Desserts were served for sweet sensations after finishing a meal. Sometimes to snack on as well even when not having a meal... But what if a case begins to twist them up into a much darker product?
I finished writing my journal entry for the day, and I looked at my watch. It's 8 AM in the morning of Marche 26, 5 days after the conclusion of the case on Esteban Morales' murder. I stood up from my office chair, and went on to sweep the office whilst the other 2 at the bunkroom are cleaning there. It took me 10 minutes to make the office neat and tidy, and the heat from the sun outside is not helping.
"You both, stay here alright? I want to find something for us to cool off."
"Alright, Takumi! June, he's out to find something cold."
"I know what you could find for us, Tak! An ice cream truck usually pass by around this hour in this district. Just wait in front of the building and you'll find the truck roaming around. And Tak...!"
"Yeah, June?"
"Make mine a chocolate!" June shouted, inviting a friendly shove in the hip by Grace's elbow.
"Got you covered, June!"
I put on my coat and hat, before walking downstairs and leaving the building. I waited for the truck just like June said, but it wasn't until I heard screams coming from the alleyway to my right. I rushed on, forgetting about the ice cream truck, and saw what the situation is. I find an unconscious man in ruffled up clothes and bean cap lying flat in front of a more gruesome sight.
A teenage human boy, presumably 16 years old, lying dead inside a dumpster.
"Great, I just wanted to satisfy my sweet tooth, and I get another case." I said sarcastically.
I walk back to the street to use the payphone in front of my office, and call the police.
"Operator, give me dispatch."
"Putting you through now..."
"Private Investigator Keiji, reporting."
"How can I help, Detective?"
"I'm reporting a dead body has been sighted at an alleyway right beside my office; 33 Alta Street, Downtown."
"Affirmative, Detective, the coroner and some officers are on the way."
"Thank you." I dismissed the call, and I went back upstairs to tell the girls about what's happening.
I kick the door open and I shouted, "Wake up call, we got a new case!"
"Seriously, Takumi? It's not even a week!"
"You're gonna like this one, it happened right in the alleyway beside where we are!"
"What!?" June widened her eyes. She then stood on top of a footstool and looked out the window.
Indeed, I can hear police sirens as well as cars braking.
"I need to get in uniform, check in with the station then head back!"
In a flash, clothing were thrown in the bunkroom, and in a second June appears in her patrol uniform. She ran out of the room, and downstairs towards the front entrance. She hopped on her tri-wheeled motorcycle that the department gave her out of pity. Around 5 minutes later, she came back, and the both of us entered the alleyway to see Rorik finishing his inspection on the victim's body. The hobo that was unconscious has also regained his footing, and is now being secured by the officers. As for Grace, she stayed in the office for the day.
"Hey, Rorik!"
"Keiji! Sorry for what happened, this atrocity right next to your office? That's outrageous."
"It's alright. What can you tell me about the victim?"
"The victim is an Ian East, student at Mont Blanc High. A member of the newspaper club, if what's written on his student ID is true."
"Don't be paranoid, an ID is an ID, Rorik."
"I was just joking... Man, nobody laughed at my jokes and I've been in this business for 3 decades."
"3 decades? How old are you again?" I scoffed.
"Let's just focus on the case ahead, should we? The victim, Mr. East, has both his eyes plugged out, lips sewn shut, fingers and toes chopped off. There's also some residue on his belly, which is cold and sticky to the touch. Ice cream."
"Did somebody say ice scream?!" June asked.
"Not the time, June! Also, I heard from officer Parker here that an ice cream truck would occasionally roam through this district at 8 A.M to stop and sell the treats to crowds of people."
"You could either be right, or this could be a coincidence, since Mr. East, from the looks of it, was murdered recently." Rorik puts a finger on his chin.
I inspected the corpse again, if the fingers and toes were chopped off, then the eyes are plugged out, and finally having the lips sewn shut. Something tells me that whoever did this wanted to silence this Ian East permanently. But why harvesting the body parts like that? If this is the Heisenberg family's doing again, I won't be surprised. The Malzenos aren't that influencing around town yet as well.
Speaking of the Malzeno family, I began to see their soldiers hanging around several business joints in town in the last few days. And it seems that the joints that were protected by them are flourishing instead of being tormented. Unlike most mob family I know, this is something that is completely unusual where they weren't scared of the people they're paying. This made me want to visit their leader, this Lucrezia, but I don't want to risk becoming a live blood pack for the family members if I merely wanted to see them without a specific reason.
There is still no clue, I need to find out which ice cream company is this truck from.
"Tak! I got something from the hobo!"
"What is it, June?"
"He told me that he saw a truck driving away from an intersection at the other end of this alleyway, and he remembers which company this truck belongs to!"
"Enlighten me."
"Stony Paths Ice Cream Co, is what he recalled."
Stony Paths? I held back my laughter because of the obvious reference that name is. June noticed my expression, and asked me "What's wrong?"
"Nothing, just held back a cough."
I walk back to the payphone to call the police operator again, because I need the address for the nearest Stony Paths ice cream factory. And again, that's another 5 credits spent and I hope it's worth it.
"I need the address on the nearest Stony Paths ice cream factory. Current location is in Alta Street, Downtown."
"The closest factory in 5th Industrial, building number 3."
"Thanks."
"Tak! Mind if I come along this time? I got a bad feeling about this case." June asked.
"Of course. You're following me on bike?"
"Nah, I can store it in my magic storage. It shrinks down any item as long as I can lift them."
After seeing her effortlessly using her dwarven strength to put the motorcycle inside the magic storage, she ran to the passenger seat of my car, while I took the wheel.
We set off towards the factory. Along the way June strikes a conversation.
"So, want to tell me some war stories?"
"War stories? For the last time, June. I'd rather not tell anything about it."
"Not the traumatic experience, but have you gotten anything unexpected?"
"What do you mean?"
"Like, ever getting smitten by someone there? I heard Kyokuto girls are beautiful."
"I think so."
"Eh?! Who is it, then!?" She suddenly perked up, and begin to fidget in her seat.
"Never asked her name. I still wonder if I can see her again."
I was indeed smitten by that Oni girl. The short blue hair that reminds me of the clear skies, red eyes akin to rubies.... But I never see her smile.
I focused on driving. The ice cream factory is close, and I'm one step closer to bring whoever this seller is to justice. We arrived at the factory at 9:45 A.M. The building is one story, with two huge ice cream cone sculptures with smaller chocolate bars beside them on the roof. There are two huge garage doors, and something struck me.
The factory is small time. The depot only can hold 3 trucks, which should be easier to find out whether or not the murderer's truck is here or not, but I still feel unease. I parked the car on the sidewalk, right behind a black Cradilack limo. Someone important must have been visiting the factory? Perhaps the company executives?
June walked ahead, and opened the door for me, which she barely reached due to her height.
"Officer, and by that get-up, I assume you're a detective? What brings you to our fine establishment?" The manager, a blonde young Elven man that looked like he's in his 20s in human standards, sitting behind a desk asked.
"Oh, great. Cops." Said a blonde haired little girl standing in front of the desk.
Wait, is she the important person!? Just who is she?
"My name is Keiji Takumi, private investigator. And this is officer June Parker. We are here on the inquiries of a homicide in Alta Street."
"What's that got to do with me? Oh, where are my manners, I'm Lance." The manager said, introducing himself.
"A witness saw one of your trucks near the vicinity of the crime."
"That's a serious allegation... Well, three of this depot's trucks are returning to resupply after one more stop, now that you think about it. You can wait, they'll be here in 5 minutes or less."
"Not hiding anything?"
"Mr. Keiji, I swear on my life that none of my sellers are crooks."
After giving it a thought, I sighed and finally agreed.
"Fine, but I'm still interrogating the three of them when they return."
"Finally, now can we talk about our deal, Messer Lance? Care to let us protect this factory?" The little girl asked.
"Of course Miss Malzeno, I--"
'Wait, Miss Malzeno!? But she's too small to drive that limo, so who could be the driver--'
I froze as I felt the cold metal barrel of a handgun touching the back of my head.
"Put your hands where I can see them." A calm, feminine voice ordered.
"Tak... It's The Demon! The Malzeno's Demon!"
My entire being is frozen, merely from her words.
"Put them up, now."
"Before I put a bullet in your head!" June shouted, but is hesitant to pull out her own gun as she fears that 'The Demon' will kill me if she did anything.
Thinking fast, I ducked down, and turned around, quickly drawing my revolver and aiming it at 'The Demon' behind me. However, before I can put my finger on the trigger, I stopped as I widened my eyes at who it is.
Short blue hair, blood red eyes as pretty as rubies, wearing a black and white maid uniform...
"Long time no see... My hero."
It is her.