"Taylor? What are you doing?"
Ben asked his driver one night. She had been snooping around since he returned to the sheds, and had become the centre of the engines attention.
"I'm a detective."
She replied, darkly.
"Someone stole Hunter's leftover pizza! And I intend to get to the bottom of it!"
All the engines exchanged puzzled looks.
"She's been really into air crash investigations as of late."
Douglas' driver smiled, placing an arm around her shoulders.
"A hyperfixation, if you will, seems it's translated here."
He chuckled at the unreasonable antics. Herbert however wasn't so thrilled.
"Seems ridiculous if you ask me!"
He sniffed.
"Just a load of nonsense. Why on earth would someone leave food out in the open here!? Tell me that!?"
"You'd never know what could be here!"
Ben's driver replied, inspecting under Hamilton's frames, Herbert was about to add more unneeded complaints to dampen the mood. When Thomas bustled in.
"Have you seen what's at the big station!"
He whistled happily!
"A massive mirror! It's been left in the yard!"
"What use do we have with large mirrors!?"
Douglas quizzed, Thomas smiled once again.
"Well, apparently they are filming something on the other railway, but the boat was damaged in a storm, and had to take up dock here, as the ship was too badly damaged! It was placed in a siding, they say it'll more than likely stay there for a few extra days, until it's needed!"
"How odd!"
Ben remarked.
"Surely they'd want it sooner?"
"The Fat Controller's had it shunted to that siding near the station. So it shouldn't be in the way for a while."
Thomas reassured.
"Whatever the case, it looks like quite a sight!"
Soon, the engines chatting strayed away from detective work, and onto many other topics instead.
As the days passed, the mirror remained by the station. Many of the engines soon forgot it was there, and ignored it as they passed. It went on ignored, until one morning, The Fat Controller was standing on the platform, in a smart new suit.
"What's the occasion sir?"
Douglas puffed. The Fat Controller explained.
"Some very important people are coming today, who might very well be able to help the railway in the future. I must look my best to impress them!"
However, what he hadn't accounted for was Herbert. The big green engine was taking a express goods, and was having a terrible time!
"Mate, lose a bit of weight could ya!"
One truck cried.
"Can't even see in front of ya!"
Herbert was growing crosser and crosser!
"Careful old boy."
His stoker soothed.
"We're nearly at ze garbour. gen you'll be free of giz!"
Herbert was about to reply, when one of the trucks from the far back cut in.
"Maybe we should be nicer to him, he's clearly got a loT ON HIS PLATE!"
Herbert didn't know what was worse, the joke or the fact all the trucks burst into laughter! Herbert went bright red. As they passed the big station, Herbert let out an almighty WHEESH!! Showering the trucks behind in thick, hot ash and soot. However. He had also showered the entire platform! Covering everyone in dirty smoke! Including The Fat Controller, who coughed and spluttered! Once he had gained his bearings, he found that no engine was in sight. His suit was ruined, leaving him to quickly hurry to collect a new one.
"Some stunt one of you pulled today!"
He scolded at the sheds that night.
"I almost missed the very important meeting! Be very grateful Lady Hatt always has a backup for me! Most of you are suspects until I can get to the bottom of this!"
Herbert. Having not owned up, stayed silent. Ben's driver however, was the opposite.
"I can figure out who did it sir!"
She almost shrieked, basically bursting with excitement, The Fat Controller agreed. Once he left, she turned, smiling widely.
"Rest assured! I'll clear all of your names!"
But that was easier said than done.
Over the next few days, Ben and his crew searched high and low. But came no closer to uncovering the mystery.
"No one we've spoken to saw how passed! And the camera didn't capture who did it, just the steam!"
Ben's driver sobbed to her co-workers.
"It's all just dead ends!"
Meanwhile, Herbert was feeling quite pleased with himself. His driver and stoker didn't know it was him behind it. He'd even told Ben that he wasn't involved, let alone know who did it. He thought he'd gotten off scot free.
"It's useless!"
She cried, throwing her arms around her head.
"Just nothing works!! I can't do it anymore!"
The other engines had become accustomed to Taylor's antics, so chose to try and ignore it.
"I'm sure you'll catch the perpetrator soon."
Douglas' driver soothed, snuggling the distressed amateur detective.
"Is it really worth pursuing further?"
James grunted.
"Not even The Fat Controller will care all that much. Seems like it's no longer a big deal."
Ben scowled, raising an eyebrow.
"This matter is to serious for smoke and mirrors"
He snapped, throwing out one of his old sayings.
"It could've caused more trouble than it ended up doing! Just think what could've happened if The Fat Controller missed his m-"
"I'VE GOT IT!!"
Came a high pitch scream, all the engines looked over in surprise!
"Why didn't I think of this before!"
Quickly, Ben's driver grabbed her laptop, and soon, with a little work, she'd pulled up the footage from the station. Some of the crew huddled around, and watched, looking closely.
"AH-HAH!!"
She yelled with joy! Throwing her computer around, almost ripping it off its hinges, playing the clip once again!
"What's so different about this one compared to last time?"
Thomas asked sincerely.
"Just look in the mirror!"
Douglas' driver cheered! So they did. And sure enough, clear as day, it showed Herbert! Blowing steam once again!
"Well I'd be!"
Douglas whistled!
"You did it!"
Herbert went red in the face.
"I... uhm... erm... uhhh."
"What do you have to say about this then, eh?"
Ben snickered, Herbert looked to his buffers.
"Oops.."
He finally muttered.
The Fat Controller wasn't pleased with Herbert's antics. So he was placed onto track repairs until Herbert could 'Learn how to behave in stations' And not long later, the mirror was taken away on Horace goods train. While many were sad to see it leave, Herbert thought that mirrors were very silly indeed.
And for a long time after, none of the engines would let him forget it.
"Smoke and mirrors hey?"
They would guffaw, not understanding what it meant. Herbert found it best to not share his one sided opinion.