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In the few minutes that have passed by quietly, Kate has managed to get dinner out of the oven and is pouring herself a cup of coffee. She drops two squares of chocolate in and sets the pie somewhere to keep warm until the guest of honor arrives. She takes a sip from her mug and sighs, letting her eyes close briefly.
An unusual sound disturbs the quiet of the B&B. Someone is knocking on the door. Don't they know anyone can walk in? A pause and the knock happens again. Firmer this time. It's even at the front door.
Kate tilts her head and walks to the entryway, pulling the door open. She stares at Olivia for a few beats before she wordlessly steps back to admit the woman. "There is coffee in the kitchen." She says, closing the door firmly. Without any other words she turns and makes her way to the kitchen, pulling another mug down from where they're stored. "You take your coffee black?"
Olivia didn't even get a chance to flash her badge before she was being invited in and offered coffee. That throws her for a moment before she enters and then follows her hostess to the kitchen. "You're a very trusting soul" she notes, eyes taking in the environs as they walk. Totally not looking at sight lines and hiding places. "Black will be fine" she nods before getting out her badge anyway and flashing it. "Special Agent Olivia Lopez, F.B.I. Nice to meet you, Ms Katherine Stone. I hope I'm not interrupting anything."
"I'm not all that trusting, but I know that you're a police officer, so no reason to keep you out." Katherine sets down the coffee in front of Olivia, her head tilting as she announces herself as F.B.I. "Hmm, well.. not really, no. What can I help you with Special Agent Lopez?" She picks up her own coffee and leans against the counter, her hip supporting her weight.
"Did you enjoy your shooting trip?" Olivia asks, trying to sound like she's asking about a vacation rather than something suspicious. "Thanks" she adds for the coffee before blowing over the surface. "Quite the cold town you have here." Enough of the pleasantries. "How long have you known, Professor Khan?"
"It was my first time, so it was interesting. I hit three bottles out of six." Kate shrugs, taking a sip from her coffee before she nods in agreement about the chilly environs. "Um, since about Christmas, a little before? So a little over a month. Why?" She turns, plucking a basket of chocolate muffins from the opposite counter and sets them between herself and Olivia.
Olivia still has her cold weather gear on. She wasn't expecting the 'suspect' to be so damned polite. Muffins? "Nice shooting. It was your idea to learn how to use a weapon?" She purses her lips for a moment before plucking a muffin up; you can still interrogate while eating muffins! "How well do you know him? Where he came from? What he does besides being a Professor?"
Katherine nods at Olivia, a slight smile on her face. "You heard, I'm sure about the recent rash of murders in the city. Couple that by some slightly worrying signs of crime, I thought it would be better safe than sorry." She glances from the muffins to Olivia, a guileless look on her face. "I know him well enough, and I haven't really asked him where he came from." She quirks a brow at the Fed, picking up her own muffin. "I'm not sure what you mean by that, in general or…does he have a second job?" She looks genuinely confused.
"I am familiar with the levels of crime in this town" Olivia nods. "Most of it caused by armed civilians such as yourself…not that I'm implying you are a criminal. More that you will be armed. Still, it's your right to carry a weapon. Just like it is the right of homicidal psychopaths to do the same. You know him well enough but you don't know where he comes from…or his activities beyond the college?" A bite of the muffins. "Nice…bake these yourselves? Does he have a second job…hmm. That's a very good question, Ms Stone, and one I am dying to know myself. Does he have a second job or does he just enjoy going into highly dangerous situations where he gets to shoot people. Job or hobby? And you don't know anything about it?"
"I'm not armed, and I won't be armed for a while, I suspect. I need to get a license I think, and purchase a firearm? I'm just taking lessons right now." Katherine takes a bite of her muffin, nodding over to Olivia as she chews. "Ms Lopez, I can ..call you Ms Lopez right? I don't have to use the Special Agent thing all the time? It's a mouthful." She takes a deep breath and sets her muffin down. "Like I said, I've only known him for about a month. We didn't really conduct any sort of interview where I've asked too many personal questions. Is there something specific that you're wanting to ask me? I didn't have to open my door and let you in, and I could ..just …not talk." She picks off another piece of muffin. "I don't know much about his hobbies, did he shoot at you or something?" She's really curious about that.
"Yes, you don't have to let me in and you don't have to answer my questions" Olivia nods in agreement. "I am thankful that you have been so polite and co-operative." Another sip of her coffee. "This is off the record, Ms Stone. I will deny even having been here…at least until I have more concrete information and evidence. That's in the works… And you can call me Ms. Lopez if you wish." Another bit of muffin. "These are very good. I recently ran an operation against some of those armed psychopaths. Local law enforcement were there to help of course." The 'those I could trust' remains unsaid. "And so was Professor Khan. I didn't invite him but I didn't turn him down either. It was obvious he knew how to handle the situation. Not really very professor like, is it? He was fighting on the side of angels, sure, but was he one himself? That's what I'm trying to find out. So…maybe this is a friendly warning to not take things at the surface level."
Kate nods at Olivia, leaning against the counter. "Off the record, sounds pretty unofficial. So if I tell someone you were here, you'll say that you weren't? Seems pretty silly, this is not a den of bad people or anything. Just a bed and breakfast." She smiles as her muffin is complimented. "Thanks, I have a friend who loves them." She stands up straight to sip from her coffee cup. "So.." She speaks slowly, looking thoughtful as she cradles her coffee cup in her hands. "What you're saying is that Sevin showed up to assist you with something, and he helped you, and..you're suspicious of him even though he helped you? Sounds like a nice guy, and well.. I'll be careful around him, but like I said, we're not that well acquainted."
"If he was a nice guy with nothing to hide he would have stayed around to answer questions. If he was a nice guy he wouldn't have threatened me when I went to see him. Or out at the point the other day" Olivia replies before shrugging. "Maybe you're right, maybe he is one of the good guys. But why hide it? There are two kinds of people who would have done what he did that day, Ms Stone. Awesome people who want to do good for the world…and evil people who get their kicks out of murder and want to see a competitor erased. I don't know which one he is. I'm happy that you seem sure, but I've lost count of how many dead women I've seen that were sure. I'm only here to let you know what I've seen. Up to you what you do with it."
"I don't know, he's not really the most talkative gentleman." Kate responds, her fingers tapping gently on her coffee cup. "I mean.. Ms Lopez, I appreciate the warning. I appreciate you coming out here to talk to me. If he does anything that I find worrisome, do you have a number where I can reach you? I'll certainly call." She plucks a muffin from the basket. "You should take an extra with you, they're good with coffee and tea."
"Mind if I take two? Not both for me" Olivia promises before plucking out a card to hand over. "Call me anytime, day or night. And, if it comes down to it, I hope you have the time to make that call. Professor Khan does not act like the person who leaves someone wounded if they need to be dead."
Kate picks up the card, giving it some scrutiny for a moment or two. "Are you trying to scare me? That's not very polite." She gazes at Olivia and sighs. "You may take as many muffins as you would like, and I'm curious to know if you're going to be watching my house. It might be hard to get new tenants if there is a Fed in a car lurking outside."
"I'm not trying to scare you, I'm trying to warn you. Trying to make you aware of /possible/ danger. I hope it all works out perfectly, I honestly do, but he's keeping things from you. What /he/ does, may put you in a lot of danger, and you will be completely unware until it is too late." Olivia does take a few muffins. "I don't need to watch your house. I watch Professor Khan's. If trouble does follow him, I hope it doesn't happen here. Thanks for your time, Ms Stone. And the coffee…and muffins."
"You're a very pleasant woman." Kate says, and it might be difficult to discern if she's being sarcastic or honest, because she manages to keep a carefully neutral expression on her face. "Thank you for the warning, and.. I hope you have a very nice evening. Enjoy your muffins."