Re: Alley Pond Park, Queens: Cerise & Clem & Cris
[Clementine was talking, holding out a hand for shaking, and Cris just pressed his lips together, serious, and nodded at Stone, a wordless mention that he'd be over in a second to talk with the finder too.—He slipped his hands into the pocketsa his pants as he fell in step beside the firefighter, and somehow, even that kinda tucking away—hands hidden away, it was expansive coming from him. Somehow it made him take up space, and he didn't even notice that stuff.
When he looked at Clementine next, it was from behind muting shade.] A while back I was workin' a case—when I got here. Locusts. Somebody was killing guys with Biblical plagues. In a town where people fly around in suits, I dunno, it coulda been anybody.—But, it turns out, it was somebody from the hotel. [Eyebrows pitched below lenses and resurfaced. Course she knew about the hotel. Stone, ...Cris didn't know. That was why he hadta pull Clementine aside.] I'm gonna sound nuts here, but—That woman, Meredith? I ran into her on the street. Of all the millions of people. This cop shows up at my neighbor's—from the hotel. Now you, here. Somebody once told me, they thought the place was conspirin' to put people together, since it happens more than coincidence and probability dictate, and this—[He thumbed toward the sheet, the woman.]—I'm thinkin' it might be that kinda thing. [A smile split beneath sunglasses, wry.] So, nuts, right?