Play@YSDC

Dr. Stoddard waited again for Anna Jerkins to reply. "I'm afraid news has already gotten out," he said. "At least it will most likely be buried considering yesterday's other events. There was no window in the WC. It was just a corner of the basement, which has solid stone walls. The only way out was the way she went in. The matron was assigned to pay attention to her precisely so that nothing would happen. She insisted she was watching the WC the whole time, but obviously she must have had a lapse of attention. Needless to say, she's been sacked."

After another pause, the doctor continued: "She didn't switch places with anyone, for there was nobody at all inside. The basement is ventilated, yes, but there is no vent in the water closet itself. There are no holes big enough for her to have escaped through. She could not possibly have fit down the drain, and she did not get out by walking through the walls. The door is the only way in and out, and the WC has already been examined, but you're welcome to take a look yourself if you like."

There was another brief delay before he continued: "That's true, Dr. Jerkins, but I wouldn't expect to find anything there. Is there anything else?"

"She has a daughter, Madeline Steadman," said Dr. Stoddard after a short pause. "She was twelve at the time the incident happened, but she's grown up now. Married an RAF officer. She's been visiting her mother frequently over the years."

"It's Mrs. Steadman," the doctor said, "and that is a possibility. Nobody has contacted her yet, as it's quite early. She lives at her parents' old house in Bayswater, W2." He gave the exact address. "It's just north of Queensway. You're welcome to contact her yourself if you like, Doctor."

"Do you need directions?" asked Dr. Stoddard. "Hmm...seems she's hung up." With a shrug, he does likewise. "Now, Lord Colville, do you require anything else?"

"Forgive me for eavesdropping, but I heard the escape was rather mysterious. I'd like to see the WC, see if I can shine any light on this escape."

Lord Colville attempts to memorize the address he heard Dr. Stoddard give for Mrs. Steadman.

Rufus was able to memorize the address easily enough.

"You're welcome to have a look," said Dr. Stoddard. He tapped a button on his intercom. "Megan, would you mind giving my guest Lord Rufus Colville a look at the basement shelter?" Though he phrased it politely, it was clear that it was an order and not a request.

A moment later, the secretary appeared at the door. "This way, milord," she said.

Rufus follows Megan to the basement

Megan led Rufus down the main stairwell which he had ascended, continuing beyond the ground floor to the basement. The walls were concrete, and it was easy to see why it had been adapted as an air raid shelter. The basement itself was huge, able to contain many people. Various boxes had been stacked against one wall, out of the way. At the rear of the basement, there was a boiler in the far right corner, and a small area of the far left was blocked off by wooden walls with a door in one of them.

"Here's where I spent last night," said Megan. "We were packed in like sardines in a tin. We squeezed in all the patients, but there wasn't room enough for all the staff."

"So, she escaped over there behind the wooden walls? Would you mind if I examined the room? There must be something you've missed, a woman can't just pass through solid stone."

"Be my guest," said Megan.

Rufus opened the door easily enough. The toilet itself looked perfectly normal. The concrete walls continued to the corner. The left wall of the WC had a vertical seam stretching straight from the floor to the ceiling.

Rufus inspects the area the best he can. He is still upset about the impossible monster stories and he has no intention of believing in a woman vanishing into thin air either. He even does his best to check for a tunnel underneath the toilet, asking, even insisting to remove it to be sure. He is not concerned about damaging the room in trying out every escape he could think of.

There was no tunnel that Rufus could find. The only other way out besides the way he came in seemed to be the drain, which was far too small for a person to enter. The only unusual feature of the WC was the seam in the concrete, which did not quite mesh properly. Still, the space between was paper thin, so it looked impossible for anyone to have squeezed through it.

"They were right to fire the woman who was watching, I can see no possibility but that the woman watching must have been distracted. She must have left through the door." He tries to reassure himself. How could she have snuck past everyone else? He wondered.

"Well, I think I've seen everything I can here, I greatly appreciate the kindness and patience you've shown me"

Rufus intends to go to the house of Mrs. Steadman now. After that, the police.

"It was my pleasure, milord," said Megan, escorting Rufus back upstairs. "I'm sorry I couldn't have been of more help."

OOC,[b]Rufus[/b], if you head to [b]Mrs. Steadman[/b]'s house now, please roll Navigate.

It was hard to find his way around due to the fact that all street signs had been removed months ago due to fear of invasion, but Rufus had lived in London long enough to know that Bayswater was north of Kensington Gardens, along the northern edge of which was Queensway. In fact, there was an Underground station called Queensway that was on it, on the Central Line. At first he went to Bethnal Green Station, which was not too far away, but he found out the hard way that the eastern extension of the Central Line was not yet complete, and the rails had not been laid there yet - nor were they likely to be for the duration of the war. This meant a long walk to Liverpool Street Station, currently the eastern terminus of the Central Line. The line had not been damaged by the bombing and was in good service, so he took it to Queensway Station and emerged onto the surface. However, at this point he was unable to locate the exact address due to the lack of signage.

OOC,[b]Rufus[/b] is moving to the thread linked below:

House Call