What would Molly Louise and the assumed kidnapper be seeing, outside of the storage area, it was dedicated mostly to makeup and cosmetics, would there be more witnesses? Likely, and so, why did nobody besides the man identify seeing her? A lot of the performers would be in the lobby, readying themselves to perform or stewing after their performance. There might not have been a lot in the room, but there would have been enough. They might have been distracted, but that doesn’t mean they’d risk it. Vulpecula went back into the storage area beneath the stage, Apus and Lacerta both looking at him in confusion.
Vulpecula didn’t feel the need to explain his behaviors to them; they knew the drill by now. There were boxes and boxes stacked upon one another, neither looked any more peculiar than the other. Vulpecula grabbed one of the boxes and pulled it with all his might, successfully moving it away from the wall exposing … nothing.
He lifted a smaller box and walked it over to the other side of the room. His friends evidently picked up on what he was doing because they began helping him move the boxes until they found what they were looking for.
A small door to the side of the stage, it hadn’t been completely unexposed and hidden, but would be easy to miss if one didn’t know what they were looking for.
Vulpecula climbed over some of the boxes covering it and opened the door. The inside led to a janitor’s closet and from there, the side of the stage. There was an emergency exit on each side of the theater; this would be much more likely than the front-entrance. Vulpecula opened the door and sure enough, it led out the side of the building. The misdirection as well as the confusion would enable to means of escaping inconspicuously, although some attention might be drawn to the exit-door being opened.
Vulpecula admittedly felt discouraged at the rationalizations; there was a lot of assumption that came to the conclusions. Unfortunately, he could see absolutely no way whatsoever how two individuals could escape while everybody else remained oblivious. There was too much risk, somebody would have seen something. He noticed the alarm-system on the side of the door and lent thought to the fact that it didn’t go off. It should automatically go off, if somebody is using the emergency exit for a just emergency, but it didn’t. He walked outside feeling the warm air touch against his skin, but in his head, he was imagining it was raining, just as it was when she went missing.
Feet stamping upon puddles of water while rain dropped on them, they would continue before turning left, Molly Louise would likely remain anxious or fearful. She would either be trying to fight away from the kidnapper or not be. She’d fight back, or she would go willfully, but the man would be in a hurry, and therefore, he would probably be pulling at her hand and trying to make her be swift. Vulpecula walks fourth into the parking-lot. They make it into the car but not before being seen by an older gentleman that faintly sees them in the pouring rain.
Vulpecula walks around aimlessly, knowing that this is the range where the imagination takes over. And so, he falls to a seated position in the parking-lot, looking up at the entrance of the theater. And, all at once, the answer showed itself to him with astounding straightforwardness.
Welcome to McKinley Hall Theater!
Home of the Magnets!
We Are Currently Closed.
"I’ll tell you the truth, V,” Lacerta began bluntly out of the blue while they sat down at the Sidian Inn’s dining hall.
Each eating their usual meals and sitting in their assigned seats designated to them by Vulpecula, who oftentimes found change to be more cluttering than innovative, at least when it came to things of such importance.
“I would certainly appreciate the truth over a lie,” Vulpecula answered honestly, twiddling his fork around his food with little of an appetite.
“I believe that Eric Leon was bamboozled and tricked by Molly Louise. You saw the way that he looked when we talked to them. He was absolutely devastated, and I am assuming that there is a little more behind their ‘partnership’ than he is letting on.” Lacerta explained.
“Are you suggesting that they were lovers?” Vulpecula inquired curiously.
“I am suggesting that one loved the other, I think that Molly Louise met somebody else, or maybe even somebody she knew while in Hardan. The life of a stage performer isn’t very good, and I believe she probably wanted to spare Eric Leon’s feelings. I am thinking that the person that the witness saw with Molly was that ‘somebody else’ and she hesitated because she didn’t want to hurt Leon.” Lacerta explained with a lot of confidence.
“Possible,” Vulpecula said simply, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. “What about you, my feathered friend?” He asked, motioning over to Apus.
Apus looked at him.
“Eric Leon wants to believe that it’s a kidnapping, but this doesn’t necessarily look like a kidnapping to me.” Apus commented.
“Exactly,” Lacerta called out smugly.
“And what do you believe it appears to be,” Vulpecula asked simply, once more seeming neither convinced nor uncertain.
“Now, hold on, Lacerta, because while I think that your theory carries weight, I do have a thought for another. Well, uh, you know how Eric Leon expressed that it was all about reputation and image in theater? Granted, it doesn’t look like a kidnapping, but that doesn’t mean it couldn’t be one with a different coat of paint. What if the kidnapper had dirt on Molly Louise, or somebody that she was close to like Eric Leon? Her acting might serve as a martyr for containment of something scandalous.” Apus’ voice didn’t carry nearly the same confidence as Lacerta with his theory, and he made sure to add, “I’m just trying to make sure we see all the possibilities,” at the end of his dialogue.
“Thank you, Apus, and extortion or blackmail is certainly a reasonable outcome to expect.” Vulpecula stated warmly, a small but assuring smile on his face.
Silence befell the room, aside, of course, the chit-chatting that occurred outside their social-group, Vulpecula could hear the youthful conversing of a couple of young fellows only a few feet away from them, sitting in a booth. He could also hear teeth chomping down against their meal, an older couple that hadn’t spoken much of a word since sitting down moments earlier. Vulpecula brought in a breath, taking in the aromas composed of various foods being prepared and the scent of the customers, most certainly. In the loving serenity of the environment before him, Vulpecula couldn’t help but feel the callous stares of his acquaintances obviously wanting something that he hadn’t yet gathered.
“Well,” Lacerta eventually mumbled sternly, a little bit of annoyance befalling his voice, as if he had secretly sent Vulpecula the well-deserved power of telepathy.
“I’m sorry, did you say something?” V asked, knowing full-heartedly the answer to his own query.
“Which idea do you think nailed it the most? Do you believe what I said about her running away with a lover or do you believe Apus’ theory about her being blackmailed into an unwitting departure away from performing? You are kind-of the head-honcho on this,” Lacerta asked.
Vulpecula wished Lacerta would brighten his vocabulary in such a way that discarded words such as “nailed,” there was no nailing to speak of in this evening’s endeavors.
“What is your favorite film, Lacerta?” Vulpecula replied casually.
“What!” Lacerta seemed shocked with the rebuttal, “What are you talking about?”
“I am talking about films, commonly called motion pictures, flicks, and about a million other synonyms. I watched The Red Lane Starlet recently, the screen-adaptation, I mean, as much as I would love to see Molly Louise’s portrayal, I have little reason to believe she’ll actually be returning to her role soon.” Vulpecula’s face momentarily wrinkled with despair at the fact, he really would have liked to have seen her portrayal. “There were a couple of minor changes that some critics ranted about upon the release of the film. However, I thought it was rather enjoyable, had a certain light-heart apathy on such heavy subject matter.”
“We were talking about the
case!!” Lacerta called out angrily, hence the second exclamation mark.
“Oh, I’m sorry, I thought that both of you had finished.”
“Which one do you think is right?”
“Neither, of course,” Vulpecula answered back honestly.
“Then, what did happen?”
“While I have already concluded, I believe that the answer will come out in due time.”
“What is the answer!?” Lacerta called out. “Vulpecula, I swear, I just, you, …” Lacerta stopped shortly after his ramblings. He couldn’t find the words to verbalize his affection for the white-furred fox. Lacerta let out a breath, rubbing his love-filled temples to keep his infatuation under control. “What is the answer?”
“I’ve already cleared the chalkboard, the answer to the case has been found, and I don’t believe there is any more reason for inspection. Molly Louise will come out of, ahem, hiding in due time.” Vulpecula answered back, neither proud nor dissatisfied.
It was an interesting case to say the least, one with misdirection, flamboyance, showmanship, and intellectual turmoil. Vulpecula sat back in his chair looking at the distraught and dissatisfied Lacerta while also looking at the confusion in the eyes of Apus. He couldn’t remember all of the ties that he found in the first place, once the chalkboard was erased, it was gone forever. He kept notes and information stored somewhere or another, as you are reading, but he rarely found sentiment in them. He kept one fact and one fact alone, the answer to the case was to be revealed by itself.
Eric Leon would find the whereabouts of Molly Louise as soon as everybody else and react with whichever emotion suited him. He’d likely feel hurt or angry, but it wasn’t for Vulpecula to cause. Vulpecula merely took the time to put Eric Leon’s heart at ease, informing him that Molly Louise was safe, and told him to go home and get some much-needed rest.
Molly Louise’s Disappearing Act, Magnet’s Newest “Attraction”!
Written by Michael Stiles of the Rescue Tribune
Less than two weeks ago, visitors of McKinley Halls, as well as citizens of Acera alike were taken aghast by the disappearance of actress, Molly Louise. Performing the leading role as Amy Sextant in the highly-acclaimed A Blood Lane Starlet, Molly Louise stepped upon and triggered a trapdoor sending her beneath the stage. The fellow performers dismissed this as an individual mistakenly unlocking the latch to the comical dismay of Molly Louise; however, they soon realized that Molly Louise was nowhere to be seen.
We have since learned that there was another story being told only known by Molly Louise and a very select few. “There was nobody on stage that knew about what I was doing, I couldn’t see their reactions, but I am told by my friends that nobody knew what was going on,” Louise tells the Rescue Tribune interviewer, Michael Stiles. Molly Louise fell safely beneath the stage before being helped to her feet by a member of Magnet, the most prominent group of performers in all Maharris. “We made special precautions to ensure nobody discovered us while making our escape. Everybody was looking at the stage, nobody knew what was going on, and we used it as a chance to go through the emergency exit. There were a lot of Magnet members blocking me from view also,” says the newly established Magnet member.
Molly Louise did not go completely missed as one witness recalled seeing her flee in the parking-lot minutes after. Molly Louise has confirmed the validity of this statement and clarified that she was nervous about going through with the ‘staged kidnapping’. Some might be uncertain as to why Molly Louise would have wanted to do such a large and controversial spectacle. Magnet has long-since established a name for itself by having the finest that Acera-born performers offered, and while Molly Louise has made herself prominent as one of the most known actresses ever to come out of North Rites, she was born in Hardan. “There are certain traditions that are upheld by Magnet. They rarely make exceptions, but I needed them to make one, badly. If you are not a member of Magnet, you might as well go home, and I couldn’t accept that I wouldn’t be allowed in by a technicality. They told me that if I did something extraordinary that they would let me into the group. And so, here I am.”
Molly Louise revealed herself at the McKinley Halls’ biggest available theater in-front of over ten-thousand audience members and was welcomed as the newest member of Magnet. She will be joining the troupe throughout this year, participating in various acts that have yet to be specified. “I realize that there are a lot of things that I had to do; I might have surprised a lot with my actions, but looking back at where I was, and looking at where I am now. I have no regrets about my decision.”
The Life and Crimes of Detective Barker
Episode Two
Not So Lucky Now
1.
It didn't happen often, but there he was, sitting amongst the stuffy high bred folk. Barker walked past the twentieth mirror he had noticed in the place. It seemed to suit him well though. There was never enough time to casually glance at your own appearance. He straightened his tie. Powder blue, he had gone with. It was a symbol of respect for the armed forces.
Barker turned away from the mirror. There would be more. For now, he had to make all appearances of a concerned and appalled spectator. After all, it was the banquet dinner to commemorate the life of his fellow detective, Lucky.
Lucky, had passed on to a better life. At least the speaker had the room convinced this was the case. His car had mysteriously lost all four tires and crashed into an oncoming pole. Lucky had no chance to brake or swerve.
Sad for Lucky, who didn't seem to quite live up to the name in the end. Barker looked around, snapping out of his own thoughts. The people were clapping, the long-winded speaker must have been done. He put his paws together in a slow clap as well. Barker was not only a detective, but he was also a Canine. A very special kind of dog called a Doberman.
Barker checked the schedule for the events of the night. He really hoped eating was up next. However, at a glance, he quickly found it was anything but eating time. There highlighted in red marker was his own name, he remembered now, keynote speaker. Why had they chosen him?
Barker straightened his tie and looked in the twenty-first mirror of the night. He wasn't even great friends with Lucky. They weren't even good friends. They had merely been co-workers. Matter of fact, Barker recalled not even liking Lucky at all. The smug little bird. Always nudging up to Psitticus. He was what you would call the perpetual brown noser. Loved everything that squawking parrot of a boss had to say.
Barker stepped up behind the podium. He had notes, he always had notes. He fidgeted around in his pocket for them. He had originally started the speech off very simply,
I could not be prouder that Lucky is finally gone. No longer do I have to grin and nod at his stupid pandering. No longer must I play the third detective in an office of three. No longer do I have to listen to his pointless dribble.
Although that was the way Barker really felt about the situation. He thought it classier to start like this instead...
"Today we celebrate the life of a fellow detective, a soldier, and a great man. There are many things I could say about Lucky to those gathered here, but we all know he touched each of our lives. We know that he was charismatic, determined, and always ready to prove his worth. "Barker hated to lie, but appearances were everything. Anyone who told you differently was a liar.
"I could sit here and spew a few jokes about how the man was always ready to make you laugh. I could sit behind this wooden podium and tell you a tearjerker of a surefire lead detective gone too soon. What a great boss he would have made."
Better than Psitticus at least, but that didn't make him nearly as good as Barker. Barker held back the bile that was forming from these sickening words. His paw moved up to his neckline and straightened his tie again.
"I, however, will not be doing that tonight. Instead of making you laugh or making you cry. I decided to just say thank you to the man we have all gathered here to mourn. Thank him for his service to the country, to the city, and t
o the people. A friend is what he was first and foremost to us all. Remember him with his beak shaped in a smile and his wings spread in flight, for tonight he has risen above us all. We as those left behind can only hope that one day we too can join him in paradise," Barker took a drink of water. The words needed to be washed out from his pallet. Why did he write this crap?
Barker smiled and held his hand up for the applause. He then stepped down from the stage. The group gathered to shake his hand. Some even offered congratulations on the promotion to the second detective. These were the idiots of the group. There was no promotion. There was no second detective position. Barker had solved more cases than Lucky had ever dreamed of solving. It was only the constant sucking up that made people assume he was somehow more important than Barker.
Barker didn't inform the imbeciles. Instead, he nodded and smiled, continuing his way to the back of the hall. Behind him, he heard the call for dinner. At least if he had to be with these people he could get a nice meal from it.
Lucky was well liked in the community. He was a decorated soldier, a beloved detective, and a major donating force to the local charities. In short, the meal was overdone but downright delicious.
By his third plate, Barker started to feel that maybe he should slow down. By his forth, he was sure it was time to slow down. Then again, he had dessert to worry about. And what a dessert it was. A massive chunk of cheesecake covered in nuts, Barker devoured it like he was a starving child.
The Canes Files Page 4
