PREVIOUS: 012: Party Split
Mossgrove Town Square
JAGAL: (as they leave) "...Am I supposed to know who the mayor is?"
LUCYA: "Ye havenae figured it out yet? The mayor is me Pa! Though he dinnae take much pleasure a the job..."
JAGAL: “Oh, of course, I shoulda guessed that already after seeing your blooming castle, huh, Princess?”
LUCYA: "What's that s'posed tae mean..."
Lucya's voice trails off as they turn a corner, and in the distance she sees the man, with nary a chance to brace herself.
LUCYA: "Auh, poor Pa..."
The de facto mayor of Mossgrove is a small, frumpy man, whose ginger hair seems to have gravitated from the top of his head to his neatly trimmed mustache. Judging by the slump in his shoulders as he talks to Adda, he's none too happy about the progress in the murder investigation.
Duncan: "...Aye, 'tis almost unanimous. Tomorrow mornin'..."
Jagal raises an eyebrow at the apparent confusion, but it seems there are more important things to worry about now.
Adda: “Haaah. Isnae lookin’ like I’ll find much more if we wait, anyhow. S’pose it’s best tae get this over with ‘fore somebody makes more of a mess than we already got.”
Keenly aware that they are likely to become the mess-makers Adda is talking about, Lucya sighs and approaches the bench.
LUCYA: "Pardon me, Ms. Adda, but--"
DUNCAN: "L-Lucya! There ye are!"
Duncan nearly drops his paperwork in the rush to embrace his daughter. Seems like he'd heard she was in town already-- probably a good thing, as he might've had a heart attack otherwise.
DUNCAN: "Auh, me lovely girl! Are ye alright? Why are ye back so soon...? A-and who is yer friend?"
LUCYA: "I-I'm okay, Pa! And this man, I have hired him tae show me the lay a the land, his name is Jagal! We came back tae deliver a basket from Mr. Shrek o' Lostmoor..."
Duncan eyes Jagal warily, but it doesn't affect his polite demeanor.
DUNCAN: "I see... A pleasure t'meet ye, Mr. Jagal."
DUNCAN: (sighs) "Auh, how many snails did he give ye this time...?"
Adda looks up at Lucya addressing her but certainly isn’t going to interrupt the reunion. She just wears something approximating a smile and sips at her tea for now.
Jagal just watches with slightly raised eyebrows until his introduction. He gives a little sardonic bow.
JAGAL: “Oh, but the pleasure is mine.”
JAGAL: (snorts) “What, is he overrunning your home with snails? Just one this go, far as I could see, at least.”
DUNCAN: "Aye, e'er since he found out Aleksy likes 'em-- that's me son-- he sends 'em every month! Payin' nae heed that me wife cannae stand the things..."
He laughs a little at that, but it doesn't last long. The current situation weighs too heavily on him.
DUNCAN: "Well, thank ye kindly-- did ye take it tae the house already? I'll head back there sometime tonight..." (sighs) "Eventually..."
Jagal snorts, neither weighed down by the situation nor quite as amused to begin with.
JAGAL: "Nooo problem! It is at the house, yes... But I'd be happy to fetch the basket now if you'd rather? You do seem like you could use a drink."
Duncan seems to genuinely consider it, long enough for Lucya to do a double take, but he shakes his head glumly.
DUNCAN: "Nay, not till the work is done... Wouldnae be fair tae victim or accused."
LUCYA: "Pa, about that...! Will ye let us help investigate?"
DUNCAN: "Eh? B-but..."
LUCYA: "Please! Poor Togan needs somebody on his side! Too many things are strange about this..."
JAGAL: "Oh, absolutely. Since it sounds like things are in such a rush, no less... What could possibly make you wanna turn down two people eager to help out? Especially when I've got a little experience with just this kinda thing..."
JAGAL: (gesturing) "Not to mention, you're clearly gonna have plenty to deal with tomorrow, too. It's best to take whatever breaks you can, isn't it? Get enough rest to make sure you can still be up to the task until it's all over? That's gotta be what's fairest to everyone involved, yeah? You're clearly working too hard, both of you. Just kick back—just for a little while—and we'll see what we can do for you."
LUCYA: (muttering) "...What has gotten intae ye, wee man?"
Lucya and Duncan both do the same Face™ at almost exactly the same time, though Duncan catches himself much more quickly.
DUNCAN: "With all due respect, sir, I know me limits full well. I cannae think of restin' while there's sunlight tae work by! That said..."
DUNCAN: "...If ye've already figured out this much, Lucya, and ye think yer friend can help us... "
LUCYA: "Oh, thank ye, Pa! Thank ye, thank ye!"
Lucya stoops over to hug her pa again, but he's not quite done talking.
DUNCAN: "Just-- remember who ye are, aye? The mayor's daughter and the accused's betrothed... 'Twill be doubly hard tae get anyone t'listen."
JAGAL: (backing off) “Oh, I didn’t mean to imply otherwise. Knowing and respecting are just two different things in times like these, sometimes people need an excuse, that’s all.”
Adda huffs into her tea at that.
ADDA: “Wouldn’t mind an excuse myself.” (feeling at least one look) “…That’s a joke. I’m fine.”
JAGAL: “Well! We appreciate the understanding! So, we’ll wanna check out the store—Oh, and I’m guessing the man himself isn’t still there? Has he been, uh, interred yet, or…”
DUNCAN: "Pearce-- rest his soul-- is at his family's home, but the rest a the scene should be intact, aye. And we cannae bury him until we find his killer, or... S-so, ye should be able tae see the body, if need be."
DUNCAN: "Auh, and if ye see Togan's parents, will ye let me know? Miga and Bevan, that's their names. I haven't seen 'em since the incident, and I'm mighty worried..."
DUNCAN: "And some a the other citizens are bein' quite a bit less charitable about it, aye?"
Jagal nods along before waving the last parts off.
JAGAL: "Oh, they're just holed up at their place. I talked to them earlier."
DUNCAN: "A-already? They're alright?! Auh, thank goodness..."
Jagal nods with a "yes, I'm just that good at this" kind of look.
LUCYA: "Aye, see? We're helpin' already!"
LUCYA: "We'll get t'the bottom of this, Pa...! Even if Jagal has tae do some a the talkin'."
ADDA: "Here, I can write Veren a note fer ye."
Adda picks out a scrap of paper that must not be that important and scribbles on the back of it. She offers it to Lucya.
ADDA: "That oughtae get ye started at the scene."
LUCYA: "Thank ye, Ms. Adda!~"
Jagal squints at the implication that him doing the talking would be a terrible concession to make, but he can address that later.
As the investigation permission powwow seems to wrap up, someone dares to approach. Though her posture and resting expression are rather severe, she comes to a stop a respectful distance away until she can be certain she isn't interrupting anything.
LUCYA: "Auh...? Hello, Granny!"
Duncan looks up with a start.
DUNCAN: "Auh! C-can I help ye, ma'am?"
GRANNY: "Dearie me, I didnae mean to frighten anyone. Do forgive me." (dipping head) "It may be a bit presumptuous tae say 'good day' in these circumstances, but it is good to see ye."
GRANNY: (to Duncan) "I don't mean tae trouble ye, dear. But if there's anything more I can do for ye, let me know, aye?"
Granny glances over Jagal and gives him a tight smile, resisting the immediate urge to double-check her pockets.
GRANNY: "And a fine young man from out-of-town, I take it? Pleased tae meet ye, dear. Do call me Granny if ye like—it may as well be me name at this point, hohoh."
DUNCAN: "Ye've already been a mighty help, thank ye... Should I draw yer name fer the jury, I'll let ye know."
Lucya doesn't seem to perceive the woman's intimidating aura. She trots over to give her a hug. Granny accepts the hug readily, reaching to pat Lucya on the head as if she's still four feet tall.
JAGAL: "That's me. Jagal, The Jackal, Jack—any of those'll do. Nice to meet you, too, of course..." (watching the hug) "I get the impression you two know each other?"
LUCYA: "Aye, I have helped her in the orchard during the harvest fer many a year...!"
LUCYA: "Ye may have tae excuse us though, Granny. We oughtae get goin' afore the sun sets..."
GRANNY: "She's always been such a hard worker, too." (to Duncan) "I know yer very proud of her."
GRANNY: (pulling back) "Aye, of course. Yer headed back home, then?"
Jagal just kinda nods along, not terribly invested.
LUCYA: "Auh, well..."
For once in her life, Lucya stops to consider whether she should actually be telling people every last detail.
LUCYA: "Nay, I've got some errands tae run first, but I will see ye around, aye?"
GRANNY: "Oh, I see. Be careful then, dear. I'm sure there's naught tae be anxious about, but..."
JAGAL: "I'll be around to keep an extra eye out for her, too. No worries."
GRANNY: (back to the forced polite smile) "Aye, of course. I'll see ye later, then."
NEXT: 014: CSI: Ironlands