I.C. Night Terrors

[macmillian]

Rachael watched as Detective Andrews walked into the bar with the detective that she had been talking to yesturday. She wasn't sure if he would want to talk to her if he had company and went up to the bar so that he could see her.

I saw Rachel Walk up to the bar, for I was sitting facing that direction.

"Danny, Give me a few minutes, I see someone I want to talk with. Be right back!" I stood up and walked over to Rachel.

"HI, Sweetheart! Sorry, Danny caught me on the way out. I am his new partner again and I am officially back on the streets. So! What is it I can do for you today Miss Davis? Quickly, I can feel Danny watching us."

 

[Ithica]

Rachael sat down at the bar and noticed that the creep from yesturday was at the bar again. She ordered a beer and was about to turn around and return to her seat when Detective Andrews approached her.

Rachael grinned at his worry about his new partner and eyed Daniel before saying, "Would there be a better time to meet you? I'm just wondering if you could give me more information about the recent murders. I'm not sure if you have to worry about Detective O'Dougherty disapproving of you speaking to me."

-----------------------
Lilly was in the backroom of the store where her grandparents collection of books on demonology were stored. Not that it was any help looking at the books, she realized, because she had no idea what exactly she was looking for. The newspapers had nothing useful and the coven was drawing a blank possibly because of a block on them. To look useful she pulled down a book and sat down at the desk.

She started flipping through the book casually when she heard the noise of a door closing. It hadn't been the front door because the bell would have signaled the presence of a customer. It was just the click of the door from the alleyway closing. Lilly reached into the desk drawer and pulled out a knife. With knife in hand she headed towards the back door and saw nothing until her wrist was grabbed and the knife taken away.

-----------------------------------------------------------

An hour later a motorcycle pulled up to The Mariner. Katherine Dai's leather spike heeled boot hit the pavement as she swung her leg off of the bike. She flipped her trench coat back and, out of habit, checked the knives that she had strapped to her lower back and leg. She saw Daniel's car and smerked. It hadn't been hard to find him. She hadn't seen Daniel for a couple of years but she had her sources. Even though the information from the sources was a little old, she at least knew the bars that he frequented.

The last time that she had seen him it was to give him some unfortunate information about the priest who was leading the occult group he was involved with. Oddly enough she was looking for him for similar reasons that had led to him leaving the group. She was there to tell him, once again, about stupid people doing bad things. Though it being a stupid person maybe a bit of a stretch, that part wasn't clear. But it didn't seem to matter what species you were, they all have their stupid moments.

She had been surprised to find out that Danny had become a cop and even more surprised that he was serious about it. To serve and protect and all that crap. She couldn't understand why he would choose to work with a system that had nothing to do with the world that they were fighting in. Oh well, at least you get free handcuffs.

Katherine stepped into the bar and saw Danny sitting by himself. "How convenient", she grinned before walking over and sitting down. "Hi Danny, how is life as a cop treating you?" she growled.

 

[rengadeirishman]

Daniel was looking down at the table, at one of the dossier's in front of him, when he heard that familiar, feminine growl. "Hello Katherine, police business is doing fine, what with these strange murders, I was hoping some of my old colleagues would pop up. You know what they say, speak of the devil and she appears." he said chuckling "May I buy you a drink?"

 

[Ithica]

Katherine chuckled at the devil comment and grinned, "Don't worry, the devil does look after her acolytes. I do have some information so you can buy me a beer and perhaps I'll share." She purred and then winked at him.

"Have you heard of Agrahaz? Not surprising that you haven't, I knew nothing about it before and had heard the name from one of my informants with a vampire clan. But for the last month the demon world has been all a buzz with this new force coming into the game. I had to get a bookworm to look up the rest."

Katherine stopped talking when the waitress came up and took her order. She took the time to light up a cigarette and when they were alone again she continued,

"Apparently this demon has been trapped in an alternate demension for this side of a thousand years and the chance to release him is coming up. The ritual to release this demon involves an offering of five souls, which leads me to wonder about the recent deaths of those women. I haven't been able to get close enough to the crime scenes which is where you come in."

 

[macmillian]

I was about to answer, when a woman walked by and slid into my seat across from Danny. I was surprised and I know that Rachel saw it too. I ordered two beers and led Rachel back to where she was sitting.

"You know me Rachel! I Give to you and you give to me. I don't give anything for nothing. I have my sources and you have yours. I will only talk with you on these cases if you are willing to do the same." I gave her one of my charming smiles and took a drink of my beer.

"If my terms are acceptable to you, Dinner tonight, 7:00. Anybody asks, I'm taking a run at you." (Not such a bad idea, either. Rachel was all woman. It could be interesting.) I thought to myself. "this way it will cover us both and we don't have to lie. I took you to dinner. So! what do you think?" I drained my glass of beer and waited.

 

[rengadeirishman]

Daniel lit another cigarette and took a long swig of beer. "Explains a lot," he said quietly looking down "Why do people insist on playing with forces they cant possibly comprehend? You want to get to the scene of the crimes, then I'll get you in, everyone trusts me, and the ones that dont are afraid to go against me. How big a player are we talkin' about here? do you know his realm? and are my old pals the ones doing the invoking?"

 

[Ithica]

Rachael watched as a leather clad woman strutted up to Daniel and sit down. She was surprised that he acted like he knew her and hadn't pegged him to like that kind of thing. But she couldn't catch anything else as Robert walked her back to her seat.

She when she sat down she turned her attention back to Robert and got the distinct feeling that he was hitting on her and answered,

"Sure, so should you pick me up, darling, or should I meet you somewhere?"

 

[Ithica]

Katherine looked up as the waitress brought her a beer and left. Katherine listened to Daniel and said,

"From the reactions of my source, I'd say it's a big deal. I'm not sure if it's end of the world big, but it's big. I don't know anymore than what I told you. I have Allen Stoica's granddaughter looking for information. He retired and she's taken over. Who is harvesting the souls is one of the big questions. All we know is that they have use of magic. I was hoping that a peek at the crime scene will offer a clue upon how the souls are being taken."

 

[rengadeirishman]

"Unfortunately for them, they dont know the kind of magic that an O'Daugherty can bring, finish your beer, you want to see the scene, I'll take ya, my scrying will work better without the psionic jumble of the other cops anyway." he produced a pad of paper and a pen and wrote a letter a note to Robby, getting the waitress to take it over he finished his beer and waited for Katherine.

 

[macmillian]

"No, I'll pick you up. We can go to "The Apple Crate" or the new place down by the river, I think it's called "Riverview. Your choice, but the "Riverview" has great food and desserts and it also allows a little privacey and we can talk with little or no interuptions.

I'll surprise you, I clean up pretty good. So Rachel, do we have a date. It looks like I am going to be free as I watch Danny Boy leave with the woman in leather.

 

[Ithica]

Rachael followed where Andrews was looking and watched as his partner left with the woman that had joined him. "Riverview sounds good." Rachael was a little worried about how much information that the detective thought that she had and hoped that her assistant, that had gone to talk with the first victims friends, would dig up something.

Katherine stepped outside with Daniel and asked, "Does your partner know about your... previous career?"

 

[rengadeirishman]

"No, no one does, cept the people i was involved with and you and my family." he said opening her door to let her in to his car. "It doesnt sit well with most people to know these things, most people arent ready to hear them."

 

[macmillian]

"Good! I'll make dinner reservations for 7:30. Pick you up at seven. I think this evening will be a surprise for both. See you at seven then. I had better head back and get my desk cleaned off."

"OHHH. Rachel, can you give me a lift back to the station, Daniel took the car. I was riding with him." I put the note from Danny-Boy in my pocket, I didn't want Rachel to see it yet.

I went and paid all the tabs and walked back to Rachel to see if she was ready to leave and to give me a ride.

 

[Ithica]

As Daniel opened up the car door, Katherine threw up her hands and stepped back. "Oh, no. I really don't think so." she said and pointed to her bike, "I can't leave my baby. She gets jealous." She winked at him, turned on her heel and called over her shoulder, "I'll meet you there." and hopped onto her bike.

Rachael sat at the table waiting for Andrews to come back and she noticed that the man that had been bothering her yesturday was staring at her again. She looked over and gave him the dirtiest look that she could muster which caused him to laugh. She gave a jump when she was surprised by Robert's return. "I'm ready to go now."

 

[rengadeirishman]

"As you wish," daniel said getting into his car and lighting a cigarette. "We're going to the home of madeline ashley" he said. He rolled down his window and turned on the engine and the pogues started blaring Sad to say, i must be on my way, so by me beer and whiskey cause im going far away, id like think of me returning when i can, to the greatest little boozer and to sally maclennane he laughed as he sang along and peeled out.

 

[macmillian]

I saw you looking at the skuffy may sitting at a table.

"Hey Rachel, know that man? He keeps saring at us, you hardest of all. Wait here for me, don't leave until I return. Got it." I turned and walked over to our little unhappy man.

"OK......MY Man! Stand up and keep your hands on the table where I can see them.

"I am going to ask you a few questions and the answers better be the right ones. OK< Now let'd start with your name and I.D." He fished around in several pocket and then pulled out what seemed to be a wallet and held together with rubber bans.

He fiddled with his wallet a few mounts and handed me a business card and then a sheriffs Laminated picture I.D.. I was surprised to see the name.

 

[Ithica]

Rachael sat back down and told Andrews that she didn't know him but he had been bothering her yesturday and had grabbed her.

He walked over and started searching him. She was enjoying that the little twerp was getting tossed, hoping that harassment would give the detective enough legal cover for searching the guy.

--------------------------------------------------

Eric laughed at the dirty look that Rachael had given him but stopped when the guy with her walked up to him.

"OK......MY Man! Stand up and keep your hands on the table where I can see them. I am going to ask you a few questions and the answers better be the right ones. OK, now let's start with your name and I.D."

Out of habit and the fact that he was just a little drunk he did what he was told. It wasn't until the guy started going through his pockets that he said,

"Hey, no offense but I'm not that kind of guy and I don't think I'm your type. Who are you and what are you doing? I haven't been doing anything wrong."

-------------------------------------------------------

Katherine ducked under the police tape and walked into the front entry and looked up at the stairs. Everything in the hallway leading to the kitchen was knocked over and she began to question why the victim hadn't ran out the front door. She walked up the stairs and into the bedroom and took a look around. She saw the burn marks in the far corner and the blankets on the bed had been tossed away from the door. She turned to Daniel and said,

"You picking up anything?"

 

[rengadeirishman]

His eyes had clouded over during his scrying. "residue of a malign presence thats all" his eyes returned to normal "Thats whats been confusing me, i cant get any kind of reading other then a malign residue, i cant tell if it was a crafting, a spirit or an honest to god daemon, I just can't read anymore then that."

 

[Ithica]

Katherine watched Daniel scry and shrugged after he gave his reading,

"I wouldn't feel bad about that. The girl working with me said that her coven can't get anything on it either. Someone's blocking them. Anything else of interest in here?"

Katherine grinned and walked over to the closet and took a look inside.

 

[macmillian]

"Shut up and keep your hands Flat on the tabe! I'm a cop and I understand you like to bother ladies! I have a complaint about you and I just might run your ass to jail. ANY!!!!!!! QUESTIONS!!!!!!"

I picked up the ID again and read the name twice. I know that name! where or the why escaped me for now. Match book covers from several bars. Old dirty clothes, scuffy beard and filthy hair.

"Well now, Mr. Eric Laud, I wrote down the info., name and address and your hang-outs. I here of you bothering any woman and I come looking for you."

At this point, Judy Raine came over and asked me if there was a problem and I told her no, but if Mr Laud here causes any trouble, call ME. Here's my card. I released my new acquaintence, gave him back his things and returned to Rachel.

"come on, Let's go. I've lost my appitite, save it now for Dinner with a very nice Lady." I put some more bills on the tabe for a tip and we left. Outside she pointed to a green Chevy Nova. We walked over to it, unaware of several pairs of eyes watching us. I felt their presence, but did see a thing..

We got in and Rachel took of like a woman on a mission, and I was back in no time to the office.

"Pick you up at seven, don't be late. Reservations for seven thirty.. see you then,........Bye till then............." and I got out of the car and walked inside.

 

[rengadeirishman]

"Not to my knowledge," Daniel said "Now that no one else is here i can do this," he said dropping his coat and rolling up his sleeves and producing a series of medals with open carvings. He opened the front door to let the sunlight in and started holding up the medals one by one casting shadows of the engraved symbols while letting the appropriate magic flow into them. "fire, darkness, psion"
he said as those three symbols, burned themselves into the wall. "whatever it is, it has principles of fire, darkness, and psion, fire and darkness arent surprising, but psion is interesting. Perhaps the ladies had some psychic potential." He put the medals back in his pocket and produced his cigarettes, tapping them twice he pulled one out and producing his zippo, lit it quickly. taking a long drag, he pulled it from his mouth and exhaled in a perfect smoke ring "Very interesting."

 

[macmillian]

Returning to my desk, I took out my four files and placed them in the center of my desk. I then went over to our Departments computer Tech and gave him the name "Eric Laud", his probable address, and asked him to get me any and all imformation.

I opened file # 4 and added another blank sheet and wrote Eric Laud and list the names and addresses of the bars from the matchbooks I found on him. The computer tech brought me several pages on Mr. Eric Laud. These I added to the file. He was becoming to my way of thinking a very good suspect. I would have to do some more checking.

I told the Captain that I need to check some things out and I was leaving. He told me to keep my nose clean and please stay out of trouble. I told him I would try very hard and left.

I went to the car wash and had my car done, inside and out. then I went home and I shaved and showered. I took out my dark blue blazer and charcoal gray pants and added a white shirt. I skipped the tie. I had called and made reservations for a table down by the windows on the river. I would find out why they called the place "Riverview".

I was ready by six o'clock and I checked everything twice. I slipped my shoulder holster on and checked my pistol. Wallet and keys and then I put on my blazer and left the house.

 

[Ithica]

Katherine followed Daniel back downstairs to the front door and waited for the verdict. She shrugged and walked towards the kitchen and looked around and asked, "Did you pick up anything at the other crime scenes?"

 

[rengadeirishman]

"The presence felt the same, i havent been able to do the symbol test at the other scenes yet. Shall we progress to the next scene? Oh almost forgot." he walked over to the wall where the symbols had burned in and he placed his hand between them. He spoke a few quiet words and the symbols blurred into lines that had streamed to his hand. "Now we can go."

 

[Ithica]

Katherine walked out the door and several hours later they arrived at the third and last crime scene. She glanced at the clock on the wall and was surprised to see that it was after 6:00.

The other crime scene hadn't offered up anything different than the first one. The only real difference was that only the latest victim had made it out of her room but the reason why became clear by the other two crime scenes. She had been closest to the door while the other two would have had to run past the burned up corner to escape their room.

After finding the same patterned burn marks in the bedroom as found in the others, Katherine pulled out her phone and called Lilly. She explained to Lilly what she saw and then hung up.

"Daniel, my source is going to go look up what we got. Something may have rung a bell."