Case File 2017.10.07
Liam was sitting in his office just willing the time away until he could call it a day when Gwen came into the office. She had a job offer— watching over her little sister that seems to be in trouble. Her sister, Cassandra, is a budding actress and had some prior encounters that gave her sister concern that warranted knowing that someone was watching out for her. She had cash to pay in advance, and it was a decent amount for him not to take up the job. He’d tailed the young woman and kept watch until he lost sight due to the studio film security keeping him out…he’d later catch up at her home, but unfortunately not before discovering her lifeless body on the floor. As he was investigating the room, someone got the drop on him and the next he knew…Liam was waking up beside Cassandra’s corpse and a fresh bullet hole in her— he was being set up to take the fall. He left for the office, touching base with an old partner that was still on speaking terms, Elena. She confirmed that the cops were already out looking for him and of what she could tell him…she used to be a singer at DeWitt’s before being signed on with Sunrise Studios. That was as good a lead as he’d get so he headed to make a visit at DeWitt’s establishment…nice place to get a drink and listen to one of the girls on stage sing— Delilah was the one at the moment…
His enjoyment of the performance was interrupted as two large, brutes came up from behind stating that Mr. DeWitt wanted to have a word with him. It hadn’t taken long…dragging him in to be dumped in a chair, the son of Vic DeWitt greeted him briefly before turning to business. Word was that Liam had offed some sweet girl and took documents Mr. DeWitt needed to keep Sunrise Studios in the family. That was motive for the story Liam now found himself tangled in, but he didn’t have those documents…and so the conversation escalated to a brute escort to the back alley for ‘further’ discussion. In the fight he managed to get lose and run off away from the three— luckily his assistant, Rhea, had kept an ear open to the police scanner and was there to pick him up and rush him off to follow his newest clue. They’d head for Cassandra’s address so he could search the place. He didn’t turn up much that made sense yet so they began to head for Sunrise Studios. About halfway there the tail on their car was noticed by them both— they shook him off, as the accident when they’d cleared running the red light left their unfortunate follower crushed in the impact.
Once at Sunrise Studios he left Rhea with one last request and leaving her the keys to the business…he didn’t expect to make it out of this and she knew it as she drove off to take care of his parting request. Inside the vacant studios he found the back stage dressing rooms. Around the spot that was Cassandra’s was a drawer that didn’t seem to close properly— documents within a taped envelope. As he was leaving with that information which exposed the situation, he encountered Gwen. She tried to play the innocent card and that just didn’t fly…not after he’d seen the evidence revealing she was the wife of Aaron Teller, co-owner of Sunrise Studios with Vic DeWitt. The two knowns as the Sons of Sunrise which a newspaper clipping showed had died in a tragic accident. The check written to Mike’s Auto for some majorly overpriced tires pointed to the mechanic being paid off to rig the car that had killed both men in that accident. Cassandra had found out and had collected the evidence to expose Gwen. She needed to make the woman disappear and had set Liam up to take the fall. She’d also need to make this stubborn PI disappear as well…though before she could take the shot with her own gun produced moments early, lights filled the room as Elena yell in the room. It was over in an instant, two shots fired— Gwen fell to the floor lifeless…and two-steps later, Liam found himself collapsed on stage as his old partner held him and told him it’d be alright. In the end, Liam did it…he couldn’t save Cassie but he did avenger and even if it killed him…he had to let it go…
The sun rose over Arizona…sand so hot it could have ignited if that were possible. Hot before dawn and hell afterwards— an honest day’s work was dangerous, even deadly in these conditions. Something the Sheriff and residents of Old Hallow were soon to find out…
