A woman has a much better chance than a man of acquittal on a murder charge

[chester-excolo.livejournal.com]

Thursday January 7th,[ Day 221]
Karina and Maryk's Porch
Mid morning



It's past time i got back to work. i got an investigation that ain't gonna get any easier the longer it sits.  I tried to see that O'Leary  broad again and this time didn't go no better than the last.. I open my mouth and she screeches and throws a pot at me.

So I try a different tack and start hangin' round the Reeves house to see if I can spot something. Not much happening there. An no one is conveniently saying nothing 'bout Reeves himself.  I do notice that the son is tryin;'real hard to be the man a  the house which to him means orderin' the women around. Says lots bout what kinda man Reeves was. An the widow Reeves is real quiet.  An real watchful. Specially of her son.  But this ain't enough for me to go the Mab n' say I think his wife did it. i'd need somethin' much more solid. N' 'sides, I don't think she did. couldn;t say why 'zackly but I don't think it was her.

It's past time I I admitted that  maybe I could use a hand. Attached to a human bein'.  That's why I'm here crouched in the shadows of the porch studyin' the other occupant.  Big solid  guy he is, leaning casually on the porch railing smokin' something very much like a cigarette except it smells of cloves as much as tobacco. Hope he takes my appearance on his doorstep a little easier than he did my presence at Hermia 'n Valmont's table.

That and I really oughta find out what He an Karina gotta say bout the frame that the murderer tried to put them in. From what Mab said she never took it the least bit serious that Karina or Maryk did it. Maybe that's why she ain't really bothered to takea proper statement from them. An' that's as  good a place to start as i'm gonna get. 

Take a couple steps outta my shadow, clear my throat.  "How's it goin', Pal?"

[Open to Maryk and Karina]

Comments

[chester-excolo.livejournal.com]

I'm liking this dame more an more. She purses her lips an gives me a level look. I have lived here over half my life. He was going to ruin the town and I didn't want that to happen. Her head tilts but her eyes are still on mine. Her voice level and sincere,And I didn't kill him. I prefer to win on my own merits, I can almost feel her spine straightening, that was the answer of a ruler.

My eyes flick to Maryk as he adds, I had nothing to do with it either. He is filled with pride at his woman. They are a good match, ruler and consort. Someone musta wanted to stop them.

I sit up straight an meet their eyes. "Tell me about the Council. An' Reeves plans for the town. Those could be important."

In a bit I'll let them know they ain't actually suspects. Let 'em think they gotta convince me a that first.

[karina-vb.livejournal.com]

The Council. I hesitate slightly. Former clients, some of them, and those are confidences I don't break.

"They're relatively conservative. Edmund's a welcome surprise. Reeves was probably the most conservative, and he planned to close off the towns. I wouldn't be surprised if he wanted to build a fence around us. He thi--thought it would fix things to bury the town's head in the ground. As if no one in this town could possibly be unsavory." I raise an eyebrow and purse my lips, tossing my head lightly in annoyance. "He would have come after those, next, the ones less favorable that didn't fit with his Utopian ideas."

[chester-excolo.livejournal.com]

Karina hesitates on this question, I just wait patiently for the answers.
I ain't surprised really by what she tells me. time for the next question.

"Anyone on the Council that you know of hated him? Maybe enough to kill him?"

[karina-vb.livejournal.com]

"Hated him?" I repeat, shaking my head slowly, then shrug my shoulders lightly. "He wasn't very well-liked, but I don't know that anyone hated him, specifically." Really, not much of the town gives thought to the Council. And those on it are too political to show strong emotions in any direction.

[chester-excolo.livejournal.com]

Hated him? Karina repeats in surprise as she shakes her head slowly and shrugs, He wasn't very well-liked, but I don't know that anyone hated him, specifically.

Hmm...not a useful answer. I take another bite of sausage and wash it down with some milk as I try to think of another good question to ask. Hmmm maybe I should just out right ask if anyone on the council hates her that she knows of?

Nah, I need to know if she thinks I can talk to any of these guys. and maybe I also need to know about O'Leary an if her connection to Reeves is well known or a secret of sorts. Just cause one a the spirits said she smells of him doesn't tell me stuff like why.

"So maybe I need to go question some of them. Care to give me their names and a hint or two about whether I'd waste time having to convince them that yes I can talk?"

[karina-vb.livejournal.com]

I tilt my head slightly, trying to picture each member of the council meeting Chester and their reaction.

"Edmund, of course, have you met him?" I wonder how that would go. "Toby Hutchinson is young, he might be alright with it. Meeting you, I mean. Herbert Adams, probably not. You might give him a heart attack." I give Chester a smile. "Concetta Marsh, likely not. Coral Hemingway and Terence Longfellow, well, I suppose it depends on how they're feeling that day." I shrug again. "I can't be sure how they would react."

[chester-excolo.livejournal.com]

She gives the matter some thought. I steal another drink of milk while she does so, then look back up licking my lips and whiskers clean as she speaks.

Edmund, of course, have you met him? I shake my head no. Toby Hutchinson is young, he might be alright with it. Meeting you, I mean. Herbert Adams, probably not. You might give him a heart attack. I snort as Karina smiles at me. Concetta Marsh, likely not. Coral Hemingway and Terence Longfellow, well, I suppose it depends on how they're feeling that day.I can't be sure how they would react.

Quite the short list of people who might be okay to try talkin' to. I sigh and look over at Maryk where he's leaning against the wall patient as stone.

"Mab's really gonna owe me for this. Sounds like I need either a human disguise or a partner."

I look back to Karina, "You got any magic tricks other than the golem?" I open my mouth and breathe in, tasting for Power.

[karina-vb.livejournal.com]

I raise my eyebrows and purse my lips, twisting them slightly. Erzebet stirs lightly in my consciousness, but I push her aside. Not now. It's amusing that he can tell--amazing how many of my secrets are so obvious now, after so many years of silence. I cast a glance over at Maryk, wondering if he knows what a golem is. Wondering if he will ask.

"Tricks? No," I assure Chester with a smile. "The, uh, golem was a gift."

[chester-excolo.livejournal.com]

I can taste the eddies of spirit energy flickering about her. Ah. There is a spirit-rider. It hides well, barely detectable. She might not even know it's there. I catch her glance at Maryk.

Tricks? No,The, uh, golem was a gift. Again with the smile. Interesting. I can feel my whiskers twitch with curiosity about who gave it to her and why. such and interesting coincidence finding another such creation in this town. The nature of Golem magic is simpler than the interlocking set of spells that Hermia was trying to replicate with Deputy Hollow. But still the two are very similar.

I blink and dip my head, sneaking a glance of my own at Maryk. Now is probably not the time to mention the spirit-rider. "c'n I ask who from? gifts like that often come with a hefty price tag."

[karina-vb.livejournal.com]

Both my eyebrows raise in surprise and I lean back into the chair, my arms lying on the armrests.

"A client," I finally say with no embarrassment or regret. "Real money can be hard to come by." I shrug lightly. "He seemed to think the cost worth it."

[chester-excolo.livejournal.com]

She leans back in her chair as if it were a throne, both eyebrows going up this time. A client, Real money can be hard to come by.He seemed to think the cost worth it.

"A rich tribute," I say. And one that few queens or courtesans receive. That raises her yet another notch in my estimation. I bow my head to her.

A quick shake and I remind myself that the matter of the golem ain't the most important thing goin' on here. Another quick glance at Maryk an the thought that maybe I am gonna hafta ask if she knows bout the spirit- rider. Cuz there is the chance that her hands ma have done the deed but not her will.

"Lady, I gotta ask you somethin' a bit delicate that has nothin' to do with the golem and lots to do with you having at least one other possible trick. Did'ja know bout the spirit ridin' you?"

I watch her face and eyes very carefully.

[maryk-graeb.livejournal.com]

A number of glances pass my way, from both Karina and Chester. I'm not sure if Karina's gauging my support or reaction. I am certain that's what Chester is doing. I keep my face even through their exchange, even when the "golem" comes up. It's not an unfamiliar word or concept to me but that Karina would have one sounds unlikely. Could one even be given as a gift? The legends are sort of mixed but none of them covered that. Unless it's--

My thoughts are interrupted by another glance from the cat before he says, "Lady, I gotta ask you somethin' a bit delicate that has nothin' to do with the golem and lots to do with you having at least one other possible trick. Did'ja know bout the spirit ridin' you?"

My eyes narrow and I turn my eyes to Karina, then back to Chester. What is this cat that he can tell Erzebet is there?

[karina-vb.livejournal.com]

"Lady, I gotta ask you somethin' a bit delicate that has nothin' to do with the golem and lots to do with you having at least one other possible trick. Did'ja know bout the spirit ridin' you?" I blink once in surprise, then again. All those secrets now obvious to all the newcomers. Lovely. Erzebet laughs with delight inside of my head and shifts behind my eyes, but I keep the control for myself.

"Yes," I say evenly. "And what do you know about that?"

[chester-excolo.livejournal.com]

Maryk isn't surprised, Karina is. The spirit riding her gives off more energy. I think talking about it woke it up some. Neither of them really let much show. His eyes narrow a bit and his gaze slides from her to me. I can feel his curiosity and suspicion from here. She blinks but gets her face still and her voice even. Yes,And what do you know about that?

"Not all that much," I admit. "But I can can tell because it's energies are ripplin' out from you. What I wanna know is two things. Does Mab know about your Rider? An if you sometimes lose time to it?"

[maryk-graeb.livejournal.com]

So that's what he's thinking. That the bitch in Karina's head took over long enough to kill Reeves. Even with that possibility, there's no way she killed Reeves and dumped him by the river. Not that night. Erzebet doesn't seem likely to wrest control from Karina, anyway. Only when she'd been damn near broken by the thing in the Tower.

Of course, if she does "lose time" to Erzebet, that'd be a good thing to know.