A Mystery of Dorley

One

It was a cozy town, especially so in the dark of the night. The streets were silent except for the quiet little patters of the moths bumping against streetlamps, the distant rumbling of horseless carriage engines, and the hurried clops of the still-horsed carriages attempting to get their passengers home quickly and quietly. Among the streets of Dorley, only one figure was still out walking.

Well, actually two.

One figure was coming from the north, clad in thick forest green coats and shirts, with the fabric successfully covering the honed muscle underneath. They also wore a matching green hat, hiding the short, blonde hair adorning their head. This figure would be a bit small to our standards, but of average size for a person of this time. This person was also a man, and was about to be crossing paths with the figure coming from the south.

Now, the south-retreating figure was actually a tad taller than the northern man. This figure wore a clingy black overcoat and matching stylish hat, making it very obvious that she was a woman. Despite Dorley's reputation, this woman still chose to wear distinctly feminine outfits and heeled shoes, but she did tie up her shockingly black hair, and kept her eyes in the shade of her hat. She had more muscle than the average woman of her time, but her body remained lithe and purposeful, which couldn't be said for every other woman of this town.

Both man and woman were moving very quickly, although where exactly they were going couldn't be said. But it could be predicted that they would meet, by fate or plan, near the Town Square.

Only a few minutes later they gained sight of each other, and moved on faster still, the man almost breaking into a run to meet the woman. When they finally did meet, near the long-disabled fountain in the middle of the town square, they quickly looked around before embracing. It was uncommon to see two figures hugging in the night, but sibling love trumped social norms for these two. The man pulled the woman close, and was relieved to see her here. The woman, in turn, was just as grateful, and the first to speak.

"You okay, Ty?" she asked the man as they pulled apart.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he answered, holding her at arms length. "You?"

The woman nodded. "Ran into some trouble on the way though, but nothing I couldn't handle." She added the last part after seeing the man's—Ty's—worried expression.

"Just tell me of you see anything or anyone else," Ty said, sighing. "We're really the only ones who keep this town in check, Edith—we better do a good job at it."

"I know, I know," Edith said. "And speaking of keeping Dorley in check, we better head to Town Hall. You should know how Winslow hates late guests." It was true; Edith had beaten Ty to a meeting, and the mayor practically flayed him alive.

Ty smiled in respite and they started walking towards Town Hall, where the mayor of Dorley was awaiting their arrival.

* * * * *

Both Ty and Edith knew the Town Hall like the backs of their hands. Since they were the only law enforcement, detectives, or crime-fighters of any kind in Dorley, the mayor and his underlings personally brought all their troubles to the pair. It made for a pretty penny, and both of them were more than happy and capable to do the work.

The Town Hall was one of the very few places in Dorley that looked moderately wealthy. There was a wide paved driveway for the horseless and horsed carriages leading up to the sprawling front of the place. A small round-a-bout graced the end of the driveway, and the cement circle was full of artfully placed shrubs and flowers. In the middle of the tiny garden was a Greek marble statue of a maiden clothed in flowing silks, looking up at the sky in wonder. The effect was usually most charming during daylight, or when the stars were visible, but it was at neither of those times when Ty and Edith walked past it.