Barking up the Wrong Tree - An Object "Fanfiction"

Chapter 12 - Was it Plum with the Wrench in the Study?

When Tree got back to his office, collapsed onto a chair. It was seven in the evening, according to the clock in the lobby. Taco stood around awkwardly.

"Should I leave?" she asked uncomfortably.

"No, we should try and figure out who could have done it based on what information we have now," replied Tree.

"Oh, cool."

Taco took out her notepad and started flipping through it as Tree told her about everything he had learned before she had been unofficially hired. After the explaining what they already knew montage, they began the going through suspects and seeing how likely it was to be them montage.

"Pink Marker?"

"No, her alibi was confirmed by a bunch of other people, and she doesn't really have a motive."

"Cake?"

"Maybe. But he isn't really pink."

"I mean, he does have that one weird pink blob on his head."

"True. But he also doesn't have a motive."

"Do any of our suspects actually have a good motive?"

"Good point."

"Nuts."

"I should have asked people what they thought about Apple."

"That is very true."

"Alright, let's think about this logically. Who's someone who would kill Apple without a motive?"

"Prince Pill. Definitely."

"Only issue with him is that Marshmallow said the culprit had no arms."

"Right. But there's always a chance her angle prevented her from seeing."

"Technically she could be lying about all this and be the killer herself. There might have been some bad blood between the two at some point."

 "True."

"But remember how fictional mysteries always work. It's always the last person you expect."

"You're right. Who's a tertiary character who we haven't talked to a whole bunch?"

"There's Coiny... Pin... Pillow..."

"Wait, wait. I can't believe we haven't thought of this. Algodoo Marble!"

"Oh, of course. He's pink, has no arms, and is incredibly dumb. But do we have enough evidence to say for sure it was him?"

"Errrrr... no."

"Well, we'll just try to get some tomorrow. For now you should probably find like a hotel to stay in or something."

"Oh, okay." 

Tree gave Taco some money as payment for her help. Then Taco left.

Tree walked up the stairs to his room and sat down on his bed.

At this moment, he was able to see someone who was pink, had no arms, and was incredibly dumb. And also holding a gun up towards Tree's head.