Detect-er Aster
Ep.#04 - Crescent Beach Case
Written by: CS-Masyet
Day: March 25 / Time: 10:00 / Location: Aster's House

Other than the footprint, there wasn't anything else that could help me with this case. The only possible suspect so far is that guy I saw at the beach, and I couldn't even see him clearly enough.

I'll have to ask Starr about the guy and if he's similar to the guy I saw. I believe she said her house was near Crescent Beach...

Day: March 25 / Time: 10:15 / Location: Starr's House

That was easy; her house is the only one near the beach. I saw Starr playing with a dog in her front yard.

Starr: "Good morning, Aster. Did you find the guy yet?"

"No, not yet. That was my reason for coming here, actually."

Starr: "If you need my help with anything, I'll help in anyway I can!"

"Thanks. Is there anything you can tell me about him?"

Starr: "I didn't see him that well... All I know is that he's tall... and big... He's either fat or really jocky..."

"'Jocky'?"

Starr: "You know, like really musclar."

"I see... Come to think of it, the guy I saw last night at the beach looked like that, too..."

Starr: "Y-you saw him?"

"It was dark, so I couldn't really see him that well. All I got was his footprint." I showed her my notepad.

Starr: "How did you get his footprint? Did he drop his shoe?"

"No, there was a print on the sand. (If he dropped his shoe I would've taken it...)"

Starr: "Really? That's weird... I tried making footprints in the sand before and I couldn't..."

"Maybe it's because he's heavier than you, so he was able to make one."

Starr: "Oh, I guess that makes sense..."

Dog: "Arf!"

Starr: "By the way, this is my dog, Spot. Isn't he cute?"

"Spot? Why did you name him that? There isn't a single spot on him..."

Starr: "I thought it would be cute to match up his name with our last name. Actually, pratically everyone in our family has a first name that matches up with our last name."

"What's your last name?"

Starr: "Lite. Starr Lite and Spot Lite. Isn't it funny?"

"L-Lite?!? Wait a minute... Are you by chance related to Detective Flash Lite?"

Starr: "Yeah, he's my dad..."

"I never knew you were related to such a famous detective..."

Detective Flash Lite. He was a really famous detective who was able to solve any case he came across. However, there was one case he wasn't able to solve, and after that case no one ever saw him again. I used to admire him; he was the reason I became a detective.

Starr: "He disappeared 2 years ago... I really miss him... Someday, I want to be a great detective like him. So, after this case is done... will you teach me how to be a detective?"

"I don't know, you have to be pretty smart to become one..."

Starr: "Hey, are you saying I'm dumb?!?"

"N-no, of course not... Anyway, let's check out the beach to see if we can find anything else."

Starr: "Okay."

Day: March 25 / Time: 10:30 / Location: Crescent Beach

"It doesn't look like there's anything here we can use..."

Starr: "Hey, a footprint!"

"Yeah, that's the one I drew in my notepad."

Starr: "Really? Let me see it again..." She looked at the drawing. "Wow... you're not that good at drawing, are you?"

"Hey, it was dark! It was hard to see!"

Starr: "Yeah, okay..."

"*sigh* We aren't getting anywhere like this..."

Starr: "I'm sorry I'm not of much help..."

"Hm... Could you tell me what happened the first time you saw him?"

Starr: "Okay... It was last Friday, the day I saw him. When I first got to the beach, I accidentally bumped into him."

"Bumped into him?"

Starr: "Yeah; I hit him pretty hard. I ended up dropping my phone because of it."

"Your phone? What happened afterward?"

Starr: "I picked up my phone and put it in my pocket. Then he went up to me, and... And..."

"What? Tell me!"

Starr: "He tried to rape me!"

"W-...WHAT?!? (She said he tried to do 'bad things' to her yesterday, but... I had no idea it was something like this...)"

Starr: "...then I ran back home as fast as I could... I could barely get any sleep that night..."

"..."

Starr: "Yesterday was practically the same thing..."

"...I see... (Darn it, I don't have any leads at all! What am I supposed to do?!?)"

Starr: "What's the matter?"

"I can't think of another way to find out who this guy is..."

Starr: "Oh... I wonder what daddy would do if he were here..."

"(What Flash would do? If I remember, he would examine every clue carefully... But the only clue I've got is the footprint... Hm, I might as well do that since I have no other leads...) Listen, I'm going to go examine this footprint; to see what kind of shoe it is."

Starr: "Why?"

"It's the only thing I can do right now that might help."

Starr: "Oh, okay. See you later."

Day: March 25 / Time: 11:10 / Location: Ovice's Office

Ovice: "Hello, Aster. I'm sorry, but no cases have come in today..."

"That's alright; that isn't why I'm here. I'm already on a case, actually."

Ovice: "Really? So, you're already that popular enough for people to ask you directly?"

"Not exactly... I'm doing it for an acquaintance."

Ovice: "I see. So, did you come here for my help, then?"

"Yeah, can you find out what shoe this footprint came from?" I give him my notepad.

Ovice: "Hm... Sure, it shouldn't take too long."

"Alright, thanks." I leave his office. "(Well, I've done all I can do now...)"

Starr: "Hey Aster! I knew you'd be here!"

"Starr? Why are you here?"

Starr: "I just thought if you found anything out about the guy then it'd be easier to call me instead of walking all the way to my house." She takes out her phone. "Do you have a phone?"

"Yeah, let me give you my number... Oh wait, I lent my notepad to Ovice..."

Starr: "That's okay; just tell me and I'll save it in my phone." Opens her phone. "...w-wha?"

"What's the matter?"

Starr: "That's weird... The saved numbers in this phone are different. I don't recognize any of these names..."

"Let me see..." She hands me her phone. "These numbers are... the numbers of criminals!"

To Be Continued...