Southend

2.

by MistThing, published on December 25, 2000

-"What do ya mean, 'there is no Scotland Yard in Glasgow'?"- Gabriel looked stunned at the information clerk seated at her booth at the Glasgow airport-"What are they called 'Scotland Yard' for, if they're in London?"

-"Look, Jimmy... nothin' I can do tae solve this problem"-the clerk girl was losing her patience-"However, if yah'd like yah can contact the local police forces fer help."

Gabriel, tired out and furious at his own stupidity, gave up. "Ah hell, just tell me where I can find the local police then."

-"Are yah real?"-the clerk girl stared at him with her mouth open-"Mind, Strathclyde Police has plenty o' divisions!"

-" Ah... which is the biggest one?"-Gabriel felt like shaking the information out of that girl.

-"Auch...just take this..." the girl shoved one of her brochures into his hands-"Yah can find everythin' there...dah yer readin'..."

"I hope it's in damn English"-Gabriel gave the clerk a nasty look and searched through the booklet. That mysterious Saunders guy mentioned the Western Highlands. The area closest to that description in the brochure's map was...ah...Argyll and Bute? OK. Lets try Dumbarton Police Office - Divisional Headquarters. As Gabriel hurried towards one of the exits, he tried to imagine Grace, but her face came out blurry, and all that he felt was a growing sense of numbness.

...Gabriel stared at the Dumbarton police station. Damn you, Saunders, whoever you are...Fine...Here goes nothing... He took a deep breath and stepped inside, approaching what mostly resembled a bored, irritated desk sergeant.

-"Excuse me, officer"-Gabriel wore his most captivating smile.

The constable did his best to ignore him, as if it would make the new nuisance disappear. Finally he said, "Speak up, lad, I hear yah."

-"I am looking for a-" Gabriel paused "-a Detective Ryan Saunders."

-"Never heard of one."

-"But you could look him up in your computer there, can you?"

-"Aye, but do I want tae?"

-"Please," Gabriel used his most convincing tone-"Just a few hours ago, a Detective Ryan Saunders phoned me, informing me that a close friend of mine had been killed in a plane crash over the West Isles. I just got off a flight from New Orleans, myself, so I could talk to that detective face to face..." he couldn't determine if that influenced the constable at all.

The constable gave Gabriel an odd look. "Dreadful crash, a real burach it wiz. I'd like to see some form of ID, please." Gabriel gave him his passport. He sighed and ran Saunders' name in his computer. "No Ryan Saunders"-he said-"No Sanders, either."

What the heck, Gabriel thought, got nothin' to lose, might as well try Plan B now. "I have some important information about the plane crash" -he said-"I'd like to speak to whoever is in charge of this case."

The sergeant eyed him. "A wee trouble maker, are yah? A right bampot!"

-"I didn't get half of what you just said, officer, but I can prove that Grace Nakimura is alive, and I'll prove it only to the officer in charge of the investigation."

-"That would be Chief Inspector MacAlister" -said the sergeant-"and he'd have me erse oot the windae fer this, but...sh*te..." He picked up the phone, as Gabriel hoped he would do. "Chief Inspector MacAlister, Sir...sorry to interrupt, but there’s an American here, a Gabriel Knight, who claims tae know a thing 'bout the plane crash at the Mull of Kintyre, Sir...He says one of the passengers is alive...Aye, and he says a Detective Ryan Saunders informed him...Wha? Fine, Sir, I will." He put down the receiver in awe. "Chief said you go in."

-"Could you repeat that for me?" taunted Gabriel.

-"Don' push yer luck."

-"I appreciate what you did, Officer-" he looked at the name tag -"Kirkland. So, how do I find Chief Inspector MacAlister?"

...Gabriel knocked on the heavy wooden door.

-"Yes!"

Gabriel decided it meant he could push the door open. He stepped into a relatively large room, its walls covered with various photos displaying uniformed men, and some illustrations portraying men in kilts. The family tree? Wondered Gabriel.

-"Sit down, please, Mr. Knight." The uniformed man behind the huge desk at his late forties was probably Chief Inspector MacAlister. There was another man there, though, a younger officer, seated across the chief. "How're yah doin', Mister Knight?" he asked, gesturing at the vacant leather armchair beside him. That voice had been burnt into Gabriel's mind. "Detective Ryan Saunders. Nice to know that you do exist." Gabriel shook MacAlister's hand, and then Saunders'. He noticed both had similar silver signet rings.

-"What d'yah mean, that I do exist?"-asked Saunders, and then he understood. "You hung up the phone before you gave me a chance to explain, Mister Knight. You probably had trouble findin' me. I was transferred temporarily from the Scotland Yard to take part in this investigation."

-"Hope you don’t mind my asking" said Gabriel "but if you live in London, where did you get your accent from?"

-"Well"-Saunders smiled lightly-"I thought I lost most o' my accent by now. I was born 'n' raised in the Western Highlands, Mister Knight. Moved tah London 'bout the age o' eighteen. Joined the Met there."

-"Oh." Gabriel observed the huge desk that separated Chief Inspector MacAlister from Saunders and himself. "That's quite an impressive piece there," he told MacAlister, looking at a silver figure that stood there in plain view. MacAlister and Saunders exchanged glances, saying nothing. The figure on the table showed an encircled hand holding a dagger pointed upwards, with the word "FORTITER" engraved above it. This is the same symbol they have on their rings, thought Gabriel.

-"What did you want to share with us, Mister Knight?"-asked MacAlister -"Why do you think that your friend is alive?"

-"I gathered you'd tell me first, what made you believe she was dead"-Gabriel felt he was walking on a thin thread, having not even a bit of information to share-"you found her body?"

Saunders said, "We haven't recovered her body yet, Mr. Knight, but-"

MacAlster waved him, signaling him to shut up. "As I see it, Mr. Knight, you have nothing valuable to tell us at all" -he said flatly-"I am sorry for your loss. Goodbye, Mr. Knight."

I guess this is the end of the interview, Gabriel thought. He got up, nodded to both men, and stepped out. As he closed the door behind him - almost completely - he heard MacAlister raising his voice angrily at Saunders.

Last update: October 24, 2007

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Southend

2.