investigate. [[tag to Kerai, Gabriel, Alice, and John. Also Harvey Dent if he'd like to meet her.]]

[5thcolumnfed]

Erica has three different stops to make today: The Ribbon, a security place, and a candy store. It sounds like the beginning of a terrible joke, but the only joke so far is that no one she’s talked to knows anything about this Belvedere character. It’s like he doesn’t exist, or he only exists when he wants to, and she can see why no one else has

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[yippiekiyaymf]

John notices Erica come in. He also notices the aspirin grab. See, this is why he didn't want to be in the office away from everyone; these little clues are important. He walks over to her desk with a cup of water to wash the aspirin down.

"That's not the sign of a successful day of investigating."

[5thcolumnfed]

"Oh, well see, that's why the village made you chief. You're so observant," she says with a weary smile, thanking him for the water before taking the two pills.

"I think my head found that brick wall you were talking about."

[yippiekiyaymf]

"Yeah, that one's got a few of my headprints in it. Were you able to find out anything at all?" He wanted to give her a neck rub, but that would have to wait until they were alone later.

[5thcolumnfed]

Erica sighs a little. "I'm pretty sure that Wesker and Belvedere are literally underground. So I took the liberty of checking around? There are catacombs under the village." She holds out her hands in a 'maybe?' gesture.

[yippiekiyaymf]

"And tunnels also." John frowned, remembering Dulles. "I hate tunnels. The catacombs...I'm going to like those even less. I wonder who here knows anything about them." He rubbed his head.

"Anybody strike you as being dishonest, or holding out?"

[5thcolumnfed]

"Gabriel," she says just before taking the aspirin. "He knows a lot more than he's saying, was very vague. Said he talked to Belvedere right after the riot, just before he disappeared."

[yippiekiyaymf]

"Really?" He frowned, "Maybe it's time for me to bring out the 'bad cop'."

[5thcolumnfed]

"Implied that 'Jerry Belvedere' isn't really this guy's name either. If that's the case, then I interviewed half a dozen men at The Black Sheep that could have been your guy."

[yippiekiyaymf]

"Thus tipping our hand that we're looking for him." John didn't blame Erica; it wasn't her fault. He was just frustrated. Too bad they hadn't had a picture to show her.

[5thcolumnfed]

She sighs, putting her head in her hands and pushing her hair back, away from her face. "Yeah. I talked to Alice Abernathy. She says that for all the camera, she never sees Belvedere come in or out of the pub either. And that he owns the casino now."

[yippiekiyaymf]

John frowned.

"The casino is one place I haven't been. I'm sure they've got me pegged for a cop and there wouldn't be any point in trying anything undercover now. In fact, he's probably got all the cops pegged, having been burned once." His mouth pulled sideways.

"I wonder if he's got all the Rangeman people pegged." He huffed, "probably does since Alice runs it."

[5thcolumnfed]

"Probably. Think I could still get away with playing the target?"

She already knows the answer, and she shakes her head. "If I'd known first I would have changed the way I went about the whole thing. Dammit," she sighs, rubbing her face again.

"I'll work on trying to figure out the catacombs next. I doubt my phone rings with tips."

[yippiekiyaymf]

"How did you find out about them?"

[5thcolumnfed]

"Once Gabriel mentioned the 'underground' part, I went to the library* to find out everything I could about the village's history. And speaking of that, history only goes back to 2006," she says with a little eyebrow arch.

(*handwaved, and she doesn't realize the catacombs can be entered through the library, either.)

[yippiekiyaymf]

"2006. Interesting. You think there's more in the library about these catacombs?"

[5thcolumnfed]

She nods. "Probably. I found that out and came back here since I hadn't checked in all day and it's late. Didn't want anyone to think I got attacked by another demon," Erica manages to smile.