Ten

I awoke the next morning a little later than I had intended. It was already eleven o’clock.

Kipp had already left. She had made me a breakfast of fruit salad and yoghurt. She’d left it in the fridge, and I was extremely grateful.

My mind was racing before I’d even had a chance to realise what was going on. It was trying to figure out where I should go next. Who was next in line for me to talk to?

After a moment of struggling with myself over a cup of coffee, I’d decided I better go talk to Faelana. She had given me this job and had been waiting for me to talk to her since last night. Once that was done, depending on what she had told me, I was going to then talk to the two business owners that had backed onto the alleyway where Heston had been murdered.

Their proximity to the crime had been the deciding factor for where I wanted to go next. It was better that I talk to them as soon as possible, before time had taken any of their memories away.

I made my way out of the theatre, using the back entrance. Helna was cleaning in the lobby, I gave her a quick nod and passed the ogre bouncer. He was asleep on the ground, using a newspaper as a blanket.

Even though I had been to Fantasy Park many times, I still didn’t know where everything was. The place was huge and intricate. Things overlapped and weaved through each other.

However, with Faelana being of elvish nobility, I knew where she’d live. The elves had their own section of the park, buried deep within the forest.

As I was walking toward my destination, I’d heard a rustling in the trees. I was a human who was all alone in Fantasy Park, it could’ve been anything.

I tensed my body, ready for a fight. My stance had subtly changed, my weight was now on the front of my feet and my knees were slightly bent.

“Oh, don’t mind me.” I watched as the rustling grew louder and the source of the voice came barrelling through to where I was. They tripped over some roots of a tree and were launched forward. Their face ploughed into the ground in front of me. I helped them up.

It was a little goblin. Younger looking than Grob, as well as different looking. They reminded me a little of a bat. Their nose was flat and looked a little like a pig’s snout. Their ears were triangular in shape and rose above their head, in the shape of a bat. As they stood there, they even held themselves differently than most other goblins I’d seen. Leaning a little further forward, a little hunched. Their arms were a little longer too.

“Thanks for that.” Their voice made me think of helium balloons.

“Not a problem. Vincent Clay.” I offered out my hand and they shook my finger.

“Snock. No last name. Most goblins don’t unless we choose to give ourselves one. But that’s normally for the important ones.”

Snock wore a white shirt with a light, brown jacket over the top. I noticed they weren’t wearing any shoes and their bright yellow eyes had small green pupils. Short, black hair was tied into a ponytail.

“How can I help you, Snock?” My body loosened. I was still wary, but no longer thought this would turn into a physical fight.

“I’m a reporter here at Fantasy Park. I’d caught wind of who you were, where you were, and your involvement with the murder of Heston Barclay.” I’d recalled that last night, Zasi hadn’t mentioned any goblin journalists. Two humans from Edge City and a gnome from Fantasy Park.

“And you’re wanting to ask my a few questions for your paper?” I continued to walk toward where the elves were located.

Snock continued after me. They had a piece of parchment and a quill floating along behind them.

“Oh, please. I’d really appreciate that. Hey, can you slow down, I’ve got little legs here.”

“What do you need me to say?” I pressed on a little faster.

“What are you up to with the case at the moment? Who are your suspects? Where are you going? Do you have any early ideas on who did it?”

“A good detective doesn’t draw any early conclusions.” I whirled around on Snock. “They gather all of the evidence and accounts first, before doing anything.”

“But, you aren’t even a good detective, are you?” A cheeky grin crept across Snock’s face.

“What do you mean?” I continued to glare straight at Snock.

“From what I understand. You aren’t a very successful detective back at Edge City. You’re a washed-up boxer who got beat up pretty bad by an orc. You come to Fantasy Park a lot and get drunk. You go to the Jade Palace a lot, so you like theatre.”

“Oh goody gumdrops. You’ve done some homework. Are you sure you really need me to say anything? Sounds like you’re about ready to do a hit-piece on me anyways.” I turned back around and pressed on to where I wanted to be.

“Please, Mister Clay. I’m a mother of six and I really need to get back home before they burn the house down. Just give me something to write.” Snock ran past me and stopped in front of me. She had a lot of speed to her.

“Why?”

“Because I’ve got a job to do. I’ve got money I need to make.” Her quill was racing along the parchment, I had no idea what it was writing.

“You can tag along if you like, you might get something interesting then.” I flashed a smile and continued on.

“I don’t have time to do that,” said Snock.

“That’s not my problem.”

“Alright, asshole. I’m gonna drag your name through the mud. You won’t get anymore work once I’m done with my piece. Just you wait.”

“Pretty sure I will, coz I’m gonna solve this case. It won’t matter what you say.”

The snapping of a twig caused us both to fall silent and tense up.