Chapter 2 #2
The director himself hadn’t been present at Lady Cotovatre’s house, thanks to another ongoing investigation concerning disruptions, protests and violence around recent Conclave meetings.
Although the world’s ruling council had a main base of operations, it also held meetings in different countries and cities from time to time.
The most recent meeting had been held in Hallie’s city and there had been explosions on container ships at the city’s port timed to coincide with the Conclave meeting - shocking violence that Hallie could not remember ever happening in low city.
With the trouble growing, and the security of the Conclave in question, the director’s personal attention had been required.
He’d sent Girard to Cotovatre’s house to head up the investigation there.
And although Girard and the others hadn’t treated her any differently after the revelations, Hallie found herself bracing for a reaction from Peredur Roth.
Despite being acknowledged as Cotovatre’s heir, Hallie had gone back to her normal life and her normal job when she’d returned to low city.
Now, sitting in a place she’d never been to before, not sure what she was about to face from Peredur Roth, she had to admit, even very quietly in the dark corners of her own mind, that she was restless.
The life she’d built for herself, with a job she was good at and a place that was hers she could call home, felt limited and small after spending time in Cotovatre’s presence and getting a glimpse of the remarkable freedom enjoyed by members of the elite.
Among other things, they were able to travel on a whim, go to other countries, other cities, which she’d never been able to do.
She didn’t expect to get that same level of freedom - she never had - but she did want to see more of the world.
In her limited free time she’d finally made a start on the seemingly endless paperwork that was needed for her to get travel permits to leave the city.
“When we set up the investigators’ unit, we weren’t sure what work we’d be doing,” Peredur said, snapping Hallie’s attention back to him.
He must have a reason for giving her the background.
She didn’t know the full history of the Conclave Investigators, only that it was a relatively new team.
She did know, however, that it was the only investigative branch that had authority to look into hochlen matters and to cross country boundaries.
Until the investigators had been set up, hochlen had been seen as above any scrutiny by local law enforcement and had tended to deal with matters within their own families.
At least that was the way it had worked in Hallie’s city, and she suspected it was the same elsewhere.
“We weren’t sure if we’d have enough work to sustain a few investigators, let alone a full forensic team.
” He gave a rueful laugh. “As it turns out, we’ve been flat-out with one thing after another.
And we’re looking for more good people to join us. ”
Hallie’s brows were somewhere up near her hairline, shock holding her quiet and still.
She thought that the director of the Conclave Investigators was in the process of offering her a job.
It seemed highly unlikely. From what she’d seen, the investigators themselves, and every member of the technical teams supporting them, were hochlen through and through.
While Lady Cotovatre had recently revealed that Hallie was actually hochlen, that didn’t change Hallie’s history which was a skip tracer from low city with none of the formal training or manner that seemed to be considered necessary among the elite.
“I realise it’s a big ask,” the director went on, his serious expression catching Hallie’s full attention again.
“You already do a tough job, and do it well. Working among the elite is something altogether different. We are used to settling our own disputes, and there’s still a lot of resistance to having an outside agency do that. ”
Hallie opened her mouth to speak and nothing came out. She cleared her throat. “You want me to come and work for you?” she asked, pleased that her voice was calm.
“Yes,” he confirmed.
She realised he was also too still, a bit of tension showing in his shoulders and that, more than any of his words, convinced her that he was entirely serious. And that her decision mattered to him.
“Girard has brought me up to date on your circumstances,” he went on, speaking a little stiffly, as if he was uncomfortable with the subject. “I mean, your connection with Lady Cotovatre. I realise that you have many other options as to how you spend your time.”
“I wasn’t thinking about that. I’d just never realised that working for the investigators was even a possibility,” she said candidly, her mind spinning.
Then a chill came over her, wondering if her new-found status was playing a part.
“Would you be speaking to me now if I was still just a skip tracer from low city?” She couldn’t help the slightly hard edge to her voice that came with that question.
“Yes,” Peredur answered, without hesitation.
And Hallie’s truth sense, that little bit of magic that was all hers, let her know he was being completely honest. “In fact, your connection with the lady made me hesitate. Like I said, I know you have many more options. But you’ve proved a good addition to the team.
” Again, he was speaking nothing but the truth.
With that reassurance, Hallie relaxed a fraction.
She’d been raised to believe that the elite looked down on everyone else and believed themselves to be superior.
There was definitely a hard core of truth in that.
But she was also learning that the elite were people, too, with the same mix of complexity that she was used to from the common folk she’d grown up amongst. “What would the job involve?”
“We’d give you some basic training, mostly procedures and weapons.
I know you’re not used to that. But, honestly, I don’t want you to go through the same training as we’d normally provide.
I don’t want you to work like we do. I’ve got a half dozen or more investigators who’ve all been trained and operate in a very similar way.
And I can train more if need be. What I do want is for you to use your own knowledge and experience to bring a different perspective.
You are a good investigator with excellent observational skills.
We can use that.” The compliments were given in a matter-of-fact tone that would have let Hallie know he was perfectly serious even without her truth sense.
She wasn’t used to compliments, but before she could feel awkward, he was continuing.
“You’ll work with Girard to start with. Yes, I know the two of you have a more personal relationship, but you also complement each other well in the field. ”
“Does he know?” Hallie asked, feeling heat in her face as the director referenced her relationship with Girard.
She didn’t know how to define it, but it was definitely more than colleagues, or simple friendship.
She didn’t get a light fluttering feeling in her stomach when she thought about anyone else.
“Yes, of course. I asked him not to say anything to you, but I consulted with him. And Isoud. She agrees you’d be an asset to the team.” That was Isoud Sabard, head of the forensic team and someone Hallie had grown to both respect and like.
Hallie wasn’t sure what to say to that. To any of it.
Part of her wanted to leap at the chance.
No more chasing fugitives into filthy garages.
The chance to do some true investigative work.
To catch criminals before the system had got hold of them, perhaps preventing harm before it could happen.
And another part of her wanted to duck away.
She had plans. The stack of paperwork for travel permits currently sitting in her home was just the first start.
What the director was offering her was going to up-end everything she’d been thinking about.
“Whereabouts would I be based?” she asked, picking up the coffee and taking a sip.
It was good. Dark and rich. The jolt of caffeine helped keep her focused.
She also took one of the cakes, which was a dainty, bite-sized piece, and was distracted for a moment by the burst of sweet and tart berry flavour in her mouth.
She wondered if they would let her take some home for Rosalia.
Her roommate was an extraordinary cook, and always interested in new foods and flavours.
“You can be based here, in Daydawn. We’ve got offices and labs in Voldain,” the director added, referencing the high city where the elite lived and, it seemed, also worked.
He took a cake as well. “However, we’re expected to travel if needed.
I was in Nephran when Bohort Jacobs was killed.
” The name Nephran brought to mind images of soaring white towers with golden domes and feathered palm trees.
It had looked beautiful on the few images Hallie had seen.
“And we’ve got an office in Haagsfall, of course.
” The original home and main base for the Conclave.
It made sense that the investigators, formed by the Conclave, would have a spot there.
Haagsfall had never been high on her wish-list of places to go, as it seemed to be a hochlen-only city.
But, still, it was somewhere different. Somewhere far from where she was now.
Travel.