#dreaming

"Or I could talk to them, we could rely on my charm and lovability?" He offers an alternative

"You could try. I could play meek."

amused look, then a smile "Why not?" He approaches to the two burly trolls "You there," Suddenly a touch imperious

"You're not supposed to be there" One troll turns scowling "There are strict orders to..."

"Block the trod, yes yes," Magnus says with a roll of his eyes, "And I have to say their graces were right to be concerned, gents, you've failed the test.. now, don't blame my assistant, she's just following my lead, poor dear, but she not only slipped past you, but managed to help me slip past you as well. What are their graces going to say if I Report THIS failure to them?"

"You.. you want to TELL them she snuck you buy us?" One thane looks confused

"Well, gentlemen, I do investigate and inspect for a living? Did it surprise you an expert would be brought in? " Magnus rolls his eyes

One of the thanes eyes Zara cautiously

Zara squirms and deferentially hides behind Magnus.

"Well, sluagh ARE good at being sneaky..." One Thane says "But an expert called in?"

"We need both your names, before we..." The other says

"oh goodness sake," Magnus fusses, "You didn't get so much as a memo? And please stop leering at Araignee...

"... the poor girl has done nothing but what I've asked. Here, my papers" A trail of glamour that goes by very quick

The trolls look it over, then nod "Sorry, inspector, we weren't told any one would be doing a security check"

"Typical, I don't blame you gents entirely, I'm very good at what I do," Magnus informs them, "But let's see what else has been left out? WHat DID they tell you so I don't have to fill in anymore gaps eh?"

The troll who was accused of leering at Araignee is flustered and gives a look of apology and assurance he would never! Why he doesn't even find her that attractive (Lacking Earl's fine tastes)

Zara pinks and hides behind her hair. What a shy thing!

The other says "Yes, Sir. Well, we were informed that Gilly is the suspect for the murder, a satyress, verry girl next door type. She used a poison of some sort. Ingested, she gave the drink to the Namer and sometime later, after she had gone...well sir, he began to convulse and spasm. He tried to call for help, but his bell rope had been removed. He made it out into the hall, and was found dead by a maid, who had the fright of her life. "

The other troll says "We checked out his room only to find some of the floor had given way.. very odd... but the Backward glance used confirms that Gilly came through the door, not the hole"

Magnus nods, "And the hole lead to...? Besides below?"

"A storage room I think, Sir."

A whisper to Magnus. ("How did the hole form? Did they see?")

"What did they see when the hole formed? Or hear, HOW Did it form?" He inquires

"Oh.. ah, no one is sure sir, the angle of the backward glance was wrong, and the room was dark below"

Zara refrains from saying 'Feh' aloud.

Magnus looks tempted to

("I much doubt they have willow-wisphere the damaged floor itself.")

"No one investigated the storage room itself?"

"If they did, sir, they didn't tell us... just word that it was dark down there." The troll thane says

Magnus rubs the bridge of his nose 'Chronos is handy, but it's not a substitute for a full investigation." he gives a soft nod at something, or someone then says "And Gilly's residence?"

"Her apartment was searched, no weapons, no poison, many letters, nice things. She was.. well kept" the thane says

"Did anyone backward glance the residence?" He asks

"Ah.. no, I don't believe so. She'd already been found at the scene of the crime" the thane says, " that's.. really all we know sir"

Magnus mutters under his breath "Doyle wept" No doubt meaning Sherlock's creator

Did the sluagh just roll her eyes? No, no - hard to be sure behind that fall of hair...

But Magnus says "Well, I think you two have been cheated a bit, but that's the way it is for you hard working men on the line. Look, clearly you didn't get fair warning, so I won't mention this slip to your superiors. After all, they clearly made mistakes too" He pats each on the shoulder. The very image of a guy who'se 'all right'

"Thank you, Inspector" They bow

"Come, Araignee, we'll stop for coffee for me, and tea for you...then continue our work." Magnus says coaxing the 'shy' girl

Meek nod!

And they move off . Once they're out of range of hearing, he says "Well, they've picked their target before they got all their facts. Sloppy, damned sloppy" A scowl

"And that target seems to have been presented on a silver platter."

"Feh, thinking appearance is enough."

"In our world, hardly," He sighs "I wouldn't be surprised if the Leanhuan wasn't jumping on that bandwagon, petty folks for all their charm"

"Well, as said - Miss Gilly seems MOST convenient."

"For everyone, of course, but Miss Gilly."

"She does... now, we have two locations to check out, the residence of the fugitive Gilly, and, of course, the scene of the crime and the storage room under it. "

Zara nods. "Well, we are closer to the latter."

"Security will be tighter there... try to bullshit through, sneak, or honest offer of aid? "

"You are the Baroness' son, and have your own reputation. Araignee, of course, is a mouse."

"Hope you don't mind the name? I know you have more than one but it felt presumptive to use any of those without your go ahead" Magnus asks