Just the Man for the Job

Summer 2021, Week 5

Tuesday evening

Ryder Hooker's Trailer, The Wards

Storyteller

A figure obscured by a large raincoat approaches Ryder's trailer as the rain starts back up again, a turbulent weather pattern to go with an unsettling turn of events. The figure reaches the door and brings a hand up to its surface. The knocks were solid and evenly spaced, reminiscent of a police knock just not as loud. Following them came a voice in an accent that sounded.. Canadian? It was definitely a Canadian accent but the voice itself sounds fake, almost robotic.  

John "Blink" Doe

"Mr. Hooker? Are you home? I have an urgent matter I need to speak with you about, if you'll let me trouble you for a moment." It was all Blink could do to approach unannounced and place things into the hands of another. He didn't have much time after all, and he'd hate to leave things as they were.  

Ryder Hooker

With a deep sigh Ryder rose from his couch. It was typical. Another night that ended with him not on his bed. Head pounding, lips cracked and dry like the Mojave, Another black eye, and now someone knocking his front door down.   Well if you keep drinking you can’t get hung over. He thought wishfully grabbing his handgun and a bottle of whatever cheap shitty booze managed to graced his so called “liquor cabinet.” He was turning out more like his father with each sip as he sluggishly made his way to the door drawing his gun and opening it slightly. What the fuck is that? How drunk am I? “Uhm y-yes I’m home. W-who are you?”  

John "Blink" Doe

"I suppose you could say I'm a colleague. I work privately as a detective, mostly volunteering my time to help the police." he says through the noise of the rainfall all around him. He keeps a tight grip on his raincoat to avoid loosing it in the sudden gusts of wind, as it's the only thing keeping him remotely dry. Despite all this, he did not seem to be attempting to try and get Ryder to let him in, but rather seemed pretty calm and content with the situation. "I took up a new case recently but I've found myself needing to leave the city.. I was hoping I could pass what I have on to you and have you look into it in my stead."  

Ryder Hooker

Okay this isn’t a hallucination from drinking. “Come on in. They don’t like evo’s in this part of town.” He opened the door and ushered the man in a gun in its holster just in case the man was lying but he didn’t seem it. “Right, so you’re passing it off to me….you do realise I am unlicensed correct?” Ryder looked like shit. He was hung over, beaten black and blue his lips were so dry they were cracked open and swollen from the beatings.  

John "Blink" Doe

He didn't seem to react one way or the other to the mention of him being an evo, but he enters as he is offered the shelter and removes the raincoat, leaving it by the door as to not make too much of a mess. The necessity (or lack thereof) of the gesture didn't matter to Blink, it was simply a habit.   "You have a reputation for finding the unbiased truth, Mr. Hooker, and that is all that matters to me." he replies, the somewhat robotic voice easier to hear without the sounds of the rain to drown it out. "I trust you will bring that truth to light in some shape or form."  

Ryder Hooker

“Heh yeah….” Admittedly he had gotten a few bigger case before. Not anything like he was going to get. Mostly things like breaking and entering. “Well I try my best too but cases have been mostly dry.” Taking a swig of whiskey Ryder sat down at his desk and featured to the chair across from him for blink to sit in. “What have you got for me?”  

John "Blink" Doe

He sits once offered, and then places a flash drive on the desk. "The case is the Homicide that took place in Port Victoria a week ago today. Victim is a man by the name of Jeffery Markus Fletcher, a worker at the docks. That contains all the information I've gathered on the case so far. I have a hunch that an Evo is involved based on a few factors, so be careful if you do decide to look into this. That being said, the police have all but given up on the case as they have their hands full with everything else going on in the city, so you are likely the only one that can get to the bottom of this."  

Ryder Hooker

FUCK I don’t have a computer. Okay just act cool and listen. Ryder nodded listening and sipping his drink rather fast before picking up the flash drive. “Was any DNA left behind at the scene? What indications was it that there was an evo killer? Have we talked to the Victims family? Are they any suspects or am I working a completely dead case?”  

John "Blink" Doe

"No family to talk to unfortunately. There was a note left with the body that read 'Those who needlessly flaunt or abuse their power do not deserve to keep it, nor their life.' and there was a report of the victim using an evo power to assault a group of people the day before he was found. This suggests the victim was an evo and was killed for his 'abuse' of the power. Combine this with the fact that rigor mortis seems to have set in more quickly than normal and a lack of blood on the the body and around the several stab wounds leads me to believe this wasn't a normal homicide. No prints or DNA found at the scene and the autopsy came back with nothing to show for it, but I didn't get to check the body myself. As far as suspects there wasn't much to go on, but I compiled a list of other people who work at the docks who would be most likely to have witnessed or taken part in the crime. I narrowed the list down to 17 people, though there is no guarantee that one of them is the killer."  

Ryder Hooker

“Right so I’m going to have to figure this out on my own. Is the scene of the crime still taped up? Are there EHEA detectives on the case?” He asked oddly calm as he took another sip. “Well that’s a good list to start with asking about do you have their addresses or do I have to find them myself?”  

John "Blink" Doe

"Names, addresses, and phone numbers are listed in that drive. The EHEA has not gotten involved, likely not a big enough threat to warrant them sending anybody. Crime scene was cleaned up Sunday, the rain likely washed away anything that was left. There are pictures of the scene on that drive as well though."  

Ryder Hooker

“Got it.” Ryder slid the drive into his pocket trying to act off the headache that was ringing like a church bell in his skull. He couldn’t figure out if it was the beatdown from whatever local gang was nearby or if it was the aggressive hangover. “And has the body been cremated or buried yet? Or is it still getting checked in the morgue?”  

John "Blink" Doe

"The body is still being held but no telling when they'll release it. Thank you for taking this on for me, I understand that it's a lot to ask."  

Ryder Hooker

“Okay. Well i’m going to head to the morgue now then try and get in before they close up.” Ryder dug throw a drawer in his table and pulled something out quickly putting it into his jacket pocket as he looked to Blink. “Oh this is more then a lot, you’re asking me to go back in time and watch the murder happen. But I’ll try.”  

John "Blink" Doe

He stands up as Ryder turns back to him. "Then I'll leave you to it. Just try not to get yourself killed, eh? Your last encounter doesn't look like it went all that well." he says jokingly. His tone wasn't condescending though, more of a concern masked by the attempt to make light of it.  

Ryder Hooker

“Yeah well not my fault I owe the local gang money I don’t have. I’ll be fine. If I die I’ll at least do it doing my job.”  

John "Blink" Doe

The idea of dying while doing a job and being content with that struck a cord in Blink. He didn't think he was running from death, the deep rooted fear accompanied by those flashbacks days ago felt like the anticipation of something much worse than death, and yet he was nonetheless leaving his job to someone else so that he could flee from that fear.. He felt shameful of his choice and simultaneously proud of the man before him that was not only willing to take on that very same job he was leaving behind, but also willing to die in the process of pursuing that truth.   "Dedication to one's job is a virtue, and one it seems I lack.. Here," he says as he pulls a keycard out of his pocket and places it onto the desk. "it's a cheap motel but it's paid off for the rest of the year. I'll be gone for at least a month or two if not longer, so feel free to use it as a safehouse while I'm gone. Since I can't pay you and there's no guarantee of reward from the Chief, it's both the most and the least I can do."  

Ryder Hooker

“I’m sure you’ve got your reasons.” Ryder took the keycard with two fingers and inspected it. “I swear I’m cursed with not being paid properly for my work.” Ryder sighed as the burning cigarette was tapped into the ashtray another long rip of the smoke flooding his young lungs burning inside of them like coals on a fire. As he looked to the bullet holes that decorated his trailer like the holes in cartoon cheese. “Anywhere’s gotta be better then here at the moment. I’ll make room on my cork board for researching and get to the morgue as soon as I can.”  

John "Blink" Doe

He extends an arm to offer a handshake. "I'm honestly not sure if we shall ever cross paths again but it was a pleasure to meet you nonetheless, Mr. Hooker. I truly can't thank you enough, I know I've left the case in good hands."  

Ryder Hooker

Ryder extended his hand to shake the other man’s and sliding the keycard away. “Likewise. Don’t worry will try my best to get this case solved.”  

John "Blink" Doe

He nods and turns towards the door where he starts to put his raincoat back on. The rain had subsided but it wouldn't be the first time tonight that it calmed down only to immediately pick up even heavier than before. Just before he opens the door he turns his head to look back at Ryder again. "It only just now occurs to me that I never properly introduced myself. I don't remember my birth name, if I have one, but my friends call me Blink. Better than John Doe, eh?"  

Ryder Hooker

“A name’s a name. Blink. Friendly word of advice. Once you’re out that door don’t stop people don’t take kindly to Evo’s or have my hospitality.”  

John "Blink" Doe

He smiles. "I appreciate the concern but you'd be surprised how many recklessly kind people like you exist out there among the masses. If we close ourselves off from others out of fear for our lives how many innocent calls for help would we end up ignoring? How many allies would go unfound? How many mysteries would remain unsolved? Whatever the answer, it's too many for my liking. Besides, I fear something much greater than anything a hateful mob could do to me." He speaks the last sentence somewhat under his breath as he turns back away and opens the door, stepping outside immediately afterwards.