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The foyer of the Grove Tower was a place of modern design. Stainless steel, glass and dark metal made up most of the design. The receptionist desk was crafted from dark wood and black marble. Silver letters reading “Grove Technologies” was emblazoned on the front. Couches, coffee tables and potted plants were scattered about. Men and women in business attire moved in, out and around the foyer. Jack led Jenn to the elevator. He pressed the button to call the elevator. A couple of men in suits joined them in waiting for the elevator. Jack eyed them like a hawk. They wore much nicer clothes than he did. Probably custom tailored, he thought, thinking about how his store bought suit must stand out. The elevator arrived and they all got on. Jack and Jenn stepped in first claiming a spot in the corner. Jack selected the 50th floor. The other men selected their floors. The doors slid shut and the car began to rise. Quaint jazzy music played over the elevator’s speakers. The other people in the elevator trickled out, and eventually left Jack and Jenn alone.
“I was wondering”, began Jenn, “How do expect to gain access to the office?” The elevator doors opened to the fiftieth floor.
“Just follow my lead.” said Jack stepping out. Jenn nodded and followed him out of the elevator. This floor was mostly corporate offices. Jack walked up to a the main receptionist’s desk A redhead with a boyish face manned the desk. She had a data screen attached to her horn-rimmed glasses. Her hands flew across the keyboard, and her fingers danced about the touch screens. She payed no attention to Jack and Jenn as they approached. Jack cleared his throat. She looked up, her glasses flashing from the light radiating from the computer screens.
“Yes? Can I help you? Do you have an appointment?” she asked. She spoke in a hurried, stressed voice.
“Uhh, no. I’m Detective Jasper, Twenty-Sixth Precinct.” said Jack flashing the badge, “This is my assistant, Sophie Donovan. We would like to take a look at Mr. Grove’s office.” The receptionist looked at them confused.
“I thought the police had closed the case already.” she said.
“Well, we just wanted to check over a last couple of things before we shelved the file, so to speak.” explained Jack. He leaned in close and motioned for the receptionist to do the same. “We suspect some foul play.” The receptionist eyes widened.
“You think someone might have killed him?” whispered the receptionist. She quivered with excitement Oh great. This one is a gossiper.
“Maybe. But you have to keep it quiet. The captain doesn't want the press to know until we are absolutely sure. Got that?” said Jack. The receptionist nodded. “Good. Could you point us to Mr. Grove’s office?” asked Jack. The receptionist nodded and pointed down a hallway.
“It’s just down there. At the end of the hall. Here’s the key.” said the receptionist, pulling a key from one of her desk drawers. Jack took it, thanked her and headed down the hall.
Mr. Grove’s office was paneled with dark wood and had black carpeting. It was just as big, if not larger than Jack’s office. There was a vacant secretary’s desk. A computer screen was built into the top of the desk. A solid mahogany door with the name “Anthony J. Grove, C.E.O.” displayed in bold gold letters opened into the rest of the office.It was a corner office, and tall floor to ceiling windows stretched around to provide a panoramic view of the surrounding buildings. Slatted blinds hung over the windows. There was a pane with black tape crossed over it. Rain drops pattered against the thick glass. There was a black leather couch and matching chairs surrounding a black coffee table. A mini bar was set into one wall and a fireplace sat near by. A door that was nearly invisible due to the panelling lead into what could only be assumed as a lavish bathroom. A set of pegs jutted out from the wall, Jack hung his coat on one. An intricately carved dark wood desk sat with it’s back to one of the windows. A set of three computer screens were positioned on the desk. Jack whistled.
“Wow, what I wouldn’t do for an office like this.” said Jack stroking his chin.
“It is incredible isn’t it?” said Jenn looking around in awe. Jack nodded. He walked over to the windows and rapped his knuckle on it. It made a deep resonance.
“Hmm.” muttered Jack.
“What is it?” asked Jenn.
“It’s this glass. It’s got to be about seven to eight centimeters thick. No one could throw themselves through it.” He paused. “It would have to have been already cracked for someone to even achieve throwing themselves out of it. Jenn, could you check his personal schedule? I want to know what he was up to for the past month.”
“Okay.” nodded Jenn. She went to the secretary’s desk, leaving Jack in the office. He looked around. His eyes taking in every detail. The couch caught his eye. There was only one pillow. That’s odd. he thought, Why would someone only have one pillow on the couch? He scanned the floor around the couch. Something under the leg closest to the window caught his eye. He crouched down to get a better look. It was a white feather. He picked it up with his thumb and index finger. It looked like a goose down feather. He pulled under his nose. The smell of gunpowder was faint, but noticeable. He pulled a sealable plastic bag from his jacket pocket and dropped the feather inside. He then picked up the pillow. He felt it. The pillow was definitely stuffed with goose down. He pulled a small notebook and pen out of his jacket and began to take down notes. He continued to look around the office, twirling the pen in his fingers. He slipped and the pen rolled underneath one of the chairs. He stooped to pick it up, but his fingers touched cold metal. He gripped the item and pulled it out. It was a shell from a gun. He looked at the rim of the shell, “HP 9mm AP” was stamped on the bottom. Well this is an interesting turn of events. A fired shell at the scene of a suicide. He heard Jenn come over to him.
“What’s that?” she asked. Jack stood.
“It’s a shell, from a pistol.” said Jack, “Hollow point, nine millimeter, automatic pistol.” He put it in another plastic bag. “So did you find anything from his schedule?” he asked. Jenn nodded and held up a thumb drive.
“Yes, I copied it to this” she said referring to the thumb drive.
“Good. Could you check out his personal computer?” asked Jack. Jenn nodded and sat down at the desk. A picture frame displayed an image of Maxine Grove and and older man that had to have been Mr. Grove. Jack picked it up. He inspected the picture carefully. Mr Grove sat on a park bench, his arm around his daughter. He had brown hair that was greying on the edges. He wore a toothy grin on his thin pointed face. There was a remarkable resemblance between the two. He was wearing navy blue suit with an indigo shirt and black tie. Maxine was wearing a blue cotton sundress that hung lightly over her feminine form. Her hair was held back in a loose braid that hung over her shoulder. Jack couldn’t help but smile. He hopped to have a family one day. He set the picture back on the desk. Jenn had pulled up his schedule and had begun to copy it to the thumb drive. The transfer finished and she ejected the drive.
“Alright! Got it!” she reported.
“Hěn hǎo!” said Jack, “Let’s get back to the office, before David gets too lonely.” They left the office, walked passed the receptionist and into the elevator.
David was sitting at his desk with his feet propped up when they returned. His jacket was flung over the back of the seat, and he held a dumpling with chopsticks over a takeout box. He watched the rain running down the glass of the window. He heard the door open and stood to see who had entered.
“So, how did the breaking and entering go?” he asked. Jack hung his coat on the coat rack before helping Jenn remove her coat.
“We didn’t break in” said Jack hanging Jenn’s coat on the peg.
“If you didn’t break in, then how did you gain access to the office?” questioned David. Jack smiled and held up the police badge. “Did you really? You know that’s a federal offense!” exclaimed David.
“Well, they haven’t caught me yet. And I suspect Detective Forgrave won’t do much more than a slap me on the wrist.” said Jack. David thought about this remark for a moment.
“Yeah, you are probably right. Detective Forgrave likes us too much. We are a valuable asset at times.”
“Exactly.” said Jack. He turned to Jenn. “Let’s take a look at that schedule shall we?” Jenn slid behind her desk and into the chair. She plugged the thumb drive and pulled up the schedule. Jack moved behind the desk to look at the screen. David went into the office to retrieve his box of dumplings.
“Let’s take a look at the week before he was murdered.” suggested Jack.
“The secretary’s schedule or the personal one?” asked Jenn. David returned, munching on a dumpling.
“The secretary’s” said Jack. Jenn selected the file and scrolled to the week of August 21st. There was a slew of various meetings and appointments. One name stood out, “Dr. Watcher”.
“Click on that one.” said Jack, “Doctor Watcher.” Jenn nodded and selected the date. The window expanded and displayed a more detailed description about the appointment.
“Doctor Watcher. Chicago Education Institute.” read Jack. “What is that?”
“It’s a private college.” said David. Jack and Jenn looked up at him in surprise for the swiftness of his response. He looked down at them. “What?! I did go to college remember, I thought about attending there.” explained David.
“You dropped out after your first semester.” said Jack dryly.
“How do you know?” interrogated David.
“You told me. Remember?” responded Jack.
“Oh. I guess I did” recalled David.
“Anyways.” began Jack. “Do you know of this Doctor Watcher?” David thought for a moment.
“The name does ring a bell. Doctor Hannalore Watcher; I think that she is the Head of the Psychology Department.” he recalled.
“Huh” grunted Jack, “So he was seeing a psychiatrist. But for what?”
“Maybe you should give Doctor Watcher a visit?” suggested Jenn. David smiled.
“I like her. You picked a good one.” said David.
“What does that mean?” asked Jenn, her eye brow arching into her forehead.
“Uh…” stammered David. His face went red and he ducked into the office.
“What just happened?” asked Jenn. Jack straightened.
“I have no idea.” said Jack, “Back to the schedules.” Jenn opened Mr. Grove’s personal schedule. It was identical to the one that his secretary had except for one entry. It was just one name, “Jewel”. It was on the day of his death. Jack looked at it quizzically.
“Who could that be?” he wondered.
“It sounds like a joy girl name.” said Jenn with a small amount of spite in her voice.
“See if it comes up anywhere else in his schedule.” said Jack. Jenn scrolled through the schedule. The name appeared several times over the course of the past couple months.
“Looks like your hunch was correct.” said Jack, “She appears to be a joy girl. David! Come ’ere!” David poked his head out of the door.
“Yes?” he answered.
“I want you to go talk to this Doctor Watcher. I need to pay Cordell a visit.” said Jack begrudgingly.
“Hey, If you don't want to go see that xìng yǐn zhě. I’ll go talk to Cordell.” said David.
“I’ll do it.” stated Jack, "I've been meaning to pay them a visit."
“Alright. I’ll give Doctor Watcher’s office a call and set up an appointment.” said David.
“And I’ll go see what Cordell is up to.” said Jack.
“Who’s Cordell?” asked Jenn.
“A purveyor of information, and hard to get information at that.” said Jack.
“Like a hacker?” asked Jenn?
“Something like that.” responded Jack.
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Issue #3: Coming Soon
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