Scene One, The Party At Chadwick Manor

[Priest]

Having watched his employer leave the room, Nelson Myers turns to face the group and answer as best he can any of their questions.

Nelson Myers thinking:   Ah the ex cop turned PI, cant see what [b]Mrs Chadwick[/b] expects from him, but it's her money

He smiles at the professor's question, and the delicate way he puts it, "Nah, she seemed to have little truck with guys. Her roomee said she couldn't ever remember seeing Ronnie with a boy"

"She was staying at a boarding house, one that caters to the university" He retrieves a scrap of paper from his vest pocket, looks at it, "Place run by a Miss Hickman, seems okay bit of a lush but runs a nice place. I have the address here" he hands the paper to Ted Nelson.
"There wasn't much to see, she shared an apartment with another student girl by the name of Paula Deveroux also a student at the Miskatonic. Mrs Chadwick authorised me to settle any expenses encured by yourselves in the pursuit of her niece. Within acceptable limits of course. She also authorised me to give each of you a pay check for two hundred dollars, and inform you that a bonus will be forthcoming once the girl is home."

[Mr. Handy]

"There actually are some links between geometry and the occult," says Tony to the professor. "Some of those ancient Greeks were into some weird things. Math was never my strong suit, though."

[PatGrillo]

Professor Krugman: Geometry and the occult? Well yes, I suppose one could construe a connection. But let us not leap to conclusions, especially such unlikely ones. What about transport? Who deals with such things? Is there a train, or shall we have use of an automobile? And what of the young man, while we have him here, has anyone tried questioning the poor fellow? There is a chance you know that whatever has disturbed his mind is at work also in the even more vulnerable mind of his female relative!

[Mr. Handy]

"Well, I haven't got a car," says Tony, "but I'm pretty sure the train goes to Arkham. Although if one or more of the rest of you have some wheels, it may be a good idea to take them. That'll help us get around town faster than walking. And yeah, we should definitely try to get through to Edgar while we're still here."

[kabukiman]

Francis-If she cared so much of the occult, maybe she spent some time in the library? We should go there to see what kind of book she read.

[BenTheRat]

Ted Nelson
.
"We can try talking to the nephew, but it didn't look like you were going to get much out of him? Curious, what connection do you see between the two anyway? He was locked up when Veronica dissappeared."

[Priest]

Myers watches you all with interest,
"Mrs Chadwick authorised me to give you full use of one of her cars" he looks toward Tony Esposito, "The Ford, Tony. I think it will suffice. Now if you have no further questions for me, I will return to the party"
As he leaves he turns towards Tilda with a little smile, "I think it best if you allow Tony to be responsible for the car, after your last incident"

[Mr. Handy]

"Thank you, Mr. Myers," says Tony. "The Ford is a very reliable car, and will serve us well." After Myers leaves, he faces the others. "Edgar knows Veronica quite well, and he may have some sort of insight as to her mental state, especially considering his own. It's possible that he was the one who started her down this road, even without meaning to. He did give her that book about Japanese mythology."

[BenTheRat]

Ted Nelson
.
"Ok, maybe I missed something. What book? I didn't hear anything about a book?" Ted asks.

[Mr. Handy]

"We were looking at it before you came in," says Tony, showing him the book. "It's called A Dream of Japan, and Edgar wrote a dedication to Veronica inside it."

[kabukiman]

Francis

-And if one of us start reading this book? So we may have clue of what it is about?

[Cearlan]

"My last ... my last incident was a momentary lapse of concentration. That awful hick farmer came round the corner on his tractor far too fast which caused me to swerve."

I look abashed as even in my eyes the story would not hold up to scrutiny but there were more pressing issues ... the book now - what was the key in the book? And what did the soak Edgar really know.

[BenTheRat]

Ted Nelson
.
"I doubt very seriously a childs book about Japanese monsters given to Veronica years ago, has anything to do with her disappearance. Can we stick to some real investigative work people?"
.
Ted is thinking to himself, "great, not only am I babysitting, its for a bunch of kids with paranoid delusions."

[Mr. Handy]

"I just thought it may have led to Veronica's sudden interest in the bizarre," says Tony. "Nothing else in her background so much as hints at it."

[PatGrillo]

Professor Krugman goes back to the party and waits for a moment when the invalid is alone: (speaking quietly): Young Man, what do you know about Japanese monsters?

[kabukiman]

Francis:
-But can I take the book anyway to take a look at it?

[Priest]

Professor Krugman (Pat),[ic-quote=Professor Krugman]Young Man, what do you know about Japanese monsters?[/ic-quote] At your question, [b]Edgar's[/b] seemingly lifless eyes blaze with a look somewhere between horror and fear. With a blood curdling shriek of despair, he leaps from the wheelchair and flees the room with the attendant and his aunt in hot pursuit. Suddenly the room falls quiet even the umpteenth rendition of 'When the saints' dies away in a tangle of discordant notes. You become aware that you have become the center of attention...

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

Bridget Barrett turns to the writer, "Here if you think it will be of any help, it's all yours" She hands the book to Francis open on the title page with its handwritten sentiment.

[Mr. Handy]

"We might want to show the book to Edgar," says Tony, "see how he reacts to it and what he can tell us about it."

[kabukiman]

- I don't know if it's a good idea. I doubt he is condition to help us and he can be disturbed.

[PatGrillo]

Professor Krugman: Oh dear! I appear to have alarmed the young gentleman. Whatever could I have said?