The File
Entry by Chief Investigator and Second Deputy Thate, 17 Leenot 784:
I have never believed that Stasis or any of the powers of the Light punish us in this life but I am beginning to think Compture or Lavash'Ki or another wretched power of Chaos is at work against me in this case. A witness appears and then disappears while I am out of the city for two months. Now Brentan is gone, by his own request no less, to join Martine at the front. I could not have worse luck.
Upon my return I immediately began to look for Falce. He is not unknown in the underworld but is not highly though of by others of his ilk. He was on occasion paid by the Onice (and had Blanchard made that connection that alone would have been enough to take him into custody . . .) but does not appear by name in any of the limited records we have recovered of their operation. The Black Gull is a privately owned vessel that has shipped for most major companies including the Onice and Seafarers but not Waterstreet. The ship returned to port last month and fortunately Harbormaster Pratt held her for two days while the marines searched from the keel to the crow's nest under First Deputy Firepeak's personal direction. They found a false hold, confirming Blanchard's instinct, but no contraband. She was also under a different captain and no log entry could be found regarding the last visit to the city. Brentan seized the log and I examined it. It is clearly a wholesale copy as the writing is too consistent, despite efforts to make it look otherwise, for it to have been the work of multiple people over an extended period of time. Smugglers, likely very well paid independents. What are the Onice up to now?
No sign of Falce and no way to determine if he is alive or dead. I intend to continue my search for him until he is found.
For only the third time in my career I have resorted to the use of the Divination prayer. I have rarely found them useful and this time was no different. Listen Carefully was the only answer.
End of File
