Aria decided to focus more on the man's head. She took a piece of his skin off and put it into a small plastic bag. She also managed to include a little bug, but it took her few solid seconds to catch it. It was very strange that he had such a bad head conditions, meanwhile the rest of his body looked really clean. She examined it once again to make sure, but didn't see anything else that was unusual about it. Of course except for the burned fingerprints.
It was a typical method used by criminals. Police was always checking the fingerprints when it came to kidnappings and other forms of crime. If there were no prints, it was much more difficult to find out who was responsible for the crime. But usually people who did that weren't walking to random Targets and shooting themselves. Matthews felt as if this case was getting more and more complicated the more they were looking into it. She was hoping that the rest of the team had more luck.
She moved away from the body, to do the last examination of the scene. Then it hit her. George was laying in the way, that he had to stand next to the store's wall. Aria walked there and started moving to access the way of how the guy could've fallen. It might've looked a bit ridiculous, but she didn't care. Sometimes it was easier to think if someone could act out the scene. She proved her theory. Her ex-coworker shot himself in the way that he wouldn't hurt anyone else. She remembered the video shown to them by the Chief. Lewiston didn't have to move, yet he did. Did it mean that he was completely conscious while he was pulling the trigger? Maybe he was regretting his previous actions so badly. But then, why did he do it?
"Can you please help me with sending those to the lab?" she spoke to Stephanie. "It would be perfect if the skin could be analysed as the first thing. The fact that he had lice is disturbing."
She walked out of the bloody puddle and walked with all of her bags to the helping officer. "We will add also the clothes, maybe there's something on them."
Aria threw out her gloves and used hand disinfectant. She didn't want to catch anything from the body. She knew, that the latex should protect her, but no one could be hundred percent sure.
"I think for now my job here is done, if you don't have anything else to show me", she said after cleaning her hands. "Agent Matthews here, I am done. What's your status?", she said through the radio. She didn't want to disturb Finan and Willow too much, but had to let them now of her progress. Now it was really important for them to compare what they found out. "Can we maybe go to officer Wilson? I would like to see how is she doing. And I also know, that Detective Ryder would rather work without me."
@Maggie @Finan Ryder @Willow Wilson
#2 Target Store
Two witnesses listened to Willow and exchanged nods. Her words provided a sense of comfort and relief. The offer for counselling seemed beneficial, but they declined it. All they wanted was to return home, seek some rest, and distance themselves as far as possible from the traumatic events at the shop. It had been an overwhelming evening.
To the next question, the young woman responded:
At this point, the woman paused and glanced at her brother, but they both could only shake their heads. They hadn't paid any particular attention to the car.
Meanwhile, Finan was in conversation with the Balfours. Mrs. Balfour still appeared quite shaken, and even Finan's words couldn't fully calm her. She carried a sense of guilt for letting someone take her only daughter. The thought of what might happen in the coming days if they couldn't find Regina was terrifying for her. Both of them nodded in understanding of Finan's commitment. He seemed genuinely dedicated to the case, and they promised to provide all necessary information once they got home.
Meanwhile, Aria was finishing up examining the body. Lice and other samples were being collected and placed in plastic bags. The lice appeared to be typical human lice, nothing out of the ordinary. As Stephanie heard Aria's instructions, she simply nodded. It was second nature to assist Agent Matthews with the investigation. She attentively absorbed all the details, paying particular attention to the lice, which did seem suspicious and out of the ordinary. Stephanie diligently noted everything and stored her small notepad in her back pocket. She often supported different detectives and agents, always ready for work like this.
@Aria Matthews @Finan Ryder @Willow Wilson
“ Thank you, officer. I genuinely hope that you'll find the little girl as soon as possible. ”
“ I'm so sorry, but I can't recall the exact hour... It all happened so quickly, the woman we saw, and then shortly after that, the shooting. It was a matter of minutes, almost felt like seconds. She was dressed in regular clothes, jeans, and a top. Nothing out of the ordinary. As for the car...”
“ We'd like to believe we'd notice if there was anything unusual... ”
“I'm not sure, detective. Regina would sometimes forget her bag. She's just a little girl... The abductor, I think he knew. Most of our church is aware of it. They occasionally send donations to help us with this... ”
“ Of course, Agent Matthews. We could join Officer Wilson, but I believe it might be more beneficial to review the CCTV footage from inside the store? ”
@Aria Matthews @Finan Ryder @Willow Wilson
Our church
The sharp reminder of who and what he was dealing with made something twist uncomfortably in his gut. Despite their pleasant tone and appearance, he as of yet had no idea of what went on behind the closed doors of their church and with their followers. Finan didn't believe in God, let alone a good God, he couldn't, with all the shit he'd seen. If it was possible, he tried to avoid anything too religious, not fully trusting those who blindly believed in some man in the sky who'd let people suffer on purpose.
So despite his personal dislikes of people such as the Balfours, Finan would do his job, and do it well, damnit. While they'd been talking, he had determined they'd need to set up a small team to be available and close to the Balfours. It would be necessary, both for their own safety, should they also be targeted, as well as to make sure they weren't alone if they were contacted by whoever had Regina. Perhaps he could go too, or instruct the team assigned to the Balfours to report anything that might be of interest to the case. He'd have to check with the chief if this would be possible to quickly set up.
"Alright, if you do think of any names that stand out to you, don't hesitate to reach out. Any agent here or from Cleveland PD will be able to get you my contact information if you have anything you wish to share more privately. I would like to set up a team which will stay close enough to you, that they will be able to help you, should you be targeted again or reached out to about Regina. I can't force anything onto you, but I heavily recommend it, for yours and Regina's safety. The precinct will be in contact to set this up, or you can reach out through the email given to you for the pictures and information."
Finan at this point honestly thought he deserved a reward. He'd gone a full conversation without calling anyone an insult or the urge to punch out someone's lights. His therapist would be so proud of him. Not that the Balfours were that awful, he just preferred grumpily swearing like a sailor. James liked to call it 'Finan's personal spice'. At this point, he couldn't think of anything specific to ask, so he decided to let the Balfours go and see what the rest were up to. He'd like to see the scene and the CCTV too before moving on to anything else.
"Alright, I don't have any more questions right now. If there is anything you are worried about, want to know or you remember something that could be important, don't hesitate to contact us. Is there anything you want to know before I let you go?"
He noticed he'd pulled up his shoulders a little bit, tensing them. It was a habit he was having some trouble kicking still. He was trying though, since tensing them too much over the course of a day would give him horrible headaches sometimes. So, as he waited for the Belfours to either dismiss him or ask any questions, he subtly rolled his shoulders and consciously relaxed them. He had a feeling he was going to be on his feet for a long time today....
@Maggie
The sharp reminder of who and what he was dealing with made something twist uncomfortably in his gut. Despite their pleasant tone and appearance, he as of yet had no idea of what went on behind the closed doors of their church and with their followers. Finan didn't believe in God, let alone a good God, he couldn't, with all the shit he'd seen. If it was possible, he tried to avoid anything too religious, not fully trusting those who blindly believed in some man in the sky who'd let people suffer on purpose.
So despite his personal dislikes of people such as the Balfours, Finan would do his job, and do it well, damnit. While they'd been talking, he had determined they'd need to set up a small team to be available and close to the Balfours. It would be necessary, both for their own safety, should they also be targeted, as well as to make sure they weren't alone if they were contacted by whoever had Regina. Perhaps he could go too, or instruct the team assigned to the Balfours to report anything that might be of interest to the case. He'd have to check with the chief if this would be possible to quickly set up.
"Alright, if you do think of any names that stand out to you, don't hesitate to reach out. Any agent here or from Cleveland PD will be able to get you my contact information if you have anything you wish to share more privately. I would like to set up a team which will stay close enough to you, that they will be able to help you, should you be targeted again or reached out to about Regina. I can't force anything onto you, but I heavily recommend it, for yours and Regina's safety. The precinct will be in contact to set this up, or you can reach out through the email given to you for the pictures and information."
Finan at this point honestly thought he deserved a reward. He'd gone a full conversation without calling anyone an insult or the urge to punch out someone's lights. His therapist would be so proud of him. Not that the Balfours were that awful, he just preferred grumpily swearing like a sailor. James liked to call it 'Finan's personal spice'. At this point, he couldn't think of anything specific to ask, so he decided to let the Balfours go and see what the rest were up to. He'd like to see the scene and the CCTV too before moving on to anything else.
"Alright, I don't have any more questions right now. If there is anything you are worried about, want to know or you remember something that could be important, don't hesitate to contact us. Is there anything you want to know before I let you go?"
He noticed he'd pulled up his shoulders a little bit, tensing them. It was a habit he was having some trouble kicking still. He was trying though, since tensing them too much over the course of a day would give him horrible headaches sometimes. So, as he waited for the Belfours to either dismiss him or ask any questions, he subtly rolled his shoulders and consciously relaxed them. He had a feeling he was going to be on his feet for a long time today....
@Maggie
The Balfours simply nodded, expressing their contentment with the idea of a team willing to work alongside them and assist in the investigation. This news was well-received, and they appeared relieved to know that others were willing to help. However, Finan couldn't shake a strange feeling that something might be amiss in the end. Perhaps it was something in Mr. Balfour's smile or his mannerisms? They were for sure a strange couple.
Then, they nodded, indicating that Finan was free to go and they were to start working on the files they promised to send. Balfours might also be planning a religious event, a mass, a gathering to pray for Regina's safe return. The church was prepared to offer support through prayers, and the Balfours were willing to spend the night in their church, praying for their daughter's safe return.
With their permission, Finan was free to proceed, possibly to review the surveillance recordings.
@Finan Ryder
Then, they nodded, indicating that Finan was free to go and they were to start working on the files they promised to send. Balfours might also be planning a religious event, a mass, a gathering to pray for Regina's safe return. The church was prepared to offer support through prayers, and the Balfours were willing to spend the night in their church, praying for their daughter's safe return.
With their permission, Finan was free to proceed, possibly to review the surveillance recordings.
@Finan Ryder
Aria was surprised that no one looked at the security videos yet. Usually, she rewatched them a few times after she was done with the crime scene - after all, they weren't changing over time, unlike evidence collected on the body or witnesses' statements. She wanted to go to Willson, to check if she was doing well, but she needed to be professional. She had to believe in her team, even if one of them was a rookie.
"Of course, let's go see the recordings", she said to Stephanie. Matthews hoped that the police officer wouldn't take it as an unprofessionalism. It was her mistake that she didn't ask about them. It was difficult to focus on such a difficult case when you are working with a person who hates you and a young girl who never worked on something this important before.
While they were walking to the CCTV room, Aria was wondering when she would get a response to her radio call. Her teammates were talking with people, they couldn't immediately talk through the radio but should do it as fast as possible. Matthews hoped that the police station had taught them how to work with this device. If they don't use it, why do they even have it with them?
"Stephanie, you are working here for much longer than I am. Could you tell me something about the situation in Cleveland? How do people like the police, how is the crime scene? Also, do you know anything about Detective Ryder and Officer Wilson? I would like to know someone else's opinion about them. Chief was talking about them rather well."
She didn't want it to sound like she wanted to know the gossip, because that was not her reason for asking it. She genuinely wanted to know how is it to work with them. Do people generally like them or not? How do they act in different situations? Something that she could use while working in them to keep the relations as good as possible.
@Maggie
"Of course, let's go see the recordings", she said to Stephanie. Matthews hoped that the police officer wouldn't take it as an unprofessionalism. It was her mistake that she didn't ask about them. It was difficult to focus on such a difficult case when you are working with a person who hates you and a young girl who never worked on something this important before.
While they were walking to the CCTV room, Aria was wondering when she would get a response to her radio call. Her teammates were talking with people, they couldn't immediately talk through the radio but should do it as fast as possible. Matthews hoped that the police station had taught them how to work with this device. If they don't use it, why do they even have it with them?
"Stephanie, you are working here for much longer than I am. Could you tell me something about the situation in Cleveland? How do people like the police, how is the crime scene? Also, do you know anything about Detective Ryder and Officer Wilson? I would like to know someone else's opinion about them. Chief was talking about them rather well."
She didn't want it to sound like she wanted to know the gossip, because that was not her reason for asking it. She genuinely wanted to know how is it to work with them. Do people generally like them or not? How do they act in different situations? Something that she could use while working in them to keep the relations as good as possible.
@Maggie
Stephanie nodded in response to Aria and led her deeper into the store, carefully avoiding the blood and water that covered the floor. They soon arrived at the CCTV room, located near the manager's office. The door bore the name "Travis Culver," suggesting that he was the manager. However, the CCTV room and the office were both locked.
Stephanie then retrieved her walkie-talkie and contacted the other officers present at the crime scene.
As Aria posed some questions, Stephanie turned toward her and listened attentively. She nodded a few times, attempting to formulate a response that wouldn't put her in an awkward position while also providing useful information for Agent Matthews.
Stephanie's response was diplomatically phrased, suggesting that she might be unsure about what to say in this situation.
Now @Aria Matthews will wait for @Finan Ryder to join her.
“ One moment, Agent Matthews. It appears the manager might be elsewhere, undergoing questioning, ”
“ This is Officer Carter. I need to locate the manager of the Target Store to show the recordings to Agent Matthews. Does anyone know his current whereabouts? Over. ”
“ Cleveland might not have the most favourable view of the police... Officer Wilson and Detective Ryder, on the other hand, are highly respected members of the police force. I believe your collaboration with them will be productive. This case is very serious, and everyone is committed to resolving it. ”
Now @Aria Matthews will wait for @Finan Ryder to join her.
Nothing more could be asked, they answered everything she wanted to know, and the twins wouldn’t remember anything on the spot, maybe a bit later after the shock wore off and they could calmly think back to the events that happened.
“Okay, thank you both a lot for being here! In case anything pops into your mind, you can always call me” she gently said while she gave one of them her business card, along with the number for the counsellor “And if you change your mind, don’t hesitate to contact our counsellor, that’s what we have them for” she added with a wink. “get well home”
She then called in the officer that has been helping her with the witnesses “Hey! Do you have any more witnesses lined up for me perhaps? I wouldn’t mind getting right to it."
As she was writing down the last note from the previous questioning, she heard her radio go over. Matthews asked them how they were doing. She immediately felt like she should’ve done more already, did that conversation really take so long? Getting everything ready for the next person she was thinking what to say. She absolutely didn’t want to seem like a burden on the rest of her team. She was already happy her radio didn’t go off when the twins were still here.
“Officer Willson speaking, just rounded up questioning the 1st pair of witnesses. They saw a woman with Regina get in a getaway car. I’ll share details later and have uploaded it into the system. No timeframe visible yet. The woman got into the car very shortly before the shooting incident happened. I’ll continue with the next witnesses. Over”
She hoped they could gather something from that. It was maybe a bit too much for a radio message, but she rambles when she gets nervous. It just always happens, especially when 2 high-level operatives work with her and give her all the reasons to be nervous. Sometimes she hated that this was her reaction, but even with a therapist, she couldn’t really change this. So, she just had to deal with it.
@Aria Matthews @Maggie
“Okay, thank you both a lot for being here! In case anything pops into your mind, you can always call me” she gently said while she gave one of them her business card, along with the number for the counsellor “And if you change your mind, don’t hesitate to contact our counsellor, that’s what we have them for” she added with a wink. “get well home”
She then called in the officer that has been helping her with the witnesses “Hey! Do you have any more witnesses lined up for me perhaps? I wouldn’t mind getting right to it."
As she was writing down the last note from the previous questioning, she heard her radio go over. Matthews asked them how they were doing. She immediately felt like she should’ve done more already, did that conversation really take so long? Getting everything ready for the next person she was thinking what to say. She absolutely didn’t want to seem like a burden on the rest of her team. She was already happy her radio didn’t go off when the twins were still here.
“Officer Willson speaking, just rounded up questioning the 1st pair of witnesses. They saw a woman with Regina get in a getaway car. I’ll share details later and have uploaded it into the system. No timeframe visible yet. The woman got into the car very shortly before the shooting incident happened. I’ll continue with the next witnesses. Over”
She hoped they could gather something from that. It was maybe a bit too much for a radio message, but she rambles when she gets nervous. It just always happens, especially when 2 high-level operatives work with her and give her all the reasons to be nervous. Sometimes she hated that this was her reaction, but even with a therapist, she couldn’t really change this. So, she just had to deal with it.
@Aria Matthews @Maggie
The siblings acknowledged Officer Wilson's final words, and they seemed prepared to depart.
Their investigation seemed to have reached a point where further inquiries on the crime scene weren't yielding significant results, but the recorded evidence might shed more light on the situation.
@Willow Wilson
Now @Finan Ryder should go
“ Unfortunately, Officer Wilson, those two were the only individuals we managed to keep for questions. Other people had little to add. We were able to obtain a few statements, but those two were the last ones. I suspect many people left in shock... I've reviewed the statements, and they don't appear to offer any new information beyond what we already know. However, I do believe there are still recordings to review from the CCTV... ”
@Willow Wilson
Now @Finan Ryder should go
With their dismissal, Finan thanked them again shortly for their cooperation. He had a rather strange feeling about the couple. The strange feeling he had about John especially, stuck with him as he turned and grabbed the walkie-talkie he had hanging turned-off on his belt. He took a few steps away from the Balfours to get out of their hearing range and then with a quick press of his thumb, he turned the walkie talkie back on. He was aware he'd taken some time to question the Balfours, but he'd deemed it necessary due to the rather strange circumstances surrounding the couple. Grumpily, he decided to let the others know of his progress and inform them he would be on his way to check the CCTV footage. Considering Wilson was interviewing witnesses, Finan deduced he'd most likely have to work with Matthews alone if she'd finished the initial investigation of the crime scene. "Great.." he mumbled shortly before raising the walkie talkie, checking if he was on the correct frequency and pressing the Push-to-Talk button.
"This is Detective Ryder. I've finished the initial questioning of the Balfours. Attention to all squads on the look for Regina, she is suffering from chronic pulmonary obstruction. More details will be sent later, but be aware she will likely need medical attention. Over."
He would have to wait for more information to come out regarding what the condition entailed exactly and what medicine she needed, before he could inform the squads of his precinct more.
Finan then switched the frequency to the private frequency with the team that was assigned this case.
"This is Detective Ryder. Matthews and Wilson, what is your location and progress? I want to view the CCTV footage as quickly as possible, and two eyes are better than one. I also have some information to discuss about the kidnapping. Over." As much as Finan disliked Matthews, he knew that when watching security footage, having two people review it, was never a bad thing. Especially since their specialties were quite different, it was smart for both of them to see what stood out to them. Finan was smart enough to know you shouldn't share case sensitive information over a walkie talkie and had decided to share the information regarding the kidnapper's knowledge over Regina's condition in person.
Having contacted both the squads and the team, Finan then had to call the Chief to ask regarding putting a squad on the Balfours. However, he decided to wait for Matthews and Wilson to respond first. If one of them had already watched the footage, or was about to, he'd need to know. As he waited for a response, he started grumpily walking (it was not stalking, he didn't brood) towards where he'd left the rest earlier.
@Maggie @Aria Matthews @Willow Wilson
"This is Detective Ryder. I've finished the initial questioning of the Balfours. Attention to all squads on the look for Regina, she is suffering from chronic pulmonary obstruction. More details will be sent later, but be aware she will likely need medical attention. Over."
He would have to wait for more information to come out regarding what the condition entailed exactly and what medicine she needed, before he could inform the squads of his precinct more.
Finan then switched the frequency to the private frequency with the team that was assigned this case.
"This is Detective Ryder. Matthews and Wilson, what is your location and progress? I want to view the CCTV footage as quickly as possible, and two eyes are better than one. I also have some information to discuss about the kidnapping. Over." As much as Finan disliked Matthews, he knew that when watching security footage, having two people review it, was never a bad thing. Especially since their specialties were quite different, it was smart for both of them to see what stood out to them. Finan was smart enough to know you shouldn't share case sensitive information over a walkie talkie and had decided to share the information regarding the kidnapper's knowledge over Regina's condition in person.
Having contacted both the squads and the team, Finan then had to call the Chief to ask regarding putting a squad on the Balfours. However, he decided to wait for Matthews and Wilson to respond first. If one of them had already watched the footage, or was about to, he'd need to know. As he waited for a response, he started grumpily walking (it was not stalking, he didn't brood) towards where he'd left the rest earlier.
@Maggie @Aria Matthews @Willow Wilson
As Finan made his way back to where the squad has started, he encountered Stephanie, who was accompanied by a tall man, presumably the manager of the Target Store. The name tag identified him as "Travis." Before Stephanie had the chance to say anything, Travis addressed the detective.
Travis had the key to the room in his hand and led the way to the corridor, where his office and the CCTV room were located. Officer Wilson and Agent Matthews were already present, awaiting the opportunity to review the recordings. Finan observed that none of them had yet seen the footage. They were all gathered, ready to examine this crucial piece of evidence.
Travis unlocked the CCTV room, revealing the video ready for playback. The atmosphere was tense, as they anticipated witnessing disturbing footage. However, they were all seasoned professionals, prepared to confront such situations.
As Travis pressed play, the video unfolded:
The videotape depicted a large, older Caucasian man, George Lewiston, wearing a baseball hat and sunglasses. He walked purposefully toward a shopping cart containing a little girl, Regina Balfour's. He used a hidden stun gun to incapacitate the mother, Sara Balfour. He grabbed the girl from the cart and swiftly headed for the exit.
He momentarily left the camera's field of view but returned to retrieve a ladybug-shaped backpack that had been next to Regina in the shopping cart. A brief tug-of-war ensued as Sara clung to the backpack. The abductor kicked her in the face, but let go of the backpack as a bystander intervened. He then left the camera's range, with Regina in his arms.
Another security camera at the store's exit revealed more. The abductor, with Regina visibly struggling and screaming, knocked over a uniformed greeter and left the camera's view. A few seconds later, he returned to the store without Regina, pulled out a handgun, and fired shots into the air.
The abductor appeared on several video feeds afterward, causing chaos in the store. He waved his firearm at customers, toppled displays, and generally induced panic. Shoppers ran toward the exit. Within minutes, a SWAT team arrived, and heavily armed officers in body armour entered the camera's range.
As the abductor noticed their presence, he shot himself in the head.
All investigators must make a sanity roll in their next post (this is also just a 1D100 roll)and that is checked against your sanity score (if you roll less than your sanity, you succeed).
@Aria Matthews @Willow Wilson @Finan Ryder
“ You must be Detective Ryder, sir. Please, come with me; I have the recordings secured. ”
Travis unlocked the CCTV room, revealing the video ready for playback. The atmosphere was tense, as they anticipated witnessing disturbing footage. However, they were all seasoned professionals, prepared to confront such situations.
“ There are multiple cameras inside the store, but none outside the shop... I've collected the entire tape with the help of the police technicians... ”
The videotape depicted a large, older Caucasian man, George Lewiston, wearing a baseball hat and sunglasses. He walked purposefully toward a shopping cart containing a little girl, Regina Balfour's. He used a hidden stun gun to incapacitate the mother, Sara Balfour. He grabbed the girl from the cart and swiftly headed for the exit.
He momentarily left the camera's field of view but returned to retrieve a ladybug-shaped backpack that had been next to Regina in the shopping cart. A brief tug-of-war ensued as Sara clung to the backpack. The abductor kicked her in the face, but let go of the backpack as a bystander intervened. He then left the camera's range, with Regina in his arms.
Another security camera at the store's exit revealed more. The abductor, with Regina visibly struggling and screaming, knocked over a uniformed greeter and left the camera's view. A few seconds later, he returned to the store without Regina, pulled out a handgun, and fired shots into the air.
The abductor appeared on several video feeds afterward, causing chaos in the store. He waved his firearm at customers, toppled displays, and generally induced panic. Shoppers ran toward the exit. Within minutes, a SWAT team arrived, and heavily armed officers in body armour entered the camera's range.
As the abductor noticed their presence, he shot himself in the head.
All investigators must make a sanity roll in their next post (this is also just a 1D100 roll)and that is checked against your sanity score (if you roll less than your sanity, you succeed).
@Aria Matthews @Willow Wilson @Finan Ryder