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Post by skybright on Mar 22, 2006 23:55:49 GMT -5
The journey uptown to Tiernan Enterprises and the terse exchange with the blonde secretary was starting to feel familiar.
Daws wasn't sure she liked that feeling.
As she waited for the secretary to hear back through her headset from whoever-it-was Upstairs, Daws tapped a manila folder casually on the expensive marble top of the reception desk. Inside the folder was a printout of Miriam Van Linden's latest credit-card bill, a few reciepts from her bank account, and a blurry ATM security photo of the Doctor with close-cropped hair and dark glasses.
That last had been Jai's idea; he'd lifted and expertly manipulated a photograph of the Doc onto an ATM shot ofa woman with an almost identical build -- explaining, shyly but proudly, that no technician in the world would ever be able to detect the forgery. It added a nice note of solidity to the thin sheaf of papers and the even thinner story Daws had to back it up.
As the secretary calmly went on ignoring Daws and waiting for confirmation, Daws did her best to calm her racing mind. There was a certain adrenaline rush from any case, of course -- and she'd be lying to say she didn't thrive on it -- but this case was something else entirely. Any wrong move on her part, or any lucky guess on Tiernan's, would spell messy and painful death for her and a lot of people she'd started to care a lot about. It was nerve-wracking in a way that ordinary detective work had never been.
And you keep dwellin' on it like this, you'll give yourself an ulcer, Ace. She chided herself wryly, It's just the job. Calm down and do it.
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Post by Jordanna on Mar 23, 2006 0:11:20 GMT -5
After Daws' request to see Tiernan was relayed, Cinders appeared in the lobby to escort her to the garden.
Tiernan was once again lounging among his flowers, with a folder full of nebulous expense reports in his hands, and a flock of pigeons at his feet. The birds startled and scattered at the arrival of a feline being, but Tiernan merely looked up with an indolent smile.
"Ah, Miss Dawson. Good. I sent for you only a few minutes ago, but I presume you're here of your own accord. I've a bit of work to discuss with you. But let's hear your news, first."
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Post by skybright on Mar 23, 2006 0:19:13 GMT -5
Daws pushed her fedora back and nodded. "I've dug up a little on Miriam Van Linden -- figured you'd want an update. I snuck by her apartment a couple nights ago; she'd already packed up and split, probably a day or two before I got there. So I did a little scrounging and came up with some paperwork." She waved the folder nonchalantly.
"It isn't much; looks like she used her credit card a couple times before she wised up and withdrew cash from her bank account instead. But it's all in-City; if she's planning on splittin' town, she hasn't done so yet."
She half-shrugged and added "I saw that bit you put in the paper. I've got to tell you I don't think she'll fall for it -- but then, I figure you probably already know that."
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Post by Jordanna on Mar 23, 2006 21:27:57 GMT -5
Tiernan nodded, taking the folder from Daws. "That was merely a bit of image enhancement--and a slight touch of insurance, in case we aren't the first to find Doctor Van Linden." He smiled darkly. "A woman who would level criminal accusations at a man who wanted to help her must surely be insane."
He set the folder on the bench beside him, without looking at it. "Of course, I do intend to be the first to capture her... and I have a new plan to that end. That's why I wanted to see you."
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Post by skybright on Mar 24, 2006 14:11:29 GMT -5
Daws nodded slowly. "All right." She shrugged one shoulder, "You're payin' the bills on this case. What does this 'plan' of yours entail?"
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Post by Jordanna on Mar 24, 2006 22:18:21 GMT -5
"You're no doubt aware that Doctor Van Linden has parents who live in Kansas," Tiernan replied. "Naturally, they're distraught over the fact that their daughter is being sought as a murder suspect. I've learned that they've come to New York--though what they expect to do here, I can't say."
Tiernan smiled ominously. "In any case, my plan is to... detain Mr. and Mrs. Van Linden. At three AM tonight, my agents will take them from their room at the Hilton--and I want you to be part of the job."
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Post by skybright on Mar 25, 2006 0:06:01 GMT -5
Holy Mary, Mother of . . . Daws bit back on a snarl of disbelief and rage, feeling her blood boil. She fought to keep her voice neutral and her tail from lashing as she said quietly "Precisely what d'ya mean by 'part of the job'? Strong-arm work isn't exactly my line."
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Post by Jordanna on Mar 25, 2006 21:35:11 GMT -5
"I need reconnoissance on the security at the hotel," Tiernan replied. "I realize you're likely to... shall we say, 'stand out' in such a place... but this calls for someone with more observancy than George.
"If you find it expedient, you may even call on the Van Lindens personally, and tell them you're searching for their daughter on my behalf--for philanthropic reasons, of course. The statement I gave to the newspaper will legitimize that."
He smiled. "If you care to gain their trust, and bring them here to meet me without the knowledge of the police... well, it would save my agents a much messier and more complicated course of action tonight. But that's for you to decide. If you only want to involve yourself so far as to gather information for me, so be it."
Reaching beneath his suit jacket, he produced a well-padded envelope. "If any bribes are called for, use this. You may keep the excess as your commission for the job."
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Post by skybright on Mar 25, 2006 22:32:36 GMT -5
Daws gritted her teeth and took the envelope from Tiernan, slipping it into the inner pocket of her coat. Then she lashed her tail once and said quietly "It's not bein' involved with your end that concerns me, Mister Tiernan. Lemme reiterate that a couple humans more or less doesn't bother me any; but if they end up . . . damaged . . . and I was the last one seen with 'em, that puts me in some pretty dicey spots.
"If me bringing them here keeps the cops out initially -- makes finding Van Linden faster and easier -- then I'm all for it. But what assurance would I have that the cops won't end up involved later -- with my tail on their most-wanted list?"
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Post by Jordanna on Mar 25, 2006 23:06:54 GMT -5
Tiernan leaned forward, a hard, malevolent glitter in his eyes.
"Miss Dawson, you've seen that I protect my own. That includes you. I have no intention of losing a valuable agent such as you to the police--and I won't repeat the mistake that led Doctor Van Linden to me. You can rest assured that when her parents are brought here, they will never be seen again, alive or otherwise... and when their daughter comes to exchange herself for them, neither will she."
He leaned back again, spreading his hands. "There's no need to worry about how the news of her parents will reach Van Linden. If she has any access to the news, she'll soon hear of her parents' arrival--and their disappearance. She will know to come to me, I have no doubt." His lips twitched. "In time, the police will receive evidence that her parents found her, and they fled the country together."
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Post by skybright on Mar 25, 2006 23:16:34 GMT -5
Daws' throat felt dry. She nodded slowly, but it took a moment before she felt capable of speaking without snarling. Finally she said "Good enough for me. "
She pulled her fedora lower over her eyes. "I'll do my best to get Van Linden's folks here without a fuss. But if I can't do that, you'll have the information on the hotel's security by midnight. That be satisfactory?"
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Post by Jordanna on Mar 25, 2006 23:20:39 GMT -5
"Quite." With a languid stretch, Tiernan picked up the folder Daws had brought him, and finally began to leaf through it. "As always, a pleasure doing business with you, Miss Dawson."
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Post by skybright on Mar 25, 2006 23:46:12 GMT -5
"Likewise, Mister Tiernan." Daws (quite literally) turned tail and left the garden, trying to keep her pace at "businesslike stride" despite the fact that it kept edging closer to "extremely disconcerted retreat".
She put a good three blocks between herself and the Tiernan Enterprises building before she slumped against the chilly granite face of an insurance office, feeling exhausted. Daws raised a hand to rub her face, only to notice with a start that she'd started trembling.
Pull yourself together, Ace. Take a deep breath and get a grip on the situation. She closed her eyes and did so, shutting out the curious glances of the uptown passers-by. After a moment, she opened them again and fished into her coat pocket for a cigarette and a match.
She should call Alex, the Doc and the others right now. She should call the Hilton and warn the Van Lindens. She should dash down to Our Lady and ask for the Padre's advice. She should call the cops. She should . . . find the nearest bar and have a stiff drink.
That last suggestion was more her hard-drinking late partner talking than Daws; but at the moment, it was still tempting. Daws studied the patterns of cigarette smoke curling around her hatbrim and considered her options.
Any authorities tipped off, or the Van Lindens warned ahead of time, meant her cover blown and herself dead in the East River.
Going along with Tiernan meant the Van Lindens (and most likely the Doc) dead in the East River.
Calling the other members of the resistance could conceivably mean all of them dead in the East River.
An uncomfortable number of the choices in her life had suddenly started to involve the East River.
Daws straightened, flicked the stub of her cigarette into the gutter (ignoring the glare from a well-dressed passerby) and settled her fedora on her head. A quick glance at her watch showed only a few minutes before noon. She took a quick glance at her surroundings and then strode resolutely for the nearest subway station.
They didn't have a lot of time.
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