#Lore24 – Entry #285 – Sentinel City by Night #11 – Frustrating Developments
From the Journal of Sheba O’Rourke, Private Investigator
“Got called into the boss’s office tonight to give an update on the investigation. Didn’t plan on doing a presentation tonight, pretty sure she wasn’t too pleased with my lack of organization. My mind works as it does; I have my own system. Whatever. She got the info she wanted, seemed happy enough, maybe, once I’d detailed what I’d come up with regarding the killer’s actions and motives.
Also clued her in on my plan regarding Delia Emmerson. Showed her copies of the emails the reporter had received thus far and showed her the pushback against her article that had already started as well as some of the false trails I’d started feeding her. Sokolova seemed pleased with my initiative on the matter, both in trying to keep Emmerson alive while tracing down her source. Did give me a not-so-subtle warning to prioritize the killer, but to likewise make sure Emmerson didn’t get out of hand. A little help from her wouldn’t have been amiss, but then again, don’t know her people well enough to really trust them to do the work to my satisfaction.
Whatever. Just means I’ll not have much in the way of free time for the foreseeable future. Not that I’d really be doing much else anyway. What’s a PI without a case to work on? One this mess was done, I’d start putting out the word I was for hire, start getting a more steady flow of work. At least Sokolova offered me some compensation for my expenses so far. Nice of her.
Found a voicemail from Walsh after the meeting that we had another victim go missing last night that seemed to fit the criteria for our mystery killer, another woman named Carly Greer. I rushed straight from the meeting to meet Walsh at the victim’s apartment, shared by another trio of college kids. Brakes are starting to squeal on the car now. Forgot to check on the mechanic. Better not wait too much longer. Noted.
Spoke to the roommates; they’d all grabbed some fast food and went to the movies, she’d gone to the bathroom, never came back. No answer on her cell phone; Walsh had already got the paperwork going for a trace. I got the address and headed that way while he called his guys on scene to be expecting me. Surprised me when he handed me a card for a garage and a guy he knew who worked nights. Guess I’m growing on him. Imagine that.
Cameras at the movies were a bust, didn’t even have any except those at the concession stand and out front at the ticket office; was one of those places that was older than me, tended to show the classics. Workers hadn’t paid attention, or at least, didn’t remember seeing her when she came out. Restrooms were in the middle of the building, behind the concession stands, with doors to access them on either side for each of the two theatres. Watched one of the workers wheeling out some garbage using one of the emergency exits; turns out that one wasn’t alarmed, led straight out to the alley out back.
Did my thing with the door this time, got an impression of the victim touching it for just a moment, and someone else. That someone else made me shiver, however brief the impression was. Definitely Kindred, shadowy, vague, a ghost in the night. Like me. Can’t confirm it with what I managed to get, too many people had touched the door, but suspecting she might even be another Malkavian. Got just a flash of her from her point of view, think she might’ve been wearing a mask.
Had to hit the pavement around the theatre, saw several security cameras that might have something useful, but the places were closed and I couldn’t break in with the PD right there, not that I’d want to with the number of cameras around, anyway. Can’t hide from those, not easily. Gave the list to the officers on scene for Walsh’s people to deal with getting the footage.
We had no more than three nights to find Carly Greer intact by my estimates. Killer kept them alive, probably fed on them, maybe enjoyed the taste of their suffering in the blood. Speaking of blood, better find a lick myself; starting to feel antsy.”