It wasn't suspicion so much as concern. Something had definitely happened, and Shannon knew that it couldn't be what Delacroix had just said. Not that he would call the other man out, there was no reason for that, but it did add another tick of interest in his mind for this young, odd reporter working on a fatal mugging.
"Does that happen often?" asked Shannon, attempting to add levity to the conversation. It wasn't as easy to mistake voices as it apparently was for faces. "Must owe you money or something."
"Mr. Vaughn!"
There was a moment where Shannon truly considered not turning to address the new reporter who had just called to him. But, no, he was on this job because he could do it and do it well. It didn't matter if some reporters were just assholes about getting their scoops no matter who they had to get it from, or were disgruntled by no longer getting to pester the hardworking officers with more important things to do. With an apologetically raised finger in Eli's direction, he turned once again to face the newcomer.
"Avery," he greeted cordially. "You're later than usual to the crime scene."
"Had a bit of traffic," the other man muttered to himself. "Mr. Vaughn, what can you tell me about the scene here? Is it true he may have been cheating on his wife?"
"What? We can neither confirm nor deny that at this point in time," said Shannon firmly. "Where did you hear that, anyway?"
"It's been said the victim was without his watch or wedding ring. It could be he had hidden them before the fatal encounter for reasons unrelated!"
Shannon held himself still and forced himself to take a breath before speaking. Of all the hair-brained ideas for anyone to come up with... "This case is related to a mugging. His wallet and any identification have also gone missing, Avery, which would be in line with such a crime. That his jewelry is missing says nothing to infidelity at this moment."
"Are you sure? My sources say the tan lines weren't as stark as they would be unless someone was regularly taking them on and off," the reporter insisted. "Which I'm sure you would have to confirm with the other officers."
"You're not that late," Shannon said, easily staying right where he was. Even he knew that was a shitty excuse to get him to leave. "Unless your source is some kind of spirit from beyond, you couldn't have possibly gotten a man in there. The police have yet to leave the scene since it was discovered and no civilians have been allowed in."
Avery huffed, moving to quietly raise the tape and place himself under it. "Except for you."
"I'm an employee of the police department and if you don't step back outside the perimeter in the next five seconds, we'll have to detain you for attempt to obstruct justice by interfering with an active crime scene. Avery, is your day going okay?" he asked, head tilted now condescendingly. No matter what other reporters thought they could or couldn't get away with, Shannon was sure he could come out on top. This was beyond the other man's usual antics for poking holes at his competence. "Family life good?"
"Everything is fine, Vaughn," Avery grumped, pulling the tape back and setting himself firmly on the civilian side of the border.
"Good. Then you can go back to your paper and tell your boss that you're not getting anything out of me, or the rest of my department. Have them send someone else, huh?" Shannon grinned to emphasize his point. "Someone who wouldn't try lying and breaking the law just to talk to some beat cops instead of the guy who actually knows what's going on."
no subject
"Does that happen often?" asked Shannon, attempting to add levity to the conversation. It wasn't as easy to mistake voices as it apparently was for faces. "Must owe you money or something."
"Mr. Vaughn!"
There was a moment where Shannon truly considered not turning to address the new reporter who had just called to him. But, no, he was on this job because he could do it and do it well. It didn't matter if some reporters were just assholes about getting their scoops no matter who they had to get it from, or were disgruntled by no longer getting to pester the hardworking officers with more important things to do. With an apologetically raised finger in Eli's direction, he turned once again to face the newcomer.
"Avery," he greeted cordially. "You're later than usual to the crime scene."
"Had a bit of traffic," the other man muttered to himself. "Mr. Vaughn, what can you tell me about the scene here? Is it true he may have been cheating on his wife?"
"What? We can neither confirm nor deny that at this point in time," said Shannon firmly. "Where did you hear that, anyway?"
"It's been said the victim was without his watch or wedding ring. It could be he had hidden them before the fatal encounter for reasons unrelated!"
Shannon held himself still and forced himself to take a breath before speaking. Of all the hair-brained ideas for anyone to come up with... "This case is related to a mugging. His wallet and any identification have also gone missing, Avery, which would be in line with such a crime. That his jewelry is missing says nothing to infidelity at this moment."
"Are you sure? My sources say the tan lines weren't as stark as they would be unless someone was regularly taking them on and off," the reporter insisted. "Which I'm sure you would have to confirm with the other officers."
"You're not that late," Shannon said, easily staying right where he was. Even he knew that was a shitty excuse to get him to leave. "Unless your source is some kind of spirit from beyond, you couldn't have possibly gotten a man in there. The police have yet to leave the scene since it was discovered and no civilians have been allowed in."
Avery huffed, moving to quietly raise the tape and place himself under it. "Except for you."
"I'm an employee of the police department and if you don't step back outside the perimeter in the next five seconds, we'll have to detain you for attempt to obstruct justice by interfering with an active crime scene. Avery, is your day going okay?" he asked, head tilted now condescendingly. No matter what other reporters thought they could or couldn't get away with, Shannon was sure he could come out on top. This was beyond the other man's usual antics for poking holes at his competence. "Family life good?"
"Everything is fine, Vaughn," Avery grumped, pulling the tape back and setting himself firmly on the civilian side of the border.
"Good. Then you can go back to your paper and tell your boss that you're not getting anything out of me, or the rest of my department. Have them send someone else, huh?" Shannon grinned to emphasize his point. "Someone who wouldn't try lying and breaking the law just to talk to some beat cops instead of the guy who actually knows what's going on."