[Sodium_noir] A Package in the Evening

[Substitute Storyteller]

Detective Connolly, et. al
Mortals
Gotham PD Headquarters

The Fed Ex driver arrives at the headquarters of
Gotham PD.  The forboding building was his last
delivery for the day.  Then it was back to the
processing center to drop off the outgoing packages
people had given him.  Then after that, a beer and
watching the Switchblades game on TV.  

The box was large, and quite heavy, though not heavy
enough for him to warrant the use of a dolly.  What
was in there, a box of rocks?  He looks down at the
label.  The return address was Seattle, Washington. 
He shrugs and hefts it toward the glass doors.  No one
holds the door open for him.  Few ever did.

The officer at the desk was reading a book.  As the
driver got closer, he could see that it was a copy of
Anne Rule's Green River, Running Red.  The name and
topic didn't strike any chords for the driver.  The
last book he'd picked up was some assigned reading
back in high school.  

The man puts the package on the counter, and only then
does the officer put the book down.  Our tax dollars
at work.  The driver thinks grimly.  

"Can I help you sir?"  

"I have a package here."  The man offers, and hands
him a clipboard and pen.  "Please sign your name on
the next line."  He puts one of his sausage-shaped
fingers on the orange paper to show the clueless
officer where to sign.  He watches as the man signs,
and then passes it back to him.  The driver squints at
the man's illegible scrawl and then takes the data pad
from his belt.  "How do you spell your last name?"  

"Royce.  As in Rolls."  The young man replies.  

The man shakes his head.  The officer didn't look like
a Royce, but whatever.  He types the name into the
data pad, and then walks away, leaving the package in
the officer's dubious care.  

After the driver leaves, the officer studies the
package.  It was addressed to the attention of
Detective Connolly.  Squinting at the return address,
he could see that it had come from Seattle.  The
Seattle Police Department to be exact.  Well, guess
they didn't have to have the bomb squad check this
package out then. 

The officer goes to the directory and looks up
Detective Connolly's extension.  Connolly...wasn't he
in homicide?  He dials the number.  When the detective
answers, the officer offers simply, "You have a
package down at reception."  He expected Connolly to
come and pick it up.  After all, he couldn't leave the
desk unattended for more than a few minutes.   

[Tag to Connolly, and check your email]


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