I look up from the corpse a man stands over me from this angle his stature seems imposing his dirty blonde hair is neatly combed with swirls on both sides of his head. His deep blue eyes stare at me as though he were looking down at a rat that just invaded his cupboard. He wears a large purple robe he gives off the feeling of a man with status, and a man that as far as I could tell usually gets what he wants. He waves his hand, "Ugh are you that Gingerbread boy I have been hearing about do begone you are stinking worse than that corpse." I should of known this would happen in this city the detective families that each have stakes in Sweetwater usually fight over cases like this. Competition is fierce, and usually leads to a race between families to see who can uncover the culprit first.
Since I am still a young detective at least for my first few cases my parents who sponsor me have assigned me cases that they believe I can handle. Once I have established myself my parents will allow me to start my own agency under the Gingerbread name, and pick my own cases. The man before me used his connections to secure an early advantage for this case I assume. This competition between families is just the way of Sweetwater. Once a case opens up families can use their connections, or bid on cases using money to secure their authority over a case. There isn't a limit on the number of people that can take a case, but usually unless you are sure you can win quickly most stay away from cases with many people taking part. Time is money, and for a detective their time can reflect their money literally. Should you waste your time trying to solve a case someone else solves first not only will that waste your time, but since bidding cost money you will have wasted your money too.
For example this case is worth 2,500 mints, and pays about 5,000 mints, so you make about 2,500 in profit every time you solve a case like this one. Solve 10 cases and you are looking at 25,000 mints. Keep in mind a case like this considered essentially a low paying case. Cases that the government of Sweetwater will pay more for depend on both the difficulty of the case, and the victim, or victims who have been killed/robbed. Putting money aside prestige is also important the more cases you solve the better your family looks, and the more your reputation increases, which can help secure future cases since you have more connections. I never cared for things like that though I just wanted a challenging fun case, but even 2,500 mints can buy you a month or two of rent in the city. My family might be well off like all the other prestigious families in the city, but compared to the bigger families in this city we might as well be poor, so the extra cash on the side isn't anything to laugh at.
I look at the pompous man he is a bit older than me I would guess around his 20s, he looks at me with an annoyed expression. I explain, "I am sure you are aware that I have the right to investigate here the same as you." The man rolls his eyes, "I suppose as much as it displeases me, fine do as you will, but stay out of the way of Iskandar Snickerdoodle. It would be in your best interest to address me as Lord. Snickerdoodle." I smile, "You're funny mister Iskandar." The Snickerdoodle family is one of the main royal detective families in this city they are of mid status, and their senses are said to be the sharpest of any family. Iskandar scowls clearly annoyed that I ignored his order, "Well no matter I have already solved this case I am on my way to apprehend the miscreant right now boy. You can choose to witness the unparalleled deduction skills of someone as gifted as I am, or you can toil here in this filthy alleyway I care not."
Iskandar marches ahead out of the alleyway I follow him he said he has solved the case he must be a great detective perhaps I could learn something. I exclaim, "Wow you solved the case already you must be really smart Iskandar how do you know who it is?" Iskandar gave a high pitched laugh, "Well boy it was easy when you have my gifts anything is possible, but I suppose I can graciously give you an explanation." It would appear that I have excited him a bit as I follow him to our next destination he begins to run me through his thought process. The other two officers Korn and Roe follow silently behind it would appear that they left other officers to cover for them, so that they may take the culprit into custody. Despite them being close by Iskandar scoffs, "Right let me explain boy. I arrived earlier than you by 30 minutes at 9:00 am when I got here I asked an officer who the man that died was. That boy what was his name? Ah yes officer Roe I believe not that it matters."
Roe gives an annoyed look over to Iskandar, but Iskandar either doesn't care, or doesn't notice. Iskandar continues, "Roe told me that he was apart of a gang. The rising eagles is the gang name if I recall. Right Roe also told me our victim Fez was selling information to a 3rd party. With my brilliant deductions I have concluded that he was selling rising eagle secrets to a rival gang. Which leads me to my final conclusion Fez was murdered by his own gang leader that knew he was selling secrets to another gang. Roe tells me the information was leaked to his boss Rena somehow." What Iskandar says makes some sense one would normally assume that the gang leader must have some involvement in Fez's untimely death. However I know for certain that the chance of that being possible is low given what I saw from his corpse. I recall what Fez thought. Rena his boss was the one who set up this exchange it would be weird for her to set up the deal if she herself was the killer if it was in fact a deal to sell the Eagles secrets.
I keep that to myself for now instead I begin to clap, "Bravo Bravo I never knew someone so clever existed in this town." Iskandar and I approach a somewhat rundown apartment a half mile or so away from the murder location. Iskandar bows like a person giving a performance he is very over the top I almost laugh out loud. Iskandar smiles, "The pleasure is all mine. Now let us interrogate this den of rats." We both walk inside I feel my nose get assaulted by the smell of mold the place is a wreck tables are overturned, and the building looks worn with cracks in the concrete. Iskandar whines, "Uh why should my nose be assaulted in such a way lets get this over with boy." We go in deeper from the entrance wooden furniture are scattered throughout the old apartment we reach the lobby of the building.
Old worn couches are scattered around the main lobby they look well used and some are falling apart. We reach a room in the back the door seems to be closed Roe gestures for Iskandar and I to step aside. We don't argue we move away from the old door I hear voices talking in a rushed manner from the other side seems like some kind of meeting. Gangs like the rising eagles are left to their own devices mostly because they are in a part of town that to put it lightly isn't a priority. Given the current case however it would appear that their luck might of run out Roe looks at her partner Korn he readies his gun. Korn nods his head, and proceeds to slam open the door as both of them rush in.
Korn being the veteran officer begins yelling commands, "Hands in the air stay where you are don't move a single finger unless you want to lose it!" I glance in from the doorway five men and one woman are sitting around a wooden round table. The woman has fiery red hair that flows down her back wildly she seems to be the center of attention as her goons seem focused on her. She has a mean look on her face she appears tall, toned, and has many scars across her body, but despite that she is also youthful in nature. I would wager she isn't out of her twenties yet, but her green eyes seem to speak a different story they are wise full the harshness of a life spent on the streets. She is the first to stand, "Huh the police dogs have come to take me in? Have you finally put together suitable fake evidence?"
Iskandar full of confident swagger walks proudly into the room knowing he has the protection of the police next to him. I follow behind him excited to see the mystery be unfolded right before my eyes. Iskandar boldly states, "Fake evidence? Oh I assure you my evidence is very real we know about Fez's betrayal how he stabbed you in the back like a snake. Oh you poor thing how did it feel knowing you were worth less than a piece of rubbish on the bottom of his foot." The woman's mouth twitches I can tell she is getting mad perhaps that was Iskandar's point he wanted to rile her up. He continued, "Just come quietly I can already tell you did it by your smell my dear." The Snickerdoodle family as I mentioned before had keen senses it is rumored that they can even smell a lie since they can tell if someone is nervous just by the smell of their sweat.
The woman gave him a death glare, "Call me dear again and it will be your funeral I am Rena leader of the Rising Eagles, and the only way you'll get me to leave here is if you show me physical evidence." Iskandar remained unfazed he began to laugh mockingly, "Right physical evidence." He pulled out a flash drive out of his pocket he placed it on the round table in front of Rena's goons. "This here was found on the victim, and this was how I knew that Fez our victim was selling secrets to a rival gang." Rena went pale, "T-that can't be that's a lie." She glanced at the officers, and then at Iskandar. Suddenly almost anticlimactically she looked at the floor she looked resigned to her fate which to me was shocking since she seemed so intense only a moment ago.
Iskandar laughed, "The smartest detective in Sweetwater strikes again at least try to make these cases challenging", he mocked. Something was wrong here I glanced at Rena she wore a pained expression it appeared like she had given up. I had a lot of questions every single part of this case to me seemed too easy. To put it bluntly nothing in this case made even a bit of sense to me whether because of the vision I saw, or a hunch I had this case was far from over. I looked over at the flash drive on the table it all starts with that flash drive. I never used my power more than once a day because I get massive headaches if I do, and I have heard that passing out on the spot is not uncommon, but I may have to break my own limit to solve this case. I smile the games just begun I reach out for the flash drive, and get ready to piece together the truth.