IC: Scotland Yard - Johnny, Elizabeth and Caroline

[Raiko]

Robert Norman Shaw
“....New Scotland Yard is undoubtedly Mr Shaw's finest and most complete work. The plain granite base is not only subtly suggestive of the purposes of the building, but by dividing the height with a strongly marked line gives a greater apparent width to the structure; it suggests also a division of departments. By its mass, too, it prevents the eye from dwelling on the necessary irregularity of the lower windows, which are not only different in character from those of the upper storeys, but more numerous and quite irregularly spaced. The projecting angle turrets are most happily conceived, and besides giving emphasis to the corners, form the main point of interest in the composition of the river front. The chimneys are not allowed to cut the sky-line in all directions, but have been drawn together into massive blocks, and contribute much to the general air of dignity and strength for which this building is remarkable. Simple roofs of ample span complete a composition conspicuous for its breadth and unity ....”

Photo to follow!

New Scotland Yard – Victoria Embankment, London
11:00am – Thursday 29th January, 1925

The drive through the bustling streets of central London is uneventful and Johnny soon pulls up outside the imposing world famous headquarters of London’s Metropolitan Police Force.

[imme]

Elizabeth fixes her hat and steps out from the car. "I hope Inspector Barrington will have time to meet with us." She smooths her dress.

[Decrepit]

"Oh, I'm sure you'll be able to persuade him somehow," Caroline says, smiling at her friend. "You underestimate your considerable influence."

[imme]

Elizabeth smiles in return, and with a mischievous glint in her eye. "Well then. Shall we go learn more about these 'Egyptian murders'?" She turns and leads the way into the building.

[Decrepit]

Caroline nods. "I think we would do well to have you lead things off, Beth. Your reputation precedes you."

[Grafster]

Johnny holds the door for the ladies a they disembark.
Perhaps it would be wise to confine our conversation topics to... he seems to be struggling for a word "... more... plausible areas. The inspector is doubtless a reasonable, that is to say, scientifically minded, sort of man.

[imme]

Elizabeth raises an eyebrow at Johnny. "Ah, no. I was hoping to tell him nothing of our involvement in this. Mostly I want him to tell us everything he knows." She grins, and then looks uncertain. "Should we tell him anything? Would it help his investigation?"

[Grafster]

Well the detective replies There is a warehouse in the Limehouse district that is filled with crates full of smuggled military weaponry... It might be good only be dealing with men with knives again...

Johnny shivers slightly looking up at the police building again and frowning.

[imme]

"Hmm. And these police will hopefully be more prepared than the ones in New York." She frowns at that memory. "Well, Johnny, you have more experience dealing with the law than we do. Caroline and I will provide the charm, and you will know what to say." With that decided, she leads them into the building.

[Grafster]

Johnny spends a moment staring at the young lady's back before following along leaning on his cane. As he does tries to cobble together some reasonable explanation for knowing about high powered military weaponry in a well guarded warehouse....

[Raiko]

New Scotland Yard – Victoria Embankment, London
11:05am – Thursday 29th January, 1925

New Scotland Yard

new_scotland_yard.jpeg (76.37 KiB) Viewed 3226 times

The front desk inside the police headquarters is manned by a veteran sergeant, who watches the two ladies and Johnny as they approach, “Good morning ladies, can I help you?”

*******************************

OOC: Inspector Barrington is a very busy man – seeing him at short notice will need an IC reason and a good credit rating or fast talk roll. Johnny or Caroline can of course make use of Miss Downing’s higher credit rating skill if they choose to do the talking.

[Decrepit]

Caroline, as usual in such matters, looks to Beth. Privately, she hopes Beth doesn't require Johnny to do too much here; she didn't know anything about Barrington, but she did know that many people in the world were less open-minded about other peoples than her friend was, and anything the group might know would come off better from her. Of course, that raised the question of how an American socialite came to know about underworld military-grade hardware ...

[Grafster]

Johnny steps forwardMiss Elizabeth Downing here to see Inspector Barrington.

[imme]

Elizabeth puts on her most haughty look and waits to see how the man responds to Johnny.

[Grafster]

Johnny draws upon years of introducing Miss D to project the image of the impecably mannered flunky of some one of significant importance.

[Raiko]

OOC: I need a Credit Rating roll for Elizabeth, or a Fast Talk roll for Johnny. (Note: The white American characters actually receive a small bonus (10%) to credit rating rolls in 20’s London – as you are “all the rage” at the moment – this won’t apply outside London though).

I’m not using spoiler tags at the moment, because they’re too much hassle and I like using “b” and “i” tags a lot. Carnage Lee’s considering replacing them – so hopefully we’ll have useful spoiler tags soon.

[imme]

credit rating (77+10=87) (1d100=85) phew, i'm glad I got that bonus

[Raiko]

The sergeant nods and says, “if you could just take a seat over there ladies, I shall let the Inspector know that you’re here right way.”

The sergeant makes his way upstairs, leaving a younger constable manning the front desk.

[Grafster]

Johnny can't help but peer around, soaking up the atmosphere. He finds himself trying to pick out people, their rolls, situation; look for similarities and differences.

Its only with tremendous effort he avoids rolling a cigarette.

[Decrepit]

Caroline picks up Johnny's nervousness and fidgets. Sometimes the enormousness of what they were doing, how detached it felt from the "real" world going on about its business around them, struck her, and this was one of those times. What sense would their tale make to one not intimately acquainted with the events of the last days and weeks? She couldn't imagine. Best to keep things on the plane of normality as much as possible, to speak in terms that lawmen would understand.