Case 36: Courter in Yellow

Needed(29)

Dipper POV

My phone buzzed in my back pocket for almost a solid hour. Ignoring it as Leone got into his information, it was almost uninterrupted notifications and phone calls.

Leone eyed me but went on, "In 2022 a man in San Francisco California was found washed up on the beach, he was nude and the aggravating part, his face was disfigured and his fingers free of fingerprints. John Doe went into the system and a case was opened, however, months of work turned up nothing so the case was closed and John Doe was buried in an unmarked grave." He opened a computer he must have dropped off earlier, he turned the screen to us, open was the case file and image from the scene of a naked water lodged figure slumped in the sand.

"This is the man that you think was the last leader of the Circle, but he was never identified and the case was closed? Helpful, really helpful." Robbie cracked a dry joke but his eyes were glued to the screen taking in all the information on the slides.

"He wasn't identified, till I went back over his case." Leone reached around and closed this tab, uncovering a new one with new photos of bones and more paperwork. "John Doe's real name is Tad Strange" His driver's license and other identification paperwork places his photo next to a photo of John Doe taken on the beach.

"DNA matches, Strange has a criminal record and history adds up, John Doe has a chip on his front tooth, Strange has medical records of getting that chip in a bar fight and filling it." He flips through medical reports and atopies reports.

"How does this connect him to the Fourth Circle?" Robbie asked, he was slumped in his chair cradling his ribs and tapping a foot angrily.

Leone smiled, "So glad you asked," he turned the computer to him again, with a few clicks he showed it to us. "The Fourth Circle wasn't originally known as 'The Fourth Circle' ; they were originally known as Hell's Kings." The screen now was filled with newspaper articles and old case files that had been converted.

Robbie laughed.

"How'd you come by that?" I asked leaning forwards to get a closer look at the contents of the computer.

"Tad Strange. We knew that he was the Hell's Kings leader, he was arrested several times for it but the charges never stuck. Like you Yellow, Tad had fun talking with the police, so when he was held for 72 hours before being let go he was very talkative. None of it was ever helpful, till now that is." Leone explained opening a screen of transcripts, "All the transcripts from each time he was held. I'll save you all the slow reading and just skip to the fun part."

Robbie was no longer laughing, he was now leaning in staring intently at the screen, like he still wanted to read every word.

"Granted he was very drunk when he was picked up, but I think that's why he let this slip." He turned the screen again and reads it off for us, "'You know something, you guys are not ready for this guy, this new guy, he's something you should really see him in action' 5:03pm 'whatever i'll die soon anyways than yall are FUcked. No one else likes me out there. I don't think he'll even stay here. Better catch us soon.' 11:26pm and lastly at 4:56am, 'man why so much yellow to like really gotta pick the brightest fuckn collor and doesnt take anything seriously...'". When he was done reading he gave back the computer so we could see it for ourselves, watching all our faces.

"This could mean anything." Robbie said slowly but I could tell he didn't really believe that, he just didn't want to get his hopes too high. If this is the last leader of the Fourth Circle it's the first name we have tied to the group and he personally knew the current leader which would be closer to him than they have ever gotten.

We spent the following 4 hours digging into Tad Strange's life. He was a troubled teen that turned into a troubled adult, his parents gave him over to the military and from school he went into the fields, Strange spent 8 years in service. However he was dishonorably discharged and dumped on the poor people of Texas, where he went under the radar for a year before resurfacing in Las Vegas Nevada. There he job hopped from different hotels and casinos, each place he would quit right before the owner fired him for suspected theft. After about two years of being in and out of jobs and holding cells he made his way into California, though it's not very clear how.