(Untitled)

[art_and_brian]

Justin has stayed in the bar since his last shift, mostly out of morbid curiousity. And he debated whether this theme was crass or not but in the end decided, why not? If there are reminders around the place, maybe people will think of something that could help.

SPECIALS

Cuban Crime of Passion
Murder in the Forest
Purple Problem SolverAlso,

Comments

[riversinger]

River can't help but notice the Specials board. She stops to read, her eyes drawing down to slits.

"Honestly? Honestly?"

[art_and_brian]

Justin looks...confused.

'What?'

[riversinger]

She dumps her armload of books and a comm pad on the bar top, and pulls the stool closer before she sits. "Pint of Guinness, please. And I know the bar is all a twitter with the news, but isn't it a bit -- gauche? Like something a 21st century tabloid newspaper would do."

[art_and_brian]

'What can I say, I'm a 21st Century kid.'

He grabs a pint glass and twirls it on his hand, though he does have the grace to look a little embarrassed.

'Security put a notice up. It's not like everyone doesn't know.'

He takes his time with the Guinness, as every good barman should.

[riversinger]

She appreciates his attention to detail, if not his respect for the recently dismembered.

"Well, true, but one would think the deceased might deserve a modicum of respect, wouldn't you? And besides, no one knows if it was a crime of passion, or anything really, beyond the fact that he met an untimely end."

[art_and_brian]

Justin's quiet while he pulls half the pint and then lets it settle.

'So we're not allowed to try and guess? If people are thinking about it, and reminded of it, they might remember details that could help.'

He wipes his hands off on a cloth and meets her eyes.

'It's a murder in a small bar. People are always going to speculate.'

[riversinger]

She meets his gaze and holds it for a long moment, before blinking.

"Speculation is one thing. Gossip is another thing entirely. These things have weight, they pick up momentum. Someone's idle drunken theory one moment leads to pitchforks and torches the next. It's a dangerous game."

[art_and_brian]

'Hey, I'm not trying to start any trouble.'

He goes back to the pint.

'And I'm not pointing the finger at anyone. It's just a theme for Happy Hour, that's all. I'm keeping it relevant to current issues, is all.'

Yeah.

[riversinger]

"Oh I know that. I never meant to imply you were. It's just something to be aware of."

River licks her lips, raising her chin just a bit, trying to get a whiff of his scent.

"So did you know West?"

[art_and_brian]

He shakes his head, finally setting the drink down in front of her.

'No, never met him. Did you?'

He looks a tad sheepish actually. He's a good kid; smart, bright and usually sensitive. He didn't mean to piss anyone off.

'Maybe I should have thought more about it.'

[riversinger]

Sheepish is understandable. She nods her gratitude, and takes a sip, the dark liquid's scent filling her nose for a moment. (It's almost as good as tasting it.)

"No, never met the boy. I wonder which universe he was from. And if he found trouble here, or if it followed him."

[art_and_brian]

Justin shares no appreciation for Guinness. He's never tried it but thinks it looks disgusting.

'Could be either, I guess. There's no shortage of people around here who'd kill you just for fun - but I've met a few others that come from really dangerous places too.'

He's not sure if he's envious of those who come from a really cool-sounding 'verse, or grateful that his is about as regular as you can get.

[riversinger]

"It could be anything, especially here at Milliways. This is why it's useless to speculate."

Her eyes cast around the bar, wondering if there is more information to be had.

[art_and_brian]

'If Security didn't ever speculate, they'd never find the guy who did it,' he points out.

'People have to talk about stuff for information to get out.'

[riversinger]

"Security should never speculate." This gets a little growl from her, her lips pulling back to flash her teeth for a moment. "They should hypothesize a theory based on the evidence. They should gather facts and create a clear picture of what actually occurred. There should be no guesswork."

"Even if there's magic involved, there should be no guesswork."

[art_and_brian]

'...are you a cop?'

She sounds like a cop.

'But that's what I meant. I think. They have to work with the little bit they know. What you said is just a fancy word for 'speculate' - and anyway, if the murderer did use magic to cover his tracks, how else are they going to track them down? They have to look at likely people and that involves speculation.'