The strange death of a student on the Miskatonic University campus involves the investigators again in a chain of horrific events. What is the link with the bizarre experiments conducted by the notorious Herbert West?
OOC: Please make sure you read the background in the Common Room thread.
Alice is still working for Dr. Conrad Miller, chief of the Biology Department. She is being visited by her friend Isadora Carmichael, who is in Arkham for the day. They lunch together with Henry Glynn at the Garden Café, listening to Henry’s complaints that he can’t get into the library. As they return to her building, Alice is informed that her presence is requested by Dr. Marinus Bricknell, the Dean of Students. The others accompany her to his office, where they are greeted by Margaret Hannigan, his secretary.
Margaret stands to greet them, revealing the bulge caused by her pregnancy. Alice knows her slightly – she seems like a friendly and pleasant woman. The exchange shock and surprise about the morning’s awful news. Introduced to Isadora, she exclaims in surprise.
“Oh my! What a pleasure! I’m a great admirer of your work, Ms. Carmichael. I visited one of your exhibitions in Boston, my husband is from there. You have extraordinary vision!”
She asks Alice to enter Dr. Bricknell’s office.
Isadora & Henry,They can continue chatting with [b]Margaret[/b].
Alice,[b]Bricknell [/b]is sitting behind his desk, with a brooding look on his face. Rising, her extends a hand to Alice, and indicates for her to sit down. He is a stern-looking man with a neat mustache, of middle age. He is known to be a stern disciplinarian with students who transgress, and is feared accordingly.
[color=#004080]“Thank you for coming, [b]Miss Stanton[/b]” [/color]he tells her. [color=#004080]“I trust you heard the terrible news this morning?”[/color]
OOC: I’ll leave the thread open and assume that Alice will fill in Isadora and Henry afterwards.
“Quite” replies Bricknell. “This is a most disturbing and saddening event. The police are investigating as we speak.” He pauses.
“Of course, you’re wondering why you’re here? Well, firstly let me extend my thanks for finding Albert Baumgartner last year. It’s because of such talents that I would like you to just keep a close eye on what might transpire from this tragedy. The police of course will no doubt furnish us with whatever details they find, but…” He hesitates.
“It seems that Charlton very likely attacked another student, Vittoria Nangelo, the night he died. For what reasons, we don’t know. Ms. Nangelo is now at Saint Mary’s. She wasn’t badly injured, but she is in shock and is unresponsive. Of course, the University is very sensitive to any scandal which might result from this. So I want to know exactly what is going on, if possible. Therefore, if you might hear something on campus which escapes the notice of the police, I would be very grateful to learn about it. Would that be acceptable to you?”
Margaret blushes and unconsciously strokes her bulge.
“Well, I’d like a girl. Thomas, my husband, he wants a boy of course. No doubt to follow in his footsteps. He’s a doctor here in town. He sometimes assists the coroner too.”
HoneyDog wrote:Margaret stands to greet them, revealing the bulge caused by her pregnancy. Alice knows her slightly – she seems like a friendly and pleasant woman. The exchange shock and surprise about the morning’s awful news. Introduced to Isadora, she exclaims in surprise.
“Oh my! What a pleasure! I’m a great admirer of your work, Ms. Carmichael. I visited one of your exhibitions in Boston, my husband is from there. You have extraordinary vision!”
"Why, thank you, Mrs Hannigan. I'm preparing an album of reproduction of some of my works -- I'm sure I can ask the publisher to send one over to you."
She opens her little purple book and makes a note.
"I feel as if my soul would be torn out of my body," she gasped. "I am being drawn into a whirlpool. What is happening? What does it mean?" - The Secrets of Dr. Taverner
“Really?”Margaret asks Isadora, smiling in pleasure. “That’s very kind of you! I must say, I love that colour on you. I’ve never had the courage to wear turquoise.”
“It’s about that awful news this morning – the dead student. And the poor young girl. I don’t know what exactly Dr. Bricknell wants to ask, but Alice is something of a legend around here. And I think the both of you were involved in finding Albert Baumgartner, weren’t you? And finding that journalist in Vermont?”
"Of course, Dr. Bricknell," says Alice, feeling less sympathy for the dead student after hearing what he had probably done to Vittoria Nangelo. "I can ask the other members of the team that found Albert Baumgartner with me to assist as well. I couldn't have done it by myself."
“Excellent” says Bricknell. “I believe that they are conducting an autopsy on Charlton now. Vittoria Nangelo is under observation at St. Mary’s. I believe the police have conducted a search of Charlton’s room. His roommate, Biff Williams, has been moved to temporary accommodation. I’m afraid that the police have confined him to campus. Owing to the circumstances, it’s natural that they want to keep an eye on him. Unless you have any further questions, you’re free to go. And please, be as discreet as you can.”
"You can count on me," says Alice. "You've given us some good places to start our inquiries. Can we get access to Charlton and Vittoria's academic records?"
”I’m sorry, that’s not possible. But you wouldn’t find them useful anyway. Rest assured, they both have good academic records, and are in good standing with their lecturers.”
Alice leaves the office and relates what she has learned to her friends once they have said their goodbyes to Margaret, who insists that Isadora come and visit her again.
"We have a few leads," says Alice, "and we can cover more ground if we pursue them separately. I'd like to visit Vittoria Nangelo at St. Mary's Hospital, and I can also find out about the autopsy while I'm there. That leaves talking to the roommate and talking to the police, who also know what was found during the search of the room."