[ WP ] A hard-boiled detective story in a world of fairies and magic .

On that baking hot July morning, she had floated into my office. Quite literally. 
 
 I barely had time to look up before that heavenly voice drifted over the buzz of the slowly spinning fan in the corner, pleading for my assistance. A golden aura emanated from her very being, bathing those radiant long legs in the diffused glow of an ethereal glory that could n't be anything but supernatural. A cascading waterfall of flowing gown adorned her. If the angels had n't all up and left a few years ago, I would have sworn she was one. 
 
'Please, Mr. Himes. We need your help.' 
 
 I could n't say no to a fairy. Not in this part of town. Not with her looking like that. Not with my currently dilapidated bank account. 
 
 Before I even began to beckon her over, she had glided across the linoleum and lowered herself into the seat opposite me, taking the time to cast her eyes over the cluttered shrapnel of my desk: a half full mug of fire whiskey, a nearly empty bottle, assorted, unsorted paperwork, the battered rotary phone and the well-used pistol, nestled in it's holster, resting on that mornings paper. I noticed those vividly azure eyes linger on the headline: Mayor Vows'Crackdown' On Illegal Trolls. 
 
'Well, Mr. Himes...' 
 
'Call me Parker, Miss?' A half attempted smile did n't crack the serious visage painted on her face, all focus and concentration. 
 
'Miss. Violet.' My nod encouraged her onwards.'Well, a few nights ago I got into a little bit of trouble. At first, I thought it was something we could handle. You know, the council. I told them. I told them everything. But. Well, they ignored my request. Our request.' 
 
'When you say our, who exactly do you mean Miss. Violet?' I enquired, lifting the glass into my hands as she strained her face into revealing more. 
 
'Myself and a couple of... friends. Fairies as well. Who prefer not to be named in this little matter. You see, a troll turned up at a party we were having. A little get-together, for close friends and acquaintances of our... particular world. At first, he was n't any trouble. But then....' 
 
 Hesitance swarmed her entire body as she grappled with her own mind. 
 
'Then, he took our orbs. While we were occupied, he somehow slipped into our rooms and disappeared out of the window, we think.' The relief and fear in her face forged themselves like a palpable force. 
 
'By orb, you mean those things that link you, and your people, to the fairy realm?' 
 
'I'm sure you know of their importance to us. They were locked up, of course. He took the boxes. Heaven knows how he thinks of getting into them but...' She trailed off and those gorgeous eyes found themselves subsiding to the floor. 
 
'And I'm guessing you want me to find them. And retrieve them. From a troll. That's a hefty ask Miss. Violet. Hefty indeed.' 
 
 She nodded and, wordlessly, opened a small satchel I had n't noticed before, secreted beneath the layers of cream silk that surrounded her. The luminescent buzz from the bag revealed the wealth of the contents before I even saw them. Each one must have been worth a few thousand, at least, in the right circles. Each a swirling mass of rainbow-flecked energy. Each as rare and deadly as the last. 
 
'All yours. If you take the case.' The satchel had been snapped shut and hidden away once more. 
 
 One deep sigh and one deep swig later, and within them a quick mental calculation of the debt that lay heavy on my head, I slowly nodded at Miss. Violet, whose face revealed a sudden flash of a grin before settling back into it's usual stunning, placid structure. 
 
'So, Miss. Violet, do you have any insight into the appearance or whereab....' 
 
 My questioning was sliced short by the sharp ringing of the phone on my desk. It had n't rung in months but now it shook so violently with the force of the bell within, I almost forgot what it was for. Snatching the handset away to disguise my bewilderment, I spat out a half-baked'Hello, Private Investig-' before a guttural tone on the other end snarled back at me. 
 
'Drop the case before you're dropped into the river Mr. Himes. Teleportation spells can go disastrously awry, or so the papers will report.' 
 
 The clink on the other end abruptly bookended their threat and hastily confirmed my next course of action. After picking up the pistol and clipping the holster to my belt, I looked to the bemused, beauteous face before me. 
 
'Apologies, Miss. Violet. Let's get started. Would you kindly escort me to your room please?'
