Jester Book 1: Abduction

Ch 5 Part 2: Investigating the Investigator

On the following day, Gray's investigation took a new direction. The night after seeing the rival detective he looked into the newbie. A few fun notes came up during his dive.

Firstly, nothing. There was no mention of a new recruit in the Starr Security force. No pictures of albino employees in the profile filters. No news of open positions. He was nearly a ghost.

Until he looked deeper. He found a report inside the physical archives noting an independent temp. A man going by the name of Adam Keienburg. Underneath an interesting recommendation.

Pam Junkerton.

An intriguing note since Pam was a more closed-off lady. She didn't build those walls to keep the trash inside. She liked keeping the filth out. She interacted with Brawlers but even then it was rarely anything past business as usual.

So who was this gender-swapped snow white suddenly arriving just in time for the disappearances of the Brawlers? Plus he was allowed in via a personal recommendation from Pam. Odder than that, Starr Park okayed an independent detective. His operations were kept undercover by constantly changing what it was he offered. Gray has never stated he provided the same services for more than a month. It was the only way he could keep Starr Park from shutting down his department.

Now along comes Adam who got the golden spoon shoved down his throat thanks to Pam. Currently, the prodigal detective was taking a notepad and pen to Mr. P's angry snarls. Gibberish spat from the mascot's beak behind his reception desk. The Snowtel was twice as busy as usual today. A fact that Adam didn't seem to be bothered by.

Gray fixed his newspaper around his face so that he could better observe without being seen. Adam had been conversing with Mr. P for about an hour now. In the middle of a tornado of visitors, his questions continued to add to the storm. Further provoking Mr. P who screamed in his garbled-up language all the same.

Gray expected Gale to arrive (Mr. P's butler and personal translator), but Adam seemed oddly calm. He just kept interacting back and forth as if the penguin's words were English. Gray found that extremely off-putting. Mr. P's voice should be unintelligible to the untrained ears. Just how much has Pam taught him?

Adam hid away his silver locks beneath a bowler hat much like Gray's. He bid adieu and made his way out the front door. Gray followed suit by tapping his cane once. A hole opened below him and he reappeared atop the Snowtel's roof. He followed Adam's path as he inspected some notes. The frigid air made the hairs on his face stand on end.

While Adam stood still in the simulated snow Gray wrapped an imaginary scarf around his neck. The frozen carbon clouds that escaped his mouth stopped with the fake cover. He could feel his breath pushing against his nostrils. For a moment he put his mission on hold. He decided to instead bask in the radiant beauty of Starr Park. High atop this moment and further beyond the roof of The Snowtel the world below seemed so tiny yet incredibly vast. There was a coaster in motion just a few kilometers away with a Ferris Wheel even closer still. Not even the massive weather towers could affect this stunning view.

Then came movement from The Snowtel's rear. He noticed some casual activities transpiring behind the public's eye. Crates of candy being placed into robotic hands. Lou's SnowConez was a staple of the Snowtel. Even in blistering blizzards people still stopped by to grab chilly delight from the robot.

He was fully adorned in his little bellhop hat, blue employee vest, and red suspenders. He placed away the chocolate candy chips underneath his carriage. Then arose once more to grab more toppings from the candy jester's cart. All the while he could hear a faint cackling coming from the jokester. An action that even Lou was visibly confused by.

Gray looked back toward Adam just as he was getting ready to leave. He prepared to jump after him only for Chester to drive past the private eye like a reckless child. Adam didn't seem too bothered by this near accident. He just bundled up in a coat and prepared to make the trek back down the frozen mountain. And Gray chased close behind.