Shadows of Valderia: An Urban Fantasy Detective Noir

“What the hell is taking so long!” Ridley huffed for the sixth time.

“They said the papers were just being processed,” Nairo answered absentmindedly.

They had arrived at PD and had been ushered up to the small waiting room outside the Captain’s office. There was no sign of the Captain but they were assured the paperwork would be on his desk shortly, so Nairo had taken the opportunity to order her notes. She was busily scribbling in her notepad, stopping every now and again to flip back and reread before continuing with her scribbling. Ridley had so far smoked half a dozen cigarettes, flirted unsuccessfully with the secretary twice, and had made an origami bird out of a pamphlet advising the four different ways Giant Caterpillar can be cooked during this period of food rationing. Now he was slumped in his chair tapping his foot with his arms folded. After a few seconds he discovered there was a particular square of floor that squeaked. With mischievous glee, he squeaked it incessantly until Nairo finally snapped at him.

“Would you stop?”

“Did I ever tell you about the time I busted a ring smuggling black skin octopi? You’ll never guess where they had ‘em hidden.”

“If I say yes, will you not tell me?” Nairo gave him a barbed look and went back to her notes.

“Ughh you and your damn notepad! You used to be fun Sarge!”

“No I never.”

“Yeah, fair enough.” Ridley slouched back into a sullen silence. After a few moments he leaned towards her again. “How are you so damn calm? There’s a chunk of rock powerful enough to blow us all to smithereens just out there. Who knows who has it? What they’re plans are to do with it.”

“And how does sitting here and fussing like a toddler change anything?”

“How does… doing whatever you’re doing right now help?”

“I’m organising my notes from the case.”

“And?”

“Well, we know for certain now whoever has it is capable of murder.”

Ridley nodded.

“And they’re capable of nicking the damn thing in the first place. Got to be some high level criminals, I reckon Elves!” he hissed at her conspiratorially.

Almost by habit, he slouched into the collars of his coat, only to realise his coat was hanging up drying and he now looked like he was doing an impression of a suspicious turtle.

“Not this again! Why would they steal their own Diamond?”

“No, not these Elves. Other Elves.”

“What other Elves?”

“I dunno, there must be more of them out there?”

Nairo opened her mouth and then stopped to realise that it was her fault this time.

“Think about it,” Ridley continued. “It would take some high level magick to break that vault and then they’re stuck with a Diamond that could go boom if not properly looked after.”

“And we know it is being properly maintained since we haven’t… gone boom,” Nairo said tiptoeing cautiously across Ridley’s line of thought.

“What is it you’re always saying, deductions and logic and all that. Only creatures I can think of that would be able to break that vault, maintain that Diamond, use it to kill Benny, and then disappear without a trace are Elves!”

As if summoned by the overuse of the word ‘Elves’ they heard a door slam from down the hall.

“Cap’n’s in,” confirmed the bored looking secretary. “He’ll see you now.”

Ridley leapt up, grabbed his coat and strode down the hall.

“Umm… just the Sergeant please,” the secretary said.

“I don't think so,” Ridley said, not breaking his stride.

“Cap’n said if you walk into his office he would spray you down and throw you in a cell, and in his words, until your coat rots amongst other threats I won’t repeat.”

“I’ll grab the paperwork and be out in a minute,” Nairo said, patting Ridley on the back.

“I don’t like it,” Ridley said suspiciously.

“Relax. Cap’n probably just can't be bothered with you today. Can't blame him,” Nairo said with a wry grin as she breezed past him.

Ridley pouted in the hallway behind her and turned to the secretary.

“Maybe I’m not in the mood for the Cap’n today,” he said sullenly.

“I’m sure,” the secretary replied.

Nairo threw Ridley a sardonic smile and knocked at the Captain’s door.

“Come in,” came the gruff bark from the other side of the door.

Nairo turned the handle and walked into the office to find a thick hulking, grey eyed, lump sitting behind the Captain’s desk.

“Afternoon sir,” Nairo threw a smart salute to the Cap’n, who was standing by the window puffing on a cigar, and subconsciously pulled at her wrinkled tunic.

“Take a seat Sargent,” said the man, gesturing with a thick scarred hand to the seat in front of him. “My name is Albert Stubbs,” he told her.

Nairo’s brow crinkled in thought: the name was familiar.

“I am the Chief Whip for Mayor Pleasently,’ Stubbs said, with a smile that could crack glass.

“Good to meet you sir, my name is Sergeant Sally Nairo.”

“I know,” he responded, his frozen eyes bored through Nairo’s pleasantries. “Your investigation has come across my desk, which means it came across the Mayor’s desk, and I have some questions.”

“I would be happy to answer any questions sir,” Nairo replied and sat up straight, determined not to lilt under Stubbs’ cold stare.

“What is this?” He stabbed his finger at a form in front of him and slid across the desk to Nairo.

“My subpoena for travel records sir.”

“For whom?”

“The party that lost the Diamond.”

“The Elves?” Stubbs growled the word in such a low register Nairo could feel it rattle across her ribs.

“Yes sir.”

“Why?”

“We felt it was pertinent to the investigation.”

“Why?”

“In order to establish a timeline and ascertain all the facts.”

“Did the Elves not give a statement?”

“They did…”

“Then you have your timeline and established facts,” Stubbs' voice had not risen but the temperature in the room felt like it had dropped.

“We never take a victim’s statement at face value sir,” Nairo replied, fighting to not lose her temper with the accusatory attitude Stubbs spat his questions at her with. “It’s good police work.”

“No, Sergeant, good police work would have been to find the Diamond. Bad police work is dragging a dead Goblin gangster into the investigation. Bad police work is harassing the City mortician. Bad police work is not understanding the chain of command, girl.”

“Sir, I…” Nairo began.

“When were you going to tell the Cap’n about De Woolf?” Stubbs growled.

“De Woolf?”

“He is your prime suspect is he not?”

“He… umm… he is a person of interest.”

“Funny, I don’t see his name on any reports you have sent in,” Stubbs said, flicking a hand contemptuously at the paperwork in front of him.

“He’s a new lead…”

“We know you have been investigating him for at least the last 48 hours,” Cap’n Mallory said, his voice thin and unhappy.

“I didn’t want to present him as a suspect until I was sure,” Nairo said, she could feel her cheeks reddening and her mouth going dry.

“And why exactly do you suspect Mr De Woolf?” Stubbs asked, sitting back in his chair and massaging his deformed knuckles.

Nairo felt her jaw tighten and her nostrils flare.

“We uncovered a possible link between Mr De Woolf and the deceased Goblin Benny Two Coats.”

“A link? And what link would that be?”

“It seems… Mr De Woolf was in considerable debt to Benny.”

“And this is the same Goblin that was seen prowling around the scene of the crime?” Stubbs asked, a knowing little smirk on his face.

“Yes sir.”

“The same Goblin that wound up dead shortly after?”

“Yes sir.”

“So, and please help me here since I am not an esteemed detective like you, but the bank manager of the bank that was robbed is in debt to a Goblin criminal who was also seen at the scene of the crime. Yet you felt it necessary to do further investigation before alerting your superiors?”

“I just needed to do some preliminary…”

“And yet you are still trying to harass the Elves because?”

“I wasn’t harassing…”

“It seems to me this case should have already been wrapped up,” Stubbs said, cutting her off. “Captain, put out a city wide alert for this De Woolf character. Hopefully, despite your officer’s incompetence, he hasn’t already fled the city.”

“Hold on, what about…”

“Furthermore, you will desist from any investigation of the Elves immediately,” Stubbs continued. “Your request for the forms to be released has been formally denied by my office.”

“Cap’n this isn’t right!” Nairo cried, turning to her Captain. Mallory shuffled awkwardly but said nothing. “I have solid evidence that may implicate the Elves in all of this! I just need to see…”

“What evidence?” Stubbs said, his voice deathly quiet.

“I…” Nairo shut her mouth. The only way to implicate the Elves was to admit they had seen Benny’s body and that they could confirm magick had killed him. If she did that she would also land Drake in it.

“Enough!” Stubbs snarled, slamming his hand on the desk. “I have spoken to Captain Mallory and we have agreed, this case needs a more experienced hand at the wheel. Unsurprisingly, you have turned out not to be suited for such a high profile affair. Not only that, but you have dragged two rookie Corporals into your mess and that corrupt degenerate Lieutenant Conway! You are off the case Sergeant and your subsequent behaviour may determine how long we continue to call you that!” Stubbs left the threat hanging in the air between them, his mouth a cruel slash, his eyes daring Nairo to give him an excuse to tear her throat from her.

Nairo looked slowly from Stubbs to the Captain.

“He can’t do that, can he?” she asked the Cap’n, her voice quiet but steady.

“You're off the case Sergeant,” Mallory said, unable to raise his eyes above Nairo’s chin.

Nairo felt the air leave her lungs and her fight followed.

“The Elves have lost faith in our ability to solve this case and they are bringing in their own people,” Stubbs said with a flicker of a cruel smile around his jowls .

“You’re letting them investigate a crime they may have committed!” Nairo stormed, unable to hide her outrage.

“Careful Sally,” the Cap’n warned, his eyes flicking to Stubbs and then back to her.

Nairo felt the heat rise in her cheeks, a thick lump stabbed shards into her throat but her eyes remained dry and hard.

“I see,” was all she said.

“Wonderful. This case will be wrapped up forthwith by some real policemen. And in future Captain, we need to have a discussion about your promotional decisions.” Stubbs cast a withering eye at Nairo.

“Yes sir,” Mallory grumbled.

“Good. We’re done here,” Stubbs said. He leaned back in the Captain’s chair and dismissed Nairo with a wave of his hand.

“Understood. Thank you sir. Thank you Cap’n,” Nairo stood and saluted, then she turned and walked out, willing her hands not to curl into fists at her side. Her eyes burned as she stormed down the hallway back to the reception.

“What happened?” Ridley asked after seeing the thunder on her face.

“Not here,” was all she could say through her clenched teeth.

The office door opened behind her and Albert Stubbs came walking out smiling and shaking hands with the Cap’n. He strode past Nairo without so much as a sideways glance. He did pause for a second at the ragged sight of Ridley, but then his gaze shifted on like he was looking at pigeons pecking in the square and he left the reception.

Nairo glared daggers at his back before grabbing her coat and stomping past Ridley wordlessly. She kept going till she was out of the station and around several corners.

“Sarge! Hold up! What’s going on? Who was that?” Ridley huffed as chugged along in her wake.

“They’ve shut us down!” she shouted.

Nairo slammed her back against the brick wall of the alley and let her head hang, her thick black curls hiding the tears of indignation that stung her eyes.

“What? Who?”

“Albert Stubbs, Chief bloody Whip! He had the subpoena, said the Mayor had seen it too, said we aren’t to investigate the Elves and I’m off the case!” Nairo lifted her head and scrubbed the tears from her eyes not looking at Ridley. “The Elves are bringing in their own people to carry on the investigation!”

“Shit! I told you not to go to the Cap’n and fill in your bloody paperwork!” Ridley snapped.

“I know,” Nairo said miserably. “They know about De Woolf. They’ve made him number one suspect. They’re putting out a city wide alert for him now. No one’s going to even look at the Elves now.”

Ridley took a deep drag of his smoke.

“Of course they have. The Elves would love to blame a Goblin for this and your copper mates have done what coppers always do: they’ve tied the noose and now they’re gonna make the evidence fit.”

“They’re not my mates. And Stubbs isn’t a copper. He’s a bent, bullying, politician!”

“Sounds like a copper to me.”

“We’re not all like that Ridley!” Nairo felt the blood rise in her face and her fists clench. “I’m not! The Cap’n’s not!”

“That why he left you to hang?”

Nairo looked away from him and her hand fell to her side.

“I can’t believe he would just stand there and not say anything.”

“He’s a stuffed shirt just like the rest of them,” Ridley snarled. “He did the same thing to Conway and now he’s doing it to you. When push comes to shove, they all do as they’re told. They wouldn't be in the positions they are if they didn't.”

“Conway!” Nairo said suddenly. “They know he was involved in the case! Do you think they’ve done something to him?”

“Can’t be anything worse than they already have,” Ridley said. “But Conway’s a tough cookie, he wouldn’t rat us out.”

“No, but someone did. They knew everything.” Again Nairo’s eyes widened as she remembered Stubbs’ words about two rookie Corporals. “Edgewater and Washbottom!”

“Those two idiots ratted us out?”

“Had to be them.”

“Shit. They knew enough to tank us.”

“It’s not right,” Nairo said, burying her face in her hands. “Our job is to follow the facts and present a fair and honest case. The law should protect and support all citizens equally, not be a damn plaything for politicians!”

“Should it? Coz from where I’m standing, the law protects them and prosecutes us.”

After a pause.

“I think you’re right.” The words sounded so foreign leaving Nairo’s mouth.

“I am?”

“Why else would they shut us down the second we started looking at the Elves?” Nairo asked. “This whole case has felt like we couldn’t look at all the possibilities. And when we do start looking somewhere they don’t like, they shut us down. I still don't buy the conspiracy that they did it themselves, but those Elves have definitely got something to hide.”

“So now we go with Jimmy’s plan, right?”

“I’m not breaking into the Houses of Parliament.” Nairo said shortly.

“We can’t just give up!”

“I… I’m off the case, Ridley.” Nairo let her head hang. “I have not authority to continue pursuing this. I can’t stop you… but I can’t continue. I’m sorry.”

Ridley blinked at her, a long ash falling from his cigarette.

“Well… then I guess this is where we part ways,” Ridley said after an awkward moment. “It’s been… good working with your Sarge.” Ridley extended a bruised and battered hand.

Nairo looked up, her eyes red with tears of frustration.

“Thank you for everything.” She extended her own bloodied hand and shook his, before looking past him. “What the?”

Ridley looked over his shoulder back at the police HQ. Officers were streaming out of the building in a furor. There was a lot of shouting and whinnying of horses being pulled around.

“What’s going on?” Ridley asked.

They ran back towards the precinct as more bodies piled out of the HQ.

“What’s happening?” Nairo asked an officer.

“Explosion in the Iron district. Apparently it’s a grizzly mess. Four bodies, all Human, all dismembered in broad daylight,” he said breathlessly.

Nairo looked at Ridley.

“An explosion?” he said.

“Oh no.”