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Accused (Part 1)
By ArcaneKnight

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Redemption (Part 2)
By Wolf_with_Scarf

[​Link]

Perseverance (Part 3)

(Rat Trap)

"Mal! No!" Shirley cries, panicked. It's a rat trap, police closing in. The smoke from the explosion is making it impossible to see. It's getting harder to breathe. "Hands where we can see them, get on the ground!" A man yells from behind the curtain of smoke, a split second before Shirley is surrounded and has nowhere to run. "You are under arrest!"

"Shirley, honey, you're dreaming again..." Shirley slowly came by, thanks to Cam who gently shook her shoulder.

"I dreamed of the accident again." Shirley sighed and covered her eyes with her hands. A moment to calm down. Each time it was a relief that it was only a dream. It always felt so real. Waking up short of breath and asweat. The nightmares had become less over the past few years. Joining Mallory at the Museum of Natural History must be why the memory resurfaced.

"I'll go have a shower." Shirley told Cameron as she rolled out of bed. "Be sure to drink some water first!" Cam replied.

(Breaking Ties)

7:00 in the morning, Mallory just woke up. She brushed her hair and put some clothes on before she rushed to the kitchen and sat down on the floor to access the hiding spot beneath the cupboards. From there she grabbed the Amethyst Spider, with a big smile on her face. She moved it around in her fingertips to watch the morning sun irradiate her most beautiful catch yet.

When interrupted by the buzzing sound of her phone on the bedside table, she was quick to lay it back in and seal the kitchen baseboard.

A text came. Shirley: "I can't do this Mal, I'm out."

Mallory had to sit down to process the message. She ran her fingers through her hair to grab her head and pull her racing thoughts together. She knew that this gem worth 8 million was a ticking time-bomb without the Midnight Princess to make it vanish.

Now Mallory had to race against the investigation. 24 Hours at best before the police would figure out that the couple at the Museum didn't do it. She had to come up with a strategy, fast.

(Perseverance)

Theo sat back and gathered his thoughts on the hand-scar in the image. Martin was eager for the detective to admit that indeed, this proved his innocence. But instead, Theo stood up and smashed his palms on the table that stood between him and Martin. "This proves nothing!" he said convinced, after which he made it clear that he knew all about how in heists like these, thieves use illusions and disguises to deceive investigators. "It must have been a glove or some paint that you got rid of at home."

"That is ridiculous!" Martin yelled in defense.

"You must be in need of a big sum of money to steal something worth 8 million dollars." Theo went on.

"Come on, you can't be serious! I have my finances perfectly in order, I did not do it!"

The argument went on for some time, but nothing Martin said could convince this stubborn detective. Theo had no doubt that he caught the right guy and that a confession was to happen right here and now.