RP:Clever Girl

Part of the Through A Glass, Darkly Arc

Summary: Meri, Hudson, and Milo (Landon family bodyguard) meet in Rynvale to follow up on a hunch about Candice Snow, former actress and mistress to failed politician Sterling Townsend. They search the woman's current home while she's out working for Hudson in his real estate business in Cenril. They find nothing linking Candice and Sterling together in a current romantic relationship, but they do find a sad private letter evidencing that Sterling, after his failed bid for office, was in a bad place. ...More notably, they find a 'personal' picture, addressed to Hudson, explicitly calling him and his associates out. It would seem that Ms. Snow anticipated that her place would be broken into and searched, and is looking for a confrontation.

Candice Snow's Home, Rynvale

Hudson has been looking forward to this. Circumstances have evolved slightly since he, Meri, and Milo cooked up the plan to investigate the infamous Candice Snow, former mistress of Sterling Townsend, the disgraced politician whose loss was Mayor Uma's gain.

For one, Candice Snow had suddenly appeared in Hudson's life. He'd been waiting for a parent teacher conference and she had been interviewing her daughter Aubree at the same private school his kids went to. How coincidental.

In their brief conversation, she'd suggested that she was a single mother. Hudson wasn't sure he believed it. But then she'd showed up at his work, asking for leads on a home and inviting him to show her around. It was flattering, but he had the impression she was working him, and things made more sense when she revealed that she wanted to be shielded from the press. Then she offered her a job well beneath her station, and she took it.

But surely she knew that he'd played a role in her lover's fall from grace, in making her name synonymous with homewrecker? Or maybe all publicity was good publicity, and maybe she wasn't all that bent out of shape over Sterling after all. Maybe it was all just horse trading, and he presently had the most impressive stable.

Getting her address in Rynvale, then, was easy. Tracking her routines, her comings and goings, even easier once she'd started working as a realtor for Hudson's operation.

"Kid's at school. And she won't be back until six probably, boss," Milo informs Hudson as they loiter outside a green space, waiting on Meri.

"You got lock picking stuff in case we need?"

"What is that, a joke?" scoffs Milo. He flashes a leather wallet tools in his pocket. "I'm like a scout over here."

"Gotta make sure you get all the dirt on Ms. Snow."

"It's not like that."

"But it is a little."

"Maybe a little."

Hudson grins, rolling his eyes. "Right."

Meri was not entirely in the loop of how things evolved since the trio's last discussion, and that was fine. This was a matter that Hudson had far more personal stake in than Meri. Sure, the blonde had to go to court, but it was Hudson's wife that was more directly affected by the news leaks that are taking place. Still. This drama has been significant enough in Meri's life that she has an invested interest in trying to get to the heart of the matter...and then seeing said heart squashed.

The female werewolf arrives during the tail end of Milo and Hudson's conversation, and given the way they Hudson is grinning over all of their 'maybe a little' talk, Meri is not entirely sure that she wants to inquire. It could be harmless, it could be some bro-talk over Candice Snow. A brow is lofted as she shifts her blue-eyed gaze from Hudson to Milo and then back again. "Huh," Meri remarks about the tidbit of their conversation that she was able to overhear, effectively announcing her arrival if they did not happen to notice her approach.

Being out of the house and away from the kiddo meant that Meri could smoke freely without having to worry about blackening her own daughter's lungs. The remains of Meri's cigarette is dropped and then smushed out beneath the toe of her boot before the blonde inquires, "So what's the game plan today? Fill me in on all the dirty details."

Meri may not be in the loop, but she is about to be. Her arrival breaks up the commentary between men before it gets too rude. Probably for the best. They both turn to give her the same playing-it-cool grin. "Yo, Meri," Hudson greets her first. He claps Milo on the shoulder. "Game plan is get in there and go through her stuff, figure out what her relationship to Sterling is, and if there's anything more there. Milo tells me we got several hours."

"She's at work," Milo explains.

"Foooor me," adds in Hudson in a playful tone, giving Meri a certain devil may care smile that suggests there's more to the story, and she'd better strap in because they'll have plenty to talk about while they're opening every drawer and going through every closet. "I can explain," he waves at the garden gate that's adjacent to the park. "Let's get in while it's clear here." Milo takes the hint and leads the way, brandishing his tools and going about picking the lock as Hudson loiters by a box hedge that's grown into the iron fence and addresses Meri: "Candice Snow's ears must have been burning because she suddenly appeared after we spoke. Wanting to get her kid into the same school that my kids go to. Being all friendly." He lifts his eyebrows. Milo's face is contorted in concentration, and there's a subtle click. The gate swings open. "After you," he waves Meri in first, and the two men follow, closing the gate behind them.

Beyond the privacy hedging and gate, the yard is bare, a good lawn with a green sandbox in the shape of a turtle close to the back entrance. "We have the same one," comments Hudson as they pass it and take up position at the door. Milo's got to pick this lock now too. Hudson is still updating Meri: "So we chat at the school a little and then Candice shows up at my work asking me to help her find a house in Cenril, because she and her kid - emphasis on just the two of them - are moving. And can I go with her to look at the house."

"You didn't tell me that part," grunts Milo, taking care to turn the tool very carefully in the lock.

"I did tell you that part," says Hudson, continuing, "Obviously I'm not going to do that because it's a little weird, right?"

"Boss, do you think she was coming onto you?" asks Milo.

"Yo, you focus on opening the door and let me finish the story," says Hudson, his gaze once more returning to Meri. "So I offer to refer her to one of my agents. And then we get to talking, and she reveals that she's really worried about the press reporting on her and her daughter, blah blah blah, can I do her a solid and ask my connects to make sure it's not a circus." Hudson makes a gesture that's supposed to indicate that this is a nothing ask. "I say sure. Felt like everything was just buttering me up for that ask. It's a little weird, right? Didn't we basically destroy this woman's reputation?"

Meri could only hope that they really had hours, one never knows when something unexpected will come up. This thought is just a fleeting one for the blonde forces her attention back to the story at Hudson is explaining....It all seemed...a little too coincidental. Clearly it was not just her who had this thought, Hudson had voiced that it all felt a little weird on more than one occasion while recounting these events. Her ears might be on Hudson's story but her eyes on what Milo is doing. By the time that Hudson tries to convince Milo to focus on his lock picking, the psion decides to take matters into her own hands. Levitating beers is not the only trick the psion has picked up in her ears. "Excuuuuse me," she says to Milo. The blonde puts her hand on the doorknob and gives it a push, and just like that the door that was most assuredly locked just a second ago is now opened.

"It's definitely weird. She's got to be working some angle...Maybe we'll find out some clues as to what she is up to inside..."

Meri had no issue being the first one to set foot into the abode once they managed to get past the locks. Her approach as a cautious one, as she was not sure how empty the house really was. They could have help come through, cleaning, gardening, or maybe even a pet. Meri's got three dogs that people run the risk of encountering should they enter her home when she is not home...but a dog is a tame hope for a pet in these lands.

"We're sure she won't be back for several hours?"

Milo's only somewhat competent lockpicking very quickly takes a backseat to Meri's actually competent psion abilities. The lock clicks, and the back door swings open. "That'll do it," comments Milo, climbing inside after Meri.

"Nice trick," Hudson agrees, following last. They close the door behind them, and Hudson picks up the thread of conversation where they'd left it. "Yeah, I feel like she's trying to ingratiate herself with me because she wants something."

"Maybe it's the D," suggests Milo.

Hudson makes a disgusted sound in the base of his throat and decides to ignore this remark for the time being, answering Meri's question instead: "We're good, she's got a lot of work today. Made sure of that." The ground floor of the house is quiet, and with an open floor plan. There's a clean, new kitchen, and a comfortable living room. Hudson makes a gesture at the living area. "Meri, why don't you go through the stuff over there, we'll go through everything in the kitchen. Let's try not to make a mess." Since they're all in the same general area, they can still talk. He starts opening cabinets that contain plates and glasses and lifts an eyebrow at Milo, suspected mess-creator, who curling his lip at a rather obscure child artwork on the ice box. "Don't eat any food," Hudson tells the other man.

"I'm not," says Milo. He opens and peers into the ice box. Of note, there are a couple bottles of rose, and leftover rotisserie chicken. They don't know it yet, but they will find nothing of interest on this floor. Only evidence of a woman living with a child.

Hudson is moving quickly through the cabinets. "I'm not saying you're right," Hudson is clearly addressing Milo's comment, "but I will say it feels a little like she is trying to manipulate me in that sense."

Milo is opening all the drawers and sifting through their contents. "Wish Candice Snow were trying to manipulate me."

Hudson is going through the shelves that contain the cookbooks now, flipping through all of them to ensure that they're real books. "No, you don't. You weren't around when Meri and I put Sterling's political career in the trash can. It was real bad stuff that got put out in the press. This woman should hate me, not be dropping hints that she's single and can I take her to go look at houses. I got a weird feeling about it." He glances over at Meri, presumably rummaging about in her corner of the home. "There's like, nothing here that indicates a man has been around. Anything over there? Should we go upstairs?"

Hudson might intent on doing his best to ignore Milo's comment, disgusted sounds aside, but the look that Meri pins on Milo. Well it's definitely not of approval. "Hi, I know I am more like a dude than a chick. But can you at least pretend you are in the company of a woman, hm?" Look, Hudson. This is for Milo's own benefit. He'll be single for the rest of his life if he does not learn this lesson sooner rather than later.

Back to business.

Meri is content to split up their search of the house, she begins to meticulously search through the living space trying to place everything back where she found it. She was not sure what sort of personality type Candice Snow was, but she was keenly aware that there were some people who were so particular about item placement that if one little thing was even slightly askew, it was cause for alarm. Does Meri uncover anything of note? Well it does not seem so, but she is not surprised. The living area is too open of a space to store anything secretive, but one never knows.

Milo is lamenting over his want for the actress again. He might not be in the same room as Meri at this point but the blonde cannot help but comment on what she overhears. "I can still heaaaar you," she reminds the other werewolf. This comment may not have been as cringe worthy as the D comment, but still.

Hudson joins Meri in her corner of the home, Meri is just finishing up her search and does not need to hear the suggestion that they search upstairs twice. There are presumably several rooms upstairs? At least a master bedroom and a child's bedroom? Maybe a study? The blonde cannot imagine that they'll find anything of note in the kid's room, but Milo's comments during the search thus far is promoting enough for Meri to declare, "I will look through her room. She deserves at least some privacy in that regard. Besides, Milo will probably try and steal her panties if we let him search her room. Add it to the Candice Snow shrine he clearly is building." Meri smirks. She's amused, even if perhaps Milo is not. It probably is not hard for Meri to locate the master bedroom, and when she does the search will begin. One of the things she is definitely looking out for are signs of men's clothing. Are she and Sterling really done and over with?

Milo, upon being reprimanded a second time, grins sheepishly and looks at Hudson, who grunts and says, "Come on, man," on his way to Meri's side of the room. "This downstairs is a bust," remarks Hudson, nodding when Meri proposes that she search Candice's bedroom. "Agreed, that's for the best, that would be a lame way to tip her off we were here."

"Collector's item, probably, but I'm not that desperate," says Milo as the three ascend the stairs.

"You sound pretty thirsty to me," remarks Hudson once they reach the top. He gestures at the bedroom for Meri and a child's room for himself. "Milo, you can search the bathroom and whatever else?"

"Yeah," agrees Milo.

And so the three part ways once more, resuming their search. Milo whistles to himself while he rifles through medicine cabinets, reading off names of medications and guessing aloud their purpose. From what Hudson can hear, Candice Snow seems like your average human. She keeps bandages, pain reliever, antiseptic, sleeping tinctures ... For his part, Hudson is going through Aubree's toy chests. She has the latest and greatest in child fad toys, and he recognizes a lot of these from his own house. He checks the dresser and the furniture for trap drawers or cabinets, but he won't find anything either.

Meri, however: she won't find any men's clothes in Candice's bedroom. She'll find an impressively vast collection of women's clothes, shoes, and beauty products. But she will find: a locked safe, nestled in the closet.

The longer the search through the house goes on, the more Meri doubts that they are actually going to find what they are looking for. Nothing in the bathroom. Nothing in the kids room. Really not much luck in the bedroom either. The blonde's confidence does increase when she discovers the safe. I mean really, plenty of people have one of these items in their home. It is perfectly reasonable to want to store valuable items, and surely an actress has probably purchased some fancy jewels that she does not want to risk having thieved.

"Oi," Meri calls out to the two of them, loud enough to be heard but trying to not be -too- loud.

The blonde would wait until she had both the attention of Milo and Hudson before she breaks into that safe. There might be some situations were the psion has issues breaking into a safe, it all really depends on the lock. For example, if the lock in question has some magical element involved in it...the psion is pretty much screwed. Her little parlor trick really only worked on locks that could be picked the old fashioned way. Once they are both in the room, the blonde would put those telekinetic abilities to good use once again so that she could open the safe. Would they find anything juicy inside?

Hudson is just about done rifling through dolls. He hears the sound of a medicine cabinet shutting, and rejoins Milo on the way to meet up with Meri, in the bedroom. "What do we got?" he asks, standing on one side of Meri as her face enters a mode of concentration and she goes about cracking the safe.

"Man, I get the sense she's so much better at this than I am," complains Milo, observing.

Hudson claps him on the shoulder. "You're still a hardened criminal, buck up," he says, playfully.

It's all smooth sailing for Meri: the safe clicks open at that point, whereupon the two men come closer to have a look over her shoulder. It has several levels and on the top tiers there's about what you'd expect: velvet trays of expensive jewelry, identification documents for Candice and Aubree, rolls of gold coins.

In the middle tiers: old keepsakes from her high school days, and a few short letters and cards from Sterling Townsend. Milo reads one aloud, dated just after the election: "I don't think I can do it anymore, Candice. I'm sorry. S." He passes it to Hudson, who reads it next.

"Maybe they really aren't together," muses Hudson, who passes it to Meri. They take a moment to read the others before moving on to the bottom tier.

On the very bottom tier, however: a page-sized envelope marked 'For Hudson,' which Milo picks up to hand to the man himself, but Hudson waves it away. "Would you trust a surprise envelope in a safe with your name on it?"

"You're going to make me open it?"

"You're my bodyguard, nut up."

"Alright, stand clear of the dangerous surprise envelope," jokes Milo, backing up to open it in the center of the room as the others presumably look on. Nothing happens, however, and inside there is no suspicious white powder. Milo slowly shakes out the envelope's sole contents, a picture which flutters to the floor boards for everyone to look at.

It's a very tasteful nude of Candice Snow herself. In the drawing, she's covering herself with her arms.

"'Did you like invading my privacy?'" reads Milo. The words are scrawled in an elegant cursive at the bottom of the page.

Hudson clears his throat, puts his hands in his pockets. His face is warm. He wears an expression of distaste and looks at the picture. It's very playful. Candice is laughing in it. "Clever girl," he says at last, glancing at Meri.

The trio go through the contents of the safe piece by piece. The note signed by 'S' definitely catches Meri's attention for it is obvious to her who 'S' is. Of even more importance is the note that Candice has left for Hudson. Meri frowns and rolls her eyes, but deep down she is not entirely surprised by this revelation. It would be far too easy for them to have just stumbled on the answer to all their problems. If such an answer exists then it would not be kept in such an easily accessible safe. "So the question is, again, are you sure that she's really out and about?"

Meri was feeling a little bit more than paranoid so she makes her way to the bedroom window, carefully creeping a pick through the curtains. She not trying to be obvious about her attempts to look outside, but she is trying to make sure that they are really alone...that some secret bodyguard staff was not surrounding the house as they speak. Would they really be able to make their way out of the house without incident. "I don't think we should keep trying our luck by sticking around here..." Meri would declare before she really had a good sense on if they were really, truly alone in the house or not.

"That note from Sterling though? I don't think I can do it anymore? You had said that...You have not really heard anything from Sterling? Like nothing...?" Meri lifts a brow. "I mean, I guess what I am getting at is...One interpretation could be that it is a break up note. That he can't do the affair anymore. Or...you know. We did wreck his life...." Maybe it is a different sort of note. "I mean, you'd think we'd hear about that...but I guess what I am getting at is maybe you should at the obituaries...."

Maybe Sterling was never their problem. You know what they say about scorned women.

Hudson is glancing around them as Meri asks aloud whether Candice really is where they think she is. "She should be," is all he can say, but he's questioning reality too, and growing quite paranoid himself. He watches Meri stay frozen, her stance sounding to him in a feral alertness that's both familiar to him and Milo, fellow wolves, and he bends down to pick up the drawing, handing it to Milo, who carefully slides it back into the envelope. "Yeah, we should leave," he agrees.

"You want me to bring this?" asks Milo.

"May as well," says Hudson, feeling irritated and reckless, the old itch setting into his skin. It embarrasses him. Fortunately the present audience is Milo and Meri, who know better, but he doesn't like Candice's game, whatever it is. He doesn't know whether this is meant to intimidate him, or whether she really just thinks he's a math problem she can solve, Hudson + nudes = ? Either way, he'll know soon, and put a stop to it.

"Sterling's been off the grid, yeah," he tells Meri, who comes forth with an alternative theory: that perhaps they caused Sterling to take his own life.

Hudson's mind immediately goes in the same direction as Meri's. Milo's does too. "Oh man," says the bodyguard. "She's just an actress, though. A single mom?"

"So's Mayor Uma," says Hudson, dryly, exchanging a glance with Meri. "Let's get out of here."

And whether wise or not, he's going to confront Candice.