Xander's Cross, Oregon: a small town ringed with forbidding mountains and misty forest. The sky may be gray, but the townspeople are welcoming to people of all kinds...and things that are not quite human as well. Here the native shifters, aliens, werewolves, and witches live in peace. They have yet to find out the new business owners encroaching on the land are also vampires.
The peace has been broken by murder, however, and things in Xander's Cross are about to become quite a bit darker.
Welcome to your new home.
is it better to out-monster the monster or to be quietly devoured?
August 20, 2020
The mayor, Rowan Starkwood, was found dead less than a mile from his home. Rumors say his body was mutilated, but the state of the body has not yet been released to the public.
Post by Lauren Garcia on Sept 16, 2020 15:28:15 GMT -5
If he hand't of died, Lauren knew she would find herself here anyways. It would have just been a matter of time. She was done. She'd been done two years ago, but what was she to do? What could she do? Legally? She didn't think she could do anything. But she had to try. Plead she wasn't of sound mind when it had happened. She'd been so young. She'd been manipulated, surely there was something that could be done. Lauren could only think of one person she trusted enough to help her with this delicate matter, and she knew it wasn't going to look good when it came out. It was a pill she was just going to have to swallow.
Rowans death made the decision for her, and she no longer cared if she became suspect number one. She wanted her damn child. To know where he was. The picture updates Rowan had mailed to her were not making her feel any better. They just fueled that maternal need to be with the baby that had been taken from her. At the time, she had thought it was smart, but now? Now that she'd seen what Rowan was really like? She had to try to find him. Even if they came to hate her, the Starkwoods needed to know what type of man Rowan Starkwood was. She could only hope Juniper could one day forgive her.
But first things first... If you were going to blow open the mayor's hidden secrets, you needed a lawyer. Lauren knew just the woman too. She juggled the two coffee's in her hands as she went to open the door to the prosecutors office. She was dressed for a typical summer day. Wearing a bright colored sleeveless blouse and jean Capri's with a cute pair of sandals. Her long dark brown hair was braided in a french braid that hung over her shoulder. She had a computer bag with her, hanging off a shoulder and she wandered down to where she knew Josie's office to be, having already spoken to the secretary. Not being one to come in unexpectedly, she'd made sure to call Josie the night before to set up a small appointment with her. Leaving it very vague. Josie had been a friend in school, a study buddy so to speak, so Lauren was familiar with and still remembered her favorite coffee. She knocked on the door, before she waited to be called in and then shuffled on in to her office. A small smile on her face. "Hey! Thought you could use a pick me up." She smiled, closing the door behind her before walking over to hand the peace offering over. "Your uh...Going to need it."
Post by Josie Andrews on Sept 21, 2020 21:55:20 GMT -5
“Come on in, Lauren,” Josie called cheerfully in response to the knock on her door. Her old friend was right on time, she noted, crossing out the woman’s name on her appointment book. Somehow having a to-do list and an appointment book she could cross out made life seem a bit more manageable. Like she could control the details.
It was funny; although Lauren entered quietly and was perfectly polite, Josie could almost feel the chaotic energy the other woman carried in with her, from her hands full of coffee to her brightly colored clothes. Josie rose from her chair to accept the coffee and set it aside on her monogramed coaster before shaking Lauren’s hand.
“I’m sure it’s nothing I can’t handle,” she answered confidently, hoping to soothe Lauren’s fears. She gestured to the dark green armchairs on the other side of the desk. “Make yourself comfortable, and you can tell me all about it. I already extended your appointment, just in case. I thought you might need a little extra time. And remember, anything you tell me is confidential.”
She smiled at Lauren and turned to rest her hands on her black and silver keyboard, ready to take notes on whatever was said. She’d need to remember the details if she wanted to make a proper case, and she intended to take this just as seriously as she would any other client–if not more so. She knew Lauren well enough to know that she wouldn’t have come here unless something big was happening.
She might be losing a bit of money, giving Lauren a discount and making room for her by adjusting other appointments, but she just had a feeling. After all, no innocent person came to her for no reason. No… Innocent people came to her when they were under the thumb of someone wealthy and ruthless. She was willing to bet that Lauren was the same.
“Start from the beginning, please. What would you say was the inciting incident for whatever is troubling you?”
Post by Lauren Garcia on Sept 23, 2020 14:25:31 GMT -5
Lauren's smile never reached her eyes. "Well, I wanted nothing but the best." She said as she sat down in one of the armchairs. Taking a quick sip of her coffee, before she set it on the edge of Josie's desk. She pulled her computer bag up and opened it, pulling out some files and a large manila envelope that seemed to be rather full. "I um...Didn't know what to bring, so I brought it all." She began. She took a deep sigh as she set the computer bag at her feet and held the files in her hands. "I'm going to be honest Josie, We're about to be neck deep in some serious shit." She whispered. Her brown eyes flickered up to her friend. "So much so, I'm probably going to become suspect number one in the Mayor's Murder case. I wanted a lawyer first before I went to the police to explain my situation." She began.
She wanted Josie to be aware of just how serious this was going to be. Lauren was going to be under scrutiny. Mostly likely becoming a pariah in the community with the title of Homewrecker to go along with it. She didn't care though. Not anymore. With Rowan dead, he no longer had control over her. He no longer had a say in what she could and couldn't do, he no longer could make her work for him. He could no longer keep her son from her. Her waiting was about to end.
"It's a long story...And I admit I'm not proud of what I did. But at the time, I was young and dumb." She clenched her hands around the files. "I was about seventeen, when I started to have an affair with Rowan Starkwood." Her eyes slowly drifted from where they'd been staring at her hands to look up at Josie. She was sitting stiffly, tension clear in her shoulders. This was the first time she'd told anyone about the affair, and there was so much more.... "It lasted until two years ago when I ended it." She admitted. She slowly began to open the envelope, and stuck her hand in. Pulling out at random one of the various photos that were in it. She pulled it out and looked down at it. A sad smile crossed her face as she stared at the little face. He had to have been about two in the picture. "I know an affair is no reason to really need a laywer, or why it would make me a suspect, but..." She looked at Josie's face. "Seven years ago we had a son. Rowen took him and did something with him. Made me sign papers, promised the three of us would be able to be a family one day, he just had to take care of things first. So...I waited. And I waited. And I waited." The bitterness began to seep into her voice. "I get pictures, periodically mailed to my place from Rowan, showing me how he's doing." Lauren handed over the picture she held, showing Josie. "I told Rowan I was done with waiting, that I wanted my son back, and he-" She took a deep breath trying to keep the sudden urge to cry back, as her throat tightened. "Threatened me. If I didn't keep my mouth shut something would happen to him." She gulped around the lump in her throat.
"I didn't kill Rowan, but now that he's gone, I want my son. I want him back, and If I have to jump throw a million hoops to get to hold-" Her voice cracked, and she took a deep breath. Forcing herself to stay strong. "Him again. I will." She said determinedly.
Post by Josie Andrews on Oct 6, 2020 16:52:42 GMT -5
Josie’s brow furrowed ever so slightly as the heavy folder crinkled its way out of the bag. There was a lot in there… And then what Lauren had said hit her. Suspect number one? As in, one of many? No, she meant one as in “one and only.” She couldn’t imagine Lauren killing for anything other than self-defense, but she refrained from commenting. Rule number one–if you want someone to talk more, you need to talk less. She set her jaw and turned her eyes to the computer, determined to stay as neutral as possible.
The story began, and she took bulleted notes in a new document.
- Seventeen (statutory rape? statute of limitations?)
- Lasted approximately eight years, ended 2018
She glanced up at Lauren when she paused, and her eyebrows jumped at the mention of a child. She’d never seen Lauren with a baby, not even a bump. She curiously peered at the photo, then hurried to type the facts into the computer.
- Seven years ago son (need DOB and approx DOC)
- mailed pictures, still have pictures. fingerprints?
- Threatened child to keep her silent
She didn’t know how to handle someone else crying–she couldn’t even handle her own tears properly. She cautiously offered Lauren a box of tissues and what she hoped was a reassuring smile.
“Well, I’ll do everything within my power to make that happen,” she promised firmly, careful not to seal herself into anything she couldn’t do–but she meant what she said. Everything within her power was more than the average girl. She cleared her throat and turned her chair so that she could rest her folded hands on the desk and give Lauren her full attention. She’d mentally formulated a case in the background of Lauren’s story, and she was ready to jump in.
She hoped it wasn’t too insensitive of her to move on from the emotions so quickly, but she knew if it was her, she wouldn’t want to be allowed to stew in misery any longer. She’d want a solution. Lauren came to her for help, and she truly intended to solve the problem.
“The details of events actually set things a bit in your favor as far as that goes–he started the affair before you were of age, making any sexual contact during that time statutory rape.” She anticipated Lauren’s possible argument, as well as the prosecutors, and didn’t allow her any time to comment as she immediately rebuffed it. “I know it was consensual, in a way, but since you weren’t old enough to legally consent, that does go in our favor. I’d like to know the baby’s exact date of birth, please, so that we can sort out an approximate date of conception as well. That might also help our case.”
She paused to take a breath, then continued. “Additionally, I don’t think that you’re a murderer, and I think it should be clear to the police that while you might have had serious problems with Mayor Starkwood, killing him doesn’t benefit you. You needed him.”
Post by Lauren Garcia on Apr 27, 2021 23:27:36 GMT -5
Lauren was certainly trying to keep herself from crying. She'd had to suffer through this all alone, and wasn't about to become a blubbering mess now that she had Josie's help. Her number one rule was to cry when no else was around. It was a sign of weakness, and something Lauren Garcia was not going to let anyone see. Even as close a friend as Josie was.
She took the offered tissues anyway. Holding onto them just in case she'd failed at beating the stinging threat of tears back. She nodded as Josie said she'd do everything in her power to help her. She fully believed it. Josie was good at her job, and she cared. Something Lauren would appreciate from anyone. Lauren merely agreed with Josie's statement, nodding her head along. She'd done her research, knew what the prosecutors might do or say. She'd been young and dumb, and had ate up the attention Rowan had given her because he was really the first one to take notice of her. She'd had friends in all circles, but she often felt outcaste because of her good grades, and everyone thinking she was a stuck up bitch.
She should have known better. Tried harder and not let him manipulate her the way he had. She might still have her son if she had... She told Josie his birthday. A day that was forever engraved in her mind, and added any other information that might help. A small laughed escaped her then that was nothing but bitter and dark. Lauren's eyes became distant and her dark hues turned even darker for a brief moment as she sat there and lightly shook her head. "No, he needed me." She raised her gaze to land on Josie. "He controlled my life for a decade Jo, he manipulated me because he saw potential. I worked for him in Portland researching on something for him." She went on to say. And when that research was complete, and Lauren realized she wasn't getting anywhere with getting her son back, she'd left him. "Things he didn't want anyone else knowing. I didn't even understand what I was researching other than it was important." She sighed. She nodded towards the large envelope she'd given Josie. "Copies of my research notes are in there. I one hundred percent believe whatever he was working on was dangerous, and illegal by mythic standards." Lauren felt comfortable with speaking about their "other life" as Josie was a mythic as well. She gritted her teeth, and forced herself to take a deep breath.
Post by Josie Andrews on Apr 29, 2021 22:12:36 GMT -5
Josie's eyes narrowed as Lauren described the late mayor's behavior. He truly had taken the girl for all she was worth--her beauty, her youth, her love, her intelligence, her hard work… everything he could take, he did. A sharp taste rose in the back of Josie's throat, like acid and metal, rust and blood. She suspected it was the taste of her own disgust with the man. His name had always tasted like licking envelopes when she said "Mayor Starkwood" but perhaps it would be different with his true name. She was willing to bet he'd be something bitter and nauseating. She'd have to test that out later.
She gave her friend a thin smile, wanting to encourage her but too angry to manage a proper smile. "I appreciate you being so prepared. It's not often my clients do this much of the work ahead of time. It's good that we're prepared."
She sighed and stacked the papers and files neatly in front of her, carefully aligning their edges.
"There are a few more things I'd like to know and...I apologize if this brings up bad memories. First, I'd like to know if you have any documentation or recording of the threats about your son--old voicemails, notes, letters, anything to document the threatening nature. And...I'd like to know if he threatened you personally. Any harm to yourself, your property?"
She didn't like to ask, but being able to show that Lauren wasn't the villain here might work in her favor--and the more documentation she could get of the mayor's disgusting behaviors, the better.
Now the real trouble would be finding the child himself. If they could locate him, get a paternity test, prove that he'd been stolen from his mother... This was going to be quite the undertaking. She might need help.
Post by Lauren Garcia on Apr 29, 2021 22:38:32 GMT -5
Lauren had prepared herself for as many questions Josie might ask of her, but she hadn't been prepared for how difficult some would be to answer. And what the answer would mean for them. She felt her bottom lip quiver slightly as she gave her head a small shake. "He did it in person." She murmured quietly. "If anything he'd leave sticky notes with the newest batch of photos all saying "remember" on them." She explained. Feeling herself get more upset. "He would show up after hours at the store, or I'd find him in my apartment. It was only a few times. He knew I wouldn't do anything to put Edmund in danger, but he'd check in on me." She said bitterly. "I'd do anything to get him back, and he knew that." She voiced.
She let a sigh out and looked up at Josie. "The only time he actually threatened me was when I ended things two years ago. Before that it was promises that all meant nothing. Right before I came back home. he wasn't particularly happy about it, and said if I did anything to threaten his reputation or reveal what I'd been working on, he'd not only have Edmund harmed but myself and family. I realized at that point if I wanted any chance of possibly seeing my son again, I had to do what he asked." She told the other woman. The self-hatred began to slowly seep in for how stupid and naive she'd been. She should have never gotten involved with him, and yet she had and now.... Now she was going to be labeled a homewrecker, a whore, and a bunch of other things for what she'd done.