Saturday, January 12, 2013

Controversy - Author Bell



Controversy - Bell

Official Journal: File #---16. Part 1

   The sun painted the sky for the first time in the few weeks that we've been here. I enjoy the sun. I embrace its beauty, its warmth, and especially the free light that eased the burden on my electric bill. I peacefully stood and gazed out the window, watching as life in Deinsport City seemed... normal. Everything about this city appeared dark and dreary, but when the sun arrived, it inspires hope of a new day into the residents. People smile, children play in the streets, and I even heard kind greetings under the breath of a few walking commuters. However, just like their hope, the sun rarely bloomed.

   My office door loudly opened after a brief knock. I turned and saw Sionn in the doorway. "Good morning Miss Harrow." I said with a smile, then returning my sight to the window. "Good morning!" She returned. "Isn't the weather lovely? It's better than the monotonous rain."
 
   "Indeed. It's rather nice..." I noted two children playing on the sidewalk across the way. One pointed towards my window. The other looked, then waved. I gave a nod and a smile. I felt generous today. I lost the smile, and turned around when I remembered I had company. Sionn stood in front of the door with her sight drifting around the room awkwardly. "Where are my manners? Please, sit." I realized that in my wonder of the sun, I had lost common courtesy. She spared a smile and proceeded to sit on the other side of my desk. Closing the window, I returned to my desk and sat in my old office chair. It gave a slight moan when I sat in it, as if to remind me that it was old and lonesome. 

   "So, any goals for today?" She asked, sitting with strait posture in the chair. I reclined in mine, forcing another groan from the complaining chair. She stayed pretty professional besides an initial greeting. I liked that.
   "Well, besides finding the source of this suspicious letter, we should be getting a report from Scout about the body we found in the park."

   "Scout?"
   "Oh that's right, you haven't met her. She's a field agent that has unique talents for finding evidence and clues at the scene of any crime. I was surprised when Ivan and I couldn't find anything at the crime scene, but Scout- Ah! Scout! Come in!"

   Scout had opened the door silently and barely given herself away. She was quiet in almost everything that she did, and she was always aware of detail; a drop of blood, footprints, or even a squeaky door. When she finally openly entered the room, her blonde hair sparkled with red flair against the light. It was somewhat odd, but amazing in another way. 
   
   "Scout Grey, this is Sionn Harrow." They shook each other's hand, Sionn giving a "Hell-o! while Scout acknowledged her with a small bow. She turned to me and dropped a clipboard on my desk in front of me. "It's all I could come up with. Sorry." I quickly leaned forward to review her notes and started to run down the normal requirements that I ask details about.

   "We have..." I stopped to read. Usually I state her findings out loud to mentally take note of them, but instead I read. My concerned look must have caused some curiosity with Sionn.
   "Well?" She asked.

   "Well... there's almost no evidence of any other people involved. We only have the name of the victim to go off of."

   "Do you want my detectives to look into it?" She asked politely.
   "Miss Harrow," was heard, followed by a dark chuckle. Ivan was leaning against the wall next to the closed door. The sudden and silent intrusions made me consider if I should dry off the door hinges to let them squeak when someone entered. Everyone stared at Ivan with shock and surprise, expecting some enlightening statement to justify his intrusion."I have to inform you that our department actually possesses professional detective background. Scout used be employed with FBI forces in Detroit before she was... excommunicated. Jonathan and I have a background working for stations in Toronto and L.A. So if you're doubting our ability to find information, please leave."

   "Ivan, she's just trying to help." Came from Scout's voice. Ivan inhaled as to respond, but he exhaled and buried his comment. "Anyways, the only thing I could track down from the blood, fingerprints, and facial structure was the name of the victim. Barbara Stanton." I flipped to the next page on the clipboard. Sure enough, the pictures of the body matched those that she had found crawling around on the internet somewhere. "I found where she lives, occupation, and where she had been the last 37 hours before she died. I also found that she was divorced from a extravagantly rich investor named Roger Stanton." This is why Scout was on my team; she had an excellent talent for gathering intelligence.

   "Scout," Sionn said as she held out her hand to me to gesture receiving the clipboard, which I gave to her. "Who was she closest to within those past 37 hours?"

   "From my notes, it seems that she had a peculiar contact with Mr. Stanton, asking for financial help, where he seems to grant with little haste."

   "Is that from Email and Facebook?" Ivan asked, looking up from his casual lean.

   "Yes, and there was also a phone call that I was able to retrieve from the local archives of tapped phone lines."

   "Is that legal?" I asked out of concern. She raised her eyebrows and shrugged.

   "Do you really think they would find out that I broke into their archives?" 

   "Um, no." I replied with a slight chuckle.

   "Technically, it's not legal-" We all gave Sionn a stare; a collective cold stare that made her shrink the tiniest bit in her chair. "-but that's not to say that I will say anything." Our stares receded.

   "Anyways, that's terrific work Scout. Good job." Ivan gestured for the clipboard. Sionn tossed it to him, in which he caught it without moving more than his right arm. He began to review Scout's document.

   Silence dominated the room as Ivan reviewed the notes for a second. I stood and walked towards the coat hanger on the door. "Our next move should be to arrange a meeting with Mr. Stanton. He could be a possible suspect in the murder, but most importantly, he is a source of information that we do not have right now."

   "How are we getting to him?" Ivan asked.

   "He has an office in the economy sector downtown." Sionn turned over her hand and held her badge. "We don't have warrants, but I might be able to get us clearance." Ivan smirked. He either though that her idea was futile, or he was thinking about how his presence may prevent us from entering the front door. Either way, we had to try.
   "Well, I say we have an unscheduled appointment to attend. Let us be off then." I glazed my raincoat with my fingertips for a split second before I remembered the weather. My hands instead fitted my hat onto my head. Hopefully, I wouldn't need the hat protecting me from rain. Hopefully, our plan would work and land us a lead. But much like the sun, hope disappears quickly in this city. 


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