gabe-guzman

[gabe-guzman]

there was no one more trustworthy than a dog. that was an undeniable fact in this cold and cruel world. after all, a canine companion never lied, never cheated. they never buried evidence or conspired to commit harm. it's one of the many reasons gabriel enjoyed them so.

all of this to say, he was wearing a rare grin as two had come bounding over to him. "hello, hello-- yes, hello. you are both very impressive, thank you- thank you," he whispered softly, petting them both generously before standing to meet her. "no need to apologise on my behalf, it's never a bad time to become acquainted with a dog. i'm gabriel guzman-," he introduced, holding out a crumpled card- "private investigator."

mary was out taking kitty and doggo on one of their many walks of the day. she loved seeing the two running around together and hoped to see her eventual children with them years down the line.

she smiled at the dogs darting around and she tossed their tennis ball for them to fetch but apparently they'd found something else that they decided to divert their attention to.

"kitty! doggo!" she called out, running after them "sorry, they love people"

@happieststarters

[gabe-guzman]

It had been a long time since he'd laid eyes on Oz Borror. Looking at him now though, it could have been yesterday. Their lifetime of memories threatened to play out in Gabe's mind before he could say what he came here to stay. He couldn't get distracted. The past was the past. But these things never truly stayed buried.

Gabe steeled himself, pushing through the crowd until he was close enough to regret it. "She's not returning my calls."

@ozborror-highroller

[gabe-guzman]

Gabriel should have introduced himself first, he realised. He couldn't be seen to be caught off guard and he couldn't slip up. Easy enough, right? "Sorry, I should have said... I'm Gabriel Guzman-," he left out the obligatory 'private investigator'- "I'm an old friend of your father's. I mean, well, it's been ages since we last... And when I last met you, you were much smaller. Younger. My hair was doing another thing entirely too so, uh, no hard feelings if you don't remember."

.

It was true: there was so much to see at Evangeline's, it made sense to want to stay as sober as possible. She nodded, about to take another sip of her drink, but then decided to take it a little slower from now on. "Totally get it," Olivia chuckled. "Though you don't seem like a party pooper to me..."

His mentioning her name, as if he knew her, made her jolt. She stared at the man for a moment, her mind racing as she tried to identify him... And then she did notice a certain sense of having seen him before, something in his face that rang familiar. But where, and when? "... Excuse me, who are you?"

[gabe-guzman]

gabriel nodded at her introduction, filing it away for future reference. after all, you never knew when you could use a good lawyer both inside and outside the courtroom. "pleasure," he said. a slight smile tugged at his lips then. she was sharp and he knew better than to brush that off. "you assume correct. well, technically i'm here because i was still down as my ex wife's emergency contact but all things are connected. what's your take on the story so far, ashley armbruster?"

it was rare to see a new face around that people hadn't already figured everything out about. it was intriguing. ashley reached out and shook his hand "ashley armbruster, lawyer" she introduced herself, making note of mentioning her job to avoid the usual rich girl tabs. "i assume you're here about the poisonings"

[gabe-guzman]

gabe nodded back in response, taking a thoughtful sip before answering. how was he finding tonight? first impressions: this was bigger than he could have imagined. the people in this town, the strings that must have been being pulled. but that wasn't what he was being asked. "it's been smooth sailing so far. ray looks like he's having the time of his life though... which is good enough for me. for 'evangeline'. how about you?"

regardless of the drama going on in his life, he was here to support ray's opening of evangeline's. steering clear of babette was a smart move on victor's front and as much as he would've loved to speak to her to patch things up, he knew that now wasn't the time or place.

lifting his glass to meet the guy next to him, he gave a nod of his head "cheers man. how are you finding the night?"

[gabe-guzman]

it was a simple enough question. one gabriel guzman was prone to overthinking and overnanalyzing. he'd never underestimate anyone but he figured there were no double meanings behind her well meaning question. with that thought, he smiled.

"it's one of the best evenings i've had in a long time. mostly because of ray, i mean, this is his dream. as for the rest of it... well, forgive me for presuming, but i think i don't have your natural talent as a social butterfly." he nodded towards her cell phone which had early been all around the room. "are you enjoying the evening?"

evangelines was stunning and nothing short of an absolute triumph. charlotte loved a party and loved halloween, this was perfect for her. she had been posting content over her socials to get the buzz out about the new establishment and decided that she had earned herself a drink "cheers to you too. are you enjoying your evening?"

[gabe-guzman]

Gabriel lowered his voice conspiratorially at her question- "Club soda. I'm staying sharp while I get he lay of the land here. Admittedly, the costumes aren't making that so easy. Never let them know that you have the advantage." He added, tapping the side of his glass. Pausing, he looked at her again. That face...

"I'm dressed as a party pooper, I was never one for playing pretend. At least, not in a long time-" Flaversham. A folder thinner than he'd like, years of investigation and counting. A false hope that she could never know about, not until it had teeth. His face softened then. "Olivia?"

.

"Cheers," Olivia smiled as she raised her own glass to the unknown man. She had selected a grapefruit drink at the bar, something out of her wheelhouse for once, and when she had a sip she was surprised by how much she liked it. "What are you having?"

As soon as she asked him this, she took a better look at him. Did she know him from somewhere? She didn't think so. Whatever the case, it was hard to tell if he was enjoying himself or not. "Are you dressed as someone from a movie?" Olivia asked him. "I don't think I recognize the costume."

[gabe-guzman]

"Not unless we were in a bar brawl and I took one too many blows to the head," Gabe answered. There was, after all, every possibility. Still, you'd think you'd remember a night like that with a guy like this. "Gabriel Guzman-," he introduced, holding out a slightly crumpled business card- "Private Investigator."

So far, Colt had not run into anyone he knew. At least that he recognized, anyway. The costumes did tend to throw one off if the person in question was very well disguised. But he was definitely sure that he did not know the man across from him who was suddenly raising his glass in a toast. Blinking a little confusedly, Colt raised his own glass. "Uh yeah, cheers. I don', er, know you, do I?"

[gabe-guzman]

"babette," gabriel said in response, the first friendly (well, he doubted she was all smiles and sunshine) face he'd met in town. he didn't forget a face even if they weren't all as memorable as hers. "that it is. thank you again for the directions, who knows where i would have ended up without you."

babette strolled around evangeline's like the social butterfly she was born to be. she was proud to see the hard work ray had put in pay of for him, it couldn't happen to a nicer guy. that being said, her attention was currently on the more rugged man in front of her "if it isn't my park buddy. cheers"

[gabe-guzman]

Gabriel Guzman could rarely contend with a friendly smile, it unsettled him. He spent so much time in the seedy underbelly of other people's sins, it was jarring to be met with anything genuine. In any case, he obliged with a small smile (he was smiling, right?) of his own. "Well, as much as I can. I've never been much of partier-," not for a long time, anyway. "I do think it's a good thing for Ray though. Set Evangeline's off with a bang. Are you enjoying the party, Batgirl?"

Anna was having fun seeing everyone in costumes, trying to guess who it was under, she ditched her Batgirl mask, since it was getting in the way of her seeing properly, and people could easily understand who she was dressed as without it. When someone next to her said cheers she couldn't help but turn to them. " Are you enjoying the party?" She asked with a friendly smile.

[gabe-guzman]

gabriel offered a polite smile as their glasses raised. he had researched this town extensively although who didn't know the name 'armbruster'? if he knew one thing, it was that money could get you into almost anywhere. after a moment, he set his glass back down, extending a hand to her-- "gabriel guzman, private investigator"

ashley hadn't been seen in public for some time. she had opted to go on a long vacation and arriving home in time for evangeline's opening seemed fitting for her grand reemergence onto the social scene. standing with a drink in hand, she raised her glass to him "cheers"

[gabe-guzman]

Unreadable. Sometimes Gabriel wondered if he was chasing a ghost or a reflection when it came to Mirage. There was no doubt in his mind that she was at the center of this. Then again, he was the first to point the finger her way for most things. If there were strings being pulled, he imagined her hands.

'Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under it'.

"Here was me thinking you'd be a million miles away from a place like this," he started, eyes never leaving hers. "Don't tell me you're thinking about retiring?"

Of all the people Mirage was expecting to take a glancee at tonight, Gabriel Guzman was not one of them. He was good at staying off her radar, while she struggled to stay out of his, a feat not easily achieved. She was lingering at the bar, taking it all in, when his glass came into her line of sight. Cheers.

She glanced at it, then Gabriel. Her expression was just as unreadable.

"Cheers."

[gabe-guzman]

How fitting it was that tonight Redwood's residents adorned costumes. Hiding who they were, hiding what they'd done. The opening was innocent enough, of course but Gabriel Guzman wasn't going to let his guard down now. With an unreadable expression, he held his glass out to them--- "Cheers."

@happieststarters

[gabe-guzman]

Gabriel had almost been too lost in his own inner monologue to notice that Ray was right in front of him. Not very observant, detective. A rare grin spread across his face when Ray turned, the pride he felt clear as day. Gabe clapped him on the back affectionately in response-- "You did it, Ray."

He let it sit between them a moment longer, let the truth of it sink in. Gabe had last seen Ray when he was miles away, chasing another dream. Thankfully for them all, he'd realised he was right where he was meant to be. "Yeah, of course. Well, as much as I ever enjoy anything. She looks amazing, everything you ever said she'd be. I'm proud of you, Bug."

When the doors to Evangeline's opened that evening, Ray wept tears of joy. It had happened. Raymond Bug had created something meaningful to himself. Something that he believed would outlive him. Something he could pass onto his future family. He hhad created a way to support himself and Jane. This was his.

Mingling through the crowd now, Ray's smile was beaming so bright it could probably be seen from space. Turning at a tap to his shoulder, he smiled at the person infront of him. "Thank you! Welcome to Evangeline's! Are you enjoying yourself?"

@happieststarters

[gabe-guzman]

gabriel couldn't get used to the air here yet. it was too sweet. the sun may have been shining now but he knew better than most that a storm was rolling in. this town was shrouded in more mystery than anyone knew (gabe included) and he intended to uncover it all. until then, he'd settle for directions.

gabe knew trouble when he saw it and today, she was sipping coffee. "excuse me, ma'am. do you know the way to a place called 'evangeline's'?

babette sat on her preferred park bench, basking in the sunshine before it clouded over. she had been lost in her thoughts as of late. victor and her back to a rough patch and she was unsure where to go to move forward. lifting her coffee cup to her lips, she took a sip and let out a deep breath.

@happieststarters

[gabe-guzman]

[gabe-guzman]