Part 2:
Dale and I started interviewing the nine circus suspects.
Our quest began in flame.
1) Darla Fyyrz
“Do you mind if I rehearse while we talk? Show starts soon."
“Go ahead," I said. “Do you know about the recent identity thefts?"
“Rex is crazy if he thinks it's me. I'm as loyal as they come."
“We just have to ask."
“Flame burns away all that's false. Including misdeeds. Even lies."
“I can feel the heat."
“Fire is everything to me. It would scald me alive should my soul prove not pure. I consume it each night for dinner."
Dale squinted as he pressed himself even tighter against a boxcar wall.
“Thanks," he said with a grimace. “But we already ate."
Our quest began in flame.
1) Darla Fyyrz
“Do you mind if I rehearse while we talk? Show starts soon."
“Go ahead," I said. “Do you know about the recent identity thefts?"
“Rex is crazy if he thinks it's me. I'm as loyal as they come."
“We just have to ask."
“Flame burns away all that's false. Including misdeeds. Even lies."
“I can feel the heat."
“Fire is everything to me. It would scald me alive should my soul prove not pure. I consume it each night for dinner."
Dale squinted as he pressed himself even tighter against a boxcar wall.
“Thanks," he said with a grimace. “But we already ate."
2) Garbagio
“You bill yourself as ... the World's Stinkiest Magician?"
“Smelliest. The World's Smelliest Magician."
“What does that mean?"
“Odor. Rot. Decay. Powerful forces. Sense of smell is a gateway to the mystic."
“So no baths? No showers?"
“Basic hygiene, of course. But in a way to not disturb my scent."
“That would make you an unlikely criminal. Hard to miss. Someone would have noticed."
“Thank you. And thanks for not mocking me. Not everyone gets my magic. But I endure."
“You smell ripe, no doubt. But you're harmless," Dale smiled. “Can we get a trick?"
“Now I shall make myself disappear. Stinkacadabra!"
“You bill yourself as ... the World's Stinkiest Magician?"
“Smelliest. The World's Smelliest Magician."
“What does that mean?"
“Odor. Rot. Decay. Powerful forces. Sense of smell is a gateway to the mystic."
“So no baths? No showers?"
“Basic hygiene, of course. But in a way to not disturb my scent."
“That would make you an unlikely criminal. Hard to miss. Someone would have noticed."
“Thank you. And thanks for not mocking me. Not everyone gets my magic. But I endure."
“You smell ripe, no doubt. But you're harmless," Dale smiled. “Can we get a trick?"
“Now I shall make myself disappear. Stinkacadabra!"
3) Blast-O
“Hi there! I'm Blast-O! The Human Cannon-Neck!"
“Hello, Mr. Blast-O."
“Your neck explodes and shoots your head off? How do you do that?" Dale asked.
“Practice, practice, practice! Ha!"
“Well," I said, “it's certainly a unique skill."
“It's mostly to get chicks! Whoooo!"
“You're not really the subtle type, are you?"
“Head, neck – ready to wreck!"
“I think I understand. It was nice to meet you."
“Same here!"
“Bye-bye."
“Rock on! Whoo!"
“Hi there! I'm Blast-O! The Human Cannon-Neck!"
“Hello, Mr. Blast-O."
“Your neck explodes and shoots your head off? How do you do that?" Dale asked.
“Practice, practice, practice! Ha!"
“Well," I said, “it's certainly a unique skill."
“It's mostly to get chicks! Whoooo!"
“You're not really the subtle type, are you?"
“Head, neck – ready to wreck!"
“I think I understand. It was nice to meet you."
“Same here!"
“Bye-bye."
“Rock on! Whoo!"
4) Hernando the Horned
“You're the ... World's Nicest Devil," Dale said. “What does that mean?"
“Just what it says. I have hellacious abilities, yet I use them for good."
“You're certainly the best dressed performer we've met," I added.
“I know what this is about. Since I'm demonic, it must be me."
“No one is saying that."
“Tell Rex I got an offer from the Devil Train. More money, too. But I turned it down."
“Good for you," Dale replied.
“You know how tough it is? To have dueling natures? But I'm no lousy crook."
“We're talking to lots of people."
“Fine. We've talked. Now go. I'm in no mood to be reminded that I'm less than perfect."
“You're the ... World's Nicest Devil," Dale said. “What does that mean?"
“Just what it says. I have hellacious abilities, yet I use them for good."
“You're certainly the best dressed performer we've met," I added.
“I know what this is about. Since I'm demonic, it must be me."
“No one is saying that."
“Tell Rex I got an offer from the Devil Train. More money, too. But I turned it down."
“Good for you," Dale replied.
“You know how tough it is? To have dueling natures? But I'm no lousy crook."
“We're talking to lots of people."
“Fine. We've talked. Now go. I'm in no mood to be reminded that I'm less than perfect."
5) Freida Looke
“This is a gigantic mistake on Rex's part."
“You think?"
“Definitely," said the tattooed lady. “He's searching in the wrong place."
“What's the right place?"
“That I cannot say. But it's not one of us. I'd bet my ink on it."
“Well, I sure hope we can figure it out. I want to solve this."
“All will be revealed. The wings of truth must fly."
“Uh, how many tattoos do you have?" Dale asked.
“I have one," she said, with no trace of sarcasm.
I mulled that statement over.
“You're saying that the sum ... is more than the collection of its parts. Right?"
She nodded and smiled.
“Everything, in its time, flows together."
“This is a gigantic mistake on Rex's part."
“You think?"
“Definitely," said the tattooed lady. “He's searching in the wrong place."
“What's the right place?"
“That I cannot say. But it's not one of us. I'd bet my ink on it."
“Well, I sure hope we can figure it out. I want to solve this."
“All will be revealed. The wings of truth must fly."
“Uh, how many tattoos do you have?" Dale asked.
“I have one," she said, with no trace of sarcasm.
I mulled that statement over.
“You're saying that the sum ... is more than the collection of its parts. Right?"
She nodded and smiled.
“Everything, in its time, flows together."