CHAPTER ONE: Murray's Journey: Following

[Laraqua]

The windows reveal a gloomy, empty bar, though there's a visible dried blood spatter stain a few yards away from the door. There's three kids skipping along followed by their parents on this fine, warm day, and several cars are busily going past. One young girl with a skipping rope skips between the hedge rows on the way to the fountain that stands in the middle of the courtyard (out of view - but Murray saw it on the way in from the Lakeview Hotel).

[Mr. Handy]

Murray walks up to the group of parents and children. "Excuse me," he says. "Do you know what happened at Annie's Bar?"

[Laraqua]

"No, sorry, we just got here," said the woman, giving him a look up and down and then rolling her eyes. The man linked his arm in hers and they continued off on their merry way.

[Mr. Handy]

Murray shrugs and returns to his car. He doesn't want to follow the little girl, as that would look creepy. If she has any sense, she wouldn't talk to a stranger anyway. Instead he drives to Alchemilla Hospital. Anyone injured or killed at the bar would have been taken there, and he knows that Cara Ashby had gone there hours ago to visit someone, so that was a good lead too.

[Laraqua]

It's such a lovely day. Birds are singing in the tree-lined streets. Children are coming home and playing in their front yards. There's plenty of shops around - including a surprising number of book stores. He pulls up against the street near the courtyard that leads into Alchemilla Hospital and starts heading inside. The obligatory two nurses are chatting outside with cigarettes in their hands, inhaling cancerous fumes while talking about a coma patient in ICU. Such a shame that they weren't talking about an emphysema patient. That would've brought their behavior into sharp contrast with their actions to save another from lung problems.

[Mr. Handy]

Murray walks up to the nurses at the front door. He can put up with cigarette smoke to get a little informaton. Besides, most of the characters in his favorite old movies smoked, so it feels strangely familiar. "Afternoon," he says with a smile and a tip of the hat. "Say, were you here when the ambulance came from Annie's Bar?"

[Laraqua]

Murray's words don't earn him much respect from the ladies and his clothing style didn't interest them either. He could tell as he approached them that the two nurses didn't want to be approached and his friendly and polite question was greeted by a sudden cross of the arms and a roll of the eyes.

"Uh, who are you?" asked one of the nurses, giving him that cocked eyebrown and curled lip look normally reserved for sleazy high school cheerleaders who've just been spoken to by a nerdy kid. Her ruby red lipstick and heavily mascara-lined eyes only add to that impression.

Hide,I'm trying to set up another invisiblecastle account since I lost my password and it's just not re-sending it. I've tried registered a new account but it's taking a bit to get back to me. I went with an Appearance roll versus a Passive trait of 10 to see how they'd originally look at you and then a Credit Rating check to see if you'd impress them that way.

[Mr. Handy]

OOC,Actually, I was thinking Fast Talk would apply here, so I rolled it - and got an exceptional success! (1/5 of my skill).

"Me?" says Murray, putting on his most charming act, trying to look like a lost puppy. "I'm Murray Archer, and I'm new in town. I was going to meet someone at Annie's Bar, but I saw the police tape and the blood...I just hope my friend is all right."

[Laraqua]

The irritated-looking woman lets out a huff of smoke and makes a big show of answering. "No one came in today, but some bartender got stabbed last Friday night by a hobo or something. If you meant to meet your friend at Annie's Bar today, you're a little late. You should give them a call and set up a new meet or something."

Hide,well, yeah! But Fast Talk doesn't work for first impressions. I was leaving that for your attempt to be convincing. Depending on which roll ended up being successful, would result in different reactions. If she thought you were hot or rich, you'd learn different things than with a Fat Talk which is more dependent on the lines you gave her than on her own personality.

[Mr. Handy]

"Thanks, I'll do that," says Murray. "Is the bartender going to be okay?"

[Laraqua]

"I don't know," she said. "That's just what I've heard. That's all I know."

[Mr. Handy]

"I'll go in and pay the bartender a visit, then," says Murray. "I wonder if Ash has been visiting here too. Do you know her?"

[Laraqua]

"No, actually. She's not a local here at least."

[Mr. Handy]

"Well, thanks for your time," says Murray. He tips his hat again and enters the hospital.

[Laraqua]

The waiting room has dark greyish brown tiles and a wooden counter that surrounds the reception area. Old, scabby black chairs line one wall beneath all of the informational posters, flyers, and other odds and ends that often crowd waiting rooms. There's no one else in here at the moment, though there is a bell on the reception counter. There's also a left turn corridor that heads further into the hospital itself. The air has that subtle, sterile tang to it of multiple cleaning products with the vague after-hint of illness.

[Mr. Handy]

Murray looks over the notices on the information board for anything of interest and also checks the writing pad on the desk.

[Laraqua]

The information board contains the usual information about taking care of yourself: Fact Sheets on Cancer, Heart Diseases and Allergies; A list of Emergency Numbers; a burns first aid sheet; and some details on how to recognise a stroke. The writing pad contains a few notes: Speak to Detective Whately re: tourist season capers.

[Mr. Handy]

Murray rings the bell and waits to see if someone comes to the desk.

[Laraqua]

Murray's left to wait for a few minutes before a blonde nurse in a red-and-white uniform walks up to the counter. "Hello, how can I help you?" she asks in a smoothly professional manner that belies the dark bags that hang beneath her clear blue eyes.

[Mr. Handy]

"Hi," says Murray. "Do you know if the bartender from Annie's Bar is still here?"