A day of time wasters

There are days in a private investigators life that really don't seem to get you anywhere. I'm sure it is the same in any profession but when you don't have savings, regular and stable employment or a ridiculously large inheritance to live off it can be a little more than frustrating when you are faced with a day of dealing with time wasters.

Having people constantly phone you and ask if you are offering Black Friday discounts is one thing, but to have people phoning and asking you to work for them and then not paying their bills and refusing any form of contact even to the extent of pretending you don't exist when you are stood a few inches in front of them.

Of course as annoying as that is, it is again but a passing frustration compared to having people coming through your door, asking for quotes for services, shaking their head and sucking air through their teeth whatever number you say and then try and negotiate a deal with you that invariably they then turn around and say "on second thoughts, I don't think I'll bother."

It really is something that more dead bodies aren't found in my office.

When you work for yourself it is always difficult making ends meet (what with people failing to pay their bills on time if they do at all) but when you have people coming through your door and wasting time, it really gets on your last nerve.

Fred tells me that I should be more patient as having a reputation for bad customer service is not a way to run a business. If I was a shop owner than I might agree but in a private investigator people don't want a happy, go lucky, sunny disposition. They want someone who looks like they can survive in the underworld and get them what they need - or at least everyone who seems to bother me wants that.

Harry on the other hand thinks that I should try and branch out into other areas, diversifying my business. I am not entirely convinced that offering to blackmail people to go to birthday parties or family events would be any more lucrative than the time wasters that I have to deal with no. I am also not sure that offering people tours of the crime hotspots of the city will be as popular as say studio backlot tours or maps to the stars homes.

Though I might not get shot at much and reducing my medical bills would be a very big plus...then again I wouldn't get to shoot as many people and where would the fun in that be?

Bringing the Raven Siren to Life

Help our talented team bring the Raven Siren to life in our crowdfunding project on GoFundMe.com

http://www.gofundme.com/d27mq0

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Learn more about the Raven Siren universe on the wiki

The Style



The style of this series is rooted in the classic style of film noir but slightly modernized with influences from classic films such as Casablanca. The project will be filmed in colour and have colours muted during the editing process.

The costumes and setting are to be shabby in design, slightly worn on the other side of worse for wear. Though there is a modern twist to the classic film noir there will be a dingy and dirty feel to the piece that are indicative of the underbelly of the city that Siren inhabits.

About the Raven Siren



The Nicolette Mace: the Raven Siren book series comprises of the following books:

Beginnings, the Kevin Metis Saga, the Derek Long Saga, Filling the Afterlife from the Underworld: Volume 1 & 2, The Case of Mrs. Weldon and Hunting the Priest Killer.

There is also a popular online blog that can be found at nicolettemace.blogspot.com. 

The Scripts

We are constantly working on the scripts in order to bring the shorts and web series of the Raven Siren to live and so far have one script ready to be filmed - Of All the Gin Joints and a futher three shorts that are being worked on. 

We aim to have a total of 6 shorts (between 3 and 12 minutes in length) before we start filming the Web Mini Series that has 6 epsiodes per series (between 10 and 30 minutes in length) and has a total of four series at the moment. 

After we have filmed these we have a a further 6 series that we want to produce contain 10 episodes with each episode being around 45 minutes in length.

We will be raising funds for each series separately and currently are focusing on raising funds for the six shorts. 

What we will spend the money on?


The budget for each episode is worked out seperately based upon the number of people involved, the length of the episode being filmed, the costume, the set, the props needed and length of time that filming takes.

Of All the Gin JointsBudget: £600

£69.18 - Siren's Costume
Siren's costume is made up of black, worn, working boots, black combat or cargo trousers, a long black trench coat, her trade mark trilby and a black tank top.

£58.95 - Simon's Costume
Simon's costume is made up of a three piece suit, minus the jacket with a crisp white shirt, red tie, dress shoes and braces.

£72.50 - Air Squib and Blood Shots hire
This piece of machinery is the safest way to operate squbs on a small scale and will allow of 8 takes of the same injury if necessary.

£25.50 - Siren's lighter
Siren's lighter is one prop that is consistent throughout the Siren stories from as far back as Beginnings: Part 2. It is a zippo lighter that has been a gift from Fred Barlow to show how much he cares for her though the design of the lighter it is completely at odds with her character and persona. 

£220 - Siren's Beretta M84 9mm
Siren's gun is one of the most important props to get right for this project. The reason it costs so much is that it is a metal replica that is not a BB gun. It fires blanks safely so can be used to film with minimal injury. We are currently looking at cheaper alternatives to this but so far the alternatives do not look real or are too dangerous to fire in the confines of the shooting space.

*We have found two alternatives to the Beretta M84 that cost around half the price and are currently investigating the safety of using them in our shooting space.

£40 - Food and Drink on set
This will include all coffee, tea, lunch and dinner for the cast and crew during the day of filming.

£60 - Travel & Transport to location

£53.87 - Cast & Crew Expenses

The StreetsBudget: £200

Siren's costume is the same as in previous short as are the props.

£40 - Food and Drink on set

£60 - Travel and Transport to location

£100 - Extra lighting equipment for filming outdoors at night.

The Fred & Siren AffairBudget: £600

Siren's costume is the same as in previous short as are the props.

£40 - Food and Drink on set

£85 - Travel and Transport to location

£300 - Pay for the actors and crew involved in the short as it will take place over several days.

£100 - location fees

£75 - Fred's Costume

Other episodes & budgetsWe currently estimate that each episode will cost around £600. Budgets will be broken down as and when we have a better idea of what each episode will entail but we shall be working to only have £600 per episode available.

The Plot "Of All the Gin Joints"This short film is set in the club that Simon owns and sees Siren and Simon locking horns over his criminal activities. The current set for the club is a dance hall club including stage and seating though this is subject to change due to the availability of the location.

The short is a battle of wits between Siren and Simon, a sharp and witty back and forth between two foes, one who is adverse to getting his hands dirty with violence and the other more inclined to leap to violence at the first opportunity.

This short has a place within the Raven Siren timeline between the stories Backtrack and The Shortest Day in the Kevin Metis Saga book.

Of All the Gin Joints Script (working script subject to change)
By c.s. woolley

Based on Nicolette Mace: the Raven Siren series by c.s. woolley

©c.s. woolley 

INT.DAY.THEATRE

Siren is stood on the stage smoking a cigarette. Behind her is a table on which a bottle of gin and glass both stand along with an ashtray, her cigarette case, lighter and gun. There is a chair stood next to the table with her trench coat lying on it as well as a folder containing financial documents. She is dressed in dark clothing. Simon enters.

SIREN

All the world’s a stage, the men and women merely pawns.

SIMON

I think you mean merely players.

Simon walks across the theatre floor in front of the stage, slowly, then up the stairs to the side of the raised seating and along one of the rows of chairs to find a seat around halfway up the seating. Siren’s eyes follow his movement.

SIREN

Where you are concerned, I think pawns is generous.

SIMON 

It’s been a long time since I last saw you. 

SIREN 

I tend to avoid socialising with people that make my skin crawl. 

SIMON 

That’s not what you said the last time we saw each other. 

SIREN 

You didn’t make my skin crawl then. SIMON Because I was paying you? 

SIREN 

We weren’t socialising when you were paying me. SIMON So what are you doing here if this isn’t a social call? 

SIREN 

I needed a drink. 

SIMON 

Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, you have to piss your money away in mine? If you were just looking for a drink you wouldn’t be stood on the stage. 

SIREN 

What can I say? I’m a sucker for dinner and a show. 

SIMON 

And here was me thinking that it was only policemen with terrible tailors that could turn your head. 

SIREN 

You wouldn’t know the first thing about turning a woman’s head, let alone mine. 

SIMON 

My ladies don’t complain. 

SIREN 

And what about your sister? 

SIMON 

Still think I had something to do with Fiona’s death? 

SIREN 

I think you were responsible for everything that happened to her. 

SIMON 

I paid you to investigate her disappearance, you got me the answers. 

SIREN 

You paid me to follow the leads you laid down for me. A two year old could have done it. What I didn’t know then was who owned this theatre. 

SIMON 

What can I say? I didn’t want you to get the wrong impression. 

SIREN 

Whatever impression you think you left, there was always something that didn’t quite sit right with me about the whole thing. 

SIMON 

You got paid, what more do you want? If you were looking for peace of mind then you chose poorly, Siren. 

SIREN 

I always have peace of mind, it helps not having a conscience. I could happily shoot you and be on my merry way without losing one wink of sleep. What I don’t like are loose ends. 

SIMON 

Life is an endless sea of loose ends, missed opportunities and failed relationships - or at least that’s what I am told your life is like. 

SIREN 

Loose ends tend to bug me, get under my skin and eat away until I’ve tied them up, so I looked into you and this theatre a lot more closely. 

SIMON 

So you’ve come down here for some long and drawn out discussion of my business undertakings? Are you really qualified to make such judgments? 

SIREN 

It took longer than I would have liked, but fortunately there are plenty of people willing to pay for information on their rivals. 

SIMON 

Switched to corporate espionage now have we? I thought you had more class than that. 

SIREN 

And I thought you had more brains than it takes to savagely murder your own sister. Turns out we were both wrong. 

SIMON 

If you could prove that you’d have Mr Knight in Shining Armour here putting me in handcuffs and dragging me away. 

SIREN 

Oh don’t worry, he’s on his way, but I wanted to talk to you first. 

SIMON 

You’re pathetic, you don’t have anything on me. 

SIREN 

Oh? I have these. The financial records for your club for the last four years and even a three year old could tell from looking at these that things just don’t add up. 

SIMON 

Since you never finished school I don’t think you can really speak with any authority about maths. 

SIREN 

No, but the police accountants can. 

SIMON 

What do you mean? 

SIREN 

The police accountants found all sorts of little anomalies - and when I say little, I mean about the size of Texas. 

SIMON 

You must be a terrible poker player, you really can’t bluff. 

SIREN 

So I looked into these little discrepancies and found out some very interesting things. 

SIMON 

Like what? 

SIREN 

It’s a wonder that you’re still open considering that business is so bad. 

SIMON 

I’m getting by. 

SIREN 

But how? A man who kills his own sister is hardly going to shy away from other felonious activities. 

SIMON 

You’re boring me now, Siren. 

SIREN

Boring, moi? Well then I will just have to make my act much livelier. 

SIMON 

I’m sure you could, but I have a meeting to get to. 

SIREN 

A meeting with a Colombian flavour? Yes, Simon, I know about the Colombians and that it is their money keeping these doors open not yours. 

SIMON

You’ve got nothing. 

SIREN 

I have names, date, meeting places and about forty men seizing the latest drug shipment to you right about now. 

SIMON 

You bitch. You won’t get away with this. 

SIREN 

People get away with crimes, not stopping them. You really should have sent more time in school. 

SIMON 

I won’t be brought down by an ill educated tramp. 

SIREN 

Good job I’m an ill educated psychopath then. 

SIMON 

So all the problems last week - that was you? 

SIREN 

Do you mean the disappearing drug shipment, the drug dealers that were arrested or the man from Essex that was found floating in the harbour who would have spoken with a latino accent before he ingested half the ocean? 

SIMON 

All of them. 

SIREN 

I wouldn’t know anything about them. 

SIMON 

You can’t prove any of what you are saying applies to me - you’ve only got your suspicions. 

SIREN

Well you were never stupid enough to write ’I’m in bed with Colombian drug lords and killed my sister so she wouldn’t go to the cops about it’ down anywhere but these is plenty of other things you did put down.

SIMON

I don’t believe this.

SIREN

So I know, better than you obviously, that I’ve got you, lock, stock and barrel. It’s over.

SIMON

I won’t take this lying down. 

SIREN

You don’t have a choice. Try to run and you’ll find that hot lead makes it harder to walk let alone move faster.

SIMON

You threatening me?

SIREN

You asking?

SIMON

You can’t threaten me in my own club.

SIREN 

Just watch me. 

Simon stands to leave the theatre and starts to move down the stairs. Siren picks up her pistol and shoots Simon in the leg. Simon collapses on the floor and rolls about in agony. Siren puts the gun down, drains her glass, puts out her cigarette, puts on her coat, puts her cigarettes, lighter and pistol in her pocket and walks out stepping over Simon as she leaves. Music composed by Emily Worrall and sung by Charlotte Hall fades up as she shoots Simon getting loudest as she leaves. 

CREDITS

The Cast & CharactersThere are only two characters that feature in this particular short - Nicolette Mace and Simon McGregor and are to be played by C.S. Woolley and Aaron Long respectively.

Nicolette Mace is a private investigator who is more vigilante than detective and is fixated with the ideal of vengeance being delivered under the guise of justice. She has a checkered past that has influenced her development into a slightly psychotic individual - the murder of her father, the murder and rape of her sister, her mother dying in suspicious circumstances and her own rape. She is seemingly without guilt or a conscience and has lost the fear that she had during a childhood of surviving being the daughter of a Private Investigator.

Simon McGregor is a club owner with a failing business that he is having to keep from bankruptcy through importing and distributing crack cocaine. Siren once helped Simon to find his sister, Fiona, however his upstanding credentials that he once held no longer act as a smokescreen protecting his business from Siren or those that have hired her.



C.S. Woolley appeared in the film Weekend (2011) and has appeared in several plays and musicals on stage that include Look Back in Anger (Helena), Black Comedy (Carol), the Importance of Being Earnest (Lady Bracknell) and Disposing of the Body (Kate).



Aaron Long appeared in The Last Road (2012) as the lead character of Toby and has just finished filming Feather-Light and Paper-Thin (2014) in which he plays the role of Lucas.

The CrewThe crew is a small but professional unit that operates under the name The Fastidious Monks.

Director - Jared Drake

Assistant Director - Michael L. Worrall

Screenwriter - C.S. Woolley

Composers - Michael L. Worrall & Emily Worrall

Costume Consultant & Head of Wardrobe - Sam Moden

Props - Sam Moden

Vocalist - Charlotte Hall

Best Boy - Charlotte Vivian

Producers - C.S. Woolley & Michael L. Worrall

Editor - Michael L. Worrall

Further additions to the crew are to be announced when availability is known. A health & safety officer will be appointed slightly closer to the filming date.

The Locations

These are to be confirmed based on availability & cost.

Why is this important?The Raven Siren book series is growing in popularity and the style of writing lends itself to being turned into short episodes very easily.

We set about putting together the Raven Series shorts and web series in order to see the books brought to life as well as complementing the stories, filling out the gaps between the stories and bring a dedicated and professional finish to the shorts and series that we are going to put together.
What we will do with the projectThe videos that we produce of the shorts will be available through the Nicolette Mace: the Raven Siren website that is currently in the design stages as well as on YouTube.

We will also be releasing the shorts and the web series in DVD format for purchase when we have enough filmed in order to make the DVDs good value for money.

The music from the series will also be available for sale through digital music sites.

Problems we may face
The potential risks of our project include delays in filming due to personnel being unavailable, equipment failing or breaking and the filming location being unavailable.

We have booked the locations for the filming in advance to try and ensure we have them available to us as well as keeping our equipment in the best possible condition. If any equipment were to fail or break we would be able to replace it within 24 hours.

Personnel have all been informed of the shooting date and call sheets will be distributed to make sure that everyone is on set when they need to be.

Please help support us in this by donating to the project and sharing about it on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and other forms of social media. We'll only be able to do this with your support!

Launch Day

To celebrate the release of Nicolette Mace: the Raven Siren - Filling the Afterlife from the Underworld: The Case of Mrs Weldon and Hunting the Priest Killer, there are several competitons being run for the next week on the Facebook pages of Nicolette Mace: the Raven Siren, Mightier Than the Sword UK and C.S. Woolley author page   Follow the instructions below to be in with a chance of winning! The Kevin Metia Saga a Rafflecopter giveaway The Derek Long Saga a Rafflecopter giveaway All four Filling the Afterlife from the Underworld books a Rafflecopter giveaway  

Murder in the First - Day 3

If it had been any other time of day when I had walked in Ryan, the sound of him yelling in surprise and fear would have brought all the boys in blue to investigate why people were screaming in Rogers' office when he was elsewhere in the world.

But even at 2am, I wasn't so sure that Ryan screaming wouldn't cause the officers on duty to fly into a panic, find him and arrest him.

So I made sure that my hand was placed firmly over Ryan's mouth when I woke him up.

This seemed like a sensible precaution on the surface, however I had failed to take into account that Ryan had been woken up like this before by men with big guns and malicious intent. So his reaction to a hand over his mouth wasn't exactly normal.

In short, he bit me.

If it had been any other time of day when I had walked in on Ryan, the sound of him yelling in surprise and fear would have brought all the boys in blue to investigate why people were screaming in Rogers' office when he was elsewhere in the world.

But even at 2am, I wasn't so sure that Ryan screaming wouldn't cause the officers on duty to fly into a panic, find him and arrest him.

So I made sure that my hand was placed firmly over Ryan's mouth when I woke him up.

This seemed like a sensible precaution on the surface, however I had failed to take into account that Ryan had been woken up like this before by men with big guns and malicious intent. So his reaction to a hand over his mouth wasn't exactly normal.

In short - he bit me.

And unlike other people my reaction to this wasn't to grip my hand in pain but something slightly more, well violent.

I punched him in the side of the head.

It didn't take long for it to descend into a bit of a brawl, which given the amount of noise we were making, I'm surprised didn't have men pounding up the stairs to investigate.

As it was, it took all of five minutes for Ryan to wake up properly, realize it was me and not one of the seventy-five different people who currently wanted him dead and stop fighting me.

The argument could always be made that if I hadn't fought back then we wouldn't have been brawling for five minutes as he would have stopped and realized it was me much earlier, but then again I hadn't had the chance to fight anyone in a while and it is such a good workout.

Ryan sat down and I told him what Fred had asked me to do. Ryan laughed - a lot and then told me I should leave it alone.

This wasn't completely unexpected.

Ryan had never wanted to get me too involved with his problems. Yes, he'd go to Fred when it was something he thought his older brother could sweep under the carpet, but big things like this were things that he tried to keep us both at arm’s length over.

It took about an hour of us arguing in hushed voices for him to not agree at all to me investigating the murder and me saying in no uncertain terms that I was going to find out who was responsible for Sonya Lesner's death whether he wanted me to or not.

There is just something about the Barlow men that just make me want to tear my hair out at times. I think it is their stubborn, self-sacrificing attitude, but it could be something else.

However I knew that Ryan was safe, well hidden and that I could access the police records through Rogers' computer without too many issues when the moment came for that. But first I needed to investigate what had been left at the crime scene and who had been in the area. Most of the witness probably wouldn't talk to the police, but with a little persuasion would talk to me.

Artistic Temperament

I have always thought the idea of having an artistic temperament is rather stupid.

The very idea of it seems to be designed to allow people who think they are more creative than others to behaviour in terrible ways and then to have it explained away by the phrase "artistic temperament" instead of it being labelled what it is...mardy childish fits.

I was set to thinking about this by Fred and Harry yesterday. The two of them decided that not only would it be a good idea to wake me up but that it would be an excellent idea to make me go shopping. Now waking me up is always a bit of a risk, the first time Harry tried to wake me up he ended up in hospital having two bullets dug out of his right shoulder...

...it's a good job that my aim isn't great when I'm drowsy...

...sleeping with a gun under my pillow has caused quite a few problems over the years...but this aside, I am generally in a bad mood when I wake up, well even more so than usual at least. Precautions are generally wise to take when waking me up.

Fred seems to have learned this lesson well, though being kicked in the crotch may have had a rather large impact on this. Harry still doesn't think he'll end up getting shot again, though there have been some close calls, as I said, my aim isn't really all that good when I am not fully awake.

Fred's way of waking me up has been to trap me in my duvet so I can't reach my gun and refuse to let me out until I have calmed down, of course what he and Harry are doing letting themselves into my apartment and office whilst I am asleep is quite another matter.

So they dragged me out shopping and as I was pulled away from the gunshop and towards the department stores where the two men were determined to make me buy something I could wear to all the charity events that they keep being invited to.

Why on earth they thought that I would want to dress up and go to dull charity events with them is beyond me, a room filled with people that I find boring and are so easily offended is about as much fun as being trapped in a box covered in honey and fire ants.

But it was this idea of making me attend charity events that got me to thinking about artistic temperament and that it is a way for overly sensitive people to justify why they constantly fly off the handle.

What I felt was a bit rich was when I told Harry about this and he told me that I was more hypocritical than most politicians as I was blessed with the most artistic temperament he has ever come across...I may have tasered him for that.

When he woke up in hospital a few hours later, I did apologize to him, not for using the taser on him as that was perfectly justified, what I did apologize for was the fact I'd tasered him right by the fireplace and he'd hit his head on the stone hearth when he fell and may have gotten concussion.

At least it'll teach him to say I have an artistic temperament.

Shrove Tuesday & Pancakes

Pancake day or Shrove Tuesday depending on your religious outlook on life has always been a day that is seemingly a day dedicated to gluttony.

My father and mother never celebrated that day at all, I'm not sure either of them knew how to cook and there wasn't a hob to cook them on in the apartment.

It wasn't until Fred and Harry took it upon themselves to include me in their lives or rather drag me kicking and screaming into their lives and traditions. Oddly enough though it wasn't Fred that had the idea to force feed me pancakes once a year, it was Harry.

Harry has only three motivations in life, women, money and food. How he gets hold of women is fairly obvious given how many of them swoon and fall at his feet when he merely throws a smile their way.

How he manages to eat all that he does without seemingly gaining weight is more of a mystery, but even more curious than that is where he gets the money to be able to afford his hideously overpriced apartment, the hot tub on the balcony and the very expensive clothing he walks around in.

Any time I've asked him about it, he has shrugged it off with some joking comment and even after I have tried to investigate him several times I am no closer to knowing where all his money comes from. Fred also doesn't talk about it, either because he doesn't know or he because he doesn't want to talk about.

Of his three motivations, the only one we can really share is his love of food, mostly because I don't swoon whenever he smiles and have no intention of ever doing so and I also don't have any money so unless I was robbing him blind, its not something we can bond over.

When it comes to food it doesn't make much difference to me what the food is as long as it keeps me alive and function in between cases and hospital visits. Harry sees food in a very different light. To him food is something that needs to be endured and great care needs to be taken over its preparation and production.

The first time I went round to Harry's to join him and Fred for pancakes on Shrove Tuesday I was a little bit astounded that not only did he have several mixers that he used to whisk up the pancake batter in and the number of different pans for cooking the pancakes in but also the fact he threw brandy in with them and fire came flying out of the pan was something I honestly didn't expect.

Though I will say this - as showy and faffy as they seemed to be, they didn't half taste good. Especially with the brandy.

Murder in the First - Day 2

I had spent the first day of my investigation finding out what Turndune and Ellis knew. It really shouldn't have taken up a whole day when you consider that their combined IQ is about four and that they wouldn't be able to find their way out of a wet paper bag, even with directions. 

However trying to find out what they knew, without them finding out what I was up to, required some degree of finesse. Now ordinarily I despise stealth and sneaking and all that kind of behaviour that you expect from spies and assassins, but if I had any hope of helping out Ryan, I had to adopt some methods that I generally find deplorable.

When it comes to taking on bad guys and enemies, I have always felt it best to kick down the door and go in all guns blazing; let everyone know exactly where they stand in a very blunt and direct manner. Granted this has meant I have a hospital loyalty card, but still I like it and it does seem to get me results and pay as well as hospital visits.

As it turned out there was little to no evidence available that implicated anyone, let alone Ryan. The murder victim was a young woman, not more than twenty-two years old and was well known to the police.

She had been arrested several times for possession, solicitation, assault, burglary and a string of other petty crimes. I say petty crimes because my yard stick for criminal behaviour is Kevin Metis - crime lord, gang boss, murderer, human trafficker, drug smuggler, kidnapper, rapist and a whole lot more. 

The victim's name was Sonya Lesner, it had some vague meaning to me, buried somewhere in my memory that I couldn't quite grasp when I first saw the name, but I had no doubt that I would remember why it was important when I need to, or more likely, just after I needed to.

She had been found beaten in an alley, her clothes torn off and strangled. The bruising on her neck, arms and torso suggested that it was a man, the hand mark too big to belong to a woman. She had engaged in some form of sexual practice earlier in the evening, but it was clear from the medical examination that she hadn't been raped.

The problem was that the evidence collected showed that the sexual practice Sonya had been involved in had been with Ryan. Ordinarily that wouldn't mean that he would be the prime suspect, especially as no evidence had been found to link him to the murder scene. Yes, he would have been brought in to be questioned and asked to prove his whereabouts etc, but the way Turndune and Ellis were talking, it was very clear they were not looking for anyone else, or even considering that it wasn't Ryan.

It's not surprising for corrupt cops to act this way, especially when they both hate the Barlow family with a vengeance. They were going after Ryan to hurt Fred, and damage his reputation in the standings of the police and general community.

Yet another reason that Fred couldn't get involved in investigating.

Having discovered what I could from Tweedledum and Tweedledee, I decided that I should really get on with finding Ryan before the boys on the beat did.

There are many places for a smart man or a rich man to hide in this city and never be found. There are even more places that a smart or rich man can go and though the police know where they are, they can never be touched.

Fortunately for me, Ryan wasn't a smart man or a rich man. There were a few places that I knew he would avoid, his place, my place, the library, all pubs, clubs and pool halls. It occurred to me that there were two possible places that he could be hiding that Turndune and Ellis would never think of looking for him in - one was the police station, the other was Fred's place.

There seems to be a generally held assumption that there are certain places that are just stupid to hide in and so are never checked. Though Fred's place wasn't a bad call to go and hide in, I had the sneaking suspicion that Ryan was in the police station and not just anywhere in the police station, but in Superintendent Gary Rogers' office.

Rogers was on a three month cruise with the latest bimbo that he seemed to have collected and as a result his office was not in use, not even post was being delivered there. It was at the top of the building and unless you were going to see the Superintendent, there wasn't any reason to go up to that level. The fire escape also connected to his office on the exterior of the building that meant Ryan could come and go as he pleased.

I waited until the change of shift between 2am and 3am and crept up the fire escape to Rogers' office. The door was locked, but it didn't take a moment for me to pick the lock and sure enough, there on the floor of the office, fast asleep, lay Ryan.