Investigation One File Two
Troubled waters
File Two
March 14th, 20XX
It was Just past noon when there was a knock on the office door. Moe stood up, looking around the room. Silas had left for lunch and wasn’t back yet, but Rita and Peadar were at their desks. Ruben popped his head out of the kitchenette, curious as to the noise.
“Come in, its unlocked," Moe called as she gathered her clipboard for notes. The door opened, and an older gentleman in a ranger’s outfit stepped in, looking around cautiously.
“Is this Rott’s Investigations?” He asked, and Peadar nodded, motioning to the sitting area the office had. Delete this part.
“That’s us, I’m called Peadar. That’s Rita, Ruben’s in the back-“
“And I’m Moe. Can I ask your name?” The redhead said, going to sit in her favourite armchair with her clipboard. The man settled onto the nearest couch, bouncing his leg as he shifted.
“I’m Tristan Reeds. I work at a park, just under an hour from here. We’ve been experiencing some… troubling things.”
“Things like what?” Rita asked, getting comfortable on the other side of the couch. Ruben leaned against the back of an armchair that Peadar had settled in, both with coffee cups in their hands.
“I sound crazy, but…” Tristan started as he scratched the back of his neck.
“We’ve heard that a lot. Hardly anything is crazy to us, anymore.” Ruben laughed. The ranger seemed to relax, and took a breath.
“There have been some unexplained deaths at the park. It's always around water, and they uh- they drowned," he said, quietly. “It's just that, well, the bodies are too far from the water to not have been dragged. Some even have evidence of being moved, but the only footprints we can find are those of the dead and animal tracks.”
“What kind of animal tracks?” Moe asked, taking notes on her clipboard.
Tristan blinked and frowned harder.
“Well, uh- hoof prints, most likely from a horse. That’s not unusual, though, as people ride their horses through the park all the time," he explained.
“So something is drowning people and leaving them on dry land?” Rita asked, furrowing her brow.
Tristan shuddered, taking a moment to compose himself.
“The bodies aren’t… all there, either. Their stomachs are ripped open, as if something ate them.”
“Sounds like a kelpie to me,” Peadar mentioned, taking a sip of his coffee.
Moe nodded along, looking over her notes.
“I was just about to say that. Never heard of one over here, though.”
“What, my dear weirdos, is a kelpie?” Rita asked, a smile on her lips and a roll of her eyes.
“Oh! Its from Irish folklore, a horse so beautiful you can’t help but try to pet it.” Moe started, and Peadar continued.
“Once you touch its fur, though, you get stuck. The kelpie then drags you to the water and drowns you. Some tales say its eats you whole, others say it just drowns you. Most stories I’ve heard tell of it eating the stomach or intestines.”
“Folklorists believe it was a fairy story, told to kids to keep them away from the water without supervision. There’s usually some truth to folk tales, though,” Moe added.
“So, we’re after a horse?” Rita groaned, and Moe shrugged, looking at their client, who was shaking in his seat.
“A murder horse. Is there anything else you can tell us, Tristan?”
“Not a whole lot, no… Will you take the case, then?” he asked, voice quivering.
“Sounds fun. I’m sure Moe will want to do some research, and we can scope the area out tomorrow.” Peadar stood up, setting his cup on his desk to stretch. Moe smiled at Tristan, trying to reassure him.
“We’ll figure something out, hopefully stop whatever is happening from happening," she murmured, and Rita snorted a laugh.
“We’ve got an excellent track record. I’m sure we’ll put an end to this murder horse," she announced.
“Thank you, I really appreciate it,” Tristan said, giving a tight-lipped smile.
March 15th. 20XX
Rita looked around the wooded area, ready to tease.
"What kind of a park is this? Where’s all the playground stuff?"
Ruben rolled his eyes as he moved towards the office building nearby, an old wooden cabin.
The team had just driven for close to an hour to the park where Tristan worked. Moe was fussing over Peadar, who was bent over and groaning. Unused to the speed of the vehicles, car rides made him sick.
"I'll be fine, Moe- I just hate cars." Peadar murmured and stood straight with puffed cheeks. Moe frowned, hands raised and ready to heal. Silas passed the pair, chuckling.
"C'mon, the other two are gonna leave us behind.”
Moe looked between Rita and Ruben, and Peadar. He still looked a little green, but he wandered after the other two, as if to make a point that he didn't need help. With a sigh, Moe caught up to Ruben as he entered the log building. Inside was as typical for a park, with the office decorated like an old wooden cabin. There was a taxidermy bear in the corner, other smaller stuffed animals scattered around. An old saw hung on the wall, and all fabric surfaces available were plaid.
Moe approached the desk, where a young woman was sitting. She looked up and at Moe and then Ruben, who had followed.
"Hello! What can I do yous for?" she asked. Moe froze; her words were stuck in her throat.
"Uh- We're, um- I mean-" she stuttered, looking around anxiously.
"We're from Rott's investigations, and Tristan asked for us to help out. Is he around?" Ruben saved Moe from her stumbling and calmly addressed the woman. She paled, but nodded, smile slipping as she reached for the phone on the desk.
"I'll get him out here for you." she murmured. Moe muttered a thanks, retreated away from the desk and stood a bit from where Rita, Silas and Peadar made jokes about the taxidermy bear.
“He looks like he’s had better years.” Peadar chuckled. Ruben stayed with Moe, his lips downturned.
"You okay? You don't usually freeze up like that." He asked, and watched Moe's freckled face as she cleaned her glasses with a handkerchief.
"I'm fine. Just got nervous." She muttered, replaced her glasses on her face and saw Tristan enter the room, ready to bring the team deeper into the forest.
There was a shallow river in front of them, a path going over a bridge to the right. Ruben, Silas and Peadar were checking out the surrounding spaces, leaving Tristan with the women.
"This is barely a stream." Rita muttered, looking around. Moe frowned, looking at the water flow by. It barely reached over the ankles. Ruben seemed to be at the deepest part, and it still didn't wet his knee.
"It doesn't seem like a likely place for someone to drown..." She agreed as she fought the call to warn Ruben to be careful.
"Sometimes the river is deeper, depending on the season. It’ll get bigger soon, when the snow melts." Tristan explained. "But I do see your point."
"With the recent rains, it's hard to track anything that’s been through." Peadar said as he returned to the other three.
"I call for a good old-fashioned Stake out!" Ruben shouted excitedly, coming out of the water. Silas was out of sight among the trees. Moe frowned harder, chewing on her knuckle.
"We can split up into two groups." Rita announced, glancing at Tristan. "Ruben and Silas can watch until dark, then Moe, Peadar and I will take over after dark."
"That sounds like a good plan. Or at least the best plan we have, currently." Peadar mumbled, adjusting his sword belt on his hip. Moe eyed his sword, tilting her head.
"Is that silver?" She asked, pointing to the weapon. Peadar nodded proudly, unsheathing it a bit.
"I figured silver would be a good way to go." He said, turning to give a curious Ruben a better look.
"Where do you get all the swords, man?” he asked, and Peadar shrugged, putting it away.
"Flea markets, mostly, and I had one when I left the faewilds, too." He said. Silas whistled, still staring at the trees as he walked closer to the group. They all turned to watch him, the only one still on the lookout. Silas turned to the others finally, a smirk upon his lips.
"So, Ruben and I are first watch, I hear?"