I reached a stalemate during an investigation so I asked permission to protect the governor since he has been getting death threats. He was hosting a dinner party where his investors would be gathered to celebrate his second term in office. I was wearing two earpieces. One was the standard issue and the other was the bone mic the enterprise uses to communicate. None of the attendees were on the red notice. One bodyguard was a stern faced man with a British accent who clearly had trust issues. He stared at everyone with open distrust. Everyone single one of them was a potential threat. Since I am police officer I was deemed a level seven threat. I was flattered. I walked around searching for anyone who would have the stones to attack the party. The security were standing by the wall like they were part of the furniture. Tanya was laughing at my commentary. A mysterious package arrived at the front door. The security opened it to find a tablet showing the governor's daughter. She was inside a hummer that was taking her to a safe house. The ten year old was wringing her fingers as she looked out the tinted windows. She looked afraid and on the verge of tears. Tanya swore like a sailor as she started waking everyone at the enterprise. Within minutes a hundred keystrokes were as they tried to locate the kid.
We heard something vibrate. I pulled out the brown paper and found a cellphone hidden in the packaging. The disembodied voice answered the very moment we put him on speaker. The man explained that he wants the secret hidden in the building. He has already confirmed it's existence. In exchange the daughter will live to see her next the next sunrise. If anyone contacts the hummer he will blow it up. If anyone leaves the party he will blow it. If anyone calls the cops he will blow up the hummer. I asked what if cops are already here. He asked me if I was a police officer. I explained that I was actually a homicide detective doing overtime. He shrugged as he promised not to blow up the hummer. If we called for back up or don't obey his rules then he will kill everyone in the building and the hummer. I promised to call the police if anyone gets killed in the party. It is the rules. He assured us that no one would get hurt. He has eyes and ears all over the place. So he recommended we be on our best behavior. He was not going to let us spring the trap. The governor introduced me to his new security members. I showed them my badge. They were ordered to help me in way possible. He gave me his sincere condolences regarding my husband and children. He explained that once I was ready to date again he has a few who have been giving me the eye. The security stared at me weird. The governor gave me full autonomy and ordered the others to assist me. The older ones promised not to hesitate. The new ones stared at me with interest.
As we walked out the head security called out to the ones elsewhere, "Miss White is armed and ready." The Brit and a Scotsman who were behind us asked who was Miss White. The one behind explained, "She is the lovely lady right beside Finn. She is a police officer and a very famous philanthropist. When she is not busy finding serial killers and other sadists she spends every waking moment in charity. She is recognized by every charity organization here and the DC area. If she vouches for you then the rich will empty their bank account to help you. She is the highest donor for a few the military hospital. If she gets shot they will kick out a patient to admit her." The Scot asked, "Exactly how high are we talking?" The elderly man, "Donald. She donates roughly ninety nine percent while everyone else is one percent." The newbies whistled lowly. The Brit asked politely, "So guard her with our life as she finds the crook." The elderly man answered, "Johnathan. Guard her and don't get in her way." Both spoke humbly "Understood Sir" I asked to see the security feed. Finn took me to the second floor and I gave him the cut the crap face. He stared at me for a second and he took me upstairs to the safe room. There were angles the normal feed didn't cover. The other security members whistled as I searched the place. I had to punch in the passcode to grant me full access to the past few hours. This might take a while.
After a few minutes I found an anomaly. A waiter was moving with his head lowered so no one can catch his face. He slipped something into a coffee cup as he walked by two maids complaining. One of the maids sipped it and after a minute she fell to the floor. She started gasping for air before she started to vomit. He casually picked the other one's pocket and pulled out a skeleton key. The butler took her to the bathroom as security called for a doctor. Finn searched when the skeleton key was used the last time and it was used twice after it was stolen. The first to access a private elevator and the other was the study. Before we split up and check both places I had him give the security a pat down for bugs. Small cameras and hidden listening devices. He complied and he did a pat down for me too. Once he was searched we turned off the comms and called each other using the cellphone. We used the app that allowed conference call. I used sign language so we would stay radio silent and use the conference to speak and he adjusted and followed me to the study. We saw a man matching the video exiting the room. He saw us and bolted. I used my side arm and shot him in the leg. I was aiming for the knees but the bullet pierced him just below. The others started firing as they followed close behind. He escaped using the dumbwaiter. The entire time I was heading downstairs my ears were ringing. I felt ash in my mouth as I saw a trail of blood leaving the laundry room. The basement is a maze so finding him will be a challenge. We walked cautiously when I heard a loud bang. It was coming from the service staircase. We reached there to see the intruder was dead. Someone had shot him in the head executioner style.
Delightful. We are back at square one. I asked Finn to search the feed from the secret place and he ordered Donnie to go upstairs and find out who was responsible. I went back to the party looking for anyone who had stepped out to use the bathroom. Gunfire can make people temporarily deaf. If anyone is leaning closer or asking them to speak louder than we have our killer. Finn grinned ear to ear. He called it in and someone named Price mentioned seven people who had stepped aside to relieve themselves. Only one was behaving as though he had a problem with his hearing. He was an assistant in one of the benefactors attending the event. We walked in and he understood that it was game over so he excused himself as he popped a mint. Before we reached him the creep fell down. As we got closer I saw that his eyes had rolled upwards and he started foaming at the mouth. I took a step back as John tried to do some sort of first aid. He looked up to say something when the man jumped up pulling John's gun. He grabbed me and pressed the gun to my temple. The governor screamed and the guests all backed away. The shooter dragged me as he tried to escape. He made the mistake of proving he was on comms with some stranger. I gave Finn a wink before I stepped on his toes as hard as possible. I took a deep breath as I pulled out a knife and stabbed him in the thigh. He screamed in pain trying to pull the knife out. I kicked him in the groin and broke his nose.
I took a dive as Finn used a taser to knock him out. I chuckled, "I see you actually bought one." He shrugged, "You used one of these to save my life twice. So I keep this for special occasions. He needs to be alive if he is going to answer my questions." He took a step forward and the glass window shattered and the first bullet almost grazed us and the second one went though the one Finn had just tased straight through in the head. Quickly I grabbed his leg and dragged him to the corridor. I pulled out the bone mic and stuffed it in my ear. I heard a woman. The way she spoke reminded me of someone who has a speech impediment. She is someone who is highly educated. I mean college degree and all. Why the sniper target him specifically. One of the hackers of the enterprise recommended I switch places with Zelda so she can find the idiot quickly. I did a quick look and laid down to focus. I closed my eyes, "Knock knock itch time." I felt a cold hand slip out of my back and give me a hug. I was pulled into black waters and a tentacle grabbed me and dragged me under. After a few minutes of frigid cold later I was tossed into the air. I went up several dozen feet and fell softly. I was lowered in slow motion till I was lying on a soft bed. There was hot chocolate, ice cream and fresh croissant. I looked around to see the cottage looked immaculate. Zelda gave me a hug as I explained the situation. She ate a tiny strawberry before she stepped out of the door.
I came out to see a scared young man staring. I asked him if this was the first time he had seen a woman. He blinked three times and asked me if I was going to have any more seizures. I stared blankly before I pinched his nose and walked out. The rain of bullets were over. Finn was talking to the outer perimeter guards when he saw me. He stared blankly before he asked them to find the shooter. I picked up the phone sent by the mystery man. Moments later the disembodied voice answered me. I asked him if this is how he upholds his promise. By shooting up the place. He assured he had nothing to do with the murders. He is only interested in the secret basement where he believes certain blackmail material and other incriminating evidence was hidden. He claims to have been framed. He accuses the governor of assisting. So unless he gets what he wants he is going to keep going. I asked him if it was possible that he bumped into a corrupt judge or a dirty cop. The governor was my dead husband's uncle. He doesn't have an evil bone in his body even if he tries. He can't swear without reaching for a bar of soap. I explained that I know this building very well. The basement is a storage unit for sentimental items. For example my dead husband's pictures and the presents he had sent. There is the governor's mother's jewelry. There are the family's old knick knacks. I have been down there so many times I have memorized the entire place. So he is mistaken. He asked me if I was there. I explained that I had taken everything my husband left out of my home and left it here myself. So I know he took a wrong turn. He swore like a sailor before he hung up. A moment later he let the girl go. The phone pinged as it received documents regarding a murder.