Path of the Vampire forum

Please note that the part of Lt. Rick Brown and Chief Brick Duvane is written by writer of Dominique. Dr. Eli Olmstead is written by the writer of Doc.

Dominique: The chief felt his cheeks bunch up then relax as his face deadpanned at the mention of who he was looking at standing with his favorite coroner and long time fishing buddy. They didn’t make men like Eli anymore. They broke the mold when he came along. A calloused hand found the back of his neck and rubbed firmly to knead the muscles beneath his skin into a relaxed form of submission. So this was the one that had his lieutenant landing in Harper Rock ready to start hunting him down.

“It is a bit more than crossing wires, Eli. Rick is in Harper Rock…” He looked at his watch then back to the formerly missing physician. “And probably picking up his rental car.”

The chief of police stepped forward and pretty much was all eyes on Dr. Charles Nilson. The man had really proved to be a handful and far from what they had expected to come across back a t the station when the case first broke open.

“Dr. Nilson.” He held out a hand likely larger than the one the doctor would meet with his if he was the type to shake hands in greeting. “I am Chief Brick Duvane.”

The chief waited after he released his own name. He quit looking over to Eli several years back during times like these. Eli still wore amused smiles hearing him say his own name. It was one of those deals where it was in the family. His father was also named Brick and his grandfather. Someone in the massive Duvane family set their sights on his newborn grandfather and commented he looked like a sack of bricks with how big he was beneath the bundling of blankets. It was simple as that really but being that the family genes produces some massive, umber toned men. Brick after Brick the Duvane blood carried on what it was known for and the chief standing and waiting for a handshake in return was absolute proof if needed.

“B-r-i-c-k.” He made the effort to enunciate his legal first name. “Just how it is spelled. Like a wall.”

Doc: Doc carefully schooled his face not to show the amusement he felt, but instead, give a perplexed stare at the Chief, though he readily took his hand and gave it firm grip and shake. “I don’t understand, I thought you understood I would be coming here, just not with…” Doc paused, and visibly forced himself to let the ire go, it was an effect for the chief’s benefit, “Him, and that I would be returning to Harper Rock ASAP.”

Releasing the Chief’s hand, he looked from the Chief to Dr. Olmstead, “I must confess, I am at a loss. When Detective Brown spoke to me one the phone, he made my parent’s deaths seem ordinary. As though it were a home invasion.” He turned back to look at the body of his mother, “This is no home invasion. This is.. sick, twisted.. perhaps even demented. I am no stranger to dealing with demented patients, but none of them have anything on this.” He shook his head, closed his eyes and turned away, “Can we close the drawers now please?” Doc wasn’t squeamish, you could not be squeamish and be a surgeon. However, he was trying to give the impression of someone who did at least care for his parents; even if he didn’t.

“Oh.. yes, yes of course.” Eli shut the drawers. “We do have some paperwork to fill out, of course..”

Doc nodded, and raked a hand through his hair, “I am sorry; I completely forgot..” He laid his briefcase on an exam table and popped it open. He pulled out two envelopes and held them out to the Chief. “My parent’s last will and testaments. I am the executor of the estate. Depending on who …” he paused, another affect for coroner and the Chief, “predeceased whom, will dictate the which will goes into effect.

“If my father was deceased first, he left everything to my mother, and if she predeceased him, everything goes to his ‘lodge’ the ‘Elks of Canada’. If my mother was deceased second, the estate would be held in trust for any legitimate children that I may have. If I should die childless, the estate goes to the Leprosy Relief Canada.” He rolled his eyes. “Don’t even ask. Suffice to say, it is a major ‘**** you’ to my father.”

Dominique: Chief Duvane watched the documents come to view while Dr. Nilson explained their relevance as they did. He looked briefly over at the metal drawers that had been closed then back to Eli. It seems he was the type who kept such things like wills and testaments readily available because they were legal documents or he was oddly prepared to be having such a need for them in such a situation as now.

“I appreciate the time you have saved us in obtaining copies.” So now what. He seemed happy to make it known that he was not interested in inheritance or gain to what his parents had. Brick was not entirely won over by such a card played though. Rick was a hothead but he was also known to smell the **** miles before it was ever seen. Rick was the best investigator Brick had. He knew the guy needed to polish now and then to smooth down the sharp edges. Something had the chief listening to what his gut was telling him while looking the doctor over. Something beyond what the papers that could say. He gave a **** less if the couple left everything to the latest tent community forming out in Area 51 wearing gold bedroom slippers and waiting for their mother ship to land.

“Yeah, I bet he is feeling it right now.” Brick glanced at the handle to the drawer where his father was pretty much in a cooler. “Or maybe not. Maybe you can tell me what else would be a big **** you to your parents besides leprosy. Any idea who felt strongly about them to do…”

The chief’s hand tugged open the drawer to have his mother’s body glide back out and stop when the full length was in view. He nodded to Eli who stepped forward. Brick pointed to the chest area and Eli slipped on a glove and used some sort of sterile surgical steel grade tweezers to pull back the cloth covering the area of focus. The dark empty space in the chest cavity where the heart should be was impossible to miss.

“This. See we have a bit of a problem. I know that Lt. Brown can be a pain in the *** and more often than not it is usually my station that gets it. However, like him or not my guy Rick and Eli think a bit like I do. Someone was invested in this. Not your typical run of the mill deviant who watched too many super villain movies while snacking on Cap’n Crunch when they were let out of the closet after dark in Aunt Bethany’s dungeon.” The chief glanced to the handle on the father’s drawer and Eli had it sliding out without having to ask. “Your parents are missing a few pieces. We got left a puzzle to put back together. First clue is that strangers don’t waste this much time and skill on a scene. Your parents were killed by someone who knew them well and it is clear that they didn’t like them. Anyone besides yourself that you can think of that wanted to give them the big **** you as you call it?”

Doc: To Doc, being organized was proof you had your **** together. That you could deal with any situation that was thrown at you. Nothing irked him more than harried, easily rattled people who never knew where to find anything. Those people were a drain on society, and should be eliminated whenever possible. “For the record, there will be no legitimate offspring from me. Vasectomy. And the offspring I do have, do not meet the required governmental definition of ‘legitimate’, in that ‘said offspring’ would have to have been conceived while in the state of matrimony. Which was -not- the case.”

Shutting the briefcase, he looked at Brick. “As to your question, I really cannot be of much help. My parents and I have been estranged….” He stopped speaking unconsciously as the drawer containing his mother’s body was pulled open. Frowning and shaking himself out of his reverie, he continued, “...for five years or so. To be honest, I thought that this was a stunt that my mother was pulling to get me to come to Toronto for the Holidays.” His voice faded away somewhat on the last word as the sheet was pulled back and the empty cavity was revealed.

His medical and surgical training took over. Gone was the body of his mother, there in it’s place, a puzzle. A conundrum. Stepping forward, staring at the cavity, he started pulling off his leather kid gloves, and held out a hand to Eli for latex ones. “Gloves?” His voice became all business. “Clean cuts. The guy knew what he was doing. Any other abnormalities noted?”

Eli hastily moved to collect a pair of latex gloves from a cabinet and placed them in Doc’s hand.

Pocketing the kid gloves, and donning the latex gloves, Doc stepped forward intent on getting a better view, when it dawned on him, where he was. “I am sorry. Surgeon. It’s second nature,” He gave a halfway apologetic look, “ .. May I?” He looked from the Chief to the Coroner for permission to continue with his examination.

Dominique: Chief Duvane looked over at Eli as if he was just called a monkey’s uncle. Dr. Nilson wanted to get a better look at what used to keep his parents running from the inside...or what was currently unaccounted for outside the two missing hearts and a set of eyeballs. Instantly he thought of his own mother. She would kick his *** to high heaven if he ever asked for a set of gloves so he could go digging in hers and Pop’s bodies when they were looking like mince meat set out to dry slowly. He was all for seeing where this went. He knew some suspects returned to the scene of the crime. Perhaps the doctor was wanting to play in the mess he already made?

“Eli, you already got all the notes and reports finished?” Looking between the two he finally looked down at the bodies then back up. “You are in charge here.”

Doc: Doc looked from Chief Duvane to Dr. Olmstead, he wasn’t about just move forward without approval.

Eli looked at the Chief and then at Dr Nilson. Here was a quandary. Did he let the son of the deceased, a well known surgeon in how own right, have a look? What if he were the killer? What if this was some perverse thrill he was getting out of it. Eli looked back the Chief, “Please, be my guest, I would welcome your insights.” Eli had seen the Doctor’s surprise at the sight of the body covered in cut and lacerations, he had not done this. “The other abnormality are the eyes. The eyes are also missing.”

Doc turned and looked at Eli, the frown deepening. Stepping closer, he returned his gaze to the chest cavity and the missing organ. It was a neat and orderly removal. Nothing messy or amateurish about it. “They have skill. Although…” He brow furrowed as something was not right.

Eli gave the Chief a look that said, ‘watch this’, “Although?” Eli redirected at Doctor Nilson, “Although.. what?” Eli’s left eyebrow was quirked in question as he now looked at the victim’s son.

Pointing to the main torso incision, the scalloping of the chest wall, “This.. right here, I don’t know what tool made this.” Doc looked at Eli, “It’s noticeable here.. but you can also see slight evidence of it here.. and here.”

Eli winked at Brick, he too had been perplexed over the source of tool that made the cuts. If the Doctor had done it, he would have never pointed that out. It would be too close to him for comfort. Eli moved to the other side of the body. “Look at this… “ He held up the female’s arm, “Same cupping on these cuts as well.. just a smaller version.”

Warming up to the puzzle at hand, Doc’s face wore a look of bemused concentration. “But in four linear rows? What would that be? Homemade surgical tool? And for what purpose? I just don’t understand it…” He began a closer inspection of the lacerations on the arm closest to him. As he did so, he began to see tiny imperfections to the lacerations. “Hmmm.” He pointed one set of three out to Eli.

Eli peered over, “mmhmmm. I see.”

Doc straightened, shaking his head side to side in a negative fashion. “I don’t know the tool. But I will be honest.. I want to what it was.” His comment was firm and adamant. Not because he wanted to know the killer, but rather he was curious about the tool or set of tools that were used. He stepped back from the body and peeled off the latex gloves. He tossed the gloves in the waste, and pinched the bridge of his nose. He knew this was the sort of thing that would keep him up, and not allow him to rest. And when he didn’t get rest.. he got angry. And when he got angry, he would usually piss off the ball and chain and she would leave him.. again. ****.

Dominique: There were times the chief wished the lieutenant was around to see just so he could have it confirmed that his eyes weren’t ******* with him. He was getting old like Eli but he could see what was going on.Their suspect was hypothesizing the wounds, the method, the weapons used on his own parents. Pretty much giving multiple reasons to disregard him as the prime suspect with the motive.

Brick thought he had seen it all until now. It was so calm and business like that he was waiting for someone to pop up from the discussion in the morgue to ask who wanted to make the coffee run since it looked like it could be a long night ahead. Rick was missing it because Brick sent his *** to Harper Rock. Usually he didn’t give a **** what the lieutenant thought but in this case he expected to hear thunder rolling when he found out his suspect never left town.

“So, someone had an extensive knowledge and skill to remove what we are failing to see on your parents. In your professional opinion, Eli…” He couldn’t help but shift his focus to the deceased son. “Dr. Nilson, are we looking at someone with advanced medical training? Perhaps med school under their belt? Or would you bet on all of this being possible if given enough free time to watch “Grey’s Anatomy” like the semi-notable bombers watched MacGyver and blew up a few post office boxes?” The chief was already working on his own theories silently while he waited for an answer. While he waited he tossed out one more question to make sure he wasn’t the only one in the room not distracted by the rather intense and disturbing condition of the bodies in question. “Even if they figured out the skill it still has me wondering just who picked your parents for dissection and why. Thoughts on that gentlemen?” The chief was all ears while he waited.

Doc: Eli wasn’t going to answer Brick’s question. He knew better than to give out details that a ‘suspect’ should not know. The fact that they let the Doctor see the bodies, was twofold. One to ID them, and two, to see if he gave any signs of guilt. But apart from that giving out any more information, he would not do. He had seen how the cutting technique had changed from the male to the female victim. Since Dr. Nilson had not studied the male body, he would not know there was a difference. “Please, Dr. Nilson, your insights?”

Doc looked from Eli to the the Chief, he knew what they were doing. They were trying to get him to incriminate himself. But he didn’t do it, so how could he incriminate himself? However, he did choose his words as he answered. “First I am not a Coroner, but I have been a first surgeon on rotation at the Harper Rock Hospital which is a learning hospital. I have seen my fair share of first and second year surgical students. This guy is better than most of them. But… his tools are not precision. My guess is they are unique, hand made, but very sharp. And if they haven’t had med school training, they could have has some veterinarian school, or battlefield triage experience.”

“Battlefield?”

Doc nodded, “A lot of the surgeries that I have been involved in, in the past few years, are corrections from battlefield triage. Not putting them down, I want to be clear on this. But in a triage situation like that. Sustain life is first priority. When I get them. Quality of life is the priority. So I am redacting scar tissue, redirecting abdominal wall muscles, reconstructing if you will.” He looked at Eli, “Some of those battlefield triage medics have never had anything other than basic corpsman medic training. So they learn quick. May not be pretty, but they get the job done.”

The chief was already rifling through his pocket to retrieve the cellphone that was chirping away. It had been shoved inside when he spotted the next of kin and possible suspect with Eli. He looked at the screen while he held up a finger to signal he would need a moment. This time Brick was sure to leave no exit point available for Dr. Nilson to disappear through. Eli was in the room with him and the chief placed his oversized body right in the doorway. His continued presence was all he felt was needed to give the message that he was far from finished with the physician who came from Harper Rock.

“Chief Duvane. Speak.” It was quick and to the point. He was busy and couldn’t afford the distraction.

“I swear to god everytime I get to this place I hate it even more.” Rick was relieved to hear his call was answered while he slid the keys to his rental car into the ignition. “I can’t believe this ****. Eli got anything else from lab?”

“Not from lab but he came through alright.” Brick felt the urge for a cigarette kick in and went for the nicorette gum instead. He started chewing on the piece he popped into his mouth before he revealed just what Eli discovered. “You can relax on your search for Charles Nilson. He has been located.”

“Yes!” Rick gripped the steering wheel tight with his left hand while his right tried to fire up the heat in the rolling relic that was left for a choice in transportation. What was with the holidays and everyone suddenly renting a car? “Where is he? I am heading over there right now.”

“Settle down, Rick. It may take you a while to get to him.” Brick was not looking forward to telling him why.

“I came this far so nothing is going to stop me now. Where is he?” An intersection held him back from proceeding into the middle of the city.

“A lot will stop you, son. Namely the three hour drive to get to him.”

Fingers were about to reach in and fish out the less than satisfying gum in his mouth when he caught Eli glancing over at him. It reminded him there was a lot of things going on in Eli’s place of work. He was not interested in the least in taking home whatever he couldn’t see with him to his wife or grandkids. a quick puff up of his cheeks and he sent the small wad of gum like a missile straight into the wastebasket by the door.

“What the hell do you mean it will take three hours?” Rick stepped on the gas pedal a little too hard and nearly tapped the car in front of him. “This is getting to be a ******* joke. We need some more papers that go beyond the formal invite? Can’t we find something to hold his *** in one spot?”

“No worries on that. I am looking at him right now. He just finished up pointing out possible ideas on who may have done this since he asserts that he did not.” Brick gave his watch a glance and realized that he would be working later than he thought on this. He needed to call his wife before the grandkids started climbing the Christmas tree. “I got him. He won’t be going anywhere. Why don’t you check into what you can find out there without drawing too much attention? It seems pointless to waste the trip there now that you have arrived. I will take him to the station. Keep an eye on your phone and I will be having Patty get ahold of you with some ideas where to focus on.”

Rick hated the guy. If he wasn’t guilty then he was pretty damn close to who was involved. Nothing linked him yet besides the fact he was the next of kin to the deceased but Rick was more determined than ever to prove it now. It was the time to find out what made him tick just like the chief pointed out. With the guy in Toronto it would be all that much harder for him to get in his way when he started asking a few key people.

Two hours later...

Chief Brick Duvane looked at Patty and knew she was right. The wood doorframe to her office was sinking slowly into the flesh of his left arm while his oversized body used it to lean on. It would be easier to answer the question asked of him if there wasn’t that feeling in his gut gnawing away telling him something was not right with the next of kin in his office next door. The man in the perfect suit wanted to head out of Toronto and get back home. If that knot that refused to unwind in his gut was not there he would chalk it up to the holidays, the disturbing events and the shock that would certainly be understandable going along with it. But unlike any other time in his career, the inner law in his body was telling him he was missing something.

Brick looked at the paperwork in front of Patty and then back over his shoulder towards his closed office door. He had the badge and she had the memory bank holding the stations passwords and account numbers that kept everyone moving back and forth taking a bite out crime. Moments like this reminded him why she had the best office. The woman called it like he was seeing it. If anyone was born with the investigator mentality it sure was not him or Rick Brown. They agreed early on Patty was bloodhound. No insult to pointing out the obvious was ever taken. She could smell ******** in the next county being dropped. If that wasn’t bad enough the woman knew the law better than they did and often made it her job to remind them of such.

So it came down to another one of those times where Patty sat in her desk chair and watched her boss sigh heavily. The look on his face confirmed she was right again. He had to let Dr. Charles Nilson head back to Harper Rock for now. They had nothing truly to hold him on. He wasn't the first medical professional that gave the chief of Toronto police some shady feeling. Until there was concrete proof he was free to walk. The slow turn of his body signaled he was heading back into his office to do exactly that. Once the door shut and blocked her view, Patty used her phone to call home. She would be missing dinner and informed her husband to start without her. Once that call ended she did Brick a favor and called up Ellen. The chief’s saint of a wife would be chasing the grandkids a few more hours out from under the tree. She deserved the head’s up.

"Here is the deal, Doc. We need to keep in contact.” The door closed with the sweep of his massive hand. Like a long retired linebacker the graying but still imposing wall of muscle made his way tightly between the wall and his desk to take a seat. His feet were killing him. “We move our office we will be letting you know, you think about hitting the slopes to ski you need to let us know. In fact how about we exchange numbers and you let me know when you land back home?” A business card plucked from his desk made that arrangement relatively easy to keep. “I know you will be busy with arrangements so that likely won’t be in your list of things you will be doing.”

Brick watched the door close that finally left him alone in his office for the first time in over twenty eight hours. His chest rose slowly as his lungs filled with the much needed deep breath that would collect any energy he had left and center it where he could use it most. The chief reached a mental count of twenty before a tickle in his dry throat had him losing hold of what he planned on hanging on to a little longer. The standard wood office door opened after a single knock and a hot cup of steaming hot black no frills coffee slid towards him on the desk just like he preferred it. Patty was a mind reader and as he smiled he was pretty sure she heard his thoughts of appreciation.

“Ellen says not to worry. She has the family heading to the movie theater. She will see you when you are done here.”

The door closed and the chair Brick was in rolled back. HIs tree trunk thick legs lifted up and his heels set in on the edge of the desk of equal distance from his body. The first sip was hot enough to burn his lips but he didn’t care. He took another generous swallow and welcomed the fire that came with it down his tired throat. Every ounce of the caffeinated liquid would be needed. It was going to be a long night and he knew it all too well.

The sounds of the combination of snare drum, conga drums and maracas had the black boy short wrapped hips of the petite shadow swaying slowly back and forth. A long strand of red curling ribbon was pinched at its end between her finger and the business end of the open scissor in her hand. The spans of her inked arm pulling away from the package in HOPE’s grip increased quickly with the hiss of the ribbon curling up and bouncing free from the assault of the sharp edge and the persistent press of a thumb that was on a mission. A pluck of another ribbon from a pre-cut pile was captured in her petite fingers and given the same treatment. While the red stretch of wrapping ribbon was dealt with she joined The Rolling Stones in belting out the best gift wrapping lyrics she could have came up with.

The shimmy of her white tank topped body has her and the ribbon scooting along to the right to increase the volume on the song that inspires her to behave like no one is around...which is the case. Her right heel kicks up and the Batgirl cape on the back of her superhero sock flaps up and down with her movements. A move James Brown would likely appreciate resurrected within her feet and soon she was all over the wood floor like she was born to dance.

Pleased to meet you
Hope you guess my name
But what's puzzling you
Is the nature of my game

Dominique held the wrapped specimen jar in her hand and took it on a twirl while the serval affectionately named Hello Kitty watched the ribbon helicopter over her head. The feline wiggled down into a brief crouch and sprang from the kitchen island. With her own cat-like reflexes Dominique slid down and watched the spotted moving pelt fly over her narrowly missing the irresistible strands and landed with a soft thump on the floor beside her.

“No!” The correction interrupted her performance. “Not for you!”

Just as every cop is a criminal
And all the sinners saints
As heads is tails
Just call me Lucifer
'Cause I'm in need of some restraint
Who who, who who…

The two wrapped presents went into the black nylon backpack and were quickly zipped out of view. She worked too hard on acquiring them and decorating them to let them be destroyed just before they were to be handed out. With a wink at the disappointed cat and not missing a beat of the song, Dominique nearly jumped into her distressed denim pants and buttoned up the front.

So if you meet me
Have some courtesy
Have some sympathy, and some taste
(woo woo)
Use all your well-learned politesse
Or I'll lay your soul to waste, um yeah
Woo woo, woo woo.

The leather Night Lords jacket slipped over her shoulders and LESS pulled the zipper upward to seal it to her body. With a sweep of her hand towards the backpack straps she claimed it and swung the weight of it over her right shoulder. Hello Kitty pulled her ears back as she leaned in and cooed the last lines of the song that pertained to her night ahead.

Tell me baby, what's my name
Tell me honey, can ya guess my name
Tell me baby, what's my name
I tell you one time, you're to blame.

The santa hat on top of her head slid to the side as she bounced down the stairs towards the underground garage. Hopefully the recipient would be around when she came calling. If not then the backup plan would be to channel the spirit of the night just like good old Saint Nick. She would have to slide her festive *** down the chimney and deliver the perfect gifts the old fashioned way.

Bad Chinese food. It was eating away at Rick’s gut with about as much mercy as he should expect given that he seemed to have some adverse effect with a main ingredient. Always had. What was the luck that such a place was one of the only dives open in the whole damn city? The silver wrapper on the roll of generic brand Rolaids curled around his index finger as he peeled it off. The directions said to chew two but he was popping in an extra four for good measure. Why take chances? He was about to go in the flower shop he was standing outside of and pay some woman named Mortll a visit. **** it. He pulled another three out and popped those in his mouth. The last of the empty wrapper went into his pocket.

The chief said Mortll was supposed to be his first stop. No last name. No middle name. Just Mortll. He figured she was from some European hole in the wall place to be named Mortll. If it wasn’t cold enough outside to freeze his nuts in the next twenty seconds he would spend that time googling just where in the world she could get such a name. Instead he kept moving towards the shop.

What happened to Jennifer? Barbara? Beth? Sue? There was a general name. Sue. These days everyone wanted to be so different and far as can be from the other that they used half the alphabet to spell what would take five letters tops. The world was full of idiots as far as he was concerned and god help him he hoped that this woman was not anywhere the pain in the *** Dr. Charles Nilson was proving to be.

Chewing up the last of the chalky circles in his mouth was a process of multi-tasking with the walk in the shop. His bare hand nudged the door closed behind him. Standing tall and dusting off his grey jacket he gave the place a general look around and soon lifted his line of focus to the sales counter. It was a nice place. Green and vibrant with flowers and plants that he couldn’t possibly name if his life were depending on it. A sharp contrast to hell freezing over outside. Perhaps this would be a tolerable beginning point in his investigation.

The lieutenant stepped twice to shake loose the buildup of snow on his boots. His hands unzipped his jacket and he tucked his gloves in his right pocket. If the place had a public restroom he would be a lucky man. The chinese was screaming its warnings. He was just about to find out for himself via search and possibly destroy depending on how long it took him to find it when he spotted a blonde appear out of thin air. He did a double take so fast he felt that nerve knot up that started to bother him as soon as he boarded the puddle jumper flight out of Toronto.

Tired large hands went to his face and rubbed his eyes. The hours missing sleep were wearing on him. Just to make sure he looked once again at what had surely had to be gone now that the crust was worked out of the corners of his hazel eyes. Stroking his hand through his snowflake adorned hair did nothing to get the woman out of his view. Alright, so he wasn’t seeing things.

Jessica. There was another name that was easy to remember. Jessica Simpson. How about that? That took little effort to recall. Question that he had was what in the hell was she doing in a flower shop in Harper Rock, Canada on Christmas? Only reason he knew who she was that his nephew had enough of the broad’s posters in his brothers garage where he played drums. Nice body if you were into that type but he concluded long ago she was a case of the lights outside were left on and yet no one was ever home. He blinked as he stood there. So maybe it made sense after all that she was in town. He shrugged and made his way over. This was too good to pass up finding out. Ignoring the roll and rumble of his insides he stepped up to the counter and gave it a pat as if she needed the cue that he was in the joint.

“Perhaps you can help me out.” Rick’s gut erupted and he decided his trip of being all star struck was going to have to wait. What chick didn't know where the nearest bathroom was? “Need a can fast. Got one in the back?”

Lieutenant Rick Brown stood up and felt the relief fill his body as a familiar tune played in his head. This time he was sure he was done. If he wasn’t then he would be a champ and hold out until he got done with this current stop. He didn’t travel this far to spend his night in the shitter swearing off the holiday meal that was giving him hell in more ways than one. While he washed his hands he gave the chick in the shop some thought. Obviously it couldn’t really be who she held an uncanny resemblance to. When his hands finally were dry thanks to the blast of heat coming from the wall hand dryer he adjusted his jacket so that it didn’t hang so loose on his shoulders. A side glance to the left and then the right of his face and head gave him every reason to believe he was good to go and see where the owner of the shop was holed up.

Mortll. The name curled around the random thoughts in his head and strangled their purpose for lingering on. With a firm pull of the public restroom door the six foot and then some detective took a few slow steps into the business center of the shop. His right hand went up beneath the snug waist hem of his jacket and made contact with the cool 4140 steel that his service revolver was constructed from. The small pad of paper tucked behind it and his holster was ignored. Instead he reached for the pack of nicorette gum that was safely situated above his hip from the press of his body and whatever it came in contact with it. His main vice and his best friend were always within easy reach but both kept hidden from the world around him. There were plenty of reasons for both.

The length of his fingers pulled out the uniquely re-wrapped squares and he quietly opted to pop one in his mouth. His grey eyes pinned the blonde doing whatever it was that she was doing while he chewed slowly. The self packaged habit went back where it was prior to his sudden need for an oral fix. It kept him awake and sharp as far as he was concerned. While his feet carried him up to the counter where the blonde curvaceous wonder stood he almost felt inclined to offer her a piece as well. He tried his best not to think like a caveman when encountering dames but this bleached out blonde specimen was giving him all the vibes that said this would be a rather short session of questions and answers. Rick was a dick. He had been told so way too many times to count.

“Thanks for that. Saved my *** from having to find it in record time if you know what I mean.” Rick winked at her while he tugged at his belt as if that was all it would take tomake his current discomfort go away.

The wave of residual cramping in his torso and waist was wearing off. If he was able to see the near future he would find that the nicotine would do a number of things to his GIT muscles. Namely peristalsis. His need for the ‘can’ as he called it would be returning. For a seasoned investigator carrying the reputation he had there was just some **** that he would never figure out.

“Nice shop.” Rick glanced around. “I am looking to speak with the owner. Mortll, right?” The gum tumbled slowly in his closed mouth while he stared at her looking for something that would indicate that this chick was not who she looked like. “I know you get this a lot but you look familiar.”

While he waited for his words of odd query to register he shrugged his shoulders and reached over and grabbed a holiday bouquet on display and set it on the counter. His jaws returned to trying to break down the wad of gum between his teeth. It perhaps was the thing to do in order to get a response. Buy something and blend more than he currently was. Oh and something else probably would speed things along. His hand went into his front jacket pocket and pulled out the leather folded badge holder and with the flick of his wrist he flashed it.

“Just so that you know I am not a creep and there is nothing to worry about. Lieutenant Rick Brown all the way from Toronto.” Rick slid his badge back where it was carried and reached over to pull another arrangement to the counter in front of him. Last damn thing he needed was holiday flowers but he did need some answers. “If she isn’t around could you perhaps let me know where she is?”