Gumshoe. Part 1 (Introduction). (1035 hits)
Category: NoneLabels: Gumshoe
Rating: 2 on 29 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by <Davros> (View user info) at 2005-01-12 12:25:12 EST
The heat from the cigarette burning down towards my fingers roused me from my daydream. Judging by the state of the overflowing ashtray, I had been chain smoking and thinking for a good length of time.
The clock showed 10:30, time to put the coffee on, the reception girls from the law firm downstairs would be up for their daily smoke in about a half hour. This block became non-smoking about 5 years ago, like almost everywhere in the city, but I never let that affect my routine.
Casting a glance at the office door I stared at the legend emblazoned upon it.
"Blake Mackintyre and Associates : Private Investigators"
Had it really been seven years since that glass had been installed in the door?
Strangely the more worrying thought was that it had been three years since I had last sat and dreamed about "The Big One", the job that could get me out of the business for good. Truth be told I had never even considered it since The Girl left, some three years ago.
When we were together we talked about the big one constantly, but after she left there was nothing to make me think about it, until today.
Shaking these thoughts away I set up the percolator. The receptionists visits were always welcome, not only because they provided a pleasant visual distraction from the otherwise drab days at the office, but also because they could occasionally provide me with a nugget of information that they had picked up from the scandal sheets, which could provide me with something useful for an ongoing investigation.
I lit up another butt, inhaling deeply, listening to the hiss and pop of the coffee percolating, falling into a semi-daze until I heard the sounds of the two pairs of high-heels clicking along the uncarpeted corridor. As always I was waiting to open the doors just before they knocked, all part of the routine.
"Morning Mack", they almost sang in unison, before making their way through the main office into the more comfortable surrounds of my private interview room.
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I guess I should give you some details, "God is in the Details" as somebody once said.
My name is Blake Mackintyre, and , guess what? I am a PI.
I have an office in a good part of town, four rooms plus a restroom, on the fourth and top floor of a small block in downtown Manhattan. The two floors below are occupied by a law firm of the typical "sweatshop" type. I do some work for them, quite a lot to be fair, everything from tracking down deadbeat husbands, to Jury Investigations.
The other office on my floor is held by an Accountant with some dubious habits, she occasionally calls over for a smoke, but prefers to keep herself private, mainly due to the fact that she likes to "herbal up" her smokes, if you know what I am getting at.
If you had told me ten years back that I would be running a PI's office, I would have laughed in your face, I didn't go through seven years of law school to sneak around photographing cheating husbands and searching for runaway kids.
The sign on the door used to read "Attorney at Law", until I was disbarred about eight years ago.
I started off in a large firm, much like the one below me, swiftly deciding that it was not for me. I set out and hung out my shingle in an office in this very building, scraping through until I caught a lucky break.
I managed to hustle a case down at the courthouse representing a kid on an unpaid parking ticket rap.
The kid happened to be the nephew of a certain Mr Rizzo, a connected man in the New York branch of the "Family".
After getting him off, on a technicality, I found that work made it's way to my door without the need for advertising.
It seemed I had found my niche, representing criminals and cops alike, although most of the cops were as crooked as they came. I seldom went to trial, relying on methods that my Ethics professor at law school would not have approved of.
I drifted along in this lifestyle for the best part of ten years, doing very well for myself.
You have to understand, some of these people were very, very happy to get out of serving time, or even a short spell in a "Federal Rest Home", that they rewarded me well.
Everything would have continued to go well, if it wasn't for Uncle Sam, or more directly the IRS.
They busted me for living beyond my means.
What really didn't help was that when they hit me, with enough cops in tow to stop an armed siege, I was holding an eight-ball handed to me, by way of payment, by a screwed up guy named Brendan Champs, who I had just gotten off a drugs charge on an illegal search.
I ended up paying $225k in owed back taxes, but thanks to a couple of friendly, yet still crooked, cops the coke charge was dropped and I avoided serving any time.
To my benefit, although I wouldn't have said so at the time, my law school insisted on everyone studying tax law.
At the point the IRS caught up with me, I had been clever enough to cover the tracks of most of my money.
The office block that I worked in was owned by an offshore company called "UKExpats", who also owned an apartment just off 5th Avenue.
I was sitting pretty and thanking God for that compulsory Tax Law course.
Well what did you think? I was going to stuff all the money in a mattress?
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After settling the girls down with their coffee and smokes in the comfort of my private rooms, I sat opposite them.
"What do you know about a guy named Bart Cilfone?"
"The computer guy?"
"Yeah, that's him."
"Rich, he came in second after Bill Gates on this years people rich list."
"Was rated as one of the most eligible bachelors, until last year when he got engaged to his girl."
Interesting stuff, but nothing I didn't really know, but if it saved me some research it was worth it.
"Rumour has it he is planning an operating system to take on Widows, Gates is panicking."
This was more the information I was looking for.
"That lucky bitch", she continued, "she is only after him for his money."
"Who is she?"
"Some German, Nikola something or other."
I smiled as they finished up and headed back down to work.
So much reward for a small investment in coffee.
TBC
---------------------------------------------------------------
Disclaimer.
The characters portrayed here are by no means associated with persons living or dead, even though some of them may share familiar names.
Picture from...
http://www.damonsteele.com
--------------------------------------------------------------
-Dave
User Reviews
Submitted by Crystle (user info) at 2006-03-21 19:28:45 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by Nellypaal (user info) at 2006-03-21 08:35:04 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Nice start. Seven more to go...
Submitted by redskieslookfake (user info) at 2006-03-21 08:05:42 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
For the briefest second this felt like Bickerstaff. Just for a second.
That's the best compliment you'll ever get from me Dave.
Submitted by bigbabylons (user info) at 2005-06-03 20:55:19 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by nrduncan (user info) at 2005-04-06 15:33:30 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Spam (user info) at 2005-03-15 13:32:21 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
good start. I'm off to read part 2
Submitted by creep_firebombing (user info) at 2005-02-22 14:03:01 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
How the fuck did I miss this?
Submitted by Davros (user info) at 2005-01-18 16:44:48 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Part 2 is up.
http://www.ubersite.com/m/57067
-Dave
Submitted by munkeypants (user info) at 2005-01-14 15:09:41 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Davros (user info) at 2005-01-13 15:02:48 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by Smurfs (user info) at 2005-01-12 17:18:44 (#)
Ranking: 2
get a better grip on your characters voice
--------------------------------------------------------
Thanks for that,(same thanks to someone who said the same).
It was something that I got after I posted.
I did want to give two different sides to the charecter so I don't know if this "voice" will establish itself further in future installments.
Constructive criticism is always most welcome.
Thanks again.
-Dave
Submitted by thecaes (user info) at 2005-01-12 23:53:21 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
I agree with Smurfs. Your lead character needs to be more distinct.
But it's a good start.
Submitted by Impassive-Digressive (user info) at 2005-01-12 19:57:15 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Good stuff.
Submitted by Smurfs (user info) at 2005-01-12 17:18:44 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
get a better grip on your characters voice
Submitted by LadyPlural (user info) at 2005-01-12 17:06:55 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
I say, may I be in it? Please? A random murdered prostitute would be an amusing role, as long as it had some semi-important part of the story (I'll take what I can get, though). PLEAAAAASSSSSEEE!??
Submitted by LadyPlural (user info) at 2005-01-12 16:58:59 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Like UberPulp, only not. Still good, though.
Submitted by munkeypants (user info) at 2005-01-12 16:56:19 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
This will be off the uberboard tomorrow which will make me sad
so to remember it by/...
Now let's see, where did I put them...ah yes...My Nuts, My Nuts, My Nuts Are In Your Butt!
Submitted by munkeypants (user info) at 2005-01-12 16:55:26 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
dave,
i didn't miss this.. have to run to my 2nd job. i will read this tomorrow. if i forget, and you
don't see another +2 from me, come over and bop me on the head!
-munkey
Submitted by jgreening (user info) at 2005-01-12 16:33:49 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Shifty Informant?
Jay the Peg
See, it works.
Use it.
Please?
heh
Submitted by Davros (user info) at 2005-01-12 15:35:25 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Something of an explanation is in order.
This was originally written as an outline about six months ago.
Was my first attemt at a "character" driven piece, but seemed to be going nowhere.
A few weeks ago I looked at it and started working it out using Uber users as the characters, trying to include their styles of writing, or things that I got about their personality from what they wrote.
Strangely it seemed to flow much better that way.
The hardest one to write was the first part, which I am commenting on now.
I am shocked that this has got good reviews, as I didn't hold much hope out for it.
Particularly seeing the number of good posts there are about today.
The next few parts are already written.
Thanks for the reviews and encouragement.
-Dave
Submitted by RyuFu (user info) at 2005-01-12 15:11:33 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Brendan Champs! I get it! BillsSBChamps! Brendan! I get it!!
Good stuff though, keep it up like a pornstar.
Submitted by Monarch (user info) at 2005-01-12 14:57:27 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Bart plans out "UberOS." Nothing quite like having your computer decide not to start up and just display "-2 die".
Looking forward to next part, keep it up.
Submitted by DonkeyOnTheEdge (user info) at 2005-01-12 14:52:31 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Extreamly detailed. It was like I was in some stereotypical mid-40's New York. I ain't no rat, see. You coppers have to find another stool pigeon, got it?
Submitted by boomslang (user info) at 2005-01-12 14:39:23 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
dreamed about "The Big One",
thanks for giving my penis a cameo.
Submitted by Jeanneee (user info) at 2005-01-12 14:10:29 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Brdn_Nkd (user info) at 2005-01-12 13:34:14 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
nice start, keep it coming!
Submitted by ess-arr (user info) at 2005-01-12 13:32:51 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
nothin' like a good caper story...
Submitted by BLITZKREIG_BOB (user info) at 2005-01-12 13:09:53 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
I like the names.
Submitted by Pentameter (user info) at 2005-01-12 12:44:41 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
This is awesome!
I hope you continue this.
Submitted by TigerLilly (user info) at 2005-01-12 12:30:14 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Awesome.
Can't wait for more.