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Post by qualapec on Apr 12, 2011 23:08:35 GMT -8
Grizabella regretted accidentally leaving her cigarettes on the desk of her office almost as much as she regretted leaving her flask behind, but she knew this was something she needed to face.
Shaking a little on the threshold of the door, she tugged her stole tighter around her shoulders and entered. She could manage only a ghost of her usual glamorous smile at the tom behind reception. "I'm here to see Macavity. Tell him his mommy's here." She didn't know why she opted for the mask, but she did. Probably because the mask made the truth seem less scary.
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Post by victoriousscarf on Apr 12, 2011 23:16:04 GMT -8
Martin gave the queen before him a very long, slow, blink. "You...?" He didn't finish the thought, reaching for the phone.
"What?" Macavity demanded, picking his office phone up.
"Your... mummy is here to see you," Martin said after another moment.
There was an even longer pause on the other end of the phone. "Tell her ta go ta hell," Macavity snarled and slammed the phone down.
Martin turned from setting the phone down back to the queen. "He would like to tell you to go to hell. However, his office is the second on the left on the hallway off the ball room. Right up those stairs there and hang a left and it should be easy to find from there."
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Post by qualapec on Apr 12, 2011 23:22:58 GMT -8
Grizabella smiled at the tom behind reception and followed his instructions. She didn't know what she'd see or what she'd be met with, but she knew he was her best chance.
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Post by victoriousscarf on Apr 12, 2011 23:24:58 GMT -8
Macavity nearly growled when he heard someone approaching. "Come in!" he snapped, flipping agitatedly through papers, figuring it was the hench he'd sent out on an errand returning.
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Post by qualapec on Apr 13, 2011 8:34:40 GMT -8
Grizabella paused at his door. This was the second time she'd seen her son in as many decades...but this time she knew to expect his anger, and she was willing to take that. Because her girls were hurt and scared and...
She swallowed thickly, thinking about how she couldn't handle her kits when they were hurt or scared, how the sound of their cries had grated against her.
But she knew better now. Taking a deep breath, she strode through the door.
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Post by victoriousscarf on Apr 13, 2011 8:40:39 GMT -8
"It took you lon' enough you..." Mac started to say, not having looked up, and as he did his voice faltered and trailed away. He froze completely and stared at her. "'et out."
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Post by qualapec on Apr 13, 2011 8:42:45 GMT -8
"Please, listen to me. I need your help." Grizabella didn't know why her throat was closing up, so she talked quickly. "One of my girls was killed last night."
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Post by victoriousscarf on Apr 13, 2011 8:50:14 GMT -8
Macavity drew back, fumbling at his desk drawer without taking his eyes off her, pulling out the cigarette case and lighter, still not letting his eyes drop as he lit one. "Lots of folks die at the docks," he replied, voice bland but level. "Everlastin' cat only knows how many, and I've added my own share."
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Post by qualapec on Apr 13, 2011 8:56:28 GMT -8
It was true enough. "But something about this wasn't...right, Macavity. Girls have been killed or gone missing before." Before her tenure as Madame, when she was working in the houses. "Madeline, she wasn't robbed. Somecat just cut her throat and the cops don't care."
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Post by victoriousscarf on Apr 13, 2011 9:01:47 GMT -8
Macavity's spine tensed at the mention of a slit throat. Hearing the name of the girl was hardly helping either, sending one of his ears back. "So what the hell you comin' ta me for?"
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Post by qualapec on Apr 13, 2011 9:08:29 GMT -8
"Like I said - she's just another burlesque girl from the docks. Nobody cares." She scoffed. "I heard some yarn about how they don't even know what kind of blade did it - I don't believe a word of it," she did, "but it's got all of them scared." She swallowed. "They need to feel like someone will protect them." After a moment, she added. "Please, Mac, I'll do anything."
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Post by victoriousscarf on Apr 13, 2011 9:19:23 GMT -8
"You should've done anythin' twenty years ago," Macavity snapped, but his other ear went flat too, thinking about it. "What sort of knife?" he asked, voice lowering slightly, and hoping, hoping...
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Post by qualapec on Apr 13, 2011 9:27:11 GMT -8
Griz shuddered at his first phrase, then paused at the look of interest he had about the blade, searching her memory for the words that had been used in the shock to follow the incident.
It didn't matter, she decided. If he had any idea who it was, she wasn't going to ask questions. "A curved blade, I think. That's what people are saying anyway. Lots of rumors about some oriental or a voodoo priest."
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Post by victoriousscarf on Apr 13, 2011 9:33:30 GMT -8
Macavity's ears, already tilted back hard, flattened at that. "Anythin' else you can tell me about the knife?" he asked, voice strained. Brachen, tell me you didn't...
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Post by qualapec on Apr 13, 2011 9:41:20 GMT -8
"I couldn't say," Griz admitted. "The cops don't even know." She narrowed her eyes. "Do you have any idea who it could be?"
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