We're police, and we can't get you in.

However, if you have any lines of inquiry that might lead us to a break, let us know and we might be able to ask.

(Oh god damn it I had a big thing written up and tgchan ate it.)

Check his info and see if its legit before doing anything. Could be a random bad guy for all we know.



If he is a actual journalist then hustle him over to the side and check him for recording devices. Only talk off record.

Tell him that we can only work together if his story is published after the fact. This is big politics and any info getting leaked mid case is going to ruin things.

If he can take that deal give him a test. Like distracting the other reporters or finding info or whatever.

Then see if he does well or not. Maybe give him some info that could not hurt us and see if he is trustworthy with it.

If he is then get all the help you can and give him a nice story after its all done.



If he is a dick then dance away singing no comment. That is your thing now.

Unrelated to the current situation, but I missed adding it earlier: Make a note to contact whatever city department is in charge of maintaining the bridge the mayor was found near and ask them if there was a damage report put in before the mayor's death for the busted in brick wall on the bridge or the gouges in the underside or sides. You're looking to find out if that damage was unrelated to the mayor's death. Also interview commuters that crossed that bridge yesterday if they saw that broken wall. Find ones that crossed as close to before the time of the mayor's death as possible.

1/3 BAN 2020/06/07(Sun)19:31 No. 969155 ID: 7ae189
File 159158350098.jpg - (326.97KB , 800x1408 , cop29.jpg )

The reporter is about to go on, but you interrupt him with an outstretched hand. "Slow down," you order. "Who are you, are you recording this? Let me see your press badge."

>"Oh yeah, of course!" He pulls a tattered lanyard out from under his shirt and removes a card from it. "Devin Fowler, Crosshair Media. My recorder's off, for now."

"Ohhh." You nod and hand the card back to Devin. You've never heard of the news company, but the badge seems very official...

2/3 BAN 2020/06/07(Sun)19:37 No. 969156 ID: 7ae189
File 159158387491.jpg - (192.52KB , 800x474 , cop30.jpg )

>Dane doesn't seem convinced. "Crosshair? Conspiracy theories and celebrity butt shots are hardly news."

>"We're a legitimate newsgroup that fills a specific niche with high quality content. There's real care placed into every issue, especially my--er, those photos!" Devin replies indignantly.

>"Shouldn't you be prowling a beach or something? There's no way Crosshair sent you here to cover real news."

>"Maybe they didn't! Maybe, as a journalist, I saw a chance to get a real scoop for once in my life and I took it, overtime!"

"The mayor's wife became a widow today, it makes sense for her to be upset," you say. "What made you think there was something scoop-able here?"

>Devin squints at the mansion. "Oh, don't be so naive. She's holed up in her mansion with every big dick affiliate of her husband's campaign. Something's going down, and the waterworks from earlier were either a ploy to buy time, or a cry for help. Whatever's behind that gate is pay dirt, for all of us!"

You rub your chin and think it over. You can relate to the guy's hunger for job advancement, at least. But...

Finally, you shake your head. "We're police, and we can't get you in, sorry. If I stick my neck out, someone I know is going to cut it off. We're going to get in there by the book, and you coming in with us or not will be entirely up to them."

>Devin sighs. "Another loss for hardcore journalism. Let me stick around until someone comes back outside at least, will you? Please??"

That's acceptable, you guess. You're sure this guy will get filtered out when they let you in, anyway.

3/3 BAN 2020/06/07(Sun)19:42 No. 969157 ID: 7ae189
File 159158417257.jpg - (397.64KB , 800x893 , cop31.jpg )

Devin proves surprisingly useful in pushing through the mob of reporters. It seems like journalists from other companies try to avoid being close to him, opening up extra space for you and Dane to slip through. Soon, you're in front of the gate. You look around for any guards or staff that you could introduce yourself to. There really is nobody but the reporters, out here.

"We did call ahead that we were coming, right?" you ask your partner.

>"Yes, 'we' did," she replies darkly.

You're saved from another diatribe when the reporters start yelling again. A figure's emerged from the mansion, and it makes its way down the hill to the gate.

>A man in a tactical vest unlocks the gate, cracks it open and steps through. "Hello, everyone," he yells, looking around the crowd. "My name is BILL, and I'm the head of security here. There are a number of VIPs who need to use this road to exit the mansion, so please disperse for now! Clear a path, or I'll shoot you~! Clear a path, or I'll shoot you~!"

You recoil at this asshole's blatant use of your new schtick. You don't have long to sulk, though, because the moment he locks eyes with you he reaches for his pistol!

>>969157
Announce yourself as police. Depending on what the mayor's wife knows, this guy might suspect a demon was involved, and your badge isn't visible, so you look very suspicious.
If he draws, definitely fucking get out of the way.

CAPTAIN BAN, first precinct.
You're going to want to keep that holstered.

Look him in the eye right back.

"Don't try it sunshine."

Also remind him he is not legally allowed to shoot reporters.

>>969157
>"Yes, 'we' did," she replies darkly.
When you get a moment alone with Dane, you should explain that your bad memory is due to the stress of what Steve threatened he’d do to the precinct. That might get her to cut you some slack if you forget something again.

>You don't have long to sulk, though, because the moment he locks eyes with you he reaches for his pistol!
Tell him that if he does it, you’ll arrest him for endangering the public, assaulting an officer with a deadly weapon, and attempted murder.

BAN 2020/06/09(Tue)16:57 No. 969333 ID: 7ae189
File 159174707351.jpg - (162.32KB , 800x341 , cop32.jpg )

Your badge flashes out milliseconds before BILL's pistol. "Don't try it sunshine," you warn. "Captain BAN, First Precinct. You're gonna want to put that away."

This is just like a scene out of Combat Cop. You congratulate yourself on the badass line delivery.

>BILL doesn't lower his weapon. "BAN? I haven't heard of you. I was told the Second Precinct would be handling this."

"It actually fell under our jurisdiction, so..." You glance at the pistol that's still aimed at your chest. "...Can you put that down? Shooting me or anyone else here is illegal, you know."

>"Sorry, but we're not allowing guys like you into the mansion at this time. My bosses were very adamant about the order."

>"What, so you're barring the police from entering?!" Dane asks incredulously.

>"That's not what I meant," BILL says.

You get the drift. "So you're barring me from entering."

>"Bullshit!" Your partner looks ready to jump this guy. "He's the lead investigator on this case!"

>"Sorry miss, but the Dursts tell me to do something and I do it," BILL replies. "Unless his name's Captain STEVE, he's not stepping foot on the premises. If you've got permission to come in, you're doing it on your own. Those are the rules~!"

Shit, it doesn't look like he or his gun are going to budge on this... You think about the best way to proceed.

Oh boy, a conspiracy.

You've got one chance to step aside before you get booked for obstruction.

This is an active investigation for a public figure's murder.
How's it going to look when I come back with a warrant?

While you're thinking on that, the zoning is clear cut, so who informed you that there would be a breach of city protocol?

(I'm sure your journalist pal will love every minute of this)

A Durst has to tell you to clear the way. Gotcha.

Dane, call the Durst campaign, again, and tell them to have their enforcer stand down unless they want to add further bad publicity to an already bad day. You can already see the headlines. ‘Durst demon shoots lead investigator on Mayor’s murder mystery’.

Really. One couldn’t make one’s motives more suspect if one tried.

>>969333
Call him out on his bullshit. You just heard him moments ago copying your literal song and dance that you gave the reporters on the bridge, so he knows exactly who you are. So he's breaking the law by pointing his gun at someone with the clear intent to use it, without a legitimate excuse. Tell him to put the gun down, or you'll have to press charges. It'd be assault with a deadly weapon (because threatening someone with a gun is assault, legally), or at the very least brandishing a weapon. There are rather a lot of witnesses here that would testify you made no threatening action and identified yourself as police.

Dane called ahead, they know you're coming. You have permission to be here, and not knowing the captain is a demon is no excuse for barring you at the entrance.

>>969344
This

1/2 BAN 2020/06/11(Thu)21:31 No. 969562 ID: 7ae189
File 159193630807.jpg - (125.53KB , 800x322 , cop33.jpg )

You decide to pull a hail mary and press him. You steel your nerves, ignore the gun and step closer. "BILL, you've got one chance to step aside before I book you for obstruction," you declare. "And assault too, if you keep pointing this thing at me."

>"My pay grade's too high to be spooked by a no-name cop," the security guard replies.

"A no-name cop? Then how did you know me well enough to pirate my singing schtick?"

>"Er..." BILL falters for a moment, it looks like that caught him off-guard.

"This all feels suspicious," you say. "And now that I think about it, the city's zoning is clear-cut. Who exactly told you that the Second Precinct would be breaching protocol and taking over on a crime that happened in Shiptown?"

You suddenly realize that the two of you have become the center of attention for the legion of reporters. Devin's eyes are twinkling, and the REC light of his recorder is on. BILL's starting to fold under the added pressure.

You go for the kill, turning to Dane. "Get the Durst campaign on the line, will you?" you ask. "Tell them to have their enforcer stand down before their PR nosedives even further."

>"Gladly," Dane replies, pulling out her phone and dialing a number.

>BILL's really breaking a sweat, now. He takes a step back and raises his arms placatingly. "I'm just doing what I was told to do, alright? Go over my head if you want. I'm over this~! I'm over this~!"

Another victory for the book, looks like you've gotten the upper hand again. Also your singing voice is much better, you think smugly.

2/2 BAN 2020/06/11(Thu)21:38 No. 969563 ID: 7ae189
File 159193669541.jpg - (191.00KB , 800x709 , cop34.jpg )

It sounds like someone answers Dane quickly. She explains the situation and requests for the two of you to be let in. Her expression sours when she gets a response.

>"What? No, the First. I don't get why--! We've already gotten permission, we--! He's just as qualified as Captain STEVE, sir, that shouldn't even be--!"

She continues arguing with whoever's on the other end. Her face is getting redder by the second... You glance at BILL, but he just shrugs and continues to sulk.

>"Okay, well just think about how this all looks, will you? Just for a minute." She's about ready to snap, now. "Has today not been enough of a mess already? You want every single member of your campaign to be a potential suspect? No?"

>After another minute of debate, Dane hangs up and sighs. "We can go in and get statements from the Durst family--both of us," she says. "But I'd keep an eye out for any bullshit, boss."

>"Bullshit like that?" Devin asks, pointing past the gate.

Several limos have appeared in the driveway and are coming your way. The gate opens wider to accomodate them. The lead car honks its horn, prompting the mass of reporters to clear a path. Soon, the only people left in their way are you and your companions.

>"What the fuck is this, now they're leaving?!" Dane demands.

>"These are just donors and supporters of the campaign, not the mayor's family," BILL says exasperatedly. "Can you please just let me do my job and help them pass? They can't be that important to your case."

We need names and phone numbers, SOP.
We won't contact anyone without cause, but we need to know who was here today.

We trust you to get it all in writing BILL, because if anyone's missing, we'll be giving you a call.

>>969564
Seems reasonable.

"I'll concede that, but I want a comprehensive list of who those guests were, and how we can contact them should they come up as people of interest."

We don't have to worry about BILL lying at this point; his defenses are down, and even if he was lying, and the Dursts are in one of those limos, that's just political suicide at that point. Why? Because someone in the Durst foundation would be getting arrested if they pulled that, even if I'm unsure who at this point.

Oh they are? You wont mind if I check that personally?

1/3 BAN 2020/06/13(Sat)01:17 No. 969645 ID: 7ae189
File 159203622164.jpg - (202.69KB , 800x1109 , cop35.jpg )

"Oh really? Do you mind if I check that personally?" you ask.

>BILL's completely deflated now. "You'll waste my time and yours, but go ahead..."

You do seriously consider going down the line of cars, but you trust that this guy's too thoroughly beaten to lie to you further. "I'll let them off, but I want names and numbers of everyone who was here today," you tell BILL. "And if anyone's missing from that list, we'll be giving you a call."

>"I'll do it, I'll do it!" With a sigh, he gets out of your way.

You and Dane step past the guard and start toward the mansion. Devin moves to follow you, but he's caught by a grumpy BILL.

>"W-WAIT! WAIT FOR ME, YOU GUYS!!" he screams, waving his recorder around. "I HAVE QUESTIONS TO ASK TOO!! WAAAAIIT!!!"

2/3 BAN 2020/06/13(Sat)01:19 No. 969646 ID: 7ae189
File 159203636889.jpg - (191.69KB , 800x683 , cop36.jpg )

The two of you head up the long driveway and reach the mansion. You reach for the door handle, but hesitate. You should get something out of the way before shit hits the fan again.

>"What're you waiting for?" Dane asks.

"Uhm..." You stare at your shoes. "While we have a second, I just wanted to say sorry...again."

>Your partner scoffs. "The mopey capybara eyes don't work on me, asshole."

"I'm serious! Stressing over this case and STEVE's bullshit has turned me into a real space cadet."

>"As if you're not a space cadet all the time..." Unless your eyes deceive you, Dane's face softens a bit. "I might be pissed, but I'm not pissed, alright? And I'm not gonna let you screw up an opportunity to upstage that little shitstain. Don't worry so much."

You're pretty sure that's the closest you've ever gotten to scoring brownie points. Keep this up and you might even have a quiet ride home for once, you think.

3/3 BAN 2020/06/13(Sat)01:21 No. 969647 ID: 7ae189
File 159203646623.jpg - (116.28KB , 800x428 , cop37.jpg )

The two of you enter the mansion. It's uncomfortably quiet inside. In the foyer, a butler greets you.

>"You must be the detective. I apologize for the confusion, there seems to have been a bit of miscommunication between the police and our people."

>"Just a bit?" Dane beats you to the snide remark.

>The butler ignores the jab. "I understand that you want to speak to the surviving Dursts. Mrs. Durst is upstairs in her office. I believe the young Mr. Durst is out in the yard, and his uncle is downstairs at the bar. I can lead you to whoever you wish to see first."

Split up, talk to Mrs. Durst and Durst Jr. first. Then meet up with uncle Durst and grill him.

Is there anyone else in the household at the present? Other servants, visitors, guests?

When was the last time he saw the Mayor?

Head for Mrs. Durst while Jane takes down basic-sense statements from the butler, tell her to join you once she's done.

If Mrs. Durst is gonna cause a scene, or start accusing us of a demonic plot, we should do her last. We effectively only get one shot at this.

1/2 BAN 2020/06/15(Mon)13:22 No. 969763 ID: 7ae189
File 159225253171.jpg - (219.48KB , 800x564 , cop38.jpg )

You think about who to speak with first. You consider going straight for Mrs. Durst, but if she gets out of hand you might not have a chance to speak with the others...

"You said the kid was in the lawn? I'll start with him," you finally decide.

>"Follow me, then." The butler starts down a hallway.

"Is there anyone else in the household that I should know about?" you ask. "Servants, guests, anyone?"

>"There's the chef, the bartender, a few cleaning staff... I'm not sure how much help they would be, though. Mrs. Durst was being consoled by a number of men from her husband's campaign, but I believe they've all left now."

"And when was the last time you saw the mayor?"

>"Just last night, at 8 PM. I was finishing my shift when he walked out the front door. I believe he said he was headed out for an important meeting. It's such a shame, he did a lot of good for this house."

The butler leads you to a sliding door that leads to the gardens behind the mansion. "Dane, get some basic statements from this guy and the rest of the staff," you say as you step outside. "We'll meet back up when you're done."

>"Yes, sir!" Dane barks.

2/2 BAN 2020/06/15(Mon)13:25 No. 969764 ID: 7ae189
File 159225275647.jpg - (188.73KB , 800x922 , cop39.jpg )

It takes a couple minutes of wandering before you run into Joe Durst's son. You see him up ahead, sitting hunched over by some bushes. Is he crying...?

>When he hears your footsteps, he bolts to his feet and scrubs at his eyes. "What the fuck do you want?" he asks, voice cracking. "If you're a cop, just fuck off, alright? I'm not talking to another fucking pig today!"

If I am not the first cop that you talked to today then something has gone wrong.

I am sorry for your loss and extra sorry if one of our sister precincts has offended you. Your dad was not a fan of how they do things and that department is up to some shifty crap today.

"another"? Ask him who talked to him before.

Hum. Procedural errors, huh? Wonder who dunked on the kid. Also, do we have recording equipment or did we lose out on that when we didn't pick up Devin? Cuz nudge/whisper to Dane to catch this on record if you can.

I also wonder if this interview was recent and our cop in question was hitchhiking with that gang of campaign goons.

"Captain BAN, 1st Precinct... if you've been interviewed already, give me the time, name and/or badge number of the pig that talked to you. Might come back later if they weren't thorough. That okay? Not here to dump on anyone, so if you need space I'll give you some."

Reason and appeal.

"It's just important we get all facts straight so the killer gets caught. Sometimes even officers get overzealous or overlook things in their lines of inquiry, and the fresher an interview the clearer the details, usually. Hate to come back later when memory's gone to seed."

When you clear out, ask the butler about the cop visitation and a description of the cop, especially if you didn't get much useful intel from the kid.

"I'm not a pig. I'm a capybara."

Chide him on his conduct.

His father died. Crying is practically mandatory. What isn't mandatory is trying to hurt others with bad language to make himself feel better. That just makes everyone afraid of making him feel sad. Or makes them want to keep him away from their lives forever. In politics, that's suicide.

If he wants something done, he has to do everything he can. As a child that is not much, but he's the son of the mayor, so not much can lead to so very much. Doing as little as telling you the details - what went on this week, who his father's enemies are, who else insisted on asking these questions, stuff that should be public - might make the difference.

So does he want to make the difference or keep bullying people with his tears?

“No offense, but there shouldn’t have been any ‘pigs’ here before me and Dane. I can file a report on them for breaking procedure on an investigation, if you want, and if you need some space, I can give you a moment while I talk to the others.”

BAN 2020/06/17(Wed)20:22 No. 969977 ID: 7ae189
File 159245054847.jpg - (199.87KB , 800x493 , cop40.jpg )

Wait, another? You bristle as you think about who else could have come by. You almost wish you'd dragged Devin in with you, if only to use that recorder of his.

"Captain BAN, First Precinct," you introduce yourself. "I'm not a pig. I'm a capybara."

>"You're a fucking pig!" the young man yells. "I don't know anything else, so just leave!"

"I can't just do that, Mr. Durst." You're not that great at dealing with emotional people, but you try your best. "I'm sorry for your loss, and I'm extra sorry if someone from a different precinct has offended you. If I'm not the first cop you've talked to, something's gone wrong."

>"What...?" The young Durst wipes his nose on his jacket sleeve. "What do you mean?"

"I'm in charge of the investigation for this case. There shouldn't have been any 'pigs' here before myself and my partner. When did this other cop come by? Do you know his name, his badge number? I could file a report on them for breaking procedure, if you want."

>"You mean he wasn't even supposed to be here?!" You watch as his confusion turns to anger. "Fucking asshole! I don't know his name, he was some prick with these horn spike things on his head. He came in a couple hours ago and fucking grilled me about my dad. Unbelievable..."

"If you need space, I can give it to you while I talk to the others," you offer. "But for anything good to come of this investigation, I could use everything that you know, too. Any small detail that you know could make a big difference in figuring all of this out."

>The young man seems to seriously think it over. "That other pig really wasn't part of your outfit?"

You shake your head.

>"If you promise to kick his shit in, I'll tell you what I told him," he decides, sniffling.

"I promise," you reply. You make a mental note to find out more details about this other cop. "What did you tell him?"

>"He came out here and pushed me around when I called him a pig. I had to tell him my name, John Durst, and he asked me what I knew about the...the murder..." John starts tearing up again. "But I don't know anything! I hated that my dad was the mayor, I was never around this fucking place! The last time I even saw him was two fucking days ago, he was telling me off for skipping school. He...he told me that he wouldn't always be able to bail me out of things... Fuck, I wish I knew more...."

"You don't know if your father had any enemies, do you?"

>"What? No, I'm the only asshole who ever really talked shit about him. Maybe the politicians running against him didn't like him, but his army guys always had his back. He was untouchable with those guys behind him. I never could've guessed that he could get..." John pauses to wipe his eyes again.

>He heaves a sigh and looks at the ground. "Is that enough, do you need more? I don't know much else, I swear..."

>>969977
Ask if his parents got along okay. Did the mayor's wife get involved with any of the politics? What were all those people doing here today anyway?
What did the other cop look like? Did he show a badge number or other identification? Also, when did he show up?

>>969977
Your father normally has bodyguards with him, correct? Any idea why he would've gone somewhere without them?

>>969981
>What did the other cop look like? Did he show a badge number or other identification? Also, when did he show up?
He already told us that. He said the other cop had horn spike things on his head and that the cop came in a couple of hours ago.

>>969977
This adds a few suspects to the list.
A political opponent could have had him assassinated, or perhaps one of his army associates went rogue on him. There's also this unknown cop to consider. From the description, he may have been a demon. We know that whoever offed the mayor was likely a demon, so there's a possibility that this unknown "cop" and the murderer may be the same individual.

I don't think we'll get much, but-
Why would your father go for a walk in the city, alone, late at night?
did his vehicle stay at the house, or did someone recover it after the incident?

Please don't hesitate to contact us if you remember anything about the first officer, as that's seriously suspicious behavior.

>>969982
I... don't know how I missed that.

BAN 2020/06/18(Thu)07:52 No. 970013 ID: 7ae189
File 159249194756.jpg - (158.80KB , 800x690 , cop41.jpg )

"So your father usually had bodyguards? Why would he go out into the city alone, at night?" you wonder aloud.

>"Fuck, I don't know," John says. "They were always with him during the day, but he'd send them home when he was done with work."

"And was his vehicle left at the house, or did someone recover it after the incident?"

>"I wasn't here so I don't know, I was out with my friends. People are saying he just walked away..."

"Did your parents get along okay?"

>John shifts from one foot to another. "I mean, they argued sometimes, but it was just about their jobs... They got along alright, I guess."

"Their jobs? Was your mother involved in any of the politics?"

>"Yeah, they did almost everything together. She's been working with all the suits that run my dad's campaign for a while, now."

"Those were the people who just left, right? What were they doing here, anyway?"

>"Probably getting another fucking strategy together," the young man says grimly. "They're treating this whole fucking thing like a game..."

"Hmmm..." Your list of potential suspects is expanding. The hit could have come from political opponents, disillusioned peers from the army... You're also growing more suspicious of this unknown other cop by the second. You think on if you have anything else to ask before moving on.

>>970013
"Kid, politics is all about getting your enemies to fight each other instead of you. There's no room for ideology. Not even hatred.

Alright kid, I have something for you to do. See this? It's a cryptography book. I want you to study this and take this key. If you figure out anything, send me a letter in code."

>>970013
Alright, that should be enough from him.
Thank him for his cooperation and tell him that if he needs help or if anything else comes to light, then he should contact you straight away.

Ask him about his jacket.

Did your father serve in the army as well? Is that where he got the scar over his eye? Do you know anything about in what divisions the men served? (if he doesn't, tell him don't feel bad if they didn't tell you anything, that's how you know they wasn't lying about being in the service.) Do you remember any names or descriptions? Were any of them obviously in charge?

What was your impression of the campaign people? Are they scrambling? Infighting? In denial?

After you're done, let him know you're going to go talk to his uncle before he truly drowns his sorrows, and then talk to his mother. Maybe add that once you leave, he should consider doing the same; You understand he wants to be left alone, but his family probably shouldn't be.

I think we've learned what we can here.

1/2 BAN 2020/06/21(Sun)20:22 No. 970246 ID: 7ae189
File 159279612391.jpg - (245.05KB , 800x459 , cop42.jpg )

"What's the deal with your jacket?" you ask, glancing at the shoulder patch.

>"My jacket? It's just an old army one my dad gave me, I put some extra shit on the back of it for fun. Why?"

"Just curious," you reply. You're certain that you recognize the patch on the sleeve as the Advance Team insignia... Mayor Durst must have had a miserable time during the war, if he was in that unit. "The army's where your father got that scar over his eye, right?"

>"Yeah, it happened during the war," John says, wiping his nose again. "He never told me how, though."

"Do you know what divisions the men that he kept around him were from?"

>"A lot of them have jackets like this one but I don't know, I never really talked to them or anything..."

"It's alright if they didn't tell you much. Are there any that you'd recognize, anyone who was obviously in charge?"

>The young man racks his brain for a moment. "Fuck, I should've payed more attention...! One of them was also in charge of security or something, he had this weird floating head. The others were really lowkey though, I can't even remember their faces."

"What about the campaign people?" you ask, shifting the subject. "What sort of feeling did you get from them? Are they scrambling, arguing, in denial...?"

>"Scrambling's a good word," he says bitterly. "Nobody's denying it, they're all just trying to move past my dad as fast as possible. They'll make my mom or someone else the mayor by tomorrow, I fucking know it. It's not right..."

You nod. "I think I've got enough for now. If you need anything or have more to say, let me know," you say. "I'll go talk to your uncle and your mother, next. Maybe when I leave, you should do the same--they're probably hurting, too."

>The young Durst hangs his head. "Just go, already," he sighs. "I really fucking hope this helped."

2/2 BAN 2020/06/21(Sun)20:24 No. 970247 ID: 7ae189
File 159279624165.jpg - (175.47KB , 900x361 , cop43.jpg )

You return to the mansion and run into Dane and the butler again. Together, you head for the stairs to the basement lounge.

>"I got the basics from the staff," Dane reports. "Nobody who was on duty knows why Durst left, or where he was going. Seems like he walked out and got picked up by a vehicle outside the mansion's premises."

"I got some good stuff out of the son," you tell her. "We'll deal with the uncle, next."

>"That might be a little difficult at the moment," she says. "I was down here with the bartender a second ago, and..."

You reach the bottom of the stairs and quickly see the issue. Uncle Durst is currently slumped over a table, sleeping in a puddle of tears and spilled beer.

>Dane lightly kicks the man's chair and gets no response. "Out like a light. What do you want to do with him, boss?"

No law against being drunk in a residence, thank god.
Ask the servants for help. Smelling salts, cook him some steak, toss him in the shower, whatever they've tried before. And keep him OFF the booze.

While he composes himself, we talk to Mrs. Durst.

>>970250
Yeah.

>>970250
Agreed, though we might want to hold off on confronting Mrs. Durst just yet; those tears could be normal grief, or indicative of guilt regarding something he could have prevented, but we won't know either way if we get thrown out before he wakes.

1/2 BAN 2020/06/24(Wed)22:05 No. 970616 ID: 7ae189
File 159306153684.jpg - (134.84KB , 800x477 , cop44.jpg )

You walk over to the bartender. "Is there any chance that someone could help clean him up?" you ask, pointing at the drunk. "Some food, maybe a shower, definitely no more booze."

>"It's a work in progress," he replies. "I've already cut him off, and I think the chef's working on something. I've never seen Sam like this before, it's so sad..."

"I guess we'll go for Mrs. Durst while we wait," you tell Dane.

>"Mrs. Durst?" The bartender looks uncomfortable. "Maybe you shouldn't, she doesn't want to talk to anyone right now. I'm sure if you came back a different time, she'd be a little more receptive."

"The timing isn't ideal, but we really need statements from everyone here. We'll just ask her a few questions, and--"

>"Oh you will, will you?"

>The bartender's gone white as a sheet. He's looking up over your shoulder. "M-Mrs. ALICIA...!"

You turn around...

2/2 BAN 2020/06/24(Wed)22:09 No. 970617 ID: 7ae189
File 159306176190.jpg - (238.23KB , 800x759 , cop45.jpg )

Ducking her way through the doorway is a very long woman dressed in black. She looks genuinely mad.

>"You're a First Precinct detective," she says.

"Yes ma'am, I'm Captain--"

>"It's been very, very long day, so let's skip the bullshit," she interrupts flatly. "I want to know who gave the OK for anyone outside of the Second Precinct to walk into my house, question my staff, and shake down my fucking son. And if I don't like the answer, your entire precinct is getting castrated before the end of the workday."

Jusisdiction.

The case ended up on our desk, due to the zoning of the crime.
I can assure you we're going to do our best to solve it, just like we would for anyone who died under such circumstances.

But we need to know some things before we get there.

>>970617
Lead with clearing things up about her son. The officer that came here earlier did not do so under your orders. You are going to find out who that was and ensure it won't happen again. Did the officer give her a name or a badge number?
As for why you're here, juristiction first off, and Steve agreed to file the proper paperwork. First Precinct will handle the case for three days, then hand it over to 2P once the paperwork is in order. It's an important case and we should do things by the book to make sure the court case doesn't get thrown out on a technicality.
Tell her you're aware that the mayor had a good relationship with the second precinct, and you are hoping to do a good enough job in their place.

Okay, time to professional up.

Retrieve a pen and a notepad, which you'd better have on hand (if not borrow from Dane). It'll give you an air of seriousness.

"Ma'am, I'm Captain BAN. To answer your questions, Captain STEVE is not in charge of this case, thus a different precinct is responding. Your people let me in so that there would not be a scene for the media circus outside to feast on.

I emphatically did not 'shake down' your son and I wish to track down the officer who appears to have done so and, to put it mildly, kick their ass for what appears to have been both a breach of jurisdiction and basic protocol, which is to treat the bereaved with respect and sympathy in their time of grief. My condolences on your loss, Mrs. Durst."

Click the pen and put the point to paper.

"Now, I, too, am troubled. Can you please answer me why you are under the impression that 2nd Precinct would be handling a case taking place within 1st Precinct jurisdiction? And why another police officer - whom I presume to be 2nd Precinct if they have the run of your house - to enter prior to me, the officer in charge of this case - whom your staff almost did not let in - and, in fact, 'shake down' your son?"

Start taking notes, verbatim, of what she's saying in response.

It's my jurisdiction. And for the record, I'm not the one who shook down your son, he said I was the second cop he talked to today. (hmm, we'll have to remember to ask what the cop wanted to know.)

Now, why is it so important that second precinct and noone else be investigating your husband's murder?

BAN 2020/06/26(Fri)20:34 No. 970783 ID: 7ae189
File 159322888295.jpg - (97.51KB , 800x374 , cop46.jpg )

You'll have to turn up the professional charm for this one. You reach for a pad and pen for extra credibility...and soon realize that you've left yours at home.

"Sergeant Dane, do you have something I can write with?" you ask in your big cop voice.

Dane rolls her eyes, but takes out her notepad and a pen. You take them and face the widow again.

"Firstly, I have to clear up that I didn't shake down your son. Whoever was here earlier wasn't from my team--the cop who spoke to your son first broke both protocol and human decency, and I'll deal with them the first chance I get. If you have a name or badge number I can work with, it'd help a lot."

>ALICIA's glare doesn't let up. "So there's more than one unknown detective that's been stomping around my home. What a relief. I don't have any more information on that one than I have on yourself."

You try to continue unfazed. "To answer your question, this case ended up on our desk since it happened within our jurisdiction. For the next three days we'll be handling it, before turning it over to Captain STEVE when the right paperwork's been processed. I'm sorry for your loss and I know that the mayor had a good relationship with the 2P, but we'll be doing our best for him too, in the interim."

>"The next three days? Captain STEVE is going to be off of the case of the death of my husband, the mayor, for the next three days?"

You flip to an empty page and click the pen. "Ma'am, if I can ask this, why is it so important that only STEVE and his men handle your husband's murder? It seems like a number of people are under the impression that they're already on the case, despite the jurisdiction lines." You water down what you wanted to say, in order to avoid getting too accusatory toward her. Something about this is rubbing you the wrong way.

>"As if it's any mystery," ALICIA replies, tossing her hair. "Captain STEVE is an excellent man, and his work on the Wartown Murders was legendary. His partner served in the army with my husband. Their precinct has the experience and the resources to catch whoever took my love from me, swiftly."

"And the city's other precincts do not." Steady, BAN, don't get pissy now.

>She stares you dead in the eye. "No, they do not."

"I see..." You're swallowing so much pride, you half expect a shirt button to pop off. Dane shifts behind you, but says nothing.

>ALICIA lets out an exasperated sigh. "If this is how it has to be, though, fine. I want your word that by the weekend, everything--everything, you hear me?--that you come up with gets immediately into STEVE's hands."

"...Of course, ma'am."

>"I'll give you ten minutes. You're already writing what I'm saying down, yes? Ask your questions, get your answers, then get out of my house."

>>970783
Rotten bitch. I'm willing to bet she's involved with the murder somehow.

Does she remember anything unusual about the date in question? Was her husband acting strangely, or were there any changes to his routine, minor or major? Had he been speaking to anyone new? Had there been any disturbances in his social life? Problems at work?

...well I guess we'll have to find out from the head of security who that maybe-cop was. Surely there's no way the guy got past security without giving out a name?

Questions:
Does she have any idea why the Mayor went out that night?
Did the Mayor use his own car when he left? Where is the car?
Does she know of anyone who would have wanted him dead?
What were those businessmen doing here? Anything she can fill you in on?
Was she home that night? Did she notice any odd behavior from the Mayor that day, or in the weeks prior?
Did the Mayor have any business dealings with Demons, or Demon-related groups?
Does she know much about the Mayor's time in the army?
Can you check out his office? Like, you'd specifically be looking for a book he keeps times and dates in for his meetings. Could be some clues as to why he left that night or who he's been dealing with lately.

>>970789
I mean, she's basically right. 2P has way more resources, and apparently their captain really knows what he's doing.

The homocide happened after he left the house on foot, with no security detail. Who was he meeting? Why not do it at the mansion? And what did he tell you?

Lots of good questions so far.

I can add in a request + question.

"I will need access to Durst Manor later, preferably some time tomorrow. For one, ten minutes is not a lot of time for a thorough statement. I also need statements from anyone who've yet to give them. It's SOP, Mrs. Durst. Anyone who has interacted with the Mayor in the time prior is of interest to us.

That said, do you know of anyone outside this household and his campaign that might fit the bill? Any old war buddies he still kept in touch with outside of STEVE's partner?"

Also, her response to the knowledge there was another cop was insufficient, so we need to dump more info on her.

"And... can't you just ask your staff to tell you who this other cop was? Or even make an educated guess? Presumably your people let them in. Seeing the difficulty I had earlier, there should be a limited number of spiky-horned officers who could sail through like it was nothing and, apparently, talk only to your son. Or... maybe he talked to Sam as well, hard to say. But not you. You were in a meeting. You didn't know he was here."

Hmm...

Glance around at the help to spot their reactions.

"... has the guy even left yet? I would like to speak to him if he is sitting in the wing waiting to talk to Mrs. Durst."

>>970792
Though the reasons for this appears to be blatant favoritism by the Mayor for a war buddy. That said, BAN should still treat this case with all the seriousness the murder of a person - and Mayor - deserves. The city's poor treatment of non-2nd Precincts and her poor attitude towards BAN does not invalidate that.

Also, the way STEVE showed up at the crime scene and this presumed 2nd Precinct cop rattled young Durst makes me think they know more than they've let on. In which case they're assuredly doing something bad by not informing you of it. You should definitely pass on a request this evening for any and all information they have on the case and maybe even go take the statement of STEVE's partner - y'know, as a person of interest. You can definitely use young Durst's statement as supporting evidence they've begun doing some manner of rushed investigatin' on their own.

Oh, ask why the head of security wanted to keep you specifically from entering the premises.

These are all good. Let me tack on:
"Some of the reporters outside seem to be under the impression that you were making some kind of scene. Care to elaborate on that?"

"We've yet to talk to Uncle Durst, but he doesn't seem to be cohesive enough to give a legally valid statement at this time. Can we arrange to have him give his statement down at the station tomorrow morning if you aren't comfortable with us returning to the residence?"

"Oh, one more thing; is there anyone else besides you that has authority over BILL, your chief of security?"

I don't think we can press her about BILL's fib directly, as it's just our word against his for now - we can only start pushing that angle if we mark another strike against him or the media dresses our encounter in our favor overall. However, we can make a list of "Suspicious People Who May Have Tried to Hinder Us Through BILL."

"I think that'll be all. I'll want to ask BILL a few more questions about this undeclared 'cop.' I'd appreciate it if someone called ahead to tell him I'd be doing this so that I can get out of your hair all the faster. I'll leave you to your mourning, then."

(If BILL knew we were coming, but the wife didn't, and if we consider how the unknown cop had to have gotten in... I think we have enough information at this point that we can press BILL about his part in this "Undeclared Cop" mystery.)

We are going to need some luck to do this all in 10 minutes.

1/3 BAN 2020/06/27(Sat)22:27 No. 970869 ID: 7ae189
File 159332205463.jpg - (162.40KB , 800x969 , cop47.jpg )

Mrs. Durst pulls out her phone and starts a timer. Shit, she really means ten minutes. You try to pick out your most burning questions.

"Before we get into the rest, I just wanted to know. Why did the head of security want to specifically bar me from entry?"

>"Look at yourself, do you really have to ask that? If I had my way, the only demon in this house besides myself would be Captain STEVE."

You assumed as much. "I just wanted to be sure. The rule could be confused as an attempt to keep cops out, not just people like me."

>"'Not just demons.'"

You ignore the attempted correction. "Rewind to before the incident for me. Was anything different with your husband, recently? Was he acting oddly, talking or doing business with anyone new?"

>"I didn't notice anything different, no. He was a little stressed with the elections coming up, but nothing out of the ordinary. He kept his usual company, and was going to his usual meetings."

"Were any of those meetings with, er, people like ourselves? Or their interest groups?"

>Her eye narrows at you. "Demons. Say the word, detective. We're demons."

"...The question stands."

>"Yes, he met with the Anomaly Collective about once a month as part of his public outreach work."

"And who all is in that group?"

>"Representatives of demon communities throughout the city. Politicians, workers, veterans... You didn't know that?"

You tactfully avoid the question. "I'm hearing a lot about vets today. Do you know much about the mayor's time in the army? Are there any other war buddies that he's stayed in contact with?"

>She heaves a sigh. "I've heard my share of stories. He was an officer, and he loved his men more than his family sometimes. It seems like whenever he was done working, he had another soldier over for drinks. I never bothered to learn all of their names. BILL is our head of security now, I know. Of course there's also ERIK, STEVE's partner. Sam served with him, as well. Whenever Joe went out, some of his people followed like bodyguards."

"Except for last night. Do you have any idea why he would leave here alone and on foot, at that hour?"

>"Oh, don't make me relive it again," she says heavily. "We were arguing about stupid campaign slogans. I let myself say some terrible things, and then he suddenly remembered some meeting he had to get to. He just walked out of the bedroom, and out the front door."

"Did he take his own car when he left? Who was he going to meet?"

>"No, he just walked, as far as I know. If he was picked up, it wasn't close to our driveway. He didn't say who he was meeting... God, for all I know it was just an excuse to go let off some steam."

"Can I see his office? If it was real, his meeting might be documented in an agenda, somewhere in there."

>"You're more than welcome to try to get to it in the"--she pauses and checks her timer--"one and a half minutes you have left, but that might not be the best use of your time."

"I'll definitely need to return then, preferably sometime tomorrow. If I'm going to follow standard operating procedures, I'll need more than ten minutes, you understand. There's also more statements to take, and yours isn't quite finished--"

>ALICIA cuts you off with a noncommittal wave. "Someone will be in touch with your precinct about it, I'm sure."

You subtly let out your frustrations on the pen clicker. "You don't know of anyone who would've wanted Mr. Durst dead, do you?

>"Besides every other bureaucrat in the city? There isn't a single mayoral campaign that will mourn my husband's passing--they finally have a chance at winning, now."

"Speaking of campaigners, I saw a number of businessmen leaving when I arrived. What were they doing here? Anything you can fill me in on?"

>The widow's face somehow manages to sour further. "It was an emergency meeting to discuss the future of the Durst campaign. We utterly failed to reach any sort of conclusion. Twenty seconds."

"Before we're done, I just want to know more about this other cop."

>"I'm sorry, but I honestly don't have anything else to give you on that topic."

"Maybe you don't," you say, glancing at the bartender. He's too busy cowering at Mrs. Durst to notice. "But can't you just ask your staff about him? I'm assuming your people let him in. Given all the trouble I had getting in, there's no way someone with his description could've come in without issue. I know he talked to your son, but who else? Was he waiting to talk to you? Has he even left yet--"

>"And now you're overtime, detective," ALICIA grates. "It's time for you to go."

2/3 BAN 2020/06/27(Sat)22:30 No. 970870 ID: 7ae189
File 159332222673.jpg - (147.00KB , 800x813 , cop48.jpg )

Before you can argue, the butler appears and half-guides, half-shoves you up the stairs and out the door.

You and Dane share a look as the door closes behind you. She's shaking, and she's turned an unhealthy shade of red.

You think up a solid one liner to defuse the bad air. "That--"

>"DON'T," she growls. "Talk...in the car..."

So much for a quiet ride home.

3/3 BAN 2020/06/27(Sat)22:33 No. 970871 ID: 7ae189
File 159332239305.jpg - (153.16KB , 880x440 , cop49.jpg )

You're met with the same crowd as before as you approach the gate. You pray that neither of you lose the rest of your patience before getting past all of these cameras.

>"Clear a path, will you?!" BILL yells, trying to move reporters out from in front of the driveway.

>"CAPTAIN! CAPTAIN BAN!! WHAT IS THE STATE OF THE DURST FAMILY?"
>"IS IT TRUE THAT ALICIA DURST IS MENTALLY UNSTABLE?!!"
>"WHAT IS THE FIRST PRECINCT'S NEXT MOVE??"
>"HOW LONG UNTIL CAPTAIN STEVE TAKES OVER THE CASE?!"

>One voice manages to be even more deafening than the rest. "HEY!! HEY, PARTNER!!! YOU REMEMBER ME, RIGHT?! HOW DID THE MISSION GO?!!"

Keep saying "No comment" and do a rap-dance this time.

>>970872
At least after we get sacked, we'll be youtube famous.

>>970871
You're not gonna do the damn dance this time, just tell them no comment, move out the way, and also you need to ask Bill some questions about his time in the army with the Mayor.
And also, ask him about the "cop" that came by earlier.

Once the media calms down a little you can tell the "real reporter" that she didn't do anything "scoopable" at all. She's a grieving widow, show some respect. (it is worth noting that she was more composed at this point than the rest of the family, ignoring her public display, and has no alibi... but that's just speculation, as her possible motive for doing it is unclear)

Speaking of the widow, did her hands look scuffed at all? I have to imagine climbing the underside of the bridge would leave some abrasions even on a demon.

Hold up a hand for silence.

"Press conference to be announced at a later date. Until then,"

Hit your most dulcet hymnal tones.

"NoooooOOOooOoOOOooooOOooOoOOOoooooo~

Comment!"

Then look to the gate guard.

"But before I go. BILL, what was the name of the spiky-horned cop you let through a couple hours earlier? I was not informed anyone had been in prior to me."

And poor BILL, and poor whoever this cop is, cuz' even if BILL denies his presence - or knew nothing about it! - the press will definitely do the work of digging up that cop's dirty procedural deed for you. Heck, this definitely counts as giving the spiky-horned cop grief, too, fulfilling your promise to John. Trial by media.

And the best thing? It's got nothing to do with revealing any ongoing details of the investigation and leaves your conduct above board. It's a simple fact. It just says so much to anyone with the brains to spot it. Which I certainly HOPE is at least ONE reporter here.

1/2 BAN 2020/06/28(Sun)10:21 No. 970896 ID: 7ae189
File 159336486483.jpg - (160.57KB , 1000x438 , cop50.jpg )

You raise your hands as officiously as possible, and the crowd hushes itself. Every ear and every recorder is trained on you... You hate this part of the job.

"I want to tell you all that there's nothing 'scoop-able' going on in this home, so please get that out of your heads now," you say to everyone. "Mrs. Durst is a grieving widow, show some respect."

You turn to BILL. "Before I go, I have a question or two for you."

>BILL writhes as the attention shifts to him. "What else do you want? You got in, already."

"I just want to know more about your time in the army with the mayor."

>"Oh, that?" his expression grows a lot more distant. "I was in the Advance Team with him. We fought all the way to the Canardi border together, before I went and got injured..."

>He remembers where he is and shakes his head. "Now's not the time for that talk, though. Are you done here?"

"Just one more thing," you say. "What was the name of that 'spiky-horned cop' that you let in a couple hours ago? I wasn't informed that anyone had entered prior to me."

The crowd starts murmuring. In the front row, Devin looks ecstatic.

>The security guard glares at you. "The hell is this, you want to frame me for something now? What are you talking about?"

"So you know nothing about a horned cop who entered the Durst mansion before me, and apparently attempted to investigate without my go-ahead?"

>"Hell no, I don't!"

There's a brief explosion among the reporters. You raise your hand once again. "That's all I wanted to know. The press conference will be taking place at a later date," you announce. "But until then, I do have something to tell you..."

You close your eyes and take a deep breath. Everyone leans in in anticipation. Devin's mouth is practically watering, now.

You sing out in the purest of tones. "NoooooOOOOOOOooooooOOOOOOOOooooOOOOOOO comment~~~~!!!"

Everyone goes insane. You and Dane shove your way through the screaming reporters and head back toward the parking lot. You're tempted to dance again, but you don't think Dane is mentally ready for that.

As you make your retreat, you see many of the reporters descending on BILL with more questions, including a fired-up Devin.

2/2 BAN 2020/06/28(Sun)10:29 No. 970897 ID: 7ae189
File 159336535106.jpg - (122.10KB , 800x618 , cop51.jpg )

The two of you take a breather by the car. You check your watch... 6:15 already, damn.

>Dane looks like she's guaging whether or not her hand will break if she punches the car door. "That frigid fucking bitch," she mutters. "Fucking bitch!"

"She's grieving. I'm sure she was just lashing out," you say, but the words are empty. Honestly, Mrs. Durst's vibe had been getting to you, too. A weird hunch makes you try to remember what her hands looked like. You think hard on it, but you're sure that they were too small and clean to have caused those marks on the bridge.

>"Fucking bitch," your partner repeats. "You know none of the staff fucking mentioned another cop, right? And I talked to every person in that goddamned building besides the family. This all stinks!"

She's about to continue her rant when a call comes in on her radio. The conversation is brief.

>"The Major wants us to check in with the other guys that she put on the case before midnight," she reports. "You buying our dinner before or after we head back to the station?"

You blink. "'Our dinner?'"

>Dane looks at you with an unreadable expression. "You already forgot. The promise, BAN. In the car."

Shit, shit, shit. "No no, I remember, I'm just thinking. About where we're going, when I buy our dinner. Like I promised."

>"Uh-huh." Dane gets into the car and slams the door.

Fuck. When and why did you agree to this? Your wallet's going to be crying in the morning, you never eat out.

You think through your options. You could try and find somewhere up here, but it might take longer since you don't know the area very well. Alternatively you could just make the drive back to Shiptown first, there are a few cheap food joints there that you know of. You've also got to report to the 1P at some point before midnight. You make a quick decision as Dane glares daggers at you from the car...

You need to think this through, and that means steak.
Now, not like great steak. Cops don't get dry aged wagyu.

That Greek place by the wharf ain't too bad, and you can fill up on salad and fries. Couple small ribeyes, grilled onions. Some coffee for later.

Or you could just find a fabled cheesesteak dynasty and hope for the best.

Try the ramen stores nearby, or get a custom-made pizza. Make sure you get something that you can take-out. All the ritzy restaurants just overcharge you for the privilege of staring at ugly-detailed decor they use to insult your lower class.

Make sure you ask what she likes; that whole 'you need to know what I like' mentality is screwed up. Seriously where does it come from?

Hmm, strange. The staff never saw the spiky-horned fellow, and... the only person he spoke to was the son? There's no way that was a cop. That was someone who somehow snuck in past security and questioned the first person he could get his hands on, then ran off. Might've been a reporter... or someone involved in the murder who was trying to find out how much the family knew. Maybe you can check around the perimeter of the mansion to see if someone dug under the wall or climbed over.
The horn-spikes on his head may have even been a disguise, but I hope not. We'd have no way of identifying him then.
You should call the other precincts and find out if they have any officers matching the description you were given.

...surprised Dane managed to question the staff during the time you were (making an attempt at) questioning the family. Ask if she found anything out.

Eat at a shiptown diner. Not a chain restaurant, she'll never let you hear the end of it if you do. Besides, you'll have to be somewhere by 12:00.

...Is that news van with no channel number, news organization or anything else identifying it suspicious in any way? Be certain before you have another potentially embarrassing brain fart moment. If you still think something's wrong, get their plates and knock.

>>970899
seconding greek. It's middle-price, tasty as hell, and good for you. Who doesn't love a good lamb gyro?

Did you get the list of visitors from BILL?
Whose news van is that?
Further leads we can investigate: the Anomaly Collective, talk to BILL about his time in the army, see if you can speak to ERIK too.

1/3 BAN 2020/06/30(Tue)21:23 No. 971142 ID: 7ae189
File 159357740276.jpg - (159.52KB , 800x846 , cop52.jpg )

Think, think, think...! You remember somewhere that you used to eat at, years ago. You tap on Dane's window and get her to roll it down. "I know a Greek diner back in Shiptown, what do you think?" you ask.

>Her eyes light up for a moment. "What, are there gyros there?" She catches herself quickly and her poker face returns. "...I'll take it."

Oh, thank god. "Great. One sec, I want to check one last thing."

You walk over to the news van sitting nearby. As you get closer, you see that it's definitely seen better days. Besides the big, generic 'NEWS' label plastered on its side, it's almost entirely unmarked. You almost find it suspicious, until you notice the Crosshair Media decal on the windshield. This must be Devin's vehicle... Kind of fitting for the man, you think.

Before you head back to your car, you take another second to sort everything out in your head. You make a mental note to dig into this Anomaly Collective more. It'll be a drag, but you'll try to speak to ERIK eventually too, and BILL--

Shit, BILL's list! You kick yourself for forgetting to grab it on your way out. You don't want to tango with the reporters again and your welcome here is definitely overstayed, so you'll have to collect it when you return.

You return to the car and start the drive back to familiar territory.

2/3 BAN 2020/06/30(Tue)21:26 No. 971144 ID: 7ae189
File 159357758408.jpg - (160.94KB , 800x737 , cop53.jpg )

The return drive is pretty alright. You get chewed out for not getting the list, but you expertly redirect Dane's anger back to the Durst mansion's inhabitants...

>"They're all suspect," she continues. "I don't trust any of their statements except maybe the son."

"You really got through all of them while I was outside?" you ask. "Did you find anything out?"

>"It wasn't that hard, most of them didn't know anything. That asshole butler seems to have been the only person who saw Mr. Mayor exit the mansion, not counting the wife. The bartender, the cooks and the cleaning staff had already cleared out for the day."

"I see..."

>"I can't believe they'd all omit the fact that a fucking policeman came in before us. It has to have been someone that they know, probably some fucking 2P detective."

"Or maybe they really were unaware," you muse. "I'm starting to doubt if it was even another cop... The guy could've snuck in from somewhere, and stayed just long enough to find out what other people knew about the crime."

>"You think it was the killer?"

"Who knows," you sigh, glancing over at the sunset. "Can you call the other major precincts? We should see how many cops actually fit the description, as vague as it is."

>"I'll hit the 2P through the 5P," she says, pulling out her phone. "They can handle checking their sister precincts."

You cross your fingers and hope that the horns weren't just a disguise. You're getting desperate for some kind of foothold, here.

>Dane looks at you sideways as she dials one of the precincts' numbers. "So... This place we're headed does sell gyros, right?"

3/3 BAN 2020/06/30(Tue)21:38 No. 971146 ID: 7ae189
File 159357829421.jpg - (165.82KB , 1414x467 , cop54.jpg )

Down by the docks of Shiptown, there's a Greek diner that used to be constantly packed with soldiers and sailors waiting for assignments. This isn't quite the way you imagined yourself returning. It's a lot emptier now, but it's also nowhere near as beat-up.

You head in first while Dane changes in the car. The owner seems to recognize your face--he gives you a grave nod and leads you to the same table you used to sit at. You check the time... 8:00, great. You're only about ten minutes from the station, so you have plenty of time to eat and leave.

Dane walks in, straightening her clothes. You're technically off the clock now, so she's swapped out the kevlar for something more comfortable, like another uniform. The owner's face lights up when she sits across from you.

>"Now isn't this a pleasant surprise," he says. "You've really turned out alright, young man. What can I get for you two?"

>"A lamb gyro with everything, and a coffee," your partner says immediately. She glances at you and subtly narrows her eyes. "Actually, make that two gyros. And fries."

You wince as she twists the knife into your chest. If your wallet is dying tonight, you might as well eat well too. "Just give me the ribeye steak and fries," you tell the old man. "I'll take coffee too, why not."

>The owner walks toward the kitchen and yells something in another language. "I'll get your coffee," he calls back to you.

>Dane pulls out her journal and opens it. "From those calls, it sounds like there are only 35 patrol officers and detectives that have anything that could be called horns," Dane tells you. "ERIK is on that list, too."

"Interesting... We should try talking to him, tomorrow."

>"Someone should. Do you have a plan for the rest of the team, yet?"

"Uh--"

>She rolls her eyes."I know you don't. Just think about it before this meeting, okay? You can't just wing it when you're giving orders to cops that aren't me."

>The diner's owner returns with your coffee. "The food will be along shortly, lieutenant," he says as he walks away.

"Thanks." A sip confirms that the diner's choice of coffee grounds hasn't changed in years.

>Dane picks up her mug, but doesn't drink. "BAN, answer this for me and don't try to give me any bullshit."

Your heart skips a beat. Shit, did you forget something else...? "Shoot."

>"This is our case."

"...Is that the question?"

>"Yes." She leans in a little. "This is really big for us, and I want to know. Are we actually gonna give case this away to that asshole in a couple days?"

>>971146
Depends.
Assuming the paperwork is approved? Only if we don't solve it before then. Can't go against upper management after using them as a way to get STEVE off our case. Of course, if ERIK interfered with the case... we might be able to argue that 2P wasn't acting in good faith from the start.
If the paperwork isn't approved? Hell no we're not handing it over. So long as this case is officially ours, it's ours. If 2P wants to honestly help with the investigation we can make use of their resources. God knows they have more than us.

>a plan for the rest of the team
Refresh your memory: who do we have? Any specialists?
Some basic things we can do is send people to interview the people on BILL's list, ask what they were there for, where they were the night of the murder, those kind of basic questions. We can also interview people who live along the most likely route the Mayor took to the bridge, see if anyone spotted him.
We can have some of them go over the collected evidence from the crime scene, see if we can pull any more clues out of there. One important thing is we can get a good idea of how big the climber's hands are, and use that to narrow down possible suspects. We can also compare that size of hand to the impact damage on the body, to confirm they match.
We can have people follow the marks on the bridge over the other side (I'd hope we already did this, honestly, it's not good to let tracks go cold)

We're not doing it at STEVE's pleasure, Dane. But with the kind of favors he can call in? I'd be facing steep charges if I don't.

If we can find something soon that shows bad faith on the 2nd's part, that balance changes. That's what I'm hoping for.

If I get direct proper orders down the chain of command I will hand the case over to them within the proper timeframe.

Aka stall as long as possible.

So we need to solve it before then or get so close that it would look horrible for anyone to take it away from us.

Stuff to discuss with Dane.

1. Motives. Who would want him dead and why. We need to look into the Mayors history. Is highly likely its not a random killing. Someone wanting him dead for something he did years back? Did the Mayor know the killer and have dealings with them?

2. Means. Was someone waiting for him under that bridge? If so how did they know his route. Did he often take walks there? Or could he have been meeting someone there and they offed him?

3. Why talk to the Son? The kid was the only one who the so called cop talked to. There has to be a reason for that. If it was a cop then they thought he had important info. If it was not a cop they could be looking for other info. If it was the killer? Well maybe the killer did not get what he wanted by killing the mayor. Could be after something the Mayor had and did not get it.

4. Paranoia check. This is big politics. If the mayor was in bed with the other precinct maybe they had more than just a professional relationship. Could Steve have more reasons to take the case than just pride? Quietly look into the relationship between the mayors household and your sister precinct.

Oh yeah look up any laws or legislation the Mayor recently passed or was working on passing. Might help with motive.

Not unless the man upstairs says so. STEVE gets it all done by the book? A promise is a promise. But if Durst's son does finger ERIK as the guy that harassed him, that'll get a lot harder for them real fast. He does seem to be the most likely suspect in that little tangent - 2P had a good relationship with the campaign, and he was an old army buddy of Mr. Durst, so assuming that BILL wasn't lying, ERIK would have had more than enough means to slip in with the campaign members. Plus, he has horns. Run his photo by the son before confronting them about that, though; this is not something we want to get wrong.

"If we confirm to the son that the harasser was from 2P, could we prompt him to press charges? Technically, we couldn't do that on our own, as that separate incident is definitely with 2P's jurisdiction, not ours, but what would happen if they were called upon to process a charge on one of their own?"

"Although, come to think of it... if it were just 2P sticking their noses where they aren't allowed, that'd just be a slap on the wrist, and a PR hit. But considering ERIK's relationship with the victim, he could officially become a POI in the case if young Mr. Durst does finger him."

As for orders, we need a reminder of what exactly we have to work with here.

I have a sneaking suspicion we'll have revealed a conflict of interest before then. How much do you want to bet our mystery cop was there getting everyone's stories straight and the kid didn't want to play ball? If not, all we have to do is keep our noses clean, don't give STEVE anything he can rake us over the coals with.

BAN 2020/07/05(Sun)19:46 No. 971554 ID: 7ae189
File 159400360847.jpg - (125.94KB , 800x901 , cop55.jpg )

"Depends," you reply, taking another sip. "If I get the proper orders, directly from command, then we have to hand the case over within the proper timeframe."

>"I said no bullshitting," Dane chides.

"I'm just saying that I'm not planning on it unless I have to. If we solve the case, or get close enough to solving it, there won't be a good reason for anyone to take it from us. And if the 2P gets caught up in something controversial before our deadline hits, the balance could shift considerably..."

>She gets your drift. "You mean if Durst's kid recognizes ERIK."

"He seems like the most likely person to be our mystery cop. If we show John Durst a picture of him and he's recognized, could the kid press charges? What would happen if the 2P had to process a charge on one of their own?"

>"You're talking like a politician." Your partner hides the suggestion of a smile behind her coffee. "If ERIK gets fingered for that incident, the 2P would definitely have their hands full."

"ERIK could even be considered a person of interest, if you think about his relationship with the victim. Whether he interfered on his own or for his precinct, it wouldn't look good. It'd be grounds for us to dig into the whole precinct's relationship with the mayor, too."

>"There's no way they could clear up a shitshow like that and be ready to investigate this murder in two days."

"It'd be a great opportunity for us." You stroke your chin. "I don't get why he didn't just go for ALICIA though, if it was him. Why press the son first?"

>"You said it yourself, whoever came in probably just wanted to get a feel for what people knew. If it was ERIK or some other cop, they could get that much from him and get out before we showed up."

Your food arrives. You realize that you've never eaten in front of Dane before... You hope that you don't look weird. You take slow bites(?) and try to calculate how much money is in each mouthful(?).

>Dane stops devouring gyro long enough to watch you eat another piece of steak. "That's...interesting."

"Let's go over the murder again," you say, self-consciously putting down the fork. "This most likely isn't a random killing. Do you think he knew the murderer?"

>"He spent years in army service and years in politics. It's probably an enemy from one of those circles, right?"

"Probably. The unit he served in was full of crazy types, I wouldn't put it past one of them to do it if they held a grudge for something."

>"Don't rule out that bitch ALICIA and her people, either. Political advancement's always a motive, and they probably had the best idea of where he was last night."

"Where he was last night..." You cautiously eat some more steak. "Whoever killed him was completely aware of his route, or at least his destination. If the mayor really did have a late night meeting, anyone who knew the specifics of it are prime suspects."

>"Joe Durst's office definitely needs to be checked out tomorrow. Hopefully none of those assholes tamper with anything before we get there..."

"Remind me again, who else do we have on the case now?"

>"You know KYLE already, he's gonna be an extra investigator. We've also got three cars from my patrol team. Car 1 is Walker and Vincent, Car 2's Josh and Megan, and Car 3's Hugo and Peter."

You mull over the roster. KYLE's one of the detectives under you at the precinct. He's a lot like yourself, just a little more generally focused and not as good at singing. The members of Dane's patrol unit should come in handy, too. You figure that with the help of these new cops, you'll be able to cover up to two detective-worthy tasks at a time, and three more menial, grunt-worthy tasks. Five processors completing jobs in real time... You're going to get a headache from this. You regret sleeping through your high school's contemporary maths class.

>Dane finishes her first gyro, and starts on the second in earnest. "You actually look like you're thinking," she remarks. "Coming up with the game plan for our guys?"

>>971554
"Absolutely. If you have any input, it'd be welcome."

Got to be done, right?

I just hope we can cover it all, without missing something important.

I mean, I already posted a plan earlier...
Itemize what tasks need to be done. Write it down in a list. Then it's easier to assign groups to them.

1/2 BAN 2020/07/07(Tue)18:31 No. 971682 ID: 7ae189
File 159417186846.jpg - (107.51KB , 800x636 , cop56.jpg )

You nod, rubbing your temples. "Yeah... If you have any input, it'd be welcome."

>"I just want another shot at that fucking mansion, honestly. Maybe try to send the others on other jobs and leave that for us, that's all I have."

"Alright, this is what I'm thinking," you start. You use the rest of your food to form a diagram. "We send KYLE after the people on BILL's list when we get it, and have him interview them. Get the cars moving along Joe Durst's most likely route, ask around, see if anyone saw him. They can follow those marks across the bridge too, if it hasn't been done yet. Who's got the evidence we collected at the scene? Someone should check it out again, I want a better idea of the size of the hands that made the marks on the bridge, and if they line up with the damage on the mayor."

>Dane scarfs the rest of her gyro and looks over the mess that you've made of the table. "Not bad, that sounds like a solid day of work."

"Hopefully we can actually cover everything. This case is already turning into a monster...."

>The diner's owner approaches with the bills. "Pay whenever you want, you two."

>"Thanks so much," Dane says, staring at you pointedly.

You grimace and spill your wallet's guts onto the table. Your pocket feels a lot lighter when you stand up to leave.

2/2 BAN 2020/07/07(Tue)18:32 No. 971683 ID: 7ae189
File 159417197610.jpg - (132.96KB , 950x649 , cop57.jpg )

A short drive brings you back to the First Precinct. The lobby looks as slow as usual when the two of you walk in.

>The receptionist waves as you approach. "Captain, the emergency homicide team's on call and ready to be briefed whenever you want. If you head to The Major's office, she can assemble them."

You walk over to the floor map. Your watch reads 9:15... You consider if there's anything else you want to do before getting your guys together. You're only a minute away from the evidence room, the shooting range, your office, and of course The Major's office.

>>971683
Time to take a closer look at that evidence.

Yeah, if we can squeeze in our own lookie-loo at the evidence before assembling everyone and ending the day, that’s just being efficient. Do make sure to warn everyone ahead of time that there’s going to be a meeting soon.