Brick Wall (open)

[mancalledspade]

Spade had gone over his notes a dozen ways, hundreds of times, and he still could't make anything out of them. All his routes of investigations, murder and otherwise, had long gone cold, and any attempts to discover the Mansion's nature had proved futile. He didn't want a hobby, or a diversion. He wanted a way to do his job. Unfortunately, he

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[revmother_livia]

Livia had been becoming more and more reclusive of late, she wasn't sure why. Perhaps it ran in the family and one day she would find a collapsing old house to be her hermitage, surround herself with moldy books and papers and let the dogs eat at table. The thought amused her. It made her miss her Uncle Val.

"They could pave roads with the amount of tar in your lungs, Sam," she noted, stepping out onto the porch.

[revmother_livia]

"No reason to start lying down on the job."

[mancalledspade]

"You're awful. I forget, did you come this way, or did I corrupt you?" He extends a hand to her.

[revmother_livia]

She gave him her hand in a lazy, languid gesture.

"Don't give yourself too much credit."

[mancalledspade]

"Never, sweetheart." He pulls her to him and kisses her, lightly. "And if I ever forget my place in the natural order, I have you to remind me."

[revmother_livia]

"I'm glad to hear my years of education have not been wasted," she said dryly. "I've finally found a way to give back to the community."

[mancalledspade]

"My lover, the great philanthropist. How's O'Leary, speaking of your charity cases?"

[revmother_livia]

"He's himself as always, how else should he be?"

[mancalledspade]

"Didn't know if he's had any more sudden bouts of sanity or not."

[revmother_livia]

"... No," she said, quiet but firm. "Val's gone and I don't think that we'll see him here again."

[mancalledspade]

"Halfway too bad." Which was as close would Sam would get to asking her if she was alright about it.

[revmother_livia]

She wasn't, entirely, but there wasn't anything she could do about it.

"What the madhouse giveth, the madhouse taketh away," she said with a small shrug.

[mancalledspade]

"Seems like. I'd still love to find out who the hell's behind this operation. I don't buy it just all happened."

[revmother_livia]

"Still intent on banging your head against walls, are you?"

[mancalledspade]

"I'm a lousy painter."

[revmother_livia]

"I noticed. Though you certainly did find yourself a lovely teacher."