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Joseph Zeo
Joseph Zeo
Tale Spinner

Apr-22-2010 21:04

"Cut!" The director screamed. He ran onto the movie set and stared at the lost man in a tacky detective costume. The director was a head shorter than most actors, but his stare was fierce. "I told you for God knows how many times, read your script as it is WRITTEN!"

"But real detectives don't say things like 'What were you doing at the time of the murder.' It's a straight give away to the suspect that a murder had taken place!" The poor man defended.

"God damn it, who cares what you say as long as it's a talkie film. A MOVIE!" The director slapped his script on the prop table. He turned to his crew, "Who hired this genius?"

The crew was stone silent. The cameramen wiped their bulky equipment fervently like their life depended on it. The lighting crew looked at their silver lamps as if they saw it for the first time. The soundman listened to his playback looking for noises that didn’t exist.

A young man in a plaid sweater put up his shaking hand, "but sir, you said you wanted an authentic guy to play the part, so I got you a real detective."

"I said I wanted an authentic LOOKING guy, Martin! Not the real deal. This is show biz, use your brain, if you're not SITTING on it!!" The stumpy director bellowed.

"But…"

A voice light as chimes cut through the quarrel. "Boys, if you don't mind, I'll just go powder my nose." The lead actress with white blonde hair and the figure of an hourglass floated back into her dressing room.

"Yes of course, certainly my darling." The director cooed. He then turned coldly to Martin and the detective. "We'll take a 15 minutes break for you two to sort this out."

"Break! 15 minutes!" Martin announced, he then turned apologetically to his friend, "I'm so sorry, detective Zeo. I know most of this doesn't make sense, but can you please stick to your lines?"

Joseph Zeo looked at his shiny detective costume and gave a weak smile, "I dig what you mean," he sighed, "and you know I wouldn't have taken the job if I wasn't low on dough.

Replies

Joseph Zeo
Joseph Zeo
Tale Spinner

Apr-30-2010 22:19

[ Don't worry about it Peter, some of us 'oldies' missed much worse items before :) ]

10:00pm

Meaghan let down the blinds at the front window. She then exited the bar and walked to the corner by the stairs leading down to the subway. She paused to check her shoes, bending so low that half her skirt was up her ass. The men with Packard car couldn't help but stared. Peter made the signal. Zeo and Riza were already standing by the alley entrance and quickly crossed in the dark. They scurried along the block until they reached their car. They remained couched as they quietly opened the car doors and got in.

Riza was in the driver's seat; Zeo had his revolver in his hand, poised. He slowly rolled down the window by his side. "So far so good." Riza whispered.

"Let's step on it!" Zeo said. Riza got up and the Buick sped away. The man by the Packard then realized what had happened and hurried back into their car, ready to give chase. As the Buick passed by, Zeo put three bullets into their tires before the men could start the engine.

Moments later, they knew they were safe, for now. "I just hope Peter is alright." Zeo muttered.

"Don't worry," Riza comforted, "they won't do anything as long as we stay away." Zeo wasn't so sure about that, but he just had to focus on what needed to be done next.

"Let's dump the car, and then we need to find Marc." Zeo said and Riza nodded.


Zeo felt a tinge of loss as the Buick sank to the bottom of the water by the pier. He just hoped his insurance would cover it. They quietly trotted toward the building where Zeo's office was located.

"Someone's watching the front door." Riza noted.

"And I am sure they left the back intentionally opened for us." Zeo replied. "However, they do not know that there is another entrance way into this building. Not a lot of people do." Zeo led Riza into a maintenance block and down some wrought iron stairs. The scent from the neighboring sewer filled their nostrils but they tried to ignore it.

Joseph Zeo
Joseph Zeo
Tale Spinner

Apr-30-2010 22:21

12:30am

Zeo finally returned to his office with Riza, and as expected, it was empty. The blinds were already closed but Zeo placed the desk lamp on the floor away from the window before he turned it on. Riza sat down as Zeo poured themselves a drink. They were silent for a while, consolidating the event of the day in their heads.

Finally, Zeo broke the silence. "Do you think Simone would be a threat to Marc?" Zeo muttered, more to himself then to Riza, but the tough lady replied anyway.

"Not in any physical kind of way, I don't think, but it could be much much worse..." Just then, the phone rang. Both detectives stared at it.

Zeo finally picked up the phone and greeted in the most pleasant voice he could muster. Riza could see the man's face turned pale as Zeo realized who was calling, and started screaming at Marc for his whereabout. Zeo continued to warn his friend about not doing what he was about to do, whatever it was. Marc hung up, cutting Zeo in the middle of the conversation.

"What is he up to now?" Riza frowned.

"I'd like to find out as well. Marc just kept apologizing." Zeo replied, frustrated.

"Can your 'old friends' back in the force help trace that call Marc just made? Find out where he made it?" Riza suggested.

"I think I can call up a trusted old colleague of mine." Zeo replied, and he proceeded to make the arrangements. When he was done, he told Riza that it would take some time for his friend to get back to him, "but we can't wait around. We must find out as much about this as quickly as possible. At the moment, we still have one lead: Sleven Sloan."

Riza Hawkeye
Riza Hawkeye
First Nomad

May-2-2010 21:21

“Then let’s go,” Riza said. “I think my buddy can help us find out where Sloan lives.” Riza and Joseph made their way back outside through the same entrance they used to get in. On the way, Riza filled him in on where they had to go.

“Wait, we have to walk all the way over there? That’s so far!” Joseph protested.

“Move it jellylegs, what do you think people did before cars were invented?” Riza scorned, rolling her eyes. She walked ahead, while Joseph trudged behind her, following the sound of her clicking boots to their destination.

Soon they arrived in front of a small shop. “This place?” Joseph asked skeptically. “It’s just an old bookstore. This is where you friend is?”

“Uh-huh,” Riza answered, pushing open the door. A small bell dinged from the top of the doorway as it hit the opening door. A rather old looking man with white hair and large round spectacles perched upon the bridge of his nose looked up from the old volume he was inspecting with a magnifying glass.

“Hello, Nick,” Riza said, walking up the counter, with Joseph following closely behind, observing the dustiness of the place. It smelled slightly of wet dog.

The old man nodded towards Riza. “What can I do for you at this hour? Leisure or business?” he suddenly asked, his face turning darker. “Business,” Riza replied. “We’re looking for a man named Sleven Sloan. Know where he lives?”

“Sloan…Sloan….” the old man pondered, rubbing his chin. “I believe he lives in a big white house on Lakeview Street. Victorian design. You can’t miss it.”

Riza smiled and bent over to give him a kiss on the cheek. “Ok, let’s go,” she said, yanking Joseph out of the store by the arm. They started to walk, with Joseph looking behind them every few minutes to make sure they weren’t being followed. After about 10 minutes of brisk walking, they arrived in front of a large Victorian house.

“The door’s open,” Joseph observed as they made their way up closer. “Let’s be careful. I’ll go in first.”

Riza Hawkeye
Riza Hawkeye
First Nomad

May-2-2010 21:22

“Alright,” Riza said, drawing her gun. They made their way up the steps in front of the house. Joseph slowly poked his gun in the door, followed by his head as he looked around. “Follow me,” he whispered. They crept through the ground floor of the dark house. Every creak of the floorboards put them on edge because it was strangely quiet…perhaps a bit too quiet.

A minute later they came upon a figure sprawled on the ground in front of them. They looked at each other.

Joseph Zeo
Joseph Zeo
Tale Spinner

May-2-2010 22:08

Riza then tried for the light switch but the room remained dark. Zeo took out his flash light and examined the room. "Someone shot the lamp and blew off the bulb," Zeo remarked as he approached the small bullet hole in the wall, "and this... is a .45."

"Marc?" Riza exclaimed.

"I sure hope not." Zeo said solemnly.

Riza knelt and examined the body. The tall figure had both his knee caps shattered. He suffered multiple fracture on his skull and his right eye socket was mushed to a pulp. "It looked like Marc did it alright, he might as well put his signature on it."

Zeo ran his fist to the wall and the room shook. "What the hell are you doing my friend?" Zeo muttered to himself, then he stood tall and told Riza, "I'm reporting this to the authority."

"Are you out of your mind?" Riza walked toward Zeo, but he only turned away to head for the phone.

"This investigation is getting out of hand. We cannot allow people to die like this, no even if they turn out to be scums." Zeo picked up the receiver and dailed, "and you know I used to be a cop."

"But--" Riza wanted to say 'but you're not anymore' when Zeo spoke up.

"Hello, it's me. Yeah.... good. But before you tell me the address, I need to report on a dead body. 7 Lakeview Street, it's a white Victorian house. No, I have no idea who he is, but this is Sleven Sloan's house... no... I don't know who did it either... His body's getting cold when we found it..."

Riza smiled to herself. Rigid as Zeo was, he still covered for his friend. When Zeo was done on the phone, he turned around with a glint on his eyes. The man was determined.

"New lead. My old bureau pal traced Marc's call. It's from the house of someone named David Rodgers, and guess what? My friend found out he's Simone and Johnny's cousin." Zeo said.

"I just hope we're not too late." Riza said as the two hurried off.

Molly Maltese
Molly Maltese
Old Shoe

May-4-2010 08:40

There was no one there.

With a raise of her eyebrows, Molly holstered her gun and moved into the front room, casting an experienced eye around. The door had creaked open wider with a gust of wind, and must have made that noise.

"Don't get jumpy now, gal." she advised herself, and turned to survey the last couple of rooms. In one, she found the oddest thing.

Moving to a nearby table, she gingerly picked up a brown wig and eyeballed it with mixed feelings of disgust and curiosity.

"What on earth?" she deliberated for a moment, examining it closely, then set it down on the table, filing away the information for a later date. She would ask Simone about it when she saw her next.

"Well, back to my flat it is." she whispered to herself, and walked away, humming lightly.

*back at Mollys*

Molly let herself in her door, which she noticed was unlocked. This immediately raised her suspicions, and she listened intently to discover muffled sounds coming from her kitchen.

She walked in and surveyed a number of things in quick sucession. One, a bloody man was tied up and seated in a chair, Vulkie was seated nearby, and there was a very familiar package sitting on the table. No one moved for a tense second.

"Did you eat all my snacks?" Molly said mournfully, her eyes on the empty package in the middle of her table. "Those were my very favorite, you know."

Vulkie3
Vulkie3
Haynes

May-4-2010 09:10

"Wh... Where.. Where am I?" Tony asked, looking directly towards Vulkie. She blinked with her eyes and said : "You're at a safe place. At least, for now. You will have to wait until my friend returns to her home. She'll make it very comfy for you" Vulkie replied and took a small biscuit from the package that Joseph and Riza had discovered, to go with the coffee.

"You know, I always had a fancy for mob guys. Remembers me of Lucky..." Vulkie murmered, as she took a bite of the biscuit she had just taken out of the package.

"You mean Luciano? Lucky Luciano? You are that b*tch that betrayed him, right? Yeah, I remember it. Lucky was furious when he heard you betrayed him! You are a small part of his exile, you b*tch!" Tony shouted furiously.

Vulkie gave him a slap in his face. "I didn't betray him! I gladly took the money he offered me, to set up my friends. But it made me regret... so, that's why I betrayed him!" Vulkie said, as she looked furiously towards Tony, who swallowed a bit. He remembered the cold face that Vulkie had in his apartment.

Suddenly, someone opened the front door. "You shut your mouth, got it?" Vulkie murmered, as she took her gun out and placed it next to her, nearby the kitchen sink.

Tony nodded and Vulkie waited for the person to enter. As the person entered, Vulkie immediately recognized Molly.

"Did you eat all my snacks?" Molly asked mournfully, her eyes on the empty package in the middle of her table. "Those were my very favorite, you know."

"Sorry Molly. Joseph and Riza found the package, and made it open, to discover some biscuits. I couldn't refuse and they also couldn't refuse to take some.." Vulkie replied.

"You owe me a package then." Molly replied, looking a bit angry at Vulkie. (cont.)

Vulkie3
Vulkie3
Haynes

May-4-2010 09:20

"Well, I got some company for you. I thought you were lonely and I brought a guest with me. Meet Tony. Tony, Molly, Molly, Tony. He's going to stay with you for a few days. He's our bargain for our latest case" Vulkie said and she explained what happened, from the movie studio till Tony's apartment and Dr Hoo's treatment.

"Right... So let me get this clear. You are helping Joseph, Marc and Riza to solve a mysterious threatening note case, in which a famous movie actress is involved. Her brother made some pictures of girls in an "embarrising" position, he threatened LCN and got killed. We don't know who's involved, we only know about a woman with brown bushy hair and a pair of sunglasses is involved in this case... Meanwhile, you decided to keep Tony alive as a bargain?" Molly said, as she took some deep breaths while she recapitulated the story Vulkie explained.

"That's about it" Vulkie said. "Then I may have found an important clue... It's still left at Simone's house, she's a dear friend of mine, you know..." Molly began, but Vulkie interrupted her.

"What kind of clue?" Vulkie asked impatiently. "It's rude to interrupt people when they're telling of one of their friends, you know... Anyway, I found a wig there.. And it fits the description. A brown wig, bit bushy..." Molly said.

"Great work Molly. Say, can you stay with our dear friend Tony here. I get the feeling you and he can get along very well. Then I'll pop of to Simone's villa. You happen to know the address?" Vulkie asked.

Molly wrote the address down on a piece of paper. Vulkie picked her gun up, stashed it back to the place where she kept it and said : "If Joseph shows up, tell him where I'm off to. Otherwise, I'll try to phone him..." Vulkie said.

Molly looked up at her, still furious about her package. "I'll try so. Good luck" Molly said and Vulkie went off to Simone's villa..

Molly Maltese
Molly Maltese
Old Shoe

May-12-2010 13:12

Silence fell over the kitchen as Vulkie departed, and Molly slowly crossed her arms and studied Tony with a blatantly appraising look.

"Why are you in my kitchen?" she asked finally, tilting her head, green eyes flicking over the man curiously. "You look like hell." she added. The Italian man rolled his head back to stare at her defiantly.

"Your lunatic friends brought me here. Called it a safehouse." he snarled.

"And who did that to you?" she asked, waving a hand at his injuries.

"Some crazy woman. Boots. Crazy eyes." he said, and Molly smiled in a thin-lipped way.

"I imagine you mean Riza Hawkeye. She is not one to cross." she said thoughtfully, then pulled up a chair and sat close to him, cradling her small pointed chin in one hand.

"What were they looking for?"

"Like I'm going to tell you!" he said gruffly, but Molly merely crooked one side of her mouth.

"I could just call and ask my friends. I rather figured you'd want to be spared the humiliation of not being in control of what happens to you, or indeed what you can tell me by yourself."

"They were asking about a job I did a while back on a guy named Johnny, and... some photos."

"Photos of?"

"Hell if I know."

"Tony." Molly said after a pause. "I don't believe you."

The silence stretched on.

"You know, I'm sure you heard one or more of those 'friends' of mine as you call them, state emphatically that I'm not particularly a friend. Joseph Zeo, I daresay." a flicker in his eyes confirmed her suspicion. "And, I happen to know you from the crowd at LCN. Lets just say, you can call me a friend of a friend. Now, I'm just as interested in protecting my benefits from...my friends at LCN as you are. If this mess was cleared up, well, it would be best for us, don't you think? So perhaps you ought to tell me what you do know, and I'll see what I can do about it."

Tony looked at her appraisingly, and she could tell by his expression that he now recognized her. With a deep breath, he leaned close...

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