Detective Zander found himself outside the mansion of the Plozuns the following day. They owned a few system's and FTL transport, speaking this was one system over from the quadratops system in dispute. The current system had five main planets and an unusual collection of asteroids close to the star.

  The mansion was on the second planet, a thriving resort planet with moderate to jungle climate and sixty percent ocean. He eyed the tropical water carefully as he walked along the beach to the mansion's door. Vance greeted him. "Welcome. I saw you watching the waves. Do you swim or surf?"

  "Oh no I was worried about eels and cabbage."

  "Eels? Of the Ryshaloians. You won't find one of them here. That's fresh water, well the least salty ocean of that size. See this system is very unique. Not only does this planet have the single largest body of freshwater that we know of and a wide tropical band for resorts, it has the asteroid ring so close to the star. From what we have gathered there once was a planet there and the water here was saltier. But around the time that the inner planet was destroyed the salt from here was mined. It's a fascinating history. Something that happened ages ago. Everyone in the family had been squabbling about who would inherit this planet. Now it's all about a sand trap of claws and too much heat. Who knew green diamond would cause this much grief? You must think poorly of me. I didn't hire you for my own wealth, I want this dispute settled so that my father Patrick can rest in peace."

  "A touching settlement. I'm sure your father would be proud."

  "Oh, I'm not sure. One could never tell with him. His wife passed a few years ago and he settled here. I hadn't kept in touch with him."

  "It seems the lively place."

  "Oh yes. Much of my family is here. We also have a mech head here. Very unusual to have a robot guest."

  "Artificial intelligence? Full conscious." The orange smell that Zander was used to with Plozun finally showed up. Curiosity distracting Vance from his loss perhaps.

  "I believe so. I wouldn't expect them way out here, but I'm not very smart with machines."

  "Let's go over your family. Is there any particular sides or groups? Would anyone be hiding the will?"

  "I don't see how anyone would have hidden it. You're booked for a week but we can extend that if needed, Food beyond breakfast you'll have to cover. During that time you'll have access to the security system. You'll see the system is very robust. My father and his staff were the only ones here, have been for a while. As for family, There's my uncle." Vance waddled along the pathway to the inner courtyard dividing the mansion into a central building and two wings with a gateway towards the ocean. "Sorry, I'm not sure he has a human name. Those chemical bursts are his Plozun name. Did you catch that?"

  "I caught a hint of lime. I don't think human smell is that great. I either get citrus fruit smells with you or well I won't discuss what else it reminds me of. I thought you just trailed off there."

  "Nope. I was synthesizing his name. It's unfortunate that you can't communicate that way but now it makes sense why our human name's are so short. My sister's names are Cherry and Ginger. They convinced me and Patrick to pick a human name. I don't think my uncle ever met a human and he would hate the name Lime, so Lime it is." Vance opened the doorway. "This is your room. We have a half dozen cousins here but they were never in the will. And my Aunt Truffle might come in a few days. As for groups I'm not sure what you're asking."

  "That's okay. Vance, thank you for meeting me here. I'm going to take some time to explore and settle in. Beyond the mech guest do you have any other guests here."

  "None. The Plozun here are either family or staff. Then it's you and the mech. I haven't seen the mech. The log says he's here but his door code hasn't been used." The Plozun shrugged.

  Zander roamed the halls and took in the mansion. He checked the room with the robot with no answer and tipped his hat to Cherry who he met in that hallway. Once he found the kitchen he asked the chef, "Will all guests be dining in the formal dinner tonight?"

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  The Plozun chef replied, "Yes, Sir."

  Zander hashed out a few more details about dinner and continued his journey to his room. The wait for dinner came quickly and he found his way to the formal dining room where Cherry and Ginger were waiting. Zander had not encountered Lime, Vance, or Aunt Truffle but he wasn't certain she'd arrived yet.

  Cherry confirmed she was the one he'd met in the hallway and Ginger snickled at the encounter, making Zander question their ages. He found it impolite to ask and was thankful to see Vance arrive with Lime. "Thank you ladies for the brief conversation. I have a few questions to ask your brother." He joined Vance on the other side of table where Lime huffed at his approach. "Good evening Vance." Zander nodded and tried a soft smile with Lime.

  Cherry had smelled like a cherry, or at the least very fruity, overpowering Ginger. Vance and Lime had the disposition of a racoon caught in the trashcan and the smell of it as well. To say from their body language of stiff unnatural walking and slow mopeyness that they were mourning the loss of Patrick.

  Lime puffed his chest and said, "Well have you found it? The Will. That's why Vance brought you out here."

  Detective Zander spoke in a calm manner despite his agitation of his senses, "No, I only arrived today. Vance, did the mech reply to the dining reservation? I made sure the chef sent out an invitation to all."

  "What would a mech? Oh you wanted him to be here. Per customary politeness he should have notified you." Vance pulled out his mobile device. "I see no response from him."

  Detective Zander nodded his head. "I suspected as much."

  "What does that mean?" asked Vance.

  Detective Zander shrugged. "No idea. But I expected it. I'll try his room again after this evening's dinner."

  The food was well claiming it as mildly bitter was a stretch but Zander ate enough to be polite. Ginger peeled off from her shadow and asked Zander questions about the station which he deflected but Zander noted that the fruity smell was gone--Ginger smelled as sour as Vance.

  Zander turned towards Vance. "I presume Vance, that you searched the house and grounds for the will. That you had the staff do as well. Perhaps the will no longer exists."

  "That would be most unfortunate. It would leave the planet's ownership in contest. They may auction the planet off and we'd only get the proceeds."

  The very idea of the planet slipping from the family's ownership and into the murky water of bureaucracy sent Vance in a mild panic attack. Lime excused them and pulled Vance away near the door to comfort him. Vance's eye's widened and he seemed to relax a touch before the left the room.

  Ginger started into more questions and Detective Zander said, "Excuse me. I'm sorry Ginger. I would love to tell you old stories of growing up on a space station but I was born on Nova Earth. Another time. I'm going to check in on Vance." He exited the room and couldn't see a sign of either Plozun. He ran to one side and then to the next and found Aunt Truffle had arrived while they were dining. She appreciated the assistance with her luggage and showed him to the second floor where there was Patricks study, her guest quarters and a few other empty rooms but no sign of Vance or Lime.

  Detective Zander stopped at the mech's room, knocked and then checked the door which allowed him to enter the empty room. Nothing had appeared to be touched which was not a shock considering that mech's didn't tend to be very curious. Zander quickly checked for any physical data ports in the room but stopped exploring near the doorway. He returned to the empty dining room where Cherry and Ginger had ordered a dessert but didn't finish it before heading off.

  Detective Zander yawned and decided he should head for his bedroom. He opened his door. Stepped inside and his boot rockets activated slamming him into the wall behind him. His trench coat responded to the emergency by wrapping around him. His fedora dropped down hearing protection and the noise of the hallway dropped to nothing.