(Violet)
It's another new day for Violet and so far, she cannot wait to look at what happens. But the question still remains in her, who is E. George Dean. She wrote down some things on her notepad. Of course, she list down some obvious things, he is a male, is from the 1920s, and is somewhat close to Althea.
Violet has some theories, but it's more of an assumptions; he might be a sugar daddy for Althea, young guy who is into Althea and finally a friend. She can only come up with those theories, and needs to investigate to uncover.
She went out of her room and made some breakfast for Granny Lou and herself. The smell of fresh light vanilla and cinnamon filled the whole kitchen, which prompted Granny Lou to get out and see what is happening.
"What did you cook?" She questioned, making Violet look back. "A simple french toast for the both of us, with the side of eggs." Violet replied back, placing the plates on the table. "I think it would be better if we eat outside, the sun is out and air to breathe." she said.
Violet and Granny went out of the house and sat down at a dining spot in the garden. The smell of tulips and gardenias was much better than smelling dust. It was a beautiful spring day and it overlooked all of Montana with this view.
"I completely forgot that this place is breathtaking to look at." Violet said, looking over to the distance. "I hope one day, all of this would not go away, I hope one day, someone would enjoy this view as much we are right now." There was some silence in the air, such serene view, that it is better to be unspoken.
"Granny Lou, I have a question," Violet said, making Granny Lou look at her, "can you please tell me who E. George Dean is?"
Granny Lou thought about the name E.George Dean. "E. George Dean, I have no clue who that man is." Violet can only sigh in defeat, "this is going to be a hard case to crack then."
"Nonsense! There is no such thing as hard case, you just have to dig deeper in their eyes of lies and deceit. That's how imagined Althea to be doing back in the day. You have to rely on both street and book smarts to those things." Granny Lou explained. Violet nodded and continued to look out the distance, finishing up with their breakfast before they get to do anything.
They all cleaned up their plates and she was ready to close the doors of her bedroom. But Violet decided to get out of the room and be outside with nature, spring air. She grabbed the boxes out to the garden and got herself comfortable.
Violet opened the journal and started to examine any evidence to who he finally is.
(POV Althea)
I awoke from this recurring nightmare that seems to be repeating forever in my mind. That night, why can I get it to remove off of this mind. What can you do, it's up to us that they would try to get themselves out there to solve this mystery. Getting up from my bed and splash cold water in my face, to wake me up, upon the realization that it's my first day on the job.
I cooked some eggs and sausages for breakfast and a tall glass of water and sighing at the stillness of alone. "What a wonderful day to live." I sarcastically spoke. I cleaned up her plates and did my morning routine, my makeup at a bare minimal and hated to stand out especially in the police department, where it is a male dominated workforce. I tied my flowing black long hair into a tight chignon, with the trend of short hair being on the rise with the girls of today. I opened my closet and sighed at the amount of clothes that I would have to go through, after all, it's my first day on the job.
I went through shirts, skirts and dresses at her closet and looked at the clock and I gasped that I'm going to be late for the very first day of work, so I put on a white blouse on top is a black coat, matching her black light wool skirt and her black oxfords. Then I grab my white clutch bag containing her revolver, lipstick and some money that I might need later in the day. I looked at my watch and is running very late for my job. Taking a final look at myself in the mirror and she can only nod, "I can do this."
As I was running out,I was the foyer, the memory of that night hasn't didn't leave my mind. I wanted to ask Jennifer how she was doing and I was about to head inside her office but there was a sign on the door that she is not there. "Poor Jennifer, I hope she can get through with this."
I looked around the foyer, the majority was cleaned up but there was a faint smell of dried up rust from blood and perfume. It was very particular that there was an exponential amount of blood, that cannot produce that much amount of blood. There are still blood stains still visible despite cleaning it to their maximum 100%.
Nonetheless, I walked out of the apartment complex and ready to bolt out to the bustling noises of New York. Running and pushing people aside, and of course, saying sorry on the way, as I am deeply scared to be yelled at by Chief Traver for being late on the first day.
Once reaching the station, I can only gasp for air, out of breath and was ready to faint at any given moment, I really need to exercise out of myself. I promptly went inside the the station and was ready to go inside right away. "Excuse me madam!" Someone yelled, making me look back. "Do you have an appointment otherwise you have to wait here at the lobby."
"It's my first day on the job and I am pretty much late for it." The receptionist mouth was wide open, "Are you the new female detective?" She questioned. I can furrow my brows together, female detective, why does she seem shocked when with the word female detective in one sentence.
"Do you expect a male detective?" I asked, not having the mood to give out threats about how capable I am with my iron tongue. "Oh no, Chief Traver said that we are having a new detective coming in from University of Pennsylvania but I really didn't expect a woman coming in, which we needed some change around here and I forgot that my name is Chelsea the secretary." She said. Chelsea extended her hand out, and in return I shook her hand, again with these assumptions following through my mind.
"I'll have to show you around the place here you could get indefinitely get lost around here, so come follow me here." She said. Chelsea lead the way, while I following along like a dog. They are taking around the place, explaining the general areas around the whole department.
"So did you have prior experience in the force or no?" Chelsea questioned. I nodded back to the question, "during my time in university, I did some internships back in Philadelphia at the local police department, and also my time with the Virginia State Police with them during the War around. There were some lawless people there, trying to destroy the livelihood of family there."
"My, I do hope you put your experience to good use because this place is currently a mess." She said. I can only sigh, once entering the picture room, to get her id taken. She gave a small, yet a feminine type that many would still make her adored by someone looking at them.
"You will have them back by 2 hours, Miss Hammerstein." The photographer said. "Thank you very much, here's a tip." I grabbed five dollars from my purse and handed it to the young, impressionable photographer. As I was about to walk out, "Thank you Miss Hammerstein, my name is Philip Young and if you ever need me, you can come down here." He yelled back, making my head tilt. "Miss is too formal boy, call me Hammerstein." I took my leave, still continuing on with the tour.
Chelsea and I went up the stairs, ascending up to each level, in which the chaos starts to unravel. Once they reach to the third floor, disorganization is only an understatement, but it reeks havoc and mayhem in the air. Chelsea put her gloved hand into her mouth in shocked, seems exaggerated, but in my eyes, only I could dream of in many years to be working in such crowd and the pressure.
"Hey Chelsea! Get that bitch out of here!" One of the detectives yelled back. "This is the new detective that Chief Traver announced yesterday that this is the new detective." She yelled back. They looked at their fellow workmates and laugh at me "I don't think she would last that long."
I wrapped her hand in a tight fist and couldn't handle my anger any longer. "Don't mind them, they're real assholes." Chelsea whispered in her ear. Although that calmed down a little bit, let's just hope that they don't go overboard. I sat down at a vacant desk, with only a typewriter, a wooden chair and a telephone by her side. "If you need anything, just press the number 1, that will take you to my landline."
I nodded, "Thank you Chelsea, I appreciate the help." She smiled sweetly, "us gals have to stick together in a time like this." Just as she was going back to her post, she stops in her way, looking at something. I was looking at Chelsea's sight and who would you know, it's the guy that I kicked car and made a small dent and also saw at the scene of the crime.
"Wait he works here?!" I said shockingly. "Wait, you've met him before?" Chelsea replied back, making her nod, "a fucking cunt!"
Chelsea gasped, "You can't say that, he's literally the nicest man here." I crossed her arms, not believing a word that comes out of her mouth, "you're lying." Chelsea scratched at the back of her neck, "okay, well he is talking to me and giving me gifts, it makes me a little bit more of a woman."
I can only roll her eyes, "alright then, I have to get to work now, I'll call you up when it's lunch break." Chelsea nodded at the deal, "I await for your call." She walked away from the madness of what is happening and has now getting herself ready to work.
The more I started working, piles and piles of paper started to accumulate, and I can only sigh in tiredness. I looked at the clock and it is barely 11 o'clock. "This is not what I envisioned." As I was about to get back into typing, "I didn't know you work here, doll." That familiar voice that I dreaded so much, the one person that I hope to not bump into in a million years or even for just one minute of my work life. I bit tongue, not wanting to say anything that would make me lose the job of literal dreams.
I looked up at the man and stood up, "nice to see you there doll, are you a new secretary?" He questioned. I didn't answer back, just standing there, looking at him, and holding myself from not punch his smug smirk off his face. "What happened to the girl I knew yesterday? The one who said, 'cunt?'" He started to press on with the issue, "Fuck you, Althea. Can't your Montana mouth of yours keep it in you?"
"No," she finally spoke, "I am the new-"
"Is Hammerstein here?" Chief Traver questioned. I looked up and quickly left the confrontation of the mysterious man, immediately went inside the office and then sat down on the chair, rubbing my arm in anxiety. "Am I in trouble?" I questioned, fearing that this is my last day working because I is late on the first day of work.
"No you're fine, but we just saw your newly address that you had to sign and it says here that you live in 240 Centre St?" He said, making me nod in approval. "You do know that there is a double murder happened, which can make you immediately a suspect in this case." My eyes widened up, "oh no! I moved into that complex since yesterday. I was getting pretty desperate with the living situation doing on now."
Chief Traver looked at her and sigh, "I'm sorry, I should've made that assumption that you were a suspect, this public is pressuring us to close the case." I can only sigh, "but I did see what went down."
Chief Traver sprung up and then called out someone's name out. It took only 2 minutes when, "Chief Traver what did you need me here for?" The man questioned. My eyes only widened in surprise, him?! "Althea I would like you to meet Edward Dean, senior detective and at the same time a prosecutor."
"It's Edward George Dean for you Althea," he winked at me, making her itch inside. Even Chief Traver rolled his eyes with his stupid antics, "you can't be flirting with women who come in and out here, she's currently intern detective around here."
"He's a playboy then, typical." My mind spoke.
"Don't worry Walter, I used to that around before, I'm a changed man," he persuaded, "but what's the rush, we're trying to close a case here, the public are not doing well here."
"We have found a witness for what happened last night!" Chief Traver exclaimed, "and Althea is one of the witnesses last night." Edward looked at me, now with a serious look on his face,"Well, she saw how it happened?" He questioned Chief Traver.
He looked at me, "well, I only happened to see the front but I can say that there are three men present there." Edward's face has turned that playful smile to a serious one. "I'll escort her to the interview room and I'll handle the rest." He said.
Edward opened the door and let me out first, before him. Once outside, "so when are you paying for that dent in my car?" He was now back to his playful side of him, fucking hell.
"This cunt." I muttered softly. "What did you say Intern Althea?" He obnoxiously questioned, making my nerves grow hot. I stopped in my tracks and looked at Edward straight to his eyes, "I am this close to punching you square in the face."
I continued walking and while he is tailing me back, until reaching to the interview room. We sat down at opposite sides of the table, and all I can do is sigh, to get this interview over with, Edward got his pen and paper ready for the interview. Now facing each other, I can visually mean what Chelsea said other than he's so called 'nice' and a little prick. Typical bright brown eyes with a mix of green and gold to it, but something about him, I couldn't quite touch on, maybe his demeanor and likewise lips that spewed out such sweet words that a woman can only fantasize.I relax myself for the interview and Edward cleared his throat.
"So Althea, what were you doing on the night before the shootout?" He started off. I explained that night in detail that, finished my dinner and was ready to go to sleep, and read the book in my living room so I don't have a hard time falling asleep. I was taken back to the horrors that I had witnessed last night, my breath and heart synchronously together, as I entailed the details.
"How many of them were present? And if you can, how did they look like?" He asked another question. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. "Think Althea." Then I described them in vague but at the same time in just some details that I could think from the top of my head. "Three men, they are about 5 foot and 8 inches up to 6 foot, they all wore all gray suits on, I saw many people are either injured or dead. They have this 1908 Colt 0.380."
He put his hand up, "how did you know that particular gun? Did you just guess?" He was suspicious on how did I know. "I hunt in Montana when I was very young, and my dad showed me guns." I simply said. Edward can only sigh, "well suppose that it's that 1908 Colt 0.380, why don't you try identifying it at the autopsy."
"Do you question my knowledge?" I asked, crossing my arms. "Well let's find out then." He smirked back. We both got out of the Police Department, and I'm just flabbergasted when a police officer gives Edward keys, which lead to an another car, which to my assumption that it's his car."
"Get in, we're going to the hospital to investigate." He said firmly. I only roll her eyes getting in the car, how in the hell did he get this much amount of money to by a car? "You have another car?"I stupidly questioned. Edward can only laugh at the question, "I have plenty of cars, doll. But the car that had a dent on it, cost more money that you would ever earn as a detective."
I didn't bother asking anymore questions and the whole drive is silent and awkward. They finally reached New York City General Hospital, a government run hospital, which from her prior experience, much run down and under staffed, which many had died under their care. I followed Edward inside and they have the permit to take a look at the morgue. A police officer was guarding that place and they gave a go signal to enter inside.
Edward pulled out the handle to reveal the man lying there dead. "Investigate those wounds, let's see you know your guns pretty well." He had that smug smirk on me, as if I had any idea what I'm doing. I took out my gun from the seemingly innocent clutch that I had treasured so much.
"This here is Colt Official Police revolver, my father gave it to me when I was only 13, ever since then, I have been using it for a very long time, not for shooting but for something else." I removed two bullet casings and then removed the cloth out to see the victim of this horrible tragedy. His face was solemn and serene, but I can sigh at the thought that fate like his, it seemed that everything was surreal from this present moment.
I leaned against the body the pungent smell of formaldehyde "I will find who killed you, may you rest in peace." I measured the bullets and it was slightly smaller from the wounds shown, my hunch is right, it was a 0.380 millimetres bullet casing. But I cannot grasp on how blood came to splatter all over the wooden pillars and the pool of blood that were present at the foyer.
"Well?" Edward said, interrupting my train of thought of Althea and sighed in frustration. "You interrupted my thoughts. But my hunch is right, its a 0.380," I replied back but I can't grasp my mind on how they would have that much blood that splattered over the wooden pillars and the preexisting pools of blood that was present."
Edward was speechless, "my theory is that the second victim was already there, we even had some witnesses said that she went inside."
I knew that his intuition isn't working so I asked to see the second victim and have a look at it, which he commanded my wish. Whipping the cloth wide open, where I saw some gun shot wound on her shoulder, but doesn't explain the pool of blood that she witnessed. I looked further and saw a slight cut in her leg. I think I found the reason for the pool of blood. "She had that going for her long before she entered the complex." Althea said, making Edward take note in his little notepad.
"Have you interview Jennifer Carter the owner?" I questioned. Edward nodded no, "she seemed to be shaken with what is happening and she was incoherent in what she is saying, so we didn't say anything."
I sighed, "well let's go back to my apartment complex, we could try interviewing her now." Edward nodded and we immediately got out of the hospital and back into the apartment complex, which saw many of women with their bags at hand. I got out of the car and ran to the commotion. "Susan!" I called out her name. "Althea, thank god you are here!" She said hugging tightly, with the stains of tears in her eyes. "What's going on?"
Susan cried out loud, "Jennifer told us to leave the apartment complex and all of the sudden, they took Alexandra!" She fell down on her knees, much defeated, I didn't think this could get any worse from here. "Susan get up," she said, "where is Jennifer?" Susan didn't say anything, making me more apprehensive. "Susan if you don't tell where the hell Jennifer is, you may never find your daughter." In a burst of pressure, "She's inside, but I don't know which one is it."
That was more than enough for me, pushing everyone out of the way and headed inside. "Doll!" Edward yelled, now with a gun on his hand. "Let me come with you." I nodded no, "it's between me and Jennifer, let me handle this." "I can't get you hurt, you're pretty much my responsibility from this point on, I had a talk with Walter and he said that we are partners now. I'm not joking around with you too." He said. Edward may have been a pain in the ass for me, but since they have gotten themselves into this mess, she might as well give him the chance to do so.
"Alright, you search first and second floors of the room and I'll take on third and fourth floors." I exclaimed, which Edward immediately agreed and started his work. Althea bolted to the stairs and immediately started to look around in each room if there she is present.
I took a deep breath and went onward, until I found one door closed, putting my ear on the door to listening to any breathing or what not. When trying to open the door, it was lock, making me cuss under her breath.
I went to the room next door and opened the door, opening the window and then, with no thought in my mind, jumping to the other side and managed to get some scrapes in her arm. Adrenaline rushed through my veins and now, the hard work is finding Jennifer. I promptly got up and pointed my gun up and guard too.
Opening the window slowly and examined every corner of the complex. The eerie silence was much too suspicious for my own good. When all of the sudden, I turned around and an angry Jennifer came out of nowhere, dodging it away from her sight. "What are you doing Jennifer!" I screamed, all the while dodging her attacks.
Jennifer has become an animal and was ready to pounce anytime. I was jumping at her and pinned on the floor, making her scream. It was a total power struggle as two women are wrestling each other to try kill each other. "Why are you doing this? Have you gone mad?" I questioned, but there was no answer, instead scratching her neck and face. The tight bun that I had on grabbing the long bobby pin stabbing it with such force her shoulder, letting the grip off of me.
I got up, removing my jacket and tighten it to her feet, and grabbing my gun. A kick of the door happened and many officers came in with guns on their hands. "FREEZE! Drop your gun young lady" They yelled at me and following the order of law enforcement, by dropping my gun on the floor. "Stop right there, she's with me here." Edward said, all of the police putting their guns down.
I can only sigh in relief, "what a crazy first day."
(Violet)
"His name is Edward George Dean, quite a sexy name there, I see you Great Auntie Althea." Violet said. Violet got her notepad out and wrote down her findings so far.
- Althea V. Hammerstein is the detective in New York City Police Department .
-From New Mexico, her father is German-French, Pierre Hammerstein, Filipino mother, Leonora and younger sister, Emile (great grandmother)
-Graduated top of the class at University of Pennsylvania.
-Lived in 240 Centre St.
-Close with Edward George Dean (more like romantically involved or some point engaged).
These are what Violet have so far now, but there are so missing things there like what year she's born and most importantly, how did she look like.As she was about to pack the things and headed back in, she saw someone familiar in the front door.