(no subject)

[fry_sandhu]

Sometimes, you have to take over a project from Dad. Fry had to have words with him earlier about basic evidence gathering.

Of course, when some arrogant perpetrator decides to commit a second crime, there's always a chance that they'll leave slightly more evidence.

So Fry this afternoon has a contraption set up - a shoebox on a table with 'Witness Box' written on it and a couple of tiny holes in it. In front of the box, he is displaying a picture he put together earlier.



Because you see, it's no good having an eyewitness say that they saw someone with a pink moustache. Anyone can put on a false moustache. What you really need is a line up. And Fry's got the impression from Dad that the real chap with the moustache is a nasty, bullying toe-rag. So he's done the next best thing: photoshopped some moustaches on people to see if his witness can pick out the right person.

"Take your time." he instructs the box. "At the moment you're our only lead."

Comments

[cook_the_rude]

"I am in interesting company there," says Dr. Hannibal Lecter, turning up behind Fry.

[fry_sandhu]

"I'm sorry, this is an active investigation." Fry says, looking up at him. "I'm conducting a virtual line up."

[cook_the_rude]

"For whom to pick what out of?" Dr. Lecter says.

[fry_sandhu]

"For my witness to pick out the perpetrator." Fry says.

[cook_the_rude]

"Perpetrators of what?"

[fry_sandhu]

"Two scanners have been stolen from the infirmary." Fry says. "Dad was on the case, but he's hopeless."

[cook_the_rude]

"I don't think your father is hopeless," Hannibal says. "So one thief was a man with a pink moustache?"

[cottoncandypink]

The real chap with the moustache is having lunch at a nearby table. Milliways has become a convenient place to have lunch, since it presents a third option that involves neither driving all the way out to Little Seoul, nor settling for something bland and tasteless to cater to the tourist palate.

And because it is roughly the same temperature as the surface of the sun on Wilford's side of the door, a bowl of spicy cold noodle soup and kimchi is hitting the spot. Under his table, the dog he hasn't quite figured out what to do with yet is having its own lunch of grilled chicken chunks and a boiled egg.

When he notices what the boy is doing with the box, he stops to watch what's going on. Interesting.

[fry_sandhu]

The boy does not appear to look directly at the man with the moustache, but he does lean towards the box.

"Remain calm, he can't see you in the box." he says quietly.

[cottoncandypink]

"What the hell are you doing?" Wilford asks, sounding more amused than anything.

[fry_sandhu]

"Conducting enquiries into an ongoing investigation." Fry says, not looking up.

[cottoncandypink]

Wilford leans to get a better look at the suspect lineup. "You're leading the witness," he says.

[fry_sandhu]

"No, I'm not." Fry says.

[the_cupbearer]

Ganymede is...curious.

Not that he's never been in a police lineup (long story), but he usually knows that something has at least gone on, and has a mild idea of what it is. Or he's actually done something.

"Do I get to ask why I'm in a lineup?"

[fry_sandhu]

"Because a lineup requires suspects and controls." Fry says.

[the_cupbearer]

"And which am I?" Ganymede asks, amused.

[fry_sandhu]

"I can't answer that until the witness has made their selection." Fry says. "I picked people who had been seen recently."

[the_cupbearer]

"Ah, so just a suitable face. Story of my life," he chuckles. "I hope it's useful."

[fry_sandhu]

"Yes thank you." Fry says. "My witness is helping with my enquiries."

[like_quicksilver]

"What's Ganymede's picture doing there?" Gyda was still in her school uniform when she entered milliways, though she'd un-tucked her shirt and her sweatshirt was draped over her shoulder.

Everyone back home was talking about the attack in the city. Much as the same thing would happen soon as she went back through her door, she hoped she would be better able to handle it.

She just didn't think she'd run into her foster-father's picture on a witness box.

[fry_sandhu]

"I need suspects and controls for my witness to pick out of a line up." Fry says. "I can't say which he is because my witness is still deliberating."

[like_quicksilver]

Her frown didn't settle. Thanks to her science classes, she knew what a control was, but she didn't see how that settled for finding witnesses. "How can a person be a control if it's not an experiment?"

[fry_sandhu]

"Because you have to have spare people otherwise the witness could be mistaken." Fry says.

[like_quicksilver]

His explanations weren't entirely helpful.

She studied the photographs, glad by now she knew of most computer programs. "You can't have spare people. Either the witness recognizes the person or they don't. I'm guessing the only recognizable feature was a pink mustache, but there's a big difference between a woman with a pink mustache, a blond man with one and a dark haired man with a pink mustache."

They all seemed like random pictures to her. "I've read a lot of detective stories. All the witnesses are those who bear some resemblance for the witness, not random people who have no similarities."

[fry_sandhu]

"There's more to it, you have to trust me." Fry says.