Lt. JG V'Len Kel - Brother's keeper

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Don K

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May 31, 2022, 10:34:34 AM5/31/22
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((Holodeck 2, Deck 6, USS Oumuamua))

V'Len:  So Ulasso, who exactly do you think is the "world's greatest detective"?

Ulasso: His name is "Batman". A curious name for a Terran.

Kessler: ::looking puzzled:: Batman?

V'Len:  You're kidding?  Batman is a superhero, not a detective.  He's like the Wes Greaves of detectives.  We're going for something more like Sherlock Holmes or Poirot or Father Brown here.  

Ulasso: Your picture book titled him this, not me. Is Major Greaves considered a "superhero"? I also don't know these other characters, you confuse me further V'Len.

Kessler: ::laughing:: Yes, Ulasso ::beat:: Greaves is a superhero and you should watch out for his special powers.

The remainder of the ride devolved into a debate about the relative merits of Batman vs. Sherlock Holmes.  V'Len was thankful when they finally arrived at Hannah Donovin's home.  Travel in this Era was gruelingly slow.  The trio made their way to the porch but before they were able to know the door swung open to reveal a woman, easily in her 40s.

Hannah: What?

V'Len:  Ma'am I'm Detective V'Len Kel of the Toronto Constabulary.  May we come in.

The woman scowled but moved aside to let them come in.  

V'Len: I'm afraid we have some regrettable news.  

Ulasso: ::flatly:: Your brother is dead.

Kessler: ::low voice:: Tack, big guy, loved one dead. Show a little more empathy.

Hannah: ::shrieking::  What!  What!  John come down!  Something's happened to Sean.

Kessler/Ulasso: Response

A man, still in his bedclothes rushed down the stairs.  V'Len assumed this was John.

John:  What's happened?

Ulasso: ::flatly:: Your brother is dead.

Kessler: ::low voice again:: Getting a little better, maybe. ::shaking his head::

John:  My God!

Kessler: Sir, ma’am, I am sorry for your loss. Did either of you see John today?

V'Len was pleased to see that Jack looked to be having a good time. Ulasso had a curious expression on his face.

Ulasso: Sir, would it be correct to assume you are referencing "God"? Or is this a different Earth God?

Hannah:  ::sobbing:: I've been here all night.  John came in late.

John:  Yes I had some business, that's why I slept late.

Ulasso: ::to John:: You aren't perhaps...::tilting head slightly::a Chimney Sweep are you?

The question seemed out of the blue, though V'Len could see Ulasso was still trying to determine how someone had gotten into the locked room.  

Hannah: ::still sobbing::  But why would he kill himself, he was so happy and excited to marry Jenna.  Oh my.  Jenna where is she?  Does she know what happened.

V'Len's ebrows shot up.  None of them had said anything about suicide.  

Kessler: Ms. Morgan has been made aware and is being tended to at the moment.

V'Len saw that Jack and Ulasso were working diligently on something and he strolled over to look over Jack's shoulder.   Apparently Ulasso had found a message in the numbers  found in the man's bible.

"It wasnt me" the message read.

That suggested that something more sinister had occurred in room 220.   If there was no forced entry or entry through the chimney that it was likely that Sean Donovin had let his killer into the room.  Which meant it was someone he trusted.

Ulasso: Well mamm, it would seem your questioning of his reason to kill himself was correct. I believe Sean left us a hidden message in his bible telling us that he didn't kill himself.

Normally V'Len would not have endorsed sharing evidence with potential suspects, but he decided a read of the room would be more helpful.  Both the Donovin sibling seemed to behaving strangely.  

Ulasso: Well Mister Kessler, it would seem the game has two feet now.

Kessler: ::looking at the note and then back to Ulasso:: Still one foot but yes the game is certainly a foot now.

Kel: oO Now I'm confused too. Oo

Ulasso: So...the game is a 1 footed creature? This confuses me, I have seen 2 footed creatures, 4 footed, and even 8 footed, but 1 single foot... perhaps the creature suffered an injury or birth defect, ::turning to Kel:: you are a doctor, is this possible?

Kessler: It’s an expression indicating the mystery, the hunt for the killer is leading us to other places, avenues and a chase no doubt.

V'Len was trying to think of the next line of question to take.  John's absence from the home the night before definitely  required follow up, but Hannah's suggestion of a suicide also required some dissection.  
 
Ulasso: Interesting. Well, anyway maybe his note referenced another bible verse for more clues. Do the two of you have any ideas?  

Kessler: ::looking back from V’Len to John:: Sir, you mentioned you came in late. May I ask, what line of work are you in?

V'Len looked at both siblings to see what they had to say.

John:  ::disgruntled::  My brother always had his nose in a Bible and that's probably why his businesses were in such a sad state.  I'm not even sure how he met Jenna given the time he spent at the church.  The man could barely read a watch and yet he could quote chapter and verse like an octogenarian priest.
 
Hannah:  It's true, Sean was very devout.  John has been telling me for months that he has been worried about Sean.  I always got the impression things were going fine, but John has been saying that his business has suffered.  But who would want to kill him?  He was always kind, his employees all seemed smiles when I visited him at work.  

So Hannah's suggestion of a suicide could have been based on Sean's business issues.  It would take time to run down Donovin's financials.  V'Len waited to hear Mr. Donovin's response to Jack's question.  

John: I own an apothecary here in town. I was unloading some supplies that had come in.

V'Len rocked at the revelation.  Could it really be that easy?  John seemed to have both means and opportunity.  The problem was motive.

Kessler: An interesting trade, has John come to you for any medicines recently?

John:  I store and provide any number of  chemicals and medicinals.  

Hannah  continued to break down over the loss of their brother, while Jack kept up his questioning.  

Kessler: One final question sir, do you know anyone that might want to hurt your brother?

John looked up the ceiling for a moment as if in thought.  Then he sighed.

John:  As I said his businesses were suffering.  Its possible he borrowed money from the wrong sort of people.  
 
It was an interesting revelation and made sense.  V'Len was bothered somewhat by the fact that Sean had not changed his wedding plans or his home buying plans despite his seemingly dire financial situation.  

V'Len:  Hannah and John, if I could.  Did Sean have any nicknames he used for you?  I occasionally call my sister Rose, though her name is Rosro.  

Hannah:  No.  Growing up our parents were very traditional.  I guess you'd say we weren't encouraged to have "fun".  It was always Hannah and John.  We always called him Sean.  

V'Len:  John, you mentioned your brother had trouble telling time, what did you mean by that.

John:  ::frustrated::  He couldn't read a watch or a clock. If it was dinner time he'd tell you it was 10 am.  If you asked him in the morning how long until lunch, he had no idea.  I'm not even sure he knew what day of the week or year it was.  That's probably why he was having business difficulties, he had a hard time keeping track of things

Hannah nodded in agreement with her brother's assessment.

Jack/Ulasso: Response

V'Len looked around the room.  The fact that John had opportunity and means bothered him, but without some kind of motive or connection he was not sure he could justifiably take the man to the station for further questioning.

V'Len:  ::turning to John:: I'm sorry to say it Mr. Donovin, but we will need to have you come to the city morgue to confirm the identity of your brother's body.  We can meet you there in a few hours.  

Excusing himself John turned to go upstairs to dress himself.

V'Len:  ::turning to Hannah::  Before we go, could we bother you for some tea, its frigid out there.  

Hannah pulled herself together and left the room to comply.  She seemed happy to have something to do rather than sit and remember her brother.  Having cleared the room V'Len turned back to Jack and Ulasso.

V'Len:  I have some definite suspicions about John Donovin, but right now I can't justify taking him in.  We could ask to examine his room, but I'm not sure how we'd justify it and given Sean's death by lethal injection we're unlikely to find evidence.  No other weapon, no bloody clothes.  We need a motive.

Jack/Ulasso: Response

V'Len:  Those are fair points.  What do we make of the fact that Sean seemed to have such a horrible concept of time, but included a time in his "suicide note"?

Jack/Ulasso: Response

V'Len sat down on the couch.  

V'Len:  Also, why did Sean address the letter to "Jena, Sis and John"?  Why not "Jena, Hannah and John" or "Jena and Family"?

Jack/Ulasso: Response

Tags/TBC

--
Lieutenant JG V’Len Kel
Medical Officer
USS Thor (NCC-82607)
T239811VK2
He/Him (character and player)
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