IC - 15 - The Station Out of Hours - Everyone

[Mr. Handy]

"I'm sure he wasn't spying on you," says Jocelyn. "He must have just heard what you were saying as he walked up to the front door."

[Silver Priest]

"Indeed, we had only just arrived a few minutes ago." Simon adds.

[Mephistophilis]

Kris,You can definitely spend Luck, or push the roll if you want to go harder

[Philulhu]

OOC,I’ll spend Luck. Pushing the roll with a 15% chance will get me nowhere... :roll:

[Mephistophilis]

The colour rises in John Balfour's face, as he balls his hands into fists by his side. However, Sarah Balfour looks scared and confused, 'I was just talking to my friend Miranda, about how worried I am about Regina, I, I was just saying that we might need to, make other plans for next week's special service without her...'

John Balfour places his hand on his wife's arm, 'That's enough, we don't need to justify ourselves to the detective.' He stands, 'Officer Sapru, I would like you to leave now please.'

[Mr. Handy]

"I think that's for the best," says Jocelyn.

[Silver Priest]

"Reverend Balfour, might I have a word with you privately sir?" Simon asks. "It will only take a moment, but I could use a bit of guidance."

[Philulhu]

Kris ignored John Balfour and continued to focus on Sarah Balfour. ”A special service? What is the purpose of that, Mrs Balfour? And why was it so critical that Regina was there?”

[Mephistophilis]

Sarah Balfour looks to her husband, clearly unsure what she should be saying, 'I...'. Raising his voice, John Balfour speaks over her, 'As I said, we do not have to explain ourselves to the detective, who should be focusing on finding our daughter.' Rising from his chair, Balfour steps uncomfortably close to Kris, 'You have been rude to me and my wife, leave now before I am forced to call your superior officer to make a formal complaint about your behaviour, Detective Sapru.'

He looks at Simon, seemingly confused by his request.

Simon,Balfour is not going to be keen to talk to Simon given his interactions with Kris. Roll a Persuade and give me a bit of dialogue to justify it. If it's good I'll give you a bonus die.

[Silver Priest]

Simon has the good grace to look embarrassed, given the situation.

"It's a delicate matter. Theological, one could say. I am not a believer, as you know, but I have recently experienced a very impactful dream... the most powerful vision I can recall ever having received. I was hoping that I could get your input on it."

Persuade 30%,0 1 bonus if allowed

[Philulhu]

Kris didn’t flinch, even though Balfour towered over him. He sat back in the chair, and looked up at the pastor. ”Where’s the ransom note?” he asked calmly.

[Mephistophilis]

Waving away Simon with one hand Balfour says 'This is hardly the time to be dealing with your crisis of faith.'

As Kris sits back down Balfour looks perplexed and frustrated. 'I do not know what you are talking about detective, now please leave immediately before I am forced to call the station. I am increasingly thinking that you have something against my wife and me Officer Sapru. Is there something about us that you dislike, is it a religious thing or...a racial thing?'

[Silver Priest]

Some reverend you are. Simon thinks with annoyance.

Seeing things continue to escalate, he tries to intervene. "We really should be going, I think. Thank you for your time." He looks to Kris, hoping the detective won't end up getting himself thrown into jail over harassing a grieving family. But maybe he had a plan.

[Mr. Handy]

"Yes, we should really go," says Jocelyn, wondering what Kris is trying to do. This is the first she has heard of any ransom note, and continuing to alienate the Balfours seems counterproductive to her. At least she and Simon can continue to play good cop.

[Philulhu]

Ignoring his colleagues and remaining seated, Kris repeated, ”Where is the ransom note?”, slowly and precisely.

‘This doesn’t appear to be a child abduction by someone intending to harm Regina, as far as I can tell. Whoever it was, seems to have gone to great lengths to make sure she is kept safe. But safe from what exactly, Mr Balfour? What would make someone risk everything to do that? Why did they think she was at risk? Answer me that.”

OOC,Kris will attempt to interpret Balfour’s response to this line of questioning. Psychology (30%) - 0

[Silver Priest]

Simon's aware what he is about to do may strongly antagonize Kris, but he feels he has no choice.

" Officer Sapru, that is quite enough! The Balfours have been--are going through-- an ordeal, and they don't need you badgering them. This isn't an interrogation room! You should be ashamed of yourself!" He looks towards the family. "Mr. and Ms. Balfour, I am so sorry for this; rest assured, though I am only a consultant for the police I will be lodging an official complaint as soon as I return to headquarters. And I will do what I can to make sure the investigation remains focusing on finding your daughter." He glares at Kris.

Truthfully he agrees with everything Kris is doing, but views the way he's going about it as counterproductive. The way he saw it, this would only likely result in Balfour calling the station himself and getting them all thrown off the case before they could discover what was really going on. And right now, they seemed the only ones who could hope to solve this mystery.

Philulhu,Really sorry, hope you don't mind Simon's actions too much. :( Feel free to have Kris keep doing whatever you like; 'm fine with him laying bad cop, I just want to give Simon and Jocelyn some cover from it if Balfour seeks reprisals. :)

[Philulhu]

Kris looked at Simon with a neutral expression, then switched his gaze back to John Balfour.

Silver Priest,No problem.

[Mephistophilis]

Balfour is incandescent, while his wife is quietly becoming more agitated and angry. Neither seems even aware of what Simon or Jocelyn are saying. 'John, he's like that horrible social worker, saying we're hurting our own daughter!'. Balfour's hands are balled into fists, the blood vessel in his temple is throbbing, and he is clenching his jaw. Experience tells Kris, Jocelyn, and Simon that he is on the verge of exploding, possibly with violence.

He steps forward to tower over Kris, all three investigators are now quite aware that Balfour may be a minister but he is also quite a physically imposing man.

'I'm going to tell you a little bit about me, Detective Sapru' spits Balfour. 'My parents were well to do members of the Kenyan middle class who fled to London to escape political and ethnic conflict stoked by the British. Here they found prejudice and doors barred at every turn. I grew up a young black man, a second generation immigrant in the London of Broadwater Farm and Stephen Lawrence, I was given nothing, nothing but hate and suspicion. I have plenty of experience of, and no love for the police, Officer Sapru.' By this point his accent has broadened to clearly reveal his London roots.

'I started with nothing, but I've put in the work, I've dedicated myself to God, to the word of God, to the teachings of the Passover Angel, to spreading the word to the people of England, to my people, the people of Wycombe. Building a church, a church that works for this community in a way that no other church does.'

He moves closer to Kris, he is inches away, Kris can feel the flecks of spittle on his face as Balfour speaks.

'I am a minister of God, I am a minister of God whose only child has been kidnapped. I may not expect it but I insist, no, no, I demand some fucking respect. You have the audacity, the sheer nerve to accuse me, to accuse my wife of involvement in the abduction of our own daughter, our only child, our only sick child. How dare you Detective Sapru, how dare you!'

Kris,[b]Balfour[/b] does seem confused by [b]Kris[/b]'s line of questioning, but he's also flustered. It doesn't look like [b]Kris[/b] has exactly hit the nail on the head with his accusations but there's something about what he is saying that is getting to both [b]John[/b] and [b]Sarah Balfour[/b]. He is also [i]really[/i] angry, the sort of angry that ends in bad stuff happening.

OOC,Worth pointing out, I'm very much a 'see where it leads' kind of GM, but this could lead down a difficult path if Kris keeps provoking Balfour

Keeper rolls,0,1

[Mr. Handy]

Jocelyn stays out of the conflict and instead speaks to Mrs. Balfour. "Sarah, please tell me about the social worker," she says. "It could be important."

[Silver Priest]

The situation is rapidly spiraling out of control. Seeing that his attempt to calm things down had fallen on deaf ears, Simon rises to his feet.

"I should really be going. We all should." He looks at Jocelyn, intent on damage control, then starts to head towards the door. He doesn't want to be caught up in any complaints Balfour sends to the station; not to mention he looks about to slug Kris.

Actually, that might help. He can arrest him then and search the house. Officer Sapru may be more clever than I gave him credit for. But it's still quite the risk, and I am at heart not a gambler.