IC: The Runaway [Jacob Vrees]

[Captain Impossible]

"Thank you, Jean," Dutch says warmly. "Once I speak with the newsboy, I'll be able to discuss Arkham with you over that cup of coffee, if you're available." Once he wraps up with Jean, Dutch will make his way to the news agent to locate the witness.

[Tabs]

". . . if you're available."

"Yes, I'd like that chat . . . "

[Kadael]

Jean,Return to your own thread: [url=http://www.callofcthulhu.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=224&t=3185&p=129190#p129190]A View of the Water[/url]

At the corner of Miskatonic and Merchant, the awning isn't hard to spot amidst all the dreariness that pervades Arkham. A young boy - about ten or eleven - is standing in front of the newsstand, one arm protectively curled around the handlebars of his bicycle. He's having some conversation with the man behind the stand.

[Captain Impossible]

Dutch approaches the newstand. He looks at the kid and the man behind the counter. As he nears them, he takes out his police badge. "Excuse me, sir," he calls out to the clerk. "I'm Detective Vrees. There was an injured man by College Street. I was told that one of the newsboys may have witnessed how he got injured. I'd like to talk with him."

[Kadael]

The brown-haired boy spins around to face Dutch, his eyes going wide. "Wow! You're a real live detective? I heard about them in the pictures, but I never--"

"Marcus," grunts the man, giving Dutch a cool, level stare. "Tell the man what you were just telling me."

"What? Oh." Marcus cocks his head to one side, then takes a deep breath and relays a stream of information. "I was riding past the Miss... Miss-ke... that college with the funny name, and there was a man banging himself against the window like he wanted to get inside but didn't know what a door was, and a girl was screaming and it was all awful queer."

A pause.

"Dunno why everybody keeps asking about it."

[Captain Impossible]

Dutch keeps his badge out a little longer than normal, both to reassure the owner that he's on the level and break the ice with kid. He chuckles when the kid wonders why everyone is interested. "Heck, Marcus, it's not everyday you see something like that. Who else has been asking around about the man?" Dutch keeps his tone light, but he wants to see if there's anyone besides the vicarious rubberneckers snooping. You can never tell in Arkham.

[Kadael]

"Umm, there was a real tall and pretty woman with curly hair who wanted to know. I told her to stay inside but she didn't listen." Marcus frowns, scrunching up his face. "Alfred asked too." He points over his shoulder at the owner.

"They don't really ask around. People just ask how my day went and I tell them the truth, that I saw an awful strange thing today. Then they have to ask what it is like they don't believe me." He folds his arms and scuffs at the ground with his shoe. "Feels like the only one who doesn't want to know is my sister."

[Captain Impossible]

"I see. When he was banging his head on the window, was he already injured?"

[Kadael]

Marcus shrugs. "Don't know nothing about him being injured, though I guess he had to be - there was some stuff on the window but I didn't really look at that."

"From the back, he kind of looked like this man who comes to talk to my sister... same color hair and all, but I didn't see his face."

[Captain Impossible]

"Tell me, Marcus, how often does this man talk with your sister? If she's his friend, she'd want to know he's been hurt."

[Kadael]

"He comes to see her a lot. Not so much lately, though." Marcus cocks his head to one side. "Don't know why. We live in the same apartment building and everything. D'you think she'd know?"

"And anyway, he didn't seem the type to be running into walls. He was always chattering about stars or whatever."

[Captain Impossible]

Dutch tries to keep his tone light. "Well, it doesn't hurt to play it safe. Do you know where your sister is presently?"

[Kadael]

"She should be at home now. Simpson Apartments on Walnut Street. Apartment 6, on the second floor." Marcus smiles to himself, apparently proud of his memory. "I'm done with my route. I could walk you there, but it might be a while. Walnut Street's over in Southside."

[Captain Impossible]

"Won't be a problem, kid. I have my car parked nearby. I have to go talk with some of the other policemen first anyways."

[Kadael]

"Well, all right," Marcus says, hopping onto his bicycle. "See you later, maybe."

Then he's gone, riding down the street in a flurry of spokes. Alfred watches him go, then turns back to Dutch.

"Watch yourself around Judith, detective," he says. "Marcus is a good kid, but his sister's trouble. Remember what side of the law you're on."

[Captain Impossible]

Dutch is taken aback by Marcus' words. "I'm a detective, pal. It takes more than dame to make me forsake my oaths. But what sort of trouble is she? Anything I'd come across in the station files, or a more discrete kind?"

[Kadael]

"...Discreet, yeah." Alfred nods. "Not that I don't believe in your oaths, detective, but Judith's something else."

[Captain Impossible]

"We'll see," Dutch says, before turning away. He decides to head back to the university and check in with Sergeant Willem. The case, while unsettling, seems fairly open and shut. He'll help the uniforms question the remaining witnesses, then pay a visit to this Judith.

[Kadael]

Though not much time has passed, the Sergeant and the other two officers have evidently left the scene. The only people here are Jean and the grumpy janitor, idly discussing Arkham's pervasive strangeness.

Dutch,Sorry about that--if you'd like to join their conversation, [url=http://www.callofcthulhu.org.uk/pbp/viewtopic.php?f=224&t=3194&start=80#p154243]you may do so.[/url] Otherwise, stay in your own thread and head wherever you'll be investigating next.

[Captain Impossible]

Dutch decides to head back to the police station. He gives everything he knows, including that he intends to talk with Judith. He presumes he can get Jean's information from the police report. After some rest, he will wrangle the witnesses and close the case. Vrees is not as confident about the case as he wished to be. When he was a beat cop, he broke up the kidnapping ring, those men shouting peculiar chants. Chants that made Dutch question why children always disappeared around Halloween. Arkham was fully invested in the abnormal being swept under the carpet.

After the craziness, Dutch decides that this case will answer others. He requests ownership of it, and requests a list of witnesses.