Criminal Case: Grimsborough

Chapter 11: Into the Vipers' Nest-Part 3

As they were sitting at their desks, Jones picked his head up, looked at his partner and said, "Corporal, this case is so mind-boggling and everyone we've talked to all had a motive for wanting Salvador dead. Well, everyone except Marconi. I'm telling you that guy is hiding something from us and we could go and find out if he hadn't put that stupid restraining order on me!"

Suddenly, Jones got a thought in his head and he said to Marie that since the order was on him, she and Ramirez can go to Marconi's club and talk to him. As if he was listening in on their conversation, Ramirez thought, they're letting me in on their investigation?! Wow! Jones then winked at him and said, "I'm sure you'll do a good job Ramirez. Just don't act too nervous. And Marie, when you get the chance meet me in the sewers; there's something I'd like to check." And after she agreed to Jones' plan the three of them went their separate ways with Jones heading to the sewers and Ramirez and Marie heading to the Blue Flamingo.

Once Ramirez and Marie got to the club, Marconi saw the two of them enter and he got a shocked look on his face and thought, you've got to be kidding me?! Do I have to restrain the whole police department?! Ramirez then broke out into a sweat and he said to the gangster, "We only want to ask you a few questions Mr. Linguini."

Getting furious, Marconi shouted, "It's Marconi you idiot! And why don't you go and talk to someone else like that oversized buffoon Ash Bison? Rumor has it he just became the gang leader for The Vipers!"

Ramirez then thanked Marconi for the lead and mistakenly called him Mr. Tortellini, but Marconi got so fed up with Ramirez flubbing his name that the gangster spat out his gum. Marconi then stomped away in a huff towards his office and once the door was slammed, Ramirez then gave Marie a small smile and said to her, "I bet you noticed that Marconi had a big oil stain on his clothes? It kept distracting me."

"And knowing that Ash became the new leader is information I should follow up on. Plus, since we're here, let's check the club out for any clues that me and Jones missed," Marie said with a little confidence.

Ramirez then backed away and told her that she would do the searching and she just shrugged and got to it. While Marie was looking for clues, Ramirez broke out into a sweat thinking he shouldn't talk to Marconi anymore cause he makes him nervous. After looking around, Marie found an asthma inhaler and she bagged it hoping she can lift off a couple fingerprints off of it. Before they could return to the station, Ramirez dropped Marie off in the alley where Ash was and when she approached him, he smirked and said, "Well hello there little lady. Where's your thick-headed partner?"

"He's not with me at the moment, but I would like to speak with you Ash. Rumor has it that you became the new leader of The Vipers," Marie said to the new gang leader.

Ash then smirked and said, "Wow travels fast and to answer your question, yes I'm the new head of the gang. Am I happy about it? You can say that, I just hope whoever killed Salvador would get a big thank you card from me. However, I know I'm no idiot and I know Marconi will always be the true boss of this district. Those who do forget, they die."

Marie then turned and was about to leave when she asked Ash about the big oil stain he has on his jacket and he told her he spends most of his time in the Vipers' Pit and of course he's going to get stained. Back at the station, Ramirez watched as Marie pulled a fingerprint off the inhaler and he thought, she's really good at that. I'm glad I get to watch her work. Soon, she sent the print to Alex to get it analyzed and after that was done, Ramirez drove her to the sewers where Jones was waiting.

Once she donned on a pair of boots and climbed down, she joined up with Jones and the two of them got to work. After looking around for a while, Jones in the water and Marie on the land, Marie found an old knife and she thought, this could be important and she bagged it so she can decipher the serial number once she got back to the station. Once they got back, Jones headed towards the showers to get cleaned up while Marie placed the knife on the scanner and scanned it until it showed up on her computer.