2021-12-22 - Christmas in...December.

(TXT to Benedict) Alexander : Thank you. 🙂

(TXT to Alexander ) Benedict : You're welcome. And thank you, too. 🙂

(TXT to Benedict) Alexander : I'm enjoying the book. It is an excellent present. I would have sent you some of my vintage case files, but no one ever wants to see them.

(TXT to Alexander ) Benedict : I'm glad you liked it. The chocolate is delicious. And vintage case files sound interesting. A collection?

(TXT to Benedict) Alexander : Yes. The internet is useful. But also estate sales; sometimes pre-50s, you had a lot more doctors, LEOs and the like keeping private records. Or just taking the whole case file if it was interesting. Especially in small towns. And things like

(TXT to Benedict) Alexander : I have the whole collection of a Pinkerton who did union busting in this area. He took on some other cases too. They're interesting.

(TXT to Alexander ) Benedict : That sounds really neat. The genesis of a lot of our profession, in many ways.

(TXT to Benedict) Alexander : Yes! 🙂 🙂 🙂

(TXT to Alexander ) Benedict : You think I was a little...direct...with Isi the other day?

(TXT to Benedict) Alexander : Direct isn't bad. You're right. That's the right way to handle it. I didn't think about it.

(TXT to Alexander) Benedict : I mean, learning to fight is always good. And I don't begrudge her that at all. And I don't know what happened to her. But it sure looks like the stuff we were trained to watch out for.

(TXT to Benedict) Alexander : Her boss tried to kill her. Well. One of his business partners tried to kill her after she found the scam they were running in the City Hall financials.

(TXT to Alexander) Benedict : Ouch. Yeah, no wonder she's wound tight as a spring.

(TXT to Benedict) Alexander : Yeah. She wanted to get a gun. But I thought learning to fight might be better. Guns and nerves don't mix. Developing your own strength can sometimes help. I think.

(TXT to Alexander) Benedict : Yeah. Gun is for after she's got some help. Definitely.

(TXT to Benedict) Alexander : She seems nice. She doesn't really deserve the crap she's had to deal with.

(TXT to Alexander) Benedict : Agreed, on both counts. I hope she can find some peace.

(TXT to Benedict) Alexander : What about you? Still okay?

(TXT to Alexander) Benedict : You can't see my face over text, right? So I can say yes? Nah, I'm just kidding. I really am okay. Still processing a lot.

(TXT to Benedict) Alexander : Understandable. There's a lot. Let me know if I can help.

(TXT to Alexander) Benedict : I will. Honestly you help just being you. Having friends will help with most anything, I find.

(TXT to Benedict) Alexander : (After about ten minutes) 🙂 We're friends? Good.

(TXT to Alexander) Benedict : Yeah we're friends, lol. I guess you didn't get the memo? Inter-agency mail is always dicey.

(TXT to Benedict) Alexander : To be fair, I don't have a secretary to help sort the agency's mail. It could be there and I just haven't gotten to it. 😉

(TXT to Alexander) Benedict : I think that's actually a valid metaphor for our friendship. It was just sort of there, and then we stumbled over it.

(TXT to Benedict) Alexander : Like a corpse!

(TXT to Alexander) Benedict : Yes! And every corpse comes with a mystery that must be solved.

(TXT to Benedict) Alexander : Yes. 🙂 And we have a mystery to solve, too. Ghost was not as helpful as I'd hoped.

(TXT to Alexander) Benedict : You actually got to speak to her? Or you mean just based on our interview with Ravn?

(TXT to Benedict) Alexander : The latter.

(TXT to Alexander) Benedict : I guess next thing is the bodies, then. I'm going to have to get an ADA to file for exhumation of Addison.

(TXT to Benedict) Alexander : Odd. Your kid's body shows up after being missing for 20 years, and her brother is the prime suspect, and you don't want an autopsy? Do you think they suspected one would provide more evidence against Benjamin?

(TXT to Alexander) Benedict : Maybe. Or maybe they felt like after twenty years there'd be nothing there. Who knows.

(TXT to Benedict) Alexander : They spent a lot of money and time on the search. IME, that kind of passion doesn't just go away.

(TXT to Alexander) Benedict : You're not wrong about that. Of course it's not entirely their call, unless they're willing to hire an external expert to do it. Which they could have done, I guess. So back to your point even then.

(TXT to Benedict) Alexander : So they might say no.

(TXT to Alexander) Benedict : Well the exhumation is a court order, although it goes a lot smoother if they say yes.

(TXT to Benedict) Alexander : It'd be awkward if they fought it. And Benjamin's too.

(TXT to Alexander) Benedict : Yeah. We'll just see how it goes. All we can do really.

(TXT to Benedict) Alexander : I would like to search Benjamin's house. Would you like to search it, too? Since there does seem to be some sort of Weird component, we might find something the regular cops didn't. And you're a mover. You might be able to sense hidden rooms.

(TXT to Alexander) Benedict : That's a good idea. I'll swear out a search warrant in the morning.

(TXT to Benedict) Alexander : ::party hat emoji::

(TXT to Alexander) Benedict : Indeed. I don't really like Benjamin for it, but you never know.

(TXT to Benedict) Alexander : Someone wanted to frame him, and someone killed him. He's involved somehow, whether he's the murderer or not.

(TXT to Alexander) Benedict : True enough.