Chapter Four: Memory Hole
As it turned out, there were exactly three other robberies in the area that related to Jonah and Nick's case; where the robbers wore brightly colored wolf masks and were in and out in a matter of minutes, taking odd amounts of cash with them. However, in all the other heists, no one met the fate of Jennifer Matthews.
"Maybe they're getting desperate," Jonah muttered to himself, scrolling through the reports. "Willing to step up their game, become more willing to kill."
"Probably," Nick affirmed from his desk. Jonah started, eyes narrowed slightly in surprise that his partner had even heard him. "If I had to guess, I'd say they're in some kind of debt and need the money to pay up."
"Hmm, yeah, maybe. Think the ME would be done with their examination yet?"
As if on cue, Nick's cell phone buzzed. "…guess so. Apparently she found something interesting and wants to see us."
-break-
"What do you mean 'there's no bullet'?"
The ME, Dr. Harper, pursed her lips thoughtfully, handing over a file to a thoroughly confused Jonah. "Exactly that. It wasn't a through-and-through, and there's no sign anyone removed it. It's as if it up and vanished."
Nick frowned, leaning over to study the report as Jonah flipped through it. "Well, anything you can tell about the gun that fired the disappearing bullet?"
"Not much," she mumbled, leaning over the table and turning the corpse's head so that they could clearly see the wound. "It was fired at relatively close range, so the entry wound was pretty messy. But from the track the bullet took, which came to a halt near the back of the Corpus callosum, I can tell that it didn't have a lot of force behind it. Even small caliber guns at such a close range would've been farther back. Also, it appears that the bullet that was fired had no grooves on it, no defining features specific to a manufacturer."
Doesn't exactly tell us much, Jonah thought, pausing on the last page. "…and there was no gunshot residue either?"
Harper shook her head, and sighed. "Okay, so we've seen our fair share of weird cases around here lately, but this one's pretty up there. So many things missing that are typical of a crime like this."
Jonah and Nick thanked her, then exited the lab. "So," Nick began, "Should we jump right to the ice bullet theory?"
He smirked, still studying the report and narrowly dodging people as they walked by in the hall. "Nice. I doubt this was some kind of conspiracy though. Though…"
"What is it?" Nick pressed, keeping pace.
Could be Wesen, Jonah thought to himself, then dismissed the thought. The facts didn't add up to that, and every strange case couldn't be accounted for by Wesen. Also, he was hardly going to share the thought with Burkhardt. "In the other robberies. Tellers have tried to play hero, or run, or hit the alarms. But none of them are dead. So, why her?"
Nick was quiet for a moment, seeming deep in thought as he opened the doors and stepped out onto the street. "…She knew who it was?"
"That's what I'm thinking," Jonah confirmed, finally closing the file and following Nick outside. "I think it's time we talked to Jennifer's mother."
-break-
In a café across the street from the Portland Medical Examiner's office, Briar Laughlin discreetly leafed through a file on the metal table in front of him. He wasn't anything special to look at; he had light hair, dark eyes, wore unassuming jeans and a T-shirt. He appeared young enough that at his first choice stakeout location- a bar beside the café called O'Keefe's- they had asked for ID. Normally, he wouldn't care, but he didn't want the scrutiny of the uppity bartender.
Devonshire's file was strangely sparse. Those he worked for usually kept meticulously detailed documents, as did the Verat, of whom they at copious amounts of stolen information. However, this one specifically…
Disgusted at the incompetence of whoever wrote the file, he shut the folder and sat back.
Subject is confirmed Riddari: biological great-grandfather was a former Verat operative. Kehrseite adoptive family (presumably). Rejected employment by the Verat at age thirteen (13). Current whereabouts: stationed in Saynor City, WA Portland, OR, as a detective. Alliances: none.
"Useless," Briar hissed to himself, then glanced around. No one had heard him, nor seen his face shift temporarily to take on the aspects of wolverine in his annoyance.
He nearly missed the two detectives exit the office. Briar calmly picked up a newspaper and pretended to read it, all the while staring them down.
They were chatting like they'd worked together for years, not taking any notice of their surroundings. Probably about that case they're working on. Devonshire paused by a bench and gestured for the Grimm to go on ahead of him, fishing in his pocket for his phone. Burkhardt nodded and set off for the car.
Briar frowned, leaning forward slightly to hear when was going on. He wished that he'd had time to clone the Riddari's cell phone. I've got to do that soon.
As Devonshire began to walk down the street as he talked, Briar set down his newspaper and followed suit.
-break-
"Hello?"
"Hey, Jonah! How's it goin'?"
Jonah frowned at the cheerful voice. "…Des? How'd you get this number?"
"Oh-ho, nice to hear from you too," Des replied sarcastically, as was his way. "I'm just great. I mean, it really just made my day that my little brother moved and didn't tell me, and I had to hear all about it from your captain. Oh, sorry, former captain."
"Look, I'm sorry," Jonah replied, guilt creeping into his voice. "Things have been really, really busy lately."
"Uh-huh. Figured. How're you liking Portland?"
"So far? It's not bad. The rain, I could use a little less of," he observed, eyes flickering to the re-darkening sky.
"Should've thought about that before moving there," Des remarked, unconsciously echoing what Jonah himself had already said.
"Yeah, yeah. What've you been up to lately?"
"Well, I've got a pretty steady gig with the New York Times."
"Really?"
"No, dork, I'm still freelancing it. Actually, there's an opening for a paper near Portland, figured I might drop by, see the sights…"
"And check up on me," Jonah clarified.
"Yep, that too. I'm gonna be in town in a few days, with Holly." Holly was Des's daughter. Holly's mother had divorced Des not long after she was born, and they shared custody, along with remaining somewhat friends with him. "She wants to see her favorite uncle, Jonah."
"I'm her only uncle, Desmond."
"Exactly. So? Where're you staying? We'll drop by."
Jonah relayed the address, then paused by a street corner. "Des, I need for you to do something for me."
Desmond, sensing a more serious note in his brother's voice, replied immediately. "What's wrong?"
"It could be nothing," Jonah reassured him, watching the cars pass by. "But I think I recognized… someone. I need for you to bring the book."
There was silence from the other end of the line for several seconds. "…are we talking about that book?"
Jonah couldn't help roll his eyes. "No, the other book you're shifty talking about. You know what I mean, just bring it, okay?"
"Yeah, sure thing, man." There was a high voice in the background, then laughter. "Holly says hi. And something about a movie. Did you say you would take her to a movie?"
"Yeah, last time I saw you guys. Don't worry, I will."
Jonah discreetly shifted his gaze so that he looked across the street, where another man stood at another street corner. The nondescript man had been following him since he'd walked out of the lab with Nick, and Jonah could smell him from here, and he honestly had a scent worse than Renard did. But he was good at stalking, and that was troubling.
"I have to go," he muttered into the phone, then hung up, hearing Des's farewell cut off.
When he looked up again, the man- Briar Laughlin, though Jonah didn't know his name- had vanished.
First chapter actually written- not just revised- since the super long hiatus. Thoughts, good or bad? Also, thank you guys for coming back to read the revised version!