Thread: Monster [ Burke x Arianna  ]

Det. Groot didn't pull himself from the body while he pondered what she had said. The black-and-white nature of the scene itself numbed the interpretive parts of him and solidified what he knew. Groot knew a lie when he heard one. To say he'd expected better would be yet another. There was really no reason for the reporter to give up her edge once let into something like this, he'd known that before he called her, but the aforementioned string of heinous murders hadn't actually come to mind. There had been a few dogs mutilated, two joggers, a man walking home from his laundromat, a mailman, and two teenagers necking near the woods in a gravel driveway that lead to a conservation area, overlooking a small pond. The last had been too cruelly cliched for the public to stomach, and the deaths of the two youths set something in motion it had never been clear exactly what that brought the whole thing down practically all at once. No convictions, no arrests, just some brilliant coverup and politically motivated neighborhood watch programs, the local rallying and protests attributed to the broken string of murders. Pathetically typical, and Det. Groot had been personally directed by the Chief to stay the hell out of it. He'd been totally frozen out of the thing and adequately distracted with new sets of responsibilities around that time. Never one to miss an opportunity to topple himself, even Lauritz had known better than to try penetrating those walls in particular. Those... weren't home invasions. He said laboriously, finally turning, his haunted eyes a touch more intelligent now, alive with the increasing grasp on a task and string of events. And nobody was thrown. The coroner would be days determining if the woman had been eaten. He had his own theories, but the notion that somebody or something had partially devoured this woman hadn't crossed his mind. It wasn't a smart play to lie to her, and feign innocence, the way she was with him. This woman was a hell of a lot smarter than this, and she had a better idea of what was going on here than he did, or at least a bead on something bigger. It had been correct to call her, he decided, and equally correct not to trust her. The problem with City-wide animal hunts is there has to be an animal caught. He mused, rolling the idea in his mind like a wine-taster, preparing to spit out his swallow. People get their guns out, shoot at shadows. Messy business, that. What alternative did he have? Whenever something like this came up he was kept away. Word had come down that a woman had been hacked to death in her home - a shitty assignment with low odds, thus Groot was assigned the case. The uniformed officer had noticed the broken window, but never imagined that half a person lay on the other side of it Groot himself had discovered her, and managed to keep a lid on it until now. If he was lucky they'd reassign him. Nobody wanted a square guy like him working something this high-profile. If this murder was linked to the serial killings in years previous, there would be an uproar. People wanted heads to roll, and it was a lot easier to just plant evidence and send someone to jail who ought to be there anyway. Lauritz Groot had never framed a man for a thing in his life. If he was unlucky, this was the last straw, and his inevitable failure to produce something compelling would land him a desk until retirement. The good detective never was good at 'spin'. Hence the journalist. Exotic pets. He nodded. If you find anything out, you call me. I mean it. This is the only body we found here. He said it in a lower tone, and just stared at her, allowing Ms. Stafford to come to her own conclusions about what he meant. The sandbox looked empty but for the body at a glance, but in continuing to look one saw a half-buried yellow Tonka bulldozer, and a teddy bear dirtied beyond repair. She'd brought up the notion of a child, but forgotten immediately in seeing the body. She needed to know that their respective careers didn't measure up to what was needed, not by half. Something about the words 'exotic pets' brought back a memory for her, the tip of something she couldn't name, but it had Margret's name all over it. Buried in the boxes of old newspaper clippings, legal pag scrawls, typed pages and notebooks hid an entry from what Margret herself honestly believed to have been a waste of time and dead end with no validity enough so that Alexandra herself had been convinced, at the time, and had overlooked it in re-reading ever since. It was dated one week before she and Alexandra uncovered the actual physical remains of the killing spree and abandoned with the rest of her office effects, all of which had been recovered by our heroine and stored for safe keeping and sentimental purposes. The all but illegible shorthand scrawl, upon deciphering, would read Exotic pets tastes flashy cash where else do you go? Informants quiet nervous queer uneasy new player in town has to be new respect direct link murders all signs point to gangsterism. Kaiser Sosey doing it worse than anybody ever foreigner in town smash hit club incredible success rise to power face in the paper shakes hand with mayor nobody has it this good. Chewed up innocents no-one important no pattern no tie just because I wanted to worst motive of all. Arnaud Mansle shot in the dark too close for comfort can't be coincidence. Big red awning loopy letters Cat in the Hat men in ten gallon hats smoke outside lighting matches like old time zoot-suiters with maniac jokes never look at the ladies everything already in motion. Yellow cabs know the spot never stray far always come back big tippers here short trips to city condos and champagne for the whole table. Steam out of storm drains what's cooking sewers backed up the worst of it slid here. Unholy building, bad reputation, helpless young women in tight dresses getting hurt strung along hard drugs going to be a star someday big smile. Young people flock to big lineups VIP line please notice me tonight strong doormen bite is worse than their bark. Cleavage and ties moving on the dance floor totally obligatory eye-fucking strangers and ass-fucking friends in the bathroom nobody's alone here please want me come and get it please notice me tonight anything but the cold. Gauloises for the boss man unfiltered if possible never got over it Gandfather in the war imports them when the store runs dry. Always smoking teeth stained reeks like the stuff fingers gone yellow clothes unbearable pores dumping nicotine full time blowjobs from grinning teenagers in the lounge anyway. His world his place his time time stops small timers know the spot rats don't bother with a lion's den. Bartenders hating nights screaming at drunks refusing service can't get a drink if you don't know a waitress overtipping necessary start with a fifty just to catch his eye. Tight-lipped can't talk too busy doesn't trust you there's rules about this kinda thing you know. Bouncers all know better shouldn't have asked everyone watching cover blown utterly busted what the hell bring us a round. Miserable failure center of attention sudden service strawberries on the house private joke someone's fucking with me. Private interview total exclusivity dangling carrot lets talk turkey VIP room black lights hushed tones serious people big money convenience prestige status sex appeal. VIP VIP room keep it moving nothing to see here brass tacks can I get you a drink we're not so different you-and-I make yourself at home we can help each other. Who do you work for whats your name what paper what channel are you now or have you ever been. Indignity and ominous promises we will ask the questions here. I never knew nothin' about it that's how come I'm here why would I ask you it all makes sense now. We need to talk wait here the back door's locked bobby pin see you later fake ID never looked so good. Alias blown can't come back super spy chalk one up for the good guys ex-boyfriend I need self-esteem call him now .