James Brighton Society, Chapter 2: Pages 5-6

Page 5, 5 Panels- D.C. Metro Police Precinct Office, Georgetown section of Washington D.C. Panel 1: We move back to a shot of Tasha in the same position with the same setting and layout that we saw in the second-to-last panel of the previous page. She's in a little bit of thought, imagining the Detective in her head as she speaks. There's also a touch of disgust that comes across in what the young woman says. DET. RANDOLPH [disgustly]: The bigoted putz who looks like a baby doll with wax on its face...[ugh] Yeah, I know him. Panel 2: Back to Mr. Reese a few moments later, crouched in the same position that we saw him in at the end of the previous page. Only the top of his hat is visible peeping over the top of the desk as he continues searching for the object he alluded to. You can hear, as he speaks, the sound of clinking bottles from underneath the desk. OFFICER REESE: Then you know the rumor the wooden creep-o has a stash of Glengoolie hidden in a big flask somewhere in his desk. Panel 3: Same setting/layout as the first panel, as well as the same background behind her. Upon hearing the exclamation, the good Detective's eyes widen in giddy anticipation at what he's about to say next. You can see a smile slowly grow on her face at the same moment as she speaks. DET. RANDOLPH: Noway, you--you found it? Panel 4-5: A two-part set of panels that are set back on the Officer in the same setting and layout, to start with, in Panel 2. In Panel 4, the clinking from behind the desk continues on, though not in the same frequency that we saw in Panel 2. A few moments later, in the next panel, Mr. Reese pops up holding a metal flask in his right hand. OFFICER REESE [Panel 4]: It took me days to get through the damn locks he had in that desk drawer. But thanks to a buddy working Janitorial, and a nice bit of covert magic on my part... OFFICER REESE [Cont., Panel 5]: I liberated it. Merry Christmas! Page 6, 6 Panels- D.C. Metro Police Precinct Office, Georgetown section of Washington D.C. Panel 1-2: A two-part set of panels that center back on the good Detective in the same setting and layout that we saw in the middle of the previous page. In Panel 1, we see Tasha unscrew the top of the flask in order to drink it with a great sense of joy. In the next panel though, moments later, she stops just before it reaches her lips and looks over to her friend with a cautious degree of curiosity. DET. RANDOLPH [chuckles, Panel 1]: Just the type of Christmas cheer I was hoping for, Nate... DET. RANDOLPH [cautious, to Officer Reese; Panel 2]: You checked this thing for poison before pilfering it, right? Panel 3: Back to the good Officer a second later, in the same setting and layout that we saw at the end of the previous page. He has both of his hands pressed on top of the desk's hardwood, leaning forward toward her friend with a look of "Of course I did!" firmly planted on his face as he speaks. OFFICER REESE [to Det. Randolph]: You think I'd be still standing if he did? Panel 4-6: A three-part set of panels that center back on Ms. Randolph a couple of moments later, in the same setting and layout that we saw at the start of the page. In Panel 4, the Detective nods in agreement to the truth behind his response. The flask is still placed in the same position we saw in Panel 2. In the next panel, we see her take a deep swig of the whiskey and, in Panel 6, begin to walk away while screwing the cap on the flask. Her head tilted over her shoulder toward Nathan as she walks to her desk. DET. RANDOLPH [agreeing, Panel 4]: Fair point... DET. RANDOLPH [pleased, Panel 5]: Ahhh....not as good as Cusha, but marvelous nonetheless! DET. RANDOLPH [warmly, back to work; Panel 6]: Time to get to work. Merry Christmas, mi hermano! OFFICER REESE [Off-Panel, equally warm; Panel 6]: You too, Tasha...