All Bets Are Off

Clarence | 44 | Lead Detective Character blog for Prohibition RPG

[clarence-hoover]

Spring Fever // Reva & Clarence

[revamalone-blog]

“You most certainly can!” The voice that answered the detective’s no doubt rhetorical question was female and pleasantly so, tinged as it was with a sweet-sounding laugh. Turning, the detective would see a startlingly pretty young woman, leaning against a display case. She had entered the store just as the would-be thieves were making their get-away and found herself pushed to one side in their youthful haste.

“Luckily you were here to cool off their fever, though …” Reva smiled up at the man, straightening herself, hands setting dress to rights as it had become ever-so-slightly disheveled in the mayhem. “Hard telling what else might have been gotten!”

[clarence-hoover]

His question was meant to be rhetorical, not realizing that someone was standing directly behind him, but he turned with a smile to greet the young lady who so cheerily agreed with him. He nodded as he watched the boys begrudgingly begin to clean up the mess they had made. "Boys will be boys, you know. It's not the first time some have tried to pocket some candy and it won't be the last."

Clarence offered his hand to the woman to help her step over the sticky mess that was creeping across the floor. "Allow me, miss."

[clarence-hoover]

Spring Fever // Open

"Stop them!"

He heard the clerk shout just as he was walking into the store, putting his arms out to corral a couple of young lads who were trying to scurry out with armloads of sweets and snacks that hadn't been paid for. "Whoa there!" he said, stopping them in their tracks. He knew them all, knew their families, and it was unlike any of them to pull such a stunt. The oldest boy wasn't more than ten and the others looked to him as the leader to get them out of the jam they'd found themselves in.

"Come on. Let's go in and see what the damage is." He ushered them back to the counter and had them pile their loot up, making sure each one turned out his pockets as well. The clerk was understanding, not so much concerned with punishing the youngsters since the merchandise had been returned without incident, but in their attempt to escape, they had knocked over a large crate of juice whose boxes had exploded all over the floor. "You boys get this mess cleaned up, and you'll be free to go." He didn't mention that he would still be informing their parents of their attempted heist, but their guilty nods were enough to send them off to fetch a couple of mops.

Clarence just shook his head. "Can you tell that spring fever is in the air?"

[clarence-hoover]

Meeting of the Minds // Clarence & Angus

He looked up from his desk covered in paperwork when he heard the knock at his office door. Lillian poked her head in to let him know that Angus was there to see him and the detective nodded, giving her a smile. "Thank you, Miss Connolly. Show him in." It was becoming somewhat awkward to have to be so formal with her at work when they were so informal at home, but it was the least they could do to keep up the appearance of professionalism.

He stood and offered his hand to the psychiatrist as he stepped into the room. "Good to see you again, Angus. Come in and make yourself comfortable."

[l-talbot]

Crime & Punishment. || Clarence & Leon

[l-talbot]

"A bit of both," Leon divulged, flipping through his notebook, "I’ll try to make this as painless as possible."

Stopping on a page full of half-illegible thoughts scribbled every which way, the reporter took a breath to signal his beginning.

"So, Clarence, taking a retrospective glance back at all the incidents of the past year, how adequate do you feel the police force is in handling the various, yet massive waves of crime that pass through Montford’s streets? Being in such a prominent position here, do you feel your force’s record is a good one when it comes to response time to cases, proper handling of those cases, as well as the solving of them if that ever comes to pass?"

[clarence-hoover]

He knew these were the sorts of questions that were sure to arise at some point after all that had transpired. Both the Chief and the Captain had given official statements on the PD's performance and the outcome of the Slasher case, but one press conference wasn't going to appease the journalists and Clarence had prepared himself for just such a moment as this. "I'm sure everyone, including the citizens of Montford, can agree that the rise in crime this past year has been extraordinary, to say the least, and not at all what is common for a town as close-knit as ours. Dealing with such extenuating circumstances has taken its toll on everyone, and our boys in blue have done everything within their power to handle these cases with the utmost care and concern. There are still a few cases that remain open, but they are not being swept under the rug by any means."

Clarence paused for a moment, knowing that was he was about to say next was treading on thin ice, but it was about time that someone within the department acknowledged what they were dealing with. It was time for them to take their town back. "With the exception of the notorious Slasher, evidence and witness statements have led us to believe that most of the crime spree within Montford are the result of gang activity within our city. We cannot divulge much information, but our sources tell us that two key players within their ranks have been taken out of the game, and we here at the PD are hoping that this will mean a significant decrease in activity. We are working hard to uncover the identity of anyone affiliated with these gangs and break the power they assume to assert over our town." He could already feel his heart pounding just a little harder, knowing all too well that his statement would not go unpunished in some way.

[angusfletcher-psyc]

Just Another Night // Angus and Clarence // Closed

[angusfletcher-psyc]

Angus took a bite of his pizza using the bite as a moment to think over the offer. “I would be glad to be of help where I could.” Angus took another bite before continuing. It was always messy talking about money, but there was no use dancing around it. “I would have to charge the Montford Police department a nominal fee for my consulting services, by the hour of course, but I try to make my rates accessible for anyone, so I trust you’ll find them reasonable.” Angus took the fountain pen he always kept in his pocket and scribbled down a number, sliding it towards Clarence. “I’d like to do it pro-bono, but I’m afraid that I can’t quite afford to.”

He’d like to have been in the position to help the police department and Clarence free of charge, but given the recent slowness in his practice, he knew that it wouldn’t be practical to take time and money away from paying clients. Angus put the pen away in his pocket and waited for an answer.

[clarence-hoover]

He smiled and nodded when Angus mentioned having to charge the department for his services. Some might have dismissed him at that point, but Clarence was sure that it wouldn't be a problem, having gained a little bit of authority when it came to the department expenditures with his title. "If it helps us put the right man behind bars and protect the citizens of Montford, it will be money well spent."

[clarence-hoover]

See the Glass Half Full // Clarence/Cassie

[root-of-all-evil]

She sighed and shook her head with a soft sigh. “Now I wonder if I shall ever live that down, detective,” she said, laughing a bit as she shrugged. Cassie started to lead them to the Nine Owls since a warm cup of coffee did sound good to her thanks to this cold weather. 

Hearing his question though was almost enough to make her tense up, though. But she forced herself to remain relaxed and innocent around the man. “Who, me? Of course I am. I’m a good girl, you know. I stick with my readin’ and I listen to some of that fine jazz music that’s so popular now,” she assured him, grinning up to him and appearing at ease even though her mind was far from it. Now that the ring had been found, what else was there for the detective to focus on now but the house fire.

[clarence-hoover]

He didn't want their otherwise pleasant encounter to awkward or offend the young woman if she was, indeed, innocent, but duty came first and it was past time that she be questioned about her involvement with the case of arson. However, if he could keep the conversation civil and light, he might get some straight answers from her. "I don't doubt that you are. But, not to put to fine a point on it, do you have any idea why Miss Miller still believes that you had a hand in the fire that claimed her house?" He shook his head slightly as their pace slowed slightly with the weightier topic. "I've known her for some time, and she's not the type to go around making wild accusations."

[clarence-hoover]

Coming Home // Clarlian

For as anxious as he had been on the train leaving Montford for California, he was just as anxious on the ride home, and for nearly the same reason. Would the woman he had left behind still be there, waiting for him to return?

It had been a week to the day since he'd last seen her, but it felt like both the blink of an eye and an eternity all at once. He could feel every little bump in the road on the cab ride from the station to his house, wondering if he would find all trace of her gone, or if he was simply paranoid.

He breathed a small sigh of relief when the taxi drew to a halt and he saw the lights on in the upper floor windows. Quickly paying his fare and grabbing his small trunk from the seat beside him, he hurried his way up the front walk to the porch and through his front door. It was dark in the foyer and living room, but he didn't need light to weave his way between the furniture on his way to the staircase. He forced himself to take the steps one at a time in an attempt to slow his own heart and quell the nerves that were sitting like a lead weight in his stomach.

Finally he was standing outside the door to her room, and whereas normally he would knock to announce his presence, he couldn't bring his knuckles to rap on the wood. Instead, his voice came forth in a hesitant tone. "Lillian? Are you in there?"

[clarence-hoover]

See the Glass Half Full // Clarence/Cassie

[root-of-all-evil]

"I’m sure that’s exactly what would have happened," she agreed with a laugh, grinning as she thought of what he had said about laws of fortune. Tucking the ring securely into her overcoat pocket, she accepted Clarence’s help and finally stood back up. Brushing some hair from her eyes, she shook her head slowly. 

"Are you sure, sir? Honestly, it’s the least I can do," she said, still offering to repay the man for his help. Cassie was grateful for his luck at finding the ring, but she was also hoping that being so gracious towards him might put her in a better light in Clarence’s mind. "Well, I would appreciate an escort. I might be able to persuade you to at least a cup of joe along the way."

[clarence-hoover]

He looped her arm through his but let her guide him in whatever direction she was heading. "Perhaps you will." Now that the crisis of finding the lost ring was over, he let his mind wander back to where he had seen her name and face before. It had been some time since Miss Miller's home had burned down, but the case was still open and the young lady on his arm was one of the persons in question.

"So, Miss Huntley, aside from losing precious heirlooms in the snow, have you been keeping out of trouble?"

[angusfletcher-psyc]

Just Another Night // Angus and Clarence

[angusfletcher-psyc]

Angus gave a small laugh thinking about Clarence and Dickey’s good cop Bad cop routine. If only he could apply something like that in his profession, although he supposed that he had resorted to playing bad cop on occasion in order to press a patient into being honest with themselves. 

Angus looked at the menu. “I think a few slices of pepperoni pizza with be more than sufficient for me.” he told the waitress who had come to their table. He had hoped to run into Shirley, but perhaps it was her night off.

Angus turned his attention to Clarence when he mentioned his struggles with the slasher case. “I’m of course willing to help the police with anything that I can, but I must warn you that any of my observations would purely be speculation about what kind of person the slasher might be.”

Angus took a deep breath. “The human psyche runs very deep and often people like the Montford Slasher might be very good at hiding the darker aspects of their personality because they’ve learned to hide it, usually based on an incident in childhood where an adult in their life reacted strongly to something disturbing they had done. Perhaps the slasher might also have had a traumatic childhood. His mother, or another female in his life could have systematically abused him, making him feel powerless and as he progressed into adulthood he could have longed for a similar kind of control over other women. Alternately he could have learned his abusive pattern towards women from a male in his life who abused other women. There’s a collector complex to his crime in that he kidnapped and kept several women. Perhaps in public life he might be a person who is obsessive compulsive and likes things a certain way and perhaps is upset when things aren’t.”

Angus knew that any of the theories he was spouting off could apply or none of them, but then he only really knew facts about the case that he had read in the papers.

"I could perhaps give you a better analysis if I had more specific information. Tell me were there any similarities between the victims?" 

[clarence-hoover]

He nodded in agreement with Angus' warning about his findings being solely speculation. "Certainly. We would value you and your professional opinions and insights, but it wouldn't be as if we'd put you on the stand to present it as evidence." The detective didn't mention the fact that he had gone to a fortune teller who had had visions of the attacks and recorded them all into a journal for them to use to track down the madman. The book was on file, but conveniently lost in the evidence locker at the station.

Clarence shook his head as he listened to the doctor's views on what could have been the possible motives behind the attacks. "Of course, he was good at hiding his darker side. The son of a bitch lived and worked among us for months without leaving a trace of what he was doing. It all seems obvious in hindsight, but I wish we wouldn't have to look back to see it all so clearly." In all honesty, he didn't care why the man had kidnapped and tortured all those poor women. Now that Sully was dead, the only ones who would ever have a clue were his victims and they'd just as soon forget as the rest of them.

Their dinner arrived just as Angus asked about the similarities between the cases. They started on their respective meals as he contemplated the repercussions of discussing confidential information with the man. "Now that the case is closed, I don't see why I can't share the details with you, with your professional discretion, of course. Although, not in a public restaurant." He looked up to meet the psychiatrist's gaze. "Perhaps we could have a meeting of the minds? You could stop by the office and review what we found. And we might call on your services in the future?"

[l-talbot]

Crime & Punishment. || Clarence & Leon

[l-talbot]

Even despite Leon’s preference for tea, his expression warmed into that of gratitude, only partially masking the reluctance that forced his hand to accept the cup with some hesitancy. He loitered in the small café area for a moment to concoct a potion of cream-laden sweetness, a good half-inch of the cup’s initial pouring discarded to make room for the mess. In that delay the space between him and the detective grew, but it was regained by a bit of scrambling on the reporter’s part. If he looked ill-adjusted to his environment, he was and he felt it to his increasingly bitter core. It had been more difficult to settle back into the town than the brazen youth had expected.

"Thanks kindly," the Englishman said stepping ahead of Clarence, a touch of unintentional automation degrading the earnestness of those words, "Likewise, Leon’ll do in the absence of formalities." Getting comfortable was less of a show of getting himself situated and more one of curiosity about the objects of his surroundings. The reporter’s attention was directed to the decor of the man’s office - pictures, certificates of knowledge and accomplishments, personal items - and he lingered upon one he found more fascinating than the others before pulling away and claiming the empty chair. With his scarf and satchel removed, they were given quick order and he was ready. Green eyes centered on his subject; notebook on lap, pen in hand, coffee at his side.

"You’ll certainly pass along and also accept my apologies," the brunet started, "I didn’t mean to be vague in my request. If I were to be honest, I have a bit of a bad habit of multi-tasking when I should be focusing on one thing; absentmindedness is the result when faced with another, more engrossing activity… but enough of that. I frankly just would like to interview you for a story I’m working on at The Gazette about the brutality of the crime Montfordians have been forced to endure this past year. I tried for top-level but they were all schedule conflicts and hum-drum hogwash about going on the record so I took the next best man I could get." Leon smiled, his implication crystal.

"However, if it’s a bother I can reschedule. I’d hate to buttonhole you." The latter might’ve been a fib.

[clarence-hoover]

He raised his hands to show that no offense was taken and there was no need to apologize. "It's quite alright. I know the feeling myself. If it wasn't for having a secretary as skilled as she is, it'd be a wonder that this place would run at all." His stare hardened slightly when the reporter confessed to wanting to interview someone higher up on the chain of command, but it was something he was getting used to by this point. The Captain and Chief only spoke to the press in the most pressing and dire of circumstances, and now that Clarence was filling his former partner's role as Lead Detective, he was beginning to realize just how much was passed down to him to handle in their stead.

Clarence returned the polite smile, putting on a good face for the department. "Of course not. It's no bother at all. Was there anything specific that's on your mind or did you want just a general statement on the state of Montford's citizens?"

[clarence-hoover]

See the Glass Half Full // Clarence & Woody

[darbing-woody]

“‘Bout due’s spot on, pal. Go ahead an’ plan it an’ I’ll be sure to be there.” Woody told Clarence, smiling to the man charmingly like always before sipping from his coffee. Sighing softly and placing the mug down, he looked to the plate of sweets the person brought. Wiggling his fingers and picking up a chocolate chip cookie, he was in mid bite when the man started talking about Hilary. Chewing and placing the cookie onto the small plate that came with his mug, he raised a brow at his friend and placed his chin in the palm of his own hand. “Ya really think I’m gonna just up an’ leave Hil? C’mon, Clarence! Ya know me better than that.”

Looking to the coffee and shaking his head, he looked back to the man with an eye that was squinted…as if he was feeling a bit of pain. “You know of all people that I’d never do that to a dame. Not one. I mean, remember that floozy I told ya about? The one that up an’ left me for some two-bit asshole? I ain’t ‘bout to do that to the one woman I’ve been this keen on since her. She even knows about my ex an’ how messed up she had me.” Woody told him, shaking his head and taking a sip of his coffee. “I’m protective as hell over Hilary. I know if someone started hurtin’ her, you bet your sweet ass I’ll be right there waitin’ t’ beat whoever the fuck did it into the ground, pal.” Woody was passionate about a few things in life: luxuries, money, and Hilary. He enjoyed sleeping around with floozies and the like but he knew deep down inside of himself that he’d quit his job if Hilary’s life was on the line.

[clarence-hoover]

He nodded solemnly, with only a hint of a smile on his face, remembering after he'd opened his mouth just how similar their pasts were and that Woody would be one of the last men on earth to hurt any woman. "I know, Woody. It seems we're both just as protective of the good women in our lives, whether they're friends or more than that." He grinned back at the banker, swirling the coffee around in his cup. "At least we can agree that we both appreciate what a sweet little lady she is. Although I'm sure you express your appreciation a little differently than I do."

Since Woody was being so open about who he was with, it gave the atmosphere of comfort that Clarence could also speak openly without being judged. The fact that he and Lillian were together was hardly a secret in Montford, but there were still plenty who liked to gossip who highly frowned upon the relationship even before she moved in with him. "Well, it would seem we've both fallen for the women who keep our professional lives organized. I hate to be the cliche older man who falls for his secretary, but damn it if she left me little choice in the matter." His tone was entirely playful, knowing she'd been more than understanding and allowing him to move at the glacial pace he had adapted in relationships. It really was a wonder how she put up with him.

[ruminating-rumsfield-blog]

Caffeinate Me || Gordon & Clarence

[ruminating-rumsfield-blog]

Gordon nodded his thanks to his partner as he paid for their coffee, and finished off his own, ignoring the burn as he drank it too fast. These days it seemed caffeine had replaced his blood, so it wasn’t exactly something he was unfamiliar with.

"You’re right," He sighed tiredly, "Of course you’re right. It’s just nuts. Y’know, we didn’t go and fight for them, just to have them come in and stampede us with this regulatory bullshit." He huffed, his breath misting out in front of him as they exited the shop. "But I don’t know if playing keen is gonna get them to keep us in the loop. These guys are…they don’t have anything in common with us aside their version of the letter of the law. There’s no reason for them to give us any sort of heads up. Actually, it’s easier for them if they don’t. They steamroll their rules, and leave us to clean up the mess." He sighed, already wondering if Lillian had put on a pot of coffee back at the station.

[clarence-hoover]

He nodded in agreement, knowing there was a slim chance that they would know what was about to happen any more than the citizens of Montford, but they still had to try. "You're absolutely right. We didn't go to hell and back for them to send us right back again. But I do know that pissing in their morning coffee isn't going to do us any favors, either." He felt in his gut that Montford would survive the shitstorm that was about to blow their way, as they did everything else. He hoped against hope that this wouldn't be the straw that broke the camel's back.

He quickly made their way toward the station, eager to be out of the cold wind and get a fresh cup of Lillian's coffee in their hands. Before they arrived, Clarence took the opportunity to express something he should have said several months ago. "Listen, Gordon, I know things got turned upside down with all of the changes in the department, on top of dealing with the Slasher case. We've worked together for years, but becoming partners was thrown at us in the midst of everything and..." his voice trailed off, but he quickly composed his thoughts into a simple sentiment. "... it's been a privilege and pleasure working with you. And while I'm not looking forward to the mess the feds are about to make in our back yard, I am glad to have you at my side."

[l-talbot]

Crime & Punishment. || Clarence & Leon

The weather was particularly inhospitable.

In walking, the lithe frame of Leon Talbot tottered in the cold, pushed around by the westward whims of a whistling wind. Its preoccupation pranced about the heavy wool hem of his coat and the belled tassels of his mother-made scarf that fell free from his thrice-looped neck. The latter’s movement annotated his steps with an absent-minded tune that was quickly swept away itself; a gift to the distance and an unequal match to the howl produced by nearby trees’ branchy fingers attempting to grasp that formless frigid which rushed through them. Though he tried to pay the chill no mind, his shoulders were erratically marked with a shiver as his arms held his chest tighter in an effort to retain precious body warmth rapidly escaping. A quick glance up offered naught but the dreary grey of a cloud-contaminated low ceiling. Looks like home, he thought somewhat reluctantly.

Satchel at his side, the reporter’s path led him a direction that was still familiar despite his recent leave of absence from the troublesome town of Montford. It was a place he had been before, and though there was a within him a manner of resentment regarding his return - mostly spurred by the painful memories of a painful loss - Leon was trapped by the stubbornness of his determination, the gravitas of his confounded conviction, the self-ascribed nobility of his trade, and the somewhat vitriolic bite that made the heels of his brogues sharply clap against the pavement with a tinge more purpose than usual. He was headed to the police department; right on time as his eyes caught sight of the hands on his chronograph, displayed upon his outstretched wrist in taking the handle of the building’s main door.

"I’ve an appointment with Detective Hoover," the Briton said in brief (though not necessarily unkind) to the front receptionist while he plucked a tissue from a nearby dispenser, momentarily more concerned with his nose turned ruddy from the harsh conditions outside. "Leon Talbot, Montford Gazette."

[clarence-hoover]

Clarence emerged from his office carrying a folder full of files and heard his name just as he was rounding the corner to the lobby. He gave a welcoming smile to the reporter that had taken a sudden leave of absence following the deaths of the O'Connors. "Perfect timing, Mr. Talbot. I'm Detective Hoover, but you may call me Clarence." He handed the manila folder to the blonde secretary behind the desk, asking her to "work her magic" with them before directing his attention back to the man whose face still displayed just how cold and harsh the outside wind was. Crossing the lobby and gesturing for him to follow, he led the reporter to a small counter where a fresh pot of coffee had been brewed and the aroma filled the small area around it. "Care for something to warm you up? It's not as fancy as the Nine Owls, but it's hot and it will put the spring back in your step." He offered a cup to Leon and then turned to lead him back down the hallway to his office.

The detective let the reporter pass through the door first, offering the chair that sat across from his own at the desk that had neat stacks of files along its edge. "I'll give you a moment to make yourself comfortable, Mr. Talbot. I was a little surprised when Miss Connolly informed me that you wanted to speak with me, if only because she said that you were rather vague as to the topic. So, I must say that I'm a little intrigued by your presence here but I will do my best to answer any questions you may have." He set his cup down at his desk and sat in the chair, giving the reporter his full attention and waited in anticipation for him to begin.

[ruminating-rumsfield-blog]

Caffeinate Me || Gordon & Clarence

[ruminating-rumsfield-blog]

Gordon snorted, his distaste for the idea of the Prohibition obvious to those who knew him. Of course, his personal opinion never interfered with his work and he upheld the law to the best of his ability; but there wasn’t an officer in the department that hadn’t turned a blind eye at one point or another. So long as no one was getting hurt, or dying, the Montford police had been fairly lax in regards to the Prohibition laws. 

"Regardless of what they’re here to do, they’re gonna have a hard time of it if they don’t start cooperating. When I was up in New York, you couldn’t tell the police apart from the feds. Of course, they were workin’ on keeping the city from rioting and more blood from being spilled, but I’ve seen people go crazy for less than a drink. They need to be careful in this town. It hasn’t even healed yet and they’re already pickin’ at old wounds."

[clarence-hoover]

He just shook his head, thinking of them having to resort to the measures that the NYPD had had to do in order to control its citizens even before Prohibition went into effect. "I would say that I'd hardly believe that the people of Montford could be nearly as bloodthirsty as the gangs of New York, but considering recent events, that would make me a fool." He took another swig of his coffee, draining its contents but not feeling any more steeled for their upcoming shift at the station.

"I would say that, for the time being, it's in our best interest to stay in their good graces, no matter how frustrating they might be. So long as they think they're running the show and that we're on their side, the more likely they'll be to keep us in the loop. I don't like the idea of rolling over for them any more than you do, but it might be our only chance of saving people from what's to come." He set down his empty cup along with a few coins to pay for both of their tabs as well as a tip for the waitress.

[lillian-connolly]

No Work and All Play || Clarlian

[lillian-connolly]

Her face lit up with the idea. She had been sure that the suggestion would end up being discarded after a few minutes of talking it over, but Clarence was willing to give the trip a shot. It was far more than she could have hoped for.

"We can at least eat first." She smiled at him and reached her hand across the table, taking his and squeezing it briefly before pulling back. Lillian would try to eat, but the excitement of getting out of Montford, if only for a night, was so overwhelming. 

"What do you think we can do while we’re there?" She asked enthusiastically as the waiter came by to refill their waters.

[clarence-hoover]

He smiled and nodded in agreement, returning the small squeeze of her hand before digging in to the delicious sandwich sitting before him. It tasted as good as it looked but suddenly all he could think of was what they could do in the city for a night. Apparently, she had the same train of thought and he smirked as he wiped his mustache clean of crumbs with his napkin. "Anything you like, so long as we keep our presence hush hush. We may be in another jurisdiction, but it won't do either of us any good to have our names trickle back here from Chicago PD for any reason." He gave her a small wink as he took a drink to wash down his bite of food.

"In all honesty, this might be the last chance I have to take you anywhere outside of Montford for a while. I know work has slowed down significantly and that everyone is settling back into their normal routines, but with the feds breathing down our necks, that isn't bound to last very long." He hated the fact that things in Montford were about to get turned upside down again, but at least Lillian worked at the station alongside him and knew exactly what sort of pressure he and the rest of the officers were under.

[angusfletcher-psyc]

Just Another Night // Angus and Clarence

[angusfletcher-psyc]

Angus’s mouth twitched into a half smile. “How true. I forget sometimes how alike our jobs are. Except you can use reasonable force to extract the information you need out of people’s heads. It might surprise you but people can be ridiculously stubborn about being forthcoming even when it’s their own idea to be asked hard questions.” Angus shrugged his shoulders. It was a necessary part of his job and he did it well. But very rarely, he wished that his patients would simply be honest to him. It’s not as if he could or would talk about everything all over town. 

Angus opened the menu that had been placed before him, deciding that a change in subject was in order “What are you in the mood for?”

[clarence-hoover]

He smiled at the mention of using force to garner the information needed from a suspect. "Actually, we take a page from your book more often than not. Most of the people we question aren't quite as clever as they'd like to think they are, so it's really not that difficult to get them to play our little mind games and get caught in their own lies." He opened his own menu and said bemusedly, "I would say we could teach each other a thing or two, but I hardly imagine you'd resort to physical measures to get your patients to divulge their innermost secrets to you." The detective looked at him with a small smile. "Perhaps what you need is a partner. Dickey and I were veritable masters of the 'good cop, bad cop' routine."

After browsing over the menu options, he settled on the restaurant's signature dish, one of his longtime favorite meals. "I think I'm going to go with the Osso Bucco. Can't go wrong with a house special. What about you?"

Once they'd made their choices and placed their orders with the waitress, the pair sat in silence for a moment before Clarence decided to bring up a rather touchy subject. Keeping his voice low enough for only Angus to hear, he spoke directly but tactfully. "There's actually something I've been meaning to ask you. Curious as to your opinion on a matter, to be precise." He took a moment to choose his words carefully before continuing. "I know that you were not privy to the specifics of the Slasher case, but based on the facts that were common knowledge, did you have any insights on the man's identity?" It tasted like bile in his mouth to call the monster a man, but he couldn't focus on that at the moment. "We were scrutinizing every single scrap of evidence and trying to make any connection between the victims or to establish a pattern of behavior, but we always turned up empty-handed. Perhaps an outside opinion of a psychiatrist might have been helpful, if a bit unorthodox, but I'm willing to consider all options if it means preventing anything like that from happening ever again."

[clarence-hoover]

See the Glass Half Full // Clarence & Woody

[darbing-woody]

"Well that’s true. Men like us are eligible bachelors, pal. We’re meant to stay single and free." He said, laughing softly as he listened to the man offer up the invitation to his friend. "By all means, Clarence! Invite ‘im. I have nothin’ against you givin’ out the invitation. Makes life easier on this banker." He told him, winking playfully at the other before chuckling softly. It was wonderful to know that he had a friend that was the fuzz, a detective nonetheless. It helped Woody in a way that would keep his bank safe as well as everyone’s money. To show he had faith in his own bank, Woody had his own account there. After all, he didn’t want to be accused of false advertising.

Picking up his drink and looking to his friend, he took a sip before shaking his head with soft laugh. “No I don’t believe Hilary is your pair of gams. I’m sure you know Hilary, though. She works at my bank. Sweet li’l southern belle? Always talkin’ of bein’ a modern woman?” He asked, shaking his head in thought of the young dame. He was enamored with her and the unconscious smile that anyone could see right now on his face would give them enough evidence to say that he was head over heels for her.

[clarence-hoover]

His smile grew as he nodded at his enthusiastic friend. "Absolutely. Just name the time and place. I hardly think Dickey will be likely to refuse and I may see if any of the gents in our circle would care to join us. It's been too long since we've had a night intended for leisure that didn't turn into business or tragedy. I'd say we're about due." He raised his steaming mug in salute to Woody for the suggestion and took a long drink of the hot coffee.

Clarence eyed the man over the rim of his mug at the identity of his "pair of gams". He slowly lowered his cup with a more than playful smirk on his lips. "Hilary Templeton? Really? Well, she's not my dame, but she is a dear friend and I could certainly see why you'd like her. She is quite a catch." His tone became slightly more serious as he continued but he kept the smile on his face. "And not that it's any of my business, nor do I think that you're the type of man who would do such a thing, but I trust you're not intending to 'love her and leave her'. Out of all the ladies in town, she is one of the least deserving of such treatment." He wouldn't go so far as to threaten his friend that he was certain would be as caring to Hilary as she would to him, but heaven help the man who wronged the sweet southern belle.