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Post by Kate Donaghy on Sept 7, 2009 18:42:18 GMT -5
(Thought that I'd get this out there since I'm assuming Kate's going to be reprimanded for arresting the press)
Kate was slightly disgruntled, she had an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach that having just finished with her crime scene still didn't leave. Perhaps it had something to do with arresting the press.
Now that she wasn't faced with the annoying blond and that man's infuriating camera, she was thinking of other ways she could have handled it. She wasn't sure what those ways were but maybe there could have been something else to do. Still it wasn't her job to deal with press at all, someone else should have stepped in to take care of them but no one had why had it fallen on Kate's shoulders in the first place?
At least she knew she had done well with her scene, she already had some answers that she could consider impressive and was happy in that aspect.
However just before she was allowing herself to feel good she heard her name being called.
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Post by Angelique St. Clare on Sept 10, 2009 1:32:00 GMT -5
Angelique was in a mood. Having been summoned to the holding cell at Azkaban to deal with the arrest of two reporters from the Daily Prophet at 11:00 in the evening the night before, it really was no wonder. She knew that her failure to brief Kate on the protocols of the department was going to bite her in the butt, but she had felt it important enough to send her straight to the crime scene.
Now Paige Owen was threatening a scathing expose on the suppression of the rights of the press by Ministry employees. Added to that, the murdered girl apparently had friends in high places, because they had coaxed Grayson out of retirement to work on the case. Yes, Angelique was already seeing fireworks....
"Kate! My office, now!" she called.
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Post by Kate Donaghy on Sept 10, 2009 2:54:00 GMT -5
She winced, but Kate's automatic defense system was to bite before being bitten and because of it she was taking offense to the way Angelique called her into the office. It wasn't discreet, in fact anyone within radius could surmise that Kate had done something wrong. Not exactly the impression she wanted people to have, then again most people didn't like her anyway.
"You barked?" she asked mentally before stepping into her boss's office, instead she kept silent and stood stiffly.
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Post by Angelique St. Clare on Sept 11, 2009 0:54:52 GMT -5
Angelique still had her coffee cup in her hands as Kate entered the office. She raised her eyes quietly and scanned the detective in a silent appraisal. She'd have to be blind not to notice that the woman was a bit.... prickly. But Angelique wasn't exactly feeling all that friendly at the moment, either.
"Sit down," she said, motioning to the chair in front of her desk. Her tone was softer this time, not quite as brusque. "So, before I tell you why I called you in here, why don't you give me your assessment of what happened last night at the crime scene?"
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Post by Kate Donaghy on Sept 11, 2009 5:42:30 GMT -5
Kate proceeded with an assessment of everything she had found concerning the case, which was in itself impressive and perhaps a bit of a reminder of why she was on the case in the first place. She didn't mention the reporters at all. While at first her intention was to ignore what happened before she investigated and was aggressive almost defensively trying to put herself in a good light, then she became sincere in her observations and enthusiasm telling her what she had found out and how the case was progressing so far.
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Post by Angelique St. Clare on Sept 11, 2009 16:56:04 GMT -5
Angelique listened quietly to Kate's explanation of all that had happened, nodding occasionally in support. Curiously, she had left out all mentions of her encounter with the press.
When Kate was done, Angelique folded her hands on the desk in front of her and sighed. She had read up on Kate's file early this morning and came to a better understanding of Kate's distrust of the press. Still, there was a protocol that needed to be followed, and Kate had broken it.
"Please explain to me why I was called down to Azkaban's holding cell late last night to determine whether I was going to press charges against Paige Owen and August Heally."
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Post by Kate Donaghy on Sept 11, 2009 21:43:22 GMT -5
When she replied she kept her tone even, " When I arrived on the scene Mr. Heally was already taking photos of the crime scene. An officer was there dealing with him. I assumed that that might have been the end of it but Mr. Heally didn't leave the crime scene. When I went over to lend assistance since there were no other officers handling the situation I asked Mr. Heally to leave and turn over the evidence he had. Miss Owen joined the fray, again I asked them to leave the crime scene and turn over the evidence he had collected they refused. I asked several times, and they would not cooperate."
Perhaps the laws were different in London, although she couldn't imagine that it was legal for press to simply take photos of a crime scene and invade a crime scene or refuse to cooperate with an officer. People had been arrested for much, much less.
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Post by Angelique St. Clare on Sept 12, 2009 1:53:14 GMT -5
Angelique leaned forward. "OK, listen. I know you've had issues with the press in the past. I understand that. And I'll acknowledge that Paige Owen, in particular, can be very irritating, to say the least. However, there is a protocol, and I made a mistake in not briefing you on it before sending you out there."
Angelique paused for a sip of coffee, then continued on. "Aurors are supposed to have minimal contact with the press at an active crime scene. That is for the MLE to handle. I understand that they were distracted and that you essentially took over. You should have insisted that they push the press back. Furthermore, I understand from Paige, who, by the way, is threatening to bring charges of wrongful imprisonment against you, that she offered to stand back and get out of the way while you were doing your investigation and that wasn't good enough for you. The fact is, members of the press are permitted to stand 40 feet from an active crime. They may take photographs, provided that the flash does not disturb the investigation, and that the Ministry is able to view the film prior to publication for possible evidence. So you see, demanding the camera was pointless, you'll get to see the film anyway. And you should have taken Ms. Owen's offer to stand back. The fact is, the nature of this case needs to be reported accurately. If it is as it appears, we may have a serial killer on our hands, and the public needs to be informed about it in order to protect themselves."
She sighed. "Mr. Heally and Ms. Owen were bailed out by their editor, and I dropped the charges against them. It was my fault for not briefing you on the protocol. However, based on what I've seen so far, I think you're going to need additional help. So you're being assigned a partner."
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Post by Kate Donaghy on Sept 12, 2009 8:30:17 GMT -5
Kate seemed a little bit more incredulous as Angelique went on, " I don't know where to begin. First of all key word being offered, she offered to move, she never actually did anything. And they weren't 40 feet from the body at all, the crime was behind the club the body wouldn't have even been visible 40 feet away, all I was asking was that they move out of the crime scene and for the film. They refused, repeatedly. Now no I didn't know that we are permitted to view all the photos that are being taken." Kate was incensed.
"Be that as it may are you telling me that this office has no control whatsoever when someone flashes a press badge? Or that they could publish photos they took while standing in a supposedly restricted area? Correct me if I'm wrong but they are still the public aren't they? They don't get to bypass the caution tape just because they happen to wield a quill with an average iq of thirty? What the hell good are the words ,"Restricted Area", used for then anyway?"
This was not her fault, in her mind she had been kind to the reporter and the photographer when what she really wanted to do was break the camera and knock the silly little girl out.
"As for your MLE officers one was silent as a rock and the other was too busy disturbing the body to deal with the press in the "right" manner."
She grit her teeth, she was angry, " I do not need a partner on this case. They will only slow me down, you don't want me to interact with the press anymore I won't. Barbie can huff and puff, but she was still in a restricted zone and refused to leave which is why I had her arrested, and her charges will never stick." sighing she calmed a little, she wasn't really passionate or vibrant in her anger it simply looked like she was irritated, underneath she was seething, " I'm good at my job Ma'am, if you want this guy off the streets let me do my job. Putting a babysitter with me will be completely anti-productive."
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Post by Angelique St. Clare on Sept 13, 2009 0:19:09 GMT -5
Angelique sighed. "Look, I know you don't like this, and I know it feels like you're being punished. The truth is, even without the incident with the reporters last night, you'd still have to have a partner. This doesn't even come from me... I have no say in this. Apparently, that girl who was killed last night was the daughter of one of of the Ministry directors, and he pulled some strings. I had to fight for you to stay on the case at all, actually.... they wanted to remove you and replace you with the man who's going to be your partner. I went to bat for you, but the best I could do was partners. Luckily, I know the man who's going to be your partner. We're pulling him out of retirement for this case. He's a good man and an excellent detective."
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Post by Kate Donaghy on Sept 14, 2009 23:11:29 GMT -5
Realizing that Angelique had stuck her neck out for her went a long way in smoothing ruffled feathers. The second realization that she was almost booted off the case made her both intensely angry and relieved that she was still there.
She nodded when Angelique revealed the identity, Kate knew who that ministry leader was though it was only a hunch but at least she had another avenue to persue. She ended up sighing, "Who?" she asked simply, there wasn't an" excellent" detective that Kate didn't really know someway or another.
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Post by Angelique St. Clare on Sept 17, 2009 0:31:15 GMT -5
Angelique felt sorry for Kate. She had only just arrived in the country, was given a difficult and disturbing case, hadn't had time to acclimate herself to the culture and the protocols, and now she was having to work with a partner, knowing that the case had very nearly been snatched away from her completely. It would have overwhelmed a weaker person.
"Your partner will be Grayson Steele," Angelique said. "He was retired, but the official talked him into returning for this case. He should actually be here any minute..." She glanced at the door, as if hoping to see him walk in on cue.
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Post by Kate Donaghy on Oct 9, 2009 16:36:43 GMT -5
Grayson Steele? She blinked hearing the name. She knew him, not very well, and of course she knew of him, she had met him once in the states. Her boss had been impressed with her and introduced them since her boss and Grayson had gone back a few years. She had heard so many wonderful things really about him that now she was feeling a little overwhelmed. She knew she was a good detective, she was in fact a brilliant detective, but her record wasn't that good. She had tons of bad publicity on her shoulders that made her look like a screwup and now she was to partner Grayson Steele?
Her only outward reaction was a slight tensing. She did well in guarding her thoughts and her feelings on the subject, she had years of practice doing such a thing, but apprehension was weighing deeply on her shoulders.
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Post by Grayson Steele on Oct 9, 2009 16:40:38 GMT -5
Grayson indeed was on his way in. Things went well so far after explaining to Kate that he was on the case, he just had to deal now with the auror he was going to be partnering.
Of course he'd rather work by himself, he didn't want to step on any toes, he was doing this as a favor.
He remembered the young auror having met her a few years back, she was brash and brawn, but she also had a head on her shoulders and a good hunch from what he could remember, she was just a bit graceless. In either case it would be interesting, he knocked then entered the room carrying a box full of pastries as a subtle peace offering. He had already left one box outside for the other Aurors. Yes where Kate was graceless, Grayson positively oozed goodwill.
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Post by Angelique St. Clare on Oct 11, 2009 16:25:26 GMT -5
Angelique, having instructed her assistant to send Grayson in as soon as he arrived, smiled broadly as Grayson entered the office. He was, in addition to being one of the finest aurors to perform the job, a consummate gentleman and a master of timing.
"Always on cue, aren't you, Grayson?" she teased lightly as she got to her feet. "Kate Donaghy, I'd like you to meet Grayson Steele. Grayson, this is Kate."
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Post by Kate Donaghy on Oct 23, 2009 22:43:37 GMT -5
At an early age Kate had steeled herself against intimidation. Because so many had taken such appreciation in her weakness, she had vowed to never appear as nothing but complete strength.
That long ago conviction was the only thing keeping her from squirming in her chair, instead she bounded up from her seat with an unconscious grace and nodded to the man who was to be her partner. Taking a silent and unnecessary moment to measure him up.
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Post by Grayson Steele on Oct 23, 2009 22:50:55 GMT -5
Grayson's eyes lit with warmth and humor as the young auror in front of him sized him up. While Grayson wasn't a vain man in the least, many wizards and witches in the profession were awed by him or intimidated, to see that this woman in front of him wasn't, was refreshing.
"It's my pleasure Miss Donaghy." he said after setting down the pastries and offering her his hand which she took with a firm handshake.
"As I understand it, you and I are to be spending some time together." he said with a calm smile, though Kate seemed to tense up.
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Post by Kate Donaghy on Oct 23, 2009 22:51:18 GMT -5
Like scales falling in front of her eyes she had closed herself off to him and spoke in a polite but distant tone. "Apparently that is the case." she nodded to him and then to Angelique, "If that is all, I have some evidence I'd like to go over." she said in the same tone, she wanted to get away. The room felt small now with three people in it, she felt crowded and unwanted. Even Grayson's gesture of goodwill by bringing in the pastries seemed like a twisting knife reminding Kate how ill-prepared she was for the politics that being an Auror apparently required.
If she had some time to get away, to sort everything out. She'd have that much better of a chance to not blow up something or someone.
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Post by Angelique St. Clare on Oct 24, 2009 23:21:38 GMT -5
Angelique nodded. "Yes, I imagine you two have quite a bit to go over with this case. I'm sorry to have dumped this news on you like this, Kate, and I assure you, I did what I could for you. I do think you'll make a good team, and I'm confident that you will be able to catch this guy in no time. Now, Kate.... remember what I said about the press, OK? I know they're annoying, but in a case like this where public safety could be an issue, we need to make sure they're keeping the public informed."
She took one of the pastries from the box that Grayson had brought in, then waved them along. "Now, go... get to work. Keep my updated on the case, though, OK?"
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Post by Kate Donaghy on Oct 24, 2009 23:26:57 GMT -5
Kate nodded tightly. It wasn't Angelique's fault, in fact her superior had done a lot for her, and she was grateful, it was simply the situation that sucked. She was doing everything possible to keep her head cool and that included keeping her mouth shut.
When she said she had evidence to go over stupidly she imagined that she could go over it herself, but with a nod toward Angelique, and a wink that Kate had missed, Grayson was following her.
It was going to be a long partnership.
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