[Scene II] The second killing...

[Tabs]

Felix accepts a drink from Sam, but unlike Grimes he takes a few sips at his ale.

He speaks to Millicent: "You hold very--ah--unusually strong views on 'men' and , I presume, the failings of our society; how old are you, Ms. Broadacre, if I may ask?" Felix realises he is getting a little "hot under the collar," and is about to temper his comment when Amanda approaches Barnaby Fitzgerald. "I say, Detective Grimes, is Miss Somerviille quite safe?--Mr. Fitzgerald may be a madman!"

[Dave Syrinx]

Grimes watches Miss Somerville handling Barnaby. "In this environment - a woman like that is as safe as she could be. Should there be anything untoward happening - there're a handful of chaps that will help out." He points at a couple of onlookers who seem interested in the approaching singer. After hesitating, Grimes lifts his pint and lifts it at Miss Broadacre. "Not that she needs it, just putting some ease at ol' Felix."

[Priest]

Millicent picks up the gin and tonic that Sam has placed on the table and spends several seconds studying the clear liquid with its standard slice of lemon embellishing the glass.

"Sadly Mr Henriot, you are almost correct my respect for our male dominated society died with my eldest brother in some filthy hole in Belgium. That was a war started by men, had women been in charge of the Country our difficulties would have been solved with diplomacy rather than whisky fueled, red blooded violence"

Millicent watches Barnaby, noting the lustful look on his face as Amanda approaches him.

"I daresay that Miss Somerville is more than capable of handling such an obvious knuckle dragging, drunken fool"

[Mr. Handy]

"Good evening, Barnaby," says Amanda, shoving her distaste aside. "I'd like you to meet some friends of mine. Follow me and we'll all have a drink together." She heads back to the table, certain that he'll follow her. He'd follow me into the pits of Hell itself, she thinks. Fortunately for the both of us, I have no intention of going there.

[Priest]

Millicent takes a cigarette from a pack and fits it in her holder. As she places the cigarette holder between her lips and waits, expectantly, for a light, she smiles at the way Amanda is leading Barnaby towards them.
"Men are so easy to lead they have no resistance to a woman's charms. Look you can almost see the drool running down his chin and if he's not careful he may trip over his tongue"

"Observe gentlemen, is this the face of a potential killer? Note the pathetic desire so prevalent on his unatractive visage, the pure docility of his manner. No I'm afraid Barnaby is only a danger to himself and any he bores with inane stories of his sexual prowess"

Millicent thinking:   Yet he may make an excellent character study for all that

She turns her gaze to Felix "Light?"

[Tabs]

Obediently, Felix strikes a match for Millicent. "I am sorry for your loss, Ms. Broadacre. Fortunately, for me, I spent the war as a guard to a 'rest camp' behind the front line; however, the number of young men who passed through and never returned is a blight upon my soul. . . . 'Women in charge'? huh, unlikely, Ms. Broadacre, but, I freely admit, that they couldn't possibly have done a worse job of the war."

Felix observes Amanda and Barnaby Fitzgerald. "You're right, Detective Grimes, Miss Somerville is safe, Mr. Fitzgerald is a poor specimen and confirms Ms. Broadacre's prejudices of 'men.' "

[Dave Syrinx]

Waiting until Barnaby arrives at the table, he welcomes him with: " Mr Fitzgerald, I'm police detective Grimes. Good to see you in such high spirits. Sadly we fear you are in grave danger, son. Your apartment has been invaded, I'm afraid and the Yard is making sure nothing more befalls you." He lets the facts sink in and adds. "We can continue this over at your place or even her if you wish. If you on the other hand feel you rather would like to discuss matters of the invasion at the station, we can arrange that." Grimes stands up and offers the seat to Barnaby.

[Priest]

Millicent smiles a half smile as she accepts the light from Felix.

Millicent thinking:   [b]Detective Grimes[/b] is playing the game like the pro he is, Just enough threat to have [b]Barnaby[/b] 'spilling his guts', as the Americans would say.

Through eyes half closed against the heat of the match she watches Barnaby's far from pleasant face, awaiting the moment when fear would pale his already pale features.

[Airbornexo]

As Amanda had suspected Barnaby was easily coaxed towards the table containing her newly made allies. Out of the corner of the eye she could see him exchanging leery grins with his fellow bar-flies and she could feel his roaming eyes on her back. She moved him into position at the table in the seat offered by the detective, the group somewhat surrounding the brash student...not that he noticed...

He listens to the detective half-heartedly, his eyes constantly straying back to Amanda. He barely registers the others in the party and to Grime's comments about an invasion he merely responds; "Bugger! Are my suits alright?"

Amanda's assessment of the man seems right on the money, a thoroughly abominable fellow, self-centred and laconic.

[Dave Syrinx]

"Yes, son. They are dandy. Your mate has gotten sore eyes, though. Been doing some serious reading lately. What can you tell me about a book Mr Hornley has been studying?" While dodging the true facts about the state of his flat mate, Grimes watches for signs of hesitation and tells for lying. "In all fairness we should really leave and make it back to your flat together. To make sure all of your attire are still there."

Grimes hoists up the car keys and catches them.

[Tabs]

Mr. Fitzgerald, I'm Mr. Henriot"--Felix stands up and extends a hand--"a journalist friend of the Detective. We, and Miss Somerville--um--Amanda, are together for a drink. Let's all go and check out your flat?

[Airbornexo]

Fitzgerald looks from Grimes to the outstretched hand of Felix but does not shake it, instead he looks indignant. "Look, what the bally-hell is going on here?! I'm not going anywhere with you chaps, lovely lady in tow or otherwise. The night is yet young and there are drinks to be drunk, songs to be sung and ladies to be loved!"

He is belligerent and has a sneering attitude, "What's boring old Hector up to this time, I don't suppose he actually did something interesting for a change and killed himself? No? Moody bleeder always sitting indoors in the dark, reading." At Grime's mention of a book he clicks, "Book! He's an obsessive about that same damn nonsense book. He was consumed by it, writing all sorts of gobbledygook in his diary. Utter nonsense. Now if you don't mind I'm going back to my chums...unless your planning on arresting me detective?" He makes to stand up....

Grime OOC,[ooc]On the face of it assess honesty suggests that Barnaby is as one-dimension as he seems, not the villain of a violent crime...well not against men anyhow. This type of little man did like to pick on women from Grime's bitter experience.[/ooc]

[Tabs]

"I tried to be helpful!" whispers Felix to Grimes.

OOC:   Just looked at our skills, Amanda and Millicent have Flatttery. . . ?

[Dave Syrinx]

"You are in luck. He's indeed dead. I'm arresting you on murdering Hwctor Hornley earlier this evening."
He cuffs him with a pair of conjured cuffs.

"Too tight for you, son?"

Pushing the arrestee towards the door, he counters any objections with.
"Either you did it or the Bookhounds got him."

"You will be handled by a constable at your addres. He will take your statement. We have more pressing matters to attend. I'll make sure to look you up when you're properly processed."

"Let's be off!"

[Dave Syrinx]

"To give yourself a break, i need to know at what time you left the apartment and what book Hector was obsessed by?"

[Priest]

Millicent reaches out and lightly places a hand on Grimes' arm, she looks up and smiles, "Come, come my dear inspector, anyone can see that this dear boy is completely innocent of any wrong doing, he is merely in search of a good time."

She turns to the handcuffed Barnaby, "Dear boy, please assist the inspector he has had a rather rough day and I'm afraid his patience is becoming somewhat thin. He simply wishes you to answer a few questions, so just answer his questions and we can all have a nice drink and there's an end to it. There's a good chap"

I am going to try reassurance. I have that at 1 but I will not use the 1 point, so is it a simple test? if so;
1d6 → [3] = (3) http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4580271/

[Mr. Handy]

Amanda's eyebrow goes up when Grimes arrests Barnaby. He didn't seem to be guilty from his actions, nor does he have the necessary strength, but she reasons that the detective is just trying to keep him from leaving and to intimidate him. Perhaps a softer touch will work if that fails, she thinks. "I know you couldn't have done this," she says to Barnaby. "If you just tell him what he wants to know, I'm sure he can clear you quickly."

OOC,Reassurance is an investigative skill, so there's no roll involved. You just spend it if it's applicable. If it isn't, I'll spend a point of Flattery instead if it's necessary.

[Priest]

OOC:   Sorry should have seen that, teach me to read the rules. So thanks Mr H, good job your on the ball Yes Reassurance is an investigative skill so I will spend the 1 point and see if it helps.

[Airbornexo]

Barnaby's eyes go wide as the cuffs are clapped on him, he whimpers and then starts a sniveling, grovel aimed at the detective. "Wait, what?! Detective please you've got it all wrong I've been in here all night, ask anyone. You'll see...I've not even been home, I walked here from college with Wallace over there you can ask him I've been here all night!!! Book? What's so important about a book?"

As Millicent's reassurance seems to fail to get through to the panicked student, Amanda's flattery clearly strikes a chord and he composes himself somewhat and some of the sarcastic bravado returns. "He got that book out of the library...at Maughan Library a few weeks ago."

"Some silly book of poetry, terrible, terrible stuff. Called the, hrm, something about a path I think. Old Professor Blexham put Hornley onto it. Drove him over the edge, I’d say. Killed by a bad rhyme." He grins weakly trying to get avoid letting those gathered see the cracks in his facade. A few people from the bar are beginning to turn and look at the unfolding drama in their midst. Fitzgerald's drunk friends have their hands on their hips and are pointing in your direction.

OOC:   Assess Honesty suggests that Fitzgerald is considerably more scared now he believes he is implicated in the death. Millicent retain your point of reassurance, Amanda please record the spend of Flattery.

[Tabs]

"I think it's time to go," says Felix. "Mr. Fitzgerald, you'll have to come with us, for your own safety, if for no other reason."