Scene Two - Veronica's Flat

[Priest]

Scene Two - Veronica's Flat in Arkham. MA

Although some of you may wish to investigate elsewhere I have taken the liberty of assuming you have all travelled together and start your investigations at Veronica's rooms in one of Arkhams many boarding houses that service the university.

At noon the following day Tony stops the Ford outside of the address he had been given the night before. The house is an oversized white Cape Cod style building in a state of some disrepair. The exterior is in need of scraping and a coat of paint. The mail slot in the front door is missing its brass flap, the breach appearing to have been shut by the expediency of a dishtowel having been crammed tightly into the gap. There is a small stoop, and alongside the door on the wall is a weathered, hand-lettered sign reading “Miss Hickman’s House. Rooms Available.”

[BenTheRat]

Ted Nelson
.
After what I'm sure was a chilly ride up to Arkham University, Ted gets out, stretches his legs for a bit, and walks up to the door and knocks.

[Mr. Handy]

Tony Esposito gets out of the car, then walks to the back and opens the door for Tilda. "Perhaps you should do the talking here," he suggests. "You are her cousin, after all."

[PatGrillo]

Professor Krugman: Let's hope they offer us some hospitality. I could use a cup of tea after that.

[Cearlan]

Tilda

I look slightly askance at Tony. "The fact that I am her cousin should hold little or no sway here, but I'll do what I can. But thank you dah-ling for being a gentleman, there are so few of you left these days. And yes a cup of coffee would be pleasant, but from the outside of the house I wouldn't expect too much." I approach the door and knock on the frame calling out "Mrs Hickman ... Mrs Hickman!"

I check my knuckles for flakes of paint and / or dirt from the door-frame as I await her appearance.

[CrackheadC.]

Bridget fiddles with a pen and notebook. The Chadwick Curse! No that was silly. It Came From Japan; wealthy son believes he is haunted. Too wordy.

She snaps her notebook shut and looks at the group. "Think it will bother her that so many strangers are coming looking for her roommate? I mean I would be uncomfortable with it at least."

[kabukiman]

OOC: Did Francis had time to read the book?

[Priest]

E. Francis Hardy (kabukiman),During the journey you had ample time to look through the book, it is only a slim volume. It appears little more than a collection of Japanese folk stories written for children. Other than the handwritten dedication it contains nothing of any relevance. It is simply a book given to [b]Veronica[/b] by [b]Edgar[/b]. Maybe it would not be your choice of topic for a young girl, unless you wanted to give her nightmares of course, but there. However, several of the stories do contain litery elements that start your creative mind thinking.

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

In response to Tilda's knock, suprisingly robust for such a delicate looking woman. the door opens a fraction and a gruff female voice that speaks of too many cigarettes, comes from within,
"Yeah, whadya want?"

Although your view of the speaker is limited, you can see enough of the woman to guess that this must be Miss Hickman, the house owner, and guess that her age makes being a Miss a lifestyle choice.

Even behind the door shield Tilda is aware of her disaproving stare, "Its Miss, so whadya want eh?"

[BenTheRat]

Ted Nelson
.
"Good morning Miss Hickman. My name is Ted Nelson, PI. Myself and our small group," pausing to gester to the others, "were hired by Mrs. Chadwick to follow up on her niece Veronica." Ted pauses just a second to refer to a note. "I believe she use to share a room here with a Ms. Paula Deveroux. We would very much like to speak with Ms. Deveroux and inspect the poor young girls room if we may. There is perhaps some small clue still there waiting to be uncovered that could help us unravel her mysterious disappearance."

[Priest]

The door opens a few more inches giving you a view of a rather rotund elderly lady, dressed rather drably in an old stained housecoat. She turns her gaze from Tilda, to Ted, "She aint been here for the past couple of weeks. Left owing me rent"
Her gaze expands to cover the group of you, "Sure are enough of you"
She leans slightly closer to Ted and even from a distance the smell of cheap whiskey is heavy on her breath, "Left owing rent" she repeats loud enough for all to hear.

[BenTheRat]

Ted Nelson
.
"I know, and I'm sure we can resolve any past debts left by Veronica once we have a chance to inspect her room and speak with her roommate." Ted answers.

[PatGrillo]

Good morning Miss Hickman, Professor Theodore Krugman pleased to meet you. Yes, I'm sorry we come in such numbers. Perhaps I could take tea with you in your parlour while the others inspect the room? Did the young lady have any unusual interests or pursuits that you can recall? He thinks: It may help the others to do a proper search if I can keep the landlady out of their way; you never know, she might know something, so worth one of us questioning her; and besides I really could do with a cup of tea!

[Mr. Handy]

"I'm Tony Esposito, ma'am," says Tony, tipping his hat. "I work for the Chadwick family."

[Priest]

The door opens fully and Miss Hickson subjects Tony to a look as if she was inspecting a creature of some description, "Pleased to meet you, Tony, I'm sure" Her voice holds a hint of sarcasm.

Tony,please make an [b]Idea Roll[/b] (Intx5)

She flicks her eyes to Ted, "Yeah, ten bucks should cover it. Pay first then look'

Her attention turns to Professor Krugman, "I don't have tea, and I sure as hell don't have no parlour. I guess from your manner you're some kind of teacher from the university?"
"Tea" she snorts, "Same applies pay the ten and you can drink all the tea you want"

Ted and Krugman,please make [b]Fast Talk + 10% Rolls[/b].

[BenTheRat]

Ted Nelson
.
"Oh I understand," Ted says while pulling out his wallet and stepping into the entryway. "Let me get that dime for you here."
.

Fast Talk,target = 75% [dice]0[/dice]

.
As he hands her the $10. "What room did you say was Veronica's again?" With a smile. "And we will be out of your hair before you know it miss."

[Priest]

She grabs the ten spot before you have a chance to change your mind, "Okay this way".

She leads you to a staircase up to the second floor, in reality this looks like a demi-floor, where a small landing and a door to an apartment which has a small paper nameplate fixed to its frame, it reads 'Chadwick/Deveroux'. From a pocket on the front of her housecoat Miss Hickson produces a key and proceeds to unlock the door.

You see a tiny apartment, hardly worthy of the name. The ceiling arches to just under seven feet tall, and is less than five feet at its widest point. The shared sitting room consists of a tiny sink under a small cabinet, a small couch along the wall, a small stand with magazines, and a tiny wastepaper basket. There are three smallish doors, one leading to the shared bathroom and the other two leading to the girls’ bedrooms.

From the same pocket, as she had the key, she produces a pack of cigarettes, pulls one out, puts it between her lips and lights it. She blows a thin stream of cigarette smoke into the room.
"That's the room you want there. The other one belongs to Paula. Look, but if you bust anything you pay for it, okay?"
Leaving the statement hanging she leaves the room.

[PatGrillo]

Spoiler:

Fast talk target 40% 1d100=84

[Mr. Handy]

Something is tugging at the back of Tony's mind, but he can't quite put his finger on it. He follows the others to the door to Veronica's apartment.

[kabukiman]

Francis will look for any book.

[BenTheRat]

Ted Nelson
.
Ted begins to search the room, mainly looking for a diary or journal. Any drawings she may have done. Anything that might indicate she went on a trip.
.
Checking her bedroom, were her clothes still there? Check under her bed for anything.
.

spot hidden,just in case, target = 65%, [dice]0[/dice]