Tragedy has hit Canterlot. There has been a murder, and the victim was Sunset Shimmer. It's up to Lieutenant Columbo to find the culprit before it is to late.
Rarity has seen better days. She has just returned from a business trip in Trottingham, where the news reached her that her fiancé Sunset Shimmer had been killed during a robbery gone wrong. It's understandable that she's feeling a bit rough.
But as she's trying to deal with her sorrow and the aftermath of the tragedy, she keeps running into the same police officer over and over again, at the most strange occasions. And there is always just one more thing he needs to ask her about...
Sunset Shimmer’s heels clicked against the asphalt as she left the number 33 on Leek Street. Time was just a little before 7 p.. but it was already rather dark, as her afternoon visit had lasted longer than she had expected. It hadn’t been pleasant, but it had to be done. She bit her lip. Yes, it had to be done. She began to walk faster, she wanted to get home as soon as possible. She wanted to call Rarity and tell her. But she didn’t want to use her cell, the evening was too windy. And she was rather upset as well, she needed to calm down.
Perhaps it was a bad idea to call Rarity. This was something that was much better to deal with face to face. Just like she had done with Twilight just this evening. Get everything sorted out, get clean… and move on. She sighed, and she had to stop for a moment to catch her breath.
“Relations…” she muttered to herself. “Sometimes I wish I had kept my old ways. Things were so much easier when everyone feared me.” She shook her head. That was a stupid thought, and she knew it! She had a better life know! Divide and rule was not her way, not anymore. Not for a long time. Canterlot high was a thing of the past. Equestria… lay where it lay. Sunset forced her thoughts back on today's issue. It was hard. She had made a mistake, but it looked like it would work out. She had talked with Twilight. And things were good. She hoped. Now all she had to do was talk with Rarity. It would end up well, she was sure. Her phone made a sound, she had a message. Actually, a few.. She took the phone up. Rarity. Twilight. AJ. Dash. Huh. She was popular. But she didn’t want to read them now and she began to put her phone back into her pocket. She had walked past an old warehouse and was now standing outside a low-level office block. She could see the bus stop a few hundred meters ahead of her. Soon... She kept struggling with her phone. The pocket wasn't cooperating, and she had to stop to figure it out.
It was in that moment, a dark figure appeared next to her. A short person, wearing dark clothes and a hoodie.
“‘Scuse me…” they muttered.
“I don’t give money to strangers that scare me,” Sunset replied.
“Oh yeah? We’ll see ‘bout that!” The figure produced a gun from their pockets. Sunset froze. “Hands up! Now hand it over!”
“I don’t have anything!”
“You have the cell, right?”
“Y-yes.” Sunset automatically turned her head to look at her phone in her right hand, as she held it over her head. Silly, but who knew how one would react during a robbery? The robber signed for her to lower her hands.
“Does it have a screen lock?”
“Wha...yes.”
“Unlock it.”
“What?”
“UNLOCK IT I SAID! And take your gloves off!”
Sunset obeyed, and handed the phone to her mugger. Damn it! Of all the times to get mugged... But she had to stay calm, if she wasn’t careful she could end up shot and… it was safe to say, she didn’t want that. The mugger was looking down on the screen, like they were...texting? Then they handed it back. “Now put it in your pocket.”
“You're no robber! What is this?” Sunset couldn't help herself, she had to ask the question.
“What do you think it is?” The figure took of their hoodie to reveal their face. Sunset stared at them in shock. “Oh no...Oh no. No please...No...”
“Oh yes.” the figure replied. And then they fired.
I found myself in the thick of it from the beginning. It was a most unpleasant way to begin such an affair, but I suppose these kind of affairs are unpleasant by default. I had been away to Trottingham for business a few days, and had just gotten off the train when it hit me. Canterlot Evening News had had a bit of a dry spell, and the robbery and murder of Sunset was god-sent headline material.
UNIVERSITY STUDENT VICTIM OF CRIMINAL MADMAN screamed at me from the newsstand. 23 YEAR OLD STAR STUDENT SHOT! READ MORE ON PAGE 7, 8,9,10, 13, and 15. It wasn’t news to me, of course. They had indeed called me to inform me about the event the day before so it wasn’t THAT kind of shock. But I won’t deny it was very unpleasant. Only yesterday evening she had texted me and just hours later… Maybe even moments… I shook my head. Duty called. I had hardly time to get back to my apartment to leave my bags. I had been summoned down to the mortuary for identification as soon as I could possibly be there.
And here I was now. It looked just like on TV. I suppose that was something they got right.. I must admit I was prepared for something much worse, but it was actually much easier than I anticipated. She looked like she was… Not like she was sleeping, no. She slept all over the bed, limbs in all directions at once, and with her mouth wide open.
She looked peaceful. I guess that was something. The best we can hope for, I guess.
I didn’t cry when the cover was folded down so I could see her face. I quickly confirmed it was indeed Sunset Shimmer that was the body in question, and left. However, before I could return home, I had to make a visit to the police station and sign my testimony. The officer that had escorted me had forgotten his papers at his office and as I wanted to get it over with, I decided to follow him at once. It was brief thing anyway, I just had to show my I.D and sign a paper. And then I could leave.
Or at least that was what I thought. As I made my way to the exit, a small, shabby looking man wearing the dirtiest overcoat I had ever seen approached me.
“I’m terribly sorry for your loss, Miss Belle” he said. He spoke with a low voice, almost mumbling. “I understand how hard this must be for you, as someone with such a close connection to the victim. But I just wanted to say thank you for your help. It’s really appreciated when we can get a quick identification.”
So, he was someone who was somewhat connected to the police? I eyed him from head to toe. He sure didn’t look like someone who knew the law. Dark, messy hair, wrinkles... smelled of something... I tried to be polite at least. “It’s my duty, isn’t it? And excuse me for asking, but who are you?”
“Uh?” He looked up at me. His eyes pointed in different directions… Was he by chance related to Derpy somehow? “Oh, I’m sorry! Lieutenant Columbo. LAPD, homicide.”
I had to admit I raised an eyebrow at that. “LAPD? That’s some distance from Canterlot.”
“Oh yes. But you see, I am here as… I’m here to perform a few lectures about ‘the psychology of the culprit’. Well, it’s not really me… We have a profiler at the precinct that has a book written, but they wanted me to join her to give some… ‘hard-based’ background I guess. Oh, and I also took the opportunity to visit my niece. Uhm… A Derp… Mrs Hooves? Maybe you know her, she’s probably your age.”
I smiled on the inside. “Oh, I know Derpy. And it figures that you two are related. Well, Lieutenant, if you don’t mind…”
He moved out of my way and looked like he was excusing himself for existing. “Oh! Oh yes, I am so sorry. It wasn’t my plan to disturb you, I just wanted to… Kindness takes you far, you see.”
I smiled. “Yes. Thank you, Lieutenant. Please give my regards to Derpy and her husband. And little Dinky as well.”
“Oh I will! I will.”
I was almost out the door when he called on me again. “Just one thing, Miss Belle… If I could just ask you… You were the victims girlfriend, correct?”
“Fiancee. But we didn’t have a date fixed.”
“Oh! So, it was rather fresh?”
“No, we have been engaged for two years. She… Well, I have my little boutique and she is...was doing her last year at uni. We didn’t have much money after she bought me the ring so we said we’d wait with the actual wows until we could afford… a real wedding.”
“Oh, you’re talking just like my wife! Said she wanted the whole shebang, church, ceremony, reception, party… When I said we could just do it at the mayor's office and have a burger on the way home. Ah well… the things you do for your wife. I suppose you understand how that is, Miss Belle? Oh sorry… Here I am again. Walking all over your feelings. I am sorry. I will not disturb you anymore.”
“It’s… quite alright, Lieutenant. Honestly, I suggested it once, but it was Sunset that insisted. I wouldn’t have gone with the burger though. There’s a lovely little sushi place downtown. It would have suited just fine.”
“Sushi, umm? It’s been a while since I had some good sushi. Could you give me the address?”
I gave him their card, and I must have looked rather surprised, since he explained. “I know. Don’t look the sushi type, right? And a few years back, that would have been right. But last year I had this case… A chef that was… Well, they ran a sushi place and… you have to eat. Anyway, it kind of stuck with me, you know? I kinda like the salty, sweet...You know? Can’t really describe it to someone who doesn’t get it!”
I smiled. “I understand perfectly. And you will enjoy this place very much, I am sure. But if you excuse me… “
Once again he took a step back and held up his hands. “Oh yes! Yes! Don’t let me stop you!”
This time I could leave without trouble. I did not look back at him.
At home, a lovely little flat with two bedrooms, a living room, my workshop, kitchen and a thank-you-Faust large bathroom, I spent the day in front of the computer or on the phone. I had to make arrangements for the funeral, I got condolences from our friends… As I write this, I feel like I was behaving awfully cold, don’t I? But that is how I remember that it felt that day. Numb. And not comfortably. But life goes on. I got a date for the funeral, I found our insurance and to my great relief, it covered the cost. I had also dug up Sunset’s journal to inform the princesses about what had occurred. The journal was soon overflowing with words, they were all so sorry. Of course they were. Unfortunately princess Twilight couldn’t make it over to our world until after the funeral. I told her that was absolutely okay. Royal business is Royal business.
However, my friends came over the same night. We had some wine and shared memories over Sunset. It was a rather good night and we all cried, I remember. Especially Twilight (Not the princess.) I mention this very brief because... Well...
It wasn’t until much later that night, when I was all alone again, that the tears came. The tears, and the anger. You see… up until that moment, I hadn’t really realised what had happened. That she indeed was gone. My Sunset was gone forever. Even if I do swear by Faust, I am not a person of faith. Sunset was dead, and that was it. I would never see her again. For the first time in my life… I wished I could have a different belief. I cried, I cursed the skies, I drank such an amount of liquor… Ehrm. I will draw a veil over that night. Perhaps I shouldn’t be ashamed. I was grieving after all. But since it is I that write this.. I can choose what I want to share.
***
The next day, I was terribly hungover, and decided to take the day off. I called my assistant (Yes, I can afford one) and told her that she could skip to open the store. Instead I wanted her to do an inventory of our storage room, redecorate the show window and then take the rest of the day off if she wanted. Sassy has always been great at doing displays but she so rarely get the chance. My little boutique is quite the buzz right now, you see.
Well, I don’t mean to brag, it is very uncouth for a Lady to brag but… This year had been great. If I had a few more months like this, the wedding would have been paid. The wedding… I went to wardrobe #4 to take out our wedding dresses. Sunset had insisted on tux for her, and she was going to get the jacket, but she would still have to wear a gown. For me… It was a dream in white, light blue, purple and just a hint of pink. Gemstones, silk… It was the ultimate wedding dress. I laid it down on the couch and stared at it with dead eyes. Then I went to the kitchen to get a pair of scissors.
Yes, I was going to do exactly what you think. Because at that moment I felt that... If I couldn't marry Sunset in it, what good was it? But then there was a knock on the door. I had to stop my act of destruction. I hung the dress back and went to open the door. Grieving or not, I had to keep up appearance.
“Lieutenant!” I was honestly surprised. He looked even dirtier than yesterday but I still let him in. “What gives me the honour?”
“Oh, well you see…” He started searching through his pockets and finally produced a lighter. “You see..” Now he realised he had nothing to light. “Oh, where did I put the damn thing… “ He finally found a green cigar somewhere inside the coat. “Oh, mind if I smoke? Old habit.”
I waved it off. “Oh, it’s not a problem. I still have the occasional cigarette when things get stressful around the boutique. I don’t mind the smell of smoke.”
“Thank you!” He lit his cigar and took a few breaths. “So… This is a really nice place you have! You lived here with Miss Shimmer?”
“Yes.” I paused. “I’m sorry Lieutenant, but why are you here? You are from LA, if I remember correctly."
"Oh yes! But well... We old cops... it's like doctors. If we can help... I offered my assistance and they accepted it. They even assigned an officer to help me... He's parking the car right now but..." There was a knock on the door and a young police officer entered. To my surprise, I recognized him. It was Flash Sentry. He looked like I remembered, save for a little five o'clock shade.
"Miss...um"
"Call me Rarity, Flash. No reason to be formal."
"Listen to the Lady, officer."
"Heh." He smiled awkwardly. "Okay. Rarity."
"So, why are you two gentlemen here?"
“Oh! Yes, you see… There is something that bothers me about this murder of your fiancee…”
I raised an eyebrow. “Murder? Wasn’t it a robbery gone wrong?”
“To the law, killing someone wilfully is still murder, Miss Belle! But I understand you. Most people think that murder, means that you planned it and that you had a reason to kill. But that is what you get when all your intel comes from made up stories.” He paused. “Do you like to read detective novels?”
I wasn’t prepared for that question, and stammered. “W-wha… Uh… Y-yes...occasionally?”
“What’s your favourite? I myself like the classics… Christie, Chesterton… I tell you, “And Then There Were None” is a Masterpiece! Or what do you say, officer?"
"Bit of a Tom Clancy - Fanboy, sir. But I like Philip Marlowe."
"Good choice! And you, Miss?"
“Well… I enjoy Shadow Spade.”
“Oh! A fellow hard boiled fan, like officer Sentry? Well, can’t blame you. She’s good too. But…”
“Lieutenant, I thought you said you disliked crime fiction?”
“Oh, Miss, there is a difference! Even if they have no clue about actual police work, they are still enjoyable! The atmosphere, you know? Besides, even a policeman can dream. About things being as easy to prove like they are in the books.”
I blinked. What a strange man he was… “Did you come here to talk about books? In that case, perhaps you want some coffee? I was just going to make some. I am a bit… under the weather today.”
“Thank you, coffee would be great! You see, my niece… Faust bless her, she is so kind and helpful, but she can’t make coffee, not by far! And her husband, the doctor is even worse! Fascinating man, but no skills in coffee brewing. And little Dinky can't reach the drawers yet. Especially when you want that strong, Scandinavian style coffee!”
I forced a smile to my lips and left for the kitchen. When I returned later with three steaming mugs, I found him looking at the view from our windows. “Impressive!”
Me and Flash shared a look He shrugged his shoulders. I put the mugs down and replied.
“Sunset had a thing for living in tall buildings… She likes to have a view over a wide space.” I paused. “Liked. Sorry.”
He held up his hand in a gesture, “Oh, not at all. It takes time. So, well… the murder. Yes. There is something… you see, nothing was stolen.”
I took a sip. “Well, that happens, doesn’t it? Someone interrupts… Like you hear all the time?”
“Oh yes, that is all too true! But you see… there are these surveillance cameras…”
“Was there a camera there? Where she got shot?”
I couldn’t hold back my excitement. But he shook his head. “Sadly, no. But there was one outside number 39, which she passed. And also one outside number... what was it again?"
"50, sir."
"Thanks! Outside number 50, which she would have passed had she not...stopped." He paused. I couldn't hide my excitement.
“Did you get a good picture of the one that killed Sunset?” I almost shouted it. But once again he shook his head.
“No, unfortunately not. We only saw that a person dressed in black followed your fiance for a while. But we did see them leave. The same way they came, passing that first camera I mentioned. They were walking rather calm, careful to not attract attention.”
I took a sip and leaned back in my chair. “Smart, I suppose.”
“Yes. But the thing that bothers me is this. She was shot outside this office building… uh… I had it written down… Oh yes. Olsen Brothers Inc. Specialises in fertilizer. Anyway, the house was empty. And the same was true with the other buildings around. A few blocks further down there is a passing car… A Toyota. We couldn’t see the plate, but it is unlikely that it passed the scene of the crime. Besides that, there was no one else caught by the cameras until she was found by that Uber driver. Mr… Krayem.”
“So?” I didn’t really follow him.
“So, you suggested someone interrupting them? Who? There was noone there. So what startled the robber?”
“If I had been there, I could have told you. But I was in Trottingham.”
“Ah yes. I have a note about that... Somewhere... " He kept searching his pockets, but didn't find anything. He shrugged his shoulder. "You mentioned to the police that you got a text from her?”
I nodded. “Was it… just minutes before?”
“I am afraid it was. Poor girl… she was probably caught in the act of writing... Anyway, yes. A sudden sound can shock anyone. And perhaps the robber had their nerves on the outside, but… stray cats, for example, don’t make much noise. No, I am pretty sure it wasn't a robbery. She was murdered. The person that followed her was not there to mug her, but to kill her.”
I stared at him, mouth open. He took a sip of his coffee. “Mmm! Great coffee! Thank you, Miss Belle!”
"Yes, thanks Rarity! This is top quality!"
“Oh, you’re welcome… but… but…”
“Yes. Someone was after your fiance's life. And I would like to know who.” He paused. "Well, I suppose we should be going. We have lots of people to talk with..." He finished his mug and stood up. Halfway to the door, her turned around. "Ah. Just one more thing, Miss. Do you happen to have any idea who…”
I saw red. “No! Absolutely not! Sunset didn’t have an enemy in the whole world! How dare you? HOW DARE YOU COME HERE AND… OUT! OUT!”
He held up his hands apologetically. “I’m so sorry, miss! It wasn’t my intention…”
“SCREW YOU INTENTIONS! You have your answer, now GET LOST!”
The lieutenant was soon out of the door. Flash hesitated. "I'm... I'm sorry, Rarity. But..."
I took a deep breath. "It was nice to see you again, Flash. I'm truly sorry. Please send my regards to Sunburst."
He left as well. I never drank my coffee in the end.
This episode occurred two days later. It was my lunch break, and I was alone. The boutique is open between 10 am to 4 pm, but on Wednesdays and Fridays we go on to 6. Usually we have lunch together, except when we close at 6. Then we take turns. I wish she had been there with me. I had barely started to eat when a rather unappetizing sight came before my eyes.
“Lieutenant.” He seemed to be alone. "Where is Officer Sentry?"
“Oh, Miss Belle! Glad I could find you! We have been looking for you all day! We, meaning me and Officer Sentry. He's waiting in the car."
"You were looking for me? Why?"
"Oh, well, you see… I need to apologise! It was wrong of us to just barge in like that.”
I swallowed the bite I had in my mouth. “Apology accepted.” Then I focused on my lunch, all for neigh. He kept talking. Could this man not take a hint? I sighed.
“I see that you are busy. And I don’t want to disturb you, I am waiting for take-away. But there is this little thing…”
I didn’t say anything. Finally he spoke again. “When you have time, could you please come down to the station?”
I looked up. “The station? Why?”
“Welll…” He stroked his chin. Only now did I noticed the rather nice brown suit he wore. Complete with white shirt and black tie. Someone made sure that he kept up some appearance at least. Probably Derpy. I didn’t give many bits for his wife. “ You see… when you have been in the service for as long as I have… You get experienced. And your outburst yesterday… it was too much.”
“To much? Are you judging me on the fact that I let you into my home, offered you coffee and you repay me with…”
“No no!” he interrupted. “I understand you perfectly. But. It was… What is it they say… I read it in a book once. Oh yeah! Methinks the lady protests too much. You see, I think you know someone who could be considered an enemy. I think it’s someone you know rather well. And you can’t bring yourself up to saying it out loud.”
I was silent.
“If you need further conviction, here’s a thought. Do you know how many shots that were fired? Five. Almost a whole magazine. Now, this is just a guess… but even the most nervous mugger wouldn’t use that many bullets. One, perhaps two. But not five. No, there was emotions behind those shots. Someone who knew Miss Shimmer and knew her well. So, if you have ANY hunch...It would be of great help.”
I looked down at my plate. “You’re good, Lieutenant”
“So, I was right, wasn’t I? Take your time. Anything that could help us."
I swallowed. Then I looked him right in the eye. “Twilight Sparkle. A friend from high school. She and Sunset are both enrolled at the university. They don't share classes, since Twilight is a bit of a prodigy and is already working on her doctor’s degree. But she does some teaching work on the side and Sunset had her as a teacher a few times… I had heard some rumours, but I didn't know anything for sure. But that is what I can give you."
He put a hand on my shoulder. “I am sorry to force this out of you. But it is necessary. The investigation you see… Anyway, this confirms what we know.”
I shot him a glance. “What do you know?”
“That the rumours you have heard, unfortunately they were true. They did have a relationship. A sexual one. We have talked to several people on campus and they have confirmed them being... intimate with each other on more than one occasion. And we know from her calendar she was visiting this Miss Sparkle on that very evening she died.
"That can't be! It's the wrong part of town! Twilight lives with her parents!” I ejaculated.
But the Lieutenant shook his head. “She had rented an apartment in that neighbourhood for a few months. It’s closer to the commuter train. Your fiancé knew the address. We found it on her phone as well. We also checked her messages. Oh, and by the way, we need to check your phone.”
“My phone? Why?”
“Because your fiancé's last message was for you. It was a reply to a text from you. We just want to confirm… Thank you.”
I gave him my phone. He looked it over a few minutes, then he gave it back. “Nice model. My niece has the same.”
“It was more than a few times, wasn’t it?” I heard my voice, it was hollow. He was silent, and then it came, slowly.
“It was. They had an affair that lasted a few months. Officer Sentry even found a witness from the university who actually caught them 'in flagranti' once. And we have talked to a few hotel managers..." He paused again. "But three weeks back it stopped… Apparently they had some kind of disagreement. We don't know what it was about for sure, but one can guess. We will talk to Miss Sparkle soon, I can assure you."
"So... they had no contact after that, you say?"
"Miss Shimmer tried to reach out to Miss Sparkle a few times, but the night she was killed was the first time they met in weeks.”
“Oh.”
“I am terribly sorry. I hate to be the one that breaks the news but… Well…”
I rose. “Thank you, Lieutenant. If you don’t mind, I need to relieve my colleague so she can have lunch as well. But hear this! Even if I I had my suspicions that they were more than friends I want you to know that Twilight would NEVER! NEVER! Kill someone! Not even an old lover! Good day! And please don’t disturb me moore!”
I left, leaving half my lunch behind. I wasn’t hungry.
***
“Hello?” The door opened slightly. “Rarity?”
“Hello Twilight. May I come in?”
“Yes of course! Of course! It’s a bit… untidy…”
“It’s okay, darling. I know you. I will be brief.” I took of my coat and sat down on Twilights, rather comfy, but old sofa. I shivered. On this sofa...they had… but I steeled myself. “I know about you and Sunset.” She stared at me. “I am not here to cause a scene. I am not here to hurt you. I just want to know why.”
The poor thing tried to be strong, but she broke down in an instant. She had been so stupid. She had developed a crush on Sunset during high school, but never dared to act on her feelings. And when they had met again…She lost it. I couldn’t help myself for feeling a bit ill. This was so formula one bad romantic cliché. But I kept my composure and listened. Sunset hadn’t told her at first that she and I were an item. This did surprise me a bit that she didn't already know, but then I remembered that Twilight had drifted away from our social circle the last three years focusing on her degree. Maybe it had been mentioned, but on cloud nine you don’t remember the details. Anyway, they had met a few times more, over the following months. But then she had found out about me. And she had been furious with Sunset. I must say I was a bit surprised. Twilight wasn’t someone to lose her temper but apparently even she had some hidden fires.
“I told her, right to her face that she was a jerk, and a huge asshole! I called her brazen, whore...anything! I was feeling betrayed yes, but… interestingly enough… I was more angry on your behalf.”
“Mine?” I looked up from my thoughts.
“Yeah… You were engaged to her! You had a life together! There was so much more at stake for you! Me, all I had was a silly crush! I threw her out, and I didn’t talk to her for weeks.”
Three weeks, according to Lieutenant Columbo, I thought to myself. Loud I said “I’m so sorry, darling.” She smiled. “Finally, she found me at work. She just wanted to see me and apologize. Well… I agreed. And she came. She told me. How she had felt something for me back then but never dared… She gave me that old excuse that the two of you had begun to drift apart, there would probably not be a wedding, yada yada yada. Well, I listened, but then I asked her who she really loved. And she had to admit it was you.”
I stared at Twilight again. “Me? So...she did choose...me?”
Twilight looked down. “Yeah. It made me a bit sad, but… well… what you had was different. It was more important. And even if it made me...I understood her. But I had her PROMISE to go straight home and explain it to you!”
“...You have something to drink? I could use a glass of something right now.”
“Yes, sure. I have some cider.”
“Thanks dear.” She rose and went for her kitchen. “Oh, can I use the bathroom?”
“Eh… I don’t think… No, wait! Sorry! Mr Scourner, I mean the plumber, was here yesterday, I keep forgetting! You go ahead Rarity!”
“Thank you, darling”.
I left her about thirty minutes later. I took an Uber, since I wasn't in a hurry. As I left, she promised to come to the funeral. I smiled and left.
***
The phone rang and woke me up. In surprise, I dropped it on the floor, but luckily it didn’t break and I could answer. It was Fluttershy. The poor girl was in hysterics and it took a while to calm her down. But finally…
“RARITY! IT’S TERRIBLE!” and she started to sob uncontrollably.
“Darling! Calm down! What is terrible!”
“They...They...T-they… THEY HAVE ARRESTED TWILIGHT FOR SUNSET’S MURDER!”
I didn’t listen to the rest. Arrest...Twilight? But how?
The answer came much faster than expected. As I opened the boutique that day, my first customer was a well known figure in a dirty coat. “What is it now Lieutenant? And no Officer Sentry today either?"
“Oh, it's a private matter! Strictly private!I just wanted to visit the boutique. I noticed some rather eye fetching undergarments in the window and I was thinking about buying some for my wife.”
We had a surprisingly pleasant chat after that. To my great surprise, he actually had his wife’s measurements on his phone so I had no trouble making the adjustments. It was a rather nice pair of underwear, in light green satin. They would probably both enjoy it, I thought. But after he paid, it came. As always. “Oh, Miss Rarity. There was this thing…”
“Not, ‘one more thing’ then, Lieutenant?”
He smiled. “I say that a lot, don’t I? Well, the thing is… The reason that we arrested Miss Sparkle was… When we were paying her a visit… we found the gun.”
“The...gun?”
“Yes. The murder weapon. We had it checked, and even if it takes much longer than people think, the preliminary result is solid. This is the right weapon.”
“But?”
He smiled again. “Ah yes. Well, first of all, the clothes. Why would she have kept the gun, but thrown away the clothes?”
“Why are you asking me? You’re the policeman.”
“Oh. Yes, but… well, it is strange. Since she could have made away with it so easy. There’s also the motive. ”
“I’d say she could have a motive.”
“Oh? You do?”
“Yes. They did have an affair. And she felt really hurt and used by Sunset. Even if Twilight is a very calm person… you know… everyone has a breaking point.”
“Oh, you are so right about that! But even so, that doesn’t really make sense.”
“Well, Lieutenant. Perhaps I can tell you something then. You see, I visited her a few days ago. And… she told me all. But I can tell you, She did not put up a calm face or even trying to hide her feelings. In fact, she was furious!”
“Oh?”
“Yes! She was winding up heaven and earth over Sunset’s betrayal. She apparently was more affected than I thought. You see… In the end, Sunset choose me. Sure, Twilight tried to keep a brave face for me, telling me ‘she was okay with Sunset choosing me, because it was right, but… I knew.”
He scratched his chin. “You know, that is VERY interesting information, Miss Belle. It is too bad there are no fingerprints on the gun… Now, the circumstantial chain will probably hold in court, but I have no doubt we will get a confession from the murderer. Good day, miss belle!”
And so he left. That pair of undergarments was rather pricey and I celebrated with lobster at the Mitz.
*** The funeral… It was beautiful. All of Sunset’s and my friends were there. I spotted Flash in the crowd, in uniform. But he was with Sunburst, so I assumed he was just there as an old friend. I held a slightly too emotional speech, but it worked. And my dress was perfect. All dark, with some rather brilliant cuts. Afterwards, me and the gang, minus Twilight and Sunset of course, had dinner. It was nice. Friendly. A welcome contrast to the latest week. However, when I walked to the bar to get myself another martini… There he was again.
“Good evening, Miss Belle!”
“Lieutenant.”
I was short. I wanted to spend time with my friends.
“I just wanted to say… it was a beautiful speech.”
“Oh? You were there? I didn't see you."
“Only in the church, and I was sitting close to the doors. But I want to have a word with you. It’s probably nothing important but I just can’t get it off my mind…”
“Well, can’t it wait until tomorrow? I really want to spend this night with my friends!”
He nodded. “Perhaps I can buy you breakfast tomorrow? There’s a nice café very close to your boutique. At...9.15?”
I had no trouble sleeping that night. In the morning I took a shower, applied a reasonable amount of makeup and took a taxi to the café. I am not that trusting of Ubers to use them when I'm in a hurry.
The Lieutenant was there, and he had already ordered coffee for both of us. He asked for Bacon, eggs and baked beans on toast, and I had a simple omelette. Few places can destroy eggs.
More than once during the meal, he produced a cigar from his pockets, but was reminded of the smoking ban everytime with a look from the waitress. He always shrugged his shoulders apologetically everytime. Finally, he dried a drip of yolk from the edge of his mouth and started talking.
“So, Miss Belle. There was this thing…”
“Yes, you said that.”
“Mmmm… Yes. While a lot of things point towards miss Sparkle… she had a motive, she had the opportunity, she had a weapon… There are a few things missing. For instance, why not kill miss Shimmer while she was in her apartment? Why was she so careless to keep the gun and then hide it in her own bathroom when she got rid of her clothes? Why fake a robbery?”
“But don’t murderers make mistakes? The circumstantial evidence would hold, you said?”
“Oh yes. They would probably. I can’t tell, I’m leaving for LA tomorrow.”
“Oh. Well, I am glad that you are leaving. With such a success behind you,” I added quickly. “You did catch a killer.”
“No. Miss Sparkle will be released later today.”
“What?”
“Simple. She is not the one responsible.”
I stared at him again, probably with my mouth slightly ajar. Not very ladylike.
“Things didn’t fit, as I said. For example, if she were the one caught on the cameras, she had to leave her apartment rather quickly after that Miss Shimmer had left. But while her neighbours confirmed that Miss Shimmer was leaving at the time said there was no sign of Miss Sparkle. Her next door neighbour even mentioned that he heard a bath being filled up some time after. There is simply no time for her to change clothes, get a gun, catch up with Miss Shimmer, and then return back home. As we could see on the surveillance cam, the killer wasn’t running. They were walking, calmly.”
“Anyone can pour a bath.”
“Oh yes! Yes, but not everyone does it while singing “The Elements” by Tom Lehrer.” I blinked. “She does that a lot, according to her neighbour.”
Nerd, I thought to myself.
“And there was also this other thing. We began to check the surveillance tapes for anything interesting during the hour before the murder. And that hooded figure I mentioned? They were visible twice on the previous tape, about one hour before the murder. They passed the camera, returned a few minutes later. My guess is that they wanted to find a secluded area where the murder could take place... Oh. You’re looking awfully pale, miss.”
“It’s nothing. Do go on.”
“What was it again... Oh yeah! There was that car. The Toyota. Perhaps it was related to the murder, perhaps not. But we found it on the tapes when it arrived. And this time we saw the licence plate. It was a rental car from Trottingham. It was rented anonymously at around… 2 pm and returned at 10 pm.”
“Very interesting.”
“Of course, that doesn't prove anything. It was just a car from Trottingham. Anyone could have driven it.”
“Yes. They could. Because I was in Trottingham that night, yes, but I never left. Sunset sent me a text that same night. And my phone can confirm that I read it in Trottingham.”
“Let’s leave the matter of the telephone where it is for now, okay? You see, the one who murdered your fiance can’t be anyone. Anyone wouldn’t fire five bullets into Miss Shimmer. Not anyone had any reasons to hate her so much. Very few people would, as a matter of fact. Even fewer people would have the opportunity to hack their way into Miss Shimmer’s email to find out about the date for their rendez-vous. And even fewer than that would be able to hide a gun in Miss Sparkle’s apartment just a few days before it was found.”
I looked him straight in the eye.
“It could have been there for a week for all you know!”
“No, it couldn't, we actually know that. The plumber had been there one days prior. And he didn't find it. And why would she hide it in such a bad place again? Now, honestly Miss Belle. I can shower you with details, but let’s get straight to the point. Do I really need to tell you who the murderer is?”
I was silent.
“It’s you, of course. The truth has been with me for some time...”
I asked the waitress for more coffee, but otherwise I was silent.
“I hardly need to give you your motive, miss Belle. You have given me the impression of a strong-minded person. You loved Miss Shimmer with your whole heart and when you found out you had been betrayed… Let me guess? It was during those three weeks when miss Shimmer desperately tried to get in touch with Miss Sparkle? After she had thrown her out?”
I was silent.
“I must say that your plan was simple, but good. You would arrange a trip to Trottingham. It’s one hour with train, but three hour by car. It’s far… but doable. You did you business, rented a car… There are a few places that still doesn’t ask for I.D. Then you left your phone at your room, so that it would look like you had been there the whole time.”
“And how could I be sure that Sunset wouldn’t text me before?” I murmured.
“By telling her that you were busy. We did check your messages, as I said. But there was this thing that bothered me: the message had been delivered. And read at that time. How did you do that?
I was silent. “It’s actually a neat thing, that with the phone. It almost threw me off. The way you made her send a message to you, in Trottingham, just before you shot her. It looked like it had been delivered and read.”
“...How did you find that out?”
“Oh, my niece, actually. She explained to me that it was a bug on her phone. Sometimes her husband texted her and thought she had read when she hadn’t. And I noticed you two had the same type of phone.” He paused. “That was the first time the thought struck me that maybe…”
“Already?”
“Didn’t I mention I have been a cop for Faust knows how long? Who are the first ones you check? The relatives and close ones. The husband, the wife...the fiancee. And at first it all looked well for you. I was sure my instincts were wrong. But then… that outburst of yours… It was a bit too much. Sure, it probably was nothing. But it made me think. You could have a motive. I left the opportunity for the moment and focused on if you had a motive or not... Then we found the witness who told us about the affair. And you were kind enough to tell us that you indeed had a hunch. Now, a hunch wouldn’t be enough to kill someone. But perhaps, just perhaps… you weren’t telling the full truth… Then came the way you pointed out Miss Sparkle. Now THAT got me suspicious for real. I wasn’t really speaking the truth, I tried to provoke you, see if you would take the chance to put the blame on someone. And you did.”
He lit his cigar, and didn’t care about the waitress. “So we put you under surveillance. Officer Sentry and Officer Pie have been shadowing you... So when you asked where he was, the answer would have been 'mostly behind you'."
He paused, to look at his cigar. "Then you visited Miss Sparkle… And later we find the gun in her place? That is suspicious, even you have to admit it being to much of a coincidence. It wasn’t much of a problem to get the commissioner to check you up. And we found a few more interesting things. Noone saw you leave the hotel, but you were spotted as you returned the car, and as you sneaked in. We found the clothes hidden in your apartment yesterday, and when we searched your computer we found that you have had access to your fiance's mail for a while. How long have you known about the affair?”
“She forgot her phone at home one day a few months back” I whispered. “It completely crushed me.”
“Had you decided to do it in that moment?”
I hesitated. But what had I to lose? “Yes. I almost killed her the same day. I had the gun. But… Well. It’s like making a dress, I guess. It’s better to plan it thoroughly than winging it. The seams usually gets wrong.”
“So you made a plan. Going to Trottingham… return, wait for them to meet… You decided to do it on a night they were together in case you needed a back up?”
“Maybe… I’m not quite sure. I just wanted to hurt her.”
“And then, they broke up? And that didn’t stop you?”
I looked at him. “She hurt me. She completely broke my heart. Not only did she have an affair, she had an affair with… TWILIGHT SPARKLE!” He nodded.
“So you waited.”
“Sooner or later they would meet again. And they did. The plan was ready. I just had to set it into action.”
“And then you heard that Miss Shimmer had decided to stay with you.”
I hmpfd. “ A little too late to have cold feet, if you ask me. No, she had made her choice. Now she had to take the consequences.” I paused. “And it would have worked, hadn’t it been for you.”
He shook his head. “I’m sorry, but no. You would have been found out sooner or later. I’m no super cop.”
I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned around and saw Flash. How long had he been... but he looked more stern and businesslike today. No wonder I guess. He began to read my rights as he put on the cuffs. A car suddenly stopped outside the cafe. “Oh, they're here to take you down to the station for a more formal confession. If you please…” As I sat down into the car, he leaned in. “Oh, Miss. Just one more thing.”
“Yes, Lieutenant?”
“My niece invited you to dinner. But I told her you would be busy. I hope you don’t mind.”
I smiled. “Of course not. Very thoughtful of you, Lieutenant.”
Even now, I can't seem to wrap my head around what I did. Was it reallly I that did it?
I have written down my story but not even using pen and paper to distance myself from it all, can I bring myself to write down everything. I'm to ashamed, I can't tell even myself the full truth, even now. I tried and tried... and still I couldn't give myself away, not until the story was almost over and the Lieutenant had it all in his hands.
Why? I suppose it's rather simple. It is not ladylike to murder. No, I am not proud.
But I can't really say I regret it either.
Framing Twilight was my mistake. Had I not...then perhaps...
Not that she didn't deserve it.
Harlot.
It all goes back to her, I suppose. My love. My life.
Sunset Shimmer.
I hated her. I loved her. No one but me should have her, No one but me deserved her.
And now no one could get her.
Into the night, I go... Alone. Goodbye. Thank you for watching.
