2. [RW - Wine & Sleuthing] Soulless

The laugh is met with a small smile as Ivory lets the Wyrd smooth her path.

"It's never exciting, but dreadfully necessary, no?" she muses, as she takes the files. She begins sifting through the pages and looking them over.

"Hmm," she says absently, her eyes not leaving the reports, "Perhaps something needs to be adjusted in the dose... do you have any more on hand? Even a partial will do, the boys can probably give it a look over when I get back. Otherwise, I can mention to our people, maybe get them to do another run when I finish here."

"Mmmh" Ivory offered, granting only a non-commital grunt as Elizabeth refused her aid, "Continue to monitor yourself then, should the time come for another dose they will need to understand the extent of your symptoms. A chance exists that all you might need is time. It can take some time for a dose to take effect. Patience, Elizabeth."

After a moment, Ivory's head swivels up, landing on Elizabeth's face.

"You need not remain," she says, her tone almost plain, "Should I have questions regarding the files, I will call for you... Or did you have something you wished to convey before I began?"

Ivory fell to some silence, her gilded gaze landed on the woman as she spoke. Overtly, Ivory's expression would remain as it had, assisted as it had been by the Wyrd to play the part of some representative of Elizabeth's hidden handlers. Within though, Ivory searched the woman's features, searching for something, ANYTHING to clue her on the womans unique condition and her concerns.

Ivory was on the cusp. She had the potential evidence in hand and, if not, she knew where Elizabeth kept the rest. It would allow her to put her pieces on the board, giving her an advantage over those who might try and fuck with her assets. And yet... if she did nothing to help Elizabeth, the woman would die. Of this, Ivory was convinced.

What was more important?

"Elizabeth," she offered after the woman had said her piece, "When I am done, I can make some calls. If it's determined that some help needs to be offered, I will transport you myself, if necessary... but before that can happen, I need to finish here. Can you wait outside for a few minutes and attend to your shop? While I make some phone calls and finish my analysis?"

The wrongness was a sign that something was going on beside simple money laundering, but whether it was the Others, renegade Lost, simple Court machinations, or Something Else, Ivory could not be sure. What's more is she lacked the network to effectively determine who could aid this woman. However, there was one in her immediate circle who seemed well informed...

Now alone, Ivory would rise from the seat to close the office door if it remained ajar before beginning her investigation. 

Time was of the essence, however. What time Elizabeth had was unknown and a thorough investigation would take hours. Thus, the Pale Dragon took out her phone, opened a scanner app, and began to copy the documents digitally for further analysis. *

When she was done, Ivory would take a breath and retrieve her phone, searching through her contacts and, eventually, her fingered hovered above Evelyn's named. The Avowed was well enough informed about many Lost Ivory had met during the Mabon after-party, linking a few if memory served. Maybe she had an idea of whom to speak with. If the matter was of their nature, the Freehold needed to be informed... and Ivory desired to help the woman. Beyond being a useful contact if Ivory needed to co-exist with the Wah Ching, part of her seemed scared, albeit in a manner that did not manifest fear. 

Thus, Evelyn's name was pressed and Ivory lifted the phone to her ear. 

There's a light sigh of relief as Evelyn picks up.

"Thank god," she mutters before clearing her throat.

"Hey, um, I'm sorry," she begins unsure how to proceed, "Like truly sorry. I need your help. Is this... a private line? I'd like the conversation to be between us only."

Ivory would settle back in the chair, her eyes resting firmly on the door to ensure some privacy.

"Alright, so..." Ivory said.

A pause hung as Ivory considered how to explain this.

"I'm investigating a shop," Ivory says lowering her voice to a whisper, "I can explain all that later, but there is a woman here. There's something... wrong."

That base of an explanation probably wouldn't work. 

"Lack of emotion, repression, but not anything, y'know... mundane," Ivory says, "Left this way, I think she'll die. I need someone I can take her to... for treatment if able. She said something about a dose, so the Wah Ching has probably given it to someone else. That's a problem for a few reasons..."

"Do you know anyone?" 

The question was answered with a mix of desperation and hope.