The Enclave of the Blue Pearl

The Porthaven Garrison

The Garrison interior was even more impressive than its exterior. The party entered and was now standing in a large open atrium. The floor was marble and made crisp knocking sounds as numerous uniformed men walked about it, many carrying papers, some walking two by two, each with a look of focused purpose on his face. The space in front of them was dominated by a wooden desk, two or three times the size of the one at Dravot's station. Sheriff Coleridge said something to Inspector Dravot and then walked off upstairs. Dravot bid the party to sit on a bench and then followed him. The two senior officers walked off to another room leaving the four sitting and waiting.

Presently, an officer approached them. "You first", he said pointing to Katoa. The boy stood and followed him out a door, presumably to an interrogation room.

Rudolf decided this was the perfect time to talk to Soren about what had happened. "Soren, where did you and Jaeger go?" he said in a low voice. "And tell me about him. He and I didn't get along too well when we met."

"We were waltzing along to the police station with Carnehan," Soren replied in an equally quiet voice. "Jaeger, however, seems to have disappeared when we came across the sheriff and his merry band."

"So he left, you handed the prisoners to the police, and then you followed the sheriff back to us at the battle."

Soren nodded.

"Did you learn anything about Jaeger? And do you know how the Sheriff found out about the raid on the Evening Star?"

"No, I didn't learn anything about Jaeger. And everyone saw the smoke, and the sheriff came along because he knew that Dravot left his post without leave."

"Of course," Rudolf replied. The second answer satisfied him, but he was unconvinced that Soren learned nothing about Jaeger during his time with him. Still, if he wished to keep some things secret, that was his business and there was nothing Rudolf could do about it.

Suddenly, Rudolf started as he remembered something. He slowly reached his hand inside his coat. His hand felt Smythe's small leather bound notebook and he sighed, reassured by its presence.

Soren looked at him curiously with a raised eyebrow.

"Hm? Oh, just something that may prove quite valuable shortly," Rudolf explained. If he can have his secrets, I can have mine. "Being at a police station for questioning twice in as many days," he said aloud to divert the subject, followed by a forced chuckle.

The minutes passed by without interruption until Katoa and the officer returned several minutes later. "You next," the officer said, gesturing to Soren.

Soren got up and followed him back out to the interrogation room. Katoa briefly leaned in to Rudolf and whispered, "Right now, I'm William Peter," and then made a beeline for what was marked as a restroom. Rudolf wondered quizzically a moment and then understood what he meant. Katoa had made a false identity to hide behind and he wanted him to support it. Fair enough. It was reasonable for a street rat and petty criminal such as Katoa to want to avoid honesty in a house of the law. Still, Rudolf didn't know how big a lie he would tell for his sake, if any.

"You've been rather quiet, Robert. Everything alright?" Rudolf said, now that it was only the two of them. "I mean besides the obvious fact that we are involved in over our heads in something very dark and dangerous."

"Aye, just drank too much whiskey last night."

"Speaking of which, where did you, Katoa, and Ame go last night after you left Soren's house? Some pub to drink more?"

"Just bought some ammo for me shotgun and asked around in Ol' Jenkins, played some cards, the usual."

Rudolf chuckled. "I thought as much."