Author's Note: I've jumped off the deep end again, which resulted in another silly idea for an FF7 story, or a series of stories, rather. Seems like everything I do has an epic plan behind it! I now introduce to you Detective Sephiroth and Detective Zack Fair, world-class private eyes of the 1920s. This is my introductory fic to the characters and the style of writing I am intending to use throughout most of these stories. Told from Zack Fair's point-of-view, in what I hope is a (more or less) classic first person narration. Hope you enjoy! It was a blast to write. :) Many thanks to Lucky Ladybug for previewing parts of this!

I also want to tip my hat to my favorite television detective series which probably inspired most of this: Nero Wolfe. It's probably not obvious at all, but the title of this fic is a reference to the title of the first episode in that series, The Doorbell Rang.

A Knock at the Door

By

Kazaam

It was finally the end of yet another long, fruitless week. The days had dragged on like Gongagan molasses, with no end in sight, and no cases to be had. There I sat, in an office muggier than a summer's high noon in my old hometown, with nothing but a small, overworked fan struggling to lighten the heavy atmosphere. That thing was about to die any second.

I'd put my boots up to lighten the load on my feet, never mind how nonexistent that workload was at the moment, and proceeded to ignore my partner's disapproving glare at the mess I was making of my desk. It was in a chaotic state of disarray, exactly the way I liked it. Every paper had its place, even if I didn't currently know which place it was, and I could always find whatever I needed.

Now, where had that newspaper run off to …?

Speaking of my partner, he currently sat at his own desk across the room, busily scanning through a thick book of some kind. The late afternoon sun shone horizontal bands through the blinds on the window behind him, lighting up his long hair and turning it to molten silver. It made me glad I had the desk on the inside of the room, so I wouldn't have to suffer through the additional discomfort of the heat scorching the back of my head, to which my partner seemed immune.

Of course, the true strategic value of my desk's location was revealed at moments like this, when he decided to shift to the side like that and let the blinding light stab my eyes. Maybe I should have moved the desk to the side of the room. Squinting against the unforgiving glare, I dropped my fedora onto the fan in front of me and let it take care of the problem.

The fan sputtered to a halt.

Dang it.

To distract myself from this new level of climate-induced torment, I studied my partner. He was tall, taller than me, with emerald green eyes that could pierce your very soul. Despite the heat, he kept his hair long, never putting it up, and wore a black suit almost as dark as the past he never tells me about. Despite this lack of knowledge on my part, I had to conclude that he at least had some background in theatre; the silver and black of his appearance was a striking combination and lent him a dramatic flair wherever he went, with an ease that was almost enviable.

I say 'almost,' because what need did I have for dramatic flair, when I had my own natural charms to fall back upon? Bright, violet eyes and spiky black hair were every woman's dream. … Even if my hair, at the moment, was somewhat wilted from the humidity. A less observant person might say that it was starting to curl, but that person would be appallingly misinformed.

Detective Zack Fair's hair was not curly.

Anyway, back to my partner. Sephiroth had been a detective almost as long as I had. We'd each gone solo for a while, before meeting up not too long ago and deciding it was in our mutual best interests to partner up. I like to think that I've taught him a thing or two about the finer points of detective work since then.

"Zackary, when you've finished contemplating the universe, file these away and fetch some coffee." Sephiroth indicated a neat stack of papers on the corner of his desk.

"Sure thing, boss!"

Okay, okay, I know what you're thinking. So I use the term 'partners' loosely here. Fact is, we are partners – Seph just doesn't know it yet. See, he's under the impression that I work for him. Which I do, technically. But it's a minor technicality, merely recorded on a flimsy, insubstantial piece of paper. Seph doesn't like major changes to his perfectly ordered world, so I figure I'll slowly let him in on the secret of us being partners, rather than spring it on him all at once. It'll be easier that way.

Don't ask who it'll be easier for.

Anyway, when I said that I'd been working at this detective business longer than Sephiroth, it was true. Well, when you include childhood days of dreaming of bigger and better things, that is. I'd wanted to be a private eye my entire life, and I'll be darned if I wasn't the best investigator on my city block! Gave the police chief a run for his money too, on more than one occasion.

…It's too bad Seph and I just happen to work in that same city – the chief of police back then is still the chief of police now. Makes things a bit awkward at times, it does.

"Any time this century, Zack."

I sighed. Sephiroth really needed to relax sometimes, like I was doing now. It completely escapes me why he doesn't follow my example more often. He was wound more tightly than the mayor's pocket watch; sometimes I wondered what would happen if he ever sprang loose. But he never did – cooler than the stony peaks of Mount Nibel, he was as calm and collected as the best of them.

Don't ever tell him I told you, but it was one of the reasons why I admired the man. There weren't too many cases that escaped him – he was the best detective in the business, and that's the truth. He could intimidate just about anybody into giving him answers, and there wasn't a single detail he overlooked. If I didn't know any better, I'd say he was a regular Sherlock Holmes himself.

Speaking of our beloved Sherlock, at that moment, he chose to level an icy stare in my direction. Did I mention how he needed to relax?

"All right, all right, I'm going, I'm going!" With a satisfying clump, I let my boots drop to the floor and got up to take care of the files. Sometimes I wondered if this detective business was all it was cracked up to be. Being reduced to Errand Boy was definitely not what I signed up for! Where was the exciting nightlife, the stealthing, the sleuthing, the danger, the dames? This lack of activity was enough to make any normal person go stir crazy, and according to my boss and the police chief, I was far from normal.

I'm still trying to figure out if they meant that as a compliment.

Snatching the papers, I moseyed over to the filing cabinet in the corner and set to work. The metal tower was located in my corner of our quaint little office – I think Seph was trying to give me a hint when he put it there. However, being the clever detective that I am, it was something I naturally ignored. Stacked on top of it were several books that Seph most often referenced.

Next to the cabinet, along the wall that I'd been wishing my desk stood at, sat an old, faded blue couch, as ratty as the rodent infested tunnels under the city. Seph had been wanting to replace it for a while now – no surprise, considering the neatly ordered world of his existence next to the window. But I managed to keep it around. That thing was comfy! If you ignored the spring underneath the left cushion that liked to dig into your back, it made a fine bed on those late nights at the office. I'm surprised some cruel-hearted person had abandoned the poor thing next to the dumpster in the alley. All it needed was some love, so I rescued it and gave it a home in our office.

Sometimes, Seph does not seem to appreciate my thoughtfulness. I haven't seen him use the couch once. I think he thinks it might be diseased or something.

On the old, wooden floor, between our desks, lay a large, oval rug that added a splash of color to the dimly lit place. The door to the office was also between our desks, across the way from the sofa. It was right smack in the middle of the wall, neatly dividing my side from Seph's. Visitors tended to gravitate toward Seph's side of the room when they came in, my side having looked like it was transplanted there by the Kansas Express.

… That's a twister, in case you were wondering.

A bookcase stood against that wall on Seph's side of the door. Naturally, it held all manner of books containing confusing legal jargon and obscure topics, like Oysters of the Orient and The Encyclopedia of Persian Musical Instruments: Dulcimer to Zither. What the heck was a dulcimer, anyway? Clearly, Seph's taste in reading material was lacking in sophistication.

On my side of the door was the coat rack upon which our trench coats and Seph's hat were hung. The water dispenser stood next to it. A bright yellow rubber duck sat on top of the jug. I'd left it there for some reason, but I can't remember why at the moment.

The slamming of the drawers of the file cabinet as I worked, though it probably drew Seph's ire, also happened to conceal the knocking and opening of our office door on smoothly oiled hinges, courtesy of my boss. The first I knew of our visitor was the sound of a beautifully clear voice, softly ringing like the delicate chimes of a Wutaian temple.

"Excuse me, Detectives? I was wondering if you might be able to help me …"

I turned to view the source of this lovely voice, who must surely be a goddess descended from the heavens. The vision I beheld as I set eyes upon her stopped me in my tracks.

She was dressed in a simple, but elegant, white satin dress, cut at a stylish angle at the hem, just below her knees. A pattern of light pink and blue flowers wound up one side of the fabric, to rest lightly at her neckline. Matching white heels adorned her feet, and long gloves covered her graceful arms. A white hat completed the look, with a shimmering pink ribbon wrapped about it and spilling down the back, against golden-brown hair lit with highlights that glowed warmly in the light of the setting sun from the window. She peered out from behind a delicate white veil that did nothing to hide her large, deep green eyes.

She was an angel.

I think I must've said as much out loud, much to my embarrassment, because Sephiroth had grunted in dismissal, and her eyes were sparkling in amusement as she giggled at me, a light blush touching her cheekbones. I felt my face heat up, and I ducked my head back to the papers I was holding, shuffling them pointlessly. I could feel her eyes upon me, and was glad when Seph broke the awkward moment by answering her question.

"Yes, I am Detective Sephiroth, and this is my assistant, Zackary Fair."

I looked up at her and grinned when my name was mentioned. She smiled sweetly back. Oh, Holy, what a smile …

"Zack."

The sharp tone brought my attention back to Seph, and I realized I must have been staring again. He was looking at me with a raised eyebrow and a peculiar expression, a very specific expression that seemed to say, Why don't you get the lady a chair, you idiot?

"Oh, right." Feeling my face burn anew, I fumbled with the papers and hastily jammed them between some books atop the file cabinet, then hurried over to grab the extra chair behind my desk. I'd been using it for a footrest during the few occasions I actually used my desk for something productive. Dragging it around through the papers littering the floor, I positioned it in front of Seph's desk so the lady could sit.

As she did, with a quiet "Thank you," I perched on the edge of the desk to listen to her story. What could the fair lady possibly need two world-class detectives for? Had some two-timing villain committed a heinous act of treachery against her? Had she been unfairly involved in some cruel scandal meant to tarnish her pristine reputation? Was she the victim of an appalling case of blackmail? Could she be the target of some heartless criminal seeking to – Heaven forbid – end her life? The ugly possibilities whirled through my mind.

At the sound of Sephiroth clearing his throat, I glanced back to see him looking pointedly at me. Clearly, the man disliked the use of modern language, as he employed it as sparingly as possible. At some point, I was going to have to express to him the wonders of the invention and how it was an utter travesty that he refused to use it.

However, somehow his flinty gaze conveyed to me that I was not to sit on his perfectly manicured desk. With a roll of my eyes, I hopped down and stood to the side. I'd sit on the couch, but I wanted to be able to see the lady's face – it was vital to the clue-gathering business, after all …

"How can we help you, Miss …?" Sephiroth began.

"Oh, no names, please. Well, not yet, anyway." She dazzled us with another smile. "I'd like to be sure that you're going to take my case, first."

Seph nodded. "Of course. What can we do for you?"

Here, she seemed to grow a bit nervous, leaving me feeling like I had to do something to reassure her somehow. "Well …" She hesitated. "I'm sorry, I've never done anything like this before, so I'm not sure if you're the right people to come to …"

Oh, anything for you, Angel.

… I think I must've accidentally spoken aloud again, because she blushed and ducked her head politely, lips quirking up in amusement. I could feel Sephiroth's gaze burning into me, and wished for the floor to suddenly open up and swallow me whole. My ears were turning red. I swallowed and decided to study my boots. I probably needed new ones; these were looking a little worn.

"Well, alright, then," she continued. "I've misplaced something important, or rather lost it, I should say. I'm afraid someone may have stolen it. I really need it back."

"I see. Can you describe what this object is, and who you think may have taken it?" Sephiroth slid open his desk drawer and removed a pen and pad of paper.

"It's a large, round crystal, as smooth and flawless as a pearl. It's very unique – it's been in my family for generations." Sephiroth's pen scratched across the paper. He was as intent upon her words as a cat upon its prey. This was his element – he lived for the mystery and the thrill of the hunt, the satisfaction upon closing in on his target and the inevitable catch at the end of the day.

"As for who might have taken it … I really don't know." She frowned, upset. "No one should know about it – we're not poor, but I don't like to brag about the things we have. I only ever keep it in one place, and I've never showed it to anyone."

Sephiroth appeared thoughtful. "Where did you keep it?"

At this, she removed her hat, setting it upon her lap. Her long, shining hair spilled loosely about her shoulders, and curled gently around her delicate face. She was the very image of beauty. Her troubled eyes gazed down upon the hat as she threaded the ribbon through her fingers.

"I've always kept it here, tied up in the bow." She indicated the piece of silk. "I walked into my room, two days ago, only to find my hat on the floor and the ribbon undone. The crystal was missing."

Seph frowned. "Had anything else been taken from the house?"

She shook her head. "No, nothing." A pause. "The window was open, though. We'd left it that way to let in some fresh air. … Do you think someone might have come in through it?"

"It's possible. Who else lives in the house with you?"

"It's just my mother and I."

Sephiroth nodded and finished taking down the information as we looked on. I felt awful for the young lady. To have someone steal in through the window, of her own bedroom no less, and pilfer something so important to her, while she was still in the house? Unforgivable! We'd surely catch the wretch who'd done it and bring him to the justice he deserves.

There were many more questions Seph could have asked, but he preferred to be at the scene of the crime when doing so, whenever possible. Otherwise, it was too easy to jump to conclusions. He finished his scribblings and looked up.

"All right, we'll take your case. I believe we can make the time for it." Yeah, as if we were swamped to our ears with other cases, with people clamoring from the streets for our help. Sometimes I wondered about that guy. He seemed to enjoy making everyone think he was taking extensive trouble to carve out time from our extraordinarily busy schedule, just for them.

On second thought, perhaps it was because he preferred to keep them guessing. That was a good strategy, too, now that I thought of it.

"Zackary." He waved a hand, obviously expecting me to know what it meant. Luckily for him, I did.

Hopping away from the wall I'd been leaning against, I approached the lady, holding out an arm to indicate that she should come with me.

"We'll be glad to help you, Miss," I grinned. She stood, smiling back, and my heart did a funny thump in my chest. She placed the hat back upon her head and followed me to my desk.

"That's wonderful! You have no idea how grateful I am." She took my hand in both of hers. "Thank you so much."

"You're welcome, Miss …" Her beautiful green eyes gazed up past the veil into mine, as deep and soulful as … as …

There was a discreet cough from across the room, jarring my thoughts back to what I should be doing. Disengaging my hand from hers, I rubbed the back of my neck in embarrassment.

"Right. Um … So I need to know where you live. Your address. You know, so we can get there. Tomorrow, I mean – it's too late tonight …" I finished, lamely trailing off after stumbling over the words. Smooth, Zack. Real smooth, just like a cruise along the rocky shores of Junon. I shook my head, turning away to hide my face. What on Earth was wrong with me? I was Zack Fair, for Pete's sake – I had never had a problem sweet-talking the ladies before!

After a moment of stewing in my own humiliation, I felt a soft hand upon my arm.

"Here." I turned back, and the lady pressed a scrap of paper into my hand. "My address." Her eyes twinkled in merriment.

"Uh … Thanks." Was there a hard surface to beat my inarticulate head into? Please and thank you.

I was given another smile, and suddenly the sun was no longer setting.

"Please, call me Aerith."

Aerith. What a beautiful name. But can I just call you Angel? I think it fits so much better …

My eyes widened and a hand clapped over my mouth in horror, but it was too late. And the lady was already heading out the door, her pure, musical laughter resonating in my ears.

Aerith … I was left staring, dumbfounded, as the door clicked shut. What had she done to me?

A sound from Sephiroth's direction interrupted my stupor, and I glanced over with the sneaking suspicion that he had just snickered at me. He flipped through some documents, an intense expression of concentration directed at them, as if they were the most important things in existence at that moment.

That confirmed it. He did just snicker at me.

I grumbled at him and returned to my desk, not missing the amused smirk that flashed across his face when he thought I wasn't looking. I put my feet up and pouted in silence.

"… Zackary, those papers are not going to finish filing themselves."

… Dang it.

"And don't forget about the coffee."

My head thumped onto the desk as I asked the world what I'd done to deserve all this.

The next morning found us at Miss Aerith's house, perched neatly on the sunny green corner of a street in St. George. Located on Staten Island, we'd taken the ferry across the Bay to get here. I, for one, was grateful for the ride, as the breeze off the water made the already rising heat of the day somewhat more bearable.

The house was Victorian; it was two and a half stories. I say 'half,' because no one in their right mind would call an attic a story, yet the many-paned windows peaking out from the gables, and the blue curtains they framed, clearly indicated that the space was in use. It was white – the house, not just the attic – with charming green and pink trim, and it was large. If I was feeling generous, and I was, I'd say it was at least five times the size of my own humble apartment, if not six or seven.

The house was framed by several trees, the brick path leading up to the front door bordered by neatly trimmed bushes. The lawn leading up to the corner was wide and unmarred by weeds, and bright, cheerful flowers grew from a well-tended garden at the front edge of the home. It was obviously a much-loved place; all it needed was a white picket fence.

I had to admit, compared to my place, this was a castle. I was envious.

Sephiroth led the way up to the porch and rang the doorbell exactly once. Almost immediately, the door was opened; they must've seen us coming.

Elmyra Gainsborough. This was the thin, elderly woman who answered the door – she was Aerith's mother. At least in her fifties, she had clear blue eyes and light brown hair streaked with white and pulled up in a bun; she wore a simple green dress with a flower pattern, and her white apron indicated that she must've been in the middle of cooking something. The scent of freshly baked bread from the kitchen confirmed that.

"Oh, good morning! My daughter said you'd be coming. Please, step inside!" She moved aside to allow us to enter. She offered to take our jackets, and so we let her – I shrugged off my white one, while Seph removed his black. Underneath, I wore my usual blue silk shirt and white tie; Seph's was white, with a black tie. He really had this monochromatic theme of his going strong today.

We'd left our trench coats back at the office – this weather was much too warm for them, though, thankfully, it was surprisingly cool in the house. The windows were open, allowing a fresh breeze to drift through, and small, potted plants and flowers added to the cheerful atmosphere.

"Please, come this way." She led us down the short hallway to the front room, where she sat us down at a small table near the window. The room was elegant, yet somehow cozy. Sunlight from the window dappled the tabletop and floor, leafy shadows dancing in the breeze. There was a large sofa and several sitting chairs, and a piano in the bay window at the front.

"Would you like something to eat or drink? The sweet rolls have just come out of the oven. They just need to be glazed."

"No thank you, we've already eaten-"

"Yes, please!" I paused, the words having been spoken at the same time as my partner's. I looked at Seph; he looked at me. I tried again.

"We'd love some-"

"It's really not necessary-" Dang it, Seph. Being polite doesn't mean you refuse someone's home cooking!

"Yes-"

"No-" I glared pointedly at him across the table. Quit being a stick in the mud!

"What he means to say-"

"I really don't think-" Sweet rolls, Seph. Sweet rolls!

"-is yes."

"… Yes." Victory! I grinned.

"… Alright then. I'll go bring some." The poor woman tentatively smiled, clearly bewildered, and left for the kitchen.

I whirled back to face Seph.

"What is the matter with you?" I hissed. "She's offering us homemade food!"

"Zackary, there's no reason to impose upon these people any more than we have to."

"Who's imposing? They invited us here, and she's the one who offered!"

"You've already eaten."

"So?"

Sephiroth sighed and leant back in the chair, indicating that he was not going to be drawn into this argument. His eyes flicked about the room, searching for clues about our hosts, no doubt. I did the same.

There were a few framed pictures of various landscapes adorning the walls; several decorative figures stood upon the surfaces of the bookcase and side tables. One in particular that caught my eye was set atop the piano – it was a porcelain statue of a beautiful young lady in a pale blue and white dress, dancing alone.

After a few moments, Mrs. Gainsborough returned, bearing her tray of sweet rolls. They smelled divine. She set them down and took a step back, waiting to see what we thought of them.

Not one to keep a lady waiting, I immediately snatched one from the plate and bit into it. Oh. Was that orange glaze? It was! I was in Heaven.

"Mmm. Mrs. Gainsborough, you are an angel," I mumbled around a mouthful of the delicious pastry. "This is wonderful!" I could feel Sephiroth's eyes on me, disapproving of my lack of table manners.

Mrs. Gainsborough beamed, clearly thrilled with my response, and politely glanced at Seph to see his reaction.

Ha! He wasn't going to get out of trying one that easily, and he knew it. With a neutral expression, he reached for one, taking a small bite. He chewed for a moment, then the slight, upward quirk of one eyebrow indicated that he must've been impressed.

"This is very good. Thank you."

If possible, her grin got even wider. "You're welcome! I'll go grab some coffee for you."

When she returned, we sat for several moments chatting about nothing in particular. Or Mrs. Gainsborough and I did, anyway, while Seph simply politely answered any questions directed at him. We were waiting for Aerith; apparently, she was in the back, watering the flowers.

We didn't wait long; soon, there was the sound of a screen door banging open, and soft footsteps approaching from the kitchen.

"Mom! The roses still aren't blooming; do you think-" She stopped in the doorway in surprise. "Oh! You're already here. I'm sorry, I was busy tending the flowers."

I hastily stood when she came in. Her beauty only seemed to have grown overnight. She was dressed in a simple spring dress of bright yellow; a matching yellow ribbon was woven through her braided hair, while slightly disheveled bangs framed her face.

"Aerith! Hi," was all I managed to get out. I might have said more, but I stopped before I could make a fool of myself.

She smiled, sweetly. "Hello." She nodded a greeting at Seph, which he returned.

There was an awkward moment of silence, which I was oblivious to, having eyes only for the lady before me. Then she coughed.

"Well … Shall we go upstairs? I'm sure you want to see … the 'scene of the crime,' is that what you call it?"

Sephiroth nodded. "Of course." He indicated for her to lead the way, which she did, heading for the banistered staircase located across the room and around the corner. He strode by me, inconspicuously trodding on my foot on his way past. I stifled a startled yelp.

"Focus, Zack," he whispered.

Focus, my foot. I was focused! Following the two, I headed upstairs.

Aerith's room was located at the end of the hallway. I stepped in, a bit nervous to be intruding upon her personal space, though I didn't let it show. The room was smaller than I'd expected, but well furnished with a bed, dresser, armoire, and nightstand. She had a cute pink and white theme with the bedspread and curtains, and several delicate figures graced the dresser. A handful of plush animals sat on the bed. Absently, I walked over and picked up a stuffed bear, turning it over in my hands. It was soft.

"Looking for clues, Detective?" I jumped at the unexpected voice at my shoulder.

"Uh, yeah! Exactly." I quickly set the bear down, feeling a blush begin to creep up my cheeks.

Aerith giggled. "Well, what does Mr. Bear tell you?"

I blinked, staring at her for a second, then turned back to the bear. "Well, uh …" Scratching my head, I took a closer look at it. What did it tell me? I picked it up again. "Mr. Bear says …" Let's see … it had a light pink bow tied around its neck … "That your favorite color is pink …?" I glanced at her for confirmation, and upon seeing her cute smile, decided to continue. "And …" I squeezed it, noticing a set of stitches in the back. "He had to be re-stuffed at least once, so he must've suffered a tragic accident at some point." I shot a sympathetic look in her direction. "I'm sure you were heartbroken!" On cue, she dropped the smile, adopting a sad expression, and nodded. Her eyes twinkled. Drawing more courage from this, I examined the bear some more. "This thin spot on the nose tells me that you loved Mr. Bear very much, and carried him with you all the time, and the bare spot on his ear indicates that you had a habit of rubbing it when you were worried or needed comforting." Her smile grew. "I conclude that Mr. Bear has been with you a very long time, at least since childhood, and that, despite his slightly worn appearance, you took very good care of him and that he still has a special place in your heart!"

She beamed, clapping her hands. "Oh, very good! You really are a detective!"

I grinned, crossing my arms. "Well of course! What did you expect? I am the Great Zack Fair after all!"

The sound of a clearing throat grabbed my attention.

"In that case, O Great Zack Fair," Sephiroth interjected dryly. "I'd appreciate your assistance on this case. Unless you suspect that Mr. Bear has absconded with the lady's heirloom?"

My face flamed red. "Uh, no. Right. Ummm …" I cast my eyes about the room, looking at anything but Seph and Aerith. There had to be a clue around here somewhere! Come on, clue …

Sephiroth turned to Aerith. "Would you care to recreate the state of things as you found them, when you noticed the crystal was missing?"

Aerith nodded. "Of course! The hat was here …" She removed the hat from the stand in the corner near the window, and set it beside the foot of the bed. "Hmmm …" Tapping a finger against her cheek, she moved about the room, adjusting a few things to get them the way she wanted.

When she was finished, she addressed Seph again. "I think that does it …"

He nodded, and proceeded to question her on the details of the arrangement, making sure she hadn't forgotten anything important. Then he began to examine things with a critical eye, which I did as well. Obviously, the hat itself and the open window were the first objects of interest.

The hat lay on the floor, the ribbon's bow picked apart. Both the ribbon and the white silk of the hat seemed to give away nothing on the surface. There were no dirt or marks to indicate who might have removed the crystal; the hat had been clean when Aerith had originally found it. According to her, there had also been nothing so much as a footprint on the rug to indicate that someone had come into the room.

Turning my attention to the window, I observed that it had been slid upward barely half way – not enough to allow a person to enter, though that didn't mean that someone couldn't have pushed it wider from the outside and later returned it to its original condition. Outside the window was a tree. I frowned. The nearest branches were at least a good yard from the window. Was it possible someone could have climbed up and reached across the gap? I slid the pane further upward to allow myself to lean out for a better view.

Hmmm. The ends of the branches didn't seem strong enough to hold a person's weight, but maybe if they'd leapt from closer to the trunk where the branches were thicker … But how would the culprit have left the room? He couldn't have gone down through the house – Aerith and her mother had been on the lower level at the time. And the window seemed a tad small to be making a leap that far and guaranteeing success, but I supposed it could be possible … I leaned further out, hoping to get a better vantage point.

"No, Zack." I felt a strong grip on the back of my shirt, tugging me inside.

"Hey, what're you-" I was forced to duck my head, lest it have an unfortunate encounter with the bottom of the windowpane. "No, what?"

"You are not jumping from that window."

"How do you …? I wasn't gonna jump!" I said, defensively. Sephiroth quirked a disbelieving eyebrow at me. "I wasn't! … But now that you mention it, actually, it might be a good idea, just to see …"

"No. I will not be responsible for you breaking a limb. There are other ways to determine whether someone climbed the tree to the window, or escaped in the same manner."

"Oh, have a little faith, will ya? I wouldn't fall, and even if I did, a little two-story drop isn't gonna hurt me!"

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow. "You? I was referring to the tree." He smirked and moved to examine the windowsill for himself.

Oh, ha ha. I decided at that point that Sephiroth's stint in theatre did not include comedy. I backed away from the confined space near the window to allow him the room to work.

And I backed right into the coat rack, my head whacking into one of the knobs. Startled, I turned, fumbling with the thing and trying to keep it from tipping over. A hat slipped off; I made a quick grab for it and missed. I tried to recover my balance, but my other arm knocked into the stand and sent it hopelessly crashing to the floor.

Oops.

Quickly, I bent to stand it back up, hoping none of Aerith's hats had been crushed. Most of the hats remained where they'd gone down; I snatched them from the floor as quickly as I could, brushing them off.

"I'm sorry, Aerith, I didn't mean … It was an accident, I swear …"

"Don't worry about it, silly!" she giggled. "That thing's never been very stable. It happens all the time!" She kneeled to help me with the rest of the hats.

Somewhat relieved by this, but still mortified that I'd been so clumsy, I picked up the last one and set it back into place. There! No harm done, after all. I grinned.

… Except, lying on the floor where the hats had fallen was a single blue feather, having been knocked clean off one of her hats. My face fell. I bent to retrieve it.

"Aw, nuts. I ruined one of your hats. I'm sorry." I examined the many caps for the one it had come from. There. A sky blue bonnet decked with a white sash and embellished with a design of matching azure feathers on the left side. I didn't know much about hats, but it was probably expensive. Ladies' hats always were. I felt miserable.

"Oh, Zack." I was almost afraid to look at her, but I did, beholding a sympathetic expression. But the corners of her mouth seemed to be trying to twitch upward. Was she laughing at me?

She took the feather from my hand, only to twirl it around in her fingers. Her lips pressed together, and she abruptly whirled away. Oh, great. Was she mad at me now?

She tapped the feather against her cheek. "I don't know what to do, Zack. How can we possibly fix this?"

I swallowed, my mouth suddenly running dry. "Um … Well … I can … pay for a new one." I mentally cringed. There went a good portion of this month's salary that I was planning to use for rent. "I don't mind, you know, since it was my fault and all …"

Aerith shook her head. "I'm afraid that's not good enough."

"… Oh …" Disappointed, I racked my brains, trying to figure out something that would make this better. I refused to look back at Seph, knowing what I'd probably see. Damaging a client's property was something that Was Not Done.

A moment passed in uneasy silence, at least for me. Then Aerith's voice chimed up:

"I know!"

She suddenly spun back to me, stood upon her toes, and tucked the feather into the dark band around my hat. "There! All better."

I stared at her, dumbfounded. She'd been … joking?

"What? Don't you like it?" She removed a hand mirror from the top of her dresser and presented it to me. "I think it matches your eyes."

I gazed into the mirror. Sure enough … The feather darkened from a pretty sky blue shade near the end, to a deep indigo at the base, which did, indeed, match my eyes. The end was tipped with white and a narrow band of the indigo was repeated, separating the white from the rest of the blue. I had to admit, against my white fedora, it did have a rather dashing effect. I grinned.

"You have impeccable taste, my Lady." I swept the hat off my head and made a deep bow, before straightening. Her light laughter was music to my ears! I was relieved to no end to discover that she wasn't upset with me. "What do you think, Seph?" Pivoting on my heel, I presented him with my new look.

He grunted. "It's Sephiroth. And I think it's time you got back to work."

I remained undaunted by his tone. "No problem! C'mon, Aerith, we got a criminal to catch." I strode out of the room to investigate the rest of the house.

You can probably guess the result of the rest of the investigation, being the intelligent readers you are, but I'll save you the trouble – we found nothing. I would say that I didn't know who was more frustrated, Seph or me, but Seph didn't show his frustration at all. Heck, for all I knew, the very fact that there was no more evidence told him something. What it told him, if anything, he didn't say.

As for me, I felt that this whole case was a mess. It was as if the culprit had magically appeared in the room, snatched the crystal from Aerith's hat, and vanished in the same way. When I said as much to my partner, wondering out of mild curiosity if he believed in magic, he gave me a look full of disbelief that I'd even asked such an absurd question, and declined to answer. I wondered if he had a daily quota of words and had used them all up.

Of course, detective work isn't as simple as investigating only the scene of the crime – you've got to do your legwork too. Considering the house from several other angles, we concluded that there were six other neighboring houses from which one might have gotten a good look at what had happened that fateful day – the one directly to the right of the Gainsborough home, on the same street; three directly across the street those houses were facing; and one on each of the other two corners of the crossroads.

Six houses. Well, it wasn't like I had anything else to do with my time. Nothing could possibly beat tromping around the streets of lovely St. George at high noon in the summer, except, perhaps, frying an egg on the sidewalk. I glanced at Seph out of the corner of my eye, as I worked a finger into the suddenly stifling tie around my neck, wondering if he'd show any sign that the heat was getting to him in that black getup of his. However, not to my surprise, he was as impeccable as ever.

Dang it.

We took our leave of the Gainsboroughs and arrived at the first house, the one directly neighboring their residence, and were met at the door by an elderly woman. Her skin was as wrinkly as old parchment, but her eyes seemed sharp enough. She sized us up; we provided our detective's licenses for her review, and she helpfully began answering our questions.

Almost too helpfully, that is. Once we'd inquired about any activity she might have seen the past couple of days at the Gainsborough house, she proceeded to rattle off a list longer than Sephiroth's hair of each and every single person that had passed by the place, crossed the street, walked their dog, tied their shoe, or so much as looked cross-eyed at her since the last four days. Sephiroth, being the polite gentleman he is, let her continue, nodding and taking notes. Once she moved on to a precise recounting of each vehicle that had driven through, he began to show his irritation, and I began to struggle to keep my eyes open.

Finally, she began to describe the exact times at which Aerith and Mrs. Gainsborough themselves had entered or exited the house, along with all their outside activities, and I decided that was going too far. This was digging too much into their privacy for my liking, not to mention it was completely worthless information after having gotten everything relevant from them already, so I developed a sudden and inexplicable allergy to her perfume, and Seph was forced to escort me to safety.

I straightened and tugged the wrinkles out of my jacket once we'd made it far enough down the sidewalk. "You're welcome," I grinned.

Sephiroth grunted, though I could see the slight amusement in the upward quirk of his mouth. "That was quite the … performance." I could tell he was being exceedingly polite in his choice of words. "Was it really necessary? Her perfume wasn't that bad."

"Are you kidding me? It was like an entire field of wildflowers mutated and then died all over a gigantic stack of ancient, musty books. I was practically gagging in there, Seph; it wasn't all an act."

"It's Sephiroth," he corrected. "And I would appreciate a little more decorum in the future."

"Bah. You wanted out of there as much as I did, and you know it. But don't thank me, or anything." I turned to survey the other choices of houses we'd have to visit. "Honestly, though, can you believe that old lady? Creepy old bag."

"Zackary," he said in a warning tone. He never did have a use for insults, considering it beneath him.

"What? You know it's true! I mean, what does she do all day, hide in the house and spy on everyone from behind her curtains? And how the heck does she remember everything? That's unnatural."

"Considering your limited attention span, I'm surprised you can comment on that."

I huffed and crossed my arms, not wanting to admit there was any truth to that. What did he know? I had a good head for this sort of stuff – detective work came as naturally to me as breathing! I didn't need a long attention span when I could instinctively pick out the important details worth listening to and ignore all the rest.

After a moment, I slid a glare back in his direction. "Well, what all did you write down? I doubt even you could have kept up with that ramble."

The barest smile graced his lips as he turned and strode to the next house, across the street. I broke out of my stiff-legged stance and jogged a bit to catch up.

"I was composing my shopping list."

His green eyes met my incredulous stare for just a moment, before I burst into laughter. I didn't stop until well after we'd reached the other side of the street.

The next two houses turned up nothing – no one was home at one, and the man who answered the door at the other couldn't provide anything useful, that I could tell, anyway.

The fourth house, which was directly across from the Gainsborough's on the corner, was an elegant example of the Queen Anne style – the solid, deep red of the brickwork was accented by white around the steeply sloping roof and numerous windows, some with balconies. There was a large, wraparound porch sporting ornamental columns, and a corner of the house bore a rounded turret. An intricate weather vane jutted upward from the tallest point of the roof. Square hedges lined the low, wrought iron fence, and bordered the path crossing the lawn to the front door.

Again, it was a castle to my eyes. What did these people do for a living? It was all I could do to afford the rent of my one-room apartment!

We strolled up the walkway, taking respite from the sun under the shadows of the lush, green trees. A ring of the doorbell caused a shout from somewhere inside, probably someone telling us to wait a minute.

Or they could be telling us to go away. I wouldn't mind that too much. It was getting hot here under the porch, cloistered from the breeze as it was. I watched a bee drone by and land on some kind of flower sprouting from the bushes.

Finally, the door opened, revealing an aging man with a goatee and a belly his vest didn't quite cover. It certainly drew the eye to the patterns in the fabric, though, and rather flamboyant they were, with green and blue birds flitting around a red silk background. The material pulled a bit at the line of black buttons; one of them was mismatched – the one at the widest point of his waist was silver.

"Hey, did you know one of your buttons doesn't match?"

I hadn't actually intended to say that, but it just sort of popped out. The moment suddenly turned awkward. After all, it's not exactly the first thing you expect to hear when you open your front door, especially since the poor chap had probably lost the original button upon accidentally breathing too deeply. I coughed, trying to cover up my embarrassment, and examined the scrollwork in the metal plate around the doorbell.

Sephiroth cleared his throat. "Good afternoon. Please ignore my associate; he sometimes speaks without thinking." His voice turned hard at the end there, and I rubbed the back of my neck, offering up a sheepish grin.

My partner continued, holding up his badge. "We're investigating the possible theft of an item from the Gainsborough residence across the street, and were hoping you might be able to help us."

The man examined us for a few moments, then shrugged and stepped aside so we could come in.

The house was easily the most ostentatious place I'd seen yet. Almost everything was done in a deep red color to match the outside, with accents and borders in pale cream and gold. Though lit well enough by the windows and overhanging chandeliers, the colors made the place seem rather dark. Plush, ornamented high-backed couches and chairs were artistically placed throughout the area, dark-wood end tables and shelving complementing the arrangement.

I whistled. "This is some place you got here! Must be great for parties."

The man inclined his head. "I do host quite a few social gatherings," he answered, in a cultured voice.

Turned out the guy's name was Robert Harley, a well-to-do member of the aristocratic upper class, and collector of the exotic. A one-time doctor of some kind, he was now a paid consultant, though didn't elaborate on what exactly he consulted people on. Whatever it was, it looked like it paid very well, as it seemed to be what fueled his passion for collecting.

"So, what exactly do you collect?" I asked, as I reached out to examine a strange mask set upon a stand on one of the shelves. It was thick, looking like it was carved out of some heavy wood. Dark orange and white paint decorated the face of it, and a mane of rather coarse, dark brown hair spilled down to frame the edges of the face. Huh. It almost looked like … Was that human hair?

"Don't touch anything," Sephiroth murmured into my ear. I jumped, snatching my hand away. How does he do that? Freaky silver-haired ghost, appearing out of nowhere.

"Oh, this and that," Harley went on to answer. "I have a taste for the unusual. Most of my collection consists of items from Africa, India, the Orient … the Polynesian Islands … I've traveled abroad extensively in the past."

"Huh." After casting a glance back at Seph, I returned my gaze to the mask, strongly tempted to ask if it really was made of human hair.

"My pride and joy, of course, is my aviary." He continued further into the house, beckoning for us to follow. The guy was obviously getting a kick out of showing off his things. Not that I minded – most of this was stuff I'd never seen before. They could probably pack up his entire house and ship it off to the Smithsonian, weather vane and all.

He pulled open a set of double doors, and light flooded into the room. I stared in wonder. Beyond the doors was the cool, lush greenery of an indoor garden. It was huge! A domed, glass ceiling allowed sunlight to spill into the area. Decorative tile and mosaics of blue, white, red, green, and gold made up the path at our feet, and colorful flowers of all kinds were dotted among the emerald leaves, dappled by the sunlight.

Set artistically in and among the plants, in various alcoves and near carved stone benches, were gilded cages containing all manner of exotic birds. Their strange calls echoed throughout the space.

"Look, Seph, it's a parrot!" I pointed out one of the only birds I could recognize, staring at it through the golden bars of the cage. "And there're some more over there, only they're kinda small …"

"A macaw, to be precise. And the small ones are lovebirds from the Namib Desert in Africa," our host commented.

"Ah …" I continued to wander ahead, gazing at all the strange, colorful birds, each species kept separate in its own cage. Behind me, I heard Seph complimenting Harley on his collection, and proceed to steer the conversation onto the topic of the investigation. I listened with half a mind, making sure to keep tabs on what was going on.

Further along on one of the side paths, I eventually spotted a cage that appeared to be empty. Curious, I approached, peering inside and wondering whether the bird was somehow hiding.

There was nothing there. Strange. A plaque on the base of the cage stole my attention and I glanced down to read it.

One for Sorrow
Two for Mirth
Three for a Wedding
Four for a Birth
Five for Rich
Six for Poor
Seven for a secret told never more.

That was … interesting. Strange, but interesting. Flicking my eyes once more over the nonexistent contents of the cage, I turned back toward where Seph and Harley were conversing.

"Hey! It looks like one of your birds is missing." I jabbed a thumb back at the cage.

Harley's eyes drew over to where I was pointing, and his expression soured. "Indeed. It escaped a few weeks ago, the ungrateful creature. Some of these birds are too clever for their own good."

"Gee, that's too bad. It must've cost a bunch-"

Irritation flashed in his eyes. Oops.

"Quite," he bit out. Turning to Seph, he stiffly reached to shake his hand. "Well, Detective …" He glanced in my direction. "… Mr. Fair," he ground out. "It's been a pleasure, but I believe I've answered all your questions satisfactorily, and now I must get back to my duties."

Sephiroth nodded. "Of course." Flicking out a card from his pocket, he handed it to the man. "If you recall anything else that might be of use, please don't hesitate to call us."

Harley nodded.

"Zackary." I mentally cringed. That tone meant that Seph was not happy, probably on account of me speaking before thinking. Again. I hoped he was able to get everything he needed from Harley before the man decided to kick us out.

Seph turned and strode back the way we'd come, as Harley showed him to the door. I followed rather meekly, feeling like a puppy who'd accidentally disobeyed his master.

Once we'd made it outside, and the door thumped solidly behind us, Seph turned to me.

"What is the matter with you?" he demanded, somehow keeping his voice level. "Did you not consider that the loss of his bird might be a sensitive issue? How many times must I tell you-"

"Yeah, yeah, I know, Seph, jeez." I rubbed the back of my neck. "I'm tryin', okay?"

"It's Sephiroth. And, try harder. You've jeopardized the last two investigations already."

I spread my arms. "Hey, we solved the last two! Give me a break, already! This one's gonna be fine-"

"I solved the last two. I don't need your interference on this investigation, understand? You need to pay attention to the things you say, or one of your insensitive comments is going to put us all in trouble." I glared at him as he continued, "Remember, you're here on a trial basis, as a favor to Chief Hewley. You still need to prove yourself, and, right now, you're not doing a very good job of it."

Scowling, I looked away, refusing to meet his stern glare. "It's not that big of a deal. You got what you wanted from that guy, didn't you?"

"Yes. No thanks to you. Even so, we need to maintain good relations with anyone who might turn out to be a possible source of information down the road."

After waiting for a response from me, which I didn't give, Sephiroth whirled away and proceeded to stalk across the street to the next house. I glared at his back resentfully. What did he know? It wasn't like I'd done anything on purpose. Why couldn't he just lighten up?

Kicking an errant stone along the sidewalk, I followed, the unforgiving sun beating down upon my back harder than the rains of a Gongagan monsoon. This was going to be a long day.

The long and short of it was that we didn't get much from the residents of the other two houses either. But what had Seph learned from Harley, you ask? Other than how best to care for the bird-of-paradise out of its natural habitat, a whole lot of nothing. Nobody had seen anyone suspicious these past few days, let alone anyone trying to climb the tree into Aerith's window. And speaking of the tree, there had been no evidence on it, no scratches, chipped bark, or bent limbs, indicating that anyone had tried to scale it in the first place.

It seemed to me that the only way the thief could have gotten inside would have been if Aerith and her mother had invited him in, since there was no sign of forced entry, either. But they hadn't had any visitors during the day the hat was found laying on the floor.

We were at a loss for any real suspects, though if you ask me, Harley seemed pretty suspicious himself. He'd even admitted that he was a collector of unusual, exotic artifacts! That was a motive as good as any. Seph seemed to doubt that possibility when I told him of my theory, though. He said that Harley had been genuinely concerned about the theft, wondering if any of the items in his own collection could be in danger.

I'd said that of course Harley would act that way – he'd know that he'd be questioned and wouldn't want to seem suspicious! I told him we needed to search the place. Seph declined – apparently Harley wasn't worth the effort yet. Unless we were specifically given permission, and he doubted Harley would care to have me show up again, a search of the place would amount to breaking and entering.

"Only if we're caught," I responded, stubbornly.

Seph refused to dignify that with an answer.

Finally, fed up with the whole day, I snatched my hat and left to go home. If Seph didn't want to listen to my ideas, and wouldn't tell me what he was working on, there was no point in me staying. It was late anyway, and I hadn't eaten since Mrs. Gainsborough fed us those sweet rolls.

The next two days went by slowly. Not wanting to interfere with Seph's investigation, I spent the time down on Staten Island, trying to see if either Aerith or Mrs. Gainsborough might have neglected to give us some crucial details. We went over it multiple times, and examined the room and all the windows and entrances to the house multiple times, but failed to bring anything to light. By that point, I felt like I could navigate the house with my eyes shut.

I wandered among the neighborhood, noting details about the other houses in question, and trying to get a better look inside Harley's place from the windows – I didn't think Seph knew what he was talking about. Eventually, I settled for watching the neighbors from the Gainsborough's bay window, focusing on Harley in particular, and jotting down their daily movements and trying to develop some sort of pattern.

By the fourth day, we'd established a sort of routine: I'd arrive in the morning, Mrs. Gainsborough would bring out some kind of fresh-baked pastry, and we'd go over the events of the theft, attempting to examine it from new angles. Then I'd retire to the bay windows near the piano and record the activities of the neighbors (Oh come on, don't call it spying. Give me a little more credit than that!), while Aerith left to tend the garden and Mrs. Gainsborough went about her daily chores. Lunchtime saw us munching on sandwiches and tea and examining the theft again, after which I'd go back to my neighbor-watching, while Aerith played the piano and sometimes sang.

Oh, what a voice …

Usually, after that, Mrs. Gainsborough would invite me for dinner. I'd go over my notes with them to see if they could add anything or noticed anything strange about the neighbors, and then we'd fall into chatting about anything at random. And then I'd reluctantly return to Manhattan on the ferry, check in with Seph, and head home.

However, something different occurred on that fourth day. Late that afternoon, Harley left his home and took off down the street at a brisk walk, completely deviating from his normal schedule. He carried a briefcase.

I decided to tail him.

Keeping an innocuous distance between myself and my target, I pulled down my hat just to make sure he couldn't recognize me if he did happen to look, completely forgetting that it still sported the bright blue feather.

Luckily, he kept his gaze forward, and I followed him to a seedier part of town. At last! Maybe this was the break I'd been waiting for.

He stopped at what looked to be an apartment complex. After ringing the doorbell, another man met him at the door and escorted him inside. Giving it a few moments, I got closer, took note of the address, and ducked around the corner, settling down to wait.

The minutes crawled by like a dying snail, and I wondered how long it was going to take Harley to finish his business. If he'd stolen the crystal, as I suspected he had, maybe he was negotiating with some dealer to get it off his hands before he was found out. If that was the case, he'd probably get rid of it here, and I'd have to come back tonight to search this place, or at least tail the occupant.

Though for a man like Harley, would he really get rid of the crystal? If it were me, and I had an extensive collection of weird and expensive stuff, I'd want to keep it. Maybe he was … trying to determine its value? Have it set into jewelry or a stand of some kind to show it off? Yeah, maybe, what with all the "social gatherings" he held, he was attempting to do something to disguise its appearance, so no one would realize what it really was or where it had come from. Though, on the other hand, with Aerith never having shown the crystal to anyone, would there even be a need for that? Probably not, but maybe Harley just didn't want to chance it. I wouldn't, if I were him.

Finally, the old door banged open, and Harley stepped out, turning to shake hands with a man in the doorway I couldn't see from my position. Holding my breath, I listened intently in the hopes that they would give away what they'd been doing.

"Thank you so much, Robert," came the voice from the doorway. "I know you don't make house calls anymore, but Emily seems better already!"

"It was nothing, Phil, just a case of the flu, not too serious," he responded, unhooking a stethoscope from around his neck. "You take care of that little girl, you hear? Remember, give her that medicine twice a day, with meals, until the cough goes away."

"Will do. And thank you again. You know you're welcome here anytime. The kids and missus are always happy to see you."

"I'll remember that, thanks." Harley grinned, then tipped his hat and stepped out into the street. The door closed behind him.

… I was floored. He'd gone to make a house call? This was nothing to do with the stolen crystal? I'd been wrong the whole time?

I groaned, thumping my head back against the brick wall of the building. Seph had been right all along. Of course, maybe Harley could still have stolen it … But honestly, a man who agrees to take on a house call after he'd long since stopped, just for a simple case of the flu, didn't sound like a man who'd steal an heirloom from a young lady's bedroom. And it still left the question of how he'd gotten inside in the first place, or how he even knew about Aerith's crystal to steal it …

I was no closer to catching the thief than I'd been when this all started. I felt like such a fool.

Discouraged, I shoved off from the wall and started walking in the direction opposite from the one Harley had taken, thrusting my hands into my pockets. I had no reason to continue to follow him, and didn't want to chance him seeing me, not after all that.

What now? I was back to square one. Should I go back to the Gainsboroughs? Or head back to the office? I didn't really feel like facing any of them after this, though, so maybe home was the best option.

My wanderings eventually brought me to a park not too far from Aerith's place, and I flopped down on the bench, bowing my head. A weary sigh escaped me as I considered what to do. I removed my hat, idly plucking out the feather to twirl it between my fingers.

It was getting late. The sun was low in the sky, casting long shadows over everything. There weren't too many people left in the park; most of them were just passing through. A hoard of pigeons strutted nearby, picking at crumbs on the ground. I found myself wishing for some bread or popcorn to toss into their midst.

Suddenly, a loud, rasping krak-krak-krak-krak disrupted the silence, and a large bird set down in the middle of the flock of pigeons, scattering them to the four winds. I stared.

It was the strangest bird I'd ever seen. It was bright blue, with chestnut-colored head and wings. The beak, eyes, and feet were red. It almost looked like a raven, except for the ridiculous colors and the rather long, thin tail.

It watched me for a moment, out of the corner of its eye, cocking its head back and forth. Then it gave a high-pitched chink-chink sort of sound, and pounced on something on the ground, almost catlike. Jerking its head back up, I saw something shiny slip from its beak and go flying; the bird fluttered after it again, trying to pick it up.

Curious, I stood and hopped over to it, wondering what it had found. Spooked, the bird flew a short distance away before landing and continuing to stare at me. It kraked in irritation.

On the ground lay the metallic, silvery links of a man's pocket watch. I bent and picked it up. It was a nice watch, though scuffed with dirt and scratched from the bird's beak.

"Silly bird! This isn't yours." Looking at the creature, I spun the watch around my finger by the chain. "What do you want with this old thing, anyway? And shouldn't you be in a zoo?"

It kraked again, then took off with a flurry of feathers, calling out as it retreated. I watched it go, wondering where it had come from.

"Weird. I've never seen a bird like that around here before," I mused. The idea of it coming from a zoo led me to wonder whether it might have been someone's pet. In fact … maybe it was actually Harley's lost bird? It was possible, though I hated the idea of going back there to let him know I'd found it. I shrugged. It could wait until tomorrow.

Pocketing the watch, I decided to head back to the Gainsboroughs, grab some dinner, and head home.

"You've been spending an extraordinary amount of time with the Gainsboroughs, lately, Zackary."

"Yeah, so?" I'd checked in with Seph the next morning to see if he had any leads. He'd lately been working with the police department to narrow down any criminals that they'd captured or knew had been in the area. "Mrs. Gainsborough cooks me a better breakfast than you."

"I've never cooked you any breakfast."

"Exactly!" At his disapproving expression, I went on to explain. "Besides, I've been investigating the area to see if someone in the neighborhood might have stolen the crystal."

A raised eyebrow. "You still suspect Dr. Harley?"

"… Well, no. But that doesn't mean someone else there might not have done it," I said defensively.

He grunted. "Mind what you do. The frequency of your visits is bordering on unprofessional."

I quickly decided not to let him know about the picnic that Aerith and I were planning this morning.

"Roger! See ya later, Seph!" And I bolted out the door.

"It's Sephiroth," came the automatic response.

The morning in the park was as clear and beautiful as a day dawning in the Garden of Eden, and it might as well have been the Garden of Eden with Aerith sitting there. She was the picture of beauty itself, having worn the white, flowered dress I'd originally met her in, and now donning the blue, feathered bonnet I'd worried about several days ago.

"Hey, what d'ya know, we match!" I grinned, indicating my own standard white outfit, and the feather in my fedora.

She giggled. "Why do you think I wore this, silly?" Unpacking the picnic basket, she sat gracefully down on the blanket and pulled off the hat to let the light breeze flow through her hair.

I mimicked her movements and snatched up a sandwich. "You'll have to thank your mom for me. She always makes the most amazing food!"

"I would … except she didn't make the food today. I did."

"Really?" I bit into the sandwich, savoring the taste. "So that's why they taste particularly delicious today …"

"Oh, you." She swatted my arm. "They don't taste any different than usual, and you know it."

"But they do! I swear, Aerith, you've gotta have one, they're amazing."

Giving her head an exasperated, but amused, shake, she finally got around to eating. We enjoyed each other's company, chatting about nothing in particular.

After a while, I found my eyes being drawn to where our hats sat next to each other upon the blanket. I frowned; something seemed off to me.

"… Hey, Aerith … The feather you gave me doesn't really look like the ones in your hat. It's got that little white tip on it, and yours are all blue."

"Oh, that's because it hadn't come from my hat at all. I knew that right away back when you found it."

"Huh." Now that I looked at them, the feathers in Aerith's hat were clearly dyed that color, whereas mine was completely natural. "Where did it come from, then?"

"You know …" She shrugged. "I don't really know. That was the first time I'd seen it."

I frowned, thinking. Something was important here …

Suddenly, I had it. My eyes lit up. "Aerith, I've got it! I know what happened to your crystal!" Grabbing her hands, I pulled her up with me. She stared in confusion.

"Zack, what-"

"I'll explain in a bit; let's go get Seph!"

Hurriedly packing up the remains of the picnic, we raced back to Aerith's house.

"I don't care what you're doing, just get down here! I know where the crystal is! Well, sort of, mostly, but still …"

"What are you talking about? Where is it? Do you have it?"

"Not yet, but I will! I hope. Just come down here already!"

"Zackary-"

"See ya in a few minutes, boss! I'll meet ya in the park!"

That was the gist of the phone conversation with Seph I had about thirty minutes ago, and now we were all standing in the middle of the park, Aerith and Seph and I. We were waiting near the park bench I'd sat on last night, and the old pocket watch was now laying in wait on the ground some distance from us.

"… Zackary, what are you-"

"Shh. Just wait a few minutes! It'll be here soon, I know it!" I hope.

"What will?"

I shot a glare in Seph's direction, causing him to roll his eyes and give a long-suffering sigh. But he apparently decided to give me the benefit of the doubt, because he didn't say anything else.

I sure hoped that the bird was staying in this area, because if not … Come on, bird, don't let me down!

We waited for maybe, oh, ten or fifteen more minutes, before hearing the obnoxious krak-k-krak-krak I'd been waiting for. My blue and red bird landed upon the watch as it glinted in the sunlight, and quickly snatched it up. It stared hard at us for a moment, then took off.

"Yes! Alright, let's go!" I dashed after it.

"Zack!"

There was no time to wait, however, as the bird sped off through the trees like an errant firecracker. It was all I could do to keep it in sight. C'mon, Zack, don't lose it now!

After taking several twists and turns, it finally eluded me in the far corner of the park. Frustrated, I slowed, coming to a stop, and pounded the trunk of the nearest tree. Slumping against it, I worked to catch my breath.

Aerith and Sephiroth had yet to catch up. I realized that Seph must have stayed behind with her, and I felt a stab of guilt at ditching them both. But there hadn't been any help for it! It would have worked out great, if only I'd been able to keep my eyes on that stupid bird.

I closed my eyes and heaved a sigh. I'd probably have to try the whole thing all over again …

A soft ch-chink made my ears perk up, and I glanced up, holding my breath. Could it be …?

Branches rustled high in one of the trees across from me. If I looked closely, I could see the silhouette of the bird between the leaves. Thank Gaia! I hadn't lost it after all.

In moving closer, I found that the bird seemed to be sitting next to a large, messy pile of twigs and grass and such, woven tightly into the branches. It had to be the nest I was betting on! Glancing around, and finding that neither Seph or Aerith had arrived yet, I decided to climb up on my own.

Grabbing the nearest branch, I swung upward, hooking my leg over the top, then boosted myself around and up until I was sitting on the limb. The hard part over, I scooted close to the trunk and began climbing toward the nest.

"Zack!"

"Zackary!"

The surprised voice of Aerith and the stern tone of Seph reached my ears at the same time. Great! They'd finally made it.

"Hey! Give me a sec, I'm almost there!" As I neared the nest, the agitated bird finally hopped off the branch with an angry cry, gliding a short distance to the next tree over.

"Oh, do be careful!"

I craned my neck to grin down at Aerith. Little did they know that I used to climb things like this all the time when I was a kid. No worries!

Finally, I'd reached the level of the nest. It was an odd-looking thing, packed into the main fork of the tree and cemented with earth. Roots stuck out at all angles from the bottom of it, and a roof of dried-out branches covered the top. I blinked. It looked like the bird had managed to somehow weave the branches of an old rose bush into it.

Examining the thing, I finally spied the well-hidden entrance, and levered myself up a bit higher to see inside. Because of the shadow, it was hard to make anything out, but it sure looked like there were a few objects in there that definitely weren't natural …

Taking a breath and hoping there wasn't anything more dangerous in there than a few twigs, I stuck my hand inside and began rummaging around.

Ah! Here we are … Grabbing the first object, I examined it and tossed it down. "Watch!"

With a startled, "Oh!" Aerith ran forward to catch the item. I turned back to the nest.

"… Ring!"

"… Belt buckle!"

"… What's this …? Ugh, candy wrapper."

A key and a string of beads followed, and I was beginning to worry that my gamble hadn't paid off after all. But, finally, after reaching in nearly to my elbow and wincing at the thorns digging into my skin, I finally found it.

"Priceless family heirloom! Ha, don't worry, I'm not gonna toss it." The crystal was smooth, like a large marble, and a very pale green in color. It caught the light shining through the leaves and glittered, shimmering like the surface of a rippling forest pond. It was beautiful in a way that I'd never expected it to be.

Breaking out of the light trance that had fallen upon me, I tucked it safely into an inner coat pocket, and began to work my way back down. Arriving back at the main branch, I inched out along it, then jumped the remaining distance, absorbing the blow with bent knees.

Straightening, I pulled out the crystal and presented it with a flourish to an ecstatic Aerith. "Your prize, milady." I grinned, bowing.

"Oh, Zack. You were wonderful!" Completely unexpectedly, she ran into my arms and planted a kiss on my cheek. I was stunned. Then she whirled away.

"Thank you so much, Detectives! Sephiroth and Zack … You have no idea how much this means to me." She beamed at us. "I'd like to do something to thank you both, but I really don't know what I can do … May I invite you to dinner?"

I blinked, still in a daze from the kiss. I could still feel it tingling against my skin, and raised a hand to it. "Uh … sure …" Had she really kissed me? Wow …

The sound of a clearing throat brought me to my senses, and my eyes focused on Sephiroth. He raised an eyebrow. I felt a blush creep up my cheeks in response, and looked away.

Sephiroth glanced into the tree where the bird sat. "I am going out on a limb to assume that our colorful friend is Dr. Harley's itinerant bird." He turned to me. "But how did you know it was here? And how did you know it was the thief we were looking for?"

My embarrassment forgotten, I grinned, thrilled with the prospect of having solved the case myself and one-upping Seph. I proceeded to explain my impeccable deductive reasoning.

I told how I figured yesterday that the bird had to have been Harley's, either that or it was pretty coincidental to have a strange bird like that flying around. But it wasn't until I got to really looking at the feathers on the hats that it hit me. If my feather hadn't come from Aerith's hat, then it must've come from somewhere else, like a real bird, and an unusual one at that. We just don't have birds with feathers like that around here! But Harley's bird had feathers that sure looked a lot like mine. So I realized that, since Harley's bird apparently liked shiny things, it was possible that it had seen the crystal on Aerith's hat near the window, flown in to get it and accidentally knocked the hat on the floor. And it could have snagged the feather on the hat stand in the process.

"And besides …" I continued, as we walked back toward Aerith's place. "You probably missed it, Seph, but Harley's empty birdcage had a plaque on it with a poem:

"One for Sorrow
Two for Mirth
Three for a Wedding
Four for a Birth
Five for Rich
Six for Poor
Seven for a secret told never more!

"It's a poem about magpies! I only remembered when I saw the bird trying to make off with that watch – we used to recite something like it when I was a kid. Harley had so many different kinds of parrots that I figured, why couldn't there be different kinds of magpies, too? Magpies like shiny things, so I'll bet that's what that bird is!" I finished, looking up at Seph with a grin.

He stared appraisingly at me for a moment, as if judging my words to see if they made sense. I dared him to find some fault in them. I knew I was right!

Finally, he gave a nod of approval. "Very good, Zack. That does seem to be the case."

My grin widened, and I practically bounced in my steps. I impressed Seph! Mentally, I gave a cheer.

"I'd like to know how you intend to return Harley's bird to him, however," he commented.

I blinked. We had to return the bird too? Hmmm … "Well, you know … I figure that either Harley can fetch his troublesome bird himself … Or we could just let him hire us to "find" it for him!"

Sephiroth snorted in amusement. "I don't know about that. … But I'm sure there must be some kind of finder's fee or reward."

I liked the sound of that! That was two jobs practically knocked out with one stone! Maybe Seph would give me a bonus.

We finished escorting Aerith back home. Her mother was as thrilled as she was, and made sure we both stayed for dinner. I was almost sorry to see the case closed and not be able to spend any more mealtimes with them.

When evening came and we had to finally take our leave, Sephiroth waited for me on the porch while I bade farewell to Aerith. She gave me another kiss before closing the door. I stood, staring blankly for a few moments at the polished wood.

Then I started when I felt a solid hand grip my shoulder.

"You did well today, Zack." I turned, looking up at Seph. He gazed at me with serious green eyes, and for a moment, I saw something I couldn't quite place flit through them. "You saw something I did not, and, because of that, you brought a successful conclusion to this case. It, quite likely, would not have happened otherwise."

I rubbed the back of my neck. "Aw, you would have figured it out eventually. Besides, it was mostly luck, anyway. I still thought Harley was the culprit, up until the very end."

We began walking down the street to make our way back to the ferry.

"What changed your mind?"

I shrugged. "I tailed him." At Seph's raised eyebrow, I added, "He didn't go where I expected."

"Ah."

We continued in silence for a while.

"You know, I'm gonna miss coming out here everyday. It's a nice place, not as noisy or crowded as Manhattan."

"Manhattan also doesn't have Miss Gainsborough, hmm?"

"H-hey!" I sputtered. "It's- I- It's not like that! I just … The food was really good, that's all …"

"So if I cook you breakfast, lunch, and dinner, you'll arrive at the office in the morning as enthusiastically as you left it to catch the ferry?"

"Maybe. … It might help if you wore flowers in your hair and sung in the afternoons." I smirked.

Sephiroth actually chuckled. "In your dreams, Fair."

Grinning, I decided to ask something that had been weighing on my mind for a while now.

"So, uh, when do I get, you know, promoted?"

"Promoted?" Seph feigned surprise. "What makes you think you deserve a promotion?"

"'Cause I solved the case that even the Great Sephiroth himself admitted he couldn't!"

A grunt. "Don't expect that to happen again."

"Aww, come on! I think that deserves a little something, don't you?"

He sighed. "… Alright. I'll stop on the way home tonight … and pick up some dog treats, just for you." And he reached over and patted my head.

My jaw dropped and I halted in my tracks. He just … I couldn't believe … Like … like a puppy …!

"Se-eph!"

"It's Sephiroth." Another chuckle reached my ears as he continued down the street.

End