CB's Grim Frequencies IC -- COMPLETE

[Forged Fury]

Cyril couldn't help but laugh. "Nearly the entire premise of your argument is based on an expectation of quality journalism. I hate to be a joykill, but..."

Rather than finishing the thought, he said, "OK, I'm game. Why do you think it involves a local Indian tribe? I mean, I'm not familiar with tribal law, but that's usually going to involve BIA to some degree. Since Deena told us it was the State Police, is she part of the shadow government too?"

The former lawyer jokingly scooted his chair away from the woman.

 

[Shayuri]

"That's admittedly a bit of a leap on my part," Otter says with a shrug. "I figured that sort of investigation would be politically sensitive enough to warrant a coverup. Not to mention, there's usually land use stuff going on between local governments and tribes, right? Stuff that could be construed as a motive."

She looks at Deena. "Any friction between the Mayor, that other dude who died, and the tribes lately? Probably should have asked that first."

"Anyway, as for journalism...you'd be surprised. Local papers are different. Everyone KNOWS you. If you get something wrong, or do a bad job, it's not random goobers on Twitter that come after you...it's your family and friends. A local writer on a local subject...they'll usually get the facts right, and put some emotion in the piece. Especially if quoting the wife. Look at this. It's like a robot wrote it."

 

[KirayaTiDrekan]

Feral found that the more Otter talked, the more he wanted to strangle her. It was the voice. Somewhere between high-pitched anime and psychotic cackling, all coming out of someone who looked like a cross between Luna Lovegood and Harley Quinn.

"Who cares? Let's just go check it for ourselves. Yeesh."

 

[CanadienneBacon]

The server's eyes ping-ponged back and forth between Cyril and Otter. She leaned on the cash register counter and forgot her other customers. When Otter hollered for ice cream, the server perked up. "Ice cream coming up, sure thing, darlin'. HEY, DARRYL! GIRLIE WANTS ICE CREAMS OUT HERE!!" Deena opened her mouth a couple of times to say something, then gave up. She had enough years in law enforcement to realize a side show when she saw one. She pushed her chair back to give Otter more room to stand, and appeared to lean back, enjoying the show just as much as the server.

When the ice cream belatedly appeared, along with Styrofoam boxes and a healthy dose of tin foil, Deena chimed in. "The DNR agent was out last night. He referred the case to the state police. The county sheriff would love to know why, but neither the agent--his name's Phil Fry--nor the ISP will say anything. We'd like to be included, we normally are included. Not sure why this time's different."

 

[CanadienneBacon]

"[Otter] looks at Deena. "Any friction between the Mayor, that other dude who died, and the tribes lately? Probably should have asked that first."

"The Mayor was everybody's friend. Jovial guy." Deena paused, confused. "What tribes?"

 

[Shayuri]

"Because you blab," Otter said, dipping her last gator nugget into the ice cream experimentally and then putting it into her mouth. "Blab blab blab. You're doing it now even. That's why we're even discussing it. And then it's all baseless speculation combined with equal and opposite amounts of brilliant deduction and the truth drowns like alligators in chocolate syrup."

"Oh, tribes right. I dunno, what tribes do you got out here?"

 

[Forged Fury]

Cyril nabbed the tin foil and started working on it. "So... the conspirators were worried about local police gabbing, but figured they could slip a front-page story about a significant event into a small-circulation newspaper and no one would notice or say anything about it?" The former lawyer folded the sheet of tin foil in half, then folded the upper right and left corners into the center and smoothed it, creating a triangle with a short edge on the bottom. "Because journalists and newspaper owners are notoriously willing to work with government agencies to plant fake information in their newspapers." The man took the bottom edge and folded it up on each side of the triangle, creating something that looked like a boat. "They're definitely the last people to cry First Amendment, particularly in comparison to LEOs. Gotcha." Holding up the triangle, he pulled the sides apart at the bottom, making a cute, sliver hat and plopped in in front of Otter.



Glancing over at Feral he asked, "Hold up, why are we looking into this? They didn't seem too happy about us going off the reservation last time."

 

[Shayuri]

"Cool, now the dogs can't control me anymore!"

She snatched up the hat and put it on.

 

[Forged Fury]

Cyril deadpanned, "You're welcome."

 

[Shayuri]

"Anyway, I don't really care about this, and I don't really care about you, so if it was any other time of day, I'd shrug and against the laws of Men and Gods say you're right about not investigating this, and we'd all drive back home and think nothing more about this."

She glanced at her watch and nodded.

"It is, however, nut up or shut up time."