"Detective North." My head perks at my name being called, "Detective Bullock." The bearded man makes his way over to my desk at the top of the GCPD. The secluded area that barely has anyone up here, that's what I like about it, less people, less interaction, head down and do work. He perches on the edge of the metal desk and peers down at me.
"You might wanna see this." I put down a file and adjust my leather jacket and follow him. I thump down the stairs with my black combat boots, I cast my eyes over the room, "let me guess, Gordon?" The scruffy man chuckles, "Yeah. Some circus brawl or something." I raise my eyebrow, "something indeed." All different kinds of people with outrageous outfits and make up - that doesn't even look that good.
"And here I thought it was some prank." Bullock comments, I laugh a bit, "when is it ever that?" He grumbles a bit, "Well, gotta do some work, kid. I'll see you around." He pats my shoulder and leaves me on my own.
"Detective North." Ah, the man himself, "well, if it ain't James Gordon." He nods a bit and shakes my hand, "How are you doing, kid?" I shake my head a bit, "Not bad, not bad. I hate that nickname." He smiles a bit, "How was your date with Lee?" I hear they had went on a date, "It was great. All going smoothly until... Well, until this happened." He explains in his gruff voice, "That's good. Need any help?" I noticed how many people swamped the GCPD.
"This is why I prefer my desk at the top." Gordon chuckles, "Come on. I need to interrogate a boy, his mother was murdered." I raise my eyebrow at this, "and this is the product of such murder?" Gordon shrugs, I follow the well-dressed man to a small room.
"Hello Jerome. This is Detective North, she will be with me asking you questions, if you don't mind." The ginger boy looks up at me, "No. I don't mind." His voice sounds weak, filled with sadness. His eyes are puffy and red, his whole body language is slumped with grief.
I sit next to Gordon. "It's nice to meet you Jerome. I am very sorry for your loss." He sniffs a bit, "it's nice to meet you too." He nods. I notice that he doesn't respond to my last comment, maybe he's grieving greatly for his dead mother?
"Tell me about your mother, Jerome." The boys attention is diverted to Gordon, "She's my mother. What can I say? I love her." I notice how he looks away every-so-often, something tells me he's not being truthful. "She's perfect. Not a very good cook. Heh. Except for that." I give no reaction, I notice Gordon smiles a bit at that comment.
"Did she have any enemies? Someone with a grudge?" Jerome looks down a bit, "No." he looks up. "Boyfriends?" Which is met with a, "No."
"No?" Jerome moves his head slightly, "She had lovers. Sex partners, really. But not boyfriends." Oh. "She didn't want the commitment." Clearly, by the sound of this she had sex with a lot of people.
"Alphonse Grayson?"
"Yes, he was one of them."
"Owen Lloyd?"
"Yes."
"Any others?"
"Uh, not that I could put a name to."
I feel bad for the boy, well I say boy, we are probably the same age. I'm 18, that's why I get called 'kid' affectionately by all the members of the GCPD. I hate it, but over time it has grown on me.
"How do you feel about your mothers love life?" I'd hardly put it as love life, I give Gordon a side glance at the question. "I feel fine about it." He pauses a bit, "If not for my mother's love life, I wouldn't be here, would I?" Fair point.
"Sex is a healthy, human activity."
Well that was sudden and very blunt. I turn away a bit and cough, a creeping blush spreads on my ears and cheeks at the comment. This caught me off guard, by the looks of things it did the same with Gordon. "Yes, it is." That was the most awkward comment ever.
"Do you have any other family?" Jerome looks down a bit again, then back up, "The circus is my family." Gordon nods, "Well, Thank you Jerome, for your cooperation."
"I will leave you with Detective North here." He leaves and just before the door shuts, "I'm not doing paperwork, Gordon!" The door shuts with a rattle of the glass. I sigh, I hope I'm not filling anything out - already swamped with files of my own.
"You must be exhausted." I comment, he smiles a bit, "I suppose."
I rest my legs on the other chair and lean back a bit, "if you don't mind me pointing this out, personally, I think that this is all an act." He looks at me weirdly, "A detective like me has to detect. It's my job."
"If your suspicions are correct. Why are you so calm?" I smirk a bit, "This job, Jerome. Does things to you. Plus this is Gotham after all, crime is spawning everywhere at the moment." I run my hand through my hair and sigh.
"Would you like anything to drink?" The ginger looks at me, "No, thank you." I stand and rummage through some of the cabinets here, "found you." I put mini bottles of alcohol around, not enough to get me drunk, but enough to take the edge off a bit.
I quickly down it and place it in the bin. I notice how Jerome looked at the alcohol bottle for too long. "Jerome, may I ask you some questions?" He stares for a bit, "I don't mind."
"These will possibly be personal, so these are off-record questions." The ginger nods his head to let me know to continue, "Did you mother drink?" He looks down, then back up, "Yes."
"Every night?" I sit in the chair, giving my attention to him, "Yes." I sigh a bit, "was there ever a time where she wasn't drunk?" The ginger boy fiddles with his fingers a bit, "No." I nod, "okay." That doesn't help, unstable drunk mother parenting a child - this helps build a picture. So if he is keeping up the act now, or every time the police are around, that means he's hiding his true self - his dark side. That means, it's not going to be long until this is solved because Gordon is a good Detective. So that means, he's going to crack soon and show himself for who he really is.
"Well, I expect you would want to get back." I stand, he slowly stands up, he is quite tall - taller than me and I'm in my combat boots. Possible 6ft maybe 6'1. I'm just under 6ft in my boots, and they are a inch and a half on the sole.
"Please follow me." I lead him out the small room back into the overwhelming environment. I spot Gordon and he spots me, he nods at me, letting me know that there is nothing further to do.
I turn and face the fragile ginger boy, "Well, there is no more questioning I hope. You may go but you can't leave Gotham until Detective Gordon has found your mothers murderer."
"Thank you." I smile a bit, "it's no problem." I notice how other members of the circus look at Jerome in disgust and reject his presence entirely, they do this and ignore the officers questioning them. "Oi!" That seems to do the trick, they look away.
Jerome smiles a bit at me, I place my hand on his shoulder in a comforting manner and take it off.
"North!" Bullock waves me over, "Well Jerome, I wish it wasn't under these circumstances, but it's been very nice meeting you." I put my hand out, he grasps it gently and shakes it with a firm but soft grip. "Goodbye." I walk over to Bullock, weaving in and out of the people that are littered everywhere.
"Hey." The man smiles, "how was the interrogation?" I frown a bit, "it was alright. Although there is something fishy going on here." I look over all the people from the circus, "I'm glad I'm not the only one."
"I'm retreating to my desk." "See ya around, kid!" I grimace a bit, I make my way up the stairs and sit on my chair with a thud. I close the open file on my desk - it's a old case, I like reading past cases it helps with the ones now. I place the file to the side.
"Detective North." I look up, "Hey, Ed." He's always been the odd-one-our here and gets back lash for it, "How's your day been so far?" I ask him, he adjusts his glasses, "it's been good. Had this case today." I smile a bit, "Oh, do tell." Ed's head perks up a bit, "This boys mother, Lila Valeska, was most likely killed by a hatchet. You can tell from the injuries she sustained." I nod, "That's interesting. Yeah, I just had to interrogate her son, Jerome Valeska."
"How's things with Miss. Kringle?" Ed just holds a dejected look on his face, "Oh. Well, don't give up. You're a good man Ed, she just hasn't seen it yet." He gives me a smile, "Thank you."
I look at the files on my desk, "Ed?" "Yes?" I hold a pile of files, "if it's not an issue could you put these back?" He smiles a bit, "it's no problem." He takes them away and his head soon disappears as he goes down the stairs.
My phone beeps, I take it out and see a message from Essen; 'Office, now.' I shut it and place it in my pocket. I amble down the stairs and go in her office. "You needed to see me?" She looks up from her desk, "Ah, Yes. You may go now. Gordon will call if he needs any help." I nod, "I'll see you tomorrow." I walk out and run up to my desk. I grab my backpack and put on my trench coat, I slide on my leather gloves and sling my backpack over my shoulder.
"Later kid!" Everyone calls, I put up my middle finger as everyone laughs. I shake my head and begin the 20 minute walk down the streets of Gotham. About 10 minutes in I notice a familiar red-head among the dull colours in the city. "Jerome?" He turns around and looks at me, "Detective North, right?" I smile, "You are correct. But just call me Rose." I walk with him slowly down the busy streets, lots of people moving to their destination, keeping their heads down or fixed to where they want to go.
"Rose~" he teases my name, "Yeah, weird name really. Roselyn is my full name." He laughs a bit, "You have a beautiful name, it's not weird." I smile, "thanks." We both fall in a comfortable silence, "I got to get back to the circus." I notice how we both have to walk different ways, "I'll walk with you." He makes a expression in protest, "It's fine, now come on." I walk on ahead and his footsteps catch up with me.
"Do you do anything in the circus, Jerome?" He sniffs a bit, "no. Not really, only behind the scenes work." I nod my head. "What's it like? The GCPD?" I look around, the towering buildings and cloudy sky, "it's good. A unpredictable job, but it's good."
"Well this is my stop." We both stop outside the entrance to the circus, "Well, I hope the case is solved quickly." He nods, "Be careful. Gordon's on the case, it won't be long." A unrecognisable look flashes across his face, "bye Jerome" I walk away, "Bye Rose!" He shouts, I put my hand up in a wave motion.
I breath out, the cold turning my breath into a smoke-like form. I hurry my way to my apartment, shutting the door with a slam and turning on the lights. They cast a low light over my space, I huff. I place my bag on the wooden table and sit down on the sofa.
It's not long before I realise how exhausted I actually am. I yawn and make myself comfortable in the position I am in, I rest my head on the back of the sofa and close my eyes.
It's not very long until I sleep.
Ring! Ring! Ring!
My eyes snap open, I look around for my phone and answer, "Detective North speaking?" "Kid." I huff and stand, "Yes, Gordon?" He pauses until he speaks, "I need you to come down to the GCPD." I make a noise meaning yes, "I take it you know who did it?" "Yes. Did you?" I laugh a bit, "ever since the interrogation." I sigh, "Right. I'll see you there." "See ya." I shut the phone and grab my bag again, slip my phone in my pocket and put my hat on, plus my red glasses.
"Gordon needed me?" I ask Essen. "Yes, interrogation 1." I nod place my stuff in the locker room, take off my coat and place it with my bag. I quickly walk in the room, a serious vibe lingers in here.
"Detective North. This is Mr Cicero and you have met Jerome." I nod and lean against the wall on the left side of Lee. "Lee." She nods at me. I take off my glasses and put them so they hang on my shirt.
Gordon gives them both a serious look, "Do you know why you're here?" Oh no. No more acts today Jerome. "Did you find out who killed my mother?" Jerome looks at him with an expectant look.
"You killed you mother, Jerome"
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