Criminal Case: Grimsborough

Chapter 11: Into the Vipers' Nest-Part 1

A few days later, things went back to normal with Jones and Marie. Marconi hasn't bothered her since that day and Jones kept his eyes open for him. While Jones was working on a report at his desk, he looked across to Marie's and he thought, she sure is late. Suddenly, Jones looked up when Marie came in and his eyes went wide when he saw she was donning a new hairstyle. Marie's hair was bunch up in a bun and it was tied with a pink highlighted braid.

Marie then saw him looking and she smiled shyly and asked, "Is it too much? Cause I told Mr. Kempe that I wanted this one."

Jones then shook his head rapidly and said to her, "I think it looks amazing! It pops out and it's amazing just like you and your brain!" And Marie turned red and smiled shyly after he said that and she thought, he doesn't have to rub it all in.

Suddenly, Jones and Marie heard their names being called on the intercom and they headed off towards the chief's office. Once they got there, the two officers saw the chief sitting at his desk with a crossed look and Marie asked, "You wanted to see us, chief?"

King then said to her, "Marie! Reports are in that the Vipers' gang leader Salvador Cordero has been murdered! We don't know much except that it happened at the Vipers' headquarters; that seedy looking garage they call The Vipers' Pit. I've also got a call from the mayor Howard Johnson and he seems to have taken an interest in this case. So you better not disappoint him!" And Marie and Jones saluted the chief telling him they were on it.

As they were leaving, Jones had a big smile on his face and said, "Salvador's dead and the mayor's watching? This could be our biggest case yet!"

"Well what are we waiting for? Let's go nab this guy," Marie said and the two of them sped all the way towards the station's exit and headed off to the garage where Cordero's body was waiting.

Once they got there, they came across the gruesome corpse of Salvador and his body laying on top of the hood of the car. Jones went green in the face and thought, I know a lot of people wanted Salvador dead and judging by the gore it looks like they killed him a thousand times over. Marie then looked around the car and she began getting curious because the blood and oil mixed together and she couldn't tell them apart. Marie then found a medicine container and begged it for Alex to analyze.

She also took out a torn up business card from the trash and she bagged that as well. Soon as they got back and the body was dropped off with Nathan and the medicine canister with Alex, Marie sat at her desk and started to put together the torn up business card. Afterwards, the card was put together and the two officers were not even the least bit surprised when they saw it came from Tony Marconi's club The Blue Flamingo. They also saw that there was a 'Final Warning' threat written on it that was meant for Salvador; obviously the gangster didn't seem to take it seriously.

Jones then looked at Marie and said, "Marconi must be involved somehow. Maybe we'll get lucky and finally catch this guy!" And Marie nodded in determination while thinking maybe we will catch him.

Soon, the two of them headed off to the nightclub where Marconi works. Once they got there, Marie and Jones were greeted by the gangster and Jones smirked at him and said, "Glad to see your face finally healed!"

Marconi then crossed his eyes at Jones and muttered shut up to him. Marie then showed Marconi the business card she found and asked, "Does this business card seem familiar to you?"

"Plenty of clients come to the Blue Flamingo and take the club's card sweetheart; that's why they're here to be taken," Marconi said in a deadpanned voice.

Jones then shouted at him, "Don't keep acting so innocent Marconi! It doesn't suit you!"

Marconi then smirked and told them that The Skulls' leader was at the club just the other night and he suggested that they go and bother him. He then scowled at Jones and said, "And in case you weren't smart enough Jones, that was a rhetorical question!"