching the alleys on the cross-section

"This the place?" He asks me looking at the gloomy and slightly scary alleyways, it looked like anything could happen.

I looked at the walls seeing a red broken spray painted heart, below it was a crumbled piece of paper, it was small and looked as if the rest of it got cut up and it was just some red lines. “Yes this is the place.”


He looked at it "What’s it say?" He started his magic and shun some light on the darkness between the walls of the ally "It looks deep, possibly a couple hundred meters in" he estimated.

I nodded. “I can not read it at this time, it is just a small piece of a different puzzle. It could have come off of a poster or a piece of paper.” I look down the alley and started walking. “We better look for those ponies, that Mr. Blacktip spoke of.” He nodded and followed my step for step into the depths of the darkness, never letting his horn light go. I continue walking down the alley for awhile until I saw two stallions. They both wore black jackets and one had a watch on his hoof. I clear my throat to speak. “Hello, I would like to know if you know a Copper Hoofer?”

“Who wants to know?” One of them asks.

“I am Miss Mare and I am just looking into him, I don’t work for the police so you don’t need to worry your head about that.” I said lying a bit. I had worked with the police in pass cases but these stallions didn’t need to know that.

Mr Lucem looked at the stallion as he lied, knowing that if he said he was also looking into him it may tip the balance of this, keeping it simple he lied by making out he wanted something from him, wanting something that cost money. “I’m a stallion looking for certain...'things' that he might be able to help me with"

The other stallion spoke after he brushed some dust off of his jacket. “Yeah we know Hoofer, he owes us a lot of dough. He came around her like five days ago saying he will get the money soon.”

I look at Lucem. “Hmm..five days ago. Interesting.” We both had started to put the pieces together knowing that it took just about that amount of time for them to get the case. The fiance was now our prime suspect. I go over to my bags that my assistant was still holding and was about to grab a small change purse but the cat already had it in its mouth. I smile thinking that the cat was one step ahead of me. I pet the cat’s head and pull a few bits out of the purse and hand it to the stallions. “Thank you for the information, we’ll be on our way now.”

Mr. Lucem nodded "Is there anyway we can find this stallion faster?" He had to keep his image up of wanting to buy something of him "And any information on him incase he screws me over would be nice to know" Thinking it would help the case he asked that, this stallion was doing something, piecing together his mind would help figure out what hes doing next.

The stallions turned to each other and started whispering to each other. After a second of whispering they turned back to us. The first stallion that spoke to us spoke again. “Hoofer is always at that mansion belonging to his mare friend. A real pretty young thing, she has some excellent dance moves. If he does screw you over, I suggest you threaten him or beat him up.”


That tipped Mr. Lucem’s hoof a little "Which mansion would this be?" He looked to me, looking slightly worried.

The second stallion spoke. “Lovedale mansion.” My partner had a shocked look on his face after hearing that and the wheels started to turn in his head as new feelings came to mind. .

I nodded after I grabbed my notebook writing everything down quickly, I look to Mr. Lucem. "I say we get going, don't you agree Sir?"

"Yes I do ma'am" He turned to the stallions "Thanks for your time". He turned back to me followed as I walked. I take my bags back from him and set them on my back as we got to the exit of the alley I look at him. “Interesting development on the case, don’t you suppose.”
"I think I need to lay down" He held his head as every thought passed through it, this to him was an open case, any possibility is unknown, every probability is lost and every impossibility is possibly the most known option.

I nodded. “I will call for a cab.”I look around as a cab went by,I called for it and it stopped. I stroll up to it and gives the driver the address and waits for Mr. Lucem to join me in it.

He walks to her and joins her on it "I hope to dear god that couch is comfy" He muttered to himself.

The cab starts moving and I turn to him as I heard him speak. "Yes the couch is comfy but you can have a bed if you want good sir."

"You said there won't be any since all the others are there" He looked at me clearly confused.

“I said they will be taken if Madam Thursday and Mr. Samual unless they work late but I gave them pretty simple tasks, one of them should be done with them by the time we get there just wait and see Mr. Lucem.” I smiled at him.

He looked at me, confused in movements of emotion, I acted cold when he shows affection but shows happiness when he stays distant, I was more of a mystery than the mystery. The ride continues on and the cat hops out of my bag and rests on my lap. Mr. Lucem smiles, for some reason he was happy bringing the cat, she was more help than anything. I smile at the cat, thinking how much of a help she was even if it was just getting my things out of my bag. I found it funny how she seemed to know what I needed. The cab soon stops in front of the agency, I pay the driver as the cat hops off my lap and runs outside by the doors where the bowl of food and milk were. Mr. Lucem gets out the cab and levitate the bowls inside with the cat smiling down at her. The cat meows at him. I chuckle as I head inside.

“Madam Thursday? Mr. Samual? We are back.” I called.

Mr. Lucem placed the bowls by the couch and used his magic to fill them with some fish and milk. The cat happily goes over and eats. Madam Thursday walked down from some stairs and smiled. She looked over and saw the cat, her smile got bigger. She pets it as she got to the couch. “Why hello, my little outdoor friend. I see you finally came inside.”

“You know this cat?” I ask.

She nodded. “Yes a few weeks ago it started to show up, so I left some food out and hoped to have it come inside one day. How was the interviews? Are you both hungry? I have some left overs in the fridge if you would like some.”

My assistant shook his head and sat by the cat, petting her as she ate and smiled down at her "I’m okay."

“I’m fine as well, the interviews were interesting to say the least.. Do we have any pet shampoo?” I ask as I head to a small closet.

Madam Thursday nods. “Yes. A case involving a missing puppy happened about a week ago. We found it but the poor dear was all muddy so we cleaned it up. It should be in the bathroom.”

I nodded. “Okay. How was your search on information about the Lovedales and the Hoofers.”

“It went well. Would you rather hear it now or after you give the cat a bath?” She asks.

“Go ahead and tell us.” I said coming out of the closet and taking a seat on the couch.

"From what I found the Hoofer family lost several thousands of bits in the stock market so they have severe money troubles at the moment." She responded not missing a beat.

Mr. Lucem thought for a minute as it all clicked together "So...he sold his fiancé to a stallion to be used for Celestia knows what for the money" the words were on his tongue like a foal poison "I hope to go we find her alive and well or HE WILL BURN" His eyes flashed a light gold with a little flame.

I look at him. “We don’t evidence to suggest that. Madam Thursday has there been any transfer of funds to any of the Hoofer accounts?”

She shook her head. “No Miss. Samual said he will be in tomorrow morning. He said he found out a little bit more about the couple’s relationship. I’m going to head home if you don’t mind.”

I nodded to her. “Go ahead, you deserve the rest. Thank you for the help.”

“It was my pleasure. Goodbye Miss, goodbye Lucem, goodbye kitty.” She said as she headed out the door.

Mr. Lucem looked to her leaving "Bye miss!" he shouted to her and stood up stretching his back letting go of the tension that was in there "I need rest..." He shook his head, trying to keep his eyes open.

I pick up the cat seeing that she had finished eating. “You get some rest, just go upstairs and pick one of the rooms. I’m going to give the cat a bath.”
He nods and starts up the stairs. I smile and head to the bathroom to give the cat a bath. After a few minutes, I finish giving the cat a bath and soon headed to one of the rooms upstairs. I go to the room seeing it was empty and get on the bed, curled up under the covers and fall asleep. The cat followed me onto the bed and snuggled with me as I slept. I wake up the next morning and me and the cat hop out of bed. I go down the stairs and I noticed the couch looked slept in. I hear the sound of chatting in the kitchen and see Mr. Samual had made breakfast which was a bowl of fruit, tea, and coffee. Madam Thursday and Mr. Lucem were there too. I walk in. “Morning everypony.”

"Morning" Mr. Lucem shook his head, his mane falling in place in front of his face as he sipped at his coffee.

"Why did you sleep on the couch Mr. Lucem?" I ask as I sit down. "Thank you for breakfast Mr. Samual."

He smiles. "No problem. Enjoy you got fruit and tea with cream and sugar."

"...Nightmares" My assistant said it with distaste and a little pain as he stared at the cover on the window, he had made. It was a the woods with birds and animals, finding relaxation in the picture as well as peace and serenity.

"I'm sorry to hear that." I drank some of my tea. The cat jumped on the table. I look at it as I thought of a name. "Nancy down." She nods and gets off the table. I set my tea cup down. "So what did you find out about the case?"

"I interviewed some of the guests. They said that it seemed like Harp Lovedale and Copper Hoofer were really close. " Mr. Samual said.

"I found out that the missing pony had written a will leaving everything to her fiance a few days before she disappeared. " Madam Thursday replied.

Hearing that my assistant spit up his coffee making it cover the table. "What the buck...?"I noticed him as he thought on it even more while cleaning the table.

“Thats what I thought.” Madam Thursday said with a nod.

Mr. Samual drinks his coffee. “I guess Copper Hoofer is your prime suspect.”

I nodded. “That’s what it seems to be. It’s interesting to see how so far everything is pointing to this suspect. Tell me about Miss Lovedale’s personal life.”

“She was sociable, a great musician, her friends said she couldn’t dance well.” Mr. Samual says as he gets his notes.

“Hmm..couldn’t dance well.” I muttered to myself as the phone rang from the office. Madam Thursday went to get it.

"So we know he most likely manipulated her to get the money but how did he dispose of her..." Mr. Lucem said as his mind went to dark places on what could and might have happened.

Madam Thursday came back moments later with a sad look on her face, she had heard what Mr. Lucem had said and looked at him. “Funny thing was according who I talked to she was with her older sister.” She turned to me. “You remember that old classmate of ours the one who now works at the police station. He called to tell me to tell you to go down to this one diner, its call Crown Diner. There is a crime scene you need to see.”

I nod and take a bite of my fruit. “Alright we will be down there.”

"Why do i get a feeling that that will correspond with what i just said..." Mr. Lucem said looking extremely troubled.

I get up and look at him. “Because it probably did. The only ponies who know I’m in town are the ones who know I’m working this case. Let me grab my bags and lets be off good sir.” I walk out of the door with Nancy the cat behind me.

"Lucem!" he shouts to me as I walk away. "I hate being called sir in any form, it just angers me" He was talking to no one yet everyone as he sipped his coffee, letting the cover over the window fall showing the outer world of the crowded streets again.

I go and grab my bags from my room. I make sure I have everything I would need, I placed a few evidence collection bags in there that I had gotten from a pony who works in the labs and I look at Nancy. “You wanna come with don’t you?” Nancy meowed and shook her head. I pet her head gently and nodded. “Okay, when I get back you will have a new collar and tag so you will be officially mine.” I smile and head downstairs with my bags in tow, I walk in hearing my old partners laughing.

I look at them all. "I'm ready to go. Mr. Lucem remind me before we get home to go to the pet store."

. He looks up "You just listened in on us, waited for the right time then walked in didn’t you" he had a cocky grin and was smiling as he stood.
I shook my head. “No, why in the world would you say that?”

He deadpans at her and shakes his head following her "Nothing Miss. Mare"

“Bye guys good luck.” Mr. Samual said as him and Madam Thursday watched us leave. Nancy was sitting by them.

I walk out of the building thinking about what we will see at the crime scene. I wondered if I would be seeing any old acquaintances from school or past cases. I decided to not take a cab since the diner wasn’t that long of a walk from the agency.

"She said one diner, how do we know which one it is, there must be hundreds here" Mr. Lucem asked looking confused.

“I memorized every map of the city, I know where it is." I answered as I continued walking.

He looks around at the passing alleys."But she didn’t say the name, how do we know we are going to the right one..."

I look at him confused. "Madam Thursday did say the name. Its called Crown Diner."

"I didn’t get enough sleep last night" he simply stated it and found that the ground looked even more interesting than the city.

I nodded figuring that was a logical conclusion for not hearing the name of the diner. After a few minutes we could see a group of ponies standing behind a yellow police tape area. There was also a few white and black police carts with a red and blue blinking light. I recognize several of the ponies working the scene and was ready to speak with them as I got out my notebook. A yellow stallion with a black mane and wearing a police uniform notices me and starts walking toward us. "If it isnt the daughter of the famous private eye Wargrave, Mystery Mare what are you doing here? I thought you were running a detective agency in Ponyville."

I look at him. "Hello Captain Barret, do I need to remind you not to call me Mystery. Please its Miss Mare. I'm here because I was informed by one of your colleges about this crime scene."

"So friends can’t call you by your first name, or is your first name a mystery so you call yourself Mystery Mare because you forgot it..."Mr. Lucem said not even listening, too busy watching the scenery, he hadn’t even noticed he had talked as he jotted down possible ways the attacker could have escaped. The places around the diner looked pretty busy even at night these places would certainly be busy and there was always carts rolling down the street.

I ignore him and look back at the captain. "This is my assistant Mr Lucem."

Captain Barret nods. "Nice to meet you."

I turn my attention to the scene noticing right in front of the entrance to the diner there was a sheet covering the body. I found it strange how nopony could notice this happen. My assistant turns back and looks at the Captain "And your name is? And don’t say any rank, sirs or mr.’s, I mean full name" he said all that smiling.

“I’m Duty Barret.” He answered.

"Okay Duty, explain the situation if you will" He looked down at the covered body, no blood surrounded it which was strange. I crossed the police tape to get a closer look as they spoke.

“Victim is Harp Lovedale, not sure how long she has been dead, we believe this is a dump site and it appears she was stored somewhere cold like a freezer” The captain answered noticing that I had crossed the tape. “Don’t compromise my crime scene. “ I ignored him as he talked, slowly removing the sheet.

Mr. Lucem just look at the captain "Did you really expect her to stop? I mean really" He just shook his head and followed me, looking at the lifeless body. As I remove the sheet I see the pink unicorn mare with the dark green and reddish brownish mane. I pull down the sheet more seeing she was missing a gold bracelet with a green gem. I think of the one Mr. Lucem found earlier.

“Definitely a body dump but it looks like somepony way careful on how they placed her. “ I said quietly.

He didn’t hear as I noticed her body was mark free, which means she was either strangled or drowned as her body also looked much more pale making the drowned theory much more believable "Notice how there aren’t any marks on her body" he told me, pointing around her body and how no marks were visible.

“Possibly drowned. We would need the M.E.’s report once they do the autopsy. Captain sir do you think we could have the report once you get it?” I ask.

He nods. “I will cooperate with you on this Miss Mare but you have to tell me all your findings.”

“That can be arrange.” I said and turned to my assistant. “Remember the bracelet you found in the Lovedale residence? It seems like she is missing one. I wonder why the killer chose to dump her here.”

"I don’t know, most likely to make it public...or to distract us from a real plan, make us go somewhere that is idiotic so he can do something else while we are away but I choose the former to the latter" He nodded and looked to the body, she was a cute mare, Sad to see her like this, he thought.

I nodded as I see the medical examiner walk over with a gurney. “We better let the M.E. take the body.”
"Yeah, I know" He nods "So our leads point to her fiance" he looked to me. "What do we do to find out the truth?"

“We interview our suspects again later but I would like to go inside the diner. If the killer wanted to make this murder public why not leave it in front of something more famous and why freeze the body if you just want it to be found.” I said as the M.E. took the body away on the gurney.

He thought on it and looked at the body "What if the mare at the party was a changeling, and she was killed before but froze to keep her body from rotting?" He looked to the body "This murder could have been done months before but then the question is...why?" He followed me inside.

I shook my head as I walked inside. The diner had a checkerboard floor and several round wooden tables, black booths and it had several pictures black and white pictures on the wall of well known ponies in the city. I look and see my picture on it, I was sitting at a table with my father and my older brother, we all wore party hats as we were celebrating my birthday that day. I look at Mr. Lucem. “I believe all the changelings fled after Princess Cadance and Shining Armor used the power of love to defeat them. But we will see how long the body could have been frozen once we get the report in.”

He looks to the picture "Cute filly" he said smiling at my younger self’s happy face "How old were you on that day?" he said turning back to her then looking over the diner and seeing a small trail of hoofs made by mud.

“I was like 8.” I look over to the trail of hooves. “Judging by the size it’s a mare’s print,”
He nodded "Sister?" he looked to me. "Her Fiancé whose name I can't remember might be having an affair with her sister"

“His name is Copper Hoofer, that is possible but..” I point to two separate pictures. The both had Mr. Copper Hoofer with one of the Lovedale sisters and both pictures clearly looked like a date was happening. “The picture of Mr. Copper with the elder Lovedale sister is older. I can tell because the dish they are having isn’t on the menu any more.” I look at him as in my head the pieces started to fit together. “We need to get a warrant for the Lovedale mansion.”

He nodded and looked to the door, ready to leave "So he was here before with her sister" he said more of a matter of fact as he then stared at the photo "Its all coming together".

I nodded as I headed out the door. “It is.” I think about everything that I seen and what I learned from questioning the suspects and what Mr. Samual and Madam Thursday told us. I look at Captain Barrret. “Captain Sir. We need a warrant.”

He crossed his arms. “On what grounds and who for?”

"The Lovedale mansion and Mr. Copper Hoofer with the Lovedale sister" Mr. Lucem said following me out and smiling to the stallion.

“You're telling me that just after we found the body of Harp Lovedale, that you already know the motive and killer?” The captain said looking at me.

“I’m sure on a few things but we need the warrant to draw up the final clues and to make sure I’m right on this.” I said.

“You know last time you said that to me, the clues you found pointed to me in the death of a judge.” He replied.

I nodded remembering the case well. “Yes, but I later proved your innocence.”

He smiled watching them bicker "I think she's right, I've watched everything and seen all the clues" He began walking by them and sat down.

The captain rolled his eyes. “I’ll try to get it for you. “

My assistant nodded and followed me. "So to the mansion?" he said looking at me.

“Yes. Let us be off.” I said. He nods and calls a cab by whistling it, when it stopped he got in and held a hoof to me, ready to help me in. I take his hoof and get in, he nods to her and tells the driver to go to the Lovedale mansion. The driver heads off and I review my notes.

I look to her and smiles "So, tell me about your childhood”

"I thought I told you about it?" I replied

"Not all of it, you didn’t tell me about your father or brother" he looked closer to her.

“There not much to tell about my father. He was a private eye when I was a filly, when ever he was on a case out of town I was always at a relative’s house with my brother. As for my brother I don’t talk about him.” I responded a little cold once I mentioned my brother. I never like talking about my family. It was always just the three of us as long as I could remember, I place my notes back in my bag and look out the window. The driver soon stopped when we arrived at the house and I got out.Mr. Lucem gets out and keeps to himself as he walked to the house, awaiting for me at the door as he simply sits and waits.

I soon get to the door. “Its best if we don’t tell them we suspect anything until we get the warrant.”
He slightly nods and knocks on the door with his right hoof "I know, im not an idiot"

“I didn’t call you an idiot, did I? “ I smirked. “It is your first case, I’m just letting you know.” The door opens as the butler answered.

“Why hello Miss Mare, here for more questions?” He asks.

I nodded. “Yes may we come in.”

He nods and allows us to come in. Mr. Lucem looks at us and follows me in "Yea but I don’t need my hoof held through this...I am thankful though but all the coldness is hurting me..."

I sigh. “I’m sorry.”

“Dont be, just simply tell me when im out of line" He smiled slightly, the apology was meant and not a lie.

I smile slightly as we got lead to the parlor room like the last time we were there yesterday. “I will try but its not how I am sir.”

"All you are and ever will be is a mystery so no problem" He said sitting down, he didn’t think on what he said he just said it. I nodded and sat down next to him as the butler went to get Miss Two-step Lovedale and Mr. Copper Hoofer. Mr. Lucem awaited their arrival but I noticed he liked the time alone with me as he tried to figure me out, I was often told that I was a mystery that was in a riddle.

I look around noticing that the decorations that were up yesterday were down. “I guess the cleaning crew has been at it.”

He noticed a few boxes in the corner as well and pointed them out "Do...do they say moving on them?" he said looking closer.

I go over to the boxes. “Yes they do, these look to be some clothes.”

Miss Two-step entered. “Did you find anything out?”

Mr. Lucem looked up and smiled a grim smile, I knew it was fake but we both believed that Miss Two-step wouldn't know that as he acted "Yes, would you mind sitting, where is Copper Hoofer?"

She sits down. “He is on his way. He was helping me clean out the attic, did you find my sister? Is she alright?”

I take a seat and got a handkerchief ready for the water works. “We will wait to discuss this when he gets here.”
Mr. Copper soon came down after several minutes. He set down a box, next to the others. "Nice to see you all again. Do you have news about my Harp?"

"Please have a seat." I said. I noticed as when Mr. Copper sat down my assistant tapped his nose but to them it looked like he was wiping it. I knew he was telling me to use my nose.I smelled the air and there was a certain smell on them but it mainly came from Two-Step. I look at the two. "Im sorry to tell you this but Harp Lovedale was found dead this morning." They both had tears in their eyes as they heard me spoke.

We almost believed the show they were putting on, but the evidence we found out pointed against it, but I noticed that Mr. Lucem was ready to give them the benefit of the doubt "We are sorry to give you this information and wish it was a better time or better things to say" he said it with a calmness that spoke volumes.

“Blacktip did it. I’m sure.” Miss Two-step said as tears ran down her face.

I handed her a handkerchief. “We really are sorry to deliver the news but we aren't sure who yet. The medical examiner will be doing the autopsy, hopefully we will find her killer. “

Mr. Lucem decided to put them on edge, try and push them to their point of nervousness "But we have an idea, we found a bracelet on her hoof that didn't belong to her" When she walked in he noticed she was missing one and played that in as a factor.

“What.” Mr. Copper said sounding surprised.

“Oh really.” Miss Two-step said not sounding nervous.

"We found a weird bracelet on her, kind of looked...familiar" He pretended to think on it. I knew the fact was that Harp’s body was missing a bracelet and just listened as he spoke.

“Are you sure it wasn’t one of Harp’s. She always wore four gold bracelets with a green gem.” Miss Two-step said.

“No, we found one on her body, but it wasn't hers, it had a different magical...aura" His first try failed, but he wouldn't stop.

“So it could have come from the killer?” Mr. Copper Hoofer asked. “If it is couldn’t you use it to find the killer?”

"Thats what we were thinking." Mr. Lucem said turning to me.

I nodded. “It is. May I ask are you moving?”

Miss Two-step shook her head. “No, just using the old boxes to clean up.”

"May I ask how you both met." I lock eyes with them both. My assistant smiling thinking how perfect of a question that was.

"That is none of your business" Miss Two-step said.

"We met years ago. " Was all Mr. Copper said.

Mr. Lucem looked taken aback by that,"Where?" he asked nicely and calmly.

“A club.” The stallion said as there was a knock on the door.

That was ominous "Do you remember the name?" he looked to me so she could tell him what the place was, he didn't know manehatten.

“I don’t remember.” Two-step said as a group of crime scene investigator ponies walked in. Captain Barret showed them the warrant.

"We are here to search the house. Also here is the autopsy report." He said handing me the report.

I smile. "Your team works fast like always."

"For a high profile case we do." He replied.

I nodded and read the report. It said that the time of death was 5 days ago. That means she never was missing but dead when Miss Two-step filed the report. I hand my assistant the report while Miss Two-step was shouting. "Get out of my house. I don't need your men messing it up."

"Messing what up?" Mr. Lucem said back to the mare as he looked over the files and mouthed to me '5 days'.

"I just organized some things." Miss Two-step said. The Captain's men started searching the house.

I nodded and mouthed. "She's been dead since the beginning. "

He nodded again "Let them do their work, now it says here she was dead since you filed the report so she was murdered somewhere near here" he looked back up at them.

Mr. Copper gasps. “What!”

I nodded. “Yes now I will be exploring the house.” I get up and start heading up a giant staircase. I hear Mr. Lucem sighs and he follows me up the staircase, trying so hard to not look up as my flank was in his face everytime he did, when we got to the top he was as red as a tomato. I pretend not to notice as I go to a near room. It was Harp Lovedale’s room, I could tell because of the harp that was in the corner and her name was painted on a wall. I start looking around.

His blush was gone by the time he was in the room and looked around "What should we be looking for?"

“I believe this may be where she could have been murdered.” I knew that in some mansions like this that the bedrooms may have a private bathroom somewhere but this room looked like it had a couple closets. I open a door thinking it to be a closet but instead it was a bathroom that connected to the room next door to this one.

"Who's room is connected to this one?" He asked walking through with me, but the door to the next room was locked with powerful magic "Its locked, someone powerful did it as well and it seems to be setting of a few alarms the closer we get" he said with his horn lit, analysing the spell matrix behind the lock on the door. As he was analyzing it, the door they came in opened revealing one a unicorn who was part of the crime scene technicians.

I look at the new arrival. “Hello.”

She nods. “I was asked by my partner to try to open the door. They are working at it from the other side as we speak.”

“What room is behind it?” I asked.

“Miss Two-step’s room.” She answered.

Mr. Lucem smashed the last spell and the door flew open as he smiled "That spell was easy" he said walking through into the very girly room. The other C.S.I that was working on the door looked stunned as he opened it.

I turn to the unicorn who had come in to do that job. “Well it seems as if my assistant has finished it first.” I walk through the room seeing that there was many dance posters, a giant mirror, and a small shoe rack that held all dancing shoes. I look to Mr. Lucem. “According to when we first interviewed Miss Two-step she said that her and her sister both went to their rooms to fix their hair, they both must have fixed it in the bathroom that connects the rooms.“

He nods knowing I was right, the rooms were connected so if anything happened it was in the bathroom..."We should make the bathroom priority one then" he said with a tone of slight victory.

I nodded and looked at the C.S.I ponies. “Please examine the bathroom and tell me anything you find.” A few nod their heads and head into the bathroom as I start looking around Miss Two-step’s room. I start thinking what I would do if I was in a situation where I was the one who killed somepony and where I would keep my secrets. In my agency back in Ponyville all my secret things are locked in a box in my room so a logical place to check would be in a jewelry box. I hold a handkerchief in my hoof so I wouldn’t get my hoof prints on the box when I found it. I trotted over to a pastel pink vanity and look and see a wooden box, I used my covered hoof to open it and saw it had several letters inside. “I found some love letters, they are about a year old.” I said as I scanned the letters for a moment.

I look over and see that Mr. Lucem thought on where he would hide it, it would be in plain sight where everypony would both miss and see it. He went over to one of the pictures where instead of eyes it was rubies, he shot it with a little of his magic and the wall started to move out the way to show a secret room. He came out of the room and turned to me looking slightly shocked "I found a love shrine to Copper Hoofer" he said, behind him a shrine of picture of Copper in heart frames, several pictures had lipstick kiss marks on them, others had a dampness to them that could only be guessed about but anyone would know what was done to the pictures while she was alone.

I went over and looked and the final pieces have clicked. “Lets go back to the parlor now.” I noticed that my assistant looked scared by the shrine, the smell was musky and perfume was sprayed all over to cover it, it was disgusting and he gagged as he followed me. I had seen far worst of shrines in the past, I just decided not to tell him. I look over to the C.S.Is and told them to bag, tag, and takes pictures, they nodded knowing the drill. I trotted down the stairs and headed to the parlor.

We walk in the parlor like nothing happened and I look over to Captain Barret, Mr. Copper Hoofer and Miss Two-step Lovedale. I could tell that they have been talking but what about, who knows. Mr. Lucem sat on the couch to listen while I cleared my throat as I spoke. “I know what happened.”

Captain Berret raised an eyebrow. “You do? Go on Miss Mare”

I nodded as I started to pace. “It all started after Miss Two-step and Mr. Copper met in a club. From what I seen from a picture in Crown diner you both were in love and that could be seen from the love letters we found but around last year you both broke up. For reasons I’m not sure of, it could be because you fell out of love or it could be that Mr. Copper had found a better companion in you if I say more attractive sister.”

Miss Two-step interrupted me as she spoke in an insulting tone. “She is not prettier than me. I am the more mature one.”

I look to her as I stopped pacing. “Please shut your mouth Miss, I hate being interrupted when I’m telling what happened”

"After that you went into a dulgence path where you tried to be better than her, this path led to more misery so you decided to the best way to get to somepony’s heart is to destroy the shield, Miss Lovedale...your sister was his shield" My assistant said pointing to Copper and smiled, nodding back to me.

I nodded to Mr. Lucem and restarted my pacing back and forth. “Exactly. That misery lead you to become obsessed with Mr. Copper, leading you to save all the old love letters he wrote you and much more. Then came around the time when he proposed to your sister, that broke you. It snapped the final threads of your insanity and lead you to plan her murder. I believe you never planned to do it the night of the party but later since you went with her to form a will leaving everything to her fiance. You were probably planning on letting him take the blame, now back to the night she was killed, perhaps you both were chatting as you fixed your manes and you filled up the tub so you could wash yours, she probably said how Mr. Copper was the apple of her eye and maybe you said that he should be yours. That caused you both to fight where you drowned her in the tub.”

Mr. Copper looked pale and turned to Miss Two-step, he was lost for words. I watch the interaction go down and kept on talking. “Seeing as this is an old mansion there may be secret rooms like the one your shrine was in and also could be secret passages like one leading to the freezer in the house. You stash the body there and locked the door, you waited a few days probably telling everypony she was with her soon to be husband and once he finally said that he didn’t know where she was, you filed the police report. Once they were stumped you decided to file a report with 22 Ponystreet detective agency but requested for me, that is one of your mistakes.” I said taking a pause.

Miss Two-step slowly got up saying nothing at first before she finally spoke. “I do not need to hear such things.” Captain Barret made her sit back down.

"But the first time we came here when we walked in there was no braclet in the hallway, not one as i walked it and yet when walking out-" Mr. Lucem levitated a small bracelet out of my saddlebags "-I found this in there, now I’m willing to be this case that if i go into that hallway i will find a secret door that leads to a freezer and a passageway out of town, thats why her body was so far away because it led there, why there?" he smiled "This house was built in the griffon wars, it was an escape route you used to hide the body in the diner, it wasn't public it was just the nearest thing you could do, now back to it, I’m sure that when we started asking questions and you left the room on that first day you checked on the door and it fell out, you didn't notice but...I did” He had a cocky grin as his magic started and a door opened by the staircase, showing everything he said.

I look to my assistant. "How did you know that it was built during the griffon wars?"
He pointed above the fireplace where a seal of a hoof and a claw held up a book "That seal was before the wars, its changed to just a book now but before the wars that was the seal, so its easy to assume that the room would point due west, away from the front lines of the city, away from attack" He smiled as his history paid off.

I had a shocked look on my face. “How could I have missed that. Anyway let me continue. I believe that you left the body of your sister there not because it was convenient but because you probably both went there for a first date. That can be shown because of the pictures that are hanging on the wall. Now as my assistant said, the lost bracelet was another mistake. So while we spoke you tried to get us off your track by telling us about your sister’s ex and of course everypony can believe that the ex did it when you don’t have all the facts now, Miss Two-step tell me, have we done so far?” I smirked.

She looked at us. “How did you know.”

“Elementary.” I said with a slight chuckle. “When we went to speak with Mr. Blacktip he lead us to some stallions who Mr. Copper owed money to. They said that his mare friend lived in this mansion and she was an excellent dancer, that was the main clue that pointed to you since from what my ex-partner Mr. Samual said that he found out that your sister can’t dance. “

Mr. Lucem looks at me. "Thats not your catchphrase, get one thats not taken by a pony in a book"He sighed laughing, "All in all Miss Lovedale,since you will be heading to prison, you won’t be getting any of your sisters things and because you made her write a will to make it seem like Copper Hoofer had a motive to kill her, he gets all her stuff. Mr Copper, welcome to your new house" He said happily but also sad.

Captain Barret slaps hoof cuffs on her and was about to lead her out of the room but I stop him. “Answer my question, why hire me?”

Miss Two-step looked at me dead in the eye. “I figured you wouldn’t suspect me Miss Mare, I put on quite the act, didn’t I? Also I choice for you to come here and try to solve it cause Lovedales hire the best. I figured you would give up and quit.”

I did a small nod. “Well you should know that.No mystery can stop this mare and I mean it. Captain, take her away and call me whenever the trial is."

Captain Barret nods. “Ok Miss Mare, make sure you give all the info you have to my guys.” I nod and he leaves.

Mr. Copper Hoofer looked very pale as he stared at the ground still a lost for words. Mr Lucem walked to him and helped him up walking him to the police. "Take this stallion to a psychiatrist"The police personal nodded and they walk with Mr. Copper out of the house.
He turned back and looking at the open door in the hall, walking down it he found what he said, a freezer and a path leading away from the house. I followed Mr. Lucem down to the hall and look around. "You were correct sir. Looks like we solved the case." He nodded smiling and turned, walking out of the room as I notice him smile even brighter, I could tell he was proud of himself as he had done his first case and it was solved relatively quickly and in pace I join him as he decided to just sit and stare at the seal above the fireplace.