IC-Chapter 2-Friday on my Mind(Bill/Yeager)

[Mr. Handy]

"Well," said Yeager, "we can keep looking for Brian, and those two guys we rousted outside the prof's house the other night. Other than that, once we get the bug in place you'll be on your own time. It's the weekend, so enjoy it. I can let you know if anything turns up."

OOC,Is there anything else you'd like to do or say before [b]Gus Stoker[/b] shows up with the tools?

[Philulhu]

OOC,Nothing at the mo'.

[Mr. Handy]

While they waited, Yeager requisitioned a listening device - and some dinner for everyone, Chinese takeout food. At around 8:00 PM, Gus Stoker showed up, carrying a toolbox. "What have you got, Lou?"

"This," said Yeager, placing the scrambler on the desk.

Gus whistled. "Is that a scrambler?"

"Right the first time. We need you to open it up, plant a bug inside it, and put it back together. The device has to remain functional so we can listen in on the suspect's secure conversations, and we can't leave any visible evidence of tampering."

"Leave it to me." Gus set to work as he chowed down on Lo Mein. It took him a while, but he managed to plant the bug as required. They tested it to make sure it worked, and they were able to listen in on the microphone inside the scrambler. By this time it was 10:00.

"Well done, Stoker! Now we've just got to put this back without leaving anyone the wiser - and fix that damn drawer!"

[Philulhu]

"You got everything you need to fix the drawer?" Bill asked Hendricks, kicking himself for not thinking to ask sooner while they were waiting for Gus Stoker.

[Mr. Handy]

"I do," said Gus Stoker, patting his toolbox. "I know how to use 'em too. I should be able to help with that drawer."

"All right," said Yeager. "Once the wife goes to sleep, we'll have to sneak in there. The back door should still be unlocked. We'll need to repair both the bottom of the drawer and the lock, and make it look like nothing ever happened to them, before she wakes up - so we'll have to be quiet about it. Everyone ready?"

[Philulhu]

"I guess so," replied Bill, feeling really apprehensive about returning to the Professor's house in the middle of the night, particularly given that Mrs. Anderson would be there. He wanted to ask if all of this was legal but was pretty sure that the answer would be 'no'! He tried to rationalise it that whatever he was doing would get him home but it didn't make him feel any more comfortable about the situation.

[Mr. Handy]

The four of them left the building and got in the Mustang, and Yeager drove back to the house through the darkened streets.

Dr. Gregory Anderson's Home - Pine Road, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
10:30 PM - Friday, July 18th, 1969

Yeager pulled up next to O'Hara's car, where he remained watching the house. There were no lights on within. O'Hara got out and came over.

"Anything interesting happen?" asked Yeager.

"Nah, Lou," said O'Hara. "The last light to go out was in one of the front upstairs windows, probably the master bedroom. That was about an hour ago. She's probably asleep by now."

[Philulhu]

"Ok, let's get it over with," said Bill as he climbed out of the car. Joining Hendricks he said, "You get the device back in the drawer and fix the bottom of the desk and I'll keep lookout. If anyone turns up, we tell them we had reports of a prowler and we found the door open. If you just carry what you need, we should be able to get in and out without causing a fuss."

[Mr. Handy]

"Yeah, good idea," said Hendricks.

"I'm going inside too," said Gus Stoker, hefting the toolbox and the scrambler. "I'm the best suited to fix the drawer, but I'll need Jim to repair the lock. Good thing we left the back door unlocked. We'll just have to lock it after we leave."

"O'Hara, keep an eye on the front of the house," said Yeager. "Sergeant Johns and I will stay outside the back door in case we're needed."

The chubby detecive nodded, and the other four men circled around to the rear of the building. Hendricks and Stoker disappeared inside, creeping through the house.

Yeager and Bill waited for about half an hour, and the time passed uneventfully so far.

[Philulhu]

Bill stayed in the shadows by the back door. He was acutely uncomfortable with the whole set-up and he just wanted the job over and done with. His mind kept wandering the Mary, wondering how she was getting on with the experiment.

[Mr. Handy]

Another half hour passed before Jim and Gus emerged from the back door with the toolbox, locking it behind them. "All set, boss," whispered Gus. "It was a piece of cake for me to fix the bottom of the drawer good as new with the scrambler inside the secret compartment, and Hendricks fixed the lock. They'll be none the wiser."

"Nice work," said Yeager quietly, squinting at his watch in the gloom. "Half past eleven already. Well, the weekend's here. Not too late to get some drinks to celebrate. First let's let O'Hara know the good news. He can continue stakeout duty until he's relieved at midnight."

[Philulhu]

Bill felt tired. He'd had a rough night the night before and a long day but he wasn't ready to give up yet. Stifling a yawn, he asked, "Where are we going? I reckon I could manage one before I fall asleep."

[Mr. Handy]

"There's a cop bar in South Philly called McCord's," said Yeager. "We hang out there all the time. You'll like the place. First round's on me. Let me just call into HQ first." He got behind the wheel of the Mustang. Bill rode in the shotgun seat, and Hendricks and Stoker climbed into the back seat. Yeager got on the radio and called in to headquarters. "It's Yeager. We're done out here. You can send the van with the recording gear over to relieve O'Hara. We're going 10-10 now."

"10-4, Lieutenant," came the reply.

Yeager pulled out and started heading south.

[Philulhu]

Bill relaxed into his seat. Hanging around the house had been tense and the space between his shoulders ached.

"What's the plan for tomorrow, LT?" he asked Yeager, "Debrief those who were at the experiment tonight and then listen in on Professor Anderson and see what he says to his paymasters?"

[Mr. Handy]

"You got it," said Yeager. "We'll also see if we can track down Brian, pick up his trail again. We know he's supposed to meet those mob guys from New York on the riverfront Saturday night, but we don't know exactly where. We'll have extra patrols around the piers, but that's no guarantee we'll find them. Tomorrow and Sunday are your days off. You don't have to come in, but I'd appreciate your help - and it's a good chance to earn some overtime pay."

[Philulhu]

Bill yawned but nodded. "Yeah, I've not made any plans so count me in. As long as you don't want me in too early in the morning." Working the extra hours would be tiring but the sooner he sorted out whatever it was that had caused Brian to come after him, the sooner he could get home.

"Do we know anything about the gang members that Brian's meeting on Saturday?" he asked Yeager.

[Mr. Handy]

"Just what the NYPD told us when you called them on Wednesday," said Yeager.

OOC,Please see [url=http://www.callofcthulhu.org.uk/pbp/viewtopic.php?p=83881#p83881]the section starting with this post[/url] and [url=http://www.callofcthulhu.org.uk/pbp/viewtopic.php?p=84686#p84686]the posts from this point onwards where you called New York[/url] (it continues onto the next page).

[Philulhu]

"Yeah, yeah," said Bill, rubbing the back of his neck where he could feel a headache coming on, "I definitely need to catch up only sleep!"

OOC,Gosh, has it been four years since we did that part of the investigation....? :o

[Mr. Handy]

Yeager drove into South Philly and parked near a bar with a neon sign that said "McCord's," where he parked the Mustang and led the way inside. The bar seemed like a bit of a dive, but it looked clean, at least in the dim lighting. The bartender, a bald man in his late fifties, stood behind the counter wiping it with a rag. There were about a dozen patrons seated at the bar and at a couple of tables, all of them men and a few of them in police uniforms. A clock on the wall indicated that it was nearly midnight. There was a pool table, which nobody was currently using, as well as a dartboard. A jukebox stood against one wall, but it wasn't playing anything at the moment.

"Hey, John!" called the barman when Yeager entered. He nodded to the other two men with him and Bill. "Gus, Jim. Who's the new guy?"

"This is Bill Johns, my new sergeant," said Yeager. "Bill, this is Henry. He makes a mean Manhattan."

"Pleased to make your acquaintance," Henry said to Bill. "First drink's on the house. What'll you have?"

[Philulhu]

"Hi Henry," said Bill, taking a seat at the bar. "Nice to make your acquaintance. I'll have a beer, thanks."

He looked around the bar, scoping the place out.