Criminal Case: Concordia

Chapter 3: In the Line of Fire-Part 1

AN: Hey all. Before I start, I want to say thank you to those reading 'Reincarnated in an Otome Game' along with the readers of my other stories.😊You kitten's are amazing and I hope you enjoy any further stories I'll post later on whether they're fanfics or original ideas.😊Now on with the story!

In the flying squad airship, Marie heard the news that the Concordia police station caught fire while she and the rest of the squad aided the fire brigade to put out the fires around New Haven. When Maddie heard the news about the station's fire, she looked at Marie and said, "Marie, I cannot believe that the New Haven police station has caught on fire! What's even worse, I heard that the fire started in the evidence room and that's where we store the evidence from our own cases as well!"

Maddie then put on a determined face and said, "We must go and make sure we can salvage as much as possible! Onward!" And the two women left the airship and headed towards the police station.

In front of the New Haven police station, a member of the fire brigade approached the two women covered in soot and sweat and he looked at Marie and said to her, "Thank goodness you've arrived in time Miss Marie. I'm Billy Thompson of the Concordia Fire Brigade and we've just put out the fire!"

Marie and Maddie nodded and Marie showed him her badge and said, "A pleasure to meet you. Maddie and I are here to oversee the salvaging efforts of the evidence room! We do hope there hasn't been too much damage!"

Billy let out a sigh and said while looking down sadly, "I'm afraid that will have to wait. We lost one of our best firemen to the flames! His name was Otis Kidd and I found his body in the evidence room. I cannot believe he's dead!"

Maddie nodded and started to say, "Our condolences Mr. Thompson, but..."

Billy interrupted Maddie and said to Marie, "And that's not all Miss Marie! We have a reason to believe that the fire was not an accident!"

The two women widened their eyes in shock and surprise and Maddie said, "Dash my wig! Arson and a dead body?! We must get to the bottom of this Marie!"

Marie nodded and soon, they ran into the station and headed towards the evidence room after telling Billy that they will take over. In the police station, Marie and Maddie found the body and Maddie said, "This man is nearly all burned up!"

Marie nodded and looked over the body and she said while she was looking, "However, I don't believe that it was fire that killed him. It appears that this gentleman has been shot in the back!"

When Maddie heard that, she let out a sigh and said, "I imagine Mr. Thompson will be saddened by the news. A colleague dying in the line of duty is heroic, but one dying by a gunshot is murder!"

Maddie placed a hand on Marie's shoulder and said to her, "Marie, this murder could be connected to our arson investigation! If that's the case, we must solve it at once!"

Marie nodded and she looked and saw a charred barrel and thought that it might hold some clues. Marie also suggested that since the fire started in the evidence room, it will be best that she and Maddie speak to Officer Whimple, the evidence room clerk. Before they could talk to Officer Whimple, Marie decided to look through the burned barrel first. When Marie searched through the charred debris, Marie found a wooden cup amongst it and she saw that it was covered in blood.

Maddie also saw it and thought that the killer must have tried to get rid of it. Seeing there was blood on the cup, both Maddie and Marie agreed that Viola was the best person to analyze it and they sent the cup to her. Once the cup was sent to Viola, Marie and Maddie decided to talk to Officer Edward Whimple. As soon as they were in front of him, Maddie tilted her hat to greet him and she said, "Officer Whimple, may we have a word?"