4338.212 · July 31, 2018 AD
The Garden Surveillance Disaster
After Jane's devastating revelation, Sarah drives to Luke Smith's Berriedale address seeking answers—only to spot Karl jogging up the hill in full black kit, heading in the same direction. What follows is surveillance chaos, injured dignity, and the sinking realisation that she has no idea what Karl's gotten them both into.
Detective work should be dignified. Professional. Conducted with proper warrants and backup and at least some semblance of legal authority. It should not involve hiding in someone's prize flowerbed, destroying their carefully cultivated kangaroo paws, whilst watching your colleague sneak around a suspect's property after dark dressed like he's auditioning for a burglary.
But Sarah Lahey's day stopped being dignified hours ago—right around the moment her grandmother revealed that Luke Smith, their primary person of interest, is actually her cousin. A cousin who apparently knew about her whilst she remained blissfully ignorant. A cousin whose partner Jamie has gone missing. A cousin whose house Karl is now stalking without authorisation, backup, or explanation.
What starts as a desperate drive to confront Luke about the Killerton Enterprises connection rapidly deteriorates into an increasingly absurd surveillance operation. Sarah tracks Karl tracking the house, suffers multiple injuries vaulting fences, apologises profusely to destroyed landscaping, and narrowly avoids discovery by homeowners whose property she's violating. All whilst trying to understand what Karl is doing and why the hell he's doing it alone.
Some investigations proceed with grace and professionalism. This is not one of them.
