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Elizabeth March
Elizabeth March
Sleuth About Town

Jan-9-2013 07:52

(Missed this space. Maybe we can revive it. I sure hope so. Not a great start, but should anyone join, I'd be really happy.)

It had been a long run.
Travelling all over the world to chase after Lazarus Metzger had been tired.
All she wanted now was to sleep.
As the young woman entered the small apartment building, she laughed quietly to herself.
One more time, she repeated her favourite sentence.
"Reformed burglars never sleep, dear."
Locking the door behind her, Elizabeth March - at least that was how she was known at the moment - got rid of her shoes and took a deep sigh.
Fixing herself a drink, she walked up to her desk. Pieces of paper were there, just like she had left them... right?
"Whatever they wanted, they didn't find it. Doesn't matter."
Nobody had broken in. So the only possible conclusion was that someone had paid - well - for her key. Not important. The money in the drawer was there, to the last penny. It wasn't cash they were after.
After a softly mumbled curse, she went in the bathroom for a long bath. And then, out back in the street.
The Tricky Mister was the place when you needed information - or maybe even bumping into an old friend.

Replies

Gremmykins
Gremmykins
Washed Up Punter

Feb-12-2013 15:48

leave a bit earlier before the sun rises and fly as a bat. It is uncommon to see a bat in the daytime, but more likely of a situation than seeing a vampire. Her face wrinkles into a frown, guess she’ll have to take a cab. She hauls herself off the bed and prepares to head out.

The cabbie is extremely surprised at her request. The person in the backseat of his cab does not look like the type of person to be mixed in with the mafia.

“You’s saws you’s wanna go der?” Typical New York accent, mimicry helps Grem here.

“Acwas. (Of course)” she rolls her eyes.

“Shores ding laydee. (Sure thing lady)”

(to be continued)

Gremmykins
Gremmykins
Washed Up Punter

Feb-13-2013 17:13

An hour later after traffic, Grem reaches her destination. She hands the driver the fare and a small tip. Isabella better cover the travel expenses if she expected her to investigate in the daytime. Not drawing attention to herself, to travel from the heart of Manhattan to the outskirts is ridiculously expensive. She didn't care about personal wealth too much, but she needs the funds to appear 'normal'. The entrance to the Riolo estate is blocked by a brick wall, it also surrounds the property. Grem looks up at the gate. The least of her worries. She presses the button on the call box.
 
       A thick Italian accent barked at her."Posso aiutarti."
       
       "Inspector Grem. I'm here to...discuss Maria."
 
       A  long silence. "Un momento."
 
       The gates creaks loudly as they separate. She starts the journey up the big hill. On her way up, Grem glances at the surroundings again for clues on environmental factors. The gardener takes good care of the property. Roses from every direction conceals any would be foul scents. She would be surprised if she left this place without smelling like a rose. Maybe even the scent of a dead corpse.  

From a distance she hears the angry barks of the pack of dogs that the family kept. The most angry Rottweilers that she has ever encountered. It's becoming quite a fad for mafia families to keep a pack of dogs around to intimidate. Grem has met dogs that were all bark but no bite. These dogs though, they were bark and bite. If any of those rabid things ever do bite her, Grem will have a good idea of whom to feed on next. She doubts that they would 'dispose' of any evidence. As mean as they are, they loved little Maria. They usually surrounded her with protection, why weren't they there? Hmm, either they were familiar with the murderer or they were drugged prior to everything that happened.

Gremmykins
Gremmykins
Washed Up Punter

Feb-13-2013 17:17

Grem reaches the front door to the Riolo mansion. She picks up the brass knocker in the mouth of a lion's head and pounds the wooden door. The sound of barking becomes more audible, in fact it sounds like it came from the corner of the mansion. Luckily for her, Nonna Giovanna opened the door. "Come in come in!" Giovanna ushers her in. "Haven't seen you in long time, how you?" she takes off Grem's coat and gestures for her to take off her shoes. If Grem didn't know beforehand what type of family lives here, she would have thought this is just another wealthy family in Manhattan. 
 
       "I've been well, Giova-"
       "Please! Call me nonna!"
       "Okay. Thank you, Nonna."
 
       The tiny hunched nonna takes her hand and pulls Grem across the marble flooring. "You so cold! And skinny! Nonna make gnocchi last night, I give you!"
       "No no, nonna..I'm here to see  Lorenzo. I don't have time to eat right now."
Nonna frowned, as if her feelings are hurt. "That no good son of mine did something bad again ah?!"
       "It's..about Maria. I'm having another look at the case."
Nonna turns white as a sheet and gripps Grem's hand tighter. "My little, Maria!" she weeps. "WHO WOULD DO SUCH A THING TO THE BABY." she sobs.
 
       Grem looks around awkwardly and attempts to tug her hand free. Nonna throws herself into Grem's arms and continues to shed tears. Grem isn't a tall person herself, but at 5 feet she still towers over the little grandmother. From the balcony upstairs, "MA! Cosa, mama?!"
       Grem looks up and into the eyes of Lorenzo Riolo. 6 foot tall, slicked back hair, and held together by an expensive italian suit.   His lips curls and snarls at her. "Detective, you give up on our Maria and dare to come back to my home?"
       "Actually, Mr. Riolo, I'm having another look at Maria's case. I have a new lead that I want to follow."

Gremmykins
Gremmykins
Washed Up Punter

Feb-13-2013 17:18

Nonna gets a hold of herself and shuffles to the kitchen again, wiping her tears on her floral apron. Lorenzo's snarl now became a frown.  "So why are you here?" he demanded.
         Now comes the hard part. "I need Maria to be exhumed."
       "WHAT?! How will her body help you now?! It is probably nothing but bones now, you understands?!"
         "Lorenzo, it's been less than a month since her death. I noticed that you placed Maria in a beautiful coffin. Sealed tightly in the box should mean that...there are more than bones still."
 
Lorenzo curses loudly, two men step out from the door behind him, each wields a tommy gun. "Ferma." he holds up a hand. The men lower their guns and step back behind Lorenzo. "Detective, you better know what you are doing or the pooches will have a fine feast." He stomps down the stairs, pointing at Grem as he speaks. "Not a WORD to Angelica about Maria being exhumed. You can ask all dem pointless questions but do NOT tell her about Maria's body."
He reaches Grem and grabs her shoulders. Calm down, calm down, calm down. Don't react. Don't react. "Tu capisci?!"
       "Yes, I understand."
       "You better understand. Her coffin will be pulled out  by tomorrow night. That is all the time you will get. Now, GET OUT."
 
       Grem, though tempted to run, power walks out the door. She walks down to the bottom of the property and looks around, she couldn't smell the presence of another person, the coast is clear to shift.

Gremmykins
Gremmykins
Washed Up Punter

Feb-13-2013 17:19

Grem returns to her studio, hoping that she left the window open. Ah-yes she did. The bat flies into her bedroom and shifts again to her humanoid form. Now what? Feeding sounds pretty good. It is still daytime, and she is very hungry. Hunting right now and bringing back an animal corpse will look very bad. She sighs. She would have to wait until late night. She lays her body onto the bed again, she crosses her hands onto her chest, and closes her eyes again.
 
       Time passes quickly in reality, though to Grem time now passes slowly relative to how long she had returned  from the grave. A faint knocking raises Grem's awareness. Her hunger nearly sends her toward predator mode. Calm down. Calm down. She waits a few seconds before blurring to the door. This studio is so much worse than the living spaces floors and floors above her. The door didn't have a  peep hole. She could handle herself, but she feels bad for those that can't stop an attack. Grem pauses and gently inhales. The scent is familiar. She opens the door. It's the woman from the night before.  

Lawliettine
Lawliettine
Trusted Informer

Feb-15-2013 06:18

Lawliettine pulls the mauve sweater around herself as the door opens and a draught hits her from inside the studio. She pauses for a few seconds, as she takes in the sight of Grem, looking pallid and drawn. Sheesh. She sure hopes this isn't a bad time to entertain an unnanounced and barely familiar 8 o' clock guest.

"I'm sure you remember me from yesterday. Neither of us is that easy to forget. So no introduction needed." She laughs warmly.

"I was wrapped up in a case today, and not one that makes for a good topic of conversation. And by the looks of it, you're exhausted so I assume you were just as busy today. If you don't mind my saying."

She holds out a somewhat large paper box. It was something she just happened to pick up from the new restaurant on the way. The aroma is so delicious that she had had to exercise immense self control not to devour it herself. Wouldn't be very polite, after all.

" I'm not sure what you like eating, and I'm not sure how well it's seasoned." Another small giggle. "I don't think they had the kind of seasoning you'd normally like. I just decided to opt for something simple. Roast chicken."

Gremmykins
Gremmykins
Washed Up Punter

Feb-15-2013 22:52

“Of course I remember you.” Grem says with a weak smile.

She grinds her teeth together, how she wishes she could just take a drink out of her! Just a little bit…not enough to kill- control yourself! So the shifter was working today as well. She glances at the mauve sweater and the loose fit on her, suggesting that Lawliettine shifts in her detective work. Hmm…

Her thoughts are interrupted Lawliettine holds up a box. Grem nervously chuckles. That was surely not something from Sami’s! To her relief, after a while the smell of Greek cuisine lingers on one’s clothing. She is hungry, but not for that sustenance. Still, Lawliettine made a point of visiting her which she appreciates. Her mentor had taught her well enough to control herself in front of others. It would be rude to not invite the sleuth in.

“Please, come in.” she gestures Lawliettine inside.

Immediately she feels regret that she does not live in the place to its full extent. The walls are bare, except for a clock that hung too close to the ceiling. The only furniture in the combined living room and kitchen is a new loveseat. But even that still had the plastic wrap from the day she bought it. On the floor is the rotary dial. The kitchen is oddly clean, never in use. A few disposable plates, cups and utensils left over from the previous tenants rest on the counter.

Grem speeds to the couch and rips off the plastic and gags on the smell of new couch. She then speeds to the disposable stuff. “I hope you do not mind water.” She says with small smile “Unlike Cyrus, the only thing I have on tap is this."

If she is to make any new friends in this city, she should be considering on at least making the place look slightly lived in. This place is depressing, but really when you are dead you do not need much anymore. Grem holds up the paper cups and shuffles towards the only seating area.


Lawliettine
Lawliettine
Trusted Informer

Mar-13-2013 01:39

Lawliettine perches on the couch as she sets aside the box on one broad arm. A low rumble is heard in the room and she clutches her stomach, smiling sheepishly.

"Sorry 'bout that, Grem. I suppose I was thinking more about what I like to eat instead of what you like, when I bought that. I guess we could put that to some other use then."

She extends an arm to take the cup offered. "Thank you. I'd never say no to the elixir of life. Except when I'm drowning. I have a phobia of drowning."

She took a couple of long sips to quench her thirst, and then looked up to notice the vampire watching her keenly. There was an anguish underlying the traces of hunger and tiredness. Nonetheless, when she was being a polite hostess, Lawliettine could be a more considerate guest.

"You look troubled." She gently tilted the paper cup, making the water swirl. "Perhaps you could tell me? That is, if it doesn't delay your dinner."

Gremmykins
Gremmykins
Washed Up Punter

Mar-13-2013 02:22

Grem eyes Lawliettine’s arm as it stretches to take the cup. She images herself sinking her teeth in for just one drink… uncontrollably her fangs reveal themselves. She blinks twice before taking notice that she had been asked a question and retracts her fangs. Grem plants her behind on the arm of the couch and takes a breath. “I don’t think that you would be able to guess what I’d prefer, but thank you for coming by nonetheless.”

Well, that isn’t the only thing that is on Grem’s mind. The trail of the case had gone cold and there doesn’t seem to be any opportunity to open any new leads.

“I had just returned from working on a case that I could not refuse. The client didn’t give me a choice.”

She cursed silently underneath her breath, remembering Isabella’s goons screaming ‘No cops!’ But wait a second… A smile crept on Grem’s face as she recalls Lawliettine mentioning that she is a private detective. Grem hasn’t broken Isabella’s rules as a P.I is definitely not a cop. The amount of sleuths in the city had escalated when the public learned of corruption in the NYPD. Individuals took this matter into their own hands. Some make a decent living out of investigation, and some are just want a quick buck. No chance that any sleuth would cooperate with the men in uniform.

“Are you familiar with the Riolo case? The police are trying to keep this one out of the public as well as they can. I’m not sure how well they have done in keeping this one under wraps. I am struggling with this case because there is little evidence that has not been contaminated.”

Grem rubs her eyes. “Forgive me for mentioning the case. Although the topic is nothing new a sleuth such as yourself…I wouldn’t want to spoil your appetite. Please, do enjoy your dinner.”

How rude, if Lawliettine is familiar with the case she probably had lost her appetite thinking about Maria Riolo’s body.


Lawliettine
Lawliettine
Trusted Informer

Mar-17-2013 01:26

Lawliettine's nose for danger often overrules her appetite, but this time she smiles gratefully at Grem and reaches out for the box. The rich aroma makes her stomach growl.

"I suppose we have enough time, I don't think I'm going anywhere until my dinner's done, so you can tell me."

She takes a bite of the succulent chicken and swallows, before continuing.

The Riolo case... Can't say I haven't heard of it. Most people in the sleuthing circles have, I believe. The question is, how much does one know?

"Since I wasn't engaged in the case, I didn't know any of the classified information. Neither did I get a look at the crime scene photos obviously.

However I did hear very little of it. Political bitterness, feuds and all that. And a little girl caught in the crossfire. Perhaps you can enlighten me further? "

She takes another heart bite. "Oh, and what do you know, that new restaurant isn't so bad after all."

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