Chapter Nine
The Doctor and Rose entered the building and walked up to the receptionist. She was sitting behind a huge desk with her back turned away from them while she talked to someone on a video phone. The Doctor leaned over, tapped her on the shoulder, and leaned back up, as he noticed a question mark form over her head. She swiveled around in her chair and eyed them both.
MAY
I HELP YOU?
The
Doctor nodded.
YES,
SOMEONE WAS JUST PUSHED OUT OF ONE OF THE WINDOWS OF THIS BUILDING.
HE'S LYING OUT FRONT AT THE MOMENT, AND I NEED YOU TO CALL THE
POLICE.
The
receptionist gave him a skeptical look. She looked past him and then,
looked back.
SIR,
I HAVE NO TIME FOR JOKES. I'M BUSY.
The
Doctor's mouth dropped open.
I'M
NOT JOKING. THERE IS A DEAD MAN JUST OUTSIDE THE DOOR! SOMEONE PUSHED
HIM, AND…
He
trailed off when the receptionist pointed past him. He turned, and
exclamation marks appeared over his and Rose's heads when they
noticed that the body was gone. They turned back to the receptionist,
who gave them an annoyed look.
NOW,
DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER BUSINESS HERE? BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T, YOU CAN
TAKE YOUR LITTLE PRANK ELSEWHERE. I AM EXTREMELY BUSY, AND I'M NOT
IN THE MOOD.
She
pointed back to the video phone, and the angry man on the screen.
I
HAVE A VERY IMPORTANT CLIENT ON HOLD, AT THE MOMENT, AND I NEED TO
GET BACK TO MY CONVERSATION. I'M TELLING YOU, SOMEONE WAS
JUST PUSHED OUT OF ONE OF THE WINDOWS! SIR… I MEAN
IT! THERE HAS BEEN A MURDER HERE, AND SOMEONE JUST MOVED THE BODY!
NOW, WILL YOU PLEASE CALL THE POLICE? I'LL CALL THEM, BUT
IT'LL BE FOR THE TWO OF YOU. NOW, KINDLY REMOVE YOURSELVES FROM THE
PREMISES BEFORE I DO JUST THAT.
The
Doctor glowered at her. He looked at Rose.
COME
ON, ROSE, LET'S GO. MISS BUSYBODY IS APPARENTLY TOO INVOLVED WITH
HER IMPORTANT CLIENT TO HELP US. WE'LL SORT THIS OUT
OURSELVES.
Rose
nodded. She turned with the Doctor and headed towards the revolving
door. As she walked, she looked off to her right and noticed there
was someone standing in a corridor watching the two of them with a
wary look in his eyes. Rose grabbed the Doctor's hand, and she held
up a finger when he gave her a quizzical look. He watched while she
walked over to the man, who was obviously startled since he had an
exclamation mark over his head. The Doctor narrowed his eyes and
leaned up against the plate glass beside the door, while he watched
what Rose was going to do.
HEY!
DID YOU SEE A MAN FALL OUT OF A WINDOW JUST NOW?
The
Doctor studied him. The man looked flustered, but whether it was
because Rose was questioning him, or he was annoyed she was bothering
him, he couldn't tell. An amused grin spread over his face when
Rose planted her hands on her hips waiting for him to respond. She
sighed angrily, when he didn't answer her
WELL?
DID YOU SEE A MAN FALL OUT OF A WINDOW JUST NOW, OR NOT? NO,
I DID NOT. SO, YOU CAN GO AWAY AND STOP BOTHERING ME. IN FACT, I
BELIEVE MURIEL TOLD YOU TO LEAVE JUST NOW, DIDN'T SHE? IF I WERE
YOU, I WOULD TAKE HER ADVICE BEFORE YOU FIND YOURSELF IN A PRISON
CELL. FOR WHAT? ASKING YOU IF YOU SAW SOMEONE DIE? WHY DOES
IT BOTHER YOU SO MUCH THAT I ASKED YOU THAT. UNLESS, YOU'RE LYING
TO ME AND HIDING SOMETHING.
The
Doctor raised his eyebrows when he saw how incensed the man got upon
hearing that.
EXCUSE
ME, LITTLE GIRL, YOU DON'T KNOW ME, SO, THEREFORE, YOU HAVE NO
RIGHT TO TALK TO ME IN THAT MANNER! HOW DARE YOU EVEN SUGGEST THAT
I'M LYING TO YOU. YOU HAVE NO CLUE WHO YOU ARE DEALING WITH. I…
It
was at this point that the Doctor decided to step in, before Rose
found herself walking out with two black eyes. The man shot him a
look of death when he stepped up beside her.
EXCUSE
ME, BUT DOES THIS INSOLENT, LITTLE WHELP BELONG TO YOU? IF SHE DOES,
THEN I SUGGEST YOU TAKE HER OUT OF HERE BEFORE I CALL SECURITY! WE
WILL GO. HOWEVER, MY ASSOCIATE DOES HAVE A POINT. ALL SHE ASKED YOU
IS IF YOU HAD SEEN SOMEONE GET PUSHED OUT OF ONE OF THE WINDOWS OF
THIS BUILDING. YOU APPARENTLY FLEW OFF THE HANDLE AT THAT, WHICH LED
HER TO BELIEVE YOU WERE COVERING UP THE TRUTH, WHICH LED HER TO
FORGET HER MANNERS AND ASK IF YOU REALLY WERE COVERING UP THE TRUTH.
NOW, I APOLOGIZE PROFUSELY FOR HER RUDENESS AND FOR BEING SO DIRECT.
I HAVE CAUTIONED HER MANY A TIME ABOUT BEING SO BLUNT. THIS IS NOT
THE FIRST TIME I HAVE HAD TO DEAL WITH THIS, I ASSURE YOU. I HAD AN
AUSTRAILIAN GIRL WHO TRAVELED WITH ME WHO DID MUCH THE SAME AND ENDED
UP BEING KNOWN AS A MOUTH ON LEGS. I TRIED TO CAUTION BOTH HER, AND
ROSE, HERE, ABOUT TONING IT DOWN, BUT, IN ONE EAR, OUT THE OTHER. I
MUST ADMIT IT HAS A LOT TO DO WITH ME. I'VE PICKED UP THE
REPUTATION AS BEING BLUNT AND TO THE POINT AND ALSO SOMETHING OF A
RAMBLER, ALTHOUGH FOR THE LIFE OF ME, I CAN'T THINK WHY PEOPLE
THINK THIS. I DON'T THINK I RAMBLE ON AND ON. I THINK I'M
EXTREMELY BRIEF AND CONCISE, IT'S EVERYONE ELSE WHO CAN'T KEEP UP
WITH ME, AND FREQUENTLY, I HAVE TO STOP AND BACKTRACK AND REPEAT MY
THOUGHT, SO THEY'LL GET IT. BUT, THAT'S NOT RAMBLING IN MY
OPINION, THAT'S JUST CLARIFYING MY POSITION. IT'S NOT THE SAME
THING, YOU SEE. RAMBLING IS WHAN YOU JUST SPOUT OFF A LOT OF
STREAM-OF-CONCIOUSNESS NONSENSE THAT HAS NO POINT WHATSOEVER. I NEVER
DO THAT! EVERYTHING I SAY HAS A DEFINITE POINT TO IT. I NEVER MINCE
WORDS AT ALL. I NEVER SPEAK, UNLESS I HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY, AND
THEN, I SAY JUST WHAT I NEED TO SAY, AND I SHUT UP. I...
Rose
noticed that the guy was trying desperately to keep up with the words
in his speech bubble. His eyes were moving up and down so fast, she
felt sure that any minute they would roll back in his head. She
figured she had better stop the Doctor before he talked for an hour,
and they were thrown in jail for giving the man a headache and
eyestrain. She tapped him on the shoulder. The Doctor looked at her,
and she pointed up to his speech bubble. The Doctor was taken aback
when he saw how full it was. His eyes boggled when he saw the teeny
weenie, cramped words.
BLIMEY, DID I SAY ALL THAT? WOW, I GUESS I DO RAMBLE A BIT, DON'T I?He gave the man a sheepish grin.
SORRY,
I GUESS MY REPUTATION AS A RAMBLER IS SOMEWHAT DESERVED, BUT, YOU
SEE, I STILL DON'T THINK… ENOUGH!
RIGHT,
I THINK WE'RE DONE HERE, ROSE. TIME WE MOVED ON.
They
turned and gasped when they saw Muriel standing behind them.
DIDN'T
I TELL YOU LOT TO GET OUT OF HERE ABOUT FIFTEEN MINUTES AGO?
The
Doctor gave her a winning smile.
YES,
AND WE ARE LEAVING NOW, THANKS.
He
looked back at the man.
MY
APOLOGIES FOR DISTURBING YOU, MISTER…
The
man glared at him, silently. The Doctor sighed.
RIGHT,
WE'LL BE ON OUR WAY, THEN. COME ON, ROSE.
He
took her hand and started off. When they neared the door, Rose
glanced back and pulled on the Doctor's hand. The Doctor shot her a
warning look, but, he turned his head when Rose gestured frantically
back to the corridor. The Doctor's mouth dropped open when he read
Muriel's speech balloon.
DOUGRAY
JUST CALLED, MISTER BAZARIA, HE WANTS TO MEET YOU AT FIVE
O'CLOCK.
Rose
looked at him.
BAZARIA,
ISN'T THAT THE PERSON THE MAN SAID SHOVED HIM OUT…
She
was cut off, when the Doctor threw his hand over her mouth.
WE'LL
DISCUSS THIS OUTSIDE, COME ALONG NOW, ROSE, BEFORE THEY CALL THE
COPS.
He
let go of her mouth. Rose nodded and took his hand, as the two of
them hurried outside to talk in private.