Felicio

The Shadow of the Shaws

Detective Lang

I grimaced at the guard that had denied me entry as I was taken into the building. There were so many doors and gates and passes that I wondered what the hell was going on behind these walls. I was never one for conspiracies but I started to think that perhaps there was something to them. If it was anything harmless there was surely no need for all of this security. Nobody was talking and they didn't seem to care that I was a cop. I was taken into an elevator. Occasionally the door opened and I was able to peer down corridors, but all I saw were double doors that swung open and people in lab coats walking around. The main thing I noticed was that it was deathly quiet. Barely anyone was speaking and I wasn't used to that from a working environment.

The man who had found me, in fact the only one who had uttered any words to me at all grabbed my arm and pulled me forward when we had reached the upper level. To my surprise it was a penthouse suite, lavishly furnished. I was told to wait. I shook my head. It was bigger than my shabby apartment. The Shaws probably earned more in an hour than I did in a decade. The walls were adorned with various artifacts from different cultures and periods of history. For people who were so scientific they seemed to have a peculiar interest in the spirituality of different cultures, and there were many totems displayed on the walls. If this was how they decorated their work home he couldn't imagine how luxurious their actual home was. Next I went to the window and blew out a low whistle. I could see the entire city up here and I wondered if the Shaws felt like a king and queen looking over their kingdom. That would make Emma the princess.

I didn't know much about the Shaws, only what was in the papers, and they only let slip whatever they wanted people to know. All I knew was that they were scientists, stupidly rich, and they made a lot of donations to various causes in the city below. The more cynical among us thinks that they do that to grease the palms of city officials so they'll look the other way at certain times. My first wife told me I was far too paranoid. I tried to change until I caught her sleeping with an insurance salesman. After that I knew I had to be on my guard at all times. You can't trust anyone. I've never gotten over that either. How could she choose an insurance salesman over a cop? Still, it's not like I've ever done this for the perks of the job.

Sometimes it's hard to remember why I started this in the first place...

The door opened. Albert Shaw walked in. An impressive man. He was a few years older than me yet he looked in far better shape. Broad shoulders, short clipped hair, and a trimmed beard that covered the lower half of his face. He held out a hand and shook it. His smile was charming but his eyes were empty and hollow. You could tell a lot from someone's eyes. I was here for Emma. I wanted to find out how she lived.

“Detective Lang I believe,” he said.

“Please, call me Alan,” I said. It was always best to act like you were friends with these people. They were used to that sort of thing.

“Albert. I don't believe we've met before.”

“We do travel in different circles.”

“So it seems.” Albert walked over to the bar and offered a drink. As tempting as it was to accept I had to stop myself. I don't want to go down that road again. It's caused me too much pain already. Albert shrugged and poured himself some. No doubt expensive. “You know, you could have just arranged a meeting with my secretary if you wanted a tour of the place. We take a dim view of people taking bolt cutters to our fences.”

“I don't just want a tour of the place. I wanted to talk to you. You and your wife have been rather evasive when it's come to helping with the investigation. I'd have thought you two would have wanted to offer as much help as possible so we could clear this thing up.”

“It's a very troubling time for I and my wife, you must understand, plus we are extremely busy.” I'd have loved to know what they were busy with, but it was pertinent to the case. “I am sorry that you felt you had to resort to such means to speak to us. Of course we'd like to help in any way we can and we are grateful to the police for looking into Emma's death. I know that it's not what you usually do but the mayor is a personal friend of mine.” I wondered how many millions it had cost Albert Shaw to make that friend. It was probably money well spent. He turned his back to me and looked out of the window. “The fact of the matter is that I can't offer anything to help you. Sadly Emma was at that age where she wanted as little to do with her parents as possible. I have to admit that I haven't been the best father to her. I've always been driven to help the whole of humanity, and at times I have neglected my children. Every parent makes mistakes I suppose. I just wish that I had made more of an effort to be close to her.”

I caught that he had said children. So, Emma wasn't an only child. That was interesting. I wondered why Albert didn't disclose that fact. I didn't mention his slip of the tongue. Something about the man set me on edge and I had learned long ago to trust my instincts. He was clearly a man with a lot to hide. Whether it was anything to do with Emma or not I didn't know, and frankly I didn't give a crap. Albert could shove his gratitude up his ass. I was doing this for Emma, and I was going to follow the truth wherever it would lead me.

“So you have no idea what she was doing on that rooftop?”

“None at all I'm afraid.”

“I've spoken to a few of her friends and they all say she was spending a lot of time here. Do you know what she was working on, or perhaps anyone that she was working with who may be able to shed some light on her mental state?”

Albert turned to face me and smiled thinly. “You can be assured that if there was anything here that would help you I would be more than willing to give you access. You won't find what you're looking for here Alan.” There was a hint of menace in his voice but it was gone as quickly as it had appeared. “Frankly I'm surprised you're here when you have another prime suspect. But then again this Felicio fellow is proving rather difficult to track isn't he.”

I couldn't tell if he was making fun of me or not. “All efforts are being made to track Felicio's whereabouts but we're looking into every lead possible. I was wondering if perhaps you knew anything about him, after all he is a rather unique person.”

Albert threw his head back and laughed. “I'm sure you're not referring to those rumors about us being responsible for his creation? Oh no, believe you me I wish we were working on anything half as exciting as that. Of course, as a scientist I am curious about what made him the way he is but no, unfortunately I know even less about him than you. Furthermore I would know better than to unleash anything that would interfere with police business.”

“I'm sure...you know for a man of science you do have a lot of artifacts around. I'm surprised, I thought you were more forward thinking than that.”

“There's a lot that can be learned from our shared history. It's one of the most important assets that we have, and one of the most neglected. Too many people are focused on the future when the past can offer many mysteries and secrets. A lot of cultures had various insights that are too valuable to ignore, and they often provide us with the kernels of ideas. I'd encourage everyone to look at where we've been. It's the only way to know where we're going.”

“I wish I had the time for that,” I said. I was about tired of him. I knew I wasn't going to get anything useful.

“I'm sure you do. I'll see that you're escorted away from the premises oh and Alan, please don't do anything like this again. The first time I can excuse as a mistake. The second time I cannot.” He pressed a button and the door opened to the elevator. I was shown out the same way I had come in. Albert was a dangerous man and frankly I was glad that I didn't move in the same circles as him but it made me wonder what Emma thought about her father and how many secrets she knew. This job would be a hell of a lot easier if I could read minds.

Stephanie

I'd been debating whether to wait until I heard for sure about the internship to tell Peter or just to tell him straight away. I didn't want him doing anything stupid, like trying to cut his way through the fences, and he'd been distracted all day so I figured I'd better tell him as soon as possible. It might cheer him up. This incident with Emma had really gotten to him. There had to have been more that happened with her up on that roof, but he wasn't telling me anything. We didn't usually share secrets so this was a new dynamic to our friendship, and one I didn't like at all. I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt but I had to keep an eye on him in case this whole Felicio thing made him go crazy. I was the only one who could. He'd made it quite clear that he didn't want his parents involved.

“Peter,” I said, and had to repeat his name a few times before he actually noticed me. “I have something to tell you. I'm in the running to get an internship with the Shaw corporation.”

“What? When? How? Can you get me in?”

“Probably not, there are only a dozen places. But I can report back to you about what I find there, in case anything is fishy. I don't know when it starts but I should hear back soon. I doubt they will take their time, they seem efficient. But Peter...if we do find that something is wrong, what do you expect us to do? We can't take on the whole corporation.”

“Just get in there and find out whatever you can first. I'll find my own way in. These powers are meant for something more than just taking out petty crooks. This has to mean more than that.”

I hoped that I would be accepted just because I wanted to know what it was like behind those doors. I didn't know if I would be able to help Peter in this at all but then, later on in the afternoon there was a letter waiting for me at home. It was from the Shaw corporation. I was starting there the following week.