Sep 28 12:19:00 105 PA
From Chronicles
The current game time is: Mon Sep 28 12:19:00 105 PA.
Early evening in the Nightingale, and the place is swinging. The upper classes and rich folks of Kingsdale love to let down their hair of an evening. A few suited gentlemen are huddled around a bottle on a table, near a corner, and others at the bar, nursing glasses of amber liquid. One, alone at the end of the bar, is pretty well gone, his fingers twisting the glass around, his gaze admiring the barmaids.
Kid is settled at the other edge of the bar, still early into her casing of the Nightingale. Her presence timed to catch the early rush on those just coming off work. She has eyes for those in business suits, especially those who look to be imbibing a bit more than they should. Thus it won't be too long before she sights the fella down along the bar. She examines him discreetly for a few moments before she slips casually from her stool and moves down along the line of seated drinkers. As she comes along behind the guy, she'll lift a hand to casually tap his shoulder as she passes, moving to the opposite side. Should he fall for the ruse and look, no one will be there. But when he looks back, he'll find Kid next to him, giving him a playful little smile. Either way, she'll murmur, "Why the long face, hmm?" Her flinty voice light and interested in the potential response.
He turns his head, frowning at the interruption of his thoughts. The playful smile gains her only a small twitch of the corners of his mouth, and her murmured comments gets a brief reply. "Work, but a pretty thing like you doesn't need to worry your head about things like that..." He lifts one eyebrow, the twitch becoming a charming smile, quick to latch onto the hope of a girl. "Want to cheer me up?"
"That's why I asked. Talking can help you cheer up some and you look like you could use a good vent. Wanna tell me about it?" Kid replies with an easy grin. Inwardly amused, but keeping that veiled as she leans against the bar casually. "Maybe buy me a drink. It'd be the gallant thing to do." Her grin keeps that light playfulness, a soft jest in her tone. She's careful to keep a casual sense of interest despite the soft derail of his advance.
"I'll most certainly buy you a drink..." He replies, lifting a finger to the waitress with a repeat of that smile. As the drinks are served, and he does make the choice for the woman at his side, he turns back to her. "Venting isn't my style, sweetheart but you are welcome to distract me..." He reaches out a hand, running a finger lightly over her upper arm.
Kid suffers the touch without an outward twitch, returning a casual, "So just what is your style then?" Her eyes dip towards his finger, careful to swing not too far in either direction in reaction as she murmurs, "A quick mover, I'd guess. Ever on the fast track." Her eyes lift again, amusement quirking her expression again. She leaves the drink lie for the moment as it's served.
Kid suffers the touch without an outward twitch, returning a casual, "So just what is your style then?" Her eyes dip towards his finger, careful to swing not too far in either direction in reaction as she murmurs, "A quick mover, I'd guess. Ever on the fast track." Her eyes lift again, amusement quirking her expression again. She leaves the drink lie for the moment as it's served.
"Always, sweetheart, always." He reaches for the glass to lift it in a small toast to her before taking a sip. "My style... smooth, my dear. Definitely smooth and fast." He does let his eyes scan down her, the curve to his lips indicating that he is enjoying the view. "You? You always make passes at men in bars?"
Kid laughs lightly, casually turning her side towards him as she picks up the delivered drink. "Fast isn't always best," she murmurs casually, toying with the glass as she adds, "Who said I was making a pass? Can't someone just talk in a bar these days?" The glass lifted for a casual sip. She's been keeping to light drinks and minimal alcohol, not wanting to get soused. To she's still alert, though she keeps her outward expression soft.
He laughs, shaking his head, "A man can hope. Why else would a pretty young thing like you talk to an old man like me?" He can't be more than forty, and the humour in his eyes gives the joke away. "Unless, of course..." He lowers his voice, leaning forward confidingly. "Unless she wanted to know something specific about business." The twinkle vanishes and his face sets in a cynical look that reflects his years working in that business. "What is it? Perhaps you should be paying for the drinks."
Kid cants her head slightly to the side, keeping her light expression as she casually sips from her glass again. Letting her response linger in the background just a bit. "You might be 'old', but you're sharp." The compliment meant at least in part. Her voice dips to something far more discreet as she slips a bit closer, actually leaning against the man a bit. So much the better to veil the truth of the words she shares with him. "Let's just say I'm a concerned citizen and I've got a bit of an interest in the death of Peter Osbourne. I don't represent anyone.. I don't plan to report to anyone, I'm just.. interested." She tilts her head a little towards him, giving the man a sidelong glance. "Curiosity and all that. And I do kinda wonder what's got you so down as well." She gives a little grin.
"And what do I get if I tell you the things I know, pretty girl?" He gives a mock leer, ending in an amused grin. He takes a sip of his drink, pointing at the girl by his side as the waitress waits for the credits to cover it. "Turns out the lady is buying the drinks tonight." His tone is dry, with undertones of humour. "So, what is your interest, young lady?" He doesn't give away much, ignoring her last comment entirely.
Kid doesn't dispute buying the drinks, a light little smirk risen in response to own words. "My interest.. I'm still trying to decide that, to be honest. I've looked into the man a bit. Not my kind of guy, really. That he's dead doesn't really matter to me. But the circumstances.. lets just say that those interest me. Very.. professional." She looks towards him then, letting some of her own lightness of expression slip. Young she is, but her eyes don't betray the sort of innocent youth that should belong to someone her age. "He was a hatchet man.. and I hear tell your company and his were having a little dispute right around that time. Naturally I might wonder if the two were linked.. I don't really care about the details of the dispute itself, though. I'm not looking for company secrets or anything like that. Only if.. it might seem someone on the top floor decide to cross a bad line. A point B for my current A."
The man laughs, soft and low, genuinely amused by her comments. "So you think perhaps my company had him knocked off because of a little market place argybargy?" Despite the humour in his comments, his eyes lack the twinkle that was there a few moments ago. "Perhaps it is handy for us that he is out of the picture, Mr Osbourne was a sharp operator and made some seriously difficult times for us...but then, you should speak ill of the dead. Especially one like him." He tosses back the drink, pushing it towards the barmaid with a quick click of his fingers. The jerk of the head indicates that his companion can pay for this one too. "Don't you read the papers?"
Kid gives her shoulders a casual roll, murmuring, "Company.. maybe. Or one person might have decided to.. cut out the competition. One of those other 'fast movers'. Lots of possibilities and it is pretty handy and worth a glance." Her smile is rueful when it returns and she notes, "I've been a bit out of the loop recently and I've been getting back into it slowly. Personal issues. Something in particular you mean by the question?"
He picks up the glass, tilting it towards her, "You want a hint? Back in May, you take a look at the news..." He tosses the drink off, giving Kid that twinkling smile. "Rumour is that they have some big shot investigator looking into it." The smile flashes again, "Profit is profit, young lady. Needs must when the devil drives you, and all that stands in the way is one, very inconvenient man..." He lifts the eyebrow slightly. "Or girl."
Kid gives the man a sweet, impish little smile that's far 'too much' to be real. She murmurs, "Oh, I know about the hired guy. I'm sure I'll be seeing him pretty soon." Taking a casual sip of her drink. "I'll take that hint and the advice, though I already know about profit.. that's why I'm playing this nice and casual. I'm not picking a side.. not until I know better what's going on. If there is a side to pick, of course. I may just.. do nothing." She shrugs her shoulders casually again. She gives him another sidelong glance. "I'm very.. freelance."
"Freelance, huh..." He murmurs thoughtfully, one finger tapping his glass's rim. "So, miss..." He lifts an eyebrow in question. "Miss, do you know what games you are playing?" He tosses the drink down, putting the glass down on the bar with a faint click, before rising to his feet. "Take care, little girl." The words of warning are given with a flicker of a smile, and a twinkle in his eye. "Thanks for the pleasant conversation."
Kid nods to confirm her freelance status, her eyes still slid towards the man. "Trust me, when it comes to playing with big, scary companies, I tread carefully." Though those words are mingled with a casual smirk. She ceases leaning towards him as he rises, turning to face him. "I do. And you, cheer up. At least you're not Peter." She gives him a playful little grin and will lean up a little to give the man a light peck on the cheek. Spontaneity feeding the action, she easing back the moment after, that impish playfulness lingering. "Have a good night."
He gives a nod, with a quick smile at the peck on the cheek, before turning away to walk across the bar, confidently expecting people to get out of his way. They do, and he leaves, the bar door swinging shut behind him. Tags: kid, murder tp
