2019-05-22 - Favorite Coroner

It's going to be a LONG night. Penny can just feel it. Miss Faust is standing at one of desk where people check in and picking up case files currently. The ginger looks...weary. If that might be a good word for it. She's dressed in jeans, a long sleeve black t-shirt and old beat up converse. There's an officer that is talking to her, low key flirting and she gives a shake of her head, "You're married, Harry. Come on." she mutters.

It's inaccurate to say that Alexander is a welcome guest at the building, or even a 'frequent flyer' in the sense of being arrested often for drunk or disorderly. He only comes by once every few weeks, unless there's a really interesting and bloody case. But when he does come by, it inevitably heralds trouble and irritation for someone, and when he's seen in the door frame, a lot of people try very hard to find something else to do. His eyes scan the room, until they fall on Penny. He walks in that direction, coming to a halt close to her and her admirer. "Miss Faust." At least he sounds calm, at the moment. His stare is flat and intense, and he ignores poor Harry as if the officer wasn't even there. "A moment of your time, please."

"I know, just having some fun." Harry states. Then he sees Alexander and his eyebrow quirks up, "You need a weekend reservation?" the man asks. Then he's starting to head off from the desk. Not scoring any points.

However when she looks up to see Alexander, the Harbinger of Woe, she can only assume something bad has happened, "Alexander. Of course. Come down to my office with me?" she asks him. Apparently she didn't need to see if it was okay, she just heads for the stairs down.

Alexander stares at Harry. "No." It lacks both fear and sarcasm. His attention returns to Penny, and he jerks his head in swift, downwards motion in agreement, and follows obediently after her. There's a notebook tucked under one of his arms, and he's shameless in the way he leans to get a look at the case files she was picking up. "Are you well, Miss Faust?" he asks, after a few steps, the question abrupt and rushed, like a mental alert just went off about small talk and its importance in human interaction.

Penny swats at Alexander gently, her long fingered hand not touching him though. No touchy! She gives him a snort, "No looking at files right now." she murmurs to him. Then she's looking to him, "I'm alright. You know how sleeping is in this town." she shrugs to him as she holds the casefiles close to her chest. "And you, Alexander? Are you alright? You aren't hurt are you?" she asks him with some concern.

Alexander has known Penny long enough that he doesn't shy away from the swat, it seems. He watches her hand a bit warily, but his pace remains unaltered. "Does that mean I can look at files later? They're always interesting." There's a hint of a smile at the corners of his mouth, and his eyes widen - it's as close as Alexander ever gets to a winsome, pleading expression. To the questions, though, he shrugs. "A weaponized movie star exploded her dress on my chest, but it seems to be healing well. I had some questions that I hoped you might look into for me. About dead people."

Penny's dark eyes give a look to him, "Yes, you can look at files later." she tells him. Then she's opening the door to her office and letting him inside. Then there's a look to his chest, might seem like she's oogling, but she's not. "I...was this in a dream?" she asks as she blinks and looks back up to him. Then she nods, "Of course. How can I help?" she asks him. "Would you like a cup of coffee or a bottle of water?" she asks him.

Alexander is wearing a faded purple sweatsuit that is /at least/ a full size too big for him. He could be packing metal plates or possibly small treasure chests under there and it'd be hard to tell. He does seem to be mildly favoring one of his arms, though. "The kind of dream that attempts to kill you." A thoughtful pause. "Odd one, even for Gray Harbor. There were more than ten of us, all lost together." He shakes his head at the offer of drinks, and prowls restlessly inside of her office, peering at this and that.

Penny watches him with a bit of a wariness. It was just her way. She was like that since her father died. "It tried to kill you?!" she whispers in an urgent voice. "What the hell?" she shakes her head. "Do you need healed?" she asks him. "So you were lost...in a dream. Where at?" she asks him.

"It's healing. On the Bay. One of the tour boats." Alexander's reply is staccato. He's never seemed to mind her wariness, and today is no exception; he keeps a careful distance from her even in the confined space. "No one died permanently. One man melted, but got better." He reaches up to rub at his head. "Be careful, Miss Faust. I have not seen so many people get lost at once. And...there's something else, but I don't know what it is, yet. I'll let you know when I do." He turns to face her with a sudden smile. "But. Research. Have you heard of the Ferris wheel disaster of some years ago?"

Penny gives a look to him and there's a soft frown, "If you want I can heal it properly." she tells him. Then there's a quietness that settles over her as she watches him. She gives a soft frown, "I know what it's like to be lost." she murmurs. Then she settles into a lean against the counter. She looks up to him, "I heard of it, but I don't remember a lot of it." she admits. "Refresh my memory?" she asks him.

"It's healing. Nothing to worry about," Alexander says. He stares at her, then inclines his head, just acknowledging their shared experience in that area, and that it sucks. Moving on to gory history seems to lighten his edge of melancholy. He takes out the notebook and finds an empty bit of tabletop on which to open it. "The boardwalk Ferris Wheel is not the original. The original fell; forty-seven children were on it, with many fatalities." He pulls out some pages that have been clearly been photocopied from some sort of book. Even in black and white, they are not pretty.

Penny doesn't say anything, but she dips her head when he doesn't make her go into things. She then listens carefully about the Ferris Wheel incident and she looks to the pictures and there's a soft frown as she reaches out to touch one of the pictures, "There were so many children." she whispers. "So much potential lost." she frowns deeply. "What does this have to do with the present, Alexander?" she asks him.

"Maybe nothing." Alexander frowns down at the photos. "But it's INTERESTING." He picks up a sheet of paper with names on it - some of them are highlighted. "These children were siblings. They were orphans from out of town. Their mother killed herself before abandoning them. She abandoned them here, in Gray Harbor, by the carousel. Her name was Metzler, but that was her married name. Her maiden name was Baxter." He glances sidelong at her.

Penny gives a look to him and there's a soft sigh, "This is a bit of a cold case I'm guessing? Or did they say that the ferris wheel just malfunction?" she asks him. Then there's a look to him, "You want me to look up Baxter?" she asks him curiously.

"A bit," Alexander agrees. "There are tragedies throughout Gray Harbor's histories. Not the usual ones, where someone eats a bullet or butchers their family after a getting fired from a sawmill. But the ones where more people than usual die. And," he pulls out more sheets of paper which, quite frankly, look like they are filled with mad scribbles, although a careful study can find sense in them, "in most of these cases, someone who was affiliated with the Baxters was involved. But I can find no Baxter graves. I haven't been to all of the graveyards, yet. I will. But take Lauranne Metzler nee Baxter. She died here. She should be buried here. I can't find her. What happened to her body, Miss Faust?"

Penny gives a look over the pictures again, "We have a lot of weirdness that happens. So I'm going to have a lot of digging to do." she whispers to him. "So I need to see if the Baxters are buried here. Or do you need me to look into if they are...buried off the record?" she looks to him. "That is what we need to figure out, is what happened to her body. It's not like it should have been lost. Or misplaced." she mutters.

"Yes." Alexander smiles, brief but genuine. "To all of that, Miss Faust. I'd be interested in any Baxter grave, because I've not managed to find one. Most left before the town was truly founded, or so the town histories say. But I can't find a record of where they went, and there is the matter of the Incidents. I thought you might have access to some of the more historical death records."

Penny pulls out a little notebook and jots down a few things. "I guess I can look for their medical record and things like that." she admits. "See if there's any weird burials around the time of death as well." she adds. "Is this a case you're working or just...historical piecing together because you're bored, Alexander?" she asks him.

"This is why you are my favorite coroner," Alexander says, solemnly. At her question, his eyebrows go up. "I'm not getting paid, so I suppose it's the latter. I found a book. It was a fascinating read, and it hinted at some of these things. Don't you ever wonder WHY Gray Harbor is so fucked up, Miss Faust?"

"I'm the only coroner that doesn't slam a door in your face, Alexander." Penny points out. "I grew up here...this place...the things we can do...it's all fucking weird." she sighs. "And no, I have no idea what causes it. All I know is that I don't want people to know so people don't start burning at the stake like the witch trials." she frowns. "Do you know why this place is Hell?" she asks.

"I consider that suitable criteria for making you the favorite," Alexander says without any hint of humor. He studies her intently, like a scientist looking at a peculiar new species of bug under the microscope. "The witch trials were about class unrest and internal agitation - if you're referring to the European witch craze, fear of rising Protestant agitation was also a factor, often projected onto Jewish citizens for no good reason. The conditions leading to that are unlikely to occur here." A pause. "Here, they just call you crazy and ensure that you are locked up and doped up until you die of despair. It's considered more humane." It's all deadpan.

Penny gives a smile to that, "I'll take it then." she tells him. Then there's a chuckle, "I guess that'll ease my mind then." she states. Then she's checking her notes, "Is there anything else I need to look up for the moment?" she asks him as she gives a curious look to him. "Were they...did they have what some of us do?" she asks.

"I think that would be a good start. And I don't know. There's not," Alexander frowns down at his notes, starts flipping through them, "reliable documentation. You may find something. Are we different, dead?" A sidelong glance at her. "Those of us who stand out? Big throbbing brains? Or pieces missing?" He turns back to his notes. "And no, I don't know why Gray Harbor is Hell, Miss Faust. Do you?"

Penny gives a look to him, "No, I don't think we are. But if someone didn't want her found..." she offers with a wave of her hand. "Then it becomes difficult." she whispers. Then she reaches over to touch the picture again. Just for a moment and there's a bit of a smile, "I'll have to go to the library and go through the hardcopy files, but I'll see what I can come up with, Alexander." she whispers to him. "Us that can do things that normal people cannot, Alexander. I know you know what I'm talking about." she mutters as she straightens up. "And goodness no I don't. I wish though. I'd win some Paranormal Nobel Prize hopefully." she muses.

"Difficult usually means worthwhile, when the subject is secrets and mysteries. Thank you. For looking into the matter. I will owe you a favor." At the whisper, Alexander inclines his head, slowly. "I know what you meant. But I don't know. No one writes that down. Not even you." That hint of a smile, again. "Have to publish your research to get the Nobel. You hide it, instead." He tilts his head to one side. "Maybe you should look. Next time one of us dies."

Penny gives Alexander a look and there's a bit of a sigh, "Sometimes I wonder if you just know me that well or if you run around my house when I'm not there looking for scientific journals on Weird Shit." she chuckles. "And no, I can't write it down. It just stays in my mind. If I knew I could write and it would be safe, then maybe." she admits. Then she looks to him, "Don't go dying on us, Alexander. A few of us would miss you." she smiles to that. "But yes, next time it happens I will." she nods.

"You're interesting and relevant to my work, Miss Faust. I would be remiss if I didn't pay attention." Which isn't actually a 'no' to the breaking into her house and perving on her scientific journals. Maybe Alexander thinks it's too silly to require an actual denial. "I don't plan to die. I would prefer you didn't, either. But if you do get a body, I would like to be invited." To an autopsy. Yes. He gives her a hopeful look.

Penny gives a smile to him, "That is one of the sweetest things you've ever said to me, Alexander." she admits. "I'm not planning on dying. Just...might need to rest sometimes." she shrugs her shoulders. "If I get any weird bodies or injuries you are on my list to call. Alright?" she asks him. She didn't seem to mind him. Maybe it was because they were in the same business. Or weirdness?

Alexander's lips tug downward, and his brow furrows. "It was merely an observation, Miss Faust." Still, he looks...pleased? Yes, that is probably Alexander's version of pleased when she says that she would call him. "You have my number." And lo, let us decree it so. He starts putting his notebook back together, head bowed even as he asks, "Is there anything I can do to help? With the sleeping. Are you dreaming?"

Penny gives him a look, "Goodness you are hard to compliment." she huffs, blowing one of the curls out of her face. "Observation. Yes." she nods to him. Then there's a sip of her coffee taken as she looks to him. She is quiet for a moment and then there's a shake of her head, "I don't think you can help, Alexander. I'm dreaming, but it's usually the same thing in various endings." she frowns. "And you can call me Penny, if you like." she offers.

Alexander stares at her. "Yes." He shrugs. "I'm sorry." He picks his notebook back up. "Don't wander too far in dreams, Miss Faust." So much for Penny. "Let me know if there becomes something I can help with. Miss Whitehouse has suggested there might be strength in numbers. It may be true." His shoulders hunch. "I should go. But I appreciate the assistance."

Penny gives a smile to him, "Some people are difficult, Alexander." she admits. "And that's alright." she adds. "Don't be sorry. It's nothing for you to be sorry on." she shakes her head. "I won't go too far. There's usually something calling, trying to get me off the path, but never been that desperate." she whispers. Then she straightens and nods, "Thank you for stopping by and I'll see what I can dig up on the Baxters." she tells him. Literally. "Be safe." she adds.

"Yes," Alexander agrees, simply. "Don't get lost, Miss Faust." Another brief flicker of something that might be a smile, before he takes his notebook and leaves, falling into his characteristic slouch as he makes his way up and out. He does not sign up for a weekend reservation for the jail. But hey, the week is young!