A Necessary Evil ((10))

[amanika]

Tantomile knocked briskly on the Assistant DA's office door. She'd chosen, despite her assurances to Macavity yesterday that she would talk to her brother as soon as possible, to hold off until the next day. She always made a point of knowing what hours he kept in his office at the courthouse and had decided, if she must talk to him, that she'd rather meet him in more neutural territory than at the Demoniaque.

Besides, if her unexpected arrival at his office threw Coricopat off his stroke for once, all the better.

[Meadowlark]

Coricopat glanced up at the door, before leaning back in his chair to turn the Jazz, playing softly on his radio, down a bit more. Returning his attention to the case file that was open on his desk, he finally called for the other cat to enter.

[amanika]

Tantomile opened the door quietly and entered the room, closing it behind her again with a soft click. "Good morning Cori." she gave her brother a smile, it wasn't a friendly one, just one that suggested she was enjoying turning up at his office unannounced.

[Meadowlark]

The ADA looked up, forcing a smile. "Tantomile. To what do I owe this horror?"

[amanika]

Tantomile's eyes flicked over her brother for a moment, turned down or not, she didn't miss the soft strains of jazz music coming from the radio.

"The interest of the health of our mutural employer." she replied shortly, glancing around the office with an expression of distaste, "Perhaps we could discuss it over lunch?"

[Meadowlark]

"What, the sparse furnishings of my office not suit you? I'm not taking lunch for at least another two hours. I have a meeting over lunch already as well. But if you'll take a seat I'm available to talk now." He motioned to a relatively uncomfortable ladder-back chair in front of his desk.

[amanika]

An ugly look crossed Tantomile's face, hating the idea of fitting in around her brother's schedule. That was one thing she much preferred about having her own practice and her work for the state being more free-lance, it meant she could afford to be a lot more flexible with her own time.

"Always a slave to time and the state," she put on a marty-like tone, "I suppose I could work around you if needs must, presuming here is as secure as anywhere else."

[Meadowlark]

"It is. Far more than anywhere you might choose for lunch, in any case." He responded, setting the case file aside. "Now what does our illustrious employer require that's brought you in to see me, sister dearest?"

[amanika]

Tantomile took a file out of her briefcase and placed it carefully on Coricopat's desk. She chose to remain standing rather than accept the unconfortable looking chair, suspecting Coricopat had picked it with his own authority over whoever sat on it in mind.

"He's getting careless covering his tracks. The PD have a witness from a dockside murder, razor blade lacerations mutilating the body." She opened the file and pushed a photograph taken at the the crime scene across the desk, not that Coricopat needed to see it, he was as familiar with Macavity's style as she was, but she figured if she'd had to look at it, he could too.

[Meadowlark]

The mottled tom looked over the notes in the file, glancing at the photo, an eyebrow arching. "Have they identified the victim?"

[amanika]

Tantomile shook her head, thought she flicked through her own notes to double check, "Not as far as I'm aware. Hence it's their witness I'm concerned with."

[Meadowlark]

"Of course, understandable. What do we know about the witness?" He set the picture aside, trying to think of a reason for Mac to have done this and left a witness alive. Ah well, some things were beyond his comprehension when it came to the tabby.

[amanika]

"The PD called me in because they think the witness is crazy." Tantomile shook her head, one day she might get it into their heads that psycological issues didn't have to mean you were crazy. "He is certainly not, and whilst I could have him comitted, as I already told Macavity, I don't think this is the best course of action. He's suffering from a degree of shock, either from having seen the body, or potentially, having witnessed the murder himself, which I've put down as his cause of so far being 'unable' to give evidence. However, shock like that wears off and they will expect him to be able to talk. I'm certain he's got a further reason for not co-operating with the police, however, and reccommending he is commiteed on grounds of insanity, besides the fact that he is not insane, might be counterproductive, since he may decide he has nothing to loose by talking."

Tantomile raised an eyebrow at her brother, "Are you following?"

[Meadowlark]

Coricopat glanced up from where he was checking to see if he needed to sharpen his claws again. "They have a witness who's in shock--which wears off. You could commit him but you think if you do he'll have no reason not to talk, so you think we should try a different method. I'm listening. What brilliant plan do you have to solve this mess we've been left with?"

[amanika]

"Good." Tantomile said shortly, though she took no satisfaction in it.

"I'm reccomending to the PD that they allow me to talk to him off the record in the interest a less stressful envrionment will allow him to get over his sock syndrome faster and be able to be of use to them. Either that he comes to me from their custody each day so that I can work through this with him, or they allow him bail on the condition he sees me. And then call him back for questioning when he is more able to talk. I'm pushing for the second option if possible. I'm hoping off the record he will open up and find out just what he knows so we can assess if he is a threat. I would also hope to find out why he is refusing to talk to the police, since, if he is a threat, then that is your leverage to ensure, in whatever way you will, that he gives a clean statement as far as Macavity is concerned to the police. I can get the information from him, what is done with it is where I am more than happy to let you take over brother dear. I have no desire to compromise my integrity with the police by getting my paws dirty. Understand?"