Vitam et Mortem IC - Occultatum Alley

Chloe Summers

"Calvin," Chloe rolled her eyes. "One night together and you've already planned a future out together, I'm sure." Her expression softened as Trix continued and she gave her friend a gentle squeeze of the hand. "I'll always worry about you." Beatrix's propensity to fall too hard, too fast had caused a few too many heart breaks, and she simply didn't want to see the artist getting hurt again and again. "Though, it's probably for the best. Sometimes you just need to leave things at one night."

Her expensive heels clacked their way down the hall to the conference room, opening the door for her client and following the other girl in. Chloe was immediately all business, leaving no sign of the earlier friendliness that she'd shown her best friend just a few moments ago; like a switch, it was simply gone.

The blonde took in her opponents: the tattooed face, the mohawk, the very visible tattoos and for what felt like the millionth time, she questioned Trix's taste in men. More so, she saw him how a jury would see him and a smirk threatened to appear. Piece of cake.

Dropping her bag on the table, she gestured for Beatrix to sit while she fished out a think envelope. She said nothing to either the lawyer or his client, and if either attempted to say something, she'd immediately shush them with a single finger and a "Just a moment."

From the envelope she pulled out a two slips of paper laying them right-side up toward the lawyer. Following that was another packet of paper, all the documents that Trix had given her, followed by two more single slips of paper. All the documents were placed facing the two sitting across from her and then Chloe would sit. With her pointer finger and middle finger she'd slide the first two documents over, first. "Your client's patent request and the approval of his patent, you'll notice the dates at the bottom? Funny how close together they are when it takes a lot more time to get a patent approved. I wonder if I investigated further if I'd find any evidence of fraud to get something sped through the process."

The last two documents were slid across in the a similar manner. "My client's patent request and approval. Again, you'll notice the dates of approval. Interestingly enough both dates are before your client's. Again, I wonder if he paid someone off to approve something that was already patented? Not enough?" She'd slide the thick stack of papers in the middle of the two sets of patent documents. "Proof that my client has been working on this for years. Now. I highly doubt that this trivial lawsuit would ever make it to court, and let alone a jury trial, but..." Her eyes flickered over toward Trent and back to the lawyer and then her lips did curve into a slightly malicious smile, "I'm not so sure you would fare well in front of judge or jury. However, my client has a valid claim. So..." She whipped out yet another set of documents, handing this directly to the lawyer. "A cease and desist letter for your client to shut down his shop or we will be suing. Beneath that you'll find a motion for summary judgement asking the judge to make an immediate decision based on the facts presented as well as a request to reimburse my client for costs and a penalty for wasting everyone's time with a frivolous claim. Beneath that, you'll find a counter claim for theft of intellectual property, fraud for claiming rights after my client discussed her ideas with yours, and you can bet that I will be investigating for evidence of fraud and anything I find will be sent to SPF. I'll give you a minute to read through all of that before you decide on your next move."

Alex Morgan

The detective listened intently as their witness described the brief sounds of a scuffle. Half an hour... that narrowed down the time frame at the very least. It didn't answer really any other questions she had filtering through her minds, but it was unlikely that this stranger would be able to answer those particular questions, regardless. While Tildy continued to interrogate the man, Alex searched her pockets for her card and a pen.

She'd listen to any answer that Liam would give, but on her card she'd cross of Luis' number beneath her own and scroll through her phone to find Tildy's, writing her current partner's name and number on the back of the card so he'd be able to contact them both. As soon as he finishes answering the other detectives questions, Alex will offer up the card. "If there's anything else you might be able to think of, please call either myself" she'd flip the card over to where she'd written Tildy's number and release over the business card, "Or Detective Garnuckle."

Kennedy Alice Sparks

Kennedy, too, noticed the brown ring on the bottom of the paper, but as the letter had barely been started she figured the guy wouldn't mind restarting the letter to his girlfriend or... Oh! She noted the address as the familiar P.O. Box Altsoba receives mail in and reconsidered her earlier thought. Could still be girlfriend, but he hadn't looked young enough to be dating a high school student...

Wow, her mind had really gotten side-tracked. She heard the waitress groan and the blonde tightened the sympathetic arm around the other girl's shoulders, briefly. There wasn't much else they could do unless they wanted to walk out into the street and she had a feeling Diane would be better off inside. Home court and all that.

Glancing over at Fena, Kennedy offered the biker an almost amused smile. "Some interview, huh?"
 
Beatrix

Folding her hands atop the table in a completely demure affectation, Beatrix ignored her patent-stealing ex and his lawyer. She could feel Trent's stare which made it doubly difficult not to even send him a slip of a glance.

"Bea? Dude, what the fuck happened to you?" Yes, he did sound like a surfer. In Pennsylvania. A Pennsylvania surfer dude. Just hearing his voice made Beatrix cringe. Apparently, Trent also did not understand the meaning of Chloe's upraised finger because he tried speaking again, "Beatrix, can't we ju--" he cut off as his lawyer turned and told him to stop talking which caused a small smile slide up the corners of Beatrix's mouth.

The silence then stretched on uncomfortably until her friend was ready. Trix. Couldn't. Wait. And then the moment came...all three of them: Beatrix, Trent, and Trent's lawyer watched in a combination of hilarious enjoyment (for Beatrix considering she had no idea Chloe had compiled so much for this little suit), intense annoyance (for Trent), and high embarrassment (for Trent's lawyer).

The lawyer picked up the papers one-by-one, and as he scanned each document, his face became redder and redder until he turned to his client. "Outside. Now." He stood, jerked his coat straight, and said to the two women, "Excuse us a moment." And then he waited outside the conference room for his charge. The door was closed, and there was hushed discussion with a lot of arm waving from the lawyer, and a lot of sulking and shrugging from Trent. The two appeared moments later and retook their seats.

Beatrix now gave Trent her undivided attention, dark brown brows rising as if to say, "You're a freakin' idiot", but she kept the thought to herself as she turned her attention to his lawyer.

The lawyer separated the papers into various stacks and shifted them into his briefcase. "We are done here. I expect any other information you find to be sent to my office, Ms. Summers." Then he cast his brown eyes on Beatrix, "I apologize for not researching this matter further, Ms. Bells, that was my mistake, and apparently one I will be paying for with Mr. Loggins here until this mess is finished."

And then the two women were left alone in the conference room.

"That was...that was...oh my gosh, Chloe, you are absolutely my hero!" She bounced excitedly in her seat.
 
Diane Gibbs

The waitress turned her head to look at Fena. The thought crossed her mind of how this woman was going to make detectives stop asking questions. She took a look at the girls blue hair and biker jacket, but seriously doubted that intimidation would stop a person of the law. Maybe she knew an officer, or something. Despite her doubts, she offered the biker a smile. "Thank you," she said. She turned back to the table, and sipped quietly at her hot chocolate while she waited. She heard Kennedy strike up a conversation with Fena, and decided to mind her own business. She must've intruded on something...no, bugger that thought! She didn't ask for this to happen! She wasn't going to feel guilty about it!



Liam Al-Hashim

He realised how little info he was really giving by the time he'd already said it all. He wasn't expecting the detectives to show any signs of how useful it was, though. He met what he suspected was a pretentious look with a sneer. He was over a foot taller than her, so he felt a bit weird snarling down at a shortie with a funky name. "No, I don't usually stop to watch hobo fights," he said with a bit of a spit to his tone, probably a bit too much than he should have really been giving to an officer. Any cool or strong element this statement had to it was crumbled away when he sniffled and dragged his running nose across his sleeve.

He was glad to look away from the midget and to someone more reasonable. More importantly, she wasn't acting like his info was shit. Not to his face at least. He took the card, confident that he would not be calling Miss Tiddywinkle Garfield any time soon. "Right. I will." He doubted he'd remember anything else. He'd just heard some noises. That was it. "Thank you." It was directed at Detective Morgan. He stuffed the card in his back pocket, and walked towards the back door. He moved quick so that he couldn't be stopped.

His eyes fell on the waitress as soon as he walked in. "They'll be wanting to see you next. They'll be in here any second," he said. "The short one's a bitch." Diane's eyebrows raised in surprise, but she didn't say anything.
 
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Tildy Garnuckle

Stormy eyes narrowed at the man's retreating back, watching him walk into the restaurant. That was rather rude of him, she knew she wasn't the nicest person but didn't he understand that someone was dead? She was just doing her damned job and trying to find out everything she could about what happened. Jesus, you'd think people could understand something like that. A shake of her head showed her displeasure, scowl now firmly in place on her lips as she turned to her partner to see what they would do next.

"I doubt he'll have anything more for us, but it would be good to keep tabs on him in case there's something going on there we don't know about. Otherwise I think we should move on to the waitress in the restaurant, get her side of it before time muddles it for us." Her expression soured further as she looked out over the crowd, button nose wrinkled in distaste at the horror of it all. For Alex to lose her partner, for one of them; a detective to get caught out and murdered in some back alley that he really didn't have any business being in now that she thought of it.... It was all just too strange. She didn't like it, didn't like the feel of it. There was something off here and Tildy only hoped she could figure out what. Well, her and Alex that was.

She glanced over again at the taller lady detective, brow raised as she took in the woman's composed facade. It had to be a facade, there was no way she was fine after just seeing her partner of how many years lying there dead in that dirty place. Tildy could only imagine what she was going through. Well, not actually. She'd never had attachments like Alex must have had to Louis, and if she had her way, she never would. The blonde didn't care that it was a lonely life she was choosing to lead. To her, it was more professional. Not to mention that she didn't need the help. Alex herself might not be so bad though, the woman had caught her mistake with the knife after all, and it seemed like people liked her a lot more. A soft snort of laughter left Tildy as she looked away, towards the restaurant again. Someone with people skills was definitely a friend she could use. And from the look of the waitress, Alex would be doing most of the talking. No need for another reaction like that Liam guy.

Tildy's brows pinched again, that sour taste back in her mouth.

Eyes sweeping the crowd, the detective picked out the officers that were standing guard. The headcount left her less then pleased. Though there were more than enough to keep an eye on the crowd, they were far too noticeable for her tastes. They would be far too easy to pick out and avoid if she were the killer coming back to the scene of the crime, and she didn't like that. She didn't like that one bit.

A stretch of her powers showed her many little life signs, a family of mice curled in the bottom of the trash bins, all huddled in a corner as they waited for the forensics team to leave their home alone. A pigeon, no, two on top of the roof cooing softly to each other as they listened to the ruckus below. And there, hiding behind the car at the end of the street. A dog, sifting through garbage in an attempt to find it's next meal. Wary of the people grouped up near it's favorite restaurant to steal food from and small enough to avoid most attention, it was perfect for her plan. The Fauna mage reached further, wrapping her magic around the scrawny pup and pulling him gently towards her. He came with ease to the gentle touch, scampering down the walkway and right through the barrier and two confused officers. A low whistle brought their attention to Tildy and she waved them off as the pup ran up to her, stumpy tail wagging heartily. She looked down at the poor sight with a half smile, eyes soft as she ran delicate hands over matted fur.

"You're a scrap, aren't you?" She murmured, bending slightly at the waist to be closer to eye level with the lolling tongue and floppy ears. "I need you to do a favor for me, I'll give you a treat for it if you're good." She offered, the dog's tail renewing it's efforts of lifting it off the ground via propeller propulsion. A crooked finger at a nearby CSI tech brought her a curious young man that kept giving the dog weary looks.

"The knife, bring it here." She ordered, gaze hardening now that she wasn't looking at the animal anymore. The sour look she received made her roll her eyes, a gruff 'please' leaving her before the tech stomped off in a huff. "Humans." She murmured in an exasperated tone as she went back to rubbing the hound's aches away. A quick look up at Alex and she winked, letting her partner know that she escaped the label 'humans'.

It only took the tech a few moments before he came scampering back with the knife, all wrapped up as it should be and sealed in a plastic tube. When Tildy held her hand out for it she gave a sharp glare to the young man at his disbelieving gasp. The man was giving her hands a very pointed stare where they were, buried in the mangy dog's fur. Tildy rolled her eyes, groaning at the delay.

"Fine, fine! You hold the damned thing out so he can sniff it." She nearly growled, the dog joining in on her soured tone and eyeing the tech while it's lips pulled back from it's teeth. The young man hurried after that, lips thinned and eyes wide as he held the trembling knife out at the dog's level. The mutt gave it a hearty sniff, it's quivering nose almost touching the blade a few times and drawing outraged squawks from the young man that was assisting them.

"Oh shut it." Tildy grumbled, shooing the man when the dog had gotten the scent. She turned then to the lovely animal, expression smoothing out again as she spoke to the patient creature. "I need you to stay around that crowd there, and come get me if anyone smells like that thing I just had you sniff, alright?" She asked, a brow arching hopefully and smile breaking out as the dog wiggled it's whole body with it's tail in confirmation. "Good good, one second and then you can go." She murmured, pulling her wand out and casting a quick and heavy cloaking spell on the dog before sending it on it's way.

The small furry and dirty body took off towards the crowd then, hidden from view until it reached it's goal. The cloaking magic melted off it then, the dog already hidden among the throngs of people and much less of a spectacle than the police investigation that was happening just across the street. Tildy nodded to herself, he would do just fine, and no one would notice a thing. She turned then to her partner, a thin blonde brow arching in question as she gestured towards the restaurant.

"I got scruff over there watching to see if the killer comes back, and the rest of the force is watching too. Ready to question that waitress?" She asked, sour attitude back at the prospect of having to talk to more people. "You might want to do the talking, if that last guy is anything to go by, I don't think I'll do well talking to an emotionally unstable person."



Agrafena Mittove

The blue haired woman blinked at Kennedy's comment, exhaling a chuckle as she turned her attention from watching the other patrons of the restaurant.

"Well, sets an example that you'd stick with me if I had any issues." She shrugged, weary half smile on her face as she shook her head. The bell above the entrance jingling made her turn towards it, Fena arching a brow at the man now entering The Bar. Her second brow joined the first as she nodded to the man, surprise coloring her features as she turned to Diane.

"No need to worry, the short one probably just has a short-person complex." She soothed, eyes turning once more to the entrance as she waited for the two detectives to enter next. "Remember, I'll be here if you need an out."
 
Chloe Summers

The young associate was... disappointed. She had hoped for a bit more of a fight from the other lawyer or his client, but Trent had so royally fucked up that even the lawyer was willing to admit that he was wrong. Still... she was happy to have that resolved for her friend and there was a whole lifetime of arguing cases ahead of her.

Inhaling deep, the no-nonsense expression Chloe had been wearing softened subtly for her friend and she turned to Beatrix. "I told you, it would be over and done with easy peasy." A smile appeared and then she fished in her bag until her hand emerged with two cell phones. Handing over the correct one to Beatrix, "I'm trusting you with this. Don't text what's-his-face." She'd already forgotten Calvin's name, just as she forgets most of those that Beatrix's dates, refusing to meet them as well until Beatrix landed on someone more permanent.

"Whatever the issue is, it's just going to lead to heartache."

Alex Morgan

Even with her mind in turmoil, she could hear the harsh tone of her partner and the irritated tone in the response of their witness. It would seem that Tildy is not at all a people person. She really needs to read this girl's file. Alex offered him a brief smile and a nod. "Thanks for your help." Turning to Tildy, She'd nod. "Waitress next," She agreed, but paused watching the woman interact with the mangy dog and then the young Forensics intern, Fred. Poor kid.

When her partner had finished she offered her a tight lip smile. "Not really a people person, are you?" Something she'd need to work on, but it was typical of a lot of fauna sorcerers. She'd need to work on it though; the rough persona would be fine with suspects, but not so great with potential witnesses. Then again, this is why people had partners. A conversation for another time, though.

Alex peered through the window. "I highly doubt she's emotionally unstable, just emotional. Which considering she stumbled upon a dead body is understandable. Most people have an aversion to that kind of thing." At this point Alex had just grown used to it, but the body of her dead partner would be something haunting her nightmares for some time.

Inhaling deep, Alex headed for the dinner door, taking the lead. It was easy to locate the waitress, but Alex was surprised to find that the woman was accompanied by two other women, both seeming total opposites. The first girl had carefully applied make up, french tip nails, and high heeled boots. The girl on the other side of the waitress wore dark biker boots and a thick leather jacket covered in various pins. Her eyes scanned over the different pins quickly, trying to see if she belonged to any biker gang or some other group Alex was familiar with. The one that caught her eye though was a black one with purple lines and some lettering in the middle. It was too small to read the letters, but the design is what seemed familiar to her... She just couldn't place it.

Staring with the biker chick, Alex offered her hand. "I'm Detective Morgan," she moved to shake the trembling hand of the waitress and then the preppy chick last. "This is my partner, Detective Garnuckle." She'd indicate Tildy, but focus in on the shaky looking waitress. "Is there somewhere that we can talk?" Her voice was kind, gentle. She'd seen the curious eyes of those around them, and would prefer a less public interview. "Maybe a break room?" She suggested.

Kennedy Alice Sparks

Kennedy offered the officer a firm shake, giving both girls a quick once over. Two women on a detective team, Kennedy was impressed... even if Detective Morgan's eyebrows needed a bit of tweezing. She offered a subdued version of her normally bright smile and introduced herself when it was her turn.

At the mention of moving to another location, she placed her arm around the waitress once more. "We'd like to stay with her, if that's alright." Her tone--one learned from her parents--left little room for disagreement. "Moral support," She added more sweetly and then continued as if it had already been agreed upon. "We'll stay quiet as we didn't really see anything, just... offering a hand to hold."
 
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Diane Gibbs

The waitress stared down at the floor until she heard the nearby door swing open and shut. She lifted her head to see two women; the short one, and the older one. She carefully took Detective Morgan's hand and shook it like it was made of porcelain, before quickly returning it to her lap. Just when she was starting to feel more confident, she felt all the more pressured in the face of the two detectives. Especially the shorter one, considering that she was supposedly 'a bitch'.

At Kennedy's insistence, Diane's hand drifted up to the woman's arm. She gave an appreciative squeeze, before letting go and moving the blonde's arm off of her. She stood, her eyes drifting towards the staff room. It should have been empty, but there were always one or two slackers. She nodded towards the door, which was just behind the detective pair. "Just there," she mumbled.

She shuffled past Fena and Kennedy, and then past the detectives as she made her way to the staff room. She made a point of not looking behind her in the direction of the busy restaurant, anticipating that she would make eye contact with some nosy patrons. She checked that she was being followed by the four women, before walking into the staff room.

The room wasn't empty. Inside there was a male and a female worker, quietly gossiping, Diane would guess. They looked up when the door opened, and soon after scampered out through the door Diane was holding. Without waiting for the detectives or for the girls, the waitress walked to the slightly larger couch and sat where she usually did, in the middle.


Liam Al-Hashim

He'd moved out of the way pretty much immediately after telling the three girls about the tiny detective. He'd picked up his stuff, crumpling the barely-started letter as he did, and left as soon as he could. He paid at the counter and hadn't waited for change.

Instead of pushing through the crowd at the crime scene, he crossed the road and gave it as wide a berth as he could manage. When he reached his car, he looked over his shoulder back at the (now, in his head) cursed diner, and shuddered. He didn't know if he'd be able to return to The Bar again without thinking about the days events.

He started his car. Normally he'd take a little while to check he had everything, but he knew he just needed to get away. He put the handbrake off and headed down the road at the top of the speed limit, eager to make it home, go to sleep, and fall into a nightmare, probably.
 
Tildy Garnuckle



A curled lip met Alex's comment on Tildy's 'people skills', the shorter sorceress looking away with crossed arms and a light pink dusting her cheeks. What could she do to help it that she favored animals more than humans, they were the focal point of her magic after all!

"Animals are more honest and willing to forgive and understand." She defended herself, button nose wrinkled as she tried explain her bias. "Humans are too complicated, animals are easy." What did it matter anyways, Alex should be able to handle witnesses just fine, Tildy would just stand back and watch for lies. Tildy nodded slightly at her partner's comment about their next witness, pursing her lips in thought as they started towards the restaurant.

"I suppose." She mumbled, stepping around her partner to take in the three women.

It was a strange sight. A well put together and all together better looking woman to one side, a ragged ruffian who had probably seen more cells than she could remember on the other side, and right down the middle was their frazzled waitress, wide eyed and staring. Stormy eyes drifted over the three with high disdain, the proud chin lowering only in a nod of acknowledgment, Tildy refraining from offering her hand as Alex had. She stayed quiet, arms folded and eyes sharp as introductions were made. Tildy lifted a hand casually to hide the sarcastic smile that curved thin lips at the blonde's show of caring, finding it near insulting that the girl would force herself into police buisness like that. It was obvious that neither her, nor the biker chick knew this waitress. Yet this girl dare force herself in... A quiet sigh and Tildy kept quiet, flicking her eyes to her partner and noting the lack of protest. If Alex was allowing it Tildy wouldn't say anything. No need to spoil the witness.



Agrafena Mittove

A stone face met the detective's entrance, the blue haired girl giving both women a thorough once over before she leaned back in her seat, arms crossing and expression calculating. She didn't like cops, never had. Having been to one to many jails on silly or bogus charges she knew just how mean these pigs could be. She held her judgement though, noting with approval the handshake offered by the dark haired Detective and returning it with a strong grip. She noted with disdain the interest sparking in dark brown eyes as they landed on her VeM pin, mind whirring as she tried to come up with an explanation for if the cop asked. Grey eyes turned then to the shorter blonde, noting the lack of caring that hardened the features and the clear hunger for clues from Diane. This woman wouldn't be kind in her hunt for the truth, but because of the dark haired Detective taking the lead, Fena had a feeling the blonde wouldn't be asking any questions.

She breathed a small sigh of relief, glad in her realization that Diane would have it easier today then she could have. She stayed silent as Kennedy spoke up, letting a lazy smile curl her lips as she rested her arm against the back of Diane's chair in a show of protectiveness. She agreed with Kennedy on this one, they wouldn't want an audience for what Fena presumed to be a morbid topic, and the prying eyes would only stress Diane out. She followed as Diane lead them to what appeared to be a break room, watching the other employees skitter out before following the waitress to the couch and reestablishing herself at the girl's side with the same posture she'd adopted when the detectives had walked in. She waited for Kennedy to take her seat on the girl's other side and for the cops to settle before she gave another lazy grin, eyes hard behind the relaxed facade.

"Alright ladies, where to start?" She prompted. The blonde one narrowed her eyes.
 
Alex Morgan

She got the sense the blonde expected an argument, but there was little to argue with. The waitress was clearly distraught and at this time she was simply a witness. If it came down to her being a suspect (which seemed unlikely), then it would matter if she were questioned without her friends.

Since Diane had no disagreements, the detective nodded. "I don't see a problem with that." She glanced over at Tildy and shrugged as they were led into the little employee room. She waited until everyone was situated before getting Diane's full name and phone number so that they could contact her again if the need should arise.

Detective Morgan was surprisingly patient and gentle as she wrote down the information. Finally, she got down to the heart of the manner. "Why don't you just start from when you parked your car. You walk the rest of the way, I'm guessing?'" She prompted the other girl.

Kennedy Alice Sparks

The shorter one hadn't said much, but Kennedy was getting the impression that the tall man was right, she might be a bit bitchy. She was honestly surprised that there wasn't an objection to her and Fena tagging along with the waitress but she wasn't about to question it. Beside, she didn't really know how these things went.

As Detective Morgan questioned Diane, she found that the detective paid neither she nor Fena much mind, instead focusing solely on her notes and on Diane. She was a little prickly at being shut out like that, but she supposed she wouldn't have any answers to the woman's questions, so it made sense.

Still.

Regardless, she kept a soothing arm around the other girl's shoulders, giving her shoulder a gentle rub anytime she thought that Diane was getting a little overwhelmed. Detective Morgan seemed to sense these moments, too, because she would sound patient as she said, "Take your time."
 
Diane Gibbs

Diane had managed to stay separate from the two girls beside her for the moment, but as they got more into the nitty gritty of what the waitress had seen it was inevitable that she'd end up leaning on them for the support.

She dry washed her hands in her lap as she timidly shook her head. "I walk to work," she mumbled. She didn't really understand why this was part of it; she'd been working since lunchtime, and that had been a while ago, but she knew better than to ask.

She didn't elaborate much on many questions, just answering what was blatantly asked and never delving too deep. The eventual description of what she saw wasn't detailed, as she was unwilling to remember much about it apart from the plain fact that it was a dead body in the alleyway that had the bins in it. Despite detaching herself from the story as much as she could manage, she still ended up quickly sniffling, and leaning her entire weight into Kennedy. She didn't even notice when it happened, but didn't move away once she did. The whole time of the interview, she kept her gaze timidly away from the short one. Too afraid to find out of she really was 'a bitch'.
 
Tildy Garnuckle

The shorter woman hung back and listened quietly, lips pursed in disdain. There didn't seem to be a reason she was upset, more just being grumpy to be grumpy. She didn't like how basic the waitress was keeping her answers, but if Alex wasn't going to pry further, she'd keep her mouth shut too. At least until they were in a more secluded location. It was probably for the best that the quivering girl wouldn't meet her eyes, what she saw would only shake her further. Tildy really wasn't enjoying her constant sobbing. The looks the biker chick kept sending her weren't helping her temperament either. The girl, Fena? She just sat quietly the whole time, a stiff expression on her face every time a question came up that made the waitress uncomfortable. Other than that she didn't add much to the affair. Tildy waited until Alex started wrapping up the questions, watching her hand her card over to the waitress before the blonde stepped outside the small, depressing room. Her hood was covering her face once more, a delicate hand rubbing at a throbbing temple as she waited for everyone to file out of the room. They still had a lot of work to do and the questioning hadn't reaped many clues.
 
Alex Morgan

In the end, the waitress knew no more than their other witness. She'd found him like that, ran inside, and Liam had been the one to go and investigate further. She didn't probe much on anything because she doubted there would be more to add. They got all three of their name and numbers, in case they needed to get in touch with them in the future. And the detective did offer up her card with a kind smile. "If you think of anything later, please give me a call." More times than not, she did get the call of some detail that had been forgotten while the witness had been too shaken up to remember. "No matter how little the detail might seem," She assured the waitress. She turned to go, following her partner out the door and as she did, her eyes flickered back to the pin on her jacket. She'd seen it somewhere, she was sure of it. Until she could recall where, she'd be silent, grateful for the girl's number tucked safely away in her notebook.

Once they were outside, quietly crossing the street back to the precinct, Alex huffed. "I've got a serial killer murdering redheads and I've got a dead partner in the back alley." She kicked at a pebble as they stepped up onto the opposite street. "Listen, Tildy. Obviously this case takes priority but as I can't take lead on it... I also can't let this other murder go until Luis' gets solved. I don't want the trail going cold and I'm not sure I can pass it off to anyone else. It's a lot to ask of you on your first day, but are you willing to work on both with me?"

Kennedy Alice Sparks

She didn't realize it until the detectives had left, but she'd been holding her breath there toward the end. The shorter one had seemed to grow crankier through the second and had swooped out without a word when it was clear their meeting was over. The other detective had been friendly enough, but she'd also seemed disappointed when the waitress couldn't give her much information.

She'd allowed Diane to lean on her, to draw strength from the contact and after the detectives had exited the room she sat there for a beat longer before giving her new friend a last squeeze and standing up to stretch. "Why don't we see if you can get the rest of the day off and the three of us go out for a drink or two? I can be very persuasive if your boss is having a little trouble seeing the reasoning behind it." She could certainly use one, she was willing to bet Diane could use one, and she still wanted to get to know her potential roommate a bit better. She looked toward Fena, "Or we can reschedule if you've got plans?" Their initial meeting had run a little long and she didn't know the other girl's schedule.
 
Tildy Garnuckle


Storm gray eyes peaked from under a dark hood when Alex spoke up, lips forming a thin line as she listened quietly. Running two cases at once, one where she was in the lead as well? It was a lot to work on, especially for her first day, but she had faced worse before. Besides, she was only lead on one, and she liked the challenge it presented. A light bob of her head spoke of her acceptance.

"I suppose I could help, Morgan." She spoke, her smirk bordering on a smile. "Sounds like the type of work that will keep me busy. Besides, what are partners for?" A thoughtful look crossed her face as she turned from the face of the precinct. The crowd had mostly faded by then, but a few still lingered.

"The novelty and intrigue must be wearing off." The blonde scoffed, mild disgust showing on her delicate features. That expression smoothed though as she took a deep breath. "Best check in with the precinct's newest and best officer." She mumbled, reaching with her mind to pull the scrappy dog from before to her. A wriggling body and wagging tail came trotting up, tongue lolling in a doggy smile. Tildy returned the expression wholeheartedly.

"What'd you find Scrap?" She asked quietly, crouching slightly to reach the dog's level. It snuffled her hands, shaking with the attention before turning and trotting back to the alleyway where the murder had taken place. The lab techs there were mostly finishing up, she didn't look to see if the body was already moved though. The small mutt trotted to the mouth of the alleyway, nose to the ground and starting to pace slowly away from the building. Tildy followed it, glancing up and catching a dirty look from the lab tech she'd bothered before. She thought about returning the favor, but didn't want to pull her hood down again.

The pup was gaining speed as it paced away from the alley and the blonde hurried to catch up. She was lead a little ways down the sidewalk before the dog suddenly stopped. It sniffed around a little more before sitting and looking up at her with a whine. The detective pursed her lips, looking around at the now quiet street with unease curling in her stomach. She didn't like this.

"Good job Scrap." She murmured to the dog, scratching him behind the ears again as he approached. "Be a good boy for me and wait in the alleyway behind that building over there, I'll pick you up after I get off, alright?" She smiled, the dog shook it's whole body in glee before trotting off to do as she'd asked. She turned back to her partner then, arching a brow.

"I think we better check tapes of the area, the perp could have gotten a ride."


Agrafena Mittove

The blue haired biker stretched with Kennedy when the detectives left, sour expression sliding grudgingly from her face as the prospect of drinks was put on the counter. Her lazy smile inched back onto her lips.

"No plans here, or nothing important that I can't cancel that is." She answered with a sigh as she dropped her hands from their reaching above her head. A hand slipped to her back pocket, grabbing her phone as she shot a quick message to her sister. She could always reschedule their meetup to a later date. It wasn't the first time she'd canceled on Zoia and it definitely wouldn't be the last.

"I'd really like to finish up this meeting, and I think I'd like to get to know Diane here a little better too." She continued, placing a gentle hand on the waitresses shoulder. She headed out to the main serving area again, leading the way for the ladies as she glanced around to count the other waitresses heads. The manager could let Diane off tonight, it looked like they were overstaffed as it was.

"Why don't you go see if they'll let you off, Diane." Fena prompted with a smile, brushing her bangs out of her eyes. "I'll help too if they say no." Dark brows wiggled facetiously, posture lax even as she kept an eye out to see if anyone was staring rudely again. Her phone buzzed and a glance at the screen showed a text from her sister, Fena chuckling at the array of swearwords that greeted her. God she loved her sister.

"So where did you have in mind for drinks?" She asked, shooting a response to her sister before tucking her phone away and turning back to Kennedy. "I'm down for anything, as long as they'll let me in." She joked. Some of her friends tended to like the fancier bars that you could find here or there, but those bars hated her for her appearance. They called her a trouble maker! That wasn't... entirely... true. Well she'd behave while she was there at least!
 
Rani carefully lit the candles, her expression lost in thought as she prepared for the Garba dance, it was a tradition that often took part in when back in her homeland. Only today, she wasn't in India, she had been residing in Pennsylvania for some time now but always upheld the traditions of her culture. Dance was a passion of hers, she learned many variations, and had studied it for a time. It was part of the reason that she had relocated here rather than choosing to stay in India.
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Soon enough the stage in the run down theatre was lit, drums were on a pile on the floor in the corner, she had dragged them from their hiding place, so they were a bit dusty but Rani was more concerned with find people to actually play the drums.
The Indian community with the town was extremely small, and not many people knew about Garba, and even fewer people had much interest in the theatre much less taking part in traditional dances, put on show for cultural entertainment.
Rani would worry about that later however, she mostly wanted to focus on practising her routine, she was nothing if not a perfectionist.
The dance itself was scheduled to take place in a few days time so she had plenty of time to prepare her setting.​
 
Alex Morgan
"That's the spirit," the detective almost grinned. "It will, at least, give me something to do rather than hovering over your shoulder every second," Alex added as an incentive. She waited patiently while Tildy and the dog communed, or whatever it was that the Fauna gifted did. She didn't even complain as she was led around to follow a stray rather than a trained police dog. The trail seemed to grow cold a few miles away from the point where Luis was found, and she nodded in agreement that they would need to be checking for surveillance. "I'll get started on the request for the judge." There was always someone unwilling to cooperate, and it was best to get the warrants ahead of time. Without waiting for Tildy, she pulled out her wand and transported back to her office. There was a lot to do, despite the late hour.

Sitting at her desk, Alex got started typing up the facts as they had them, ready to present to the judge for a few warrants for the shops in the location. She figured Tildy would be following behind seconds later.

Kennedy Alice Sparks
She shrugged, thinking of the places she liked to go for drinks. "The Heat?" She suggested. It's where she planned on renting out for her birthday party, and they didn't care who came in as long as they were of age. The blonde went back to their booth, gathering her coat and purse so she and Fena could wait by the door for their new friend. "And I'm sure she could use some time out after everything."

Xavier Kent
"Bye." The nurse, still dressed in scrubs from his shift that morning, finished up his meeting with his improv group, waving bye to the cute girl who sat beside him this afternoon. He was gathering up his coat, sliding his arms through the sleeves, when he realized that there was sound coming from the theater next door. Curious, he stepped out from the room his group rented, stepping into the theater currently in use.

There was a woman in there, dragging drums all over the place. He watched, quietly, leaning against the door jam as she placed all of the drums in place and began lighting candles around the stage. Curious as to where this was leading, he took a seat at the back of the old theater, careful not to draw attention to himself.
 
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