Usually Better ((9))

[amanika]

"Well yes, that does sound rather like the way my dear brother would choose to put it." Tantomile replied, "I think perhaps the new comissioner feels he has something to prove perhaps, that aside, I think he has a very strong notion of justice."

[victoriousscarf]

"Stron' notion of justice," Mac huffed. "Last thing we needed in other words. Any idea why he needs ta prove himself? Or, how much of a bother he'll be while he's doin' so?"

[amanika]

"I don't believe he's the kind of cat to let things drop easily. But I can imagine a refusal to compromise could make life difficult for him." Tantomile said, "One thing's for sure, he's rushed off his feet at the moment, he looked considerably sleep deprived."

[victoriousscarf]

Mac nodded, taking that information in. "That might work to our advantage than," he said, snuffing out his cigarette. "If he's not gettin' sleep he won't be thinkin' as well as he ought ta." The fact he wouldn't let things drop was quite a bit less to their advantage, but as long as he didn't turn the Commissioner onto him, the Commish would have no reason to hound him. "Anythin' else?" he asked in general.

[amanika]

Tantomile shook his head, "I'm profiling one of his witnesses from a murder at the docks, and have had access to the case file." she raised an eyebrow at Macavity, "The body was a real mess, razor blade lacerations everywhere." a pause, "You don't do things by halves, were you aware he had a witness?"

((btw she's referring to the murder before the one Tugger got mixed up with. The witness Sonya asks her to check out in her thread with him.))

[victoriousscarf]

Mac paused for a long moment. He ignored the comment about doing things by half and focused instead on the first part of her comment. "There was a witness? That survived?" he growled low in his throat. He paused for another moment. "Wait, why are you profiling the witness?"

[amanika]

"Why?" Tantomile asked, she was mildly surprised, "Because it's part of my job for the state corrections board to lend my services to the PD when asked. However, it's also in my interests that he doesn't talk, hence why I'm telling you."

[victoriousscarf]

"That wasn't a questionin' of your skills--I was wonderin' why they called you in on him. He crazy?"

[amanika]

"Not every cat I deal with is crazy you know, there's a little more to psycology than that." she said, trying to avoid sounding snippy about it, because generally, the cops only thought to call her in if they thought a cat was potentially crazy, "More likely he's suffering from a from of shock at just what he witnessed." Roughtly translated, 'You could be in a mess when he recovers if he decides to talk.'

[victoriousscarf]

"Course there's more to psychology than that... jus' no one cares about the rest of it. Not when life is as busy as it is. So, if he's sufferin' from shock, he could recover, yeah?" Mac barred his teeth at the thought. Just what he needed--someone who could turn into a snitch. Killing him outright would be too obvious... "Any way ta stop that from happenin'?"

[amanika]

"Potentially, but it would be useful as far as I'm concerned if he recovered enough to impart just what he did witness. This could be anything from just having come across the body, to actually witnessing the death. Obviously, if it's the former, you're in the clear. However, given the way he's reacting, I believe there may be a little more to it. It wouldn't surprise me if he's got his own reasons he's not talking to the police, the shock would have to be quite severe, for it to be affecting him this badly, which in this town, seems unlikely. Chances are, if we can find out what he did witness, and why he's not eager to speak to the police, there are more effective ways of ensuring he keeps silent. If I have him certified, he might decide he has nothing to loose by telling what he saw."

Tantomile's tone was somewhat cold as she spoke, she wouldn't forgive Macavity lightly for that comment, ascetaining he'd said it mostly to irritate her. However, for that exact reason, she wouldn't rise to or comment on it either.

[victoriousscarf]

Mac considered that, leaning back in his chair and pulling out another cigarette. After this he was giving very serious though to locking the door and sleeping again. He wasn't sure he could handle anything else going wrong in the next few days. At least the Ball was another month away so he did not have to worry about that quite as much yet.

"What would you suggest then?" he asked, already considering calling Coricopat about it.

[amanika]

"I think I might be able to persuade him myself if I get permission to talk to him off the record. I'm going to suggest a more calming environment might aid his recovery and ability to talk. Best case scenario, they offer him bail and I will see him privately, though of course, funded by the state, for sessions at my own practice, until I deem he's in a secure mental state to undergo police questioning. If they won't allow that, then I'm hoping they might at least allow him scheduled visits to my practice for a similar purpose. The bail would make things easier for you, but it isn't essential. But I'm hoping this is mostly a matter of playing the trauma card. If he's currently playing up to that, it's in his interests to co-operate with me."

[victoriousscarf]

Mac nodded slowly, lighting the cigarette. "And then? If you can't convince him to play along, what would happen? I need to make sure he isn't questioned, or if he's goin' ta be, he needs to be in my damn payroll."

[amanika]

Tantomile shook her head, "I'm only going to ascetain just what he knows and why he's unwilling to talk to the police. If he knows more than he should, persuading him to play along him will be your responsibility. I'm willing to get you the leverage, perhaps even ensure he is in the right place at the right time, but after that, the ball is in you court. I can't risk my professional integrity if I were to be unable to persuade him and he spilt everything to the police. At least you are in a position to dispose of him if he refuses to co-operate."