Starshine P. I.

One Cross Crow (Part 1)

Well I wanted mystery and adventure when I became a detective, and I got it. But nobody told me it would come with so many knots on my head and bullets aimed at my back.

It was a late afternoon in my shop. I looked in the mirror by the counter one last time before I left. Where did the years go? I was 24 and all I had to show for it was a detective business and metal arm I had to build for my right arm after an incident on a case long ago. Most monkeys my age would have settled down by now with a family, but I had to be different and ask for adventure and mystery. I wiped at my eye bags and went away from the mirror.

I was closing up after finishing up magic lessons. See I have a few special traits about myself. I am a witch by the name of Maribella, though everyone calls me M or Mara. I was born into a family of the most powerful witches in my world, and yet I wasn't satisfied and wanted to become a detective. Probably to help find my parents' killer, who knows. Now I'm a magic teacher and potion seller by day, and a Private Investigator basically all the rest of the time. Built up quite the name for myself over the last few years actually.

I work out of an office and a shop, one neatly nestled on top of each other, in a small city on the outskirts of the main kingdom called Paraclese. The kingdom doesn't take well to animal folk, Kennar as we call them, so most live in the surrounding kingdoms, specifically one called Keplar. I don't do well in the city though so I moved out here to the outskirts in a nice city called Myriad. The people are friendly and the coffee from next door is always warm.

Anyways, enough about me. I made it into the office of Starshine P. I. feeling like death itself was in my office, but no such luck . Instead my robot monkey assistant Zoomy had let in a couple, two very famous otters Named Silvia and Allan Holiday.

Allan, a short otter with a very nice and neat hairdo and a suit that looked more expensive than my office and shop combined, was known way back as a radio showman back when radio shows were still on. He now does voice acting and voice overs for famous movies and cartoons around Keplar. Silvia, a beautiful otter who's face looked like it was carved for a fine arts museum, was also famous in her own way. She was the biggest business woman in the land, owning offices in all the six kingdoms. She had tears in her eyes that made her designer makeup run down to her rosy cheeks. The napkins she was clutching could barely clean up all the makeup on her face, and my floors.

I sat in front of them at my desk in my office and let them speak. Zoomy was just bringing me coffee as Allan spoke up.

"Are you the famous detective who will solve any case? Please, you have to help us." Allan said shakily, he was holding back tears for his wife's sake.

Silvia quickly spoke up through tears. "Please! Our son is missing! My baby boy hasn't phoned or come home. I'm so worried about him!"

And that was all she could say before crying again.

"Yes, that's me. Just call me M at your service. Now please start from the beginning will you?"

I couldn't stand seeing a pretty lady cry. Especially the famous and pretty ones that could ruin me.

Allan spoke up. "Well our son Christopher moved out a while ago, wanted to make it on his own. At first we heard from him every day but now..."

"Radio silence huh? Okay, any places I should start investigating then?"

"Oh me and Al live a very busy life so we never got an address from our boy...But I do remember him mentioning a record shop he was a regular at down on Ashland." Silvia seems to finally be over her crying fit. Good. "Please Help us. If money is an issue we can pay anyth-"

I cut her off when she mentioned money. Call me an old softie, but I have a soft spot for worried parents.

"Don't worry about the money, at least not until I finish. You two will hopefully have your boy back sometime soon. Or at least some information. I'll take the case for you."