The Murder of Marvellous Marv, Part 3


    Vicky Cameron sat in the back seat of an unmarked police issued car, legs crossed, looking out the side window.  Her mind was elsewhere, as they made their way toward the Lair Mansion.  She was thinking about Marvellous Marv and how he died by electrocution.

    Jack Burns was driving, and Commissioner Don Graham was in the passenger side.  The two of them were chatting idly about how they would ask to speak with Hatman when they arrived at the Mansion.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“It totally doesn’t make sense.”  Vicky said to no one in particular as she continued staring out the window.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“What doesn’t?”  Jack asked.  He stopped talking to the Commissioner, and spoke to Vicky instead.

    Don Graham looked behind him into the back seat.  He was curious too, and also seemed a little annoyed at being interrupted.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“His bedroom was trashed, right?”  she asked.  “Nobody else in the Mayor’s Mansion saw a thing.  And he wasn’t in bed, so that means he was confronted while he was awake.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“So?”  Graham asked.

    She explained, “So who’d sneak in, wake his ass up, then fight with him, and then electrocute him?”

    The Commissioner and Jack looked at each other.  “That’s a good question.”  Jack said.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“And without making enough noise to alert security.  Marv didn’t yell for help or anything.”  Vicky continued.  “No,”  she said with a shake of the head.  “He didn’t see it coming.  He was killed while asleep and then dragged out of bed maybe?”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Then how did the room get trashed?  Was it afterward, maybe?”  Jack asked.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Maybe.”  Vicky shrugged.  “Or someone he was going to f--...I mean have sex with.  That explains the being out of bed, the room getting trashed...and then the electrocution, all without attracting attention.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“And why whoever did it got in without being seen.”  Jack noted.  “That makes sense.  Maybe Marv himself snuck her in.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“That still possibly implicates at least three suspects at the Lair Mansion.”  Don justified their journey.  “We still should start there.  Either way, maybe we can learn something.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I dunno.”  Vicky commented with a sigh as she leaned back again.  “Not that I mind visiting Hatman...he’s kinda hot...but I think we’re missing something.”


---
    

    Lara Night was lying on her side, staring toward the window at the colors from the sunset streaking through gaps in the darkening curtains, into her room at the Lair Mansion.  She was lying on her back under the covers, still warm from her nap, and trying to avoid getting out of bed to face the chilly world.

    Her room was still in disarray, a messy crossing of being abandoned in a rush when she returned home earlier, and then tossing her luggage on the floor carelessly when she came back to Paradopolis, in a rush to get some sleep.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I should just tell Jay it was me, and turn myself in.”  she whispered in response to the report her latest visitor gave her.  

    She just learned that Marv’s coroner report said he died of electrocution, and that the police were going to Lair Mansion to ask questions.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Bullshit.”  Dreamcatcher Foxglove summarized harshly.  “I know you didn’t do it.”

    Lara’s mouth hung open as he turned to face him.  “Don’t assume things just because you like me.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Pfft.”  Dream exclaimed.  “I know you, Lara.  If you killed Marv you’d be fu--...I mean, totally messed up.  So if you say that...it means you’re covering for someone.”  

    He corrected his phrasing mid-sentence because Lara was one of the few people who bothered to scold him about using demeaning language.  At the very least, he liked her smile too much to cause that.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Maybe.”  Lara said as she pulled herself against the headboard so she sat up.  “I was thinking of who it might be.  Of us, I mean.  Any of them, the Parodyverse is prepared for.  Me, there’s no jail that can keep me right now.  So if I take the blame, you’re all safe.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Lara...I’m calling you out, but you know that’s nothing compared to what Jay will do.  He’ll never let you take the blame.  He’ll stop sleeping, eating...he’ll even claim it was his idea and take the rap himself.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Oh.  You’re probably right.”  she relented.

    Dream leapt onto the bed.  “Pillow head.”  he said, and then he ruffled up Lara’s already messy blonde hair so she laughed.  “Anyway, we have enough sacrifice.  Sometimes it’s not noble, it’s stupid.  We need truth instead.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Yeah, maybe.”  She shrugged and sighed.  “I mean, especially if it was that obvious to you I was lying.”

    He smiled mischievously.  “You’re totally an amateur liar.”  he said with a laugh.  “Fortunately, there’s something else you’re pretty good at.”

    Lara sighed and shook her head.  She sat up more and then leaned back against the wall.  With a gentle squeeze of Dream’s shoulder, she told him, “I really wish I could, Dream, but it still...feels to me like it would be weird.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Is it because you think I changed too much?”  he asked.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“No.”  she replied quietly.  She leaned against him, and accepted a hug from him as she smiled.  “It’s because I have.”


---


    Hatman met with Detectives Jack Burns and Vicky Cameron, and Commissioner Don Graham in his office, as was customary for the leader of the Lair Legion.  It gave an official visitor an audience while protecting the privacy of its residents.

    As usual, he opened by saying, “I’m sorry about Flapjack.”

    Vicky shrugged.  She turned around and looked at the hunchback as she sat in one of the two guest chairs in front of Hatman’s desk.  Flapjack was still rubbing his head, but didn’t seem too upset by being hit so hard.  In fact, he seemed excited and happy about it.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I understand you want to start interviewing some of the Lair Legion?”  Hatman asked.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Yah.”  Vicky replied.  She looked at her partner Jack.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“That’s right.”  Jack agreed.  “We need to be able to interview them individually.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“We have a few people in mind in particular.”  Vicky added, “But we’d like to interview everyone so there’s no bad feelings or finger pointing.  Will you let us?”

    Hatman smiled as he looked into Vicky’s pale blue eyes.  She was indeed as smart as Don Graham said.  He neglected to mention that she was considerate, too.  “Yeah, sure.”  he replied.  “Just please keep your questions to the case at hand.”

    Jack smirked at how specific Hatman was trying to be.  He was trying to protect his Lair Legion.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Is it okay if I start with you?”  Vicky asked.  She wanted to meet Hatman close-up without the other two - and besides, she knew Jack’s more confrontational style might not work well with him.  “Jackie and the Commish can talk to another at the same time, and we’ll be outta here before you know it.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Sounds good.”  Hatman said.

    She looked at Jack and Don Graham, as the two left the office.  She could practically sense Hatman’s slight nervousness at being left with the least seasoned of the three to ask him questions.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Can I ask you a question first?”  Hatman asked Vicky Cameron as she picked up a paper pad Jack left on the desk and prepared to begin her questioning.

    Vicky smiled in her disarming way, and crossed one leg over the other so she could place the pad of paper she had in her lap.  “Yah, sure.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Why are you and your partner questioning the Lair Legion but not bothering with the bad guys?”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“That’s a good question, Hat.”  Vicky complimented him as she leaned forward slightly and folded her hands in her lap.  “Y’know, the bad guys with a guilty conscience?  They tend to go into hiding.  You guys are the most visible enemies of Marv’s, so it makes sense to start here, eh?”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I guess.”  Hatman agreed with a shrug.  “It just...looks bad with the cops investigating us alone, is all.”

    Vicky smirked like she was hiding a secret.  She winked at him and said, “Personally I don’t think any of you did it, Hat.  That’s why I’m starting here, to eliminate it as a possibility.  I can’t just go with hunches, I’ve got people to answer to, you know.  That, and if the bad guy responsible thinks we’re concentrating on you...they won’t run, will they?”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“So what questions would you have, then?”  he asked, leaning back in his desk chair to appear confident.  “If you think we’re innocent.”

    She shrugged slightly.  “I like talking to people.  Besides, a mystery is like a puzzle scattered to the winds.  If I talk to enough people I might get a few pieces.  Maybe someone saw something, or knows something, or heard something.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Okay.”  Hatman agreed finally, and put both hands on his desk, clasped together.  “Ask away.”

    Vicky tilted her head and asked, “First, are you going to give me honest answers or is your priority protecting your friends even if they might be guilty?”

    Hatman purposely didn’t reply.

    She then decided to sweeten the deal a bit.  “‘kay, so...you know I think they’re all innocent.  So what if I say I want to help you?  What if I say...whatever you tell me is between me and you.”  

    Vicky dropped her paper pad and pen to the floor next to her, and folded her arms.  In a soft voice, she asked, “Would you tell me now if you’re worried about someone?”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“You said Marv was electrocuted.”  Hatman noted.  “There’s only one of us who’s capable of that with super-powers.  One more with something of a natural ability.  A third that’s a maybe.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Anna, the android who greeted us on the way in?”  Vicky guessed.

    Hatman shifted nervously.  “She...doesn’t have the motivation, really.  And I’m not really sure she can electrocute anyone.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I agree.”  Vicky reassured him with a nod.  “I talked to her already.  She helped me with Flapjack.  I also asked her about Hallie.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I shouldn’t say anything about Hallie.”  Hatman warned her.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Hallie was watching her kids.”  Vicky supplied.  “Anna said so.  I asked if she could do more than just that.  Anna said there are some things Hallie never divides her attention for.  That sounded so sweet.”  Vicky smiled at the end of that sentence.

    Hatman couldn’t help but smile too.  “So that leaves Lara Night.  She wasn’t even in this universe at the time.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Can she be in more places than one?”

    He shook his head.  “No, she’s human just like you.  And the trip to or from really tires her out, so there’s no way she could do it twice in one night and still have the energy to kill someone.”

    Vicky nodded, and bit her lip as she thought for a moment.  “But then there’s Al B Harper, some kind of mad science inventor guy.  He could have constructed something to electrocute Marv...and any one of you could have used it.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I guess that’s...possible.”  Hatman said with a shrug.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“But why would any of you do that?”  Vicky asked.  “It’s a question of motivation, see.  To be honest, if any of the Lair Legion or its friends did it, it would be to protect you, because Marv hurts you.  So it would have to be someone who really cares about you.  Otherwise, failing that...you’re the top suspect, because he pretty much promised to make your life miserable.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“So you think I did it?”  Hatman asked, trying to keep a poker face.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“No.”  Vicky replied quietly.  “I told you, I don’t think any of you did.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“So...you’re just bouncing ideas off me?”  Hatman asked.  “Because you never really asked any real questions.”

    Vicky leaned back in her chair and smiled.  “Did you ever hear that a person’s most honest and true response is body language?”

    He nodded, and then slowly started to smile.  “So it wasn’t about the questions so much as my response.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Yah.”  Vicky agreed.  She tilted her head slightly.  “I’m sorry about being so tricky, Hatty.  It’s just my way.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“It’s okay.”  Hatman reassured her.  “I know it’s your job.”

    She stood suddenly and offered him her hand.  Face to face, he finally realized how short she was.  It made her appear younger than he was, even though that wasn’t likely considering the job she had.

    He took her hand, and shook it gingerly.  Then she held on for a moment.

    She asked, “When this is all done, how about I treat you to lunch or something.  We’ll probably work together someday, so y’know...we should stay on good terms, right?”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Sounds good, Vicky.”  He smiled at her as she let go of his hand.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I’ll go find Jackie and Don and see who I talk to next.”  she said.  “Hopefully we’ll be outta here pretty quick.  See ya around.”

    With that, Vicky exited Hatman’s office smiling.  She closed the door as she left.  As soon as she was in the hallway, she paused and hopped in the air once, excited that she’d be having lunch with Hatman someday.  She also praised herself for being so cool and calm talking to him.

    Then she headed to the next possible suspect for questioning.


TO BE CONTINUED


-- Story written and copyrighted (C) 2009 by Jason Froikin, and may not be 
--    reprinted without permission.  
-- Yuki Shiro designed by Jason Froikin, based on designs by Masamune Shirow
--  Liu Xi Xian and the Psychic Samurai are original design by Jason Froikin
--  Lara Night is an original creation by Jason Froikin