Log:A Case Hanging by a Thread

The Lady in White 2020/06/10 Night Marshal|Carpenter 7

It's lunch time at the precinct. There's paperwork to be done. The "fun" part of the job that puts the bad guys away. Only there's still a few open cases waiting to be solved. Celia Harris comes back from a lunch wrong and sets a brown paper bag from Fireman Sub's on Carpenter's desk, and a drink. She has her own drink and soda. "They were out of mustard packets."

Carpenter smiles. "That's okay. I don't like mustard. Thanks for picking it up." HE opens the bag to take a look.

It's exactly the subway sandwich Carpenter ordered before Harris went on the lunch run. It's such an unusual sight in the precinct to see Carpenter with a partner that he gets some glances from officers in the bullpen. There's still some attitudes among the force about him violating the blue line.

Carpenter pulls the sandwich out of the bag. "Have the other detectives given you a hard time at all, since you're working with me?"

There's a slight pause from Harris that most people might miss. "No," she keeps it brief and noisily digs her sandwich out of her bag.

Carpenter looks at her for a long moment, just to effectively say that he noticed. Without saying that he noticed. But he doesn't push it. He might just ask her when they're in a more private setting later.

Harris slows a bit to unwrap her sandwich. "You wanna step out of the precinct and eat at the park?" she suggests.

Carpenter nods. "Sure, that sounds good. A little fresh air might do us some good. Paperwork can get stifling." He puts the sandwich back in the bag..and puts on his coat.

Harris rewraps her sandwich and puts it back in her bag. She already still has her stuff from the food run, and has nothing else to pick up. She waits for him, then heads for the elevator. There are a few other parting looks. She is very noticeably not looking in those directions.

Carpenter follows as well, though he does make a point of looking at the ones staring in their direction...trying to get the other detectives to break off the stare first. Though he doesn't slow his step either to linger.

The stares break off quick, and they try to make it look like they weren't doing what they were just caught doing. Harris waits for the elevator as Carpenter deals with that, the doors opening up. She steps in and hits the ground floor and holds the open button for Carpenter, not noticing what's going on. Well, pretending very hard not to notice.

Carpenter steps out of the elevator and smiles. "Thanks." He goes ahead and holds hte outer door for Harris when they get there.

Harris smiles as they get in. The ride down, she's quiet. It's a short trip. They hit the ground floor, and she walks with him out of the precinct. As soon as they're away from any officers and on their way to the local park, she finally talks. "I've had some detectives and others talk to me."

Carpenter nods, "Sorry. I should have asked you away from the bullpen. That was sloppy of me. I apologize." He sighs. "What did they have to say?"

Harris shrugs idly and sips her soda. "That working with you would be a dead end for my career. Then it quieted down until that meeting with all the metas here for that Next Generation case. Then it started up again. Things like...I'd end up dead working the cases you work on. And other stuff." Stuff she doesn't want to readily mention.

Carpenter nods. "So, I'm sure you know about the dirty cop I turned in, right? I'm guessing that has come up?" He shrugs, "I'll have your back no matter what. As long as you play by the rules. But I'm going to warn you if I see that you might be having issues that way. And...I'd expect you to call me on it if you see me doing the same." He pauses, and then adds, "I'm a bit of an idealist. I want the system to work. And I can't give others a pass when they want to do something that is patently wrong. I know it has made me unpopular as of late, though."

Harris slows her slurping in consideration before lowering the drink. "Yeah. That came up." She listens carefully. "An idealist? That doesn't exactly fit what I heard about you. But your honest. You did the right thing. I'm just surprised more people don't agree with that," Harris says, having not become jaded just yet. "I don't think you'll be having any issues with my methods in that regard."

Carpenter nods and smiles. "So, what did you hear about me if you didn't think I was an idealist?"

"Well," Harris says as they reach a bench near the park fountain and sits down. "I never figured an idealist to have a reputation for being a grouch," she grins and fishes out her sandwich. The half-crumpled wrapper already started coming undone from their walk, so it's a quick matter to peel it away and take a bite, giving a full, closed-mouth smile.

Carpenter chuckles and takes a seat as well. He pulls out his sandwich and takes a bite. "I'm not a grouch. I just don't take I don't need to. And sometimes...metas need that kind of slightly harsh tone to get them to actually listen to you. Otherwise they'll go off and chuck a car at the perp."

"That certainly sounds like something an idealist would say," Harris says with dry humor before taking another bite of her sandwich. She uses her thumb to clean the mayonnaise from the corner of her mouth. "Is it always like it was in that briefing?"

Carpenter shakes his head, "Not always like that. You had metas there...and most of them were teens. So...well, that's like herding cats on the best of days. Let's be honest. Things are much easier in general if you're working with say...SGG metas. Those folks know to pay attention when they need to. I have a lot of respect for that group."

Harris nods, chews, and listens before swallowing and asking, "Really? Do you have any tips on what to expect with the SGG metas?"

Carpenter takes a deep breath. "Well, the commander isn't career military. So, he's not that strict. But he's a good man. Has connections with the D.A., too." He takes another bite and thinks about it. "For the most part, they stick to their lane. Aliens and other dimensions. That means that they get contacted if Undermoon has issues. I've only had to deal with a...half dozen metas from SGG, but for the most part they've all been decent people. Gamma is less strict in general than the other branches, due to metas being harder to get in line. There are a few of them which are more military-oriented, like Sapphire or Victory. You know...Senator Lockwood's son?"

Carpenter smiles. 'And of course there's Grimm, whom you've probably seen in the precinct. She's been a big help with a few cases. Not a military sort, but very knowledgeable."

"Yeah, of course I know about the Senator's son. Who doesn't around here?" Harris scoffs at the notion. "I bet the militant metas are buttoned up. I got the impression the others were more loose cannons. Like that complaint at the alien district over imported food?" She pulls out a pickle from her sandwich and drops it into her bag, then notices Carpenter's smile. "Yeah, I've heard the guys talk about her before when I was there once. She looks more the type we'd be booking rather than consulting. But I figured she wasn't military. Call it a hunch."

Carpenter chuckles. "It'd be a good hunch. Oh...yeah, I remember the imported food thing. That's exactly the kind of thing SG needs to deal with. Weird alien imports and customs." He shakes his head, "I'm glad that one wasn't on our plate."

"I don't even want to know the paperwork that was involved. When I saw it on the news I was worried that'd fall on us," Harris comments and takes another bite of her sandwich. It's at that point that Carpenter receives a text from the lab for their latest murder case.

Carpenter takes a look at his PDA to read the text, "Got something from the lab."

There's an attached report file also on the fibers under the victim's nail. White linen not matching the victim's clothing.

Carpenter shows the text to Harris. "White linen."

Harris raises a brow as she slows her chewing. "Know any metas who wear white that isn't spandex?" she asks with a mouth full, mind on the case.

Carpenter nods. "But not linen, generally. I'll have to think about it."

Harris purses her lips in thought. "You think it's a new player in the city?"

Carpenter gives it some thought. "Ghost Dog wears white. But he's in custody. So...not him."

Carpenter nods slowly. "It might be someone new."

Copycat wears white, but you're pretty sure that's spandex or some other synthetic material. She has accidentally killed once before, but doesn't seem the murdering type. Arthur Aevus wears a white coat of unknown fiber, but he has a history of heroics going back decades or more. The Cartesian is known for wearing white in most their recent incarnations. Ghost Dog hasn't got a protege that anyone knows of. Yuelyong, a korean meta villain who is bent on revenge for his murdered wife. There could be a connection there. There are a few others on the tip of Carpenter's tongue, but he needs to think of it more. Though historically, this tickles some memory from an old crime story from the 1930's about the White Spectre. Much like the Cartesian, the White Spectre is suspected of having lived a long time, or perhaps had multiple people take up the mantle, appearing and disappearing throughout a 150 year span where justice was needed and the law failed.

Carpenter goes through his options that he can think of...just as he remembers them. "That last one...White Spectre...seems like a good possibility. Or at least someone who might use the character as an inspiration."

"I've never heard of that one before. Who's that?" Harris asks as she pulls out her bag of chips.

Carpenter shakes hsi head, "It's from an old crime story from the 1930's. The person crops up multiple times, over say...150 years? Each time, it was due to a moment where the law failed, and justice was..." He pauses and adds, "...needed." He rubs his chin, "That matches. This guy got off due to the witness choking on the stand. That's too much of a coincidence."

Harris looks skeptical as she opens her bag of chips and pops one in her mouth. "A vigilante killer from 150 years back? Isn't that a stretch?" asks the green detective.

Carpenter shakes his head, "Well, yes...and no. The Cartesian has been around for that long. And he...sorry...she now....is known. But this could either be someone alive that long, or there are two other options." He finihses off his sandwich as he thinks about it. "It could be someone who takes inspiration from tthe story, and took on the role. That's going to require someone with knowledge of pulp...or at least history. Alternatively, it could be something like the Wrath spirit from a year ago. Some greater being grants power to a random person..and can take the power away. And then that greater power does again a few years later."

Carpenter shrugs, "That's not much of a lead, I'm afraid. But it's a possibility."

Harris looks Carpenter dead in the eye to see how serious he is. He manages to at least sell her on being open to the idea. "Okay. So say this theory of yours is right. We're looking for a...an immortal vigilante who takes breaks, a possessing spirit that could be anyone, or someone who wants justice to happen who's a fan of pulp history. If it's like that wrath case I read up, then it's probably an unknown. If it's an immortal hero....if they haven't been outed yet, then chances are we won't be able to find out who they are or were. If it's a pulp fan...we may have something to look into. Fans of pulp or old heroes with a certain view on the law and justice and willing to take it in their own hands. Most likely a meta. Could even be one you know in disguise. Does that fit any profiles you can think of?"

Carpenter rubs his chin as he thinks about it. "Night Marshal is a pulp fan. But I've had a lot of contact with him. He's not a killer. And he certainly doesn't wear white. He wears blue and black. Kevlar and metal."

Carpenter thinks about it. "But...I'm a pulp fan myself. Maybe we can find someone locally who has an interest in the White Spectre. That's pretty specific."

Carpenter pulls out his PDA, "We should check with some of the used book stores. There are only a couple in town."

"A pulp fan? I thought for sure he was into westerns. I mean, the cowboy getup and all," Harris comments as she vaguely waves about her sub. She raises a brow at Carpenter's admission, then leans in a little. "Have you been possessed by any spirits lately?" she asks, mockingly serious.

Carpenter chuckles. "Westerns were also pulp, you know. But pulp is a wider category. And no...not possessed by any spirits recently."

Harris leans back. "-Recently-?" she presses. "That's a story. Spill it."

Carpenter laughs. "Ever. I'm pulling your leg."

Carpenter says, "The closest was running into a vampire and having it almost manage to control my mind. I managed to fight through it."

Carpenter sips his drink and smiles.

Harris' eyes widen, and then quickly, her expression flattens. "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice..." she warns, then takes a savage bite of her sandwich.

Carpenter chuckles. "The vampire thing happened. Seriously. I wouldn't do that to you twice in a row like that."

Harris still looks skeptical at first, but studying him a moment, she begins to believe. "Seriously? Did you get bit on the neck?"

Carpenter shakes his head, "No, it was an eye contact thing. He met my eyes and gave me an order."

Carpenter says, "Thankfully I was able to fight off hte compulsion, and a local meta helped drive him off."

"Damn. What did he order you to do?" Harris asks as she slows her eating, interested in the tale.

Carpenter sighs, "To shoot the meta who was helping me at the time. I don't know if my gun would have hurt her, but I'm glad I didn't find out."

Harris shakes her head. "I was prepared for facing off with criminals on the job. But I don't know how to even prepare for something like that."

Carpenter thinks about it. "I'm not sure what to suggest. Think about purity of purpose? Focus your mind? Meditation might help? Better yet...never having to run into a vampire."

Harris leans back and so she can looks past Jack's back at the precinct, then relaxes again. "Somehow I feel like being partnered with you means that last option's the slimmer of the group."

Carpenter points to Harris, "Probably true. Though your odds of running into a vampire jump a lot if you go to Starguard or into Harrisburg. You might run into Miss Winters."

Log:Unofficial Coworkers