Foiled Plans: Chapter Two

---

“Good job, corporal. You caught the murder in record time,” Commander Doyle said, sitting back in his chair and smoking a cigar.

“Well, sir, she hasn’t confessed yet, but she has information and didn’t resist arrest,” Alice cringed, waiting for the rebuke.

“Then go question her! Honestly, saying we have the killer and then not!” Alice left the office and went down stairs toward the holding cells where Kirra was being kept. In the common room she saw three men waiting. The desk officer, Owen Mallory, gave her a relieved look when she came in.

“Hello, are you looking for someone?” she asked.

“Um, yes,” one of the men said, looking to his companions for support. Alice waited.

“Who?”

“Oh,” the apparent leader looked at his hand, “um, Kirra Ryan.”

“She’s currently in a holding cell; you can’t see her until we move her to the jail.” One of the thugs moved forward menacingly before the leader put his gigantic arm out to stop him.

“She’s our, uh, sister. Um, dad,” the word was stressed and had an obvious affect on the brighter looking of the other two. The one still confined by the speaker’s arm just looked confused. “Said we had to see her. Now.”

“Well, I’m sorry, you can’t. She’ll be moved tomorrow unless she doesn’t confess, in which case we’ll have to set up a trial,” Alice smiled painfully at Owen, as if to apologize, “If you’ll excuse me, I need to go speak with your sister now.” She turned and walked a few steps before she heard footsteps behind her. “You can’t follow me, the interrogation process doesn’t allow for family involvement. You can see her tomorrow.”

“We’ll see her now! We have a message to give her!” the biggest thug snickered.

“We do?” asked the stupid one.

“Yeah, from dad,” he replied.

“Who’s da--” he was cut off by the leaders thick hand moving from his chest to his mouth. Alice looked at them curiously.

“Well, I’m sorry. It will have to wait,” she felt fairly annoyed by now. The big thug looked like he was trying to remember something.

“Have to give her message before interrogation or he’ll be mad,” he said. Alice said.

“Officer Mallory, would you please escort these gentlemen outside. I need to attend to our prisoner,” she nodded to Owen who proceeded to bustle them out the door, his smallish frame seeming bigger by the sheer energy of business.

When Alice got down to the holding cells, Kirra was seated on the cot at the back of her cell examining her nails.

“Took you long enough,” she said. Alice smiled.

“Tell me, Miss Ryan, do you have any brothers?” she asked through the bars. Kirra laughed.

“I take it some of Moore’s thugs came to see me? No, they’re not my brothers, and I expect they’re not very bright, either. The smart ones cost more.”

“So, Adrian Moore hired you, then?”

“Yep,” she answered simply.

“What did he hire you to do, exactly?”

“To kill Baron von Regis, don’t ask me why, I don’t know,” she grimaced.

“Why did you kill Officer Gregory?” Alice rattled off another question.

“He saw me setting up my crossbow at the other window. Moore’s thugs trailed me, but didn’t grab me until after your officer was dead.”

“Technically not my officer, but the rest is fine. Why are you cooperating to well?” Alice had to know, this was highly unusual.

“Well, I’m already in custody, what’s the point in staying loyal to Moore? He was supposed to keep you guys off my back,” Kirra sighed and sat back against the wall.

“Oh,” Alice still didn’t understand her logic, “well, you’ll be moved to the jail tomorrow, for your sake I hope Regis doesn’t want you dead.”

“It’s not Regis I have to worry about. You’re not going to let Moore’s thugs see me are you?” Kirra leaned forward and fingered her fine, blonde hair nervously.

“Of course not, we can’t let people get murdered once they’re in jail, we’d loose our reputation!” they both laughed, “You’re taking this rather well, most people aren’t so relaxed in police custody.”

“Jail’s not so bad, you should try it some time,” she giggled, “plus, I’ve yet to find a cell that can hold me. I’ll wait until Moore’s cooled down a bit and then you’ll never see me again,” Kirra sat back against the wall, obviously finished with the conversation.

“Have you ever been in one of Lachlan’s cells?” Alice asked, bemused.

“No.”

“Well, that explains why you’ve never found a cell to hold you. You’ll be here for a long while,” Alice smirked.