02-21-2024, 12:30 AM
Analysis and execution (a multipart tale) - Part 2
Tim rolled into work the next day. Tired, thinking about the night before, his pace slowed, he didn't intend to "keep up" with the crowd. Dozens of people moving down the hallway, each going to their respective departments, some in groups, others alone. They were moving briskly, as is common at 5 minutes before the start of the business day. But he was never one to fret over the difference between '10 minutes til' and '5 minutes til'... early is early.
He pushed open the door and it bounced off someone's heel, stopping him. "Oops, sorry!" he offered, and heard an immediate response of "No, excuse me." It was Jules. "I should know better than to stand there," he said, gathering up something he dropped... a zip-lock plastic bag with some papers in it. Something evidentiary.
"I was just reading this..." Jules began, "it's excruciating not being able to see the other pages."
"You open that, and I'll break your fingers," Logan called from his desk in the corner. He grabbed his key-card and started towards Jules.
Gable walked into the area from his cubicle and said, "Logan, I would like you to join me for a moment." Logan issued an almost inaudible groan, and said, "On my way."
Tabby stepped through the door and entered behind Tim, and stopped, looking at the baggie in Jules' hand.
Jules gestured to both of them silently and mouthed the words "Read this."
Tim held the bag, reading the first page through the clear plastic, holding it off to one side so Tabby could read it too.
They could only read the first page, it was a clean, hand-written sheet with neat block print, apparently in pencil. The crafter was gifted with immaculate handwriting, a practiced hand. The sheet was uncrowded, the print evenly spaced and straightly aligned.
As they were both finishing reading the text, Logan emerged saying "I promise won't let that happen again, I'll remember my card before I go collect." Gable said "OK," matter-of-factly, "We have to do things according to protocols."
Gable then turned and looked at Jules with a scowl.
"Don't look at me... I was just curious..." to which Gable responded, "and you infected them with your 'curiosity?" He emitted a heavy sigh, "Tabitha, Timothy, all materials are to be scanned and submitted to the lab before anything else. No exceptions." "Of course!" Tabby said, as Tim just stood there looking a bit embarrassed.
Logan snatched the bag and left the room... poker-faced.
That "letter" became the "topic of the day."
The front page of the "letter" read as follows:
My name is Arthur Morrow, I am in full possession of my faculties, and offer this confession freely, under no duress, and with reasonable understanding of its moral and legal ramifications.
The murder was premeditated.
I alone, planned to go to her residence and kill her. I discussed this with no one.
I carried no weapon. You will have discovered that I used something I found in her home to end her life.
At the time of this confession, I have no knowledge of exactly what transpired. I only know that I may not be around afterwards to explain the actual act.
I am fully aware that, because of the nature of my planned crime, I will be subject to, and rightly deserve the death penalty. Anything less would be too merciful, and likely offensive to any I have incidentally victimized. I can only assure any such victim or victims that they were never part of my motive, and I regret that anyone else might suffer because of this act of murder (whether it be family, or friend, or even empathetic bystander.) The act I will now undertake is not a "message to the world" nor is it a "lesson."
I can explain, however, matters of motive, if only to facilitate my eventual prosecution.
Cassandra Dunner, is the name of the woman you will have discovered by now, that I have murdered. We were never antagonists, neither of us is indebted to the other, nor have we ever inflicted injuries upon each other. As far as I am aware, she does not have any animosity towards me, nor I towards her. Our acquaintance was casual and cordial.
But what she was set upon doing simply could not be allowed to happen. How I came to learn of her intention was purely coincidental. And I realized then that no one would stop her.
I will stop her. She must be stopped.
Apparently, Gabriel made a visit to the lab and queried about the "see-through baggie" shortly thereafter... Which actually means he bitched someone out about how official and classified documents are not to be stored in this manner... and used words like "This isn't some frat-boy FBI operation," and also "We're not congressional aides here." Gabe was heard saying "We use the correct document handling and that has to begin with how these things are bagged and transported."
That afternoon featured two separate meetings to discuss the propriety of Gabriel browbeating someone not under his authority... Gabe missed lunch that day. Probably not good for the team. Logan secretly blamed himself.
Tim understood that this was something unusually sensitive. He had only participated in three of the team's 'projects' so far; and he sensed everyone's anticipation about this unauthorized "preview."
[stay tuned for more]
Tim rolled into work the next day. Tired, thinking about the night before, his pace slowed, he didn't intend to "keep up" with the crowd. Dozens of people moving down the hallway, each going to their respective departments, some in groups, others alone. They were moving briskly, as is common at 5 minutes before the start of the business day. But he was never one to fret over the difference between '10 minutes til' and '5 minutes til'... early is early.
He pushed open the door and it bounced off someone's heel, stopping him. "Oops, sorry!" he offered, and heard an immediate response of "No, excuse me." It was Jules. "I should know better than to stand there," he said, gathering up something he dropped... a zip-lock plastic bag with some papers in it. Something evidentiary.
"I was just reading this..." Jules began, "it's excruciating not being able to see the other pages."
"You open that, and I'll break your fingers," Logan called from his desk in the corner. He grabbed his key-card and started towards Jules.
Gable walked into the area from his cubicle and said, "Logan, I would like you to join me for a moment." Logan issued an almost inaudible groan, and said, "On my way."
Tabby stepped through the door and entered behind Tim, and stopped, looking at the baggie in Jules' hand.
Jules gestured to both of them silently and mouthed the words "Read this."
Tim held the bag, reading the first page through the clear plastic, holding it off to one side so Tabby could read it too.
They could only read the first page, it was a clean, hand-written sheet with neat block print, apparently in pencil. The crafter was gifted with immaculate handwriting, a practiced hand. The sheet was uncrowded, the print evenly spaced and straightly aligned.
As they were both finishing reading the text, Logan emerged saying "I promise won't let that happen again, I'll remember my card before I go collect." Gable said "OK," matter-of-factly, "We have to do things according to protocols."
Gable then turned and looked at Jules with a scowl.
"Don't look at me... I was just curious..." to which Gable responded, "and you infected them with your 'curiosity?" He emitted a heavy sigh, "Tabitha, Timothy, all materials are to be scanned and submitted to the lab before anything else. No exceptions." "Of course!" Tabby said, as Tim just stood there looking a bit embarrassed.
Logan snatched the bag and left the room... poker-faced.
That "letter" became the "topic of the day."
The front page of the "letter" read as follows:
My name is Arthur Morrow, I am in full possession of my faculties, and offer this confession freely, under no duress, and with reasonable understanding of its moral and legal ramifications.
The murder was premeditated.
I alone, planned to go to her residence and kill her. I discussed this with no one.
I carried no weapon. You will have discovered that I used something I found in her home to end her life.
At the time of this confession, I have no knowledge of exactly what transpired. I only know that I may not be around afterwards to explain the actual act.
I am fully aware that, because of the nature of my planned crime, I will be subject to, and rightly deserve the death penalty. Anything less would be too merciful, and likely offensive to any I have incidentally victimized. I can only assure any such victim or victims that they were never part of my motive, and I regret that anyone else might suffer because of this act of murder (whether it be family, or friend, or even empathetic bystander.) The act I will now undertake is not a "message to the world" nor is it a "lesson."
I can explain, however, matters of motive, if only to facilitate my eventual prosecution.
Cassandra Dunner, is the name of the woman you will have discovered by now, that I have murdered. We were never antagonists, neither of us is indebted to the other, nor have we ever inflicted injuries upon each other. As far as I am aware, she does not have any animosity towards me, nor I towards her. Our acquaintance was casual and cordial.
But what she was set upon doing simply could not be allowed to happen. How I came to learn of her intention was purely coincidental. And I realized then that no one would stop her.
I will stop her. She must be stopped.
Apparently, Gabriel made a visit to the lab and queried about the "see-through baggie" shortly thereafter... Which actually means he bitched someone out about how official and classified documents are not to be stored in this manner... and used words like "This isn't some frat-boy FBI operation," and also "We're not congressional aides here." Gabe was heard saying "We use the correct document handling and that has to begin with how these things are bagged and transported."
That afternoon featured two separate meetings to discuss the propriety of Gabriel browbeating someone not under his authority... Gabe missed lunch that day. Probably not good for the team. Logan secretly blamed himself.
Tim understood that this was something unusually sensitive. He had only participated in three of the team's 'projects' so far; and he sensed everyone's anticipation about this unauthorized "preview."
[stay tuned for more]
