Originally found on Maverick X's Project Kongai File.
Chapter 1 - Tragedies[]
Inspector Cargill was now working on the beat, which was the last place he really wanted to be. Sensationalistic reports of an unknown vigilante prowling around the city of Helmsley, the same vigilante that has been on and off for the last 7 years he has been stationed at the police department was not helping his sanity. He has been sidelined there on the beat ever since his wife and child were gunned down in a botched break-in. It felt like a lifetime ago when it happened, but after 10 years, there was still no closure for the good cop. Not only that, the bastard criminal responsible for their deaths was never apprehended.
All that would change the day he meet the vigilante himself. And he would never forget that.
It was just like any other day at the office, being asleep at an office reeking with old coffee and cigarettes (vape pens haven't been invented yet). Except his office was the patrol car and he really wasn't suppose to sleeping on the job. But still conscious enough to keep his ears on the radio...
"Requesting Code 8 for any available officers, over?"
Groggily reaching for the dashboard scanner came the reply. "Uh, Cargill 10-8, what's the status?"
"Requesting cover for a 10-56 at 44 Staten Street."
A 10-56 was the radio code for a suicide. Unsurprisingly, this was never a good thing.
"10-4 to that, on the way."
Shifting into motion, the hefty police vehicle returned from its watchful slumber and took its solitary occupant towards their objective.
When Cargill arrived at the scene, instead of distraught parents, he meet someone far worse at the doorstep... The Maverick! Lanky, and oozing in arrogance, this was what Cargill expected of his lawless tormenter. But this encounter would be one to turn his fate from oblivion towards salvation.
Chapter 2 - The Maverick[]
"I was wondering when the grim reapers would show up!"
Obviously a slight at the black uniform that the police usually wore, Cargill confronted the green punk, having no time for his belittling.
"My name is Officer James Cargill. Maverick, you are blocking the scene of the incident and obstructing justice!"
"Woah easy there, copper!" The Maverick derisively defended. "I wouldn't go in their if I were you, stuff like this might be traumatic for rookies!"
Now ignoring his rank, James Cargill realized what he was doing was not going to help him solve the case, so he decided to be the good cop.
"Alright, I am sorry for stepping out of line. I should not have been provocative with my earlier statement. Now Mr. Maverick, can you please move aside so I can go into the house?"
Surprised that the policeman had suddenly played the rational card, the Maverick countered with the utmost enthusiasm.
"Oooh, I LOVE seeing the police at work, it'll be just like those TV procedurals, but real! Can I come in and observe you? I promise I'll behave!"
"Alright." Said the now weirded out Inspector, "But don't get in my way. Or else I might change my mind and arrest you."
"Scouts promise, Sir!" Came back the Maverick.
Stepping into the house, he called out to see if there were other people present in the building.
"No use, I'm afraid. They've all gone for the day." The Maverick slyly answered. Cargill wasn't pleased, "Are you still here?"
"Certainly! Would you like me to show you the scene of the incident?" Indicted the Maverick in a pseudo-posh voice.
The inspector pressed on into the corridor, unimpressed with the Maverick's gesture. "A simple "no thanks" would have sufficed." Snarked the Maverick in his normal voice.
If the suspense between the two law enforcers was a criminal, then they would have been shot dead several times over, but that was "suspended" when Cargill did arrive at the scene, and it wasn't actually supposed to be a pleasant sight.
"What in the name-"
The inspector laid his eye on the deceased, who appeared as a sleeping beauty. Has it not been for the Maverick's call to the police (but nobody knew that yet), Cargill would have been none the wiser.
Cargill fast-tracked to his radio "Cargill, 10-45D (patient is deceased), request 10-55 (a coroner). Will cordon the scene."
Chapter 3 - Analysis[]
"Well then, Mr. Maverick, what shall we do now?" In response to the inspector's mocking question, our hero said, "I'd do what the great detective would do and investigate what happened."
"Oh, great job! "Where do you begin?"
Noting the hint of the sarcasm, the Maverick continued.
"First, I'd keep your bodycam on if I were you. What I'm going to do next will make it easy for you guys to take the credit later."
"Yeah yeah sure."
The Maverick scouted the room around before noticing a piece of paper pressed under a cell-phone.
"Aren't you supposed to check the cadaver first?" A confused Cargill asked.
"Oh yeah, done that before I even started." Replied the Maverick. "My enhanced hearing detects only two heartbeats in the room and it's pretty obvious none of them belongs to the girl."
Eyerolling the Maverick, Cargill then asked "Well, how did she die?"
"One at a time please, officer!" The Maverick winced. "But first, check out this suicide note." It was the paper under the phone.
Cargill skimmed over the note, not focusing on the content. "Well?"
"Well?! It obviously means that..." The Maverick then dropped his voice from his lighthearted cackle to a standoffish baritone. This did startle the inspector, who up until now had little expectations or respect of the Maverick. "... you weren't paying attention. I saw what was going on through your head, is this why an Inspector like you got demoted? To a dead-end role as a glorified traffic warden?"
Cargill was shocked, how did the Maverick knew he was sidelined? And more importantly, what else did he know? "That is not true!" Spluttered the befuddled inspector.
"Oh really, then what does the note say?" Inquisitioned the Maverick, not being convinced of the policeman's honesty.
"The usual suicide note stuff. About how she's sorry for all the trouble she caused."
"Was there a possible reason for the suicide?"
Cargill briefed through the note again. Something he picked up on that was glossed over mentioned something about a stalker.