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]

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.