Faithless…another new piece of writing…unedited…

We walked out of the Fredericks Building into the warm sunshine. Lilly got in on the passenger side, and I drove us toward the police precinct. 

“Do you think the board members know where the missing Trinity folks are hiding?”

“I think they’re dead.”

Lilly looked over at me and frowned. I gave her my best smile.

“You really think they’re dead?”

“Yeah. I think the killer is playing a game with us. They’ve revealed the first piece already.”

“Travis Franks.”

“Yeah.”

“How do you know this, Thermopolis?”

“It’s a theory. I don’t have anything solid to prove it, yet. However, look at how Travis Franks was killed.”

“His body was found on the tracks. Ashley can’t make heads or tails of it. We’re still waiting on her official report.”

“Exactly. The only thing that stood out at the scene was another set of prints that led to the tunnel. The same prints the rain washed out. Then, there’s also the way the body was revealed.”

“What do you mean?”

“The weather was insane, a Mississippi monsoon. It rained all night, and all the next day, and washed any evidence of foul play away.”

“Leaving the killer free to walk away.”

“Yes. If my theory is correct.”

“It makes a sick kind of sense, Konan. Here’s my question then, why would the board claim to know where the owners are? Why would they make us secure a warrant, and then not be able to show us the Trinity?”

“I don’t know. If it’s a bluff, it’s not a very good one. Unless they were telling the truth to begin with.”

“Well, I agree with your theory, but there’s only one way to know if your theory holds weight…”

“Let’s go get that warrant.”

Chief Janko sat in the Murder Room and waited for Konan and Lilly to arrive. He sniffed and propped his feet up on the detective’s desk. 

“I swear to God, these two are always stirring up something. I should fire them both.”

“Everything alright, Chief?”

Detective Manson stared at Janko, and he nodded his head. He suddenly felt much older than his 61 years. 

“Yeah. I’m just waiting for Thermopolis and Lilly to come in.”

“They’re up to their usual hi-jinks, I take it?”

“Yeah. They’re making me old before my time. Those two…”

“Are better than the rest of your detectives combined?”

“They are good detectives, Manson, but would it kill them to stay out of trouble? Does every day have to start with a calamity?”

Manson laughed and walked to her desk. It was true that the pair did stay in trouble, but Konan and Lilly were beyond competent. They’d solved many crimes in their few short years together. No matter what they had done, the town needed them prepped for the next case.

Even if the town didn’t know it, or the powers that be refused to acknowledge it.