Jason Richards (leothedetective) wrote in supernextdoor, @ 2012-07-10 20:16:00 |
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Entry tags: | 10.17.11, jason |
I'm Just Doing My Job
Who: Jason and a bitchy NPC reporter
What: Press conference
When: 10.17 - Monday Morning
Where: Palisades Police Department
Warning: Language
Jason hated press conferences. But he understood that after two murders and a triple assault with no breakthroughs, he had to say something. Not to mention the fact the LT told him it had come from on high. He listened while the captain made the usual spiel about them doing everything and bringing in extra manpower to work the case. Then he called Jason forward to answer questions about the case in particular. Rolling his shoulder like a prize fighter getting ready for a match, Jason stepped up to the podium and waited for the barrage to start.
And start it did. Most of the questions coming from an up and coming reporter who was bound and determined to be the one getting all the answers. She didn't really care who she had to step on - or stomp on for that matter - to get to the bottom of the situation. "Stephanie Thompson, Daily Press," she said in greeting. "Do you believe, Mr. Richards, that the recent assaults were connected to the two homicides?" she asked.
Okay, that question was fair. "Detective," he corrected first of all. This girl wasn't going to stomp all over him. "There isn't any direct evidence to support that assumption Ms. Thompson. While Mr. Cooper was cooperating with the investigation into the murder of the first victim, the attacker didn't reveal his motives." While Jason knew in his gut, with Bill's vision confirming it, he couldn't prove it. That was why this was going to be hell. He had no answers and had to figure out how to say that without looking like an idiot. God.
"Doesn't it seem strange to you, if they're not connected, that this Mr. Cooper was involved in the questioning surrounding the first victim and then was a victim himself?" she asked, but gave him no time to respond. "Now that you've become a bit of a victim yourself, do you think that the attacker may come after you or your family?" she asked. "Or the families of the other victims?"
"I said there was no evidence supporting any connection," he corrected. "Officer Hunter and my own injuries were because we arrived on the scene during the attack. He did not try to lure either of us there. The target was Mr. Cooper and his motive for attacking him is unknown at this time. He did make it known that he did not expect Ms. Onai or the employee of Mr. Cooper's who was present at the time to be in the building." Which showed their killer was very disorganized. "The attacker doesn't seem to be that organized, although I do urge people to not go out at night alone, just as precaution."
Stephanie was skeptical. She thought this man knew a lot more than he wanted to let on, but most policemen were like that at the height of the crime. They didn't want anyone to have more information. They wanted everything internally resolved. "Do you have any suspects? Any leads? What exactly are you and your fellow detectives doing to make our streets safe again? Who's to say that this madman won't strike again?"
And here it came. "No, none of the leads we have followed up have yielded any suspects," he explained. "That is the purpose of this press conference, Ms. Thompson. To appeal to the public for any information they can offer and also advise you all to be very cautious. We have no idea of this killer's motivations and there is no real connection between his victims. He will strike again. Which is why we need everyone's help. Not only in any information about the two murders or the attack, but to protect yourselves."
"So since you and your team have been unsuccessful, now you're expecting the city to provide you with leads you couldn't find on your own?" she asked, smirking a little since she was deliberately trying to rile the man up a bit. She shook her head before he could say much more and took a step back. "I have no further questions. Good luck, Detective Richards. I hope your investigation finds some leads. And soon. Otherwise half the city will be hunted down." Turning, she made her way back through the crowd of people, hoping to find someone with more information on the crimes.
Jason didn't know what pissed him off more. The fact the bitch asked him that stupid fucking question, or flounced off. Now she had the lot of them going, especially with that last jibe. He fucking hated reporters. He stepped back as the captain took over, since Thompson had basically caused a fucking panic. He stepped back and faded into the background, waiting until the reporters were distracted by the captain's pleas and words. He wanted to have a private word with Ms. Thompson. So he was finding her before she ran off to cause another shitstorm.
Stephanie hadn't gone very far. She was barely out of the building, tucking her notepad into her purse and getting ready to hail a cab. She wasn't sure yet where to go first. Perhaps to the bar in question. Likely someone would be around to question that might have more information than the policemen did.
"Are you trying to start a panic?" Jason demanded, his voice a low growl. "Do you get off on pandemonium, or are you hoping the Sun is hiring? Because that's the only kind of job you'll get trying to stir up shitstorms like that."
"Shouldn't you be inside doing some lead chasing?" she asked as she fastened her purse closed and folded her arms over her chest, staring over at the man. "Really? Following a reporter out onto the street because you're on a soapbox about causing pandemonium? If it was that bad in there, you should have stayed to help resolve the issue, not chase me."
Jason rolled his eyes, folding his arms over his chest. "Well, since you decided to incite a panic and then run off before I could say anything, I decided to leave the pandering to the captain and come after the source of the trouble myself. That was a bullshit shock maneuver and we both know it. Instead of trying to cause a panic, maybe you should be encouraging people to come forward with information. You know, help us, instead of make more work for us."
"I don't think you do very much work at all, Detective," she told him. "I was at the bar on Saturday and judging from the stage presence you have, the only thing you're grabbing hold of is your cock, not leads." It was a low blow, but it annoyed her that he was bitching at her for not helping when he had time to be drunk and sing on stage. Yeah, interesting.
And she had to bring that up. Jason was about ready to never get on stage again, considering how one song was getting him so much flak. "Yeah, see, there's this thing," he growled. "When we run out of leads to follow, we can't just make shit up like reporters. I took a night off, because I had nothing to go on and have worked nearly nonstop for the last two weeks. But that's not allowed, because God forbid, I be human and need to unwind from two frustrating cases."
Stephanie rolled her eyes. "Oh please," she said. "I don't make up anything. I check, recheck, and triple check all my sources. Now how about you go back in there, do your job, and leave me alone to do mine?" she told him, glaring at the man. "I have better things to do than listen to you bitch until I cower in fear and tuck my tail between my legs and leave." Holding up her arm, she tried to hail a cab, not wanting to deal with this long haired buffoon any longer.
Jason wasn't being dismissed that easily. He stepped around her, glaring. "I am doing my fucking job," he said. "My job is to protect the public. Including from hack journalists who think that interfering with an investigation is part of their job. I catch you hanging around me, my family or my co-workers and you'll be cooking for harassment. I don't care if the charges stick or not. Stay out of my way and my cases or I will make you rue the day you met me. You'll be lucky to do Dear Abbey columns."
"If you don't get out of my face, you're going to be facing charges of intimidation, Mr. Richards," she replied. "I never once said I was going to be near you, your family or your coworkers. I'm trying to leave and you won't get out of my damned way. Stop being an egotistical ass, and get over yourself."
"Detective Richards," he corrected again. "I am not touching you and there's plenty of street around here. You are the one who needs to get over herself, Ms. Thompson. There are lives on the line here. Which is more important than your damned story." With that, Jason tossed his hair out of his eyes and stalked back towards the station. He fucking hating reporters. Especially self-important bitches like this one.
Stephanie rolled her eyes at him and hailed her cab. No, she wouldn't hassle him or his family, but she was still determined to ride this story out, no matter what methods she had to take to make sure that she did just that.