"Okay...Todd..." Mina said tensely as the darkness surrounded them both. "Do you mind me asking a few questions about this then?"

Todd's beady French eyes darted back and forth. "Of course. Eef eet gets my attorney off my proverbial case...and then back onto my actual case then sure. I'm totally open to zis."

Mina clenched her sweaty palms. This was do or die for her. She'd discover the truth or be lost within the darkness forever.

"Todd..." she asked, as she watched the gilded scale of justice above his head. His pink brain was perched on the left side of the scale and she clutched a few feathers of truth in her hand. "Did you have an affair with your partner's girlfriend?"

Todd gritted his teeth and glared at Mina. "Sacre...Bleh! I've already told you. I have nothing to do with Monika Krepes. She turns me as green as frog's legs!"

Mina narrowed her eyes and held up her first feather. She dropped it and watched it away through the air, landing on the scale. Much to her dismay (and relief too) it didn't tip the scale in either direction. 'How could it,' Mina muttered. 'Its just a feather!'

"On to my next question," Mina said, remaining hopeful her client wasn't as much a creepy crepe as Monika herself. "Who do you believe wrote that letter and why?"

Todd's face turned bright red in utmost fury and embarrassment. "Oh ho ho," he laughed scornfully. "I do believe I know zee culprit."

"Who?" Mina asked.

"Monika Krepes!" the Frenchman answered with perfect annunciation.

"So..." Mina asked. "Even though you didn't have an affair with her...you still believe that Krepes wrote the letter?!"

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

Todd nodded. "Zat I am positive!"

Mina quickly took another feather and dangled it over the gilded scale. "Here goes nothing..." she said softly.

The feather fluttered gently to the scale and again, the scale did not tip for or against her clients favor. Mina balled up her fist tightly. "Drat rats! Not again. I think I need to hit him with the a real whammy now..."

"Todd..." Mina said, sternly. "Why on earth would Monika Krepes write an affair letter to you if you two didnt truly have a hanky panky hullabaloo?!"

"Because..." Todd said, his pupils shrinking in anger. "She eez out to ruin me! You see...her and I have never gotten along. Not since she tried to seduce me into writing the musical score to Marie Anette and I refused!"

"She what?" Mina demanded.

"Her father Monsieur Krepes wanted a famous French pop musician to write zee soundtrack to his play, but at zee time, I was much too focused on SPAM to do so. So 'ee sent his charming daughter in order to lead me away from DeFunkt into zee world of pompous French plays!"

"Wowee..." Mina gasped. "I had no idea about this!"

"When zat didn't work!" Todd shouted. "She stated dating my partner, Christian and convincing him of all kinds of doggerel in order to break us up! Hell hath no fury like zee poodle woman scorned!"

Mina smiled. That indeed was a good enough reason to write the letter and incriminate Mr. Matinee. All she'd have to do is drop her final feather and his brain would weigh less on the Gilded Scale of Justice. Breathlessly, she did. Her eyes seesawed back and forth watching the plume hover its way towards the scale.

And then...it landed.

But the scale didn't budge.

Mina wanted to scream. She had everything. A credible alibi, a reason why the insidious letter was written and a client who did not seem to have any wrongdoing in his mind. It seemed all of the logic behind this mystery made complete sense and yet ..the truth had remained elusive.

"What in the flying huh am I doing wrong?" Mina asked.

Suddenly, a shining pink heart appeared over the scale. It sparkled brightly and hovered above the brain, but did not touch the golden scale.

Mina rubbed her chin before her eyes illuminated within the deepest depths of the darkness.

"Lawdy Law!" she exclaimed. "I guess I gotta get to the heart of the matter too! I must prove that monsieur robot has a heart after all!"