"Come on, Duke! What's taking you so long?" my friend called out.

   "Calm down, Ellie. The new department store's well...department." I answered. I was still in my apartment, tying my shoelaces. She was always so impatient with two things: me and shopping.

   "The new department's store department what?" she called back. Dang, she was actually paying attention.

   "Uhh..the...uhh..." I said. I had to think fast.

   "Come on, Duke! Spit it out!" she yelled.

   "It's not going anywhere!" I yelled back. That should hold her off long enough. At least, until she breaks my door down.

   "I'm gonna break your door down if you don't hurry in one minute!" she yelled angrily. Called it, I thought to myself.

   "I'll be right there!" I managed. I was in my room frantically trying to put on a clean shirt. I can see and clean almost anywhere except my own room. I grabbed a plain blue t-shirt and my glasses and rushed out of my bedroom. Ellie was there, tapping her (right, if you must know) foot, waiting impatiently. She was like her usual self. She was still 5'5", medium build, brown (and always) braided brown hair and hazel eyes. She was very good at drawing and she had a smile that could down anyone who was panicking. She liked to braid her hair, most animals, red and red fruit, and, like me, a good mystery. She hates snakes, rats, greedy people, and burning buildings. I understood all of her dislikes (snakes, rats, and burning buildings are more fears) and fears and each of her fears has an interesting backstory. I'll get to those when the time is right, which isn't know. She lives with her grandparents (another story, but not today) and, for some reason, likes the number four (another weird backstory). She's sixteen like me, and we (meaning Ellie, Francis, and I) have been childhood friends since kindergarden. I like messing with her, but no matter how mad she gets, she forgives and forgets by the next day.

   "You didn't comb your hair." she said, pointing to the unkempt and unmowed, overgrown lawn that I called the hair on my head.

   "You didn't braid yours." I retaliated. That should take her mind off us being "late" (and I mean twenty minutes early) for a while.

   "Come on, Duke, let's go!" she said, running down my hall at a semi-quick pace while braiding her hair.

   "I'm coming, Ellie. I always do." I answered, chasing after her.

   "What's that supposed to mean?" she asked, stopping abruptly in my way. I ran into her and crashed near my front door.

   "I'm not sure." I said, getting up. I offered her a hand to pull her up.

   "Well you better figure it out." she warned, taking my hand. I pulled her up and she dashed out the door. Me, like a loyal servant to his noble, went after her.

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   "See, if we arrived earlier, there wouldn't be as long of a line." Ellie said, in that 'I told you so' tone of voice. I was surprised there even was a line. It's not like it's Christmas or Black Friday. Or the premiere of the special extended edition with an additional twenty-one (which solves the controversial death) of completely unseen, director's cut footage of The Amazing Spiderman 2. It was an unneeded line for a new department within a department store. I cannot stress the unnecessity enough.

We ended up getting behind a whopping (no sarcasm) fifty people. Ellie was as excited as ever. I tried to act enthusiastic, but I couldn't. There is no way that there'd be as much as a tick of excitement from me.

   "So, what's all the hubbub?" I asked.

   "It's the new department." Ellie answered.

   "What's the department?" I asked her.

   "I don't know." she answered.

   "What?! You don't know?!" I shouted. She made us get up early, go to a department store half an hour before it opens, all for a department that she doesn't even know what it sells? What an unnecessary enthusiasm that I loyally followed. I'm such an idiot.

   "Well, of course not. It's new. They aren't revealing it until people enter the store. It's exciting, the mystery!" she squeed. This was just like her. One of the reasons we've actually been friends is because we loved mysteries. In fact, when we were in seventh grade, we both worked together to solve a mystery. But that's a story for a different day.

   "So, this is a mystery that needs solving?" I asked her, smiling. She looked at me in bewilderment.

   "Don't work yourself up, Duke. It's not a big enough mystery for you to waste your talents on." Ellie scoffed. She looked away, but I had a feeling she was hiding something.

   "Are we there yet?" I asked as the line lengthened.

   "No. And if you even start that, I'll bust open your skull." Ellie threatened.

   "Got it." I sighed. This was going to be a long half hour.

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I couldn't believe what I saw.

Of all the things that the new department could be, it just had to be that. Anything (okay, almost anything) would suffice other than what they decided to place there.

They just had to put a 'cooking' department in the department store. No, they couldn't just settle for an aisle or two. They had to make s completely separate department for just 'cooking'. Of all the things...

   "Come on, Duke!" Ellie said, next to me, ushering me into the store. I went in resisting, but she probably would've dislocated my shoulder if I kept pulling. So, I went in anyway. The store almost felt the same as I've ever see it except for the new 'cooking' department. There were arrays of cutlery, dishes, pots, pans, and small kitchen items. It carried larger electronics, like microwaves, juicers, power mixes, blenders, and ovens. I hated all of it, every single item in that department.

   "Look, Duke, all of these cute tablecloths!" Ellie squeed. I sighed in boredom. I couldn't take anymore of this stupid stuff.

   "Hey, Ellie, I'm going to look at the fancy lookin' juicers the next aisle over, okay?" I asked slyly.

   "Yeah, go ahead Duke. Enjoy yourself." she said. She obviously couldn't see through my intricate distraction. Well, lying and going somewhere else isn't that intricate, but I'll settle for it for now.

   "Hmm..." I thought. Nothing was very new. I remember everything from the last time I came here with Ellie. The only new book was this one with a loading icon being zoomed in by a magnifying glass. It was called Initializing... about some two guys who are amateur sleuths solving a murder. It was kind of like me, the great Ace Detective Duke Harison, in real life.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, I heard a very familiar scream from the new department.

   "Gosh, why do corpses follow me?" I asked, as I ran towards the scream of Ellie Williamson in the cooking department.

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The police arrived, as if on cue, within minutes. Chief Warren Cassano was on the case.

   "Hey, Chief." I said, acknowledging his prescence. He looked up at me in surprise.

   "Duke, what're you doing here?" Warren asked, thoroughly surprised of my prescence in a random department store. The odds were just too astronomical.

   "Uhh...new department. Had to be there." I lied. I didn't want to tell him I was dragged here by the first witness to see the dead body.

   "I see...so Ellie brought you here?" Chief asked. He saw right through me.

   "Heh heh heh..." I managed.

   "Didn't I tell you I hate it when people lie to my face? Especially when I can tell?!" he shouted.

   "You may have mentioned it..." I trailed off.

   "You're doing it again." he said sternly. He was obviously holding back. He was about to explode with anger and take it out on everyone else.

   "Okay, then, Chief. Who's the victim?" I asked, averting the next disaster waiting to happen. There was a man on the floor with a stab wound to the heart on the department store floor.

   "The victim's name is Avery Botkins. Age 33. Driver's license was found in his right pants pocket. Cause of death is apparently stab wound to the heart." Chief Warren stated. I carefully looked over the body. Stab wound was visible, as well as massive bleeding. A cleaver was in the victim's left hand. From the looks of it, it was a suicide.

   "Do we have time of death?" I asked.

   "Between who knows what to nine this morning." Chief Warren said. I took a quick look at my watch. It said nine o' one.

   "It means he was killed sometime maybe between five or six this morning and before the store opened..." I said, thinking aloud.

   "How can you narrow it down?" Chief Warren asked me.

   "Well, first of all, the blood hasn't dried much." I said. The blood was still pretty liquidy.

   "That's right." Chief Warren said.

   "And it's obvious he died today after five, since it would be impossible not to smell his decomposing corpse in an enclosed area like this department store." I mentioned.

   "That makes sense." Chief Warren said as I looked over the body again. There was the man on the ground, cleaver in hand, dead.

   "Hmm..." I said. My eyes wandered. I noticed something in a pot on display.

   "What's this?" I asked aloud. It seemed to be a nametag with the name AVERY in black letters on it. I checked the victim's shirt. Sure enough, small holes in his neatly ironed shirt was visible and perfect place for a pinned nametag. I looked over the body again. Perfectly ironed white shirt, nice shoes, a green apron, and blue jeans. Then, it suddenly hit me.

   "Chief, this is no suicide. It's murder." I said coldly.

   "You think so Duke?" Chief asked.

   "Yup. It all points to murder." I said. I hadn't noticed it until now, but Ellie was hiding behind Chief Warren.

   "Hey, Ellie." I waved. She hid behind Chief Warren even more.

   "Don't worry about her, Duke. I just wanna hear your theory." Chief said.

   "Well, for starters, this cleaver makes it pretty hard to deeply stab yourself like this man did." I started.

   "That's right. I doubted it too." Chief added.

   "Next, we have this nametag I found in a pot on display. Probably hid for some reason." I said, handing the nametag over to forensics. They looked over it and I grabbed it again, shoving it in my pocket.

   "Anything else?" Chief asked.

   "One more. Notice his ironed white shirt. Now I understand that the victim could've iron their shirt for something later, but what struck me as odd was an apron. Then it hit me. White shirt, green apron, this man was in a uniform." I deduced.

   "But for what?" Chief asked.

   "Probably this store." I said, pointing to the man stacking cans on an aisle across from us. He was wearing a white shirt and a green apron as well.

   "Alright. So the suspects would most likely be some of the employees here who were here from when the doors were unlocked today until nine this morning. Assuming, of course, Ellie didn't do it." I said.

   "I didn't." she squeeked.

   "Good, 'cause I can't have a friends that's a murderer. I'd be so tired." I said.

   "Why?" she asked. Then, Chief Warren spoke.

   "This is no accident. This is murder!" he proclaimed, practically breaking Ellie and I's conversation.

   "Why? 'Cause I'd be tired after running trying my hardest to prove you innocent." I said.

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The Chief, with his divine authority, was able to round up all the employees who were in the store between it opening today and nine this evening.

The first person was a man named Barry Cooper. He opened the store this morning. He had a Band-Aid on his right index finger that he was picking at.

   "I was by myself looking over inventory. I opened maybe four thirty this morning. I didn't see Avery all morning until now." he said.

Next was a young woman named Maria Garcia. She came in second with lots of makeup.

   "I came in about four forty-five. I made coffee and then began stocking the frozen foods." she said.

Last was a teenage boy, maybe in his early twenties at most, named Steven Hoffman. He came in last with a bedhead.

   "I came in about seven. There was no one out front so I went around back through the back door. I said hi to my coworkers, including Avery, and began my day at the registers." he said.

I looked at them all. They all have no alibis for this morning. Or, at least, most of this morning.

   "Thank you for your statements." I said. I went over to Chief Warren and asked him a question.

   "Did you find the real murder weapon?"

   "Nope. The killer must still have it with him." he answered.

   "Did you pat them down?" I asked, looking at an Employee of the Month chart.

   "Of course we did. They all came up clean for any sharp objects." he answered.

   "Hmm..." I thought. No one is really tied to the murder. I looked at the Employee of the Month chart. Avery had won the last two consecutive months.

   "Hmm..." I thought again, looking back at the 'cooking' department. Where could have the weapon gone? It couldn't have vanished into thin air. Unless...

   "Of course!" I said. That's how the murderer did it. But I need solid evidence. I took a walk around the store to clear my mind. Then, I overheard a conversation with some middle-aged soccer moms.

   "Oh, the new department is so cool. I'm glad I waited three hours for it!"

   "Yeah, thanks for inviting me and bringing those chairs. I probably wouldn't have been able to stand that long..."

   "Hmm?" I said. Wait a sec...If they did that then...That's it!

   "That's it!" I shouted. I had solved the case. And the proof was still here. At least, until the murderer disposed of it.

   "I've got to tell Chief Warren!" I said to myself. Just then, Ellie ran past me.

   "Where are you rushing to Duke?" Ellie asked.

   "Chief Warren. I believe I've just solved the case." I smiled.

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   "What Duke?! You've solved the case?!" Chief Warren exclaimed.

   "Yes, I believe so, Chief. I know who did it, how they did it, why they did it, and where the missing weapon is." I announced. Everyone gasped except Ellie.

   "He always figures it out." Ellie commented as I continued.

   "Yes I do, Ellie. Now, before I reveal who the killer is, let's go over our suspects weak alibis." I said.

   "Fine with us." Barry said. Maria and Steven both nodded.

   "Now, according to you, Barry, you came the earliest and you began stocking the inventory?" I asked.

   "Well, no, not technically 'stocking'. More like recording. But, yes, that's how I started." he answered.

   "Then, you came in Maria, second and began stocking the frozen foods." I said.

   "Yes, that's right. I saw Barry taking the inventory and then dropped off the coffee in the employee lounge." she said.

   "Yeah, I saw her too. She handed me the coffee for me." Barry stated.

   "Then, according to Steven, Avery came in before you guys opened the store." I said.

   "Yeah." the employees all agreed.

   "Then, Steven came in. By the way Steven, did you get the coffee from the pot that Mrs. Garcia made?" I asked.

   "Yeah, I did. Right after I tried to get through the front but it was empty. Then I went through the back door, said hi to Avery, and started the registers." he said. Then, everyone gasped (well, except me and him). I smiled. Ellie did as well.

   "Would you like to do the honors?" I asked Ellie.

   "Sure, Duke." she answered, "So, Steven, you are the murderer!"

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Steven looked at the confidence of me wide-eyed. He put his hands up in defense.

   "What, how could you say that?" he asked.

   "Easy." I said, "Here's what happened."

   "I love this part." Ellie squeed.

   "You came through the back door this morning. You probably had this premeditated if my motive theory is correct. You found him stocking the new shelves in the cooking department and stabbed him in the heart." I said.

   "But, Duke, where's the murder weapon?" Chief Warren asked.

   "Why, it's right there, in front of your face." I smiled, showcasing the array of different knives on display.

   "What?! The weapon is, one of these knives?!" Warren exclaimed.

   "Why, yes it is. Now, if you know, if you try to pull a knife out of a display like this," I said, trying to pull out a knife, "it's fastened inside the holster." I said. I pulled out a pair of white rubber gloves (one never knows when you have to find a missing murder weapon) and put them on my hands.

   "But, Duke, if they're all fastened in, how could one of them be the murder weapon?" Warren asked.

   "It could've been taken out in advance," I said, looking over the knives, "But I'll save you the time by telling you it's this one." I said, pointing at a seemingly random knife.

   "How do you it's that one?!" Chief Warren exclaimed.

   "Well, all the knives are packaged uniformly, each facing the same way, in the same spot at the same angle, et cetera (etc.), et cetera (etc.). But, as you can see, this one's handle is facing the other way." I pointed out, "The finger grooves don't match up."

I looked at the knives and pulled out the guilty party.

   "Incredible." Chief Warren said.

   "That's my friend, Ace Detective Duke Harison." Ellie said.

   "Wait, you're the Ace Detective Duke Harison?" Barry asked.

   "In the living flesh." I answered. Then, Barry quickly pulled out a pen and a small pad of paper used for taking inventory.

   "Okay, here you go." I said, signing my signature and sneaking a peek at the blank pad.

   "My son is a big fan." he said.

   "I'm a big fan of myself." I said proudly, until Ellie punched me in the arm.

   "Duke, the case?" she whispered.

   "I was getting there." I said to her.

   "Well, move it or lose it." she said.

   "Fine, fine. Now, Steven, you said you got your coffee from the pot, correct?" I asked.

   "Yeah, the fresh pot that was made today." he answered.

   "Well, according to the employee lounge, Mrs. Garcia, and this reciept from Starbucks©, coffee was ordered today. It wasn't made in the pot." I said.

   "What? That's impossible. There was a fresh pot there. I'm sure of it." he said.

   "It's too late, Steven. Once forensics gets blood and prints off that knife, we'll tie you to the evidence." I said proudly.

   "Duke, the motive?" Chief asked.

   "Most likely the Employee of the Month awards." I said, walking off. Then, I quickly turned around.

   "One last thing Steven, how much money was in the registers?" I asked.

   "Not a lot. I had to refill all of the registers' twenties." he said, "But I'm innocent! You've got to believe me!" he cried. I went over to Chief Warren and whispered in his ear.

   "What?! Are you sure, Duke?" he asked.

   "Of course, Chief. I always am." I said confidently.

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   "Alright guys. It's time for the final act. All the evidence here points to Steven as the killer." I said.

   "So why don't you get him out of here?!" Barry yelled in anger.
 
   "Because I have just one more question for Mrs. Garcia." I said.

   "Yes, anything." she said.

   "Are you the only one who makes or brings coffee?" I asked.

   "Yes. Only me. I was designated, so to speak, on making coffee every day of service. Monday through Friday." she said.

   "Alright. That's it. So, Mr. Barry Cooper, you're the killer." I said. Everyone gasped (except Avery, because he's dead).

   "What?! How can you say such a thing?" he cried.

   "Two words. Stealing funds. Or, if you want one word, embezzlement." I said. More gasps.

   "What?! That's impossible!" he defended.

   "The accusation of Steven was just a clever ploy to throw you off guard. Oh, and sorry about that Steven." I acknowledged.

   "Sure, as long as I'm not a killer." he said.

   "Well, you did lie in your story. I'm not sure why, but you did." I said.

   "What? Now hold on detective..." Steven stuttered. He was sweating like crazy.

   "I'm sure it's some personal matter, but I'll disregard it." I said.

   "Thanks." he answered.

   "You're welcome. Plus, we have more pressing matters as to a murderer standing in front of us." I said.

   "How can you say that?!" Barry shouted.

   "Because you killed Avery. He probably walked in on you stealing and you either killed him today or he blackmailed you. You killed him by stabbing him with the knife I found earlier, wiped the prints and most of the blood off, and pretended to take inventory." I said confidently.

   "You can't prove any of that!" he cried.

   "Yes, I can. Your blank inventory book I autographed earlier was on today's date's page. Plus, the pot of coffee that Steven had was made by you. Fingerprints will show you made it. That means that someone else other than the designated coffee supplier made coffee today." I said confidently.

   "Oh, that? I made coffee today out of courtesy of Maria making it all the time. And, I probably just lost the inventory count. There's no way you can tie me to embezzlement or murder!" he proclaimed. He then started laughing loud and confidently.

   "All of what you said is just theories, speculation, or coincidences that can be logically explained. You have nothing." he laughed, walking away.

   "Oh, Mr. Cooper, I do." I said softly.

   "What?!" he gasped, turning around.

   "Funny. You say you made the coffee out of courtesy for Mrs. Garcia, but she didn't drink any." I said.

   "But, but..."

   "This." I said, holding up Avery's nametag that was in a plastic evidence bag, "Near the point, it has small amount of blood on it."

   "Now, Mr. Cooper, can you explain why your fresh blood is on Avery's nametag if you never got near him or saw him today?" I asked.

   "Uh..." he said, astounded, looking at his Band-Aid. He had pricked his finger.

   "You're coming down to the station with me." Chief Warren said, handcuffing Barry.

   "Damn it. I was careless." he muttered as he was escorted away. The police dispersed, leaving me and Ellie in the cooking department.

   "Hey, Ellie." I said.

   "Yeah, Duke?" she asked.

   "Nothing. Just saying hi and seeing if you were alive." I said, standing in the hallway.

   "Hey, Duke." she said.

   "Yeah, Ellie?"

   "Why do people commit crimes even though they'll be caught by you?"

   "Because they're greedy. Whether it's revenge, passion, greed, pride, envy, gluttony, lust, or wrath, people will kill other people. But, until they stop, I'll catch them."

   "Until when?"

   "Until man isn't human. Everyone makes mistakes. And until man isn't bound by humanity, man will always make mistakes. And man will never commit the perfect crime." I said coldly. I took her shoulder.

   "Let's go." I said, walking with her side-by-side out of the department store.

   "Oh, and Duke, one more thing." Ellie said as we walked out of the department store.

   "I know exactly what you're going to say. I knew Steven was lying because he got there at around seven and claimed no one was there. But there were people here waiting since six o' clock. So he was lying." I said.

   "Oh, and Duke..." Ellie started.

   "Sure, Ellie. I'll get you some ice cream. Strawberry, since I know and remember that you like anything red. Four scoops since you like the number four." I said.

   "Thanks, Duke." she said, leaning on my shoulder.

   "You're welcome." I finished. We walked away from the store and turned right towards the nearby ice cream parlor. She got strawberry and I got mint chocolate chip.