“Ugh.”
I sat down in my chair after solving the stupidest case I’d ever received. Like, who calls a detective to get their cat out of a tree? And why could I never get any real cases? Sure, I just graduated from detective school and I’m not that experienced, but that doesn’t mean I’m not as good as the others!
Sorry, I’ve just been rambling on. My name is Tanner Sanders. I’m a new detective, but my boss doesn’t really give me… eventful cases.
Oh well. Guess I’ll just have to deal with it.
The phone rings.
“Hello?”
“Tanner Smith, get over to my office right now!”
“Uh, it’s Sanders, sir, but I’ll be there in a jiffy!”
I can’t help but wonder why his voice sounds so… urgent. Unless he gave me an actual case, what’s there to be urgent about?
“I’m here, sir.”
“Sit down. All the other detectives have a case, and you’re the last one left for this one.”
I sat down. Whatever case he was about to give me, it already seemed a little better than the ones I’d been getting.
“A Miss Lilly Wolfe just called. While she was out at the grocery store, getting food for her cat, somebody broke through the glass door on her back porch. Nothing was stolen except for a safe under her bed containing ten thousand dollars in cash and her grandmother’s wedding ring. We need somebody to head over right now.”
“I’ve got it, sir!”
As I drive to Miss Wolfe’s house, my heart won’t stop beating. An actual case! I really hope it’s not an easy one.
I arrive at the house and ring the doorbell.
“Hello, Miss Wolfe.”
“Are you the detective?”
“Yes, I am. May I see your back door?”
“Go ahead. I haven’t told anybody about this, so nobody should bother you.”
As I inspect the shards of broken glass, I can clearly see that whoever broke in rammed their body through the door. Multiple shards of glass have little drops of blood on them from when they cut the intruder. I pick a couple up and put them in a bag. These could be useful later.
Then, out of the corner of my eye, something flickers. I turn to look.
It’s a hair.
A short black hair.
A clue!
“Aha!” I gently pick it up and inspect it. Yes, it is definitely from someone’s head. Whoever broke in has short black hair.
“What’s that?” Miss Wolfe asks.
“My first clue. Do you know anybody with short black hair, Miss Wolfe?”
“Hmmm. Let me think… yeah. Yeah, I do.”
“What is their name?”
“Blair Raven.”
“How do you know Blair?”
“She’s my next-door neighbor.”
Hmm. That would make sense if it was someone nearby, since the grocery store isn’t that far away.
“Are you good friends with Blair?”
“I mean, I know her, but we scarcely talk. She’s always been a little introverted and… mysterious, you know?”
“Did she know about the safe?”
“Not as far as I know.”
“Hmm. I see. I think we’re gonna have to pay Miss Blair Raven a visit.”
I step out the front door, and come face to face with a long-haired brunette woman.
“Oh, I’m sorry, detective! I just came over to see if there was anything I could do to help.”
“Uh… we’re fine; thank you. How did you know I was here?”
“Word travels fast on the streets. Good day, detective!” The brunette woman walks away. I can’t help but notice she is wearing long sleeves and pants, in the middle of summer.
“Who is that, Miss Wolfe?”
“My other next-door neighbor, Britney Winters. She’s an actress, and the kindest soul you’ll ever find.”
“Ah. She’s dressed quite strangely.”
“That’s normal. She’s always in some costume, since she’s an actress.”
“I see. To Blair’s house we go, then!”
We walk over to Blair’s house, but she isn’t home. Strange. But at that point, it’s time for me to go home anyway.
“I have no reason to be here anymore. I’ll see you bright and early tomorrow.”
“Goodbye… what was your name again?”
“Tanner Sanders.”
“Goodbye, Tanner.”
That night, when I think everything over, something seems off to me about Britney Winters. Word travels fast on the streets, she had said. What did that mean? And her costume was weird, too. It must be hot and miserable there. Why would you cover up all that skin in the middle of summer?
Wait. What if she was hiding something about her appearance?
What if she was covered in little cuts and bruises?
I have a lead.
The next morning, I head straight to Lilly’s house.
“Good morning, Tanner.”
“I have a suspect.”
“Who?”
“You’ll find out soon enough. Who else knew about your safe?”
“Nobody but my mother and Britney.”
“That settles it.”
“Settles what?”
“Our culprit is Miss Winters.”
Lilly turns pale.
“That’s impossible,” she falters.
“I’m afraid it’s not.”
“But– but– she’s so nice!”
“She’s an actress.”
“I don’t believe this.”
Lilly grabs my arm to steady herself.
“Miss Wolfe, Britney knew about this without being told, she knew about the safe, and she was wearing those clothes yesterday to cover up the cuts and bruises on her body. I’m sorry.”
“What about the black hair?”
Shoot! I’d forgotten about that.
“I don’t know, but I am still required to call in reinforcements and interrogate Miss Winters,”
She looked at me, her eyes brimming with tears.
“Do it.”
The police arrived ten minutes later. They took custody of Britney and brought her straight to me.
“You fools! What are you doing?!” Britney screamed.
I pull back the part of Britney’s shirt concealing her shoulder. It’s cut and bruised.
Then I notice a flash of black beneath her hair. I pull off the brunette wig and look at Lilly. She says nothing.
“Miss Winters, you are under arrest.”
And, well, I guess my cases got better from there. Being a newbie doesn’t last forever, after all.