Detective Murderface

Case 1, Part 1 - Murderface And The Silent Explosion

It was a Monday night, just like any other, in the middle of the Fall of 1938. I was sitting in my office, doing paperwork, about to wrap up for the night, when a knock at my door surprised me. I looked up as the door opened and my assistant, a young man by the name of Toki Wartooth, poked his head in. His hair fell in front of his face-- I told him to tie it back, dammit!-- and he hurried to push it away.

"Ah, Mister Moiderface, you haves a visitor." He said quietly. He accent was strong, he was from somewhere in Norway, and it had taken some time to be able to understand his speech. Damn foreign exchange kids. 

"It'sh nearly nine pm, I'm done with casesh for the night." I said nonchalantly, continuing to sift through the papers.

"She says it's urgents, soirs." 

"She?" My head shot up and I smirked. 

"Y-yes, soirs." 

"Shend her in then, Wartooth." 

The kid nodded and disappeared, then came back in with a woman in tow. She had long, wavy hair and light turquoise eyes. She had a gold necklace around her neck, with a blue gem on the charm. Her grey dress was tight and short, showing off all the best parts. 

"Detective Murderface?" She asked. Her voice was sharp, she sounded like she knew what she was doing. Too bad this is 1938, or else I'd really let her take control. 

"Yesh, madam?" I asked. I leaned forward against my desk, and clasped my hands together.

"My name is Abigail Remeltindrinc. I heard you're the best detective in America, and I have a case for you."

"Hm..." I looked her over-- I really should have worn my looser pants today-- and nodded. "I am the behst. What'sh the case and what will I get for it?"

She frowned. "I... I don't have much. But this is important to me. My fiancé, Mister Explosion, has gone missing. I need your help to find him!"

"A misshing fiancé, huh? Soundsh intereshting." I turned to my assistant, who was standing in the corner awkwardly. "Wartooth, grab a notepad and copy down what she saysh. Now, Missh Remenitdrinc-"

"It's Remeltindrinc." She corrected as Wartooth rushed to pull a pen and paper from his coat pocket.

"Yesch, Missh Rebeltindric."

"Remeltindrinc." 

"Ah-... Missh Abigail."

She sighed and rolled her eyes

"Mishs Abigail, pleasche tell me the eventsch leading up to your fiancé'sch dischappearanche."

"Well, it was about a week ago, on Sunday..."

"Nathan, honey?" I asked quietly, sitting up in bed. 

Something felt off the second I woke, and I wanted his help. I looked over, only to see the bed empty! I quickly calmed myself down-- it wasn't unusual for him to wake up late into the night and walk around in the garden till he was tired again. Perhaps he had to go to the bathroom, too, or get a drink. 

I got out of bed and felt around for the candle and a box of matches. I easily found it and lit the candle, then stuck the matches in my night gown pocket. I left my bedroom and found the hallway to also be empty, and so was the bathroom, the kitchen, the entire house was barren. The only place left for him would be the garden, so I went to the back door. 

Problem was, the door was locked. He couldn't get to the garden from the front door, due to a hedge lining around our backyard, and he wouldn't have locked the door behind him. I double-checked the house, just to make sure he wasn't hiding somewhere, but found no luck. I hoped desperately that he was just called to work very early and didn't wake me before leaving-- even though he usually would have left a note, which he didn't-- so I went back to bed.

When I woke up that morning, the house was still empty. So, I got ready and I went to my job-- I work at the Black Klok Church-- and worked my shift, like usual, and went home afterwards. He still hadn't shown. I decided to go to Nathan's workplace, see if he was there or if anyone had seen him. He wasn't there. His boss-- a stern man named Mister Charles Offdensen-- said he hadn't shown up for the past few days. I then went to the Depths Of Humanity Bar, he loved that place, but he wasn't there. Neither were his usual friends that he would drink with. 

"And it's been days, now, and no sight of him. I'm so worried, Detective Murderface." Abigail finished her story, tears forming in her eyes. 

I yawned and sat forward. "Yesch, yesch, I schee. Missching man, no show at work or common hangoutsch. I'll get right on it, in the morning." I paused to yawn again.

"Thank you, Detective, this means so much." Abigail said. 

"Yesch, now, uh, Wartooth. Get her a ride home, taxchi or whatever, and you can go home, too."

"Thank yous, Mister Moiderface. Goodnights!" He cheered as he left the room, leading the woman out with him. I stood up and gathered my stuff, then left my office and went home. 

I sat in bed and wondered. Nathan Explosion? That named sounded so familiar. Perhaps I had met him before. Seen him in the bar or at the church. I didn't pay much attention to it. This is a small town, after all. I quickly fell asleep, a deep dreamless sleep.