Disclaimer: I do not own 'Layton Brothers Mystery Room' or any characters apart from my OC's. Besides, if I did own it there'd already be a sequel.

Introductions

"Argh! I am so late!" Lucy Baker, a young woman of twenty two, ran through the corridors of Scotland Yard. She ran so fast she nearly knocked a hunched ginger haired man mopping the floors.

"WOAH! Careful there Lucy!" The man yelled out. Lucy ran across the wet floor at full speed. "Be careful! I just mopped the-" She suddenly slipped on a large puddle and landed face-first into the floor.

"...floor." Lucy brushed herself down and jogged down the hallway. "Sorry Dustin! I'm late!" Dustin smiled to himself before continuing mopping the floor.

At the end of the hallway, Lucy flung herself through the Mystery Room doorway and yelled out the first thing she could think of. "I weren't late was I?" A man in a white lab coat didn't even glance up from his typewriter. "Yes you were Lucy. Again." Lucy groaned.

"I were sure that shortcut were gonna be quicker."

"Don't be disheartened. You were five minutes earlier than yesterday. Though I must say that you tardiness is becoming quite a routine."

"Sorry Prof." She peaked onto his desk. Surrounding her co-worker were pages of apparently detailed pieces of paperwork. "Any new cases?" He handed her a thin case file.

"Mr Arthur Dean. Famous florist and star of his own gardening show, 'Gardens Made Simple'. He was found at his lakeside mansion in the greenhouse apparently tending his famous pansies. He was stabbed with his own gardening shears."

"How horrible! Talk about gruesome."

"Quite. There are several suspects if you allow me to continue." Lucy nodded.

There was a knock at the door. They both turned to face the visitor. The small figure of the Commissioner stood in the doorway.

"Lucy. Alfendi."

"Hello Commissioner!" Lucy beamed. Alfendi smiled at Lucy's eagerness. She always looked cute when she was happy. "Good morning Commissioner." He finally said. "Is there a problem?"

"No, no. No problem at all. Just want to talk to you about the new recruit."

"Huh? Prof? What's this about a new recruit?"

"Ah, I think I found that memo last night. Who is she again?"

"What!? And ya didn't tell me?" Lucy pouted.

"It didn't seem too appealing to call you at one o'clock in the morning. You need the sleep."

The Commissioner cleared his throat loudly. "As I was saying, her name's Elsie Lacros. She's a rookie fresh out of school, but she seemed to have quite the knack at policing and has helped several men on some tricky cases in the past, so we let her try out the exam."

Potty Prof suddenly took control out of impatience. "I don't have all day for guessing games you simple minded toad!"

"She passed with flying colours." Potty Prof left as quickly as he came. Placid Prof looked apologetically at his boss.

"So why set her with me then? Surely she would suit someone like Hilda?"

"Elsie may be an expert at detective work, but she's still young. I was hoping that you, Lucy could show her the ropes. Be a 'big sister' towards her." Lucy stood gobsmacked. "Why I...I'd be glad to sir!"

The Commissioner looked at his watch. "She should be here any minute." As if on cue, a short girl ran up to the Commissioner. She had a green jacket and coral tee top with a red scarf covering her neck. A small side bag hanged off her as she catched her breath. She also had a pair of blue sneakers, considerably worn out and dark coloured trousers. Her hair was tied into a messy high ponytail with her fringe and bangs coming loose.

"Sorry Commissioner! The bus was late." She gasped out.

Lucy took an immediate liking to her. She went up to shake her hand. "Hi! I'm Lucy! We're gonna be working together." She shook her hand fiercely, grabbing both Elsie's hands and refusing to let go.

"Uh...I'm Elsie."

Lucy motioned to Alfendi behind her. "That there is the Prof. I'm his assistant." She looked her up and down. "Say, you're younger than I expected. How old are ya?"

"Eighteen."

"Wow! You're a lot younger than I expected." Lucy finally stopped shaking her hand. "Well, now we're introduced I'll give you a tour of to 'Mystery Room'!" She took hold of her arm and dragged her inside much to Elsie's surprise. Alfendi remained outside the room for a while longer.

"There's another reason why you put her with me isn't there?"

The Commissioner nodded. "Yes. Well, we don't have too much information about her on her file. What we do know is that her family's involved in the recent gang attack rise."

"So you think she might have some information about the gang, and you want me to get it from her. Sure sounds a bit harsh, even for you."

"Well I'm not suggesting you treat her like a criminal but we have every reason to treat her with caution."

"Of course."

The Commissioner prepared to leave. "One more thing. Make sure she doesn't look at too many files while she's here. We don't need important information getting out there."

"Yes sir." Alfendi turned away and went back inside his office. He was surprised to see that Lucy was practically questioning Elsie like a criminal.

"So, why you so interested in law enforcement?"

Elise looked as frightened as a rabbit caught in the headlights. "I've always wanted to become a professional detective. Ever since I was a kid."

"Who you live with?"

"It's just me and my brother. We live down in Waterloo."

"Interesting."

Alfendi had to refrain himself from laughing. "Come on Lucy. You don't have to question everyone that comes into the office." His tone was soft and playful. He shook Elise's hand. "Inspector Alfendi Layton. But please refrain from formalities."

"Elsie Lacros."

"Well I'll bring you in on how we work. This is 'London's New Scotland Yard Serious Crime Division Classified Investigation Agency Headquarters', or the 'Mystery Room' as we like to call it. Whenever a case comes up, we recreate the crime scene using this reconstruction device on the shelf." He pointed towards the device snuggled between pieces of paperwork. "This allows us to remain inside and not to go and visit the real crime scene."

"Cool."

"Very. We were just starting a new case just before you arrived. Rather a simple one. If you find out who the murderer is in five minutes you can stay. If not, you're fired."

Lucy looked at Alfendi in shock. "That's a tad harsh Prof. Why not give her an hour?"

"The Commissioner has told us that you've dealt with several cases before this. Ones a lot more complicated that this one. So this shouldn't be a problem."

Elsie shrugged her shoulders. "Fine with me. Just show me how to work the recreation device and the statements and I'll be done in no time." Alfendi led her over to the shelf and took the device over to his desk. He pressed a small button and left the suspects profiles and statements on his desk.

"Time starts now." Soon after, the inside of the box like device had turned into the exact replica of the lakeside mansion murder scene. In thirty seconds Elsie had already scoured the room for evidence and took a quick glance at the body before reaching for the statements and profiles left on the desk. She flicked through them in no time before leaning against the desk with her hand pinching her chin.

"Wait." Lucy asked. "Did ya just search the whole room?"

"Yep."

"And read the statements?"

"Yep."

"Heck. That was quick." Elise tapped her head lightly. "Photographic memory. I only need to look at something to remember it." Three minutes passed before she rolled a hand into a fist then slammed it onto her other flat palm.

"It was the housekeeper."

"And why do you say that?"

"She made a false statement that she saw the TV producer go into the greenhouse to talk to her husband. In reality he was taking a stroll in the large gardens when the murder was committed, since he has a secret love of the canna flowers. Meanwhile, the victim's wife was sipping tea in the conservatory alone, probably thinking whether or not to tell Mr. Dean that she was having an affair with the production crew's camera man. The housekeeper went inside the greenhouse and stabbed Mr. Dean with his shears. He thought that she was there to tidy things inside the greenhouse, so had no clue to what was going to happen.

"She later washed the blood off the shears and put it inside the garden shed, while putting a muddy shoe on the floor to incriminate the producer who indeed had muddy shoes from walking near the canna flowers, which in fact bloom in wet muddy soil. She used her alibi as to washing clothes inside the house to get away with it, which she went to do after she had murdered the poor man. A crime of revenge, anger and very badly thought out. Am I wrong?"

Alfendi looked at the wall clock with a smile on his face. "No. You're spot on. 100% correct." He walked out of the office. "If you excuse me ladies, I'll call in the housekeeper. Once she hears all the evidence against her she'll make a full confession."

Elsie saw Lucy gawping at her. "What?" she asked innocently.

"How did you do that!? I 'ever even suspected the old lady!"

She smiled sweetly and scratched the back of her neck. "Not too sure, really. It just clicks, you know."

Without warning Lucy ran up to Elsie and grabbed her in a bone crushing hug. "Aww! You're gonna fit right in here!" Elsie struggled to get out of Lucy's grip.

"T-Thanks...but...that...really...h-hurts!" Lucy didn't seem to hear her though and only hugged her even more.

Elsie was nearly purple by the time Alfendi walked back in. Lucy hadn't even noticed her gulping for air on the floor when she saw him. "Prof! Prof! Elsie just agreed to get a bite after shift! Isn't she sweet!"

"Did I?" Elsie though to herself. "Sorry Lucy, but I probably blacked out at that point."

Lucy again didn't seem to hear. Instead she thought Elise was worried about paying. "Don't worry, I'll pay!" she patted down at her pockets. Alfendi shook his head. "Lucy, we still have to interrogate the housekeeper. We can't go just yet." Lucy suddenly gave out a small yelp. "My wallet! I can't find it!"

He looked at her with slight concern. "Well where did you last have it?"

"I had it when I got here. It must have fallen out when I slipped over on the wet floor!" She ran out into the hallway. "Maybe Dustin has it!"

Alfendi took the time to help Elsie to her feet. "Sorry about that. Lucy gets a bit overexcited sometimes."

"Great." She wailed sarcastically. "I'll be sure to hide behind you the next time she tries to give me a bear hug."

The Commissioner sat at his desk holding the phone.

"Yes, she's with Alfendi. I thought it would be good for the both of them to have another co-worker."

"..."

"Yes, I do know the risks of doing this."

"..."

"Don't worry; we'll be keeping a very close eye on her."

So here's my first attempt at a Layton Brothers fanfic. What do you guys think of it?