Offices of Savoy and Savoy, Attorneys at Law
The law offices of Savoy & Savoy are the epitome of taste and class in a refined business atmosphere. Shades of white and silver and eggshell are accented by modern works of glass and sculptural art. A creme-coloured marble-topped reception desk leads out into a comfortable, spacious reception area, the furniture clean, modern and elegant. A large set of double doors set directly behind the reception area leads into the managing partner's office, and a hallway that runs parallel to the business front leads off to a series of other offices as well as to the private law library housed within.
Early afternoon, and Mignonette is working, as per usual. But at the moment, she's not in her office, rather, she's working in the law library, at one of the work stations, a series of journals and texts spread out across the desk in neat order as she makes notes from each one. She dressed in a suit, as is her norm, though the jacket of her suit has been hung over the back of her chair.
—-
What kind of cop would Penny Garnez be if she couldn't find a lawyer in a law office?
The answer? Not a very good one. So it shouldn't be a surprise that Penny proves herself to have a few tricks up her sleeve, and manages to track Mignonette down. Today she wears brown pants, an old leather jacket, and some sunglasses. Her hair is up in a simple, high ponytail. As she approaches the familiar woman, the glasses are slid off, down that overly long nose and tucked away in a pocket.
"Excuse me, Miss Savoy," Penny says with that girl-next-door smile. Polite, and pleased. "I hope I am not bothering you."
—-
Mignonette looks up from her work, as she sees penny arrive, out of the corner of her eye, neatly closing the cover of the book she was writing in, before she rises to her feet, stepping away from the desk, "Detective Garnez. You're looking as if the spring weather suits you. What can my office do for you today?" The smile of returned, as friendly, as polite, "Of course not. I'm not pressed for time in any fashion."
—-
"Well, it is not your office that I am here to talk about. It's you, Miss Savoy. Is it alright if we talk here? Please, sit." She almost reaches out to settle the woman down. "Are you feeling alright? I'm sorry I haven't been to check on you sooner. Juanita, she is my truck, has been in the shop. Let me say, it is most difficult to get around without one! I don't know how people do it." She smiles.
—-
Mignonette settles back into her seat, one slack-clad leg folding over the other, turning her chair so that she can face the room and not the work station, "It's quite alright. We've all been very busy here at the office. I don't imagine anyone has been any different. What exactly is it that you wanted to ask me about?" As for the truck, she offers, "I'm surprised that the department did not offer you a vehicle to use for official business."
—-
"Juanita and I have been together for years, I declined a car when I first arrived here. They didn't exactly have a temporary lease agreement at the station," Penny laughs, settling down and turning her own chair toward Mignonette. "I cam to ask you about how you were feeling, and perhaps to see if you had remembered anything new. I don't know if you are aware, but there was another attack recently that is similar to yours. I've also uncovered a few similar incidents to yours in my research. I'm going to be trying to see if there are any connections between them. This is Dallas, after all. Unless there is a Chupacabra nearby, large animal attacks like this are…quite strange."
—-
"I'm afraid I haven't remembered anything new about the attack since I filed my report, and I've only heard about the other attacks through what I've seen on the news or read in the newspapers. I don't know any of the other people who have been attacked, nor have I made any attempt to contact them. I haven't been back to the lake since the night of the attack, and I've been spending most of my time here or at home. I did see something odd over at Kidd Spring Park a few days ago. Some sort of wild animal, maybe a fox or a coyote, was running up near the rec center, a few dogs got off leash and chased it around, but I'm afraid i didn't pay much attention, I was too concerned with running to my car."
—-
Penny nods, removing that same notebook and scribbling some things down. Almost immediately those dark eyes shift from kind and concerned to some sort of hardened professional. But after a moment of thought, she returns to that same concerned woman she was when Mignonette first met her. "IT sounds like you've been playing it safe - very smart. I'm very happy to hear it. It's amazing what differences simple precautions can make." She scribbles a bit more, and then sits back in her chair. "Have you ever been to a place called Bloody Mary's?"
—-
"I make sure not to go outside of my home at after dark by myself. And Alex makes certain I always have a security escort when I need to travel. I've been trying to stick to the places I know and the people I'm familiar with. That's all that I can do until this problem is solved." Mignonette shifts in her seat, unfolding and refolding her legs. No matter how rich the office, office furniture is never truly comfortable, "Yes. I've been in there…three times, I think. It's not really my sort of place."
—-
Penny nods. Currently she has no leads, no ideas. Nothing solid to go on. And yet this place seems to continue to come back into the picture. So she has to ask these questions, even if she has no theory yet. "Can you tell me a little bit about your time there? Was there anyone that stuck out in your mind as being particularly odd?" Penny tries to be as conversational as possible, while keeping her voice low. After all, it is a library - and some things aren't meant for office ears.
—-
Mignonette purses her lips, considering the question, "Well, the first time I went in there, it seemed fairly normal, I mean, for a vampire bar. The usual crowd, I expect. Vampires and humans being bitten and wanting to be bitten. The only person I thought might have been a bit unusual was a librarian, he was buying rounds for the house. What was his name?" Mignonette pauses, and you can almost see her going through the file cabinet in her head, "Mischa Alexandrov." A twist of her mouth, "That was definitely the only thing that seemed out of keeping, I mean, I don't know many librarians with money."
—-
It doesn't sound like much of a lead, but Penny copies the name down anyway. "I don't think I even know any librarians. Perhaps I should introduce myself to one on the way out, just for my bucket list." She chuckles a little, trying to put Mignonette at ease during the whole conversation. "Was there anyone that was overly forward to you? Maybe that was there when you were there more than once?"
—-
Mignonette shakes her head, "No, not anyone that I saw more than once. As I said, I was only there three times. The second time, I only met Mary, the owner, although I did see that AVL vampire, Susan, I think her name is? And she only stood out, because, well. She looks like a pin-up girl from the 20s or 30s. The third time, I did meet Beatrix, who I was trying to find in the first place, and I met Desiree DeVilliers, she's a dancer and model. A bit outgoing, but, I mean, who isn't, when you're in the field. No one really set off my radar at all. And since then, I haven't been back."
—-
Penny diligently copies names down. Ah, legwork. The foundation, walls, and sometimes ceiling of a police officer's job. None the less, her smile is warm and disarming. "I'm sure it's all nothing," she promises Mignonette. "But if this wild animal is attacking in a specific area, that might help with the search for it." Another smile and a nod before she closes her pad. "Are you all healed up, then?"
—-
"Well, it seems as if it as, in the case of the Cornetts, but Kidd Spring is quite a ways away from White Rock. But I'm doing well. I got my stitches out almost two weeks ago, and they're still tender, but the doctor's say I'm healing well, and I have an appointment with a plastic surgeon in a few weeks, to see what he can do about reducing the amount of scarring. I am having the worst time finding clothes that cover everything that needs to be covered, and I don't mind telling you, I don't appreciate being starred at like I'm a new exhibition at the new when I go out." Mignonette's expression darkens, just for a moment, "But it's a small price to pay. I am certain others were not as lucky."
—-
"I've always liked scars," Penny confesses with ease to the other woman. "I think they add character. But then again, this is coming from the woman who is pining after a car that is 10 years older than herself and has two bullet holes in it, so." She chuckles, rising easily. "But I won't keep you, I'm sure you have a great deal of work to do. Thank you so much again for agreeing to speak with me."
—-
"I have no trouble with scars in and of themselves. But with the current climate in the city, people either try to cross the street to get away from me, or they act like I'm some local celebrity and they want to be the one who gets the next juicy story. I just want to live my life and my life is more than what happened to me. I don't want this one incident to become so overpowering that it's all that there is in my life. I was a victim. For one night. I am not anymore." But Migs finally does get to her feet, "Thank you for coming to see me. I hope I haven't wasted your time."
—-
"Not at all! And I understand what you mean." She smiles a little, willing to share a secret. "Putting one's experience as a victim behind them is like forcing an old lover out. Sometimes being rid of it all together is the best way. Otherwise it keeps coming back." She nods though. "Please don't hesitate to call me if you remember anything or even just need to talk. I'm available day or night." And with that, Penny seems ready to head out.
—-
"I certainly won't. And of course you know how to contact me." Mignonette moves to approach the police detective, "Why don't you let me walk you out. We can even pick up some coffee on the way, if you're in the mood for it. I expect it's better than what I've had at the station before." That said, she'll take Penny as far as the woman allows. Migs is nothing if not polite.
—-
Penny shakes her head. "Another time, please. But I'd hate to think I'm bothering you from work." She nods once more, and turns to go at last.
