Chance Meeting
By: Olivia
"No distance of place or time can lessen the friendship of those who are thoroughly persuaded of each other's worth."-Robert Southey
"Nothing makes the earth seem so spacious as to have a few friends at a distance-they make the latitudes and the longitudes."-Thoreau
New Orleans, Louisiana
He's kinda cute, in a scruffy sorta way, Monica thought as she gazed through the one-way mirror into the interrogation room.
"I'll take it from here, Agent Mattingly," Monica said to the man standing next to her.
Agent Mattingly simply nodded and gave the file on the suspect to Monica. Monica took the file from him and walked into the interrogation room.
At Monica's entrance the suspect looked up at her warily, hoping against all hope that this woman was coming to set him free.
"Let me get those handcuffs off of you," said Monica as she unlocked the suspect's handcuffs. She then went and sat down at the table opposite the suspect.
The suspect rubbed his wrists and then nervously adjusted his glasses. He had been unable to do that since being handcuffed at the crime scene. "Thanks," said the suspect sincerely.
"My name is Agent Monica Reyes. I'm with the FBI in their New Orleans Office. And you are," said Monica as she opened up the file she had brought in with her, "Dr. Declan Dunn, an anthropology professor at Northern Oregon University. You seem to be a very long way from home Dr. Dunn."
But Declan ignored the question because he now had a greater worry. "The FBI has a file on me?!" he asked incredulously.
"We do now."
"Oh."
"Can you please tell me what you were doing at the crime scene?" asked Monica.
"I've been trying to tell the police ever since they arrested me. I was investigating a lead and I tripped over the dead body. It was frightening really and I'm really sorry for whoever is dead, but I didn't kill him or her, or whoever it is. It was really quite dark and I didn't exactly look very closely."
Monica looked at Declan's file again. "What were you investigating? It says here you are giving an anthropology lecture at Loyola. It doesn't say anything here about doing research on your trip."
"Well it wouldn't," explained Declan. "You see I have an side interest in investigating miraculous phenomena. It all started when I was trapped in an avalanche. Everybody thought I was dead, but I survived. Ever since then I've been fascinated by miracles, you know, the unexplainable. Just ask my assistant at NOU, Miranda Figelstein. Someone at Loyola here gave me a lead on some Voodoo healer..."
"A voodoo healer?"
"Yeah. I was told that she was having a midnight session in that graveyard and before I could get there I tripped over the body."
Monica tried not to laugh out loud. She didn't want to hurt this guy's feelings. She had learned long ago to trust her own instincts and she felt that Declan was being sincere and truthful.
"My specialty here is investigating claims of cult crimes," explained Monica. "We got a call from a someone claiming that a member of a local cult was dead at the exact place where we found you. So you can see why we were concerned."
Declan nodded and was about to protest his innocence again when there was a knock at the door.
"I'll be right back," said Monica. She got up and walked out of the interrogation room, closing the door behind her.
"Yes, Agent Mattingly?"
"There a Miranda Figel-something on the phone. Says she'll send whatever bail money is needed for that guy in there. Want me to put a trace on the call?"
Monica smiled. "Tell her that won't be necessary. And don't bother with a trace."
Monica walked back into the interrogation room. "You're free to go, Dr. Dunn. If we need anything further, we now know where to find you."
Declan breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. "Thank you. Thank you so much."
Monica couldn't believe that this was all simply a case of wrong place, wrong time and yet it was. Sometime a while back she had stopped believing in coincidences and here was one. Even if she had been doubtful of his story, the evidence didn't match up. The body had been dead before Declan's plane had even landed in Louisiana.
"C'mon, I'll walk you outside," said Monica.
When the two of them had gotten outside into the cool night air, Monica took out a cigarette from a pack and offered one to Declan.
"No, thanks. I don't smoke."
Monica lit up her cigarette and took a puff. "That's good that you don't smoke. It's a bad habit-hard to break. Started smoking when I was on this case back in New York. Well that's a long way away from here."
"Well I guess I should be getting back to campus....," said Declan.
"Are you sure I can't have one of the deputies drop you off?" asked Monica.
"No, but thanks for everything."
"You take care now."
Declan nodded and started to walk off. He turned back around when he heard Monica say his name. She took one last puff of her cigarette and then snubbed it out. She took a card out of her pocket and handed it to Declan.
"I have to admit I'm curious about your investigations into miracles. I have an interest in the unexplainable as well. But there's my card just in case you ever decide to come back to New Orleans. If you give me fair warning, I'll try to make sure you don't stumble into trouble again."
Declan's smile mirrored Monica's. He took her card and put it in his pocket. "I'll be sure to do that. But hey, do you want to grab a coffee or tea or something? I can fill you in on some of the things we've seen. We've seen some pretty weird stuff."
Monica just smiled. "Thanks, but I'm afraid I've got a murder to solve since our number one suspect turned out to be not what we thought. But hey, you've got my card. Call me, e-mail me, whatever. I'd love to hear about your investigations."
"Sounds good. Good night Agent Reyes," said Declan as he extended his hand.
"It's Monica and good night to you too. Have a safe trip back," she said as she shook his hand.
Monica watched Declan walk into the night until she could no longer see him. She smiled and shook her head. She wondered if she would hear from him again, but something inside her told her she would. Monica's smile then slowly faded. She could spare no time for these thoughts at this moment and instead turned her attention back to the deceased whose death demanded answers and justice.
By: Olivia
"No distance of place or time can lessen the friendship of those who are thoroughly persuaded of each other's worth."-Robert Southey
"Nothing makes the earth seem so spacious as to have a few friends at a distance-they make the latitudes and the longitudes."-Thoreau
New Orleans, Louisiana
He's kinda cute, in a scruffy sorta way, Monica thought as she gazed through the one-way mirror into the interrogation room.
"I'll take it from here, Agent Mattingly," Monica said to the man standing next to her.
Agent Mattingly simply nodded and gave the file on the suspect to Monica. Monica took the file from him and walked into the interrogation room.
At Monica's entrance the suspect looked up at her warily, hoping against all hope that this woman was coming to set him free.
"Let me get those handcuffs off of you," said Monica as she unlocked the suspect's handcuffs. She then went and sat down at the table opposite the suspect.
The suspect rubbed his wrists and then nervously adjusted his glasses. He had been unable to do that since being handcuffed at the crime scene. "Thanks," said the suspect sincerely.
"My name is Agent Monica Reyes. I'm with the FBI in their New Orleans Office. And you are," said Monica as she opened up the file she had brought in with her, "Dr. Declan Dunn, an anthropology professor at Northern Oregon University. You seem to be a very long way from home Dr. Dunn."
But Declan ignored the question because he now had a greater worry. "The FBI has a file on me?!" he asked incredulously.
"We do now."
"Oh."
"Can you please tell me what you were doing at the crime scene?" asked Monica.
"I've been trying to tell the police ever since they arrested me. I was investigating a lead and I tripped over the dead body. It was frightening really and I'm really sorry for whoever is dead, but I didn't kill him or her, or whoever it is. It was really quite dark and I didn't exactly look very closely."
Monica looked at Declan's file again. "What were you investigating? It says here you are giving an anthropology lecture at Loyola. It doesn't say anything here about doing research on your trip."
"Well it wouldn't," explained Declan. "You see I have an side interest in investigating miraculous phenomena. It all started when I was trapped in an avalanche. Everybody thought I was dead, but I survived. Ever since then I've been fascinated by miracles, you know, the unexplainable. Just ask my assistant at NOU, Miranda Figelstein. Someone at Loyola here gave me a lead on some Voodoo healer..."
"A voodoo healer?"
"Yeah. I was told that she was having a midnight session in that graveyard and before I could get there I tripped over the body."
Monica tried not to laugh out loud. She didn't want to hurt this guy's feelings. She had learned long ago to trust her own instincts and she felt that Declan was being sincere and truthful.
"My specialty here is investigating claims of cult crimes," explained Monica. "We got a call from a someone claiming that a member of a local cult was dead at the exact place where we found you. So you can see why we were concerned."
Declan nodded and was about to protest his innocence again when there was a knock at the door.
"I'll be right back," said Monica. She got up and walked out of the interrogation room, closing the door behind her.
"Yes, Agent Mattingly?"
"There a Miranda Figel-something on the phone. Says she'll send whatever bail money is needed for that guy in there. Want me to put a trace on the call?"
Monica smiled. "Tell her that won't be necessary. And don't bother with a trace."
Monica walked back into the interrogation room. "You're free to go, Dr. Dunn. If we need anything further, we now know where to find you."
Declan breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. "Thank you. Thank you so much."
Monica couldn't believe that this was all simply a case of wrong place, wrong time and yet it was. Sometime a while back she had stopped believing in coincidences and here was one. Even if she had been doubtful of his story, the evidence didn't match up. The body had been dead before Declan's plane had even landed in Louisiana.
"C'mon, I'll walk you outside," said Monica.
When the two of them had gotten outside into the cool night air, Monica took out a cigarette from a pack and offered one to Declan.
"No, thanks. I don't smoke."
Monica lit up her cigarette and took a puff. "That's good that you don't smoke. It's a bad habit-hard to break. Started smoking when I was on this case back in New York. Well that's a long way away from here."
"Well I guess I should be getting back to campus....," said Declan.
"Are you sure I can't have one of the deputies drop you off?" asked Monica.
"No, but thanks for everything."
"You take care now."
Declan nodded and started to walk off. He turned back around when he heard Monica say his name. She took one last puff of her cigarette and then snubbed it out. She took a card out of her pocket and handed it to Declan.
"I have to admit I'm curious about your investigations into miracles. I have an interest in the unexplainable as well. But there's my card just in case you ever decide to come back to New Orleans. If you give me fair warning, I'll try to make sure you don't stumble into trouble again."
Declan's smile mirrored Monica's. He took her card and put it in his pocket. "I'll be sure to do that. But hey, do you want to grab a coffee or tea or something? I can fill you in on some of the things we've seen. We've seen some pretty weird stuff."
Monica just smiled. "Thanks, but I'm afraid I've got a murder to solve since our number one suspect turned out to be not what we thought. But hey, you've got my card. Call me, e-mail me, whatever. I'd love to hear about your investigations."
"Sounds good. Good night Agent Reyes," said Declan as he extended his hand.
"It's Monica and good night to you too. Have a safe trip back," she said as she shook his hand.
Monica watched Declan walk into the night until she could no longer see him. She smiled and shook her head. She wondered if she would hear from him again, but something inside her told her she would. Monica's smile then slowly faded. She could spare no time for these thoughts at this moment and instead turned her attention back to the deceased whose death demanded answers and justice.