The Investigation

The Investigation

         “What do you mean, don’t investigate him?!” Sandy slammed his hands on the desk.  “Why put me on the task force and then tell me not to investigate our first real lead in years?”

        “Calm down Sandy, you’re making me look bad,” Sargent Nava hissed at the sand elf. “As disrespectful as he is, Officer Sed does have something of a point, Sir,” the orc said more loudly, facing Chief Rhidnar who watched the two of them with an infuriating calmness.

        “Allow me to reiterate then. Officer Sed, because of your discovery of this lead and generally well-reviewed performance as an officer, I have decided to transfer you to the Whealen Task Force. Your current partner, Officer Merrick, will be given another partner for the time being. In addition, I am denying your request to remain a beat officer despite your passing the detective training exams for the seventh time,” Chief Rhidnar said.

       “Those are mandatory! It’s within my rights to back out if I don’t feel qualified—“

        “Shut up, Sandy. The Chief’s still speaking,” Sargent Nava said, lightly elbowing the sand elf in the gut. Sandy shut up. Orcish elbows are hard.

       “As I was saying, I’m also promoting you to detective. You clearly have the street experience and the knowledge necessary to fulfill the position, and you’ll need the rank to get anything done with the task force.” The Chief looked at little annoyed actually. Sandy hoped he hadn’t said something too stupid, or Nava would kill him later. “And, before you interrupted me, I was about to tell you why I’m not having you investigate Kole Damir and incidentally why I’m in the office so early. This morning I received a personal call from Sir Alaric Grimm of the Family Grimm,” Chief Rhidnar said folding his hands.

        “From the Family? Why? What would the leader of their Grimm Knights want with us? Thelin isn’t in their normal operating territory,” Sandy said, shocked into interrupting again.

        “Yes, from the Family. The youngest son of the actual Grimm bloodline told me that he would consider it a personal favor if I would allow Kole Damir to remain under the Family’s jurisdiction and cease our investigation into him. Alaric Grimm said he was asking because he didn’t want any of our officers hurt while investigating. Apparently, Kole Damir is a moderately dangerous individual who the Grimm Knights have been watching as a favor for the Dawnbringers.”

        “And you accepted his offer?” Sandy shouted. Of all people, Sandy would have never pegged the Chief as someone who would fold to those mercenaries.

         “Of course I accepted the offer! Detective, do you know how many lives I could save if we had a couple squads of Grimm Knights the next time the city riots over water? Or the next time there’s a major demon scare? Hell, Alaric Grimm is one of the few people who can wield the Grimmblade. If things got bad enough he could decide to bring it here in order to fulfill a personal favor.” Chief Rhidnar leaned forward with the intensity of his conviction.

         Sandy flinched. Was the Chief going to start telling the story about how the police department had barely survived the last water riots and how when he first became chief, he only had forty subordinates all of them injured?

         “So no, Thelin Police Department cannot be found investigating Kole Damir. I will not allow reckless officers to endanger that agreement. Detective Sed, clear your desk off. I expect to see you successfully transferred by the end of this morning. Don’t forget to fill out the paperwork for your new uniform and dress greens,” Chief Rhidnar said placing his folded hands on the table. “And Sargent Nava,”

        “Yes, Sir?”

        “Find some way to remind your officers that I know what I’m doing. Politics isn’t always our enemy. That’s all.” Chief Rhidnar dismissed the two officers by opening one of the files waiting for his attention.

         Sandy stormed out of Chief Rhidnar’s office muttering about politics and how he’d have to go tell the smug bastard in the demon room that he could walk away without so much as an investigation. Sargent Nava followed Sandy out and caught up quickly. The orc looked like he was about to say something, but a second look at Sandy’s face changed his mind.

       “Come talk to me after you let that guy go, alright Sandy,” Sargent Nava said heading back to his own office.

       “Fine.” Sandy grabbed the talisman from book keeping. He went down to the basement and slowly wheeled the heavy door open. When Sandy went inside to tell the demon blooded bastard that he was going free, for a second, he was confronted with a man filled with the intent to kill. It passed quickly, but for a moment, the man’s expression had been entirely different, overflowing with lethal tension. It was suspicious and a bit unnerving despite Sandy’s experience with such things. Mr. Damir’s signature was suspicious too. That had obviously been a giant C before he turned it into a lower case K. And hadn’t that secretary he’d talked to on the phone almost called him L-something? Damn it. There was just too many hunches to work with. This man definitely wasn’t who he said he was. And Sandy wasn’t allowed to investigate it at all. By the sands, he hated politics and mercenaries.

        Clearing out his desk would take a while, so Sandy went to see Nava first. He owed the Sargent that at least. Sandy knocked on the door to the orc’s office.

        “Come in.”

        “Look, if this is about what I said to the Chief,” Sandy said as he opened the office door. Nava put down his cup of extra-black goblin coffee. Sandy’s eyes watered. He could smell the bitter caffeine from the door. It was a small office, but still.

        “No, no,” the Sargent said waving a hand. “It’s about what the Chief said, and what you apparently aren’t getting.”

         “Huh?” Sandy said leaning against the door frame.

         “Well don’t just stand in the door like an idiot. Come in, you blockhead.”

       “Right.” Sandy closed the door. Apparently this was a private conversation.

       “Sandy, you’re frustrated because you can’t investigate that guy, right?” Nava said with the tone he got when he was leading a conversation towards some lesson.

        “Sargent, can’t we just skip to the punch line? It’s been a long day.”

        “Come on, Sandy. This may be the last time I get to patronizingly lead you to an obvious conclusion,” Nava said taking a sip of his disgusting coffee.

        “I might not be your subordinate after I finish transferring, Sargent Nava, but I doubt you’ll ever stop rubbing my stupidity in my face. At least not when you catch me at it,” Sandy replied, unimpressed.

        “Ha. You have that right. Fine then, Sandy, I’ll skip to the point. But only because it’s your promotion day and you’ll be dealing with more hell than I get when the press get here.”

       “The press? Damn it. They expect the guys in the Task Force to talk to them don’t they? This is why I never wanted to make detective in the first place.”

        “Tough love, Sandy. Tough love. Besides, you’re too smart to avoid making detective and having to deal with politics. In any case, the Chief only promised that Thelin P.D. wouldn’t investigate Kole Damir. You still have those contacts in the private sector, don’t you? The ones who got you that discount on those mage restrainers you bought.” Nava had a conspiratorial glint in his red eyes.

        “But the Family has all kinds of resources, wouldn’t that be pretty obvious? They’d know it was my investigation.”

        “Sure they would, Sandy. But you, and therefore Thelin P.D., wouldn’t be doing the investigating. You would only be hiring help and receiving information. The Family is a very, very old style institution. Their leaders may be human, but they operate on the supernatural level. When a Grimm makes a promise or exchanges a favor, his words are as literal and knife-edged as a fairy’s.”

        “And you’re certain about that, Sargent?”

        “You doubting me, elf? Now go clear your desk off. Think about what I said.”

       “I will Sargent Nava, and thanks. For telling me. Looks like I’ve got some old acquaintances to look up.”