Elaine had heard the comment made at her after she had stuck her tongue out. It was only natural that with how blase she was acting that she get a bit of taste of her own medicine. But instead of finding annoyance from the comment, what she ended up feeling was completely different. A warm flushing came to her face as looked away for a moment. She had hoped Violet missed it but she could feel the blush at her cheeks.

It was hardly the first time anyone had called her cute but this one in particular...

That was close. I actually felt that one.

After taking a moment to breathe, she turned her head back to Violet, once again calm and collected. After teasing her, Violet had been working to make valid point after valid point.

"You are right. It does feel outlandish for someone to resort to murder especially if they have that much to lose. That would be under ordinary circumstances." Elaine took a sip of the drink in her hand before speaking again. "The same goes for that woman. If she is the assassin, she's taking plenty of risk by being in the vicinity with him. However, there are a few more details that point that way."

She had had her face turned completely to face Violet. Understanding why she had done that, she maintained an intense gaze into Violet's eyes.

"But circumstances are not ordinary. Not for him, at least. Don't underestimate the resolve of a principled man willing to go down for his cause. Ms Cora's corruption is enough of an eyesore for someone like him to take such risky action." With those words, she took Violet's free hand and turned them away from their quarry as she led them to a set of stairs that terminated at the viewing deck above the ballroom. As they made their way towards the stairs, Elaine continued to speak. "The resolve of someone willing to go down with their cause is unfathomable. If they're willing to take everyone else down with them, doubly so. And if they even feel backed into a corner, no matter how wrong the perception is, it goes further. I've seen enough of that kind of person in my time as a detective."

After all, it was one of those very kind of cases that led to her vanishing from the public eye for a while. She almost felt herself clenching her glass as a certain face appeared before. She hadn't had the same repulsion she used to have towards that face since she had left the cloud, but it was still a disgusting visage nonetheless.

"I've seen too many of that kind of person. Be it the principled or the non-principled kind."

After placing down her glass on a nearby table used to drop off used glasses, she continued. "Suffice to say, I live by the principles of Occam's Razor and the principle of eliminating all other possibiltiies. Try to play the reverse psychology game too much and you get burned. Emotions break the reverse psychology game far too often to count. Besides, you've probably already gotten understanding for the kind of people who are gathered here. Everyone here is sordid."

As she stood by the base of the stairs, she faced Violet once again, but this time with a smile and a wink. "But that's enough of boring you with my work. I invited you here so we could enjoy things a bit. So, let's focus on that for now. The viewing deck awaits."

---

Tag: Violet Fairbanks

Elaine found herself chuckling a bit. She had long lived life living under the terms of the most logical explanation. But the idea of leaving things to Hanlon's Razor was not an incorrect philosophy. In fact, it had served her well many times before.

But the cold logic that undercut any case was still her domain. No matter how much one attributed to stupidity, that still remained. Such was the reality of her life. In order ot view both the big picture and the minor details that were orchestrated by people, she had to choose her blade.

What Violet had said, too, was fine.

Taking her hand, she walked up the long staircase up to the viewing deck.

"Sorry about all of this." She had known that Violet had said multiple times that she had been fine with it all. But, she couldn't help it. "Ever since the incident in the Cloud, I haven't felt the same. This is the largest job I have had since then, but I felt like I just needed to have someone close by my side."

Elaine tapped her fist onto her temple a couple of times. "Nothing feels real. Neither the life I'm living now or the memories that I lost and regained. What was I resolved to do? What led up to that? And what is the core of my resolve now? The person who I was died, leaving behind someone else, you know? So I still haven't figured it out yet--where I'm going from here."

She would normally regret dumping her inner turmoil onto someone else, but that someone else was someone who could understand. By some manner or another, they had gone through a very similar experience.

That was why, as the two of them reached the top of the staircase, she was sure that Violet would completely understand her concerns.

As the they reached the viewing deck, the two of them could see what clearly looked to be an outer rim only 5-10 feet wide encircling the entire level. On its perimeter was a railing about half the height of an average person. Aside from the fancy rug that coated the floor, a couple of chairs and couches for people to sit on and view the hall below, and a few potted plants, the entire viewing deck was pretty sparsely decorated.

It was clearly meant to not hold very many people and designed with the intent of having people only stay up there for a short time.

It was crazy just how out of view they were now from the rest of the ballroom.

And from that position, Elaine noticed something strange on the chandeliers--particularly the chains that held them up to the ceiling.

"There's no way..."

On the a couple of links on each of the chandeliers was a strange discoloration that would not have been noted without someone actively looking around.

After picking up her phone and looking at the plans for the hall, she had come to a pretty startling conclusion. Given the place of one of the chandeliers...

"That's way too flashy a method."

---

Tag: Violet Fairbanks

Elaine was right. She felt right bringing Violet here. The more she spoke to her, the lighter she had felt. The more she spoke to her, the more things started to feel a bit more real. It was as if she was the perfect anchor to her.

And perhaps, Violet felt the same. She had even felt comfortable enough to announce that she had been harboring a deep secret. That was hardly a shock, but it felt nice. That she had someone to confide in and someone to confide in her.

After all, Elaine had her own suspicions about Violet, but she never tread down that path once. A detective's job was exposing the secrets that people had worked so hard to conceal. In a way, that was the kind of person she had become.

Without much effort, she could dig into anyone she was close to. However, doing so was something she had drawn that line in the sand to close off. Sure, she could suspect whatever she had wanted about them as she wanted.

But, digging in and exposing them was not something she could do. Not to someone she trusted nor to someone who trusted her.

That was why she would wait. If Violet felt comfortable to reveal more about herself, she would welcome that. If she wished to keep things silent and let the world pass as was, she would welcome that.

So, she simply smiled. There were no words she could say. She would wait and accept it. Whenever Violet was ready.

"Well, you did say that he was willing to go all the way to ensure this works, right? With nothing to lose? He might just be willing to move the target into position himself and keep her there. If they both perish in the incident – or he survives, injured – at least his legacy would likely be more untarnished."

Elaine's eyes widened. It was as if something had clicked in her brain.

"So that's it." The itinerary had a few people standing on stage with Cora. "It wasn't too flashy. It was so over the top, that it would leave a mark."

It was such a crazy idea. Driven by emotions so mad that the one who ignited it all would likely not survive.

After all, he was the only of the three suspects to be standing on the stage. If she flipped the chessboard and thought through that perspective, then...

"In that case. We know what's coming. The assassin will target that one." Elaine pointed to a specific chandelier. "In which case, the best vantage point will be over there."

Elaine pointed to a specific location on the deck. There was nothing seemingly particular about the location.

"In that case, wanna try to set up a trap?"

---

Tag: Violet Fairbanks

"Of course, we have to be careful." Elaine picked up a Pokeball and opened it, releasing a Growlithe. "But that doesn't mean that we can't be a bit flashy ourselves."

After looking at Fiamma who was wagging his tail while sitting, she grabbed both of Violet's hands and leaned in until she was able to whisper to her ear. "In that case, here's the plan."

---

The minute hands of the clocks had made one full revolution as the hour hand struck 9. As the lights in the hall dimmed, a woman walked out with a microphone in her hand.

"Thank you all for coming here. It means a lot to me that so many members of the community took the time out of their lives to be here."

It was a short speech. Much like any politician's speech, it was filled with empty platitudes upon platitudes. So much of a bore that she could barely keep up with it all--not due to any lack of capacity, but any lack of interest.

After all, this woman was clearly padding out her time here.

"Now, to introduce this new initiative, please share a warm welcome for our co-sponsor, Mr Anzai."

"Bingo."

As the man walked up with an almost serene smile, he shook the hand of the of the politician with a firmness that belied his demeanor.

Elaine tapped her fingers on her neck as she watched him begin to speak. But given his position compared to her, she was absolutely right.

"Thank you, Ms Aleina. It has been a very long night, but I am pleased to introduce this new initiative that I had been working on with the local government. After I speak on this, I am sure many of you will agree that it is something that has been coming to us for a long time."

It was in that moment, as if on cue, the lights shut down.

In the distance, up above them all, Elaine could hear it.

A creaking sound of metal rubbing upon metal.

A small chill.

A bark from a young pup.

Exactly as predicted.

Their trap had not been much. Elaine had simply taken a few quick precautions.

First, she had advised Cora to move only a few feet to the side for the announcement itself. Second, she had Violet and Fiamma stay upstairs to watch for the assailant.

All she needed was a minute change. Something small, but enough for the enemy to have to change plans enough.

Moreover, with the second pair of eyes, up there, they would be able to see every minute of it.

Including the moment when a silent noise split the chains.

---

Tag: Violet Fairbanks