Noir

The rain did its best to change into hail as it pounded the street. Stepping out of the bus I turned up my collar in an attempt to dissuade the wind from biting into my neck, the persistent beat of the rain spilling from my hat to soak into my coat. Crossing the street I walked towards the patiently waiting figure, his distorted shadow stretching across the empty street cast by the yellow tinted glow of the street lamp he was unsuccessfully trying to shelter under.

"Hell of a time for a reunion Gy." The shadows owner said, face briefly illuminated as he struggled to light a cigerette against the storms attention. “First this murder case, then your cousin and his patner tearing up the town pursuing their own investigation before Jonas vanishing himself…..hell of a mess we have now.”

As he walked me over to his car he cursed to himself as a puddle's water seeped into his shoe “We are stretched too thin these days, budget cuts and all, we just don’t have the man power to investigate high profile murders and clean up after you, just try and keep things neat ok?” Climbing into the drivers seat he laughed bitterly to himself "And to make matters worse we got the womens association breathing down our necks."

"It's not just here Ace, whole country's gone to hell with this damned prohibition." i replied, as i clambered into his car, the stench of his smoke rolling over me like a wave. Unpleasant but strangely nostalic, the smell reminded me of my childhood, the acrid tang dredging up memories of my father and crowded public bars in Northern England.

The car pulled off the curb, the glow from its headlights reflecting eerily in the rain.

"I’m going to have to see the crime scene." i muttered, more to myself than anyone else. The meeting with Miss Tay playing over in my head. “Just what have we gotten ourselves into” I thought to myself as the world past by the car's rain streaked window, she knew Jonas wasn't cut out for this, yet she had tracked him down after talking to me and sent him here anyway.

"The site's gone my friend, target of arson the chief says." Looking at him i could see the embarressment on his face, and that in itself was all i needed to know.

"We'll uncover the truth, make no doubts about it." Ace nodded, as he stubbled out his cigerette on his dashboard. "We have pictures of the scene as well as the police reports back at the station, but first you should get some rest." He suggested.

"Not even putting a bullet in my skull could help me rest. i just want to do three things, find my cousin, solve this damned murder, and leave this town. Not necessarily in that order. Take me to the station." i gazed out at the streets passing by as i spoke, i know it sounded cheesy like some detective book, but you really could see the grime. People trudged though the streets, the ocassional building emitting light and the shadows dancing past the windows.

"Just as long as you don't burn out on me." Ace sighed, as he put the car in reverse, backing up into an ally before pulling back out, heading in the opposite direction. "And don't expect a warm welcome when you get there, chief's had it up to here with nosey Brit's."

We sat in silence for most of the rest of the drive, the odd question followed by a closed answer, neither of us were good with small talk, and the weather along with the tone of the journey didn't help.

As i stepped into the station's main office i was met with the smell of cheap coffee, and stares of the deprived. It was a scene i had seen before, the messy investigation board covered in old photos and reports, strung together by a mass of string shooting this way and that. Towering piles of papers on each desk, it was clear these men were going round in circles, and were running on fumes.

"Who the hell are you!" Roared a large man, as he emerged from the largest pile of reports, coffee stains dotted across shit once white shirt.

"This is Gyra," Ace began, as he stepped forward from behind me, "he's going to help with th-" The man cut him off, pointing his finger at me he snarled, "No more damn PI's, the last one almost ruined the whole case."

"Sir, this one's actually skilled, and he's-"

"No. I've got pressure from above to close this case as unsolved as it is."

Stepping forward i pulled a badge form my jacket. "May we speak in private sir?" I asked. He looked at the badge, and went white, then purple, "You think that-" he began, before i then spoke up.

"My name is Seam Daigon, FBI, we are currently undergoing an operation that this very case may be linked to, you are legally obliged to aid me."

"What operation is that?" he asked, as i pocketed my badge.

"Classified i'm afraid, and secrecy is a must, hence my ATTEMPT at a false persona."

He looked at me for a while, i could see his brain furiously proccessing the information, until, with a curse, he stepped back, pointing towards a room at the back.

"You find everything you need back there." He muttered, as he stormed off towards his office.

"What happens when he calls up the bureau and checks?" Ace whispered, as we entered the room.

"Same thing as when i did, they'll tell him all information on Agent Daigon is classified and that you should fully cooperate with Daigon."

"So, who is he?" Ace asked.

"I haven't the foggiest," i replied in all honestly, "and more importantly, neither does your chief."

Ace chuckled to himself, "I'll have to remember that particular trick."

"Just don't get caught."

I walked over to the table lying in the middle of the room, a dim light hanging on the ceiling above it. "Now back to the task at hand." i whispered, as i opened up the report sitting there. two photos fell out, one showed a stair case, full body bloody footprints leading upwards, a bloody smear following up beside them. The other showed the corpse, lying on the floor eyes opened wide, throat torn apart, lying in a large pool of blood. Grimacing at the sight Ace picked up the photo of the corpse.

"We believe he was killed else where and then dragged here to be dumped." Ace said, tossing the picture back down on the table.

"A lot of blood for a body dump," i mused, looking back at the picture, the cameramen was clearly reflected in the blood around the body.

"We think his throat was torned up after being brought there, to hide the marks of the murder weapon." Ace sighed, he pulled another cigarette from his pocket, as he sat down into one of the two chairs that complimented the table. lighting it, he looked back at me, awaiting a response.

"it would have been useful to have seen the actual site, i can't tell how much blood the floor soaked up with just this." i absentmindly plucked the cigerrette from Ace's hand as i pulled the other chair out form under the table. Lifting the cigerrette to my nose i inhaled letting the smoke fill me, before letting it back out through my mouth, i knew it looked like a weird way to smoke and i knew it was wrong, but it helped me think, and that night i needed to think. "So, who found the body?"

"Chris Cesa, he's a former broadway actor, before he lost his legs." Ace leaned back over snatching his cigerrette from my fingers, i let it go, i was only after the one breath.

"We'll need to talk to him tomorrow, along with the other suspects."

"You've gotten all you need here then?" Ace asked skeptically.

"Yes and no, i don't want to push my luck with your chief, i'll read the reports in the motel. If i need to, i'll ask you a few more questions on the way to this Chris guy tomorrow."



*****

A good start Jonas, don't stall now!

i was going to have it with you being the owner of a speakeasy, but a brothel works as well. Ill see what i can do

Yes and I'll have Malik captured as a slave and working forced extra hours for the customers...
Sorry you started it...

Oh unfair Eli. I think a Speakeasy is an illegal bar - that's quite suited to a Caldari business woman. The brothel, now that's got Min written all over it

go with the speakeasy then, seems easier to work in then a borthel

think of it this way, in a speakeasy you can pick and choose, no such luck in the latter kind of establishment