Chapter the Fourteenth: A Respite From Turmoil

[Rooter]

"Indeed, perhaps it is time we spoke with Mr. Crayle. The question is, can we trust him?"

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

There being no urgent business at hand, Mister Crayle is quite willing to be interviewed by whichever members of the party wish to do so, and under what circumstances they deem fit.

[Mr. Handy]

"Shall we question the Brazen Head first?" asks Henry. "Granted, even asking it simple questions is likely to result in needlessly cryptic answers, but it may be worth a try. I could try asking it who its new master will be after Mrs. Piper passes on."

[Rooter]

"Very well," Lila agrees. "I shall try asking it who constructed the machine in the attic."

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

The responses to these two inquires are as follows.

"Whosoever seizes me."

"It was built by a man named Heinrich Müller."

[SunlessNick]

"I could ask the head by what other names Heinrich Müller goes," suggests Ines.

[Mr. Handy]

"Yes, that's a thought," says Henry, "After that, Elizabeth and Ivan still have their questions that can be used to follow up."

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

"I could ask the head by what other names Heinrich Müller goes," suggests Ines.

The head seems to chuckle a bit.

"His close friends call him Heinie."

[Mr. Handy]

"Well, I see the head is helpful as always," says Henry. He directs Ivan to ask the head with whom in this house Heinrich Müller is working.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

"Heinrich Müller works for no one."

[SunlessNick]

"'With' becomes 'for,'" says Ines. "I wonder how Mrs Piper got anything out of this head."

[Mr. Handy]

"Whoever wants this thing obviously hasn't spent time talking to it, or it wouldn't be such an object of desire," says Henry. "That name is the one useful thing we got out of it, and that won't do us a lot of good unless we know what he looks like. Elizabeth, would you please use our last question for the day to ask it for a description of this Heinrich Müller?"

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

"Heinrich Müller is a short, very slender man of middle years, with thin, sandy hair, pale blue eyes, and a blotchy complexion. He is currently wearing a finer suit that he has usually worn. If you encounter him, you will find that he is extremely quiet."

After contemplating this unusually lengthy answer, it will occur to the party that this description does not fit well the appearance of any person with whom they are acquainted.

Meanwhile, Mister Crayle makes inquiry, now that he is aware that Doctor North is a physician, if there is any treatment for Mrs Piper's ailment.

"If not, I am afraid that I must begin the arrangements for managing her estate, as modest as it may be. The situation would, of course, be much simpler if I knew where she has secured her will. I am nearly certain that such a document was prepared, witnessed, and signed before I entered her employment, but I had not opportunity to determine its location. Now, of course, the poor lady is unable to communicate this information. It is a regrettable situation for all concerned."

[Mr. Handy]

"I believe I've stablised Mrs. Piper," says Henry, realizing that Heinrich Müller must be dead and that someone else is exploiting the mechanism he created, "but I haven't yet exhausted every possible avenue of treatment. I'm not prepared to give up hope. Still, my companions and I can try to locate the will for you. We can conduct a search of the house, if you'll allow us the run of the place."

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

"I am entirely at your service, my lord. Please keep me informed of any unusual discoveries you may make."

[Rooter]

"Speaking of unusual discoveries, I wonder, Mr. Crayle, whether you are familiar with this curious type of stone we found in the attic," Lila says, showing the lawyer the lodestone removed from the device while watching him carefully for any signs of recognition.

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

Spoiler:

His INT = 9[dice]0[/dice]

"I cannot say that I am familiar with such. It is quite heavy for its size. It is perhaps some sort of precious stone in an unrefined state?"

[Mr. Handy]

"It is a lodestone," says Henry. "A rather strong one."

[VictoriaSilverwolf]

"I see. How curious. I suppose it may be of some interest to natural philosophers."

[Rooter]

"If Mr. Crayle is guilty of any wrongdoing then he certainly conceals it well," Lila remarks to the others once the lawyer is out of earshot. "Where shall we begin searching for Mrs. Piper's will? We have exhausted our questions for the brazen head this day, not that I suspect it would have been very helpful in any case."