We Now Know What/Who Mac Is

[Arjan]

Was it?  Rudolph is beholding to Marcone, they'd find nothing unless Marcone wanted them to.. It's all tied to the final scene when Harry and Molly confront Mab and Marcone about them  setting him up so Marcone could get his revenge..  Marcone didn't like that so Rudolph is putting some heat on.

I don’t think Rudolph is in Marcone pocket. Marcone has no interest in stirring up trouble with Harry at this moment. The reds owned Rudolph so if any of their allies were aware of that they could have taken him over.

[Mira]

I don’t think Rudolph is in Marcone pocket. Marcone has no interest in stirring up trouble with Harry at this moment. The reds owned Rudolph so if any of their allies were aware of that they could have taken him over.

I think Marcone may have wanted to make Harry sweat just a bit, that final scene in Skin Game between them pissed him off, but he doesn't want to alienate Mab either.  That is why the investigation went through internal affairs which was weird because neither Murphy nor Harry have been associated with the police force for some time, and not at all when Skin Game went down. 
 Remember at the time when Rudolph showed up on Murphy's doorstep, Marcone had no clue that the s- -t was about to hit the fan and the world was going to go to hell in a hand basket, he needs Harry now. 

[Arjan]

I think Marcone may have wanted to make Harry sweat just a bit, that final scene in Skin Game between them pissed him off, but he doesn't want to alienate Mab either.  That is why the investigation went through internal affairs which was weird because neither Murphy nor Harry have been associated with the police force for some time, and not at all when Skin Game went down. 
 Remember at the time when Rudolph showed up on Murphy's doorstep, Marcone had no clue that the s- -t was about to hit the fan and the world was going to go to hell in a hand basket, he needs Harry now.

But Marcone was organizing the talks and it was very important for him to make them go smoothly. He had absolute no interest in stirring up trouble.

He has a very good idea about Harry can react. The timing is just not right.

[Conspiracy Theorist]

It’s clear that Rudy is a freelancer, Marcone won’t touch him and doesn’t need him, the Reds purchased him but Harry ended that source of revenue. He was anybodies who needed info in relation to Chicago, but this is way beyond slipping someone a few files, the only people with a ongoing beef against Harry is the White Council who are trying to oust him. The Fomor are about to attack and they were allies of the Reds. They aren’t concerned with getting Harry prosecuted, they are seeking to level the City, Harry, CPD and Rudy and all.

[CrusherJen]

I don’t think Rudolph is in Marcone pocket. Marcone has no interest in stirring up trouble with Harry at this moment. The reds owned Rudolph so if any of their allies were aware of that they could have taken him over.

Agreed. Why would Marcone need Harry out of the way right now? As an Accorded Baron of Chicago, Harry is obliged to support Marcone at the peace talks... so Marcone benefits from Harry being free to act on his behalf. Marcone's getting everything he wants, the last thing he needs is to give Harry a reason to act against him. If Harry was an obstacle to some future plan, removing him would make sense. But from what we know now, that doesn't seem to be the case.

I don't doubt somebody's putting pressure on Rudolph, but Marcone's the least likely suspect. Allies of the Reds, Mavra (who's resorted to blackmail before, and is mentioned in Peace Talks), Black Council members, or Nicodemus are all possibilities (though if it's Nicodemus, I don't think we'll see a resolution in Battle Ground.)

[Mira]

For starters, Marcone knows that Harry won't act against him as long as Mab is his boss.  However
that doesn't mean he wouldn't like for him to sweat a bit, just to prove he can. 

[Gman]

It makes no sense for Marcone to have Rudolph harass Harry or Murphy. I think it is the Fomor or one of their allies. It may be the WC Vamps. A rival faction of Lara's. Rudolph may be mind wammied by a WC vamp like the female lawyer was earlier.

[Mira]

It makes no sense for Marcone to have Rudolph harass Harry or Murphy. I think it is the Fomor or one of their allies. It may be the WC Vamps. A rival faction of Lara's. Rudolph may be mind wammied by a WC vamp like the female lawyer was earlier.

If you ask me that chapter didn't make sense, unless something comes out of it either in the end of Battleground or in the next book.  Harry does bring up the possibility that Marcone's fingerprints are on it.  What really makes no sense is it is being done by Internal Affairs, at the time of Skin Game both Harry and Murphy had given up any connection to the police force.  That is why is sounds like harassment.  Also at the end of Skin Game Harry and Marcone were more or less threatening one another.. Though it was tempered by the presence of Mab.  She wasn't happy with her Knight either for doing that, so she might have also sanctioned it just as another way of putting Harry in his place.
It might even be connected to her favor to Lara in some way.  Or it could be a Malvora getting back at him for Jury Duty.

[CrusherJen]

Or it could be a Malvora getting back at him for Jury Duty.

Oooooh, I hadn't thought of this... but I like it! The White Court is all about manipulation through proxies. If the Malvoras found out Lara was going to use Harry as a tool, the logical counter is to use the cops to take Harry off the board. It fits.

The Fomor is another group I didn't think of, and they're a good option considering their desire to derail the peace talks. But I don't remember them using pressure tactics before. Don't they usually take more violent and direct action? (I think I need to do some rereading.)

[Conspiracy Theorist]

As I said, Rudy is doing it because he is the last dented can of beans on the shelf, an obscure brand in a foreign language, label faded, can starting to rust and past its sell by date. Marcone has all the beans he needs,  a warehouse full, respected brands and an sell by date years in the future.

Rudy is Hobson’s Choice, which I think why he is now working for the Merlin faction to dig dirt on Harry. Even the Black Council have more nous than to employ Rudy, he is ineffective and the Fomor don’t care about mortal authorities. Getting Harry into trouble with the mortal authorities is a very Merlin move, designed to get evidence on Harry’s expulsion, AND find out what he did with Nicky which worked out so badly for Nicky.

Harry must have been very difficult to spy on magically, the Swartalves has good security countermeasures, and the wizard who tried to use magic to spy on Harry at the Carpenter House still smells colours and tastes music. Fortunately he (mostly) regained control over his bowels.

Again I don’t think it is Malvora, Lara would have been on the lookout for that, and it requires someone to know where to look into Harry’s recent past, i.e. Nicky’s worst day in two millennia to point Rudy at the problem, not sure the Malvora would be interested especially in this but the White Council would, Nicky was a former member of the Accords, who quit following events of Small Favour which involved Senior Wardens.

[Bad Alias]

While it makes sense for Marcone to stick it to Harry, I think Marcone is the least likely candidate. Why know in the middle of his big peace conference? The Fomor make sense because they could be trying to sandbag the guy who always bumps the elbow of they guy juggling TNT. The White Council makes sense for the reasons Conspiracy Theorist has laid out, but it sounds a bit like a conspiracy theory to me. The Malvora make sense because they have a grudge against Harry, and something is going on with the White Court. There's always the nebulous "them" that Harry has named the Black Council. Right now, that's who has my vote but not my bet because I don't think we have enough information to make a good guess.

Jim could pretty easily make any of them work with just a paragraph or two of explanation.

[Mira]

While it makes sense for Marcone to stick it to Harry, I think Marcone is the least likely candidate. Why know in the middle of his big peace conference? The Fomor make sense because they could be trying to sandbag the guy who always bumps the elbow of they guy juggling TNT. The White Council makes sense for the reasons Conspiracy Theorist has laid out, but it sounds a bit like a conspiracy theory to me. The Malvora make sense because they have a grudge against Harry, and something is going on with the White Court. There's always the nebulous "them" that Harry has named the Black Council. Right now, that's who has my vote but not my bet because I don't think we have enough information to make a good guess.

Jim could pretty easily make any of them work with just a paragraph or two of explanation.

Why not now in the middle of the Peace Talks?   Marcone doesn't expect it to blow up now, from his stand point it could be just an FYI to Harry and Murphy not to interfere in any future deals that may come his way from a successful conference. 

[Arjan]

Why not now in the middle of the Peace Talks?   Marcone doesn't expect it to blow up now, from his stand point it could be just an FYI to Harry and Murphy not to interfere in any future deals that may come his way from a successful conference.

Except he knows Harry and he knows that such behavior would make Harry’s interference more likely and not less.

[Mira]

Except he knows Harry and he knows that such behavior would make Harry’s interference more likely and not less.

He also knows that Mab wouldn't allow any interference in the Talks.  I also doubt that Harry would interfere in the Talks without good reason, and there is nothing in that harassment that would warrant him interfering in the talks, that is for later. 

[Bad Alias]

Why not now in the middle of the Peace Talks?

Because Marcone isn't an idiot. Why complicate something that's going to be complicated and delicate anyway?