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Post by skybright on Apr 3, 2006 17:51:22 GMT -5
David Bell didn't think of himself as a brave man. He had, in fact, only joined the NYPD because it was a longstanding family tradition; and he'd secured himself a position as a desk sergeant as soon as it was humanly -- well, mutantly -- possible. He wasn't brave -- and he was okay with that.
But then there were people like Regina Dawson, who with a few well-placed words could suddenly make him not okay with that -- and could then convince him to do something about it. Bell fidgeted nervously with the small slip of paper that held the pager number Dawson had given him earlier. He didn't know exactly why it was so important to the private detective that Tom and Irene Van Linden be spirited out of the station house -- and he was frankly happier not knowing.
All he knew was that he owed Dawson, and that he'd be happier still when this whole thing was done with.
The Van Lindens had been escorted in and settled into an interrogation room by Detective Sergeant Arborgast; his partner, Simpson, had yet to arrive with Regina Dawson -- and that worried Bell.
A scuffle at the precinct door drew his attention, and Bell looked up sharply. Speak of the devil . . .
The big, shambling Detective Sergeant was hauling an unmistakable figure through the station door by the collar of her trenchcoat, scowling and muttering blackly under his breath. Several uniformed officers followed them in, including a pair who were escorting a handcuffed, protesting little man with pointed teeth.
Daws' hat had been knocked askew and she was snarling at Detective Simpson, who nursed a bleeding hand as he shoved the private eye against Bell's desk.
"Looka this. She bit me. The little -- " Simpson loosed a torrent of profanity, "Bit me!"
"What can I say?" Dawson spat, "I've got a taste for moron."
Simpson growled dangerously. "Book 'er, Dave -- assault on an officer, obstruction, an' suspicion a' withholdin' evidence."
"You'd better make that aggravated assault, Sergeant," Dawson said mildly, without looking at Bell. "The Detective Sergeant's leavin' out the part where he tried to strangle me with that hand."
Simpson shoved the private eye again and motioned to one of the uniforms who had followed him in. "Come keep an eye on the alleycat, willya? I'm gonna go get this looked at . . ." He scowled at Daws once again before he vanished down an adjoining corridor.
Bell studiously avoided eye contact with the mutant detective as the other officer unlocked Daws' handcuffs and allowed Bell to go about the (futile) process of fingerprinting her. Only when the uniform was momentarily called away did Bell mutter "You had to provoke him."
"Provoke is not the word I'd use, exactly." Daws answered, rubbing at her aching wrist. "But I did have t'make sure I'd be here a while."
"I hope you know what you're doing." Bell sighed, waving the fingerprint card so the ink would dry more quickly.
Daws looked about to reply, but before she could the uniform returned and refastened the handcuffs, leading the mutant detective off towards the holding cells.
Bell sighed and looked up -- down, actually -- at the wiry, nervous man with the sharp teeth that had come in with Simpson and Daws. He glanced at the uniformed officers restraining the little man. "What's his story?"
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Post by Jordanna on Apr 3, 2006 21:30:17 GMT -5
George glared at Bell. He knew that invoking the name of his employer would soon secure his release, but this entire ordeal was still tremendously irritating and embarrassing.
"Name's George Stubbs. I was callin' on the Van Lindens on behalf of Nicholas Tiernan. Y'know 'e's offered to get their girl defended if she gives 'erself up. I was there to ask 'em to meet with 'im about that."
He didn't bother to include Daws in the explanation, although he knew Nocturne would apply the same story to her when he had them both bailed out. As far as he was concerned, the longer she had to sit around in jail without the specter of Tiernan's name to improve her treatment, the better.
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Post by skybright on Apr 4, 2006 21:14:45 GMT -5
Tiernan. Of course. Because when Dawson drags me into something it has to be mixed up with the world's most powerful mutant philanthropist. Bell sighed and nodded at one of the uniforms. "All right, take him back to Holding until I can get Simpson to tell me what I should book him for."
As the two officers complied, Bell glanced down at the slip of paper in his hand, then to the phone. He sighed again.
Better wait a bit before I call . . . . He glanced down the corridor towards the holding cells, musing that he'd probably be a lot more concerned for Regina Dawson's general welfare if she didn't keep getting him mixed up in cases that might expose him for a mutant . . . .
***
Daws leaned her head back against the cement wall of the holding cell, having given up on finding a comfortable way to sit with her hands still cuffed behind her back. Simpson had wrenched her shoulder pretty hard, and her throat ached from where he'd grabbed her earlier -- in retrospect, that crack about his parentage might've been a bad idea. But at least she'd managed to get herself booked on charges that wouldn't be easily dropped -- meaning she'd be 'safe' (relatively speaking) in jail when Alex and Sid took the Van Lindens out of here.
Before she could follow that line of thought any further -- to what she imagined would be a long night of fretting over the success of her friends' part of the escape -- a familiar voice and the rattle of keys grabbed her attention.
Stepping past the uniformed cop standing guard, Sergeant Arborgast sauntered into the holding cell with a smirk, shaking his head in mock-disappointment. "Y'know Simpson's gonna need stitches on that hand."
Daws clambered somewhat clumsily to her feet. "You think he's got problems? I'm gonna have the taste of Unwashed Cop in my mouth all night."
Arborgast made a chiding noise as he moved closer. "Simpson's taken over questioning the Van Lindens. But," he grinned ferally, revealing too-white teeth, "Don't think I can't handle this end of things."
Daws chuckled. "Oh, believe me, I know better than that. I've seen how you handle uncooperative witnesses -- Detective Sergeant."
"Word to the wise." Arborgast murmured, "Reminding me of the demotion you were responsible for? Probably not the best idea right now."
Without waiting for a response, Arborgast drove his fist into Daw's abdomen. The detective doubled over in pain, gasping. Arborgast gripped the collar of her trenchcoat and leaned over her, his voice still low and menacing.
"Where's Miriam Van Linden?"
Daws, still to winded to reply, merely shut her eyes and snarled at the cop.
Oh, it's gonna be a loooong night . . .
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Post by Jordanna on Apr 4, 2006 22:04:56 GMT -5
"Stop looking so nervous," Alex murmured to Sid, as they climbed the steps of the police station. "You can get away with anything if you just look like you know what you're doing."
His friend shot him an unhappy look, but managed to rein in his nervously shifting glances.
At least in appearance, the two made more than convincing cops. Sid did little more than slouch and look surly. As a minor local celebrity, Alex had taken the greater pains to disguise his appearance; his trademark reddish hair was almost completely hidden by his cap, and he was wearing a pair of reading glasses that had belonged to Sid's late wife. After some experimentation, he had settled on a flat, rather nasal voice with a strong New York accent. Chewing a wad of gum and sporting a bored, impatient demeanor, he gave the impression of a hick upstart who had bought his police career with family money.
At the door, he met Sid's gaze and they nodded to each other. Then, with Alex leading, they marched in and belligerently made for the front desk.
"Who's in charge around here?" Alex growled.
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Post by skybright on Apr 4, 2006 22:10:34 GMT -5
Sergeant Bell raised his eyebrows at the bespectacled officer. "Uh, I'm the desk officer on duty," He glanced at the man's uniform and added hastily "Lieutenant. Sergeant David Bell -- What can I do for you?"
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Post by Jordanna on Apr 4, 2006 22:21:15 GMT -5
Barely looking at Bell, Alex slapped his handful of forged paperwork down on the desk. "Heard you picked up a coupla witnesses connected to the morgue murder. That's our precinct, an' we got dibs. We're here ta take 'em off your hands."
Also without looking, he reached over and yanked on the shirt collar of Sid, who was industriously investigating a box of stale doughnuts at the other end of the desk. Sid made a miffed noise and glared at him.
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Post by skybright on Apr 4, 2006 22:26:46 GMT -5
"Right." Bell breathed an inward sigh of relief. These were Dawson's people, then -- which meant that hopefully, this whole thing would be over with relatively quickly.
He went through the motions of examining the paperwork, then pushed back from his desk and motioned to the two men. "Right this way, Lieutenants."
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Post by Jordanna on Apr 4, 2006 22:37:43 GMT -5
With Sid trailing slightly behind, Alex followed Bell down a hall to an interrogation room. A less-than-intelligent-looking cop was there, with a distressed and uneasy couple whom Alex guessed to be Miriam's parents. They looked up anxiously at the interruption of what probably hadn't been a friendly chat.
Alex glanced sourly at Bell. "I think we got here just in time. Looks to me like your little playmate ain't takin' the best care of these people."
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Post by skybright on Apr 4, 2006 22:45:23 GMT -5
Simpson scowled darkly -- first at the Van Lindens, then at the newcomers -- and stood, idly flexing his fists. "What's goin' on here, Bell?" He growled.
Bell shrugged and held out the paperwork for Simpson's inspection. "There's been a jurisdictional error, Simpson. The Lieutenants here are demanding that you remit custody of the witnesses."
Simpson snatched the paperwork and scowled briefly at it before fixing a belligerent gaze on Alex Malone. "What's the idea, pal? We've got this thing under control."
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Post by Jordanna on Apr 4, 2006 23:03:49 GMT -5
Alex glowered through his glasses at Simpson as if the cop were an annoying insect.
"Okay, listen, 'cause I'm only gonna explain this once. The morgue ain't in your precinct--it's in ours. An' that's where the murder their daughter's suspected of happened." He chucked a thumb toward the Van Lindens. "Just 'cause you picked 'em up don't make it your case."
Casually reaching into his pocket, Alex took out a notepad and pen. He squinted very deliberately at Simpson's badge number, then began writing it down with an imperious expression. He left it to Simpson to guess what he wanted to do that for.
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Post by skybright on Apr 4, 2006 23:07:45 GMT -5
Simpson's night was getting worse and worse.
"Alright, alright." He growled, snatching the pen out of the 'Lieutenant's' hand and hastily scrawling his signature across the bottom of the paperwork. That done, he shoved the papers and pen back into the other man's hands and jerked his thumb at the Van Lindens. "They're all yours -- good luck gettin' anything out of 'em."
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Post by Jordanna on Apr 4, 2006 23:20:02 GMT -5
Alex smiled smugly and tipped his hat to Simpson. "Much obliged, Sergeant. Been a pleasure."
He turned to Tom and Irene. "Come with us please, sir, ma'am. I'm sorry about the mixup with these guys."
Tom frowned. Things were turning out exactly the way Dawson had outlined them--but that didn't mean these men weren't working for the same people. Still, it would be better to be out of this jail than in it. Once they were outside, he could play it by ear, and find out if these people really were helping Miriam.
"Alright." He rose and helped Irene up, picking up her purse from the table and handing it to her. "Just about anything's better than this."
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Post by skybright on Apr 4, 2006 23:25:20 GMT -5
Bell let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding and ushered the Van Lindens and the two false Lieutenants back out into the corridor.
"All right, Lieutenants," He said, more for Simpson's benefit than anyone else's, "Just let me make sure those papers get noted in my logbook before you go."
And then get out of my station house before anyone figures out why I'm helping a bunch of people mixed up in the mutant scene, he added silently.
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Post by Jordanna on Apr 6, 2006 19:34:20 GMT -5
Alex and Sid waited tensely while Sergeant Bell made some notations and signed more papers, a few of which he shoved into Alex's hands. The the two ersatz cops escorted the thankfully still-silent Van Lindens out of the station, and down the front steps to the street. Finding it deserted, Alex let out a deep sigh of relief and took off the eyeglasses.
"I think we pulled it off," he said to Sid, reverting to his own voice. Turning to the Van Lindens, he began, "Come on, the car's--"
He got no further. In one quick movement, Tom Van Linden reached over and drew the pistol from the holster at Alex's side, leveling it on the startled entertainer.
"Hold it. Irene and I aren't going anywhere until you can prove you're friends of Miriam. I'd rather take our chances with the police than whoever it is your friends back there in jail wanted to take us to."
Alex raised an eyebrow at the mention of friends in the plural, but under the circumstances, that was the least important point to quibble about. He sighed and folded his arms. "Miriam thought you might feel that way, so she gave us a cue. She said to mention her first pet. It was a cocker spaniel named Goldie," he glanced at Irene, "and it used to dig up your flower beds."
Irene let out a gasp of surprise and relief, and Tom smiled faintly, lowering the gun. "Where is Miriam?"
"She's waiting in the car." Alex grinned, taking the gun from Tom. "You're lucky we are friends. This is just a stage prop--but Sid's isn't. C'mon, hurry. Hanging out around a police station isn't too healthy for Miriam just now."
"What is all this that's happened to her?" Irene asked anxiously, but Tom waved her to silence. "He's right. She can tell us herself when we get out of here."
Alex and Sid led the Van Lindens around the corner, to an alley where Miriam was waiting in the back seat of the car. The two men left the family to have what was doubtless an emotional reunion, as they retrieved civilian clothes from the trunk and went to change behind a dumpster.
Sid chuckled nervously and shook his head. "I'm never gonna be jealous of your performin' again, that's for sure."
"Are you kidding? You're a natural--going for those doughnuts."
"Hey, don't blame me. We never had time for dinner tonight." Sid paused. "I'm worried about Daws. Sounds like the guys in there aren't the nicest cops around... 'specially for people like her."
"I know. We'll just have to trust Bell to take care of her." Alex frowned. "Come on, we'd better get Miriam out of here."
Finished dressing, they returned to the car, and Alex slid behind the wheel while Sid took the front passenger seat. "How's everybody doing?" Sid inquired toward the back seat in general.
"We're fine." Miriam's voice was only slightly cracked, and it steadied as she spoke to her parents. "These two gentlemen are Sid and Alex--my friends."
"It's a pleasure," Sid grinned, before twisting back around to face front.
Miriam continued, "We're taking you to Henry, another friend of ours. You'll be safe there until Miss Dawson gets out of jail... We'll make further arrangements then." She did not want to let her parents know of her own refuge at Sid's house, and mentioning her plan to have them taken out of the country would just cause them to protest.
"Tell us what's happened to you," Irene pleaded softly.
As Alex pulled the car out of the alley, Miriam sighed and sank down deeper in the seat. "It's such a long story, but I'll try to explain it all on the way. The first thing you have to know is that it's true... I am a mutant."
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Post by Jordanna on Apr 7, 2006 21:29:01 GMT -5
A short time later, a spectacular blonde in an orchid-colored business dress strode into the police station, looking around disinterestedly for someone in charge.
Nora Hollis was one of the small army of lawyers employed by Nicholas Tiernan--and naturally, like everyone he employed, she was a mutant. She had a low-key ability to manipulate the moods of others, making them calm, and even more agreeable to some extent.
The only catch was that it didn't work on other mutants.
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Post by skybright on Apr 8, 2006 1:08:07 GMT -5
Sergeant Bell raised both eyebrows at the vivid bombshell that had just strolled into his station; he rose, almost unconsciously, as she sauntered towards his desk.
"Good evening." Bell cleared his throat and adjusted his uniform tie slightly. "C'n I help you with something?"
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Post by Jordanna on Apr 8, 2006 20:07:13 GMT -5
Nora smiled at Bell like a somewhat sinister angel.
"My name is Nora Hollis. I'm an attorney for Mr. Nicholas Tiernan, and it's my understanding that you're holding two of his employees. I'm here on their behalf."
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Post by skybright on Apr 8, 2006 22:39:10 GMT -5
Bell groaned inwardly. I thought I was *done* with this for tonight. Then he frowned, genuinely puzzled, and pushed a few papers around.
"Ah, well, Miz Hollis, I do have a record of a . . . George Stubbs . . . coming in earlier tonight. He said he worked for Mister Tiernan. But . . ." He let his voice trail off and shrugged apologetically. "I'm afraid I don't have anyone else in holding who's been listed as an employee of Tiernan Enterprises."
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Post by Jordanna on Apr 8, 2006 22:44:30 GMT -5
Nora took that information in stride. "You have a Miss Regina Dawson here, I believe? She isn't a direct employee of Mr. Tiernan, but he has contracted her independently." She clasped her hands. "I'd like to know what she and Mr. Stubbs are charged with. I'm prepared to post bail."
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Post by skybright on Apr 8, 2006 22:54:13 GMT -5
Bell cleared his throat nervously. "Ah . . . Mister Stubbs hasn't been formally charged as-yet. Miss Dawson," Is gonna have one angry Dave Bell on her hands when this whole thing's over; "Miss Dawson's been charged with Obstruction of Justice, Suspicion of Withholding Evidence, and Assault on a Peace Officer. She's . . . ." He swallowed convulsively and avoided the lawyer's eyes, "I believe she's currently being questioned."
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