The Golden Chariot

The Golden Chariot, 6 Blazenbarough Ave, Vegan Town, Cascoss, 9:35 AM

Daniel and Damien entered the building, and the maître d' spotted them immediately.

"Welcome to the Golden Chariot gentlemen, I am Reynold Kerakous, how may I assist you today?" The maître d' announced.

"A fox from a fox forest, are you?" Damien inquired.

"That I am." Reynold announced.

"Mr Kerakous, is there a man that goes by the name of François Briken currently available here? We know that this is his place of employment." Daniel asked politely.

"He's working a birthday party today." Reynold stated.

"Would you mind telling him that the police would like to speak with him?" Dan inquired.

"But of course." Reynold bowed and headed off to the party room and summoned François.

A man who looked like an older version of the man he saw in the photo frame atop Kevin's desk earlier. The man was around 153cm tall, and his face was much cleaner and no signs that it had ever been blemished. His eyebrows were sharper and cleaner than they were in the photo. His hair was styled the way you would expect from a head waiter in a French restaurant. But he was clearly not French, he didn't even look close to a French person.

"What is it? How can I help you?" François stated, he was slightly bewildered, and sweat was running down his brow. The birthday party had been clearly working him hard. He was putting up his best effort to keep up a fake accent that was hard to hear was fake.

"François Briken?" Daniel inquired.

"Detective Dan I presume?" Mr Briken replied.

"That is correct."

"Listen," he said, dropping the accent completely. "While you're here you may as well call me by my actual name."

"What would that be then?"

"My name is Franklin; François is the name I go by because of the restaurant's reputation, I'm sure you understand."

"We'll I'm sure it makes you get bigger tips." Damien added. "But I hope you don't mind us asking you some questions."

"We have a room for that, allow me to show you the way." Franklin stated and led the way to the police conversation room, almost every business under the rule FORMAL has at least one. This restaurant had two.

After the three entered the room Franklin closed the door behind him and all the noise and chatter outside ceased. This room was completely soundproof.

"So, what is it you wished to discuss with this humble waiter?" Franklin inquired, loosening the bowtie on his uniform and pulling out a Japanese style fan with cherry blossoms printed on it and he fanned himself with it. "I do enjoy my breaks, but this is unconventional."

"You seem quite comfortable." Damien noted.

"The day has been taxing since I arrived at 6:30 AM." Franklin explained. "We offer a variety of vegan friendly meals, and we offer breakfast, lunch and dinner."

"Would this be your usual crowd?" Daniel asked opening the web on his watch to do some quick research.

"Whatever do you mean?" Franklin asked in confusion.

"He means to ask if you usual do a morning shift." Damien elaborated.

"I've been pulling more weight around if that is what you are inferring." Franklin explained.

"May we ask you to provide more details to what you are saying?" Dan inquired.

"My work hours have been extended by my request." Franklin added.

"From 7AM to 5PM, is that correct?" Daniel asked.

"I see your device is telling you everything you need to know, so why ask?"

"I wanted to get a judgement of your character, your ability to answer these questions knowing I could answer them with a few swipes of my finger means you aren't judgemental about being asked; however, you are not willing to elaborate without being pressed. You are happy to answer but not happy to provide full details."

"You seem to be able to read people like a book, Dan."

Dan smiled. "I've heard it all before. So, prior to a week ago, before you changed your schedule, you'd been working evenings, 4PM to close at 10PM, 11 on Fridays and Saturdays. That was since you graduated in Earth year 1995, what caused you to change your mind after eleven long years?"

"I thought the change of pace would be good."

Daniel shook his head. "I may not know all people too well, but when I used to teach, some of the students who graduated would keep in contact with me because that's just how good of a repour I was able to build up with them, heck, some keep in contact with me to this day, some were surprised I had changed my job. But from the letters I read, I saw them grow and most of them decided to take that chance at an average of 3 years from when they started in their field. People like to challenge themselves, that is true. But if you have already spent 5 years in your job without making some sort of change then it is obvious that you are the type of person who is complacent in rhythm. You enjoy the rhythm of the job, that's for certain, but you interrupted your own rhythm, and I want to know why."

"Are your conversation tactics like epics? Because you sure do take a while to make a point." Franklin spoke with a snide tone.

"Don't talk like that to Dan, he doesn't take it lightly." Damien interjected. "Trust me, I know."

"I understand what he wants, but does he have to take forever to say it?" Franklin retorted.

Daniel poured himself a glass of water and drank from it. "What's the matter? Are you worried on losing out on money because you're not on a mandated break?"

"How is the question 'why did I change my mind?' of any importance to you?" Franklin relayed slightly frustrated.

"It's important because I want to know. Usually I get what I want, but it's your choice whether or not to answer the question. This is a safe place, so treat it as such." Daniel explained.

"It is none of your business why I changed my hours. Can't you just be content that I changed them and leave it at that?" He said again, he poured himself a glass of water and had a drink. He fixed his tie. He now looked a bit more comfortable, and he took a deep breath in. "Was that all you needed?" He inquired, now resuming his well practiced faux French accent.

"Actually, I have yet to talk about the reason we initially came." Daniel stated. "You see, we are investigating a case and it seems that someone near the scene had been ordering new cameras for the scene itself for the last week. But instead of getting the cameras she requested she got food from this restaurant. We were wondering if you happened to know how that came to pass."

"This is the first I have heard of this." Franklin relayed, continuing is faux accent. "But I'm not responsible for the mix up if that is what you are asking."

"Are you sure?" Damien interjected. "It is our understanding that August Bully was the one responsible for delivering the cameras in question, he deviated his route from the system dispatch office through the lot of this very restaurant. You and he were in the same class, don't deny your connection to him, we've seen a picture in which you two were chummy."

"You mean this one?" Franklin inquired, as he took out his pocket watch, he opened it and there it was, clear as day, on the metal cover opposite the watch's face was the same graduation photograph as was seen on the desk in the aide's office. "As you can see, I hold this dear to my heart, but unless you can prove otherwise, then I shall stick with my story saying that it was not I who replaced those cameras with foodstuffs. But, if you ask me, I think it was the head chef; Arthur Jargon, not only had he been acting shifty all week, but he is also on the side of the protesters in front of the town hall. Maybe he is a radical extremist, willing to do whatever is necessary for his cause. Including killing someone who stood in his way."

"Who said anything about killing anyone?" Damien inquired.

"Well, it's clear on your badge that you're a homicide detective, my dear Damien Thrifter." Franklin relayed.

Damien blushed in embarrassment. "I forgot to turn that off, didn't I?"

"He's missing with you; you did turn it off. But now it seems you have revealed what it was we were hiding from him with how you reacted." Daniel stated.

"Don't take me as a fool, either of you. Daniel, Dr D S Smith, I know about you and your friends track record, and over the last many months as a detective you have solved seventeen murder cases and a case of grand theft, or whatever term you for use when a giant emerald is stolen. I'm smart enough to know, that even though you turned off the homicide displays on your badge, you are still here to solve a murder. Well, let me be the first to tell you: there are no answers here." Franklin explained. He took a drink and wiped his brow after his grand soliloquy.

"But you just said you suspected the person who is essentially your boss." Damien noted.

"He's not here, he's at home, and he doesn't like to be disturbed. So, unless you can find a judge that would be stupid enough to give you a warrant on the basis of the suspicions of one of his subordinates, you are out of luck." Franklin announced. "Now, if there is nothing more, I'll be off."

Suddenly Daniel's watch and Damien's phone buzzed simultaneously. They just received the enhanced image as well as a document that showed that the 12-digit number upon the ring in the photo, which they could both see clearly now, was a match to the ring belonging to Kevin Bully. Daniel and Damien no longer had any doubts. The evidence was now overwhelming. This time, Kevin will have to explain his connection, no ifs or buts.

"Looks like we'll have to go find Kevin Bully." Daniel announced.

Franklin did a heel turn at this. "Pardon, did you say Kevin Bully?" He asked.

"Yes," Damien confirmed. "We have to question him again."

"Why go looking for him? He has a reservation at 10:00 today. He should be arriving here sometime soon; I'll separate him from his wife so you can speak with him." Franklin.

"Very well." Daniel stated and took a sip of water. "Could you see to it that some Earl Grey tea gets delivered to this room while we wait?" Daniel added and gave a $20 Rhombodian bill to Franklin. "You can keep the change as a tip."

"That's very generous of you sir, I was going to give you a non-alcoholic beverage on the house, but since you insist on paying, that's also fine." Franklin bowed and exited the room.

Damien nodded to Daniel. "I bet your mother gave birth to you in a sugar factory." Damien joked.

"That would explain why there were cavities in my baby teeth when they finally came out." Daniel added to the joke, giving a small laugh as he did. Damien laughed too.

Police Conversation Room, Golden Chariot, 10:02 AM

Daniel was sipping his Earl Grey tea when a tall female, 169cm in height and wearing the female version of the Golden Chariot uniform showed Kevin Bully into the room.

She walked to the table. "Hello, my name is Isabella Mistree, and if you need me, just buzz, okay?" She stated and placed a button neatly on the table. "Good luck with these two Kevin, they seem feisty."

"Thanks, Isa, you may go." Kevin stated.

Isa gave a curtsey and skipped off to serve the other staff.

"The female wait staff they have here are sweeter than a barrel of sugar." Kevin stated as he sat down and grabbed himself a glass of water. "You know," he added as he took a sip and hummed. "I wasn't expecting to see you two so soon after our last meetup. Could we make this quick, my wife and I are supposed to be having a good date with romantic music and delicious cruelty free wine."

"How can wine be cruelty free?" Damien pondered loudly.

"Easy, none of the wine comes from region/year combinations related to slavery. So, you wouldn't find wine from between the years 1801 to 1875 that came from America as slaves were around between those years." Kevin explained. "But you didn't bring me here for me to give you a history lesson, now did you?"

"Apologies for my colleague," Daniel stated, and took a sip from his tea. "You have some explaining to do, and we don't want you to stall."

"Me, explaining? What are you talking about?" Kevin replied.

"That's a nice ring on your finger." Damien noted, looking at the pointer finger on his right hand which had his class ring upon it, which, if you recall, was not there earlier.

"My wife found it in her pocket earlier and gave it to me on my drive over. She still doesn't know how it happened." Kevin laughed as if it were a joke, but Dan and Damien have already figured out what had happened.

"So, you confess to your wife finding your ring in her pocket?" Daniel inquired.

"Are you losing your hearing in your old age, Daniel?" Kevin retorted. "That's what I did, now wasn't it?"

"That's odd. Now how could it have gotten there?" Daniel wondered aloud.

"That's what I would like to know to, but some mysteries are unsolvable." Kevin added.

"Enough games," Damien interjected. He stood and slammed his palms on the table. "We know how the ring ended up where you said it was."

"Damien, I had no idea you have grown so fast, such a big man, and such a bad cop." Kevin stated.

Damien sat down in disbelief; he was shocked.

Daniel calmly took a sip of tea and used the projection function on his watch to show the enhanced image on a part of the table unobstructed by the buzzer, the cups, the pitcher and the napkins. "We got information telling us that the number on the class ring in the photo of a person taking a document from the stack upon the desk of the mayor after his death matched the number placed upon your ring prior to you receiving it on your graduation. Not only that, but we also have a video of you wearing a ring from that class after the incident occurred and somehow mysteriously disappeared when you embraced your wife after she delivered your food to you. In that same footage we could see that there was something in your back pocket after 7:40, but it wasn't there when you first entered at 7. I'm certain this is enough to confirm that it was you who took the document from that room."

Kevin sighed. "Looks like you got me."

Damien swiftly recovered and got excited. "You mean you did it!?"

"No! I am not a killer. I don't have a single killing bone in my body." Kevin stated, waving his hands to emphasize his point. "All I did was take a document. I was going to destroy it, but here." Kevin took out the document from his back pocket and unfolded it. It was soaked in blood, but the print was still discernible.

Daniel read over the document. "This appears to be an appeal to revoke the Private Quarters Rights bill." Daniel stated.

"Yes, I signed on it. I knew it was going to get denied, but I just wanted to get the protesters off the lawn. But when I buzzed in to ask for permission to remove it from the stack, he didn't respond. So I went into his office, and he was dead. I realised that this document would make me a prime suspect, so I took it. I messed up the office quickly and took this document. I soon realised the time and I guessed that the camera had photographed me. That's why I had to come up with a plan to 'misplace' my ring, so I wouldn't be connected back to the crime." Kevin explained.

"So, you were the one who dimmed the lights and destroyed the sensor?" Daniel asked.

"Yes, I had to make it look like there was a reason for the struggle to occur and to make sure the scene wasn't disturbed by anyone else." Kevin added.

"So, you did nothing else?" Damien inquired.

"I swear on my wife's eyes. I only altered the scene and damaged the scanner, and I'm truly sorry, but I didn't want to go to jail for a more serious crime." Kevin added.

"We can see why. The time of death is heretofore unknown, and still is. But we know it happened between 7:20 and 7:34. As from the photo of 7:20 we could see the mayor alive and well, and at 7:34 he wasn't." Dan explained.

Kevin nodded. "I wish I knew that before I did those uncalled-for actions. Then I would have known there was no way I could have been connected."

"It is not our place to apologise for these errors, but we are still sorry regardless." Daniel stated. "We are going to issue an appearance ticket; you will have to appear in front of a judge within a week from this date, and if you don't show up..."

"Yeah, I know." Kevin interrupted. "Time in the big house. Now, may I please return to my wife?"

"You should make an effort to tell her what you did and why you did it, you don't want her to be shocked when she hears that you are doing community service." Daniel added.

"You have sound wisdom Dan. I will. I will see you later." Kevin added. He then left. Little did Daniel know how soon 'later' will be.

"Now what?" Damien inquired. "I don't think he knows anything else. We'd need evidence to speak with Franklin and we'd need a warrant to speak with Arthur Jargon."

"What about Kevin's twin August. According to the webpage associated with the company that was supposed to drop off those cameras, he was the one taking them there, once per hour, and always stopping off at this restaurant where somehow the cameras got replaced with this place's food." Dan stated.

"Yeah. That's a good idea. We should go find him." Damien added.

So, Daniel and Damien headed back to Daniel's car and this time Damien drove the car. They called ahead to Mularain Delivery Corp to speak with August. They said they will do their best to get their employee to converse with the police.