The usual standard disclaimers apply.
I don't own any of the characters.
This was written for fun, not profit.
October 30
"Ladies and gentlemen, quiet please.
Ladies and gentlemen.
All right now, quiet!
Thank you.
I'll of course skip over the parts about why we're here, we all know too well why. It's a difficult time for everyone on the department, but especially for those of us tasked with this, for lack of a better word, investigation. This is the type of thing every supervisor dreads, and thus far I've been lucky enough to never have been faced with it. Bear with me if I become distracted or maybe even emotional. It's been a train wreck of a day.
Each of you is here at my personal request to your immediate supervisors. The detective bureau is already spread woefully thin concentrating on the rash of missing citizens, not even counting the day-to-day cases piling up on our desks. We're now filtering out all but the most involved reports, and returning the lesser offenses back to the originating officers for follow up. Agency resources are being consumed at an unprecedented rate, so time is of the utmost essence. Especially now that one of our own appears to have become a victim. You uniformed officers are now attached to this major case squad as investigators. You now answer directly to me and my command staff, and you are here until the case comes to a resolution. I have chosen each of you based on performance evaluations, recommendations from your superiors, and my own personal experiences with you. Thank you for stepping up to this most daunting of tasks.
Enough of the formalities. Twenty-nine years on the job and I've never seen anything like this. Detective Danville McMikle, while on scene investigating the apparent abduction of a child from the area of the School for the Gifted, went missing from that same scene at approximately twenty-two thirty last night. Each table has a copy of the case file with all relevant up to the minute information, so if you would all look through the files as I speak…
McMikle was primary on that case. He was confirmed on scene at twenty-two ten, and spoke to several technicians after arrival. Around twenty-two thirty a back up detective went looking for McMikle, but never found him. Subsequent radio checks by on scene officers and dispatch were unanswered. Secondary Detective Laura Kottmann searched the immediate area for McMikle, but initially located only his unit, dash light still activated. Dispatch had no record of McMikle signing off from the scene. A pattern search of the area turned up McMikle's footprints heading out into the adjacent field where they suddenly stopped and never started again. Found at that spot were McMikle's issue, hammer cocked, safety off, and a partially smoked Bluegrass brand unfiltered cigarette, McMikle's smoke of choice. Refer to your files for a complete list of findings regarding his disappearance. So far we have been unable to determine just exactly how he left, or was taken, from the area. Preliminary inquiries with family and friends have turned up nothing, but I expect you to re contact and dig deeper. Take your time with them, they're still in shock, but be thorough. What seems unimportant to them may be the difference, literally, between life and death. Ask questions, think outside the box and remember every piece of information, regardless of how small, is to be followed up on. Dog them to their conclusion. Any questions, call me or one of my command staff, twenty-four seven.
Everyone, utilize your informants. Dig up your old ones, squeeze the current and flip new ones. A veteran detective doesn't just disappear without somebody somewhere knowing something. I want to know what they know.
As I said, this situation is unprecedented in the history of Bludhaven. Some of you are probably aware of McMikle's personal issues, his ongoing battle with depression and so forth. However, and I can not stress this enough, we are not looking at McMikle as a suspect, period. There is absolutely zero evidence the McMikle was in any way involved in criminal activity in regards to the abduction he was investigating, so until God himself stands on my head and hands me stone tablets proclaiming McMikle's guilt, the man is a victim and will be treated as such. Make sure you are more than clear about that with any media contacts you have.
Dan McMikle worked nine years in my detective bureau and was the model of a brilliant investigator. It was often rumored that he would one day replace me as Chief of Detectives and I would proudly hand the title to him when the time came. I've broken bread with this man and his family at their dinner table and we have put away our fair share of brew out on Sheffield Heights. He is a friend as well as a colleague and deserves nothing less than a concerted, superhuman effort to find him, and find him well. I know a fair number of you are also friends with him, so I trust your focus and determination.
Particularly you, Officer Grayson, I'm aware of your close relationship with McMikle. It had occurred to me that you might be too close to be properly involved in this case, but I'm equally aware of your integrity and work ethic and am confident you will perform with the highest regard for professionalism and competency.
That's all I have for now. Get out there and find him, ladies and gentlemen…bring him home. You and your partner stay together, stay in contact with me or my command staff, and most of all stay safe. No telling what the hell is out there.
Godspeed to you all.
Dismissed."