Log:Carpenter's Reserve and Grimm's Confession

A List of Questions 2019/10/21 Night Marshal|Carpenter Grimm 11

It's two days after Haoran was handed over to the police with his part of the list, and the recording provided to Night Marshal by Mechanica. The other triad at the hospital has been charged for his assault and attempted murder of Tamara. With the list officially announced as being in police hands by the press, that should be a stop to the Triads trying to finish their work. Unless they're dumb enough to incriminate themselves further. The smart thing would be to abort that plan.

Tracking Lu Yifeng was next on Carpenter's list, but then last night...James Porter announced his plans of world domination. Panic set in, and Carpenter was called in to help with damage control. After from the Transmat incident, a lot of the citizenry who couldn't flee flooded the precinct with complaints, demands on what was being done about the threat, and all the crazies that come out at a time like this.

After a long day of not being able to work on past cases, Carpenter's shift has ended. There's a recent text on his phone from Gabrielle Grimm. <>

Carpenter gives her a call to set up a place to meet, since he just got finished with his shift. Maybe it's something he can actually do, since he really can't go anything other than damage control with the moon thing.

Grimm picks up the phone, sounding tired. "Hey, Carpenter. How you holding up?"

Carpenter sounds pretty tired as well. "I'm alright, though it's been busy today. Got your message. You had something for me?"

"Yeah. A bottle of whiskey with your name on it," Grimm sounds darkly amused. "I need a breather. Figured you might want something to get you through the next day or two."

Carpenter is still a little on edge from the Triad situation. There's no telling if they really WILL lay off. "I think...I better not get too soused, given what's going on. But I'm happy to hang out for a bit."

"Yeah, definitely not a time to get blitzed. Maybe we can meet up somewhere a little away from the chaos?" Grimm suggests. "I've been run ragged trying to help teleport and coordinate at Starguard HQ, but I'm just about out of juice."

Carpenter nods. "Sounds good. Pick a place. Otherwise, I'm going to head home and sleep." Or go out and look for that Triad lieutenant. Either way.

Grimm chuckles. "Well, maybe I can just drop off the gift. Or meet up at the Old Town Tavern?"

Later...

Carpenter is already at the bar by the time Grimm arrives. He has a beer in front of him and he's checking some notes on his PDA.

Grimm isn't too late to the Tavern, being held up briefly at Starguard HQ for an assist. She arrives with a brown paper bag, looking about for Carpenter. The crowd is thin, but dedicated drinkers are here just to cope with the news events of the day. These are the ones who have probably seen a number of incidents. The hard core locals of Colonial Bay. She heads over his way, not quite able to smile at first, but she manages for force one for his benefit. "Hey there, Carpenter," she says warmly as she draws near.

Carpenter waves to Grimm, "Hey there." He smiles slightly, but it doesn't seem to look forced. It just looks tired. "How are you doing?"

Grimm pulls up beside him and sets the bag on the bartop. "Well. It's been a bit crazy. Had to shuttle the real Porters' kid to another dimension and trade babysitting duties, had a bunch of classmates beg me to take them and their family's somewhere safe...I guess someone told them about what I could do. But...I can't just start managing that. Um. Starguard's been crazy, as is parts of the city, so I've been stretching myself thin." She feels guilty about the classmates asking her for help. "How're you holding up?" she finally asks. "Keeping to the job again?"

Carpenter shrugs and looks at his glass. "I have to. I will live. Or I will die. It is what it is. Either way I won't be escaping to elsewhere. And I've got to do. I have someone who was going to kill me who is behind bars. But the guy who ordered it...isn't. Yet."

Grimm's eyes widen as she climbs on a stool behind him. "Damn, Carpenter. That's some hardcore attitude," she says with some awe. All that's going on, and he's still committed to the job. "Wait, someone was going to kill you?? What?" she asks in surprise. "Like not just some punk from a case? They were targeting you?"

Carpenter sips his drink. "Triad thing. Apparently they had me listed as someone who might be able to be bribed. Though if someone on the list refused, the person was targetted for death. You didn't see the news, I take it? The Assistant D.A. was attacked, and she drove off the attacker. Same deal. I was on the same list."

"Hah!" Grimm lets out the short, single laugh at the bribery thing. "They didn't know who they were dealing with." Though she gets serious about the death part. "I haven't been able to keep up on the local crime lately. I've been struggling to just keep my head up in my criminology classes," she admits. "The Assistant D.A. I heard about, though."

Carpenter nods. "There's no reason why you should know about it. You tend to deal with bigger stuff. More important things." He shrugs and smiles.

Grimm looks a little guilty again. "It's not really more or less important. It's just...there's only so much I can fit into a day," she says quietly, rolling one shoulder. As the bartender draws near, she orders a mai tai. "I really do try to still keep tabs and help out with the little things. Just...sometimes the bigger things don't let me. Like that Flyte guy," she murmurs. She pushes the bag over to Carpenter. "Anyway. Saw this and was amused. Thought you'd like it." Inside the bag is a bottle of mid-to-top shelf whiskey. A brand called Carpenter's Reserve.

Carpenter takes a look at it, and he smiles. "Very nice. Thank you. Where's it from? I probably shouldn't pull it out here."

"Kentucky? I mean, I saw it at a liquor store when I was browsing. The name was what caught my eye," Grimm says, a little sheepish. It's a Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey, according to the bottle. "Yeah, they may get upset if you bring your own," she chuckles.

Carpenter smiles. "Probably. I'm on good terms with the bartender, but not THAT good. Speaking of...would you like something to drink? I'll buy. After all, you got me a bottle."

Grimm chuckles. "Thanks. I'll accept that. My mai tai should be coming up." Looking more serious, though, she asks, "So did you actually get attacked, or were you just targeted? You know, if you ever do need some help, you can call on me. I usually try and make it when the police are looking for meta help."

The bartender finishes mixing the tropical drink and places it in front of Grimm. She grins at him and jerks a thumb towards Carpenter. "He's buying."

Carpenter nods. "I realize that. But at the same time, I know you all are busy. Or...on other worlds, or whatnot." He shakes his head, "I wasn't attacked, though someone broke into my home in The Towers."

Grimm lets out a breath. "Most of the time, honestly? I'm in class. I'm already so behind on my degree." She sips her drink and watches him. "Well, I'm glad you're okay. And they got the guy who broke in. I hope you get your man. You always do, don't you?" she grins.

Carpenter raises a brow and smiles. "I wish that was the case. I do alright. But we don't have enough people working at the PD."

Grimm smiles faintly. "Yeah, the city needs to hire more, for sure. Metas can't solve everything. I actually thought I was going to end up being a detective someday. Before...well." She shrugs and drinks some of her cocktail.

Carpenter nods. "It could still happen, right? We were just talking about the idea of having metas on the force the other day, well, I was talking with the assistant D.A. about it."

Grimm blushes a bit at the thought. "It might. I'd have a long way to go," she chuckles, seeming a bit shy suddenly. "I'm not really sure how well I'd mesh these days. I wasn't a meta when I decided I wanted to be a detective. Doing lots of paperwork? Not quite what I imagined."

Carpenter shrugs, "The paperwork is what puts people away. The running around and investigating is all well and good. But someone has to document what's found so the perp can be put behind bars. Most metas just...drop off the perps at the doorstep and assume it'll get taken care of for them."

Grimm lets out a sigh. "Yeaaaah, okay. Guilty. I've done that. I usually at least try to give a statement, if that helps?" she adds the last part with a hopeful--and doubtful--uptick in her voice. "But yeah. The paperwork, the process...that's important. They've been drilling that in class, too. It's...it's so -tempting- to just exact justice as a meta. Especially with the worst of the worst. But...we've got to live by laws, right? Otherwise, what does that even make us?" She's struggled between being lawful and orderly against her chaotic powers for some time. But order wins out, more times than not.

Carpenter nods. "It does help. But the devil's in the details. Sometimes the suspects walk as a result." He shrugs and smiles. "So the more details you give, the better."

Grimm nods and sighs before taking her drink, thinking back on all the cases she may have messed up. "Some of my suspects may have walked. It's hard to keep up with cases. Dates are always changing..."

Carpenter nods and smiles. "I'm not calling you out specifically, mind you. Just making sweeping generalized statements."

Grimm smirks to herself as her head dips down to look at her drink. "Feel free to. I'm not going to do anything to you if you do." She lifts her head and glances over to him. "Though the advice is something I'll try to keep in mind," she offers a smile in return.

Carpenter nods. "I'm starting to sound like a preacher. Sorry." He chuckles and sips his drink.

Grimm laughs. "Does that mean you'd take my confessions?" she smirks playfully and raises a brow.

Carpenter chuckles. "I grew up as a Protestant. But I can try. Have something to confess, my child?"

Grimm tries not to lose it by laughing. She's struggling to keep from smiling, and it's a slowly losing battle. Straight-lipped, but the edges of her mouth are curling. "Um. Plenty..." she starts, having to take a moment to not laugh.

Carpenter smiles. "Well, whatever you say won't leave this table. Confess away." He smiles and takes another sip of his drink.

That causes her mouth to almost quirk up completely as she strains. Grimm is terribly amused by this. "Ah, hm, how does this go...? 'Forgive me Father, for I have sinned.' I've had impure thoughts. I've drunk way too much. I took the Lord's name in vain..."

Carpenter looks amused, but continues to listen. He takes another sip of his drink. "I see. Anything further?"

Grimm takes out her phone and starts doing a quick search. She starts scrolling and furrows her brow. "That counts? Oh come on. That's way too strict. Wait, really? Um." She sets down her phone soberly and looks to Carpenter. "It may be easier to start with a list of what I haven't done...?"

Carpenter grins. "Just list a couple more. You can cover them in installments. More of them next time, my child."

Grimm cracks up when he calls her 'my child' again. She looks at her phone and starts reading the list. "Confession installment plans..." she murmurs to herself with a grin, then reads off. "I have not honored Sundays or attended mass. I've not cared for my bodily health and safety. I've been impatient, envious, proud, lazy. I've been inresponsible in my education. I've--oh, I can't read that." She clears her throat and smirks.

Carpenter smirks, "Can't read what? I cannot help you confess if you hold back, my child."

Grimm laughs and grins sheepishly, but she takes that as a dare. She goes back to reading the list. "I've had unchaste thoughts of people to whom I'm not married. I've done acts with someone to whom I'm not married. I--oh, come on, everyone does that," she complains. "You know what, just the whole list of unchaste items. Add those," she chuckles.

Carpenter chuckles. "So noted. Anything else?"

Grimm purses her lips thoughtfully at the list. "I think that's just about everything. On the list and on my mind," she chuckles.

Carpenter nods sagely. "Then by the power invested in me, by the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, you are absolved. No Hail Marys or other recitations needed. I'm that magnanimous."

Grimm laughs. "How merciful of you. I guess that means I'm no longer living in sin until my next confession, right?" she grins, then tips her glass back to drink. Already sinning! That was fast.

Carpenter chuckles. "Already jumping off that wagon, I see." He finishes his drink, and then gets up to get another beer for himself. He comes back after a minute or so.

"Hey, that's for next confession," Grimm winks as he gets up to go. She double checks her phone to make sure there's nothing urgent. Also still no responses she was waiting on. Worrying, but she tries to put that out of mind. She sets her phone back down as he returns. "I suppose you're sin-free, then, huh?" she grins at his new beer.

Carpenter chuckles. "Oh...no. But I don't do the confession thing, in general. But if you really want to know, to even the scales here, then yeah, the impure thought thing for sure. Lying. At least by omission. Those are the big ones."

"Omission counts?" Grimm quietly exclaims in surprise. "Okay, well tack that one on mine," she smiles, guilty as sin. "I think everyone's had those. Is it double jeapardy if you lie by omission about impure thoughts? No wonder people carry so much guilt."

Carpenter chuckles. "What kind of omission? Like...the person in question you had the thoughts about?"

Grimm laughs a bit, perhaps a bit caught. "Oh, that, or lying about even having those thoughts," she comments before sipping her mai tai.

Carpenter chuckles. "Why would you confess to something you didn't do? That doesn't make sense."

Grimm stares at her drink. Mai tai's can sneak up on you. "No, I mean...lying by omission about having those thoughts," she chuckles and corrects.

Carpenter smiles. "Oh...in general. Just not yourself right now. I understand. Sure...most people keep that quiet. It helps make sure life doesn't get...complicated."

Grimm blinks a few times, trying to keep track. Blame the sugar. And forgetting she's talking to a shrewd detective. "I may have incriminated myself?" she suggests. "Complicated is where I live," she smirks. "Pffft. Trying to turn this on me? I thought your impure thoughts and lying by omission were connected."

Carpenter chuckles. "Oh...no. Those were separate things. At least as I was thinking of it at the time." He smiles and takes another sip of his beer.

Grimm smirks and eyes him with playful suspicion. "Uh huh." She'd never suspect he'd be moonlighting as a vigilante. Not in a thousand years. She finishes her mai tai and holds up the empty glass when the bartender comes by. "Can I have another mai tai? On my tab, this time."

Carpenter grins, but is smart enough to let it drop, so he doesnt' give anything further away.

Carpenter tilts his head and sips his drink. "Have you managed to get in touch with your boyfriend again since our trip? This is totally unrelated to the confession thing. Really." He smiles slightly.

Grimm smirks back at Carpenter as he grins and keeps silent. "Alright, then. Keep your secrets," she says, quoting a classic. "I just won't be able to absolve you of your sins," she teases.

The bartender gets her another mai tai and she takes another sip after plucking out the decorative umbrella this time. "Hm? Oh, yeah. I finally managed to get through to him," she chuckles. "We had a bit of a talk."

Carpenter nods. "My sin is a burden, but I'll soldier on." He nods sagely. "Everything okay between you two?"

Grimm chuckles at the weight of his burden. "Mmm. Yeah, things are...fine. Still distant? Duty and all." She looks a little embarrassed. "I told him about the trip to the bahamas, and he was...actually surprised I didn't try an have some fun since he's going to be gone so long," she gives an awkward laugh and looks down in her drink, quickly sipping more booze through the straw.

Carpenter smiles. "Well, I'm glad you had a chance to talk things through. That's good. Communication is the key, or so I've been told."

Grimm nods a bit while still taking that loooong sip. "Ahhh. Yeah. I wasn't expecting him to be so...open? Kind of makes me wish he had mentioned something sooner," she chuckles. "But he knows I miss him. That's the important thing."

Carpenter nods slowly. "This may seem like a 'too soon' question but...do you see yourself with him long term? I'd understand if you have no idea at this point."

Grimm blinks in surprise at the question. "I...I don't know, really. I mean...we've been together for a while. Maybe...gosh. Three years? I think? Maybe I'm still too young to be sure if he's the one. And I don't know if he considers me that way either, since we're still just dating."

Carpenter chuckles. "Fair enough. No rush. I was just curious. See, I'm old enough to be thinking that kind of thing. Pretty much everyone I knew from school has settled down. Well, that's not entirely true, but most."

Grimm raises a brow at his comment. "Thinking about settling down, eh?" she grins.

Carpenter shrugs and smiles. "Well...not until I find the right person, right?"

"Well, you may possibly have how many hours to find them?" Grimm makes a dark joke as she checks the time on her phone for show.

Carpenter shrugs again. "The rest of my life. It might be twenty four hours. Might be a lot longer." He smiles and sips his beer.

"So..." Grimm plays the question game as she toys with her mini-paper umbrella. "What're you looking for in the right person?"

Carpenter thinks about it for a long moment, "Hmm. Someone who can tolerate my quirks? A sense of humor. Looks are nice, but not that important, in the end. I guess it would help if it was someone I could talk shop with, but not work with directly. I've tried that. It didn't work out well."

"Mmmhmm Mmmhmm Mmmhmm," Grimm nods at each point. "Might be tricky to find a girl you can talk to about murder scenes and autopsies, but it's a big wide world out there," she grins. "Maybe add that to your Flint profile? You do use Flint, right?" she asks of the dating app.

Carpenter blinks. "No. I haven't tried it. I guess...I assumed I'd meet someone through work or just...being out and about. You know...old school." He smiles.

Grimm smiles back and chuckles. "Maybe for the best. Therein lies a dating hellscape even my powers can't handle," she winks. She crosses her legs and sips more of her drink. "Hmmm. You really looking at getting serious, or just to have a little fun?"

Carpenter thinks about it. "I'm not really a casual kind of dater. I mean, you saw how I dealt with folks on the beach. It could start light and the like, but I'm not the kind of person to just screw around with people."

Grimm laughs lightly. "I don't know, at first you seemed the type," she comments. "But I saw on the rest of the break."

Carpenter snorts and smiles. "I was messing with you, since you messed with me."

"Okay, that was totally fair," Grimm laughs, putting her hands up in surrender. "You won that game of chicken. Hands down."

Carpenter chuckles. "I have nothing if not some chutzpah."

"Hah! You got that in spades, Carpenter," Grimm smiles and raises her glass in a toast. "You're unflappable on the job and off, from all I've seen."

Carpenter shakes his head, "That's...not really true. I just cover it well. But I'll drink to it anyway." He raises his glass and takes another swig.

Grimm drinks to that, eyebrows raised over the rim of her glass. "Really? You cover it -really- well. I don't think I've ever seen you flinch. Like when? Any of the cases I helped with?"

Carpenter takes a deep breath and thinks about it. "Coming face to face with Dr. Destroyer? That's the one that comes to mind immediately."

"Okay, I guess that shouldn't surprise me, but were you able to look solid during that?" Grimm asks. "Because if so...I'm impressed. If you weren't scared, there'd be something wrong probably." She suddenly frowns at self-reflection. "Geez, what does that say about me...?"

Carpenter nods. "I was scared out of my mind. But I managed to keep from losing it."

Grimm nods with a look of admiration and a mix of apology. "Shick. I'm sorry you had to face that, Carpenter. Did any of the heroes have your back for that...?"

Carpenter nods. "There were a couple nearby at the time. Artemis, if I remember right. At least one more. Moonshadow?"

"Artemis, I haven't met, but I saw some challenge with a rock guy on WeTube. Moonshadow? Hmmm." Grimm rubs her chin in thought. "Nope...don't recall that...wait. I've kind of heard of her second hand. Someone who only ever comes to me to ask for stuff mentioned her."