Play@YSDC

"I'm ready, Detective Grimes," says Felix.

"Strolling the streets, are you chaps and lasses?" Grimes puts out his smoke and continues gaffing through the opened side window. "Any good books around here?" "I just heard a PI Jarman has been digging and dogging on the Dagworths' affairs. Ring any bells?" He winks at Sam. "The fella gone looking about them dogs was mr Jarman he was." " ´Parently he was retrieving some lost and founds. Guess he didn't find what 'es supposed to." "Ever heard of Jarman?"

Grimes eyes his friends quizingly.

Sam smiles at his friend, "actually I think we're just waiting on an acquaintance of mine," he taps the side of his nose, "might have the inside track on what's gone missing from the library in Oxford. We're just going to have a spot of breakfast in 'arry's Cafe over there! Join us would you?"

The four head across the street and into the grimy-windowed joint. Inside however is a massive contrast to the outside, to a collective sigh of relief from Millicent, Grimes and Felix, the cafe is well appointed, clean and cosy. The smells of cooking bacon, fresh coffee and bread fill the small eatery and set mouths watering. The four sit and quickly order.

Before the meals are even served, Stinky has reappeared, clutching a small notebook. "Wotcha Sam," he nods at the others and drags up another chair. "I'll 'ave a brew 'arry please mate." He makes a point of flicking deliberately through his small book, "okay that robbery in Oxford, got a bit more information for you. That library that was turned over was a private collection of a wealthy geezer, one Mr. Mortimer Dagworth."

"Made his money in the building trade - something of a construction magnate he is or was. Now he's just a patron of the arts. So his library is turned over and he loses about a dozen books - only one with path in the title though. That would be 'The Invisible Path' by Lucian Vawdrey - never 'eard of it meself so it can't be worth that much." He finishes his tea with a loud slurp, "at least you've got something to look up at the British Museum naw. Right see ya later Sam...all" He grins touches his cap and heads for the door back to the street.

Sam Reed

Sam scribbles notes into his battered notebook as Stinky passes on his findings and smiles his thanks as his friend leaves.

"Well, that gives us some more to go on... " he says before biting into his buttered toast "Well that confirms George's cryptic words as he pulled up just now, looks like this Dagworth isn't one to wait for results. he muses as he munches.

"So Dagworth hires a private investigator to track down and recover his property... that's what you alluded to earlier when you pulled up wasn't it George and what we.... I mean you have to ascertain is whether this 'P.I.' carried out the murders, hmm?"

Wrinkling her nose at 'Stinkys' show of common manners, Millicent watches as Sam scribbles something unintelligable in his note book.
"Indeed. But, as a writer of some talent well versed in both horror and mystery plots, I would doubt that it will be as simple as that. What murderer worth his salt would despatch someone in a most horrible and violent manner. Then impersonate a police detective in order to facilitate his enquiries?"

She reaches forward to pick up her cup of tea but declines having seen the state of the china. "I still think our best avenue of investigation is with the British Museum and this book...what was it your friend Stinker called it? Oh yes 'The Invisible Path'"

Felix listens and thinks. He echoes Millicent, "British Museum--yes--The Invisible Path."

Grimes washes down the last of his meal with the strong, stewed tea, slapping the mug down with a satisfied grunt. "Right then, I suppose we should head to the British Museum before we catch that train. Are we all ready? Excellent, we'll take my car it will be quicker!" The party stand and leave enough money for the bill before sliding into Grime's big automobile.

It purrs through the morning traffic, as Grime's expertly navigates London's morning rush. In a matter minutes the car is pulling up at the curb at the British Museum...

OOC:   Sam hasn't ever heard of the Invisible Path, he deduces it must not be widely in circulation as he knows most popular works. TIME CHECK 10:12am

Sam Reed

It's been a while since Sam had visited the Museum's Library but after a small pause to get his bearings he leads the group across the foyer towards the ornate double doors that mark the entrance to the library. Once inside Sam fishes out his library card and shows his credentials to the assistant manning the desk.

"I.. I mean we'd like to see the catalogue entries and if possible the books themselves for a few titles.." Sam passes across a list he'd compiled on a page from his notebook.

The assistant looks bored and shrugs at the card. She is young, primly dressed with her hair worn fashionably short.

Sam notes her skirt is a little shorter than he would expect from a librarian and there are bags under her eyes that she has attempted to cover with makeup, with a measure of success. She stares at her well-manicured nails and says in a very Kensington accent that seems to suggest there are a million things she would prefer to do than help the library going public:

"Well the card catalogue is over there," she wafts a hand aimlessly in the direction of the main body of the library, "do your friends have passes as well?"

"I don't have a card," says Felix, "neither does my friend Miss Broadacre, a famous author. Do we really need one?" He hopes that the librarian will be impressed by celebrity (of sorts).

Millicent favours the girl with a bored half smile, in the manner of a celebrity viewing a non entity.

Sam Reed

Sam tries to suppress a smile "those two are like a double act." he thinks sardonically "If that doesn't work then I think we have the 'Detective Grimes' card to play,I imagine Scotland Yard trumps most arguments." His fingers drum on the counter top...

The library assistant continues to look disinterested, picking her nails. "As long as at least one of your party has a reader's permit then you may all use our facilities. Be sure to sign in your guests," the assistant sighs and turns her back on the assembled party. Grimes nods to his fellows and points in the direction of the main body of the library.

OOC:   Sam has a significantly high library use so with the assistance of the others and given enough time he will likely find whatever he is looking for. Just let me know

Millicent turns to follow Sam, then halts and turns back to the receptionist, "I would take care of that spot, dahling, after all it might be the beginning of something nasty".
Millicent turns back and follow the others, a slight smile on her face.

Airbornexo wrote:

OOC:   Sam has a significantly high library use so with the assistance of the others and given enough time he will likely find whatever he is looking for. Just let me know

OOC:   I think we can check the catalogue to see what data is held on the books (all titles we know of) and to see if copies are held and if so who else has been looking at them recently.

Felix follows the others, absent mindedly fingering the mole on his cheek. At the catalogue he'll search for their book--The Path etc.

Behind her, Millicent is satisfied to hear the scrabbling for a compact mirror from the clasp bag of the reception assistant. She trails along with Felix behind Sam. The belligerent detective hangs back slightly, all too aware that they were on Sam's turf in the library. Millicent jots down the granite-like facial expression of the big detective before catching up with Sam.

Felix looks over the antiques dealer's shoulder, impressed as Sam deftly went to work with the records. The author Lucian Vawdrey, writing in the mid-19th Century, turns up two records:

Both slim volumes of poetry, the earlier one called 'A Journey Into Lonely Places' and the latter volume, 'The Invisible Path'. Both appear to be in the library, buried in the deep stacks.

Felix wanting to help out quickly checks the lending records from which is revealed that 'A Journey..' has sat gathering dust for half a century at least. However 'The Invisible Path's' record shows that the book has been checked out only three times in the library’s history – in 1912, 1922 and one month ago.

Sam walks across to the checkings desk, careful to avoid the Kensington girl. He makes a beeline for a studious looking young man with a buttoned down shirt who is sorting a large stack of books as Kensington appears to be having a melt down into her mirror. The man ponders for a moment and then checks a large ledger at Sam's question, "Ah yes the person who last checked out 'The Invisible Path' was one of our regulars, Eleanor Montgomery." The clerk remembers her clearly – "a pretty young blonde woman who is in and out of the library quite often. You need her address? She doesn't live that far away from here I don't think."