here comes the candle

FINN

the spyglass

Finn glances around as he realises that Tal isn't, in fact, still outside, backing up and almost bumping into him as a result. "Oh! Sorry," he says, adjusting his glasses on his nose and taking a few steps to create some distance between them again. (Both because awkward and uncomfortable and also to benefit the investigation).

"Perhaps he does," Finn agrees again, because yes, there is no evidence, but there's also no evidence against it. "I will have to make enquiries to see whether he does such things." As for the Attuned and Accepted - while a more disgruntled detective would have pointed out that Tal's aura is now contaminating the existing markings, Finn does no such thing.

"It isn't that it matters exactly, it's just... if I could separate the aura of the person who threw the brick, I might be able to see if they lingered by any shelves, or took anything..." he says, narrowing his eyes and glancing around, only to shake his head in disappointment. "But it's all mixed up in here. There are too many."

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

Tal probably should have stayed outside, but he was new to this whole Caido: CSI thing they had going on and his enthusiasm outpaced his competence in the field. Indeed, the courier beamed when Finn took his wild speculation with admirable grace and patience.

But Tal could learn, eventually, and at hearing how important the auras could potentially be he realized belatedly that he was getting his own all over the place. Freezing awkwardly by the window, he jammed his hands in pockets and tried not to move. "Oh. Uh. Hrm," he piped up helpfully. Looking around by lantern light he grimaced at all of the old antique-y things on the shelves. There weren't any obvious empty spots, and even if there were maybe it was something that had just been sold earlier that day. "So... what's the next step?"

FINN

the spyglass

A more charismatic man would have smiled and told Tal not to worry about it, and that one more aura in all this chaos wouldn't make much of a difference to things. Alas, Finn is not that man, and he continues to stare intently between the shelves and the floorboards, trying to discern anything at all. The only thing he manages to make out is that the owner of the shop is an Accepted, which helps not one single bit given his suspicions already leaned that way.

"Hm? Oh, uh... well, I will need to go home and write up these initial findings, and liaise back with the person who heard the glass shatter. Then I suppose I'll be coming back here tomorrow." Shifting the package under his arm - and suddenly realising he's carrying it and that's the entire reason the courier is there - Finn flushes. "I am so sorry, am I keeping you from your work?"

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

A more astute man might have noticed that Finn didn't bother to reassure him, but luckily Tal wasn't that man. He watched Finn eagerly from his frozen position by the window while Boreal sniffed around the alley outside.

At hearing that there was no more searching to be done here, and no late-night chases after brilliantly-deduced criminals, and that Finn was, in fact, heading home to do paperwork the courier's enthusiasm finally cooled. If there was nothing more to do tonight, then Tal was at loose ends until the morning skyship run.

"Nah, you were my last delivery of the day," he reassured the other man, relaxing and picking his way back to the door. "But I should find an inn to crash at before it gets too much later. Hey, it was good seein' you again. I'll stop by the next time I'm deliverin' in Stormbreak t'hear how it all turns out!" With a cheery wave the courier slipped out into the night, collected his companion, and headed down the road to find a meal, a bed, and a few hours of sleep before they hit the road sky again.

~Fin~