Investigation [Part I]
Posted on Sat Apr 18th, 2015 @ 9:26pm by Lieutenant Duncan Harper & Ensign Daisy Skie-Cloud
Edited on on Sun Apr 19th, 2015 @ 2:20pm
Mission:
The Night Cries
Location: Garrioch Hotel
Timeline: 2278.46: 0830hrs.
Once at the Hotel, Daisy darted into the public Lady's Refresher, and rummaged through her authorized uniform accessory purse and pulled out her hair brush. She brushed out her hair till shone nicely and looked very neat. She removed her uniform overcoat and folded it up neatly lengthwise and draped it neatly over her forearm.
She thought back to the briefing on her assignment of questioning the patrons and staff of the Hotel as she stepped out into the Lobby of the Hotel. She moved on over to the Registration Desk. Always a good source of information if you went about it correctly.
She did a quick look over of herself in one of the many mirrors that were placed randomly about the lobby. Her hair was loose and draped down her back. Uniform jacket was open a bit more than regulation allowed.
"Hello, I was wondering on your policy of visitors visiting the clients that stay here. Is it required of visitors to make their presence known to the staff here?" Daisy spoke in a pleasant curious tone as if she was planning on taking a room here at the Hotel.
The Desk Clerk looked a bit harried from the presence of all of the action that the murder had brought. "It is the policy of the hotel that visitors do check in. And that person who you seek would be the Concierge." Pointing out the sharp dressed man at his podium like desk.
"Thank you for your time." She made to move away from the counter, then spoke suddenly. "I do hope you have room service around the clock here." Looking expectantly at the Clerk.
"Room Service terminates at midnight planetary local time and resumes service at 6 am." Registration Clerk spoke with a glint of pleasure at the discomfort of a possible client.
Daisy feigned disappointment at hearing that. "Oh well. I guess it's to keep the noise level down in such a nice place." Getting a smile and a nod from the clerk.
"That is why our patrons don't entertain their guests here." The Clerk added with a smile. "We like our clients to have the privacy and quiet to get their rest."
Daisy nodded with a soft smile. "You wouldn't mind if I take a look around please?" Looking hopeful at the Clerk.
"Have the Concierge show you around," The Clerk replied returning the smile.
Daisy moved on over to the Concierge. "The Clerk said you would be delighted to show me the facilities of this fine Hotel, Sir George." Giving him her warmest smile. Reading his name off the name tag he wore.
George looked her over with a bit high society snobbishness that someone would dare to ask that duty of him. "I am busy at the moment." He looked down at the day planner before him, hoping she would just go away.
"Then it would be okay if I went alone. My Commander asked me to take a look over the hotel for security reasons." Daisy keeping the warmth in her voice, knowing full well the Concierge George was lying, cause he had the most bored expression on his face as he stood next to his stand up desk.
"This hotel has the finest security on planet." He growled at her softly.
"I must be mistaken that this is not the Garrioch Hotel then. For murders never would have happen under such observant employees such as yourself?" Daisy put disappointment in her voice.
George stammered and sputtered a bit. "Fine! but don't make a nuisance of yourself. The Police had already came stomping through here disturbing the residence of this fine establishment!" Wanting to get rid of Daisy as soon as possible. She couldn't possibly be a star fleet officer the way she was dressed but an undercover cop. A detective from the police department.
Daisy gave George a smile and scampered up the stairs to the level the murder took place. She could hear the muffled televisions behind closed doors, murmur of voices from different room. She sighed softly as she moved to the room with crime scene tape barring the room of the former Captain Gunning. There was the Security Officer standing guard to he room. Giving him a quick nod and smile.
She looked up and down the corridor, taking note of the exits, stairs and the elevator. She spin 180 degrees to look at the door directly across from Gunning's room. She knocked politely, yet firmly.
At first it seamed that the room was empty. As she turned to leave, the door opened and a man stood there glaring at her.
"Excuse me, Gentle being! I've come inquire if you heard any strange noises coming from the room directly behind me." Daisy gave the man a smile that could mean anything but one to loosen tongues.
"Nope. Sorry." Before she could ask another question, he spoke again. "I've already given my statement to the police, Ma'am."
Daisy nodded, "I apologize for disturbing your sleep cycle." Only to receive in response to her apology was the door shutting in her face. She raspberried the door.
"I seen and heard that, Miss!" Came the muffled response from behind the door as the Security Guard behind her gave a soft chuckle at her antics.
She giggled and moved to the next door. Sounds of people moving emanated from the room. She knocked politely.
The door open, "Oh... you're not room service!" The lady spoke looking her over. "I hope you aint one of those pushy sales people that plague these hotels." She whined softly.
"Oh no! I'm a Starfleet officer, looking into the murder of another fleet officer." Daisy spoke quickly. "I was wondering if you saw or heard anything?" Looking hopeful at the lady.
"Only thing I heard was my husband snoring and the rain pounding on the glass!" The lady exclaimed.
"I do not snore!" Came a masculine voice from deeper in the room. The lady rolled her eyes at that and winked at Daisy.
Daisy smiled in response. "You get room service?
The lady snorted in disgust. "Getting room service before 6 am is like pulling teeth and ..." Yelling over her shoulder into the room, "... Having a night without snoring!"
"Woman! For the umpteenth time, I do not snore!" The man yelled again. "Bring me my Stim Drink?! Instead of telling Room Service that I snore. Which I don't!"
"Honey. It's not Room Service. But a nice lady from Starfleet." The lady yelled back at the source of the male voice.
"I'm going to call the Concierge and complain about crappy service! They said my Stim Drink would be up right at 6 o'clock!" The male voice yelled angry.
The Lady shrugged, "I'm sorry you had to hear that. We always stay here at this hotel and had a rough night with the police making an awful ruckus. I heard one of the police say that the murderer left his shoes behind. Maybe we're having Shoe Serial Killer running loose. Like Jack the Ripper, only more sinister." The lady confided in her.
Daisy with her eyes wide, just nodded letting the lady ramble on. Maybe she'll say something worthwhile.
"Margerate! Just shut up and let the lady go! She doesn't want to hear your tabloid ramblings!" Same male voice from two previous interruption by him.
"Must go. Maybe I can swing back by later." Daisy smiled warmly and moved down the hallway to the next door to the room.
She knocked politely and the door was open by a woman in curlers and green facial cream.
"Eeeeek!" Daisy hurriedly stepped back at the sight in shock. Staring wide eyed at the scene before her. "I-I came to as-ask..." She swallowed the lump in her throat. "if you heard anything?"
The lady cackled with laughter at Daisy's response to the way she looked. "I was awoken by a thump on the wall and then a scraping sound. Miss. I called the hotel security on the couple next door for waking me up by thumping on the wall as they do the dirty deed! Not realizing how thin these walls are! Since the Security here didn't do anything, I called the police to deal with them two banging on the wall!" In righteous indignation.
Daisy could only nod dumbly as she stared at the apparition before her. "I'... huh.. thanks." Staring wide eyed ready to flee at the first chance.
"Only to find out that poor lady next door had been killed!" The lady in curlers was on a roll. She had an audience. "Everyone was in an uproar!" Pausing to take a breath of air to continue her tirade and feeling of importance.
"Wha-what time did the thumping took place?" Daisy slowly getting over her shock. As curiosity began to build in her.
"I glanced at the clock and somewhere around midnight. I-I wished I called sooner. Ever scince she moved in, I knew she was trouble. I mean who does she think she is! Getting Room Service before they are suppose start serving! I haven't been able to get a hot toddy after midnight and before 6 in the morning. Without my Hot Toddy, I can never sleep right."
"How did you know it was room service?" Daisy asked now really curious, "When there was suppose to be none?"
"Because their carts all have squeaky wheels! I've complained about that to the Concierge many a times to get it fixed." The lady humpft in disgust. "Maybe you can put in a word, scince you Fleeters can get stuff while the rest of us suffer!"
Daisy nodded dumbly as she listened, "I'll see what I can do." She pulled out a PADD and took some rapid notes on what she was learning. "Would you be able to Identify the Room Service Person?" Looking up at the lady.
"No-aw, I was in bed and it would've taken me minute or two to get to the door." She gave another humpft of disgust. "I aint no spring chicken that can just fly everyplace to sate my curiosity."
Daisy gave a sigh. But there was a lead to be followed up. Room Service. "Thanks for your time. I will remind the Concierge about the squeaky wheels." She turn away from the lady in the curlers and green face mask.
"You do that!" She stepped back into her room, closing the door quietly.
Daisy moved to the next door farther away from the murder scene. This time Daisy didn't get a response when she knocked several times on the door. But the door was ajar and the room beyond was dark. She looked both ways as she nudged the door open with her foot. Seeing that the coast was clear, except for those at the meeting held by the Commander.
She slipped inside and moved through the room, letting her eyes adjust to the darkness. The room had the occupied look, but personal stuff was gone as if the person checked out recently. There was a faint oily smell of solvent in the air. She wished that she hadn't gotten separated and with someone with more experience than her at this sort of thing.
On general frequency that the investigative team used, Daisy spoke with a bit trepidation in her voice, "Anyone? This is Ensign Skie-Cloud. Could someone come to Room 405, please. I may have found something."
"Harper here, I'm on my way Ensign hang tight." Duncan responded to her Communication and then made his way to meet her. Hopefully it could help shed some light on this tragedy and provide a Clue.
As soon as Daisy saw Harper at the open doorway, she held up a hand to stop him. "Sniff and tell me what you smell." Hoping she wasn't imagining the faint traces of solvent in the air of the silent room.
Duncan stopped for a second and then began to sniff. "Is that Solvents I smell Ensign? He asked as he could defiantly smell it now.
"You smell it too?!! Daisy exclaimed with a widening smile. "I shut off the vents to the room so it wouldn't be lost!" She was happy to have someone confirm her sense of smell. "I smell the same thing. It's really stronger over here by the desk." Pointing at the clean desk she was standing next to.
Duncan approached the desk and began to look around. "Did you find anything?" He asked her, "Apart from the smell was there anything else helpful?"
Daisy lost some of the smile she had, "The thought hadn't crossed my mind yet to look. Sir. I was excited that I sensed the smell and prevented it from being lost." She stepped away from the desk to allow Harper better access to the desk. "Did you bring a tricorder with you. I seamed to have forgotten mine." Feeling like an idiot. But then she wouldn't know how to work it properly as she specialized in communications and related equipment.
"Leave it to me Ensign." Duncan smiled at her, he could see that she looked a little disappointed. "You've done a great job in getting this far Daisy so well done."
Daisy nodded, "this is what I found out so far. The lady in room 403 said that there was a lot of thumping and wall scraping sounds around midnight. And complained about Room service after midnight when there was suppose to be none available to the patrons of the place till 0600 hours in the morning." Referring to her notes. Then the lady in room 404 hadn't heard anything due to the rain and her male companion snores. And there is a Shoe Serial Killer on the loose. Room 401, the man said he gave his report to the police and shut the door in my face." Sounding a bit insulted at the last. "So I raspberries the door and he said he saw and heard that. You may have better luck with him."
Duncan chuckled. "Have you ever considered a Career in my Department?" He asked her, half jokingly and half serious. "You were very thorough Ensign, I'm impressed." Duncan then looked around. "Though it does leave more questions......."
Daisy shook her head, "I scored way to low on weapons. And I abhor violence. People get hurt badly. You have to be mean to people even though they may deserve it or not. I get forgetful even with the basics of clothing." She got back to business with a warm smile. "I confirmed with the hotel staff on the Room Service. So the Murderer probably knew the rules and times it just right. No-one suspects a Room Service to be returning after midnight to the kitchens."
She looked around wondering where the third member of the group was. He was suppose to be around here.
Lieutenant Duncan Harper
Security Officer
Ensign Daisy Skie-Cloud
Communications Officer
