Criminal Intent: Roadside Update

[Edward Heinrich]

Edward rested against the hood of his cart as the appointed meeting time drew near. He wore a salmon dress shirt with rolled-up sleeves, dark jeans, and a simple sliver wristwatch. Dirt Nap

[Dirt Nap]

Dirt Nap approached moving quietly, with a new, predatory air about him. In the past his careful movements seemed purposed to avoid trouble. Now they seem like he's considering the best position from which to stage an ambush.

"Eve'ning, sir." Dirt Nap says softly as he approaches.

"I have to say, sir. I wish we could talk somewhere we can be for sure and for certain no one can eavesdrop on us."

[Edward Heinrich]

"Good evening, Mr. Clay." He takes a step away from the car, by instinct reacting to some change he himself could not place in Dirt Nap. Giving himself space to move, but standing with perfect posture. "I find no issue with the fulfillment of your wish. What would you think of a drive?" He gestures to the passenger side, "I should imagine the inside of the car on the highway would be a sufficient guarantee of solitude."

[Dirt Nap]

Dirt Nap nods at Edward's suggestion, following him to the car and getting in, after Edward does.

Once the car is started and they are underway, Dirt Nap says softly, "Thank you, Mister. Heinrich. I have been to see the boss, and she told me to get caught up on the investigation, so that's what I aim to do. Can you fill me in on what I missed, being gone and all?" He asks.

He stares at Heinrich, taking in everything from words to tone to expressions.

[Edward Heinrich]

The car starts and Dirt Nap catches a few piano notes from a song he surely cannot place. Edward shuts it off with an unhurried press of a button.


"In truth, Mr. Dirt Nap," Edward reverts to the Savage's other name in the safety of the car, "there is precious little to give a report on, other than a report."

Edward turned north with no particular motivation besides getting away from the city with its stoplights and long shadows.

"I offered testimony with the assistance of Ms. Wood to the Prince with the Archon as witness. I spoke of what you already have come to know, and the Prince did not render judgement immediately. As I said, precious little to give report on."

"Yet, I have been stewing on the events of the case. The longer I do so, the more the unpleasant feeling of having my conclusions chosen for me invades my reflection. The central problem: why would Mr. Kowalsic engage in such a foolish false accusation? Why would he direct us to find the painting when it would serve only to further damn him?"

Edward was outwardly calm. At the same time, it wasn't hard to feel, rather than hear, the desperation underneath Edward's tone. He needed an answer, although he didn't expect Dirt Nap to give it to him. Not tonight.

"I am going to offer to meet with Mr. Kowalsic. I doubt he will refuse. Yet I feel it an exercise in futility; every path has been explored to a dead end in the world I see."

"So the way forward is clear: I require insight from another world, one profoundly different from my own. If you were to join me in meeting with Mr. Kowalsic, I imagine the time spent would be anything except futile."

The more time spent with a person, the easier it was to match their way of thinking and speaking. Edward thought he was a skilled hand at this, but with Dirt Nap, Edward struggled. That struggle gave him hope.

[Dirt Nap]

Dirt Nap listens to Edward. It seems his main concern is having misread Kowalsic. It seems to Dirt Nap, he's still misreading him, namely how far he could go.

"Well." Dirt Nap offers.

After a minute or more of silence, he adds, "It makes a little more sense, if he expected the painting to be destroyed, not handed over or looked at." Dirt Nap says.

"I could imagine, he already tried having his people find it, and when they didn't, he used us to do it, figuring on having his people show up and get rid of anything that put him in a bad light, when we found it."

"Then it wouldn't matter so much what we heard or saw, if we were part of what got rid of."

Dirt Nap is quiet.

"Am I right in thinking that between you and Mable, the Prince heard all about what you know, about his making that accusation?" Dirt Nap asks. If so, between that and her having the pictures, there wouldn't be any benefit to him anymore in destroying Edward, or him.

Even so, he has no real rush to put himself in Kowalsic's power.

"I 'preciate you inviting me along, sir." Dirt Nap says, "I have to beg off. I got my orders to obey, and not a lot of extra time besides that."

After a pause, Dirt Nap says, "I'd be happy to give you my perspective on anything you want, afterwards. If you want to let me know what happens when you do meet with him, that is."

Another pause and then, "If he's right where he would normally be, and the pictures are with the Prince now, it seems the only loose ends are Simone and the artist. Could you tell me where they are now?" He asks thoughtfully.

[Edward Heinrich]

Dirt Nap's words washed over Edward in irregular waves. At first, he did not give much in the way of outward reaction other than to nod in response to Dirt Nap's one question.

Declining the invitation got a reaction, a reflection of muted despair. The slight tilt of a head forward, the stilling of the shoulders while turning the wheel, the flatness of his words when they finally came: all testament to yet one more small hope snuffed out. But, Edward would go through the motions and meet with the Haunt anyway.

Otherwise, Edward considered each brief speech, and as he didn't have much sense for when the Savage was or wasn't finished, he let the silence hang for a couple of minutes after Dirt Nap's last words before speaking.

"I won't hide my disappointment, Mr. Dirt Nap." Edward continued to ponder for a moment.

He just didn't buy it. If Kowalsic planned on killing them, then why include so many investigators? If the Haunt knew himself to be guilty, why not include a trusted retainer? It would have been as easy as 'here is the ghoul who first found the body, take them with you in case you have any questions.'

"I should imagine they either continue to take refuge at the farm or have returned to the residences where we first spoke." The interest nagged at Edward. Why the focus on Simone?

"If you would like, we can try both locations now. I confess I am not on the best of terms with Ms. Simone, so if you wish to speak with her my presence may poison her mood. But perhaps you would prefer her to begin on tilt, as it were. Your choice, naturally."

[Dirt Nap]

Dirt Nap nods soberly. "Well, sir. I am sorry to disappoint. It's not my aim." He says apologetically.

"It seems to me, my coming along wouldn't be a help in any way, seeing as I can't even pretend to know his mind on things, and we are strangers to each other, at least he is to me."

"As to Ms. Simone, all I needed to know was that she hasn't skipped out. Since she seems to still be in town, I don't actually have anything I need from her, for now, that is." Dirt Nap says. If the ghoul is required by the Prince, it will be up to Simone to produce him.

"I thank you for filling me in on what you know, sir." Dirt Nap says. "Did the boss say anything more she wanted from you about all this, anything that I should know, I mean to say?"

"She told me to get myself caught up, and didn't mention who else if anyone was still supposed to be doing anything about it to me."

[Seryna]

Hello. Mr, Kowalsic called folks to arrange a meeting on January 31st. Lets wrap these threads up. Plot is moving forward.

[Edward Heinrich]

"That's quite alright, Mr. Dirt Nap." It was too bad, but Edward was asking a favour, after all; Dirt Nap was free to refuse.

"No. She said little. My further work on the case is simply to fulfil my own whim."

Edward, for the first time in the conversation, chooses a turn that led closer to the city. "Was there any other matter you wished to discuss, Mr. Dirt Nap?"

I'm good to close.