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Looking Glass, P.I: Coins and Crowns

by Kavonde

Chapter 7

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After half an hour of trying to find somewhere relatively dry to wait out the storm, I realized that I was going to need to find actual shelter. My office was out of the question; if those Union goons knew where my apartment was, they'd certainly be staking out my place of business. I didn't have all that many close friends, and I didn't want to put any of them at risk. That left one pony who might give me a couch to lie on, and who wouldn't be anywhere near the top of the List of Places Glass Could Be.

That's how I found myself at my ex's door.

I tried knocking politely. I'd already annoyed Cammy today at the F.P.D building, and considering I was very literally looking for port in a storm, the last thing I wanted to do was antagonize her more. Unfortunately, the howling wind and pummeling rain drown out my timid taps, and I eventually found myself hammering on the door while huddling under my coat and wondering how the hell the storm seemed to be getting worse.

Finally, a light went on inside. A minute later, I heard hooves clopping across a wooden floor. A latch clicked open, a bar slid across, and light–dazzlingly bright after wandering for hours through the darkened city–splashed across my eyes.

“Looky?”

Cammy was wearing the same old wool robe she'd had for years. Her bright pink mane was disheveled and sticking up in every direction, and the bags under her eyes indicated she'd been having a rough time sleeping. Of course, I realized; she'd always been a light sleeper, and this storm was probably wreaking hell on her nerves.

“Hey,” I said, trying to communicate my desperation, my embarrassment, my tiredness, and my apologeticness all at once. She just stared at me. “Uh, can I come in?”

She went to close the door. I wedged my hoof in just in time. “Cammy, please, I'm really, really sorry to drop in on you like this–“

The door was yanked open, and I found myself at point blank range of her furious eyes. “You've been a total asshole to me since we broke up, and now you come pounding on my door in the middle of the night? Why in Celestia's name should I let you in?”

“Please, Cammy,” I pleaded, stretching my eyes as far as I could. “I just need to get out of the rain for a bit.”

She snorted, blowing a wisp of hair back, but finally stepped aside and let me enter. I meekly brushed my hooves off on her doormat and shook as much water as I could from my hat and coat. She took them without a word and hung them on the nearby rack.

Cammy had inherited this entire building from her grandmother. She only lived in part of it, of course, a rather large but comfortable apartment on the first floor. The rest she rented out, and she was known as one of the few honest and reliable landponies in the neighborhood. Her being an officer of the F.P.D also helped keep some of the scum off of her property; though she herself usually stayed behind a desk, she had the kind of pull that only a pretty mare in a male-dominated profession can wield.

I'd broken up a few fights here, myself, and ran off a few entrepreneurial pushers. Of course, the days when I was a welcome sight there were long past.

I settled down on her old, plush sofa while Cammy went into her kitchen. My hindquarters sank comfortably into the groove I'd worn into it. It was like I hadn't left.

Cammy returned several minutes later carrying a tray with two steaming cups of tea. She set them down on the coffee table in front of me, and took a seat on the other side. I murmured thanks, and we both sat there in silence, nursing our drinks.

After awhile, she put her cup down on its saucer and looked at me. “What happened?”

I shrugged. “Apparently I upset the Weather Union.”

“How?”

I let out a quick laugh. “I have no freaking idea.”

She arched an eyebrow at me. I shook my head and stared at her chair's right arm, organizing my thoughts. “I've been looking into this Silver Coin pony. I've found a few different leads, but nothing's really fitting together. The filly that hired me, 'Miss Calla,' is apparently a professional escort on Silver's personal retainer. I also found out that Silver's in good with the head of the First Equestrian Bank, and that the two of them might have manufactured an 'accident' for Silver's father, Gold Coin. Everything was pointing away from the Union, but all of a sudden, pegasi thugs are chasing me down the street.” I dipped my mouth into my shirt pocket and produced the silver cufflink, then placed it on the table. “Plus, I found this in an alley outside the Horn and Feather, along with some blood. He was on his way to meet with some of his dad's old friends when he disappeared. Looks bad for him.”

“So you think somepony killed him?”

I shrugged. “I don't know. I just don't know.”

“What are you going to do?”

“Right now, all I want is to get a few hours sleep somewhere dry and warm. First thing in the morning, I'm going to head back to the crime scene and see if I can find anything else. Then it's time for me and 'Miss Calla' to have a heart-to-heart.”

She sipped her tea. “Are you going to call us in?”

I frowned. “She asked me not to involve the cops, but it's looking like I'll have to. I'll give her a chance to explain herself before I do, though.”

“Looky, if there's evidence of an equicide... ”

I held up a hoof. “Cammy, you know they won't take my story at face value. Not after how I left the department. They'll shove me off the case, start from scratch, and by the time they get back to where I am now, the trail will be cold.”

She rolled her eyes. “You know, this whole, stupid, 'mutual mistrust' thing could have blown over a long time ago if you would just meet the chief halfway.”

My only response was a grunt.

“You're a good detective, Looky,” she continued, “but you're not the only good detective in Fillydelphia. If you'd just work with us for once... ”

I snorted. “Cammy, if you'd seen what I'd seen... ”

“I may as well have! I was beside you the whole time, Looky. And in the end, everypony saw you were right all along.”

“Yeah. Too late. Too late for me, and too late for that filly. I'm not letting that happen again, Cammy.”

I looked up at her, and was surprised to see concern and empathy in her face. “Looky...”

“Cammy, don't.”

She looked at me in surprise. “What?”

“Don't... don't support me. I don't want it. Not from you.”

She stared at me with an expression I couldn't quite read. Without a word, she placed the teacups back on their tray and carried them back to the kitchen.

Dammit. This was all I needed, Cammy stirring up old emotions I'd thought song since settled. There was enough jumble in my head already without realizing I still hadn't gotten over her.

Wait, realizing what?

She came back, pausing halfway through the doorway, that same look on her face. “Looky... ”

“Cammy... ”

She shook her head and raised a hoof to stop me. “Looky, I'm sorry. Okay? I'm sorry. I screwed up.”

“Yeah.”

“You were... you were just so wrapped up in that case, Looky, and I... I knew you'd be back, I knew you loved me, but... I, I was lonely... I was afraid something might happen to you...”

“So you fucked Chase.”

She recoiled like I'd slapped her. “I... Looky, I'm so sorry...”

“Cammy, someone was killing foals. Butchering them. Leaving their carcasses out to rot in the fucking streets. Celestia's teats, I'm so sorry that you felt neglected! Maybe I could have just let a few more young colts and fillies get eaten by a fucking griffon so I could give you the attention you needed!”

She let out a choking sob and fell back against the wall. I found myself standing, the anger and hurt pouring out of me in a flood I couldn't have stopped if I wanted to. “Would that have made you feel better, Cammy?! If I could've taken some time out of looking for those little foals to give you a good pounding?! Maybe I could've just explained to those grieving parents, 'Whoops, sorry your daughter was murdered and eaten, but my marefriend's more concerned about filling her fucking orgasm quota!”

My chest burned with rage, and my words were hot and heavy hammer blows that drove her further back into the corner.

“Get out,” she finally sobbed, her voice thick and garbled with tears. She didn't meet my eyes, but I could see her shoulders setting and eyes narrowing as her own anger welled up. “Get out!

Fury was still boiling in my chest. I knew I'd hurt her, and it felt good. But I also knew I'd regret it later. Hell, I'd regret it the moment that freezing rain started pounding at my back. I'd wrecked any chance I had of sleeping under a roof tonight, just to score a cheap shot against my ex. And my mouth still wouldn't stop moving.

“I bought a ring, you know,” I said without looking at her. I noticed a surprising calmness in my voice. “I'd been saving up for almost a year. I was going to give it to you as soon as I caught the killer. I kept thinking, 'Celestia, I'm so lucky to have a filly who will stay by me, even though this.'”

She didn't say anything.

“I kept it for awhile. Kept thinking I'd find it in me to forgive you. It never happened. I ended up pawning it to pay my rent.”

She didn't say anything.

“I loved you, Cammy. I'm sorry things ended up this way.”

I pocketed the cufflink, donned my hat and coat, and left one storm for another.

Next Chapter: Chapter 8 Estimated time remaining: 54 Minutes
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