A/N - i dont own DP, but i do own whatever you don't recognize
okay, felt kinda guilty about leaving that last chapter so long...and this one doesn't have a cliffie, so - you guys get a dual update. i don't think i've EVER done this before Oo so enjoy!!!
Three: Monk
Sam walked over to it. The hole was about two feet in diameter, and at about shoulder lever for her. There was a neat, clean slice around the edges.
"But," Edward stuttered as everyone crowded around the discovery. "The glass is bulletproof! You couldn't cut it, or smash it, o-or do anything to it!"
Maria traced her plastic-gloved fingers over the incision. "It looks, a little like a laser cut...it could have been. But..."
Sam stood right in front of the hole, then turned away from it, looking at the opposite wall. She thought she saw something, and moved forwards slowly towards it. She stood about a foot from the wall facing the hole, and lifted her hand. Her fingers traced a two foot circular groove in the wall, about shoulder height. The metal of the wall was slightly melted.
"He did use a laser." She confirmed. "A high power laser, and it cut through the glass, but left a mark on this wall." She walked to stand beside Danny as everyone rushed over to inspect her finding.
"Nice work detective." Danny said, punching her shoulder lightly.
"Thanks." She replied, pursing her lips. She turned from him and walked over to the hole. She promptly stuck her head out, looking towards the sky.
"Uh, Sam, what are you doing?" Danny asked, leaping towards her in case she took a dive.
"Hm." She murmured. She pulled her head back inside, to Danny's relief, and grabbed his arm, heading towards the elevator.
"Where are we going?" He asked as the elevator doors opened for them, and he was pushed inside.
"The roof."
They were let out of the elevator into a stairwell, and they climbed up to the door labeled 'Roof'. When they were up there, Danny peered over the edge of the building and darted back instantly.
"Whoa, long fall, long fall," he drew out the vowel in the second 'long' as he skittered back to her side. Sam smiled at him, and walked over to the side of the building the hole in the window was on. She leaned out over the edge, to confirm she was on the right side, then looked beside her.
A generator of some sort was on her right, with handles on it to open various hatches. She grabbed the large handle on the top and pulled it. She threw all of her weight away from it, but it did not budge.
"Clever," Danny said, understanding what she had found. "They tied a rope or grappling hook or something to that, then rappelled down the side of the building. Someone has some balls."
She chuckled, releasing her hold on the handle. "Someone does." She frowned. "I guess it wasn't the meddler then. Someone who can fly wouldn't need to do this."
"How do you know someone actually did? There's nothing here to prove it."
"The generator is directly above the hole. It's too perfect. I can't let my dislike of the man affect my judgment."
"The guy's saved your life twice and you still don't like him?"
"I guess I owe him, but," she trailed off and walked back to the elevator. She turned and looked Danny in the eye. "He's still a meddler."
Danny chuckled and followed her into the elevator. They met the rest of the team on the way down. The team hailed two cabs and made their way back to the office, where they sat forty minutes later.
"Suspects?"
"Tons. Who wouldn't want a priceless jewel?"
"Yeah, but who would have a high power laser? And a welding torch? And a rappelling harness? And more importantly, know how to use them all?"
"And how would they know all the codes to all the security systems? The only person who does is Mr Monk."
Marilyn's head shot up. "Could he have done it?"
"Unlikely. He was at the party until after the jewel was stolen, and there are plenty of witnesses to that."
"Still, we shouldn't count him out," Edward warned.
"Well, guys," Tony said. "I think we need more information before we do anything. Forensics found nothing of the thief in the room, so we don't have anything there."
"And our only witness is Mr Monk." Maria said.
"I'll see if I can get an appointment with him," Marilyn said, rising and walking over to her desk.
The rest of the team dissipated, leaving two black heads – one braided and one severely mussed – sitting opposite each other, staring at the case files.
The team had nominated Sam and Danny to go interview Mr Monk, as they were the ones who had figured out the thief's method of entry – the most substantial piece of information the team had at the time.
After they knocked on the door on the fifty seventh floor and were escorted in by a maid, they ended up sitting on a very low couch in a monstrous living room. The couch was only a few inches off the ground, and Sam crossed her legs to be comfortable, while Danny just had his feet on the floor, his long legs bent up in front of him.
"God, this thing is uncomfortable," he groused.
She smiled at him. "I guess it's designed for those of us less than six feet tall."
He grumbled some more, shifting himself periodically. Sam looked around the room. It was mainly minimalist, a little art deco. Above the mantel was an aggravatingly loud, ticking clock. The mantel itself was inlaid with enormous fake gems.
It was vulgar. It was boring. Somehow it was both at the same time. She got tired of looking at the simple, plain walls and floor, and looked at the table in front of them. It was the only thing in the whole room that she would not mind having in her own home. It was a dark, almost black mahogany table, and, like the couches on either side of it, it only rose a few inches off the floor. On top of it was a large, round glass platter, which had a pyramid of green apples on top of it. She quite liked it.
"Hello, detectives!" A cheery voice greeted them. Sam snapped her head to the door that someone had just entered, and Danny started in fright and then followed her gaze.
The man was about Sam's height, and obviously freakishly skinny underneath his expensive brand suit. He was bald and beardless, and his beady eyes studied the two figures in his home almost eagerly.
Sam rose and went to shake the man's hand. "Mr Monk. My name is Sam Manson, and this is Daniel Fenton."
Danny put his hands on the sofa to push himself up.
"Please call me Gerry." He took her hand.
Danny grunted as he fell back down awkwardly.
"Alright, Gerry, do you mind if we ask you some questions about the robbery?"
Danny tried again, shifting his legs this time.
"Not at all, my dear, let's get to the bottom of this, shall we?"
Danny was swinging his legs up and down as much as he could to heave himself up, but to no avail.
"Shall we sit?" Gerry said, putting his hand on the small of Sam's back and gesturing towards the twin sofas. She arched her back slightly to break the contact, uncomfortable.
Danny finally turned onto his front, on his hands and knees, and pulled himself up. He grinned triumphantly and turned to shake Gerry's hand.
"Oh, you needn't have gotten up, my boy! Relax, please, drinks anyone?"
Sam shook her head in response to his question, her mouth twisting into a crooked line as she tried to hold back a laugh at Danny's expression. He sighed crossly and flopped back down into the low couch.
Sam sat beside him, as their small witness fell onto the couch opposite them.
"So," he said, clasping his hands together, his elbows on his knees. "What do you kids need to know?"
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FunkyFish1991