Chapter Text
“Looks like they’re enjoying the limelight, Finch,” Reese stood by behind the cameras as he watched Thacker and his group discuss what they encountered at the house, their reactions genuine going by the Machine, and they were clamoring wanting to go back into the house for more “data” while the host of the show listened to them.
Curious, the host asked if there’s a possibility that of a demon or something akin to one in the house, that if they kept antagonizing it, things might get worse for the group from then on, however Thacker denied the thought, claiming that he and his group were professionals in their own right that they can handle anything thrown at them.
“Be careful what you wish for!” Reese uttered under his breath as he watched the cameraman pan on Thacker’s face while he discussed the topic with the host.
As the saying went, drama helps ratings, the host then asked about Thacker’s thoughts on people who didn’t believe in ghosts, and naturally Thacker had some choice words about that.
Reese didn’t bother listening, but the gist of it was that Thacker hated people who didn’t have an open mind about the possibilities of life after death.
“Only because if they didn’t, you would be out of a job!” Reese muttered under his breath.
He continued to make comments at Thacker’s expense while the tapping continued, towards the end, the host asked if Thacker planned on returning to the house, to which Thacker happily responded that he planned to have a full-on stakeout!
“Well, I’m sure your fans will approve!” Reese heard the host gleam.
Hearing this, Reese was quick to warn Finch, and he sighed as he suspected that Thacker might’ve gotten into his head that he had something, now began the plan on keeping him interested in the house.
The Machine couldn’t make the house haunted forever, else it may rouse suspicion or cause more problems than what Finch and Reese wanted to handle.
Seeing Thacker’s giddy face, Reese wanted nothing more than to see it missing, among other things.
In a twist, the host then asked if Thacker would be willing to spend the night at the house with a different group.
Much to his and Reese’s confusion, Thacker struggled to remain professional as he asked what the host meant by it, before the host suggested that they make a game out of it.
Ratings being the driving force, of course.
Nothing raises them more than drama with two different groups fighting over one thing.
Since Thacker wants his show, he was forced to swallow his pride and tongue before agreeing with the idea of having a group join his at the house.
Finally, the tapping was over, and Reese was released with a bored expression painted on his face as he wanted to leave the studio and get into a fight with hired mercenaries.
Once the producer officiated Thacker’s plans on exploring the haunted house further with the chance that he has potential of getting his own show on the network, the Machine informs Reese that it solidified the plan on keeping Thacker interested in the house, and finding out which one of the groups is the thief.
It warns that there’s a possibility that there might be friction between Thacker’s group and the different ghost hunting group, so he ought to be prepared for the chance of getting into a scrap.
“It’s more exciting getting punched than staying in that van all night!” Reese couldn’t help but express disinterest in tagging along with the group once again to tape another segment with the second group.
The Machine understands his complaints, but reminds him that he has no choice, the producer picked him, but it promised to make it up to Reese.
“How?” Reese curiously asks.
He heard from the Machine, “You can help!”
When things get too quiet for Thacker’s liking, Reese can reinvigorate him by pulling off pranks.
“Okay, that sounds better,” Reese agreed with the Machine’s plan on making it tolerable for him spending another few nights watching the cameras at the house.
Switching frequencies, Reese checked on Finch, and Finch answers with him finding an inkling that Thacker committed insurance fraud some years back.
Of course, Thacker dressed the fraud nicely for the insurance company, but with everything the Machine is picking apart, there’s a possibility that this went on longer than they realized.
More reasons why Thacker was desperate to get his dream show off the ground, the last thing he wanted was the taxman wising up and coming for him, and desperation causes desperate acts, hence the alleged thievery and the exorbitant fees he charged.
With the second group thrown into the mix, it’ll be interesting to see how much Thacker handles the thought of someone potentially stealing his spotlight.
Among other things.
Already the Machine went to work processing and identifying the second group and thus far they haven’t struck it as the type who would rummage through the house looking for hidden treasure.
Doesn’t mean things can’t change on a whim, what with it spreading the rumors, among other things.
“When do you think he’ll make the move?” Reese inquires what the Machine thinks.
Slyly the Machine gave suggestion that things might move faster if Thacker thinks the second group are after the treasure.
“He’ll be recorded,” Reese pointed out that under normal circumstances, Thacker would make his move.
While this was true the Machine then brought up that a desperate man will throw caution in the wind if he thinks he can get away with it.
Upon escaping the studio and returning to the outside, Reese made his way back to the HQ, there Finch greeted him, and his hazel brown eyes moved around as he noted Edith hadn’t returned from her search for the pocket watch.
“Stubborn is, stubborn goes, Finch,” Reese pointed this out, causing Finch to chuckle at this.
Greatly amused still, Reese proceeds to mention, “Can’t imagine someone that stubborn with someone like you, Finch.”
Looking up at him, Finch admits, “Nobody did, Mr. Reese.”
Believe him.
“Think Lee’s having fun?”
“Considering the alternative was traffic stops, I’m sure he’s managing.”
“Edi must be giving him a run for his money.”
“Oh, I don’t doubt it.”
“Can’t wait for him to make the connection.”
Eying him, Finch sees the smirk on Reese’s face before he gestures at him as he elaborates, “You. Her.”
Shaking his head, Finch exhales, “Mr. Reese, I don’t doubt Lee has preconceived notions about me, but I highly doubt my relationship with Edith will cause some sort of episode in him.”
Shrugging, Reese brings up, “You never know.”
Lee hadn’t had the chance to properly meet Edith until now, but once he realizes her connection to Finch, well, it’ll be an interesting sight.
However, Finch doubted it would be as bombastic as Reese concocted in his mind.
“Konbanwa!” Reese turned his head when he heard the door opening into the HQ and Edith stepped through as she held a box in her other hand.
Getting up from the chair, Finch went to her as she showed him the missing pocket watch.
“You found it?” Finch raises a fine brow as Edith affirms, she did.
Coming towards her, Reese asks, “Where’d you find it?”
Reaching into her pocket, Edith handed him a piece of paper with the address to the pawnshop on Xth and another pawnshop in Montana.
“It came from a pawnshop in Montana. That’s at least forty-three miles from the family home. Bullock got the owner to tell me the pawnshop he got it from,” Edith explained.
With the missing pocket watch in their grasp, now comes the perpetrator who sold it.
“Lucky us, the pawnshop in Montana had a hold-up a month before the sell and setup a nice camera system with the works,” Edith informs the men as she sat down at the couch while she ran a hand through her dark coppery hair.
The pawnshop owner has a habit of taking secret pictures of people who come into his store to sell, and Montoya (Edwin) worked his magic over the phone to get the owner to send a copy of the picture taken of who sold the pocket watch.
“Care to take bets?” Edith raises her brow.
Reese guessed, “Thacker.”
Raising her finger, Edith made a ding noise with her mouth.
“So, he was responsible for the theft,” Finch frowns.
Lowering her finger, Edith added, “He also used someone else’s driver’s license, too.”
Take a wild guess there.
“His old identity,” Reese guessed.
Nodding, Edith added that Thacker wore the obvious markers of someone who was pawning something.
Large sunglasses, hat, he even wore different clothing just to make it even more evident.
“It appears that they had a “case” somewhere in Montana along the way,” Edith gave the timeline of when the pocket watch reappeared.
To the tune of only two-hundred dollars, she adds.
Lopsided smirk, Edith pointed over to the screens as the Machine showed Reese his answer, someone used Thacker’s new driver license to sell a pair of diamond earrings at a pawnshop in Livingston.
It would seem that Thacker has a habit of going between his old and new identities when pawning off things.
“And he makes sure there’s enough distance between him and his haunts,” Edith scratches the side of her neck.
His hazel brown eyes focused on the screens, Reese concludes, “So, Thacker’s the thief after all, now we have to get him to take the bait.”
Checking the time, Finch urges Reese to hurry out of the HQ and make it back to the studio to intercede the groups.
“We’ll be watching,” Finch points to the screens.
Retrieving his things, Reese headed out of the HQ, leaving the two behind.
“You didn’t give our detective a hard time, did you?” Finch asks as he joins her on the couch.
A leg over the other, Edith smirked, “Now, would I do a thing like that?”
She then gave a serious answer that Lee wasn’t happy, especially how she was quick to nickname him Bullock, and Edwin was more than amused.
“It didn’t help that it made the pocket watch worth more than it is, but we managed,” Edith sighs.
Regardless, through will alone, Edith retrieved the missing pocket watch, once the numbers are said and done, it will be returned to its rightful owner.
Getting back the other stolen items will be a different story, however.
“We will reunite the stolen items with their owners in time,” Finch smiles.
TO BE CONTINUED… Night at the Haunted House