Super Sleuth Aster
Chapter #01 - Safe Theft Case (Pt.1)
Written by: CS-Masyet
Aster
After not even a week, I got a call from Ovice. And, just as I thought, it was about a case.
"I need your help with a strange case." He had told me. "If it's not too much trouble, could you come by the Press Studio at noon on Saturday?"
Of course, I said yes. But to be honest, I didn't expect one so soon. It's not like I wasn't prepared, but I was a bit nervous.
But after hearing the details, it didn't sound too difficult. I should be fine, right?
Day: March 29 (Saturday) / Time: 12:00 / Location: Press Studio
I arrived just on time, even though it took a while to find this place. It's a good thing I had left early.
"Ah, Aster, good to see you! I'm hoping you can help me with this."
"Gladly, sir."
"Who is this kid?" A woman, who I'm guessing worked at the studio, asked bitterly.
"This is Aster, a new detective to the force. This is his first case."
"W-what?! Unbelievable!" She exclaimed angrily. "You brought a rookie to solve this case!?"
"Now, now, it's alright. I see potential in him. He should do fine." Ovice said, then turned to me. "You will, right?"
"Sure, it'll be no problem." I hope...
"Splendid! Here's some information on this case that you should know." He handed me a file.
According to the file, that rude woman was Ruth, 28 years old. She is the head of the Press Studio.
The guy standing next to her was Fundo, age 16. He's the co-head, as well as the studio's journalist.
And the shorter boy with him was Sachi, also 16. He is Fundo's assistant journalist, and his childhood friend.
"So, your safe was broken into and all your money was stolen, correct?" I asked Ruth, after reading the file.
"That's right. And I know who did it, too!"
"Really? Who?"
"It was Fundo!"
"Why are so sure of that? It could've been some random thief."
"Actually, there's a security camera placed near the entrance." Ovice explained. "And it didn't catch anyone suspicious entering or leaving the night of the theft."
"I see. So then, it had to be one of these three."
"Don't you mean two?!" Ruth said, angry as ever. "Why would I steal my own money?"
"According to this file, it seems you don't get along well with Fundo. It's possible you stole the money to frame him."
"That's absurd! I'm the head of this studio, I could just fire him if I wanted to!"
"It seems these two are your only journalists. Since Sachi is Fundo's childhood friend, they must be close. If you fired Fundo for no reason, you'd have no more employees."
"A-ah..." Ruth calmed down, having no other retort. "B-but it wasn't me..."
"Relax, I'm not saying you did it. It was just a theory."
"Even so, it's impressive that you were able to come up with that with such little information." Ovice stated.
"But I still don't know enough to solve this case yet." I responded. "I need to know what all of you were doing the night of the theft."
"I was just looking over their work to decide their pay." Ruth told me. "I heard a strange noise coming from my office at 9."
"9 pm? Exactly?"
"Yes, I'm certain." Ruth said, nodding. "I thought it was the two of them doing something stupid, so I didn't bother to check what it was. I was busy, anyways."
"I see..."
"But it's obvious that the noise was Fundo stealing the money from my safe!"
So according to Ruth, the theft happened at 9 'o clock... Better keep that in mind.
"Can you think of a reason why they'd be so precise with the time?"
"Well, I always check their work at 9, so that was probably it..."
"Alright. Thanks, that'll be enough for now."
"So, are you going to arrest Fundo, or not?"
"I still need to ask the other two some questions before I decide anything."
"Hmph!"
"Mind if I go next?" Fundo asked.
"Sure. What were doing that night?"
"Sachi and I were organizing old newspapers."
"Old newspapers? What reason would you have for keeping those?"
"We keep some that have important events. Some people, students especially, tend to come by to borrow them for research."
"Interesting." Ovice said, rubbing his chin. "Aster, you didn't know about this?"
"This is the first I've heard of it." I responded. "Anyway, what time did you leave, Fundo?"
"I was a bit tired, so I left 15 minutes before 9." Fundo said. "I told Sachi I was leaving early, and told him to lock up when he left."
"So you left without him..." I said to myself.
"And before the theft occured!" Ovice added.
"Impossible!" Ruth shouted. "You're lying!"
"Actually... I think he's telling the truth." Ovice cut in. "The security camera showed someone leaving at that time; it must have been him."
"That proves nothing!"
It proves a lot, actually...
"Now we're getting somewhere!" Ovice stated. "Now there are only two suspects left."
"Don't be so hasty, sir. We don't have enough proof of that."
"Hah, you're smarter then you look, kid." Ruth responded to me.
"Anyway..." I said, ignoring Ruth. "Sachi is next."
"Huh?" Sachi said to me.
"Could you tell me what you did after Fundo left?"
"Nothing really; I just finished organizing the newspapers..."
"What about after that?"
"I locked up and turned off the lights, like Fundo told me to. Then I went home."
"What time?"
"A few minutes after 9."
"And nothing strange happened that night?" Ovice asked.
"No, not really..."
That's odd, Ruth's and Sachi's statements don't match up. Which means... one of them is lying!
"Ruth, you said that you heard a strange noise around 9, correct?" Ovice asked. "But Sachi claims to have heard no such noise."
"I absolutely sure of it!" Ruth exclaimed. "Sachi is probably just trying to cover for Fundo or something."
"No, she's just trying to cover for herself!" Sachi retorted. "Fundo would never do anything bad!"
"Aster, which one of them is lying?" Ovice nervously asked me.
"I don't know; there isn't anything tha-..."
... wait a second.
"Sachi, what is it you did before you left again?"
"Huh? I locked up and turned off the lights... What's wrong with that?"
"But why?"
"Why? I already said; because Fundo told me to."
"Yes, he told you to lock up. But not to turn off the lights."
"A-ah! Um..." He hestitated for a second, then continued. "Since Fundo asked me to lock up, I thought he'd want me to turn off the lights as well."
"But Ruth was still in the studio."
"So it was you!" Ruth cut in. "Because of you, I tripped and couldn't see Fundo commiting the crime on the other security camera!"
You still think Fundo did it...?
"Wait a minute, what other security camera?!" Ovice asked.
"There's another security camera above the door to my office."
Odd place to have a camera...
"Why didn't you tell us before?! Even it was dark, we might be able to get some more clues on this case."
"S-sorry..." Ruth apologized to Ovice. "I can show you the camera footage, if you want."
Because Sachi turned off the lights, it was too dark to see the culprit... Hm...
"That'd be much appreciated, thanks." Ovice replied. "C'mon Aster, let's go."
"Oh, right."
We all went to the camera room.
"I'll play back the footage taken around 9." Ruth said, then turned on the video.
The camera appeared to have a good visible range near the outside of the office, but it was too dark to see much. The culprit headed for the door, but went in another direction first. Then after a few seconds, went inside Ruth's office.
"What room is to the right of the office?"
"The writing room. It's where the newspapers are printed."
"Wait, is that where you were at 9 o' clock?"
"Y-yes..."
"So the culprit is you!" Sachi exclaimed.
"I never left the writing room until I went home, which was two hours from then!"
"Not even once? But weren't you wondering why the lights went out?"
"I told you that I thought they were doing something stupid. That was a part of it." She explained. "There's another light switch in the room anyway, so I just turned that on."
"I see..."
I still don't have enough information. I'll need to ask more questions...
"Sachi, mind if I ask you something again?"
"Sure, what is it?"
"Why don't Ruth and Fundo get along very well?"
"Well, Ruth doesn't like men very much..."
That explains a lot...
"But then why would she hire you two?"
"When we were little, Fundo would visit this place a lot. He got along with Ruth's father, and eventually hired us before he retired."
"I see... Well, thanks for your cooperation, I guess."
"No problem. You know Fundo didn't do it, right? Ruth did!"
"Why does it have to be one of them? You're a suspect too, you know...."
"M-me? But I would never..."
"I'm just saying..." To be honest, you aren't too far from being the top suspect after the whole light thing...
I talked to Fundo next. "Fundo, you and Sachi are childhood friends, right?"
"Yep, that's right. What about it? Do you need proof or something? Here." Fundo took out a locket, which had a picture inside.
"This isn't necessary, but thanks..." The picture showed Fundo and Sachi as kids. But...
"Who's the person next to Sachi? His twin brother?"
"No, his sister..."
"Sister? She looks like a boy..."
"Sachi and Aijou used to dress up the same way. They thought it was fun confusing themselves with each other..."
"Why do look so sad when you talk about Aijou?"
"She died... Two days after this photo was taken."
"W-what?!"
"Their house caught on fire. Aijou didn't make it out in time..."
"I-I see... I'm sorry..."
How tragic...
"Hey Aster, there's something I want you to look at." Ovice brought me over to Ruth's office.
We all went back to the outside of the office.
"What is this thing?" Ovice asked, pointing at a strange metal bar attached to ground near the door. "I saw it from the security camera."
"It's a high-tech device I ordered all the way from Lopan. It cost me a pretty penny, I'll tell you."
"So, what does it do exactly?"
It detects any man that passes through. I put this here just in case Fundo or Sachi tried to steal anything from my office."
Figured as much...
"Wow, technology is amazing these days..." Ovice said, staring at the flashing bar in astonishment.
"I'm not so sure... Why didn't it go off when the culprit passed through?"
"They probably broke it or something."
"Hm..." Ovice stepped on the detecter, causing it to beep loudly. "W-wha!"
"It's working now, Ruth..." Fundo said to her.
"B-but... How could this be!?"
"This means Ruth had to have done it!" Sachi exclaimed. "It's undeniable proof!"
"W-wait a second...!" Ruth responded. "I didn't..."
"Enough!" Ovice stopped her. "We have all the evidence we need. Right, Aster?"
"..."
"What's the matter?"
There's no way it could be that easy. There's more to this case then meets the eye...
To Be Continued...
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Author's Comments:
It's May 26, 2011, also Super Sleuth Aster's 2nd anniversary! (Holy molasses, already?!) And what better way to celebrate then to re-release its first chapter? (And on time for once...)
So yeah, it's here...
...
I'm too lazy to say anything else, so... later.
- CS-Masyet
