Irregular Days

Chapter 4: A Caged Fool

Mignon guided Tulock to his seat in the interrogation room with all the grace and care of a common cuckoo kicking an egg out of a nest to replace with its own. Tulock smirked across the table at Shere, who remained unfazed, thanks in part to both blissful ignorance and years of experience. This situation was far from new to either of them.

Shere smiled brightly back at Tulock.

“Mr Pry, do y-”

“We know it is you, you fuckin’ scumbag!”

Mignon’s outburst startled Shere who turned to her with wide eyes and raised brows.

“Please, Mignon.” Shere said with a hint of fear in her voice. “I’ve got this…”

Anger quickly left Mignon’s face and was replaced with embarrassment. She struggled back to her default look, replacing her scowl with a smile as subtly as if she had used her hands to manually adjust her face.

“My apologies…” She squeaked out as she backed up behind Shere. “I seem to have forgotten myself for a moment.”

Shere shook off the feeling of unease her partner had caused and in turning back to Tulock continued on with the interrogation.

“I’ve heard the magician community is quite tight-knit. Is this true?”

Tulock leaned back in his chair, threw his hands behind his head and rested his feet on the table.

“Yeah, I suppose.” He stated as if in casual conversation. “I knew that tiger that mauled that one dude.”

“Well one of your peers is a murder. Would you happen to know anything about that?”

“Sure, everyone knows about the Kadabra Killer. Dude is amazing.”

Mignon, who had regained her composure stepped forward.

“He kills people, Mr. Pry.”

“I mean, you know, magic-wise.”

“Uh-huh.”

Mignon’s eyes glared at Tulock even whilst her face kept up a polite smile. Tulock shifted nervously in his seat.

“Do you know anything we wouldn’t know?” Shere asked, causing Tulock to smirk whilst thinking about all the dickass answers he could reply with.

“There are over 30 types of clay.” He responded with a nod of satisfaction.

“I mean about the killer…”

“Oh! No, nothing at all.”

“Then why did you run?” Mignon chimed in.

“Human instinct, I suppose.”

“That’s a nice hat you have there, Mr. Pry.” Mignon stated glibly.

“Why thank you!” Tulock replied as he patted his somewhat ragged top-hat. “She and I have been through much together.”

“Seems like a good place to hide things.”

“I suppose..”

“Things like guns, knives, rope, and maybe vials filled with dangerous chemicals.”

“Are you trying to feed me ideas? Not very good at our job, our we?”

“Look, I know you did something.” Mignon rolled her eyes in a much exaggerated manner. This man was trying her patience. “Now spill!”

“I haven’t the slightest clue of what you speak. I may as well be a saint!”

“Alright, that’s all I guess.” Shere cut in. “We’ll send someone in when you can leave.”

Mignon looked at her in surprise, but said nothing until the two had exited the room.

“Don’t tell me you are buying that crap!” Mignon said behind gritted teeth. “He’s clearly our man.”

“I’ve seen him around.” Shere stated with a shrug. “He’s harmless.”

“He had a bomb!”

“A fake bomb!”

“I hardly think it matters!”

Mignon threw out her arms in anger, but before she could completely lose her composure once more, the sound of a clearing throat brought her back down to earth.

“Ahem”

A handsome junior detective by the name of Xavier stood just behind Mignon and Shere.

“The Chief wants you two in his office right away.”

The detectives proceeded quickly to the Chief’s office. The chief grunted a greeting and motioned them inside. This time, Shere noticed, the blinds were already closed.

“We’ve been issued a challenge.” The chief grumbled out.
“Up to the same old generic tricks I see.” Mignon replied without missing a beat. She had dealt with this killer before back in her hometown of Kuroth City. “I assume you received a letter.”

“Just received it.” The chief stated as he produced a manilla envelope from his desk. “Nothing traceable.”

The chief produced an obvious copy of a letter out of the envelope and shoved it towards Shere. The message looked like it was torn right out of a straight-to-video thriller film and was comprised of letters cut from different magazines. Shere began to read it out loud.

“I am no fool, but I keep watch on some. You will to, before this letter is done. You need to step it up, so I’ll give you motivation. Your speaker is gone, but she’s not on vacation. I’ve taken her back in time, and away from prying eyes, find her within two days or she dies.”

Shere looked up from the letter.

“Speaker? He took our radio?” Shere turned her head towards the chief. “Does your intercom work?”

The chief and Mignon exchanged glances. Mignon couldn’t help but briefly widen her smile. For all her idiocy, Shere did have a certain charm about her.

“It’s some sort of clue, Lydia.” The chief clarified.

“Oh!” Shere placed her pointer finger on her chin and glanced off into space. “Fools? Maybe he lives in a medieval castle!”

“Somehow I doubt that.”

The chief slammed his hands on his desk to draw the attention of his bumbling detectives. Then after applying his palm to his face he began to speak in a low growl.

“Whatever our speaker is, I want it alive. Don’t disappoint me!”

The chief sat down and shooed Mignon and Shere out of his office. It had grown late, and for now all anyone could do was think.

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Mignon and Shere by Tawny