Taking the Case in Hand

by IGIBAB

Chapter 2 - The First Crime of the Decade

"The body was found half an hour ago," states the intern. "The cause of death appears to be asphyxia following strangulation done by a rope, or a similar object, absent from the scene of the crime."

The place reeks of burning. So, that smell was coming from there. The poor baker is lying in front of his oven, the classical look of surprise and fear on his face. He didn't see his death come. Poor him.

"Where is his wife?" I say. "And his children?"

"Mrs. Cakes is, apparently, gone for a delivery in Canterlot today and the foals are sleeping upstairs. We'll have to wait for the autopsy results, but the death probably occurred during the afternoon."

"Around two hours ago."

The intern looks at me, surprised. I explain myself, tired of noting that no one here knows this.

"What he was cooking requires lowering the temperature at the end. Judging by the thermostat, he got to the end, and seeing the carbonisation of his dish, and the smell that reigns in town, it's been two hours since the baking should have ended. Furthermore, he was in front of his oven, so he was waiting for something. Either he had just set the thermostat, or he was readying himself to get the dish out."

It's the first murder in Ponyville in years. It's troubling and worrying. But beyond that, this crime affects me. The best baker in all of Equestria. Maybe a crime done by the concurrence then? A first lead.

And those idiots looking at me, impressed. Those are our town's forces of law. Police chief Whooves must have had a field day, sending so many agents and going so far as to find the only private in town. The one time that something's happening, it's not surprising that he wants to overdo things.

Only Lyra, to whom I deliberately turn my back to, isn't looking at me with astonishment. From what I know, she's not fixating me, but I sometimes feel her glancing at me, for a brief second.

One of the officers sighs.

"If only his wife had been there, maybe then..."

"Maybe there would be two corpses instead of one, think a bit about what you're saying."

I'm most likely a bit too harsh to cut him like this, but that kind of dubious supposition on a past event gets on my nerves. The things that count are facts, not what could have been.

"From what we know, their store employed two interns," explains Lyra. "We're going to verify their alibi."

I examine the scene, getting to the counter to spot any traces of clues.

Some candies in a pretty basket made out of wicker, various pastries in the window display. I open the cash register. Full. Robbery is not the motive then. Yet, a detail gets my attention. Amongst the bits, a small candy, similar to the ones in the basket, is abnormally present.

I invite Lyra to get closer with a nod, so that she can take it without damaging the potential imprints. She complies without having the courage to catch my eyes and I soon turn them away to go to the body, which they are finally done examining.

Mr. Cakes. He clearly shows signs of suffocation: his eyes are red with blood, a thin mark of what's been used to strangle him can be seen on his neck. The thing was as thick as a hair. Maybe a nylon string, or a fishing one, and it was tightened with such strength that the flesh has been cut a little. His assassin really had something against that good and simple baker...

But strangely, there are numerous marks. The string must have slipped a few times before managing to choke him. He fought back, even though he seems to have been caught by surprise. Someone even remotely talented would have had him on the first try, judging by the strength deployed. But here, it's almost like the aggressor hesitated about just doing it right away. Remorse? The other lines aren't really deep...

"So," says Lyra while turning to her subordinates, "you, you go get some reinforcement to evacuate the body. You, you stay here and I am going to question the interns."

"I will accompany you."

Lyra stops as she is walking towards the exit. Visibly, she doesn't like my formal tone, and it's the point actually.

"If it doesn't bother you," I add.

"No," she finally answers without even looking back, with a formal tone as well. "It's fine, you can come."

She walks towards the door and goes out, letting in a sudden brouhaha that was in the background since earlier on. A crowd of onlookers is gathered in front of the store.

And in the meantime, getting out of the population, she's making her way towards us.

"Princess," we say while bowing in front of Twilight Sparkle.

"Tell me what's happening," she says, worried, "I'm hearing all kinds of stories, some even talk about a murder."

She takes it for a rumor. And it's better to not divulge it in front of that whispering gathering.

But our silence is worth all the answers in the world. Her face obscures, hurt by this atrocious news in her oh so sympathetic town. How I get what she's feeling.

"We're going to get the interns."

Without any other formality, Lyra passes in front of the princess, with me in her steps, and we abandon her to her distress, before seeing her go into the store.

As the crowd moves out of the way, at the same time, it opens on a turquoise mare pulling on an empty cart. A few seconds ago, she had an intrigued smile looking at all the crowd in front of her house. But now, she lost it very quickly when seeing us and our grave and bitter look, Lyra's uniform completing the picture.

Now, she's horrified, and if Lyra dares to give her a compassionate look, as for me, I don't have the courage to even look at her.

She leaves her cart without a care in the world and throws herself into the crowd, pushing aside anyone that stands between her and her house, fear on her face.

"Let's go away," I say as I start to walk again, "Quick. The night is going to fall soon."

I don't like crying scenes...

Author's Note:

A loss isn't unique, or shared. It's always more than that.

Chapters are all less than 3k words.
See you next saturday.

Comments

[MatTheBook]

.............

Where's Pinkie....