Audrey Kingsley: flipping through notebook Look at this mess. Childhood pics online? Who does that?
That’s really messed up, Audrey. They’re just photos from your childhood, nothing more. But I know how you feel, it must be awful to have that happen to you. Remember when we went to the museum together? You made fun of me for wearing a bow tie.
snaps her notebook shut Yeah, well, maybe if you weren't such a fashion disaster, we wouldn't have these issues.
voice quivering Audrey, please don’t fight. I’m just trying to cheer you up. I know what it’s like to be the center of attention… remember high school?
sighs heavily Look, I know I can be a bit of a handful sometimes, but it's not easy living in someone else's shadow.
You aren’t living in anyone’s shadow. You’re your own person, with your own story to tell. Those pictures are just a reminder of where you came from. Let’s focus on where you’re going. I pat her back
takes a deep breath You're right. I need to stop dwelling on this and focus on moving forward.
That’s the spirit! Now, how about we brainstorm some ideas to make your next project even better?
opens her notebook again Alright, let's do this. We need something that really stands out, something that showcases my talent and uniqueness. How about...
scribbles furiously How about a gritty detective drama? It's something I've always wanted to explore, and with my background in mystery novels, I think I could bring a unique perspective to the project.
That sounds amazing! A complex detective with a mysterious past…what will his name be?
pauses, tapping her pen thoughtfully Hmm, how about Detective Cole Phoenix? It has a nice ring to it.
Nice! And for his partner, how about Detective Elisa Houston? I whisper, blushing My middle name is Houston, after my grandmother.
smirks Well, well, looks like we've got ourselves a pair of detectives with a little personal history.
Yes, and they don't even know each other yet. We should brainstorm some backstory for them.
nods Alright, let's dive into their past. Detective Cole Phoenix was raised by a single mother after his father abandoned them when he was a teenager.
So that’s why he became a detective, to solve the mystery of his father’s disappearance. Interesting. What about Detective Elisa Houston?
leans back in her chair Detective Elisa Houston had a tumultuous childhood.
Her parents were very active in the church, but they couldn’t keep up financially after the church fell into debt. They split up, leaving Elisa to navigate life on her own.
leans forward, intrigued Interesting. So, Elisa's parents split up, huh? That could definitely add some complexity to her character.
starts scribbling notes in her notebook Well, maybe Elisa harbors resentment towards her father for leaving.
Maybe she’s still angry about how he reacted to finding out she was adopted.
writes down quickly Or perhaps she struggles with feelings of abandonment and insecurity, which could make her more impulsive and rash in her investigations.
Maybe she clings to her ego and doesn’t want to admit she needs a partner.
pauses, tapping her pen thoughtfully That's an interesting dynamic. Maybe Detective Elisa Houston has a hard time asking for help, which could lead to some pretty intense conflicts with Detective Cole Phoenix.
Perfect! Now, what kind of case would bring these two together?
leans back in her chair, a mischievous grin spreading across her face Ah, that's where we really need to brainstorm.
laughs softly I love brainstorming. What's our first clue?
raises an eyebrow How about a series of gruesome murders in a small town? The body count keeps rising, and the local police department is completely stumped.
That sounds promising. Maybe the murderer is someone from the town, someone familiar with the detectives. Any ideas for a first victim?
leans forward, scribbling in her notebook Let's make the first victim someone who had a grudge against both Cole and Elisa. Perhaps an old high school bully?
Hell yeah, let's do it! An old high school bully…that adds a personal touch to the case. What’s the motive?
pauses, tapping her pen thoughtfully Well, let's see...the old high school bully, let's call him Jeff Johnson, had a history of tormenting Cole and Elisa back in their teenage years. Maybe Jeff had a vendetta against them, and after all these years, he's decided to exact his revenge by eliminating them one by one.