Police Station [For Cosette, Spencer and Lara]

[tarnishedbadge]

Levi had given Joel the rest of the day to talk to Spencer, just as he said he would. After that he had called Cosette, Spencer and Lara and asked them to come down to the station. The reassurances of "no you're not in trouble" and "we just need to talk to you" or "I can let you know down at the station" were met with various degrees of acceptance. Honestly he would have preferred to conduct the interviews elsewhere but since he was letting them know they might be in danger he thought the security of the police station would be the best place for that.

Also, his relationship with Lara, whatever it was, complicated things slightly. He was fairly certain she wasn't the blonde mentioned in the note but he couldn't dismiss the possibility that it was. Levi wanted to make sure it didn't seem like any of the potential victims were getting preferential treatment.

So he had booked one of the conference rooms, which was a lot less formal than an interrogation room but more private than his desk, to speak with each of them. None of them were under any sort of suspicion but Levi needed to find out if any of them had seen something out of the ordinary lately and then warn them they might be in danger. The order of that was important but it was never fun. People always wanted to know why you were asking certain questions but contrary to what they thought, that didn't always help with the answers. You could always ask the questions again once they knew but you couldn't put that cat back in the bag once it was out.

Setting a water bottle in front of the empty seat across from him, Levi waited for his first interviewee to arrive.

Comments

[doublethepain]

Joel had already told Spencer about the letters. The whole story behind them is still something Spencer is trying to get out of his, what, friend? Regardless of the state of their relationship right now, all Spencer really knows is that Joel had been worried. After the premonition on the night of the ball and this second letter Joel had found in his apartment, Spencer thinks it was right for him to go to the police; he just wishes he had a better understanding of why this is happening. Joel seems to have a hard time talking about it and Spencer doesn't want to push, not when things have been going so well between them otherwise.

He'd already known to expect a call from Levi and to be honest, Spencer's just glad it hadn't come from anyone else. Levi, for all Spencer knows about him, has always seemed like a good man, an even better detective hellbent on uncovering the truth behind every case he's assigned. It should be how it is for everyone in this station, really, but Spencer knows that's not true. Sometimes the most obvious answer is the easiest and that's understandable, it is, but in Spencer's own case... Well, it hadn't exactly worked in his favor.

He tries to avoid the curious glances thrown his way when he walks into the station and scans the room for Levi. He offers an awkward wave when he spots the detective and heads toward Levi's desk. "Always a pleasure to meet under these circumstances," he says with a wry smile.

[tarnishedbadge]

"One day, I'll call you up and invite you somewhere that's not a police station," Levi said with a smile as he stood up to shake the man's hand.

He liked Spencer, he was a good man who had been dealt a pretty awful hand as of late. It would have been easy for him to become completely bitter and resentful but he hadn't and Levi admired that. Unfortunately, Spencer also seemed to find himself involved in all sorts of different troubles lately, albeit not all of it his fault.

"I'd have come met you somewhere else but unfortunately that wasn't an option. This will probably go quickly though and I think you already know what you're here to talk about."

[doublethepain]

He hesitates, drawing back when Levi extends his hand for a shake before reminding himself that this is a man who'd stuck his neck out to make sure Spencer stayed out of prison; returning a handshake is truly the very least he can do. "I'll hold you to that," he says, accepting Levi's hand, and he probably pulls his own back a little too quickly but the detective doesn't seem to mind.

He shoves his hands in his pockets with a heavy sigh, giving a slight nod as he lowers his eyes. "The letters. Yes, I know about them."

[tarnishedbadge]

Levi wasn't sure if Spencer would have actually wanted Levi to keep up that end of the offer but he appreciated the sentiment. There would probably always be an odd sort of tension between them but that was better than animosity. Hopefully it meant Spencer would cooperate.

"What did he tell you about why he was receiving them?" Levi asked. He already knew the story but it was always good to corroborate things. It often led to knew insights.

[doublethepain]

Spencer frowns, rubbing a hand at the back of his neck as he tries to think of what to say. He feels a bit foolish having to admit that he really doesn't know why, at least not yet.

"Something to do with his ex-girlfriend and her brother. That she passed away and her brother had channeled his grief into anger toward Joel." He bites his lip, shrugging a bit. "I'm not quite familiar with the finer details or why the brother would come after him, especially after so long."

He's not especially bothered by that, the not knowing, not that he doesn't hope Joel will be able to explain it all to him sooner than later. He just understands not wanting to talk about the death of someone important; he's still the same way.

[tarnishedbadge]

It seemed that while Joel had talked to Spencer about the situation he had still left out a lot of the details. He didn't get that Spencer was holding anything back from him, which was good. It meant that Joel had been exceptionally honest with him and that Spencer wasn't trying to hide anything.

"Have you seen this man around at all?" Levi asked, sliding a picture of Mark across the table. Thanks to the internet and things like Facebook and Instagram it was a lot easier to get a picture of a person these days. "Take a close look, he may not look exactly like that."

[doublethepain]

Spencer's normally good with faces which is why it's so frustrating for him that he doesn't recognize the man in the photo. What that likely means, of course, is either the man hasn't been in Siren Cove and Joel is wrong about him being responsible or has been practicing so much caution that he hasn't been seen. The latter makes Spencer shiver a bit.

"He doesn't look familiar," he admits, eyes flickering between Levi and the photo. "What does that mean, that I haven't seen him? I just-- I mean, what's next?"

Me

[tarnishedbadge]

"It just means that you haven't seen him," Levi said, feeling a bit bad for Spencer. With all that had happened lately, he didn't blame the guy for feeling more than a little bit frustrated with all of this. Levi hardly talked to one person so often about so many different crimes.

"We have reason to believe though that this man, Mark Fuller, might intend to harm you, to get at Mr. Baker," he said, sliding the two notes that Joel received, still in their evidence bags, across the table to Spencer.

Re: Me

[doublethepain]

He'd seen the first note during his evening at Joel's the week before but the second he's only heard about. He peers down at them both and it's somehow worse than just knowing they exist. Seeing them in this context, bagged for evidence and in Levi's possession, makes the threat feel all the more real.

"If he's in Siren Cove, he must be terribly smart," he muses, more to himself than to Levi as he tries to work out the most likely scenarios in his head. He scratches at the light stubble on his jawline, glancing up to meet Levi's eyes as he continues. "To avoid being seen by any of us, I mean, especially if he's been watching. He had to have guessed Joel would come to the police, after all, it was only a matter of time."

He sighs, crossing his arms over his chest. "Is there anything that can be done to make sure Joel's safe? And Cosette of course." He nods toward the second letter, finding it unmistakably obvious that the 'little blonde' must be referring to her. She's been closer to Joel for longer than he has, after all, and they have that sort of sibling-like rapport that Mark had lost so many years ago. "Or this is more of a 'watch your back' sort of warning?"

[tarnishedbadge]

"We've only been told about his presence for one day and it's tourist season," Levi pointed out, not wanting Spencer to think this Fuller guy was some sort of genius chameleon, able to move about and commit various crimes completely undetected. He was completely convinced that they'd find him before too long. Besides, for all they knew he wasn't even staying in town.

"And unfortunately we can't do much at this time to protect Joel and Cosette. We can't send them around all day with an escort, although I've already made sure that patrol cars will pass by all of your homes and places of employment more often. I suggest you have someone that you check in with a few times a day, even if it's just a text, who knows to contact us if you don't check in. Try not to go anywhere alone or out of public view for a few days."

[asharpertongue]

Lara didn't much like the police station but Levi didn't sound like it was a request she could afford to ignore.

She walked into the station and smiled at the desk sergeant. "I'm here to see Detective Astor."

[tarnishedbadge]

To be honest, there was a part of Levi that hoped his interview with Lara would go poorly. That part of him was the shittiest, most cowardly part of him that he hated, but it was there. Because if this didn't go well, if she was offended or upset that he was forced to do this by the book? Well that was that. It simplified a practically infinite set of complications he might face because of how he felt about Lara.

When she entered the room, shown in by the desk sergeant who closed the door when they left, he stood and gave her an apologetic smile. Part of him may have wanted this to go poorly but a bigger part didn't want Lara out of his life. Levi wasn't even sure what they had, really, but it was good.

"Thanks for coming," he said. "But I wouldn't have asked you to come down here if it wasn't important or necessary."

[asharpertongue]

Lara smiled a little back at him. "Which is why I came."

She sat when he offered her a seat and watched him as he fiddled with the files in front of him. He was conflicted, she could see it written all over his face and in truth she could understand it. There was a reason that business and pleasure didn't mix.

[tarnishedbadge]

Well, she was being as reasonable and cooperative and he'd hope anyone would be so it seemed like this wasn't a complete bust from the get go. He probably should have let his partner handle this except Levi wanted to prove to himself that he could do it. That and because it would feel like a weird betrayal if he didn't talk to her himself.

"Have you noticed anything or anyone odd or out of place the last couple of weeks?" he asked, deciding it was best just to jump right into the questions. "Perhaps a new regular at your bar or a face that keeps showing up wherever you're around?"

[asharpertongue]

Lara considered that. There were a few new faces but they were mostly sirens coming out of the woodwork. And she couldn't exactly talk to Levi about them. That particular thought made her frown.

She shook it off and looked at him. "Not that I can think of. There are always new faces in the bar but none that stick out. We haven't had any new clients for Heart of Gold lately either."

[tarnishedbadge]

"Have there been any threats against you or anyone close to you, even ones seem just a joke?"

Interviewing someone like Lara was actually a lot better than most of the people he talked to. She was smart and capable and wouldn't bullshit him. Still, he had to make sure, so Levi used his ability just enough to make sure her thoughts matched up with what she was saying. There was a flash of something like regret but he didn't push. It already turned his stomach to do as much as he had but more than one persons safety was at stake.

[asharpertongue]

"No. I don't let anyone that makes threats on either me or my people go without making an issue of it." In truth she hadn't had a threat in months. The occasional tough to handle clients were soon soothed with money. She couldn't vouch for every one of her sirens though...that was trickier. "But I'll speak to them again. Make sure nothings come up in the last few weeks. If there's anything to tell, we'll come and see you."

[tarnishedbadge]

"Thank you, I appreciate that," Levi said with a nod. He didn't imagine that anything would turn up but he was nothing, if not thorough. No one was going to get hurt during this because he failed to do his due diligence. Especially not Lara.

"Have you seen this man at all?" He asked, taking Mark's picture out of the folder and sliding it across the table to her. "He may not look exactly like that, of course."

[asharpertongue]

Lara took the photo and examined it. The face wasn't familiar. Maybe a few aspects were...the eyes held something she thought she might have seen before but that could have been coincidence.

"I don't recognise him. I might know his name though, if his face has changed a lot." She prompted.

[tarnishedbadge]

Levi knew what she was getting at and was glad that it was past the point where revealing more information would affect the answers she gave him. If she was an actual suspect he would have kept her in the dark longer but thankfully she wasn't.

"His name is Mark Fuller and he has a history with Joel Baker. There have been some vague threats against Mr. Baker and those close to him."

[asharpertongue]

She frowned and shook her head. "I know the name because I've heard it from Joel but I've never seen him. Joel doesn't talk about things like that very often." Looking over the photo again, she cocked her head and then raised her eyes to his. "There's more than what he told me, isn't there? He said it wasn't specific but a name and a face is pretty specific."

[tarnishedbadge]

"There have been rather vague, but very real threats against Mr. Baker and persons unnamed," Levi said. It would have been nice if Lara had seen Mark around but he hadn't expected it. "But the threats do mention a 'little blonde girl' and while Mr. Baker doesn't think that means you, and I agree with him, we're not taking any chances."

If anyone were to describe Lara they probably wouldn't use the phrase 'little blonde girl', especially someone Mark's age. They had to entertain the possibility though that it wasn't Mark, possibly someone older who would view Lara like that.

[asharpertongue]

She raised an eyebrow. "'Little blonde girl'..." There were a few blondes in town but none that she'd describe as 'little girl'. "Interesting way to describe someone. And I'm not sure I'm close enough to Joel to warrant being a target. Cosette, though...she might be."

[tarnishedbadge]

"Like I said, I don't think it means you but I'm not willing to take the risk that there isn't that possibility," he said. Levi was almost certain that Cosette was the 'little blonde girl' and he would talk to her later. Truth be told he wanted to talk to Lara first because he considered her the best bet for having actually seen Mark.

"Fortunately Mr. Baker doesn't have a lot of people that he spends time with or considers himself close to, which cuts down on the number of targets. Like I told the others, if you go somewhere that isn't a public place try not to go alone. Even better if you have somewhere you can stay for a few days so that you're not alone. In the likely event that you and the others ignore that advice at the very least please have someone you check in with regularly for the next couple of days who will contact us if they don't hear from you."

[asharpertongue]

"I have an amazing alarm system and Osha to guard me. I think i'll be alright." Not to mention the myriad wards and charms she'd had put all over the place. Lara nodded and frowned a little. "I wish I could have helped more."

[tarnishedbadge]

Levi was a bit relieved that Lara already had such good protective measures. It made sense that someone with an escort business would understand the importance of security, at least when that person cared about them as much as he suspected Lara did.

"Just not making things up to seem important to the investigation is a big help," he told her. He wouldn't give her some trite answer like how she really had been a big help, she didn't need the reassurance and probably wouldn't appreciate it. "And if there's anything more you can do to help I'll be sure to let you know."

[asharpertongue]

She smiled a little. "Please do. Joel is...very dear to me and if I or any of my people can do anything or provide any information or assistance, please don't hesitate." She meant it too. Joel was someone to be protected. She got up. "I'll be at Watersong most evenings. If not there then at home." She passed him a card with her personal cell number on it and had a brief moment of regret that this is the way she gave Levi her number before she schooled herself and shook it off.

[tarnishedbadge]

Normally Levi would never let someone he was interviewing end the interview, at least not in a way that was so casual. It was a very bad idea that he was willing to break that rule for Lara, no matter how minor it was. He told himself that this would be the only time because next time he'd let someone else handle the interview.

"I'll be sure to contact you if I think of anything," he said, taking the card from her. At least now he had her cell number. Damn this was weird. "I- I'll probably call just to check up. As a paranoid and concerned friend. Like I will for Spencer. Well, maybe not exactly like I will for Spencer."

[asharpertongue]

That drew a genuine smile out of her. "I don't judge, detective. But you're welcome to use that number whenever you want me."

[suchgoodluck]

Cosette is surprised to get the phone call requesting her presence at the police station until she remembers Joel and his letters. He'd said that they might have been threats, and that she herself was mentioned in them, so she hurriedly puts her hair in a loose bun, grabbing a sweater to throw over her t-shirt, and assures Aunt Jasmine that everything is fine, really, don't worry about it, before heading out the door.

She arrives and they direct her towards a room where the detective awaits her, a bottle of water in front of an empty chair she assumes is meant for her.

"Hello, detective," she says, keeping her voice light the way she usually does. "How can I help you?"

[tarnishedbadge]

"Thank you for coming in such short notice, Miss Halloran," he said, smiling as he offered her his hand. She was beautiful in the way that was almost expected of people in Siren Cove. Siren Cove was maybe one of the few places in the world that so many people looked as attractive as those on TV.

"Please have a seat, I have just a few questions for you and then you'll be free to go."

[suchgoodluck]

"Alright," she says, shaking his hand politely before taking her seat across from him. "Now, do you mind explaining to me what this is about?"

[tarnishedbadge]

Levi did mind, actually. Giving too much information up front often lead people to try and recall what they thought was relevant or helpful when it was usually better to first get as much unfiltered information as possible. Sometimes that upset people but he wasn't a detective to make friends.

"I promise to answer as many of your questions as I can before you go," Levi told her. "Have you happened to notice anything or anyone odd in the past few weeks? A face that keeps popping up that you don't recall seeing before?"

[suchgoodluck]

Cosette raises an eyebrow when he avoids her question, but then, she figures, that would be too easy anyway. She settles into her seat, taking a sip of water before deciding how to answer his question.

"Well," she says, playing with her nails. "Someone sent an Irish sea monster to kill me, but other than that, I can't think of anything."

[tarnishedbadge]

"And could you tell me about that?" he asked.

While his tone may have been completely neutral and professional his brain was screaming "what the fuck?!" at her response. It was only a lifetime of dealing with the weirdness of Siren Cove that kept him from being externally dumbfounded. But serious, what the fuck? It was unlikely like this had anything to do with Joel's problem but he couldn't be sure. Also, it sounded like an awesome story.

[suchgoodluck]

"It was painful," she says dryly, gesturing to the bandage she still wears around her upper thigh.

The look on his face tells Cosette that he is struggling to cope with this information; she doesn't blame him. Even for Siren Cove, it's fucking weird. But still. She's reluctant to tell him more than that, not wanting her past exposed for the world to see, even if it's just one cop.

[tarnishedbadge]

This was going to be one of those interviews, he could tell. The sort where he was trying to do his best to protect the city but the inhabitants of the city were going to be difficult about it. Well, the joke was on them because Levi was experienced at dealing with this stuff and had some tricks of his own.

"In the interest of expediency, Miss Halloran, is it safe for me to assume that the issue of the Irish sea monster is one that you are not going to be forthcoming about but I can rest assured it has been dealt with in as close to legal manner possible given what sounds like exceptional circumstances, even for Siren Cove?"

He hoped that she said yes, hoped that she said yes and actually meant it. That was one of the benefits of reading minds, he didn't have to go on a wild goose chase in circumstances like this.

[suchgoodluck]

Cosette regrets not buying herself coffee before this interview. This detective seems stubborn and good at his job, which means she's going to be here awhile. She tries not to let her impatience show, but she can't keep from playing with her nails or tapping her feet against the cold floor. She'd rather be anywhere else right now.

"Let's just say, it disappeared the same way the Hydra did," she says. "For the sake of expediency."

[tarnishedbadge]

Normally impatience when you were interviewing someone was a good thing. A suspect was more apt to give up something the longer things went on just in the hopes of getting out of there. Levi had to remind himself though that Cosette wasn't here as a suspect, she was one of the people he was trying to protect.

"Well, I'm glad that it didn't kill you. As a member of the police force I feel like I should remind you that someone trying to kill you should probably be reported to us. As someone who has no idea how to even remotely deal with shit like Irish sea monsters... good riddance to it. Other than that incident have you seen or experienced anything unusual in your day to day life in the last few weeks? Even something odd that you later rationalized away."

[suchgoodluck]

"Yeah, well, considering some of the attitudes on this force towards the supernatural, can you blame me for not coming forward?" Cosette is almost tempted to actually make use of her siren powers for once, if only to figure out what this man actually wanted. It was driving her a tad bit crazy.

"As far as I can recall, the only strange thing recently was Joel telling me he got some letters from someone in his past, and he thinks I may have been mentioned in them?" Cosette shrugs. "Other than that, yeah. Life's good."

[tarnishedbadge]

"The letters Mr. Baker found do reference a 'little blonde girl'," Levi said, figuring that was as good a place as any to transition into the subject he wanted to discuss with her. He couldn't tell if she honestly couldn't think of anything unusual in the last week or so or was just being flippant about the potential danger.

Pulling the two letters, still encased in evidence bags, out of a file in front of them he slid them across the table to her. It was possible that she would recognize the handwriting or something about them, although unlikely.

"Mr. Baker's circle of friends is limited enough that both he and I believe that whoever wrote those letters means that to be you."

[suchgoodluck]

"For the last time, I'm petite, not 'little,'" she says, though there's a strain underneath her joking words. She is honestly tired of having to consider herself possibly in danger; she hates thinking that someone is using her to get to Joel. So as much as she dislikes being here, Cosette is trying to do her best to keep calm for the detective. It's not his fault her relatives and god knows who else out there are trying to kill her.

"Huh," she says, pulling the letters closer to herself. "I don't really recognize anything about the handwriting, but yeah, I don't know too many other petite blondes Joel associates with, so yeah. I'd say it's probably me."

[tarnishedbadge]

"When we find who did this you're welcome to give them a piece of your mind," Levi said. The weird thing was is that he was getting a sense of frustration from her, not any sort of fear or anything like that. Not good, because some fear in this instance would probably be a good thing.

"We believe they were written by this man, Mark Fuller. Does this face seem familiar at all?" he asked as he slid a picture of Mark across to her. "Keeping in mind he might have altered his appearance some."

[suchgoodluck]

"Oh, I'll give them a piece of my mind," she tells him. "And some other part of me shoved up their, well, probably not something I need to say here." Cosette doesn't get the point of being afraid until something shitty is actually happening. What's the point of fearing until you know?

She leans across the table to get a better look at the picture. "No, I can't say that I've ever seen him before in my life."

[tarnishedbadge]

She had spunk, Levi had to give her that. He hoped that she didn't have so much that she put herself into danger because she was reckless. He couldn't imagine how you'd handle a sea monster but it probably wasn't easy. Still, there was a worry that she wouldn't take this seriously.

"We believe that this man is behind the notes and that he intends to cause Joel harm, whether directly or indirectly. Obviously we intend to catch him before that happens. In the meantime we're urging everyone close to Joel to take a few small, extra precautions with their safety."

[suchgoodluck]

Cosette doesn't think of herself as the sort of person with "gall," as Aunt Jasmine's last shitty boyfriend used to say. She said things the way that she felt them, nothing to it. Some people might not appreciate her for it, but hey, that's life, she figures.

"What kind of small, extra precautions?" Cosette asks, quirking an eyebrow.

[tarnishedbadge]

"Checking in with someone, not Joel or Spencer, a few times a day so that they know you're okay. If they don't hear from you they should definitely call us," Levi explained. He didn't have much hope that Cosette would take all the suggested precautions. It wasn't just her, it was everyone. No one liked to think that they needed to take extra measures to be safe because that meant what they did every day wasn't necessarily safe.

"Don't go anywhere isolated by yourself, stick to public areas."

[suchgoodluck]

"Alright, just install the security camera already," she says, rolling her eyes. She realizes he's just doing his job, and also potentially protecting her life, but she can't shake her odd dislike of the police station. "That last part shouldn't be a problem; I'm hardly ever just by myself."

[tarnishedbadge]

"Yes, because I'm sure calling someone every few hours would be such a hardship," Levi said, refraining from rolling his eyes for fear they'd roll right out of his head and onto the table. Her safety was at stake and she was acting like it would be horribly inconvenient for her to try and not get killed.

"At least think about it. At the very least I'm sure Joel would feel better knowing you were being extra cautious."