Nov 19 06:55:28 107 PA - Investigation into a Muuurder

From Chronicles

The current game time is: Sun Nov 19 06:55:28 107 PA.

Brian lives in a small duplex close to the gates of the city. His duplex is made of red brick with a pitched roof. Two security doors are side by side, one leading to Brian's home the other leading to his neighbor. A pink flamingo is the only decoration on the lawn.

The skies are clear, which is nice because it's keeping the rain off, but clear skies this time of year often mean cold, and this is true tonight. Sure, it's only a few minutes after sundown, but it's there. Fortunately, Gabriel doesn't seem to notice it. The only difference is that his shirt is buttoned all the way up. He seems to stop at the image of a pink flamingo, considering it for a moment before moving on. As the pathway splits, he turns toward one of the doors - the neighbor's door. The metal security door stands there. Through the metal holes you can see the plain wooden door and the peephole.

Gabriel knocks three times. Twice rapidly and rather quietly, then one louder thump.

Silence happens after the knocks. The silence lasts for a minute before there is some movement behind the peephole. The inner door opens a crack to reveal a chain between the door and it's metal frame. A male human looks out through the crack. "Yah? What do you want?"

Dipping his head in acknowledgment, Gabriel takes a polite step backward after the door has been tapped and opened. He does his best to clear up the Kentucky drawl. "I'm sorry to bother you at this time of night, sir. Is there any chance that I could just have a moment of your time? I'm not selling anything, or here to convert your religion, I'd just like to ask you about your neighbor. There've been some unfortunate occurrences, and I just don't want to bother him with some more painful issues right now." The man extends an open palm. "Again, I'm sorry to bother you, but might I have just a minute or two?"

The man scowls behind the door as he shakes his head. "Sorry ain't my problem. You deal with him if you want him." He says in a uncaring voice before shutting the door. The sound of the lock clicks.

Gabriel manages to take the rebuff in stride, and just turns around, moves over to Brian's door, and raps on the edge of the door like a friendly greeting, not the more loose, metallic crash that you get from hitting a metal security door.

The wooden door opens after only a few seconds. The sound of steel guitar strings floats out from the apartment. Brian is behind the door wearing brown pants, and no shirt. His build is more impressive then one might have guessed seeing him in a full shirt. He leans forward peering though the metal screen. "Uh Gabriel? Why are you here? Did you hear about Jeremy?"

"Yeah, hi, Brian," Gabriel says softly, extending a hand in greeting. "Listen, I did hear about Mr. Black, and I'm sorry for your loss. You seemed to be rather close." He then scratches at the back of his neck, not taking his eyes off the other man. "I'll be straight with you. I want to know why he died, and who did it. I guess I've always been one of those fools who tries to ride to the rescue, do the right thing, set justice correct, just because it's the good thing that the world needs." The older man offers a shrug. "Anyway, I've been snooping around a little. Mind if I pick your brain a little, Brian?" Gabriel makes no move to enter the man's home, no comment on his musculature. Just politely waiting for an answer.

Brian unlocks the metal security door and opens it up. He takes Gabriel's hand and shakes it briefly, before turning around and walking back into the apartment for a few steps. Grabbing a white t-shirt from the back of a chair, Brian pulls the t-shirt on. "Yah Jeremy was a really good man. Much more human then most humans I know. It was a real shame what happened to him. Unfortunately he made some enemies." He says as soon as he has pulled on his shirt. Turning back around he gestures for Gabriel to come in. "Sure you can ask whatever you want. I don't buy this break in story."

Gabriel shrugs. "Well, not to put you on the spot, but you were obviously closer to him than me. You heard anything around the water cooler, as people say?" He then waves a hand and says, "No matter how stupid it sounds, I'd love to hear it, if for no other reason than a good excuse to roll my eyes."

Brian nods his head as he lets out a sigh. "Yes we grew pretty close after his family died. I did my best to help Jeremy Black with whatever he needed. I delt with a whole lot of his buisness and personal matters. I would be happy to answer any questions you have. It was a pretty busy few days right before he was killed. He had made a good buisness deal that was going to make him a good deal of money for his charity work."

The older fellow doesn't actually twitch an eyebrow, but it's certainly done mentally. Certainly seemed like a lot of personal pronouns and stilted prepared speech. But you never know. Gabriel does nod. "Yes, I saw just some of how you helped. Very admirable. What kind of business was Mr. Black in, anyway? I'm sure there must have been something other than philanthropy."

"Mostly shipping really, but he had partnerships in a few manufacturing and mining interests in the Colorodo Baronies." Brian says as he moves over to his living room. He takes a seat in a chair, right in front of a small coffee table. The coffee table has quite a few files on it. "His business interests didn't quite pay for all the money that he was putting into his charities. Which is one of the reasons I don't think it was a break in. He had sold most of his furnishings already." Brian picks up a glass of water from the table and takes a sip.

Gabriel nods again, more deeply this time. "Colorado Baronies? Hmm, another place I'll have to go to the Library and look up. Doesn't really seem as if anything strange could be coming from there." He purses his lips so that his lower lip sticks out farther than the other for a few seconds. "I'll admit, I did a bit of snooping around, talked to a local.. the door looked pretty well broekn in. What makes you think that it wasn't? Someone entered legally then set it up to look like a home invasion?"

Brian shrugs his shoulders up and down. "Strange stuff comes from all over. As for the door? I am not sure. I just think that with the Coalition would very much want to silence Jeremy. Especially since he had just made a deal that was going to make him a lot of money, he would be able to invest." He shakes his head as he looks down at his table and glass of water. "I don't know. Maybe I am paranoid."

"Most of the time, paranoia is your mind telling you that you know the truth, but just don't want to admit it," Gabriel says, popping out another one of his nuggets of wisdom. "Titan Robotics, that was the business deal, right? Opening up shop here in Kingsdale? Would the Coalition have taken exception to that for some reason?" The source of his information is quietly left aside.

"Who can tell sometimes what the Coalition will take exception too." Brian says with a slight frown. "But Titan sells to most buyers, and they are undergoing a rather large expansion. Maybe that was it, or possibly cause Mr. Black knows all about the camps. I don't know. But Titan will be opening up there shop very soon, so it didn't stop them."

Gabriel nods again and lets out a slow breath. "Wow, this is a tough one, isn't it. Who was at the party?" Sure, it's blunt.

Brian looks up at Gabriel and shrugs. "Mostly it was people who are going to be working at the outlet. Sales people and the manager for the place. His name was Tharen Stele. One of the bigwigs of Titan was here as well an Argent Goodson. I was there, and so was Theo which is one of the managers of his shipping business. It was just a small little welcome to the city type of thing."

"Mr. Black did seem to have a touch for people. Which one of them did he work with on the deal, or was it all of them, to set up the Kingsdale office? I guess he must have had contact with one more than the others, right?" Gabriel sniffs a little, and asks, "What was the particular nature of Mr. Black's 'deal?' Property? Licenses?" A questioning silence is allowed to hang.

"Both Mr. Stele and Mr. Goodson on behalf of Titan robotics. It was a company to company contract. They negotiated a shipping deal to help move parts from out west to here and Merctown. They needed help with the shipping." Brian says before picking his glass and taking another sip of the water. He seems lost in thought, and doesn't seem to be bothered by all the questions.

Gabriel's eyes suddenly perk up a little. "Have you heard anything from any of these three gentlemen since the party? Or since Mr. Black's untimely death?" The man gives a slight shrug. "Have you tried to contact them on his behalf? After all, if Mr. Black was in danger, they could be in danger as well, so it seems to me."

"I have talked to them several times. I am executing Jeremy's will. They were unhappy about his death as far as I could tell. But all of Jeremy's property is to be sold and given to the people he helped rescue. Titan Robotics bought up a good chunk of the shipping business thankfully enough they are going to employ Theo." Brian lets out another sigh as he finishes his glass of water and then stands up. He walks over to a cupboard and pulls out a bottle of whiskey. He grabs some ice from his freezer and pours himself a little whiskey.

Nodding yet once more, Gabriel then sight softly and crosses his arms before his chest, cracking his back a little. "Titan bought the shipping, huh? Well, that's their right, as long as it's in accordance with the will, right? Help out a lot of people with that money." A careful examination of the man's features might indicate that he's not entirely sure about what he just stated. "You mentioned Theo before. He manages Mr. Black's shipping business? Or did I misunderstand?"

"Yah Theo was the manager for most of his shipping business. He could run the trucks, and hovertrucks on time." Brian says as he picks up his glass and takes a sip of his whiskey. "Yah everything is being sold off. Titan Robotics picked it up right as soon as they heard about the sell off. They also contributed to Jeremy Black's fund for the women and children."

"Really? Wow. Good company. Nice people," Gabriel says, apparently referring to the good folks of Titan Robotics. "How long has Theo been working with you guys? Does he have a last name?" His mouth opens as if to ask something else, but for the moment, it goes by the wayside.

Brian looks up at Gabriel and shrugs his shoulders. "They aren't bad people as far as I can tell. And Theo doesn't have a last name, or at least one that he gives out. He is just Theo. A good guy as far as I can tell as well. A hard working ogre."

Sure, two or three months ago, Gabriel probably would have flinched at hearing that a man was 'a hard working ogre,' but no, not today. Not now. Maybe he'll just dream about it later tonight. "Has he - Theo, I mean - worked for the departed Mr. Black as long as you have?" The man waves a hand briefly. "I'm sorry if it seems like I'm speaking poorly to the man, err, ogre, but certainly there must seem to be a connection between manager of shipping and the purchasing of a large chunk of shipping by Titan. Might not be fair at all, I know."

"Oh longer. I think he was the first driver to work for Jeremy Black. They have known each other for a while. Theo was godfather to his kids. But when they died Theo threw himself into running the shipping companies out of grief. He made a lot of money for the company and for the workers doing it too." Brian says as he downs some more of the whiskey. "He is a good guy. I couldn't think he would do it. But I think for now I must ask you to leave Colonel Blaze. I am too emotionally drained as is. Perhaps you could stop by another time again."

"Of course, I'm sorry to have taken up so much of your time, Brian. I'll take my leave of you. Careful with the liquor, if you want on man's advice. Goodnight." Gabriel then turns and walks to the door. But before closing it behind him, he turns and asks, "Oh, Brian, where were you when the break-in happened? I thought that you spent most of the time at Mr. Black's place." A shake of his head. "It's a sad thing." He then begins to close the door, waiting for an answer, but not so long as to be any more blatantly obvious than he just was.

"Usually, but I was in Merctown. I flew over there to pick up some finalized contracts that Titan Robotics had for the Merctown shipping." He says as he walks over to the door to see Gabriel out. "It was good to see you Colonel Blaze. I hope you find who is responsible for this."

Gabriel smiles, nods and states a simple, "Me too, goodnight." The door is then closed, and the man from the past walks back off into the night.