Chapter 1
The ongoing traffic roared in the steaming afternoon. Talks amongst the walkers on the streets and barks from stray dogs wandering around for scraps. The fans were all turned on and windows were open, cooling the building with all the sweaty officers inside.
Papers were being put into a file cabinet until an Officer knocks against the door, making his presence known. Glossy mint shaded eyes glance towards the one in question, closing the cabinet and locking it for now.
"Detective, Ballimore" the man started, finally moving from the door way and approaching the Detective. Yona accepted his hand, their firm hand shake being brief.
"What brings you here, officer?" Her eyes glanced at the tag on his shirt. Don.
The dark toon Officer cleared his throat, handing a vanilla file to Detective Yona. "There's a homicide that the chief wanted you to look into, it's a heavy case." Yona studied his body language, studying the officer who seemed mostly tired of working. His black ears flicking at anything drawing noise from afar.
Yona took the file without hesitation, opening it to only find nothing's been reported. The officer's brows even raised a bit from seeing it empty. "Empty? Has nobody gone to the crime scene?" she tapped her foot in disbelief. Turning on her heel to toss the folder on the clean desk.
"Want me to get the Chief Officer, Detective? I can't say I've ever handed an empty case before!" She dismissed his statement, walking to the door and waving for him out of the room. They both shuffle out as she puts her arms in her coat sleeves. She sighs "It's fine, I'll need the location to see for myself."
"Right away, uh- Let me just-" he stopped when she gave him a look, he cleared his throat and immediately started down the hallway. Shortly after being informed about the homicide, Yona made haste to get there. She sighed deeply reading the new file she received on her way out.
The car hummed, helping her focus more on the words before her.
Time of Death... Date... Victim...
She pursed her lips in thought at the lack of information, sometimes the police genuinely just don't care anymore and she could tell. A heart shaped tail twitched, scratching her chin deep in thought.
Do I even like my job..?
A whoosh of cold air pricked her skin, the car door pulled open as she got out of the vehicle. Gazing up at the tall building a soft gasp left her lips.
"Jee, what wise guy would walk up that many flights of stairs?" The other police officer, her partner scratched his head in thought. She turned her focus back to the building and headed in, the man hot on her trail. The sound of her heels echoed through the stairs, of course an elevator was an option but Yona wasn't too fond of trying out unfamiliar territory. Especially if it has nothing but a pit underneath it. Her partner couldn't say the same, his huffed and puffed making his way after her.
"Everything alright?" She cocked a brow, giving a quick glance to her excited partner, sweat beading over his forehead. He managed to suck in a few breaths and force out "Ah-..all good detective!" She shook her head slowly before resuming onwards, once they reached the room an officer was already there taking notes outside the room. He finally noticed Yona and her tired Partner approach, handing a box to the Detective.
"Detective, Ballimore" he nodded.
"Jones.." she spoke coldly, taking the box and pulling the gloves over her white hands. Jones resisted a disapproving glare since she wouldn't bother giving him the time of day to look his way. Within seconds Yona made her way into the crime scene, a neatly clean office which didn't show any actual sign of struggle. Asides for the dead victim in the office chair. Head hung back as eyes faded dull with nothing.
"Jones, how is everything going with the kids?" Her partner had crossed his arms and ignored the case altogether, leaving Yona to roll her eyes as she studied the crime scene. Jones, being the usual polite man he is, responded "Just as rowdy as the day before and you Don? No wife yet?". Don, the small dog partner smiled.
Yona blocked out their conversation as she studied the victim, her eyes narrowing as she looked from his face to the desk. It looked as if he was drinking something before his death. With that in mind, she took note of his cat-like appearance. He looked young but his body told another story.
"Mid thirties, probably close."
She went back towards the entryway, her gloved hands moved the door back and forced to find any forced entry, the bolt and handle were in normal condition aside from the everyday use. The floor was spotless of any actual grime.
"No forced entry" Yona said to herself aloud, Jones glancing over having a brief grimace "Another suicide then."
Her eyes narrowed as she looked at him, not to all pleased about such a narrow minded assumption.
"This was definitely a murder, Jones".
The warning in her tone made him tense, she wasn't all too friendly with Jones like the rest of the department and she wasn't about to explain that to anyone in particular either. Her partner followed suit, coming to the victims side and moving their head to the side for more inspection. "A puzzler, what say you Detective Ballimore? Yous think the killer might be close to the victim?" With the twitch of Yonas tail she gave a slow nod, her hands found her hips as she side glanced at him.
"The murderer either was let in or had a key, regardless of this fact the intent is questionable now" she swiveled towards Jones direction "Have you interrogated any suspects as of yet?" Jones approached Yona with a notebook, she took in without a complaint "Only three pages?" Her confused expression made the man frown.
"There doesn't seem to be many employees working today, and the pal on the third floor said he's only seen one persons visit him this afternoon".
"I see.." she flipped through the notepad, each statement having mostly the same response.
Andrew is a fine fellow. Fighting? Yous be surprised at how great a man he is, I can't see Andrew letting off steam like that. A boss like that is hard to find these days. What of it? Man is a real wonder guy.
"These are oddly positive responses" she commented. Her partner was looking through the victim; Andrews pockets for any clues or notes. As far as anyone knows Yona knows the best.
"Well he's been poisoned, someone had intent. Jealousy, anger, made some past guilt or secrets Andrew had on someone" Jone raised a brow at Yonas cold outlook on the deceased Andrew, despite all the evidence he's collecting.
"A good man like him? I doubt it, yous better too".
She furrowed her brows as she looked from the notepad "It's our job to suspect even the victim of playing a part in their death. He had a role otherwise why kill him? Why the reason". Jone fell silent and scoffed, turning on his heel to leave the room altogether.
Her heart shaped tail twitched agitatedly, it got old when nobody believed in her work despite her success in solving many cases before. "Detective, I think I have seen this type of poison before.." She rose a brow as she motioned for him to continue. "And? What do you know of it?" He cleared his throat and backed around from the victim, pointing at the swollen throat.
"I remember seeing the same symptoms a few years back from a bootlegger smuggler, killed with a similar or same poison" his ears flicked, fluff shimmering from the bright sunlight seeping through the cracks of the curtains.
And this being the only reason she ever kept this dog toon around, was his conveniently good memory with older cases he was also on. Yona knew he only did two himself but it showed he had experienced enough with some things she herself hasn't come across yet.
She pulled out her silver pink notebook and started writing her findings down on a new page. "It's a start, well done. Do you remember by chance where that man was poisoned?"
"Oh, uh Backfish.. actually" her breath caught in her throat, she didn't think Backfish people would be nearly involved with people of the more refined life. She added it to her book shortly after her short term surprise.
She put the book away and flagged one of the officers standing in the hallway to finish up their work "I'm done here, I'm going to get some interrogations done myself".
With one last glance at the dead cat toon, known as Andrew she took note that this death wasn't without some secrets.