I've Got the Strangest Feeling This Isn't Our First Time Around

59

"Mm, yes." Snoozemore pulls up a map. "Apparently Poshley Heights has been the target of several break-ins. Several important documents reported missing turned up in that bag of papers you found."

"Translation: 'You were right, and I'm sorry for not trusting you.'" Mario says to Luigi.

"I spoke to Toadia's parents in Toad Town." Spike speaks up. "Apparently she moved to Poshley Heights to bump elbows with the rich and elite. Was stealing documents and selling them to the competitors just how she decided to do that?"

"We're not here to judge." Snoozemore reminds him. "All we know is her name and what she was doing. We still don't know why she was murdered."

"Fell into the wrong crowd?" Mario theorizes. "Jacked up the price with the wrong guy? Or someone found out she stole from them?"

"No." Luigi shakes his head. "She didn't do anything with those documents. She liked the power it gave her. Having a thumb in everyone's business made her feel important, like people wanted her around."

"Did some digging around online." Pauline comes into the room. "The friend she's seen with most often." And pulls it up on the screen.

"He was in the pool with her." Luigi recognizes.

"Saul Mitchell." Pauline supplies. "Bouncer in a high-end casino. Sending you details as we speak."

As everyone pulls out their phones, Spike can't help but steal a glance at Luigi's, and wolf whistles, "Our favorite beanpole is getting lucky tonight!"

"No I'm not, I'm working." Luigi says flatly.

"Mario, how long until we're off the rebound?" Spike turns to the man in red.

"7 and a half hours, give or take."

"So there's no need to stick around here until then." Spike decides. "Wouldn't you agree, Snooze?"

"Mm, yes, I suppose. Just be sure someone can still reach you." Snoozemore says. "Mario, go interview Saul Mitchell."

As Mario starts to get up, Pauline starts to follow, prompting him to ask, "What's with you?"

"I'm coming with, duh."

"Why? I don't need a chaperone."

"I wanna help. I haven't been to that many casinos before."

Mario sighs, "Fine." Then walks out, Pauline following.

"Now you have no excuse to not get outta here." Spike says to Luigi. "Go be with Destiny." Then as he gets up. "And for all our sakes, clean yourself up."

"Destiny?" Luigi calls as he walks into the apartment, a shopping bag or two in hand.

"Hey there." She appears in the hallway, taking his appearance. "You look...different."

Luigi blushes as he looks down at his button-down shirt, smells his new cologne, and winces at the excess hair gel slicking his hair back, before turning it back on her, "So do you.", noticing, she's decidedly not dressed for a night out, instead in shorts and a V-neck t-shirt. "I thought we were..."

"Your water heater's broken." Destiny explains.

"Right." Luigi kicks himself. "I was meaning to get that taken care of."

"Already done." Destiny grins. "I paid someone to fix it."

Luigi's surprised, "You did? Thanks!"

"So, I just thought we could do something here instead of going out." Destiny goes on, but when Luigi's face falls, she adds, "Unless you had your heart set on going out."