private Enigma's Mysteries (Private w/Illiad Easle)

[Sphinx-Ara 3,569]

OOC Here

@Illiad Easle 

A tall, slender and young chino brown mare, by the name of Enigma, sat behind her desk in her office (which also doubled as her home), sipping on her favorite soda while typing away at her computer and watching some footage from her last job. She had only just put out the advertisements to join her, but she couldn't help but be a bit impatient and wonder if anyone would actually be interested. 

After about five minutes, she pauses the footage as she saw something she had missed previously "Hmm..There's..somepony else there" she'd say to herself.

[Illiad Easle 3,131]

@Etched Daydream

Hard Line stood in front of the building the paper's address had designated, he compared the paper to the building once again before stowing it away in his typical PI coat, which in addition to being stylish served to obscure most of his features, including his red brick coloration and apparent lack of wings. Business had been slow lately, which is why he was even here. His assistant had brought him the ad as a joke no doubt, but even if it was as full of nonsense as he thought, it would be a welcome distraction.

His cold cyan eyes scanned up and down the street for a moment before he approached the door to knock, three taps, short and firm.

He wasn't too tall, but he was hardly short, he would hardly win any contests on muscle beach but he had just enough tone that people would think twice before getting into a scuffle with him.

Hope it's worth the effort, it was quite the trip up from Manehatten.  

[Sphinx-Ara 3,569]

@Illiad Easle

Enigma would hear the knocking on the door. She'd get up and put her own coat on, going down the stairs of her apartment and then to the front door, opening it "Hello, are you here abo.." she'd look at the stallion and smile "Private Investigator Hard Line, come in" she would say. She knew about him only through reputation and word of mouth. She was sort of in the same field of work, only not murders, disappearing foals or adulterous stallions or mares. 

As she stood to the side, letting him come in, she'd smile "I am quite surprised to see you here, from everything I've heard about you, you're not quite the one to believe in the Paranormal"

[Illiad Easle 3,131]

Hard raised an eyebrow in surprise as he quickly looked over Enigma. "It seems my reputation precedes me, I didn't realize I was so well know so far north."

He removed his trilby as he entered at Enigma's invitation, revealing that he also lacked a horn. He looked over the room as she spoke, turning to her as she finished, "Well," he shrugged, "With all that's been going on lately, I'm inclined to suspend my disbelief for a moment."

He offered a handshake, "You are Enigma yes? What sort of mystery do you have for me?"

[Sphinx-Ara 3,569]

@Illiad Easle

Enigma would happily shake his hand "Technically, we are in the same field of work, and I do like to keep up with the news, you were the one that solved the Belle Murders, right?" she asks, leading him "Take a seat in the living room, can I get you anything to eat or drink?" she would ask, making her way to the kitchen. "And trust me, my newest job may be up your alley" she'd smile.

[Illiad Easle 3,131]

@Etched Daydream

Hard would take a seat where he could find one, he smirked at the mention of his latest success, "That was me alright, but I can hardly take at the credit. Without Detective Trace's help I never would have found... well, I can't say as the trial's not done yet, but a key piece of evidence."

At her offer of food he would wave dismissively, "Just water if that's alright, I ate on the train."

Hard looked intrigued st the mention of the case, "Right up my alley? Means someone's either missing or dead, though given your line, likely both. Or you want to know everything about someone, again likely dead."

He found himself getting excited, so he took advantage of Enigma being out of the room to calm himself back down, he had an image to uphold after all. 

[Sphinx-Ara 3,569]

@Illiad Easle

"Water it is" she would say, getting the water for him and a whiskey for herself. She'd bring him the glass "Fresh spring water" she would say, handing it to him before sitting down and thinking. "Honestly sir, I'm not even sure where to start with this one" she would say "Are you familiar with the old Manehatten Arcade on Crown?" she would ask him "I was asked by the new owner to check it out"

[Illiad Easle 3,131]

@Etched Daydream

Hard would take a swig of the water, holding it in his mouth for a moment as he thought, then swallowing before speaking. "Only from the outside. I've passed by a few times but never looked at it twice. Does the new owner think it's haunted? Anything strange happen in its past?"

Out of habit he pulled a notebook and pencil from his coat to take notes on pertinent information.

[Sphinx-Ara 3,569]

@Illiad Easle

Enigma would sip on her whiskey, "Yes, well a lot of the previous owners do too" she would say "Strange noises in the night, the patrolstallion having feelings of being followed or watched.." she would say, "I've read some of the history of the arcade, something about at least three death's happening there" "The most well known would be a stallion who worked there as a clown"

"Of course the death was never solved, whether it was an accident or murder" she would say

[Illiad Easle 3,131]

@Etched Daydream

Hard would jot down some notes as Enigma spoke, "Interesting, I might be able to pull some files in Manehattan, see what the last investigation found. That should give us a bit more to go off." He looked up from his notes,  "About how long ago are we talking? Is the patrolstallion still available to talk to about it? "

He took another swig of the water, holding it in his mouth for a moment as before before swallowing. 

[Sphinx-Ara 3,569]

@Illiad Easle

She would think about it "Well the arcade has been around.." she looks something up "A hundred years, wow, that's old" she'd chuckle "As for the patrolstallion, yeah, I believe he is still around to question" she would say, "As for the disappearance of the staffer there.." she'd look it up again "Says he worked there for 30 years from the 20s to the 50s"

[Illiad Easle 3,131]

@Etched Daydream

Hard nodded as he took down the notes, "That's quite the time period to be working there, and you say he then disappeared after so long a time there? He could have flipped and simply left the city, but that type typically leaves at least a note behind..."

He tapped his pencil against his chin in thought, "So we've got three possible murders, a disappearance, and the possibility of some haunting. Is that all?" He'd look up questioningly, "I think I can definitely help in these possible murders, though I'm unsure how useful I'd be in investigating the haunting. Nut if my basic knowledge it correct the haunting is caused by these 'restless spirits' waiting for their murders to be solved right?"

[Sphinx-Ara 3,569]

@Illiad Easle

"Well see, no one in the town believes he would just skip town" she says "I guess I shouldn't have said, he disappeared completely" she looks to him "As, he was found, or more like, his body was" she sits down and sighs "In the gears that made those old attractions like the merry go rounds and such work"

[Illiad Easle 3,131]

@Etched Daydream

"Ah, well that's another thing entirely. Something that could have been a complete accident, a misstep in the dark, but could just as easily have been more malicious." He sighed, "I suppose we won't get very far just talking between us, I'd like to get a hold of whatever files the Manehatten police may have made in regards to these possible murders, if they bothered investigating them at all. I'm aware that back then they liked to assume anything that might have been an accident, was."

[Sphinx-Ara 3,569]

@Illiad Easle

She would nod and sigh "This may turn out to be more than just a paranormal case" she'd say, sipping on her drink "And I'm sure you're right, but then they may have done some more investigation since, but on the sly, so as to not create hysteria or worse, mass hysteria within the town" she would say "Think you can pull those files before we leave for Manehatten?"

[Illiad Easle 3,131]

@Etched Daydream

Hard would think for a moment, "Well, if I can use your internet I could send a request for the information through Detective Trace, and he could have the files ready for us when we arrive." He would take another swig of the water, holding it in his mouth a bit longer than usual before swallowing. "Delicious by the way, thank you."

[Sphinx-Ara 3,569]

@Illiad Easle

Enigma would nod and would lead him to her office "It's not much, but I haven't really needed anything more for just myself" she would say, logging into her laptop and opening up her browser "Just go from there, and you'll be fine" she says, but then tilts her head at him saying the water is delicious "Well, you're welcome, though I honestly can't stomach water without some sort of flavor to it"

[Illiad Easle 3,131]

@Etched Daydream

Hard would appraise the office as they walked in, "Eh, it's about the same as my office in Manehatten, just with better views."

Hard would chuckle at the comment on the water, "I much prefer the mineral taste of the water up here to the filtered taste of the water in Manehatten, that's plenty of flavor for me."

He would activate the private browsing feature of the web browser before opening the page for the Manehatten police department, logging in with the credentials he had 'borrowed' from Detective Trace to leave an urgent message in his inbox asking for the relevant case files, specifically asking for any files on the location of the arcade, and to have them ready for them when they would come by the station.

The message left he would log off and close the browser, "That should be good then, hopefully there's something interesting in there."

[Sphinx-Ara 3,569]

@Illiad Easle

Enigma would nod "I suppose, you would have to have filtered water in Manehatten, due to the pollution from the factories and such" she'd say, giving him the space and privacy he needed to log into the system and do what he needed. She'd look out of the window "I hope so too, some of my last cases were..rather boring and mundane" she'd say, looking out of the window "Sometimes though, I just want to pack up, go somewhere nice and quiet and wind down"

[Illiad Easle 3,131]

@Etched Daydream

Hard would look over with a bit of surprise, but shrugged "I know what that's like, I usually like to take a break between cases, I've found the White Tail Woods to be particularly relaxing."

He would stand up from the computer, "So, when do you want to get started?"

[Sphinx-Ara 3,569]

@Illiad Easle

She'd stretch "I'd say tomorrow, it is a long drive to Manehatten" she would say "If you don't have a place to stay, I have a guest room you could take" she'd say with a smile "oh, but if you hear whimpering or screaming in the night, it's just me..I have..night terrors sometimes"

[Illiad Easle 3,131]

@Etched Daydream

Hard would look at her with a raised eyebrow, "Awful brave of you, inviting a stallion you've only just met to spend the night."

He would shake his head, "Don't worry about me, I've got some family up here I wanted to visit anyway. What time do you want me back here tomorrow? "

[Sphinx-Ara 3,569]

@Illiad Easle

She chuckles "Well it's not like I was inviting you to share my room or bed" she'd say and nod "but alright, it's probably for the best you stay at your family's house" she would say before looking at the time "It's gonna be a bit of a drive to Manehatten, as I am sure you are well aware" she says "So, meet back here, first thing in the morning...say seven"

[Illiad Easle 3,131]

@Etched Daydream

Hard would smirk, "No worries then, I'll be here ready to drive down at seven. You sleep well. "

With that he would leave the office.

He would arrive the next day at 6:50, but would wait outside until 7, when he would knock unless Enigma opened the door first. 

[Sphinx-Ara 3,569]

@Illiad Easle

Enigma would smile and nod "Alright then Hard Line, see you at 7" she would say and get up to lead him to the front door before opening it for him "I'll give you more details along the way, as I'll likely be up all night getting as much information as I can on the case"