A rather large man stood in his basement filled with different sorts of machines, tools, and mechanic parts all strewn throughout the room. Right now, Jack Fenton was only concerned with one particular metallic device sitting before him. He furrowed his brow at in in concentration. It was taking a rather long time for it to work. It wasn't broken again, was it? He was quite sure that he did everything right, for once.
"Father," a voice sighed.
"Not now, Jazz," he replied, "I'm trying to concentrate."
The young woman rolled her aqua blue eyes and sighed again before looking back at him.
"Really, Father, this is ridiculous. You don't need..."
Jack ignored her as she went off on another lecture and ontinued to stare at the device. Finally, it let out a shrill whistle.
"Yes!" Jack smiled and raised his arms in celebration, "It works! The Fenton pot works!"
"Why can't you call it a kettle like everybody else?"
"Because, Jazzy-pants," he picked it up and pointed to a bright green F stamped onto one of its sides, "It has the name 'Fenton' on it!"
"Of course, how silly of me," she mumbled sarcastically, "Can we have our tea now?"
"Father!" another young woman shouted down the stairs, "There's someone here to see you!"
"It's not Walker again, is it Dani? I'm not here! Tell him I regret nothing and I want my lawyer!"
But the younger girl had already started down the stairs with the new guest. Standing right next to Dani was a young blonde woman in a pink dress and bonnet. Jack eyed her in suspicion as she took a step towards him.
"You're Jack Fenton, correct?"
"That depends," he replied, still keeping a suspicious eye on her, "You're not with Walker are you?"
"No," she shook her head, "No, I'm not with the police. My name is Star. I'm the maid over at the Masters mansion."
"The Masters mansion?" Jazz gasped as Dani stared with wide eyes at the maid.
"Yes," Star continued, "We have a very serious problem and we need your help. You guys are investigators, right?"
"Um," Dani spoke up as she started run her fingers through her raven hair nervously, "I think you want-"
"Of course we're investigators!" Jack beamed with pride, "And we're the very best at that! Aren't we, girls?"
"Father," Jazz got up and walked towards him, "I think she means-"
"Great!" Star smiled, "We have a huge, huge problem!"
"I know," Dani said sarcastically, "Mrs. Masters."
"Everyone knows," Jazz agreed.
"See," Star continued, "We were supposed to have a wedding today-"
"Really?" Jazz crossed her arms, "After the last wedding?"
"What last wedding?"
"The one five years ago where the husband died and her stepson, too."
"I wasn't there then, so, I don't really know anything about that," Star said uneasily.
"Well," Jazz stepping towards her, "Let me tell you-"
"Jasmine!" Dani grabbed her sister's wrist and shook her head.
"Now, now, Jazzy," Jack said, eager to continue with his new client's problem, "Let's not be rude to our guest. Go on now, young lady. You were supposed to have a wedding and-?"
"And," Star continued, "The bride disappeared! We looked everywhere! She was nowhere to be found! Not at the house, the cemetary, the church! Not at anywhere!"
"Good," Jazz muttered, "The world will be a better place without Penelope Masters in it."
Dani nodded her head in agreement.
"But, the bride disappeared! Not Mrs. Masters!"
"Wait," the Dani blinked, "You mean Penelope Masters wasn't the bride?"
"No! The bride was Ms. Samantha Manson! She's marrying Mrs. Masters' son, Dashiel Baxter!"
"Wow," Dani shook her head, "She must be more of an idiot than Dashiel."
"What did the police say?" Jazz asked, "You did go to the police, didn't you?"
"Mrs. Masters wouldn't let me."
"Of course she wouldn't," Dani muttered.
"And even if she would, no one really seemed concerned. They all think Ms. Manson's playing some sort of joke. They only one who thinks that something might be wrong is Ms. Manson's grandmother. And me, of course. I mean, Dashiel is smart, he's funny, he's handsome."
"I have no idea who you're describing," Dani replied, "But it's certainly not Dashiel Baxter."
"I mean," the maid ignored her, "Who would run away or worry such a wonderful man as Dashiel? Something has to be seriously wrong! Since I'm not allowed to go to the police, I decided to go to an investigator instead. You'll help, won't you?"
"Of course we will!" Jack exclaimed as he ran around the basement collecting various machinery, "Just us get our equipment and we'll be on our way!"
"We will?" his daughters asked in unison.
"Great!" Star exclaimed with a smile, "I'll wait for you outside!"
"Father," Jazz asked sternly, "Are you crazy? After what happened to-"
"Now, Jazzy-pants, I know there's still some uneasiness after what happened, but that was all five years ago."
"But," Dani interrupted, "She killed-!"
"We have no proof, Dani-girl. Besides, you two know how business hasn't exactly been good for us lately. We need this client!"
"Father, she's a maid!" Dani continued, "I don't think she has enough money to pay us. And Penelope probably won't be happy about paying us, either. You heard what she said. Penelope all thinks this is some practical joke."
"Which is why," Jack continued, "We need to prove her wrong! Now, grab your bonnets, girls, and let's get going."
Grumbling under their breaths, Jazz tied a turquoise bonnet that matched her dress onto her carrot-colored hair as her sister reached for her red one.
"Now then," Jack cried out triumphantly as they all filed outside, "Let's get to it!"
"Great!" Star beamed, "I have a carriage-"
But Jack wasn't listening. He bolted for the bar next door and jumped onto a pitch black horse. The horse whinnied in surprise and attempted to buck the unwanted rider off. Unfortunately, the man's weight barely allowed the poor horse to stand up.
"Away, noble steed!" Jack cried and pointed to where he wanted to go, "Hee-yaw!"
"But," Star tried to say, "Mr. Fenton, that's the wrong-"
She wasn't able to finish her sentence. The horse had already raced off to where Jack had pointed. Not two seconds later, a blonde young man escorted a young Latina lady out of the bar. Both giggling in anticipation at the evening that laid before them. When they reached to where the horse had been, they both stopped and looked around in surprise.
"Shadow?" cried the young man, "Shadow! Oi! You girls! Where's my horse?"
