4710 Jerry Lane

[Lermanicus]

Large oak trees reach across the street to each other, creating an urban forest. The sidewalk show the ravages of the great oaks' roots. Most of the houses in this neighborhood are one story, 4710 Jerry is no different accept for it being a corner lot. In good repair, painted a dark brown, its features clearly point to an era that is pre-disco.

There is a faded Child Finder Rescue decal in the front left window of the home. On either side of the front door is the diamond pane glass that was so popular back then. The door knocker is a brass seagull in flight and there is a matching brass mail drop.

With the garage shut and no cars in front it is not clear if anyone is currently home.

[Fractured]

Frank sees the Child Finder Rescue decal and realizes that a family must have moved in here, quite some time ago by the fading on the sticker. Kid might be a teenager by now. He lifts the novelty brass knocker three times and waits to see if anyone answers the door.

A thought occurs to him on the porch, and he flips through the case file in his hand, searching for any photos taken of the front of the house, so he can compare its current condition to its past.

[Lermanicus]

The house in the photos is a dark green, but otherwise pretty much the same. The door knocker is even in one of the shots. Besides the color and a decade of growth the house is remained unchanged.

A blurred visage of a soccer mom is visible through the diamond panes. "Can I help you?"

[Fractured]

"Good day, ma'am," Rizzo says to the blur on the other side of the door. He hopes that the simple truth will be intriguing enough to this housewife to grant him access. "I'm Detective Frank Rizzo, Sac PD...retired. I'm investigating the murder of a previous occupant of this house, and I'd like to review the crime scene again, with your permission."

[Lermanicus]

"Murder!!?? No no there has been nothing like that in this house. Detective Rizzo I have my 24 month old napping right now. I can't say I understand what's going on. Are you at the right house?"

Her voice is tense, and her speech is abrupt. If you are going to make it in there you need to convince her now.

[Fractured]

Rizzo sighs inwardly. It appears this lady is not, in fact, intrigued, quite the opposite. His calm demeanor never wavers as he informs her, "Yes, ma'am, this is the correct house. The incident took place eight years ago. Do you remember hearing about a washing machine accident befalling the previous owner?"

In the same calm, pleasant demeanor, he continues, "Please, ma'am, I need to do my job. I'm a private investigator now. That means I have to investigate something, ma'am, and whether that's the murder that took place in this residence more than eight years ago, or your family's private and business affairs until I find something you'd really wish I hadn't, I'm going to let you decide."

He hates having to scare the woman, even worse the idea of following up on his threats, but she's standing in the way of him doing his job.

Not so scary, after all

2009-07-19 16:31:18 F Rizzo rolls 5 to Intimidate housewife (10 Again, WillPower) 3, 7, 7, 3, 6, 1, 5, 3 failure

[Lermanicus]

Frank realizes threatening her was the wrong approach.

"I think you need to leave Mr. Rizzo!" she says weakly backing away from the door. You can make out her silhouette, she appears to be dialing a phone.

Guilt and shame riddle Frank, as he realizes he has terrorized a suburban mom at her own house and worse yet nothing to show for it. Back in the day he could verbal muscle his way through most. Today even June Cleaver seems to be more than a match.

[Fractured]

Goddammit, no one has any respect for the elderly these days, Frank grumbles. She's obviously gone to call the police, which means he's going to have some explaining to do. Later. "Alright, ma'am, I'm leaving. Good day to you." He's very tempted to knock over her mailbox, but that was a much younger Rizzo.

If he wasn't going to get a look at the place now, he still needed information about the victim. Why had a grown man taken to live in a three bedroom house alone? The Dodge rumbles to life and makes its noisy way to the city's Department of Records; Maybe the guy has a brother nearby, or something.

[Lermanicus]

The old Dodge makes its way through the traffic to the Department of Records. It almost knows the we by itself, Frank has been there so often in the past.

Still angry Frank makes his way into the government building. Most employees here are lifeless and pale, and the ones in records well, only eyesight separates them from a some kind of cave dwelling reptile.

[Fractured]

Frank, in contrast to many elderly people, has not forgotten the value of patience. Which is a good thing, here in the underbelly of the bureaucratic beast. He walks slowly up to the records clerk and explains, "I'm looking for family and property records for my genealogical research. Can you help me?" He neglects to mention it is not for his own family.