"No no, that can't be it." Sweet said, "There is going to some explanation that is going to present itself and we settle this nice and easy"
Audrey folded her arms defensively and said, "Really like what?"
Pausing to think and then answer, the doctor said, "One of us borrowed it and forgot, or some of the dirt we have been tracking fell on it or something, right Mole? That happens right?"
The Geologist paused, scratching his chin, and began pacing. All the while his goggles were zoomed in on the hilt of the knife.
"I don't know about the borrowing, that may be a possibility. However, the dirt falling on it would not be possible." He started to pace around the room now looking around in thought. "One would have to work the dirt into the crevasses by digging with it or some similar action, and there is exclusively Atlantean dirt on these areas."
To emphasize his point, he made digging actions with the knife causing everyone to lean away from him.
Sweet motioned for the knife, and Mole handed it to him, "Okay, if that is not it, then one of us borrowed the knife, probably during that initial exhibition day."
"Still doesn't answer why Atlantean dirt is here." Mole countered.
"Then we simply find out who knows about Atlantis, then we'll have our guy." Cookie declared.
"Should I print up some flyers, asking for information on Atlantis?" Packard asked sarcastically. "Unfortunately, that would let out our little secret."
"Then how are we going to find this person? We can't do nothing?" Audrey asked.
"No, no," Sweet replied, rubbing his temple. "We need to lay out what we know about who we know here and go from there. After that we work our next moves, does that sound good?"
"Yeah" Packard agreed.
"So, we lay this information out, and then what?" Vinny asked
"We'll get there," Sweet said "we do that, then…" He trailed off looking a little lost.
"When we get there, we will know what to do with this person." Audrey finished for him, "Plus we can ask Mr. Whitmore if he has heard anything, all of us pulling together, I'm sure we'll be fine."
"I hope so." Marge replied.
Packard pulled out a new sheet of paper and laid it on the coffee table in front of her. She began writing a new title for it.
Looking up she said, "Well let's start somewhere, we can rule out the senior staff, cadets, and anyone else we can confirm was here when we were not. Let's start with who we know or know of and work our way outwards. Vinny, what do you know about those that seem suspicious? Big or small, let's hear it. Everyone else get ready because I'm going to ask you next."
Vinny paused, "Well I've got Sharpe. He as you all know seems to be watching all the time. He might be planning something but I don't know what it could be. No one should be doing what he is doing without a reason."
"Have you or anyone here seen him snooping around? We have to get to the meat of the issue quickly, looking's one thing, snooping is another." Packard replied.
Vinny sighed, "Nothing on my end. Maybe someone here did?"
After everyone shook their head or replied with a no Packard continued, "Alright who's next that you could suspect?"
"Well there is Lockett, he doesn't seem to like anyone in this room. Perhaps he was with us on the trip, he was a soldier, and could have turned mercenary and joined the expedition." Vinny offered.
"No," Countered Marge, "He has been in New York for the past two months talking to the Feds about something."
"Where'd you learn that?" Audrey asked, looking over at the other woman.
"What, that?" She shrugged, "The ladies in the office get bored so we talk."
"Is that why Madine keeps thinking my reports are late all the time?" Cookie asked, "Are you gals dragging your feet in there?"
"No, we don't, thank you very much." She retorted, "It's not my fault you turn them in the day of, one hour before they are due."
"That was one time."
"Okay, three hours. Much better." Marge replied dryly.
"Enough!" Packard interjected, "Let's stay focused, we have a lot to cover."
"So, he couldn't have been with us on the trip?" Sweet asked, helping Packard get the conversation back on track. "He was in New York?"
"Yes, his name was dropped a few times during the time you all were gone." Marge said.
"Okay, scratch one, who's next on your list?" Packard asked.
"I would have said Madine next but he has been here a while yes? Okay then I guess Eggar. He has been the opposite of Sharpe, seems to avoid me whenever he can. With that being said, all I have ever seen him do was do his job and mind his own business." Vinny said.
"Until he's off the clock that is." Marge added with a smile, "Remember what you told me Minnie?"
Annoyance flitted across her eyes, "This has nothing to do with Atlantis. We are talking about serious things, not gossip."
"Like what?" Audrey asked.
"It's nothing." Packard said tersely.
"Come on, what is it?" the mechanic begged.
"Fine, since it was mentioned I'll say it, after that we are on topic again, okay? Anyway, I go on evening walks and every Tuesday Eggar has been visiting Ms. Schmitt's residence alone, so there's that."
"What?" Audrey had a confused look on her face, Sweet gave her a pointed look, "What?... Oh… oh… that's what."
"When are you going to tell her, she deserves to know." Marge complained to her.
"I know! I know! When I know what to do I will, in the meantime," Packard pressed on, "Despite his apparent 'extracurricular' activities is there anything we should know about?"
Racking his brain Vinny responded, "No, literally all I've seen him do his job and nothing more."
"So we should be able to clear him as far as we know?" Packard followed up.
"Like with everyone else 'as far as we know' isn't much." Vinny pointed out.
Packard scowled at him, "Not helping. As we've agreed we'll take what we have to Mr. Whitmore and go from there."
Vinny looked up, an idea popping into his head, "What about this: we are struggling to think of coworkers that are suspects, what about the staff that has been here the longest? Marge surely there are some people that got here around or after the time we did. Do you know who those could be? We can't think of someone because we don't know of them. Let's try there."
Marge thought for a moment, "You know what that might work, there have been a few newcomers that fit the timelines. If I can get to the records cabinet then we can take a closer look, it will- "
She was cut off by a knock on the front door. The room fell silent and they all sat there looking at it.
"Are you expecting someone?" Mole asked, leaning away from the door as if a monster was going to jump out and attack him.
"No." Marge replied and stood up to get the door.
She crossed into the mud room and opened the door.
From there they heard Sergeant Major Harper's voice, "Ms. Livingston, there has been some developing news affecting the division, I heard most of our department is in this apartment. May we come in?"
They heard boots on the floor as if he had already let himself in. Packard suddenly wadded her paper up and stuffed it into a potted plant by her chair. The others looked at her confused and she whispered "Better safe than sorry."
"Well yes come in, come in." Marge's reply came. The door shut and they heard them coming back towards the group.
Marge, Harper, and a young policeman came around the corner, Marge sat back down while the Sergeant Major and the officer stood at the room's entrance.
"I'll handle this one." Harper said leaning towards his companion, "Charles Raimondo has been arrested on the charge of racketeering. Colonel Daily has been informed of the possibility of this and other illegal activity being spread amongst the division and possibly the academy. He has ordered each individual in the division not to be in contact with one another until an emergency meeting- tomorrow at o eight hundred in the division conference room. This means your 'get together' here, is over."
"Right now?" Cookie asked.
"Right now." Harper replied, "Now if you please."
He motioned for everyone to get up, they did and made their way to the door past the two newcomers.
"What do you know about what he did exactly?" Sweet asked.
"Even if we did know, we wouldn't tell you." Harper said with a stern reply, "The Colonel wants no contact, communication, or travel not cleared by him or the police until the meeting. Now you must get going."
With that they left. Leaving Packard's apartment and going their separate ways under the eyes of Harper, the policeman with him, and a handful of other policemen could be seen knocking on doors in the neighborhood. Whatever was going down, it was causing no small stir.
I was bad again, posted late but here it is. For that I'll get you another chapter.