Chapter 21
Lots Of
The Less Fortunate
Part 1
Disclaimer: And here we are with the next exciting case!
February 18th, 2013, Central City, Missouri
It had taken a few days for Jonas and the firm to get around to fully beginning their investigation of the missing Homeless men. Mostly due to other cases and because Jonas needed a little time to deal with the emotional side of things following his encounter with Dinah lance. But they were now on the case, or at least Jonas was as Barry had handled some CSI work for him where the missing Homeless were concerned. But hadn't turned up anything conclusive and with his work done, Jonas had let him take time off to spend time with his father. Or with Linda, which ever came first for his young friend. Kara was off with Iris and Mason, looking into something for a story and making use of Kara's investigative skills that Jonas had taught her and even Barry over the course of their time together. "Ohh! Its so wonderful to see someone is looking into this situation!" Gushed Ma Hunkle to Jonas a little while after he'd come to her Shelter to find out anything he could. Especially as three of the former Homeless individuals were connected with her Shelter until things improved for them.
Ma was a kindly older woman who was rumored ro have been a vigilante known as 'Red Tornado' in the 50's and 60's. Rumored being the keyword as no one had ever been able to find out for certain and eventually, left it alone. And now a days, Ma had taken to running the Hunkly Shelter for the Homeless in Central. Feeling it was the right thing to do as she knew from experience how being homeless wasn't an easy thing. Jonas smiled as he nodded in respect to a Veteran who passed by him. "Someone has too, and who better then the Jonas Dearden Investigations firm, right?"
"Someone's clearly a little full of themselves." Muttered an unkind voice from behind the former Queen Scion.
Causing him to turn around and see a rather portly fellow with a big nose. "Gerry! There is no reason for such rude behavior!"
Gerry grimaced. "Right, sorry Mr. Dearden." Though he didn't sound apologetic at all much to Ma's annoyance.
But Jonas decided to push past it by smiling at the man and offering his hand to shake. "Ah, no worries from me."
Gerry looked at the offered hand with a scowl on his face but ended up taking it in the end and shaking it before walking off. "I am so sorry about that, Mr. Dearden. This whole ordeal has left my son terribly out of sorts to the point he forgets his manners."
"Situations like this will do that to a person. Especially if they are pretty connected to anyone who might have been a victim."
"Well that would certainly fit with him and Bob." Sighed Ma sadly in reply and a shake of the head.
"Bob?"
"Oh! Yes, Bob, Bob Oakerland. Those two were very close, even when Bob's lot in life managed to improve to where he could finally leave the Shelter and the streets and not have to come back to either. Hopefully never ever again."
Jonas frowned at that as he recalled from the reading that he'd done that Bob was reported to be the first to go missing. Only thing is, that had been two and a half years ago and it got him to wondering. Clearing his throat, he began to speak. "Umm… And forgive me in advance if this offends you, but considering how he strongly still feels. Were your son and Bob more then… Just friends?" He asked her in a delicate manner.
"Well of course! They were practically like brothers!"
"N-No, I, I was meaning something a bit… More then that." Replied the man with a wince and causing her to gape at him in shock once she cottoned on to what he was on about.
"Oh Heavens no! My boy has a boy of his own and he's never once showed any sort of indication he likes other men in that kind of manner."
Another wince came from Jonas as it was clear he'd made the kindly older woman a bit upset. "R-Right, my, my apologies, Mrs. Hunkle. I didn't mean to upset you." He told her apologetically.
But she waved it off before looking at him again. "Quite alright, Mr. Dearden. I understand that you need to look at all angles of a problem. Though I can admit I wasn't expectin' that sort of thing!" She said as she placed a hand on her chest.
Making him frown in worry. "Um, are you alright?"
"Oh yes! Quite so! Just feeling a little shocked is all and my heart is feeling rather fast right now because of it. So no worries of that, young man! As I've years left in me yet!" Ma declared with a laugh as he felt relieved.
Even smiling at her in a relieved manner. "That's… That's good to hear, Mrs. Hunkle. And as I've probably taken up enough of your time, I'll be getting out of your hair now."
"I'm terribly sorry if I wasn't enough help in your investigation, Mr. Dearden." And she truly was as so far, three of the losses that had occurred were connected to her Shelter due to their having stayed there when they were down on their luck.
And she fervently hoped this wouldn't mean the end of the Shelter either as it was an important resource for those with no means to support themselves. Sure, there were others in the city that could do what she was doing, but one less Shelter meant a little less help and she didn't like the thought of that. "Never the less, you've tried and that's what matters."
Ma smiled happily at that before showing him to the front door so that he could look further into the situation. Neither of them noticing a pair of eyes following their every move from their spot in the building.
Sometime Later At The Firm
"Okay, so you think a reason for Mr. Oakerland's death is because he might have been Gay? And not because he was homeless?" Asked Barry once he, Jonas, and Kara gathered around Jonas' desk at the Firm.
Jonas just nodded. "Yeah. And that had me thinking that maybe the others who were murdered may have been the same. Or that maybe there was something about them beyond the shared connection of being homeless until life improved for them that the killer didn't approve of."
Potentially a stretch, but any and all angles had to be explored. "But if that's the case, then how could the killer have possibly known? None of those murdered were even on anyone's radar until their lives got better and made the news because of it." Wondered Kara with a frown on her face.
"That's what we have to find out. I've already made a few calls to the families but I was either hung up on or they didn't know much of anything."
"And going to their houses could tip off whoever the killer is." Added Barry with a frown of his own.
A nod came in his direction as Kara bit her lip in worry. "So we need to find whoever's doing it before they kill again. Only we have nothing to go on to find the killer and to top it off, they're able to keep the Police from doing anything about it. Which says they either have enough money for that, have some kind of blackmail, or-"
"They are simply threatening any members of Law Enforcement and may have even acted on those threats to ensure they do nothing." Finished Barry grimly and she nodded.
Jonas crossed his arms with an unhappy expression on his face as this case was proving to be complicated and they had barely even begun! The shattering of glass however caught their attention, causing them to leave his office and the sight of the broken window had them going towards the front door. The sight of the broken window near the door made them all frown and it'd be Kara who'd notice what caused it. "Hey, look at this." She said and grabbed the brick from the floor.
A brick that had paper wrapped around it and Jonas gently took it from her and removed the paper to see what was possibly on it. His eyes narrowed as he read what was on it and that made the other two a bit worried. "What? What's it say?" Wondered a certain future Speedster.
Jonas looked up at him and Kara. "Basically? That we need to stay away from this as the 'Deviant Ones' must pay for their sins most horrid."
The two looked at one another and then back at him. "And are we?"
Kara's question being one that Barry wondered about as well! Scoffing came from their friend and boss in response. "Of course not. If anything, this just promised that we are gonna keep at this until we bring the murdering bastard down." Promised the man and both smiled happily at that.
As the killer's days were now numbered!
Author's Notes: Well, originally, I had no intention of making this potentially a Hate Crime in regards to the LGBT but as I got to writing... Things happened.