They were right, as the Chief smiled at both detectives, "Congratulations on your first big case in the US, Payne. I'd say that it was a bit more difficult than your previous one. I think you'll make a great cop here, just like in Littleby! Deputy Chief Payne was right, it seems!"
"So, sir, do you need anything from us?" Jones asked.
"Yes. Alex discovered that Dennis Brown received money into an offshore account. Lots of money."
"Aha! Marconi must have paid him to kill Dillard! Though for what reason...?" the American detective grinned.
"I agree with you, Jones. For once. And the unknown reason is why I'm telling you both!"
"I doubt that Brown would talk, sir," Payne said.
"Me too, so put some pressure on Simmons instead! We've seen him snooping around that junkyard garden. Also, visit Joe Stern. He needs your help with something," the Chief said, finishing his command.
"Got it, Chief!" Jones nodded.
"So, where do you think we should go first, Jones?" Payne asked after the detectives left the Chief's office.
"How about we stop Dave Simmons from messing with that house?" he suggested. She nodded, and that's where they headed.
Simmons was searching around the bushes, although he was avoiding the building and the rusty yellow car as much as he could.
"Mr Simmons, what are you doing here?" Payne shouted to the realtor, making him jump, "This is a crime scene!"
"It's closed to the public!" Jones frowned at the shorter man.
"I, well..." Simmons was sweating as he spoke, "I lost my pen the last time I was here! My, uh, lucky pen! I never sign a contract without it!"
The detectives shared a look. They had a funny feeling that Simmons was bullshitting them.
"Lucky pen, eh? Detective Payne and I will look for it. So leave this place!"
Begrudgingly, Simmons shuffled towards his little brown car and drove off, letting the detectives search for whatever the man had left behind.
"'Lucky pen' my ass... Does he really think he can fool us with that story?" Jones scoffed.
"If so, he's severely underestimating us," Payne frowned, as she scanned the area, "So, what was Simmons really looking for?"
She saw something on the ground. Heading over to it, she found documents. Muddy and stained, but they were still documents. A familiar name was all over it.
"Jones! I've got something!" he hurried over after hearing her shout for him.
"What is- Documents? No lucky pen, then..." he then leaned forward, leaning his arm on Payne's head, only possible because she was crouching.
"It has Marconi's name! And a file name that's all muddied up. Yeah, we'd better use the Scan-dentify on this."
"Yes, and I will when you get off my head, Jones," she glared at him.
"I wanted to be taller for a second... But there you go, Payne!" he grinned innocently, taking his arm off her head.
She walked back to the car, "I'd rather see what Joe needs, in case we need to use the Scan-dentify on anything else. So let's head to his mini-market!"
"Yeah, and don't forget to buy me some-"
"Doughnuts," they smiled at each other, "Is food our bargaining chip now, Jones?"
"If so, I'm a lucky man!"
It was near closing time. Joe stamped out his cigarette as the detectives appeared in their car.
YOU ARE READING
A Bloody Grim Payne
Fanfic[Discontinued, sorry.] Nicola Payne has been a homicide detective for years, finding bodies, finding killers, looking for her own answers to decade-long questions. The trail has led her to a city called Grimsborough, which is nothing like her previo...
