1 Most names put here are made up by me. To learn more about the star of
this story, click here
I looked at the sign above my office door, reading-
DETECTIVE LUPE'S OFFICE
"Wait, I think it should go to the right." I climbed up the ladder, fixed it, got down, and looked again. "No, maybe a little more to the left." I climbed up the ladder, fixed it, got down, and looked for the third time. "Perfect!"
I then took another sign out which had OUT on one side and IN on the other. I flipped the sign to the OUT side, put it on my door, and left. I flew down to Neopia (I live in Faerie Land) and ran to the Neopian Times building, and went up to the front desk.
"I'd...puff...like to...gasp...place an ad in...puff...the paper."
The Aisha glanced down at me from her desk.
"Could you repeat that?"
I swallowed in air, and repeated myself.
"Third door on the right."
I walked over to the door, and opened it. Inside was a Blumaroo, talking on the phone.
"What do you mean, you want to cancel your ad? You are supposed to tell us at least a week before! There is a 25 neopoint fine you know!"
He slammed down the phone, and then noticed me.
"Oh, hello there. What can I do for you?"
I held up my makeshift ad, and said, "I'd like to place an ad in the paper."
The Blumaroo looked at me, then my ad, then at a list, then at me again.
"Hmm, well, I guess we can put your ad in. Is this week fine?"
I nodded eagerly. "Yes, yes!"
He scribbled something onto his list, and then told me, "Okay, your ad will be displayed in the front page of this weeks Neopian Times."
I paid the fee, then left to go home.
The next few days passed slowly. I read books, watched television, and explored outside. Finally, Friday came. I grabbed the paper and opened it up. My eyes scanned the pages.
"Ad for the Bakery, Toy Store, something else...here it is!"
I looked at the small square on the side of the column next to the comics, and read it aloud.
"Professional detective, no case is too big or too small. Reasonable-wait, they spelled that wrong- price, and no wait. Contact me by either phone or go to the address below."
I looked down and there was the phone number and address, both correct.
"Now to wait for my first case!"
I ran to my office, flipped the unused sign to IN, and unlocked the door. I dusted off the desk, cleaned the entire room, watered some plants that were there for decoration, cleaned the room again, and then I sat in a chair I had bought just yesterday. Then I waited. And waited. And waited.
"I knew I should have brought along something to pass the time!"
Just then, there was a knock at the door, and it opened. I glanced up and saw a human walk through the door. She was of average height and weight, and seemed doubtful.
"Are you Detective Lupe?"
I nodded. "Just Detective. What do you need Miss…?"
"Rose. Last night someone came into my house and stole a very valuable necklace of mine. My pet, Water_Lily23, Water_Lily for short, woke me up at night, but I only heard the pet leave. "
I looked at her, confused. "You didn't wake up?"
She shook her head. "I'm a really deep sleeper. Once, a hurricane caused a tree to hit my house, and I didn't even stir. My pet, on the other hand, wakes up at anything, and I mean anything."
"What about the police?"
She sighed. "They did all they could, but so far nothing."
I nodded. "Okay, can you show me your house? There might be clues there."
"Sure. What is your fee? I can pay once we arrive."
"One hundred neopints per hour, and any additional charges."
We left my small office and after a short while, reached her house. I looked at the huge mansion, impressed with the size of it. We walked in, and I glanced at a smashed glass case near the entrance, with a necklace on top of it.
"What happened here, and what necklace is that?"
Rose looked at the case. "This is where I keep my fake necklace, in case someone does try to steal it. The one on top is the fake one. I guess it didn't fool the thief. The real one is in a safe, which the thief took."
After walking up the stairs, we reached a room with many valuable items such as some Hidden Tower items, a rod of Nova, and some rare Neggs.
"The necklace was in this room."
I was a little confused. "Wouldn't the thief want this stuff too?"
She shook her head. "The necklace was worth it. It is priced at 30 million neopoints."
After closing my jaw, I glanced at her. "30 million? How did it get so valuable?"
She sighed. "You know how Terror Mountain and Tyrannia are connected?"
I nodded. "Did it come from there?"
"Actually, long before Tyrannia was discovered, the pathway was open. In between was a diamond mine. Many people mined it for a valuable type of diamond that my necklace is made of. Years later, the pathway was closed, and the mine was destroyed in the process. Any diamond that came from the mine skyrocketed in value because no other known mine has that type of diamond. I was taking a vacation in Tyrannia a long time ago, and I saw someone who was selling necklaces. I bought this one, and got an expert to see if it was real. I was shocked when I learned about its history."
I took this all in, and then asked, "Where is your pet? Can I talk to her?"
"Okay, hold on." She walked to another room, and came back with a Faerie Poogle, who looked shyly at me.
"Okay, can you tell me what you saw?" I asked. I pulled out a tape recorder and pressed the record button.
Water_Lily nodded. "Well, I was sleeping, and I heard a noise, which was the door opening. I crept downstairs, and saw a big pet in a black suit with a mask over his or her eyes. The thief took out a small hammer and whacked the glass off the case downstairs and took the decoy necklace my owner keeps in case this happens. After looking at it, the thief threw it against the wall in anger. I think he or she knew it was a fake, which surprised me, because that necklace looks just like the genuine one, even though it is made of glass. The thief began to come upstairs, so I ran to Rose's room, and woke her up. Because she is a deep sleeper, by the time she woke up, the thief had run out the back door. We tried calling the police, but the line was cut. We didn't want to try and go after the thief because we were both afraid he or she might have had a weapon."
I turned off the recorder.
"Don't worry, I'll find the thief."
I turned to Rose, and said, "I think the only person who could have known that the fake one was a fake would be an expert. Do you know any people or pets who are experts with diamonds?"
She nodded faintly. "There are many who have been offering me money for it, but I always refuse."
I turned back to Water_Lily. "What species did the pet look like?"
She thought for a moment, and then said, "He or she was either a Grarrl or a Skeith, and I couldn't get a good look."
I turned back to Rose. "Do you know anyone who would want that necklace that either is or owns a Grarrl or Skeith?"
She nodded. "No one who wants it has a Skeith and no Skeith has offered me anything, but there are two Grarrls who want it. One has kept bugging me for years. The other once offered me 50 million, but the money was fake. He never asked me again, but I know he still has an eye on it."
I took out a notepad. "Can you give me the names and house address of both Grarrls?"
After a few minutes, I was out of the house. I looked at the first name.
"Lets see, name is Sharp_Tooth222. Lives in Tyrannia? Hmm, that's going to take a while. The second is…Bouncy_Boy94? What the…? Oh well, lives in Faerie Land. Not too far from here." I left the street, and flew up into the sky. After getting directions from a Shoryu out on a flight, I landed in Bouncy_Boy94's yard. I knocked at the door. When it opened, a Fire Grarrl glared at me.
"What do you want?"
I cleared my throat, and said, "Well, you see, I'm here to-"
"Are you selling those cookies?" His eyes lit up.
"Well, actually-"
He grabbed my arm. "Come on in!"
After getting yanked inside the jelly made house, he took out a pen.
"Okay, I would like five boxes of-"
"WAIT!" I yelled. He looked at me as if I were nuts.
"Yes?"
"I'm actually a detective, and you see, I was-"
He gasped. "NO! IT WASN'T ME! I don't know anything about the stolen doughnuts, honest! Please don't arrest me! I was just hungry! And it got out of control and-"
"WOULD YOU BE QUIET ALREADY? I'M NOT HERE FOR SOME STUPID DOUGHNUT CASE!" I was a little shocked that I had yelled twice at a Grarrl, but I think he deserved it.
Bouncy_Boy signed in relief. "Oh, okay then. Want a doughnut?" He took a doughnut from what seemed like nowhere. I glanced at the half bitten treat. As I did, I pulled out the recorder.
"Err, no thanks. Any way, I'm here because an owner had a necklace stolen. Her name is Rose, and I need an alibi from you."
His face darkened as I mentioned Rose. "Oh, her. I offered good money once, but she refused."
I sighed. I was getting nowhere. "Actually, the money was fake. Rose said so."
"Okay then, you're going to take Rose's side. What gives you the idea that I, a respectable Grarrl, would produce fake neopoints?"
Just then, a closet door banged open, and doughnuts and other snack items flowed out. Right on top was a strange looking machine. I walked over and looked at it.
"You know, this looks just like a machine criminals use to make fake money."
He gulped, and began to look at a window. "Well, I can explain that…"
"You know, I was taping this conversation secretly for my uses," I said, hoping he would fall for the bluff.
He groaned. "You want the alibi, don't you?"
I nodded. Finally, I was getting somewhere! I turned on the recorder. He looked at me for a moment.
"Okay, I guess I can tell you. Err, well, I was, um, you know, at the Bakery at 10:04 NST. Doing nothing really, and, um, this truckload of doughnuts comes. And I have a good view of the sugary stuff, and my mouth is watering, and I go and take one without getting caught, but after eating it I get really hungry, and err, I'm telling you too much, aren't I?"
I nodded again. "Oh well, I have your alibi. Anyway, I have to go."
I left the house, and was about to take off, when he said, "Are you sure you aren't selling those cookies?"
"Whatever," I muttered, and flew off. Now I had to go check his alibi, and then go to Sharp_Tooth222's house. It was going to be a long day.
2 To be continued…
I looked at the sign above my office door, reading-
DETECTIVE LUPE'S OFFICE
"Wait, I think it should go to the right." I climbed up the ladder, fixed it, got down, and looked again. "No, maybe a little more to the left." I climbed up the ladder, fixed it, got down, and looked for the third time. "Perfect!"
I then took another sign out which had OUT on one side and IN on the other. I flipped the sign to the OUT side, put it on my door, and left. I flew down to Neopia (I live in Faerie Land) and ran to the Neopian Times building, and went up to the front desk.
"I'd...puff...like to...gasp...place an ad in...puff...the paper."
The Aisha glanced down at me from her desk.
"Could you repeat that?"
I swallowed in air, and repeated myself.
"Third door on the right."
I walked over to the door, and opened it. Inside was a Blumaroo, talking on the phone.
"What do you mean, you want to cancel your ad? You are supposed to tell us at least a week before! There is a 25 neopoint fine you know!"
He slammed down the phone, and then noticed me.
"Oh, hello there. What can I do for you?"
I held up my makeshift ad, and said, "I'd like to place an ad in the paper."
The Blumaroo looked at me, then my ad, then at a list, then at me again.
"Hmm, well, I guess we can put your ad in. Is this week fine?"
I nodded eagerly. "Yes, yes!"
He scribbled something onto his list, and then told me, "Okay, your ad will be displayed in the front page of this weeks Neopian Times."
I paid the fee, then left to go home.
The next few days passed slowly. I read books, watched television, and explored outside. Finally, Friday came. I grabbed the paper and opened it up. My eyes scanned the pages.
"Ad for the Bakery, Toy Store, something else...here it is!"
I looked at the small square on the side of the column next to the comics, and read it aloud.
"Professional detective, no case is too big or too small. Reasonable-wait, they spelled that wrong- price, and no wait. Contact me by either phone or go to the address below."
I looked down and there was the phone number and address, both correct.
"Now to wait for my first case!"
I ran to my office, flipped the unused sign to IN, and unlocked the door. I dusted off the desk, cleaned the entire room, watered some plants that were there for decoration, cleaned the room again, and then I sat in a chair I had bought just yesterday. Then I waited. And waited. And waited.
"I knew I should have brought along something to pass the time!"
Just then, there was a knock at the door, and it opened. I glanced up and saw a human walk through the door. She was of average height and weight, and seemed doubtful.
"Are you Detective Lupe?"
I nodded. "Just Detective. What do you need Miss…?"
"Rose. Last night someone came into my house and stole a very valuable necklace of mine. My pet, Water_Lily23, Water_Lily for short, woke me up at night, but I only heard the pet leave. "
I looked at her, confused. "You didn't wake up?"
She shook her head. "I'm a really deep sleeper. Once, a hurricane caused a tree to hit my house, and I didn't even stir. My pet, on the other hand, wakes up at anything, and I mean anything."
"What about the police?"
She sighed. "They did all they could, but so far nothing."
I nodded. "Okay, can you show me your house? There might be clues there."
"Sure. What is your fee? I can pay once we arrive."
"One hundred neopints per hour, and any additional charges."
We left my small office and after a short while, reached her house. I looked at the huge mansion, impressed with the size of it. We walked in, and I glanced at a smashed glass case near the entrance, with a necklace on top of it.
"What happened here, and what necklace is that?"
Rose looked at the case. "This is where I keep my fake necklace, in case someone does try to steal it. The one on top is the fake one. I guess it didn't fool the thief. The real one is in a safe, which the thief took."
After walking up the stairs, we reached a room with many valuable items such as some Hidden Tower items, a rod of Nova, and some rare Neggs.
"The necklace was in this room."
I was a little confused. "Wouldn't the thief want this stuff too?"
She shook her head. "The necklace was worth it. It is priced at 30 million neopoints."
After closing my jaw, I glanced at her. "30 million? How did it get so valuable?"
She sighed. "You know how Terror Mountain and Tyrannia are connected?"
I nodded. "Did it come from there?"
"Actually, long before Tyrannia was discovered, the pathway was open. In between was a diamond mine. Many people mined it for a valuable type of diamond that my necklace is made of. Years later, the pathway was closed, and the mine was destroyed in the process. Any diamond that came from the mine skyrocketed in value because no other known mine has that type of diamond. I was taking a vacation in Tyrannia a long time ago, and I saw someone who was selling necklaces. I bought this one, and got an expert to see if it was real. I was shocked when I learned about its history."
I took this all in, and then asked, "Where is your pet? Can I talk to her?"
"Okay, hold on." She walked to another room, and came back with a Faerie Poogle, who looked shyly at me.
"Okay, can you tell me what you saw?" I asked. I pulled out a tape recorder and pressed the record button.
Water_Lily nodded. "Well, I was sleeping, and I heard a noise, which was the door opening. I crept downstairs, and saw a big pet in a black suit with a mask over his or her eyes. The thief took out a small hammer and whacked the glass off the case downstairs and took the decoy necklace my owner keeps in case this happens. After looking at it, the thief threw it against the wall in anger. I think he or she knew it was a fake, which surprised me, because that necklace looks just like the genuine one, even though it is made of glass. The thief began to come upstairs, so I ran to Rose's room, and woke her up. Because she is a deep sleeper, by the time she woke up, the thief had run out the back door. We tried calling the police, but the line was cut. We didn't want to try and go after the thief because we were both afraid he or she might have had a weapon."
I turned off the recorder.
"Don't worry, I'll find the thief."
I turned to Rose, and said, "I think the only person who could have known that the fake one was a fake would be an expert. Do you know any people or pets who are experts with diamonds?"
She nodded faintly. "There are many who have been offering me money for it, but I always refuse."
I turned back to Water_Lily. "What species did the pet look like?"
She thought for a moment, and then said, "He or she was either a Grarrl or a Skeith, and I couldn't get a good look."
I turned back to Rose. "Do you know anyone who would want that necklace that either is or owns a Grarrl or Skeith?"
She nodded. "No one who wants it has a Skeith and no Skeith has offered me anything, but there are two Grarrls who want it. One has kept bugging me for years. The other once offered me 50 million, but the money was fake. He never asked me again, but I know he still has an eye on it."
I took out a notepad. "Can you give me the names and house address of both Grarrls?"
After a few minutes, I was out of the house. I looked at the first name.
"Lets see, name is Sharp_Tooth222. Lives in Tyrannia? Hmm, that's going to take a while. The second is…Bouncy_Boy94? What the…? Oh well, lives in Faerie Land. Not too far from here." I left the street, and flew up into the sky. After getting directions from a Shoryu out on a flight, I landed in Bouncy_Boy94's yard. I knocked at the door. When it opened, a Fire Grarrl glared at me.
"What do you want?"
I cleared my throat, and said, "Well, you see, I'm here to-"
"Are you selling those cookies?" His eyes lit up.
"Well, actually-"
He grabbed my arm. "Come on in!"
After getting yanked inside the jelly made house, he took out a pen.
"Okay, I would like five boxes of-"
"WAIT!" I yelled. He looked at me as if I were nuts.
"Yes?"
"I'm actually a detective, and you see, I was-"
He gasped. "NO! IT WASN'T ME! I don't know anything about the stolen doughnuts, honest! Please don't arrest me! I was just hungry! And it got out of control and-"
"WOULD YOU BE QUIET ALREADY? I'M NOT HERE FOR SOME STUPID DOUGHNUT CASE!" I was a little shocked that I had yelled twice at a Grarrl, but I think he deserved it.
Bouncy_Boy signed in relief. "Oh, okay then. Want a doughnut?" He took a doughnut from what seemed like nowhere. I glanced at the half bitten treat. As I did, I pulled out the recorder.
"Err, no thanks. Any way, I'm here because an owner had a necklace stolen. Her name is Rose, and I need an alibi from you."
His face darkened as I mentioned Rose. "Oh, her. I offered good money once, but she refused."
I sighed. I was getting nowhere. "Actually, the money was fake. Rose said so."
"Okay then, you're going to take Rose's side. What gives you the idea that I, a respectable Grarrl, would produce fake neopoints?"
Just then, a closet door banged open, and doughnuts and other snack items flowed out. Right on top was a strange looking machine. I walked over and looked at it.
"You know, this looks just like a machine criminals use to make fake money."
He gulped, and began to look at a window. "Well, I can explain that…"
"You know, I was taping this conversation secretly for my uses," I said, hoping he would fall for the bluff.
He groaned. "You want the alibi, don't you?"
I nodded. Finally, I was getting somewhere! I turned on the recorder. He looked at me for a moment.
"Okay, I guess I can tell you. Err, well, I was, um, you know, at the Bakery at 10:04 NST. Doing nothing really, and, um, this truckload of doughnuts comes. And I have a good view of the sugary stuff, and my mouth is watering, and I go and take one without getting caught, but after eating it I get really hungry, and err, I'm telling you too much, aren't I?"
I nodded again. "Oh well, I have your alibi. Anyway, I have to go."
I left the house, and was about to take off, when he said, "Are you sure you aren't selling those cookies?"
"Whatever," I muttered, and flew off. Now I had to go check his alibi, and then go to Sharp_Tooth222's house. It was going to be a long day.
2 To be continued…