I Know What You Did Last Summer

After his rather unfortunate discussion at the festival, Frederick had stepped back. There had to be a plan, and he hadn't had one to start. He hadn't even known he needed a plan. He hadn't even known Godfrey was alive. He'd thought he'd died along with Zantibayra, and his appearance on the island was... unexpected, to say the least.

But he was there, and ignoring him would do Frederick no good. No, he needed to get on top of things, and for him that had meant talk to people. Getting a feel for things. Working out what he could. There were rumors, if you talked to the right people. Easy enough to connect the dots, to work out what he probably hadn't been intended to work out.

Frederick was, after all, very good with people. He knew how to get people to tell him the things he wanted. He knew how to do it without even letting them realize they were giving up information that they maybe shouldn't have. But it didn't matter in the long run.

What mattered was that early Friday morning, Frederick had headed right up to the front door of Zora's beach house and knocked lightly at the door.

It was a risk, but it was a risk he was just going to have to take.

Frederick was nothing if not pleasant. Really, that was who he was. His reputation was everything, and he put it to good use as he gave Zora a sympathetic smile.

"Miss Del Bosque," he said with a small dip of the head. "I apologize for bothering you so early in the morning. I meant to catch you at the community center, but I haven't seen you around. I was hoping to talk with you, if you aren't busy."

Frederick stepped in, taking off his shoes out of sheer habit before actually entering the house proper. "For Forest Respite?" He asked as they headed into the living room. "I heard about the grand opening, although I suspect there's a lot of context I was missing." Something about her brother? He had bits and pieces and a lot of those pieces weren't exactly snapping into place together.

When she offered, he shook his head, settling in on a vouch.

"Oh no, please don't mind me. I'm already a guest in your home, and coming unannounced like this was already asking too much. I was hoping I could speak to you about a personal matter, but I understand if you don't have time right now. I'm not sure how much longer you have before work."

In Halcyon, he'd been the person signing off on those papers. Normally not dealing with all of them, but it was the mayor's signature that sent a lot of the larger ones off, and he was intimately aware of at least the general idea of it. Things were probably different on Manta Carlos, but he supposed bureaucracy was universal, wasn't it?

He waited until she'd settled in before he spoke again, his tone considerably more somber.

"Yes. I can't recall how much I told you about my time in Halcyon. I suppose I should start by saying that I came through the portal alone. My entire family had passed away - either years ago, or in the calamity of the last few days of Halcyon City. In particular, I had a son who I believed had passed away. I was... shocked to find him here, alive and well. I believe you know him."

Either she didn't know, or she was playing along as if she didn't know. Either worked just as well for Frederick. He'd already avoided the worst case scenario, realistically speaking.

"My son's name is Godfrey," he said. "I believe you know him by the name he goes by now - Broen. I understand he worked for you briefly, before the unfortunate incident at Woodland Imports."

After which Broen had... either stopped working there, cut ties... something. There was a lot of misinformation, but he was confident he didn't work there any longer. That was the problem with his new position: He didn't have nearly as many resources or as much natural trust as he had back in Halcyon.

"I was hoping to speak with someone who was more familiar with him. He and I have been... estranged for quite a few years."