The Pumpkin Lady

V: Advanced Decay

As if a switch had been flipped inside the hound's brain, he began to sniff around the room, the scent of the aftershave obviously permeating the area for him. His head suddenly whipped around towards the door, letting out a sneeze before pulling on the leash, already halfway in the hall.
"Looks like we got a lead!" Felix said, wasting no time in trotting out with the dog, down the stairs with Dahlia close behind. She made sure that she left a pound or two on the front desk for the innkeeper's greatly appreciated help and swiped up the oil lamp sitting on the corner. 

Chauncey sniffed the air as soon as they stepped outside, no doubt the faint scent of Pinaud tickling his well-trained nose. He let out a low bark as he yanked on the leash once again, leading the detectives out back, towards the stables they were recommended before.
The stable was a small, just enough to fit a few horses, but just like the inn, it was quaint and comfortable. It was the perfect place for travelers to keep their methods of transportation happy, healthy, and safe for the night. But tonight, the clopping of hooves against dirt and wood sounded as the horses grew anxious, the dog's incessant barking disturbing them.

"Good boy!" Felix congratulated the canine, slightly pulling on the leash to keep him from charging in. "Curious... you'd think that the scent would have long since been covered up by the musk of places like these..." He turned towards Dahlia for a moment. "Proceed with caution, Miss Berrycloth." he warned her, wrapping the leash around his knuckles a few times before entering the stables.

The two did their best to remain as quiet as possible. Dahlia had no reason why, but Felix made certain that his steps were as light as a feather, and she couldn't help but do the same. Felix was reckless in his method of going about things but seeing him finally make an attempt to approach this case as carefully as possible made her shiver. The oil lamp casted the shadows of the horses harshly, any movement they made immediately mimicked in a far more menacing way.
 Chauncey faltered in his steps, his nose tilted high in the air as he, too, carefully investigated his surroundings. Suddenly, he began to growl softly, his hackles straight up and his attention was trained on one of the stables. The horse's back was turned, flicking its tail, completely unaware of anything that may be going on. Something, however, had to be there for Chauncey to cause such a stir.

"Mr. Fletcher...?" Dahlia spoke up timidly, Felix raising his arm in front of her to prevent her from getting closer. His expression was stern.

"Mr. Cooke- or, whoever is there..." He began, his hands raised in front of him. "It's a dead end. We're with Fletcher Detective Agency. You're not in trouble, we just need to ask a few questions."

No response was prompted. The silence was deafening.

"Come now, there's nothing to be afraid of." he reassured this unseen stranger, getting closer to the stable.
Dahlia watched as he did his best in impersonating an empathetic man, though something about the silence felt... off.

Suddenly, the horse's ears laid flat, and it seemed quite anxious of something, or someone. It couldn't have been Felix, as he made his presence well known to the equine. Before they knew it, the horse let out a startled whinny, driving its back legs into the worn door behind it and slamming it open, right into an unsuspecting Felix who went tumbling backwards to the ground. 

"Sir!" Dahlia called out, quickly setting the lamp down and coming to his aid, "Sir are you alright?"

"Urgh- yep-! I'm alright-!" Felix huffed, holding his shoulder as he pushed himself up. He almost completely forgot about the pain as he looked over her shoulder, however, his eyes widening. "W-Wait! Stop!" he called out, pushing himself to his feet and dashing past.
 Dahlia spotted who Felix was calling out to as she whipped around, the figure of a man climbing up the barrier separating the horses. He was tall and lean, a sweat-soaked shirt and frayed suspenders. His attempt at diverting attention from himself hadn't bought him enough time, and now he was cornered once again, balancing on the fence. Chauncey's teeth were bared, and his barking only continued.