5. The Alibis
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"Hey, Braig?"
"What's up, Sora?"
"Tell me something about Xehanort?"
"Shoot."
"A few years ago he was gone for a while. Riku stayed with his relatives in Midgar. What was that all about?"
"Oh. Three years ago."
Braig was quiet for a while. Then he started talking again.
"That's what we call it, by the way, that incident. 'Three years ago.' That was when there was a spike in gang activity, mainly Maleficent's crowd. Xeha was kidnapped by them. He was M.I.A. for four months. We all thought he was dead, but he musta escaped somehow, 'cause I found him on the streets. He was half-dead, anyway, and he had amnesia. Didn't have a clue who I was, or who he was, or Riku, or anyone. Couldn't remember anything. The doctors fixed him up as well as they could, but to this day he still can't remember those four months. Probably just as well. Scary time for all of us. We don't like to talk about it much."
"Oh."
"Mm."
"Sorry."
"Don't be."
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"All right, gimme some alibis."
Dilan checked his list.
"Elaeus Wulkan. Left work a bit after seven, confirmed by clocking out, 7:02. Went straight home and had dinner with his wife, confirmed. Watched the game, went to bed. The building's security tapes confirm that he never left."
"Got all that, Tron?"
"Removing Elaeus Wulkan from the list."
"Ias… I can't even pronounce that."
"The pot calls the kettle black, eh, Mr. Dilan Buddha-Calamari-Hindu-whatever?"
"Your misuse of language astounds me. Anyway. Ias, clocked out at 7:08. Went to visit his sister in Eighth Precinct, came back late. His sister confirms the visit but was unable to recall the exact time. No camera confirmation."
"Ias whatever stays on."
"Braig Mayes. Clocked out at 6:40. Naughty, naughty. Went for a drink, confirmed by the bartender and others. Time of departure uncertain. Went home, confirmed by neighbors. No one saw him leave, but they weren't really looking. No camera confirmation. Too bad, Braig, you stay on."
"Sad day."
"Computers should be seen and not heard, Tron."
"Jack Durol went on a date with Ranele Evans. Confirmed by their waiter. Came in at eight, stayed for a while, left a bit before ten. Went back to Jack's apartment immediately, confirmed by the doorman. Neither came out until the next morning."
"Whoo."
"Yeah."
"Jack Durol and Ranele Evans are off the list."
"Executing."
"Sora Jansen checked out at 5 exactly, went for ice cream with Riku Gallagher, confirmed. Came home a little after six, had dinner, studied, went to bed. Confirmed by Mom."
"I didn't think the kid had it in him, anyway. Take Sora off the list, Tron. Speaking of Riku, I've got his. Left the Belle River Terrace at 5:03 and went for ice cream with Sora Jansen, confirmed. Went right home and played video games until bedtime. Only break was dinner. It's not confirmed, since play time on a video game runs while the game is on pause."
"Mm. That's cold— pause, kill someone, keep playing. Keep him on."
"Even Winter. Worked late, as usual. Clocked out 9:46. Went to a movie with Aramuil however-the-heck-you-pronounce-that… good job, Ara!... confirmed by the ticket gut. The movie let out at 11:26, he arrived home around one. What was he doing all that time?"
"Keep him on."
"Aramuil something-or-other clocked out at 7:01 and went home. He went to a movie with Even Winter at 10:00. Came out of the movie at 11:26. Got home at about 12:20, with Even."
"Oh."
"Ah. Well, there's still a gap that fits the T.O.D. They could have been accomplices. Keep them both on the list."
"Dilan Buddha-Calamari…"
"Just… stop."
"Okay, okay. Clocked out at 7:32. Went home right away and ate dinner. Watched the game. Went to bed. Confirmed. You lucky bastard, you're off."
"Thank you."
"Xehanort Gallagher. God, I love it when he has to tell people his full name. Clocked out at 7:13. Went right home and made dinner. Confirmed by Riku. Left home around 9 and went to Ansem's. Stayed from 9:22 to 11:17. Then he went to the doctor's… at 12:30."
"Late appointment. Well, that's not so unusual in a town like this. Is it confirmed?"
"By the doctor's records. The doctor's close… he still fits in the window. Xehanort stays on. Ienzo O'Hara… that's another good one… clocked out at 7:20. Went grocery shopping and got home close to nine, confirmed by security cameras and witnesses. Went out again a little before ten to go clubbing with Ael Roberts and Deym Rossi, confirmed by camera. Left around one. Unconfirmed."
"He stays on."
"Ael and Deym clocked out at 7:00 exactly, went to a movie at eight, confirmed by the ticket seller and by camera. Got out at 9:40 and went clubbing with Ienzo, confirmed by camera and others. Time of departure unconfirmed for Ael. Deym re-entered his apartment just before twelve, confirmed by the neighbors and cameras."
"Got it, Tron?"
"Ael Roberts is still on the list. Deym Rossi checks out."
"Is that everyone?" Dilan asked.
"From our guys, plus Riku."
"Still, that's a lot of our men on the list. Has Ael been talking to his contacts in the underworld?"
"Yeah. A few different groups have claimed responsibility publicly, but nobody really knows who did it."
"Ael's a suspect. We can't count on it."
"Yeah, well, we can't count on half of CSI, our only psychologist, forensics, and me. You're one of the only ones we can trust, Dil. We just have to go with what we've got. Tron, remind me. Who checked out?"
"Sora Jansen. Elaeus Wulkan. Jack Durol. Ranele Evans. Deym Rossi. Dilan Kassamali."
"See? He can pronounce it," Dilan teased. Braig rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, yeah," he said. "But that leaves me, Ael, Xeha, Ienzo, Even, Ias, and Ara. Plus Riku. Dil, do you really think it was one of us?"
"It's all right, Braig. There are plenty of other suspects."
"What about motive?" Braig asked. "Got anything?"
"Some. You?"
"Maybe. Nothing too probable, though. We should talk to Ienzo."
They were interrupted as Aramuil knocked on the door.
"Even found something interesting," he reported when they opened the door. "He says you should come see."
"Why can't he ever come up here?" Braig complained, but he and Dilan followed anyway.