"My problem involves merfolk to start" Christine started. "Really? Cases we've gotten that involved merfolk before usually had them needing help?" Rusty questioned. reminding you of a few cases where merfolk got involved.
in contrast to most fables merfolk were very varied in character as much as humans; they weren't guaranteed music masters, fish are their equivalent to farm animals like chickens and cows, and while it often depended on the area clothing was very commonplace on their human halves. still like with you a number of them had paranormal abilities with several being able to turn their own into humans or humans into merfolk.
"in what way are these merfolk bothering you?" you then ask. "...they... they are demanding my daughter Mavis" Christine answered in dread. "she steal something from them or something? or is she really a mermaid fanatic going to far?" Rusty inquired. "Mavis is no mermaid fanatic and has worked tirelessly up until now to prove herself worthy for university" Christine insisted back. "Maybe if you told us more about this we can determine if this is really a case?" you suggest. "I understand" Christine accepted.
"I'm a single mother. I had Mavis after a two year relationship with a man named Howard Salk... who days after Mavis was born ran off without a word" Christine started. "and this was-" you start. "15 years ago and I did everything I could to be a good single mother" Christine continues "but during Mavis's birthday two months ago we started getting letters and calls... all insisted Mavis came to them to fulfil her duty". "How'd you discover merfolk were behind this?" you ask. "the senders eventually sent a lawyer... one Patrick Ambers who introduced me to one of his clients" Christine revealed.
Now things were getting more curious as you had encountered Patrick several times before, like you he was someone human somehow attracted to paranormal things but instead worked in law, usually defending supernatural creatures or people in criminal cases but had been known to help civil disputes.
"did Patrick's client explain why his people wanted your daughter?" Rusty questioned. "fill some sort of deal or something... says her great grandfather made an oath to turn a female descendent over to the merfolk in exchange for prosperity but if not fulfilled by the fourth generation they must exact the opposite effect on the oath-maker's homeland... problem is genealogy is my line of work and I researched my family background further back then this oath" Christine assured. "plus logically if this is from your side this oath would have been fulfil by you years ago" you agree.
"so your predicament is you suspect this demand is based on a false oath but do not know why. yet at the same time refusing to honour it might very well bring calamity to innocent lives" you ponder to Christine. "and Mavis refuses to throw away everything she's worked for...to merely become some vain songstress of the seas" Christine agrees. "I'll take your case Christine... so long as we're paid our invoices Rusty here will be sending monthly" You announced. "Thank you Marcia, I'll be in touch" Christine thanked.
once Christine was gone "clearly we're dealing with a criminal clan of merfolk Marcia" Rusty suggested. "somehow I doubt it. remember this deal demands a female descendent as soon as possible as one can be converted which from Christine's story Mavis not long became" you insist "yet she was ignored but that could mean the oath-maker who offered Mavis isn't from Christine's side" you explain. "you mean... this Howard Salk?" Rusty asks. "a few lines of inquiry need to be done... but this Howard is right in the middle" you insist. "where to first then?" Rusty asks: