Chapter 2
Warmth from the sunlight started to die down as the heat from outside was cooling the office building. The persistent demon Detective, Yona, still persistent in wanting to talk to as many suspects as she could before sunset.
The homicides always happened during the heat of summers, especially New York and their lack for decent air conditioning. Yona wasn't always entirely sure why she chose to stay somewhere that either gets extremely hot and extremely cold during their personal seasons.
Don, her partner had opened the door that lead to the third floor. Entering with an air of suspicion and confidence would only ensure suspects would cram up with answers easily.
They followed the long hallway to a diverted path that led to where the man who the other officers interrogated beforehand. It wasn't a custom to speak with suspects more than once but Yona could only trust her judgement rather than older sleezy toons.
A smaller male with spikes spreading across his back heard the commotion of foot steps, his black beady eyes glanced in that direction to see a woman Detective with a heart shaped tail. Bristling at the sight of her horns but the male dog behind her seemed to ease his slight worries a little.
"Uh- yous the Detective, I's heard" the porcupine spoke first, his clammy hands evident although it wasn't really best for demons to speak to others. Her demonic appearance they carry which throws others in a spiral of worry for their own safety. Yona knew this, never letting it bother her in the slightest, she always took pride in her horns and tail. In her own little harmless way, it was after all the demons race that pushed for equal rights, treated as lesser beings for their unusual gifts. She was all too familiar that demons, wolves and many more were all frowned upon by society.
"Yes, good evening, sir" she softly says offering a hand, he gives an awkward smile and shakes her hand with a light squeeze. The animal toon cleared his throat as he twiddles with his fingers together "I thought I was cleared for one of the suspects". She raised a brow as she pulled out her notepad "Not exactly, but I doubt you were involved".
Her dog partner, Don gave her a look. Was it alright to tell a suspect that he was safe from being considered guilty?
"I was informed that you've seen one person enter the top floor where the victim Andrew was found. I was hoping if I could ask you for a few questions" she says professionally, glancing up at him for confirmation as the porcupine stares back with black beady eyes.
"R-Right! Ehh .. yous sees, I'm George Wickered but I's hopes what I's got is good information for yous" he finished. The long empty hallway was odd, it wasn't entirely a busy day at work. She found it strange how bare the halls were.
She kept that thought in the back of her mind giving the porcupine a slow nod "Pleasure, you can refer to me as Detective for now. Go on and share any information you can give me".
"Early this morning I's saw someone in a long grey waistcoat go up the elevator between twelve ands one in the evening" he says slowly, his voice wavering. The pen scratching sounds made him tense, Yona writing all he's saying down on paper quickly.
"Did you perhaps get a chance to see the person leave?" Her partner glanced between the porcupine toon and the Detective, a scene all too familiar for him was watching her work and acting coldly to those around herself. A habit she perhaps picked up from someone she once knew?
Don shoved such thoughts to the back of his mind and focused back on the case, trying not to get distracted again like he did with Jones before.
The porcupine was not easing into speaking to her "Not a chance, I's was at lunch break". With another nod she closed her book and put it away "Thank you for your time, it was very helpful".
The toon gave a lazy nod, taking a peak at the dog officer behind her before looking down to see a card with the Detectives info "Contact me if you have anymore information regarding the case, any details about that person will be extremely helpful". Her violent mint colored eyes made the porcupine uneasy. Demons were always sharing red blood eyes as a only characteristic they all had, other than her. What made her different? With an unsure feeling he took the card and nodded before trying to scurry away. Then he suddenly halted and glanced back "Ah, me's forget to mention. It was a niceeee trenchcoat. No wise guy should put up in nice clothes in a place like this" with that he left down with a elevator.
Do stepped closer, his close proximity made her tense, despite his small size "Officer." She warned, making him back up instantly. His hands flew up "Oops! Sorry Detective!" an awkward bark of laughter followed after. After a while they resumed their investigation into other toons around the department in which one of them had no solid evidence that helped lead to Andrew's death. Seeming they all felt deeply heartbroken about their deceased boss. The only actual lead is the one from the secretary who mentioned see the same took in a trench coat. Yona found it unusual, why would someone just scream you're being suspicious? Wearing something clearly meaning to hide your face. Despite the reasoning, it was her only lead.
With the sun setting she and her partner depart for now and let the rest of the police agency handle the rest. Arms crossed over her chest as mint waved colored eyes stared out the window, lashes shading her view, she felt her tail twitching with nerves.
"What's next, Detective?" She glanced from the side to see Don staring at her from the rearview mirror. The Dog's ears perked with readiness. Her tone lowered with a sense of determination "His sister, Andrews. She has rejected any interrogation so far, she'll be our next lead".
The car turned down a left ally, a closer shortcut to the police agency. Bricked buildings facing back at Yona.
"She did just lose a brother" he mentioned.
"And still a suspect" Yona counters.
He sighs deeply before falling silent, keeping his own personal opinion to himself. After all, work and pleasure never mix with someone like Yona. Ever.
She leaned her cheek against her closed hand, her elbow against the car door. Her clues started to line up now as she sat there thinking.
Andrew was found dead around five in the afternoon, clearly from poisoning. His body didn't look like it's been dead for long either, a smell wasn't at all present except for-
She froze as she was surprised to even look over a simple fact. Cologne. It smelt strongly of cologne, yet none of it seemed to be on Andrew. To mask something or someone. Her eyes narrowed into slits, a clear set up to throw off the killer and any leads. Could this killer be a woman or man? Tall or short... The porcupine wasn't entirely helpful but one clue was all enough; a trench coat. A fine one, clearly money played a part.
Perhaps this was a rich individual who was owed something? Or perhaps Andrew didn't give someone their pay for a month.
Yona shook her head slowly. No, all the employees seemed content with their job. Surely it wouldn't be that. It could always be a stolen trench coat as well. "Have Deputy Dog prepare me a chance for me to get into that officer again. I want nothing touched while I'm gone. I want to examine it without the body around" she explained firmly, Don listening with divided attention.
"Of course, Yona-" a sharp glare came from her, a loud cough was heard from him. Quickly trying to fix the mistake "Detective. Detective, of course. Ahem!".
The rest of the ride to the station was quiet, Yona parting with Henry was quick as always. Clocking out for the night as she headed home, taking a quick detour to an ice cream place she very much liked. Perhaps the only ice cream parlor that stayed open so late too. The bell dinged as she walked in, tail staying close to not getting snagged in the door- a lesson learned for any toon with a tail. A familiar face warmed up at the sight of her, a toon with long curled inky orange sunshine hair and a charming bright smile.
"Cookie" she greeted, making her way over to the round red seats. Her tail swishing back and forth. Cookie immediately went to make a milkshake. One of the demons one and only favorite "It's great to see you again, how was work, Doll?". Yona was familiar to the nicknames, it was Cookies thing.
With a slight shrug and brief glance to only see there were two others in the very back enjoying their own special date over ice cream. Yona faced back to Cookie, finding a large glass of strawberry milkshake and a cherry on top awaiting her.
"On the house, doll" she winked playfully before pulling a chair in the opposite end of the counter where she worked. A smile slightly rubbing at Yona's red lips.
"Thanks, Cookie" she says softly, grateful for the sweet treat. Cookie learned closer from her end of the counter to whisper to her demon friend "I heard about that boss getting murdered on long Island". Yona took a moment to contemplate the intention but she knew Cookie was one who rumours.
"News spreads fast.. but yes it was a strange case" her response made Cookie interested, her eyes sparkling.
"Is it true?! Did his best friend kill him? Over a woman?" The suggestion caught the Detective off guard, neither a friend or a woman was mentioned. Cookie was always hopping around in the most populated bars, she clearly picked up on some secrets.
"I didn't hear anything about that, nothing lead to that...Cookie, tell me more" her furrowed serious look made the woman smirk with pleasure. She curled a finger around that fiery hair "Apparently this Cat boss man tried getting involved with someone he shouldn't, over a woman at that!".
She continued, Yona sipping on her milkshake but also writing all this down on a napkin. Cookie was always such an info holder, after all now that Yona knows somehow a man played a part in Andrews death could link to the possible person wearing the trenchcoat?
That meant they had spent hours talking to Andrew before getting him poisoned, they were friends, that's the theory Yona believes.
She leaned closer, her eyes glancing at the couple in the corner "I heard that the man who killed him ran back to Backfish". Yona narrowed her eyes, halting her writing. Backfish was like a curse spoken, a no good criminal filled part of Toon Town, at least less than an hour from New York.
Hearing that place again was the same as back at the crime scene. It seems that'll be the next place she'll go after dealing with Andrews office and Sister. She shoved the written napkin in her pocket and put her change and an extra tip on the counter with a nod. "Thank you, Cookie!" she quickly hopped from her seat and left without much else said. Leaving Cookie to lean her chin on her hand, the door closing behind with a Ding! "No problem, doll" she mumbles with a smirk.