Mon Sep 4 - Flannigan's

[Gaffer]

Flannigan's is pretty quiet when you enter. The late crowd hasn't arrived and the early crowd has departed. You get a table right away.

OOC,[color=#FF4000]Most promising leads: Guy Grenville, Hirt’s Agent; Kaynak Bilginin & Saljuk Yilmaz; Marlene’s Apartment; Merivana Azaff & the Red Hook cult.[/color]

Delores,[color=#FF8000]As you sit down, you recall that you're supposed to Interview Mrs. Ernestine DeVanter tomorrow in Brooklyn; she'll be 100 years old and still lives in the house she was born in.[/color]

Langdon,[color=#FF8000]Don't forget, you'll be expected to at least make an appearance in the office tomorrow morning.[/color]

Franky,[color=#FF8000]Roll call's at eight o'clock sharp tomorrow morning.[/color]

Dex,[color=#FF8000]Did you remember to send Lila flowers and a 'break a leg' telegram? And the doc seemed serious about those rabies shots.[/color]

On the way over, Delores inquires about Dex's arm.

[FrankyEsposito]

"So... what's good here?" I look the menu over carefully, silently counting up how much green I've got in my wallet.

[Gaffer]

There's a sirloin steak and baked potato and asparagus for $1.50. There's a steak sandwich and shoestring potatoes for fifty cents. There's roasted chicken with mashed potatoes and green beans for a buck. There's a Waldorf salad for thirty-five cents.

And there's beer for a dime.

[FrankyEsposito]

"Hmmm. Steak sandwich looks good. I think I'll have that. And a beer. Anyone else?"

[Dexter Ford]

Dex will head over to the owner/bar tender, Mike Flannigan, and play quick catch up, before asking to borrow the phone. He will make two phone calls: one to the an all night florist to have flowers and a card delivered to Lila, and the other to a pharmacy to see if they can provide some pain killers for his bite. He'll thank Mike and leave a dime on the counter to cover the cost of the local calls. He will then join the others.

Dex looks at the menu and orders the regular: A steak medium rare, with all the fixings, roasted potatoes, a beer and a shot of Irish whiskey. He'll announce the same to the others and wait for the server to do his stuff before raising the issue of why they are altogether this evening. "So, we seem to be in a bit of a quandary when it comes to what to do next. Langdon and I discovered that the woman was wearing a necklace that is in this book." He shows them a picture in the book. "We also decided to contact some of my old professors at Fordham to see if they can provide any leads about this cult and what we might be facing."

[Delores Brown]

Delores orders the chicken and sits quietly sipping a glass of water. She glances around at the men sitting around her and decides she needs to talk about the picture. "I... I went to Koslev's shop..." she said quietly. "There... was a painting... in the window. I don't know why, but I stood staring at it for hours, as if I couldn't take my eyes off it." Conscious of the silence that greets her words, she drops her gaze to her glass of water again.

[Dexter Ford]

Delores orders the chicken and sits quietly sipping a glass of water. She glances around at the men sitting around her and decides she needs to talk about the picture. "I... I went to Koslev's shop..." she said quietly. "There... was a painting... in the window. I don't know why, but I stood staring at it for hours, as if I couldn't take my eyes off it." Conscious of the silence that greets her words, she drops her gaze to her glass of water again.

"I know this might be tough, but do you remember what the picture was of? Or who painted it?" Dex notices her nervousness and calmly asks his questions.

[Delores Brown]

"It... it was a painting of a city," begins Delores quietly, her gaze still fixed to the table in front of her. "There were... towers and high bridges and people..." She twisted the water glass in her hands awkwardly. "I'm... I'm not sure 'people' is the right word. Some of them were flying for God's sake... ..." her voice trails off and tears start to slowly roll down her face. There is a long silence and just when it seems that Deloes has finished speaking, she fishes out a handerchief from her sleeve and blows her nose noisily, before saying, "The worst part was the sky. It was empty - not just a lack of clouds, but it was just empty, everything was gone, the sun, moon and stars... all gone... ..."

[FrankyEsposito]

I don't think this is going to work, but here goes.

"Look. This woman hired you under false pretenses, right? She's obviously dangerous. Maybe you should just leave this to the police?"

Before they can object I continue: "I know, I know. And I'm not telling you to drop it. But... I've seen some things in Red Hook. Things... things you don't ever want to see. It might be safer to just let it go."

There. I've done my duty. It's up to them now.

[Gaffer]

From Delores's description, it sounds similar to the one that was leaning against the hall in Hirt's apartment.

The waiter brings everyone's order.

[Dexter Ford]

"I personally don't think I could drop it at this point, Detective. The woman and whatever associates she may have, they must be brought to justice. Moreover, I'd like a little revenge and a few answers for this injury of mine. Besides, though we might have been hired under false pretenses, I still want to know what happened to Hirt."

Dex sipped his beer for a moment and picked up some food awkwardly.

"Look, I can understand if you don't want to pursue this further. I saw some stuff in Chicago I am not proud of, and I once turned my back to something I shouldn't have. That cost me more than I ever care to admit. We could just give up on this, but then I don't think I would want to live with myself. So, regardless of what you do, or Miss Delores, I am going to pursue this to the end. One way or the other, I am going to get some answers."

[FrankyEsposito]

"I understand how you feel, Dex. But justice is my job, not yours." There's no malice in my voice. "Putting you" I gesture at all of them in the line of fire goes against everything I believe in.

I pause for a second, trying to sort out my thoughts. "I think I've gotten pretty good at reading people in my job, and I think I've got a decent read on the three of you. I don't think you could drop it. None of you could. I just want to make sure you know what you're signed up for."

I push my chair back and drop my napkin in my plate. The food was fine, but I'm suddenly all out of appetite.

[Delores Brown]

Delores smiles weakly. "I'm afraid you're right, Mr Esposito. As much as I wish that I could walk away, I can't. There was something in that picture that... that... I can't forget." With a shaking hand she reaches out for her glass and takes a sip of water. "You can count me in," she said quietly, glancing around at the men beside her over the rim of the glass.

[Langdon]

I almost choke on my scotch when Delores describes the city. The same city I saw in the painting at Marl-- Merivana's. The same city that was in the glass of the window. I squeeze my eyes shut as I force down the scotch, hoping their moist from the burn of the liquor and not because I'm more than a little disturbed.

Clearing my throat, and with as much professionalism as I can muster, "Dolores, I think I've seen a very similar painting. You're not alone in thinking all of this is more than just disturbing. I... I think we have a duty here to stop whatever this is so it doesn't drag more people in. Right?"

[FrankyEsposito]

"All right. Since you're all to damned stubborn to quit..." There's a hint of admiration in my voice as well as concern. I'm still not convinced they know what they're getting into and I know I don't like it.

"I've got APBs out on Merivana, Marlene, and Marlene's car. Plus I've got somebody keeping an eye on her apartment. Not that I think anyone -- besides us -- is likely to show up there."

[Dexter Ford]

Dex nods as the others come on board. "As I mentioned, Langdon and I are going to approach some of my former professors at Fordham for any information they might provide, and a search of the collection at the Public Library main branch might help. I am all gung ho for going forward, but I think we might be missing some key information as to what we are exactly up against."

He sips his beer. "Now, this painting is not just a coincidence, so I suspect somebody should go and speak with the art dealer. I am more than willing to do the scholarly research, but if you folks have a more blunt approach, I am not against providing some muscle as necessary." He lifts the bandaged arm "Though if I see any sign of a dog again, its going to take a .45 between the eyes."

"Any suggestions as to our next step come morning?"

[Langdon]

"Well... I will have to make an appearance at the office. Depending on what needs to be done, I may have to be in most of the morning. But I'll at least meet you in the afternoon. If you think of anything I can research from the office, call me, please."

[Delores Brown]

"I've got a story to go to and I'll need to show my face at some time," says Delores, "Besides, I left my card at the shop and asked them to call me if they knew anything about Alphonse." She glances at the men sitting around her and shrugged weakly, "It seemed like a good idea at the time."

[FrankyEsposito]

"Yeah, I've got roll call at oh-dark-hundred in the morning. Maybe we should make a plan to get together tomorrow afternoon? You all have my number at the station, right?"

[Dexter Ford]

Well I have been trying to stay in touch with my partner, but cases have been a bit slow and he has been handling most of the current legwork. I can't spend more than a few more days on this before work will beckon me back full time, but until then, I'll head up to Fordham in the morning. If I get time before noon, I'll head to the library or meet up with Langdon there. Regardless, I will try to check in with the station house around 1pm or so for an update. I think we should certainly try to meet for dinner tomorrow, but it should be an early night. I have been ignoring my gal far too much and I should try to get to her show.