Chapter 4a: Alice & Henry

[HoneyDog]

Alice and Henry leave the Museum and make the short walk to Dr. Bricknell's office. Luckily he is in and is able to see them. His secretary shows them into his office where he asks them to sit down, after shaking hands with Henry.

“Well, Miss Stanton” he says. “Have you been able to find anything out?”

[Mr. Handy]

"I have one promising lead, Dr. Bricknell," says Alice. "There's a woman named Asenath Derby, an acquaintance of Frank Charlton's. I'm convinced she knows something of value, but in order to get her to talk, she insists upon a favor in return. There's no way to force her to tell what she knows, so we must stay on her good side. There are three bracelets from Innsmouth currently at the Miskatonic Exhibit Museum, in the Contemporary Cultures Hall. She wants me to bring her one of them tonight, so that she can examine it. I was hoping that you could speak to the curator, George Grewe, and convince him to let me borrow a bracelet."

OOC,Persuade roll (74% skill) to convince [b]Dr. Bricknell[/b] to help: [dice]0[/dice]

[innsmouth]

Henry Glynn

" Nothing would happen to the bracelet Dr Bricknell, I'll personally ensure it." adds Henry.

[HoneyDog]

Bricknell looks startled. “You’re talking about Asenath Derby, the graduate student? She knows something about what happened? Why doesn’t she tell the police? Do you think she’s involved somehow?”

OOC,Successful Persuade, so you’ll get the result you want. But there is still some explaining to do to reassure Bricknell.

[Mr. Handy]

"Yes, that's her," says Alice. "I don't believe she's responsible for what happened, or she never would have claimed to know anything worth knowing about it, let alone offered to divulge it if her condition is met. However, I do believe she does know something significant. I don't know why she doesn't go to the police, except that she won't gain anything by doing so, whereas this way she can get what she wants. She did express an interest in me because she has heard of me and believes I could arrange this for her, while she did not want to speak to my colleagues. When she asked me why she should speak to me at the time I approached her, I said that she should speak to me because I'm a lot more pleasant to speak to than the police. However, she has no fear of them, and there's no way to compel her to talk to them. To even try to do so would make her clam up, and she's smart enough to insist upon a lawyer if they try to question her against her will. I think doing things her way is the only way to get the information."

[HoneyDog]

Bricknell nods slowly, staring at his desk. He doesn’t look happy. “I suppose we’ll have to agree then, but I don’t like it.”

He lifts his head and looks directly at Alice and Henry.

“I learned a short while ago that Vittoria Nangelo came out of her stupor in the early hours of the morning. She is still shaken but appears to be well enough. She did, however, positively identify Frank Charlton, not Biff Williams, as her assailant. How that could be I have no idea, but she was definite. So I want to get this matter cleared up as soon as possible. And if that means agreeing to Asenath Derby’s little scheme then so be it. But I will be wanting a word with that young lady when this is over. She won't get away with this”.

He calls his secretary and asks her to put in a call to George Grewe at the museum.

“I’ll ask George for help, I’m sure he’ll agree to it considering the circumstances.”

[Mr. Handy]

"Thank you, Dr. Bricknell," says Alice. "I agree, it's the only option. We'll also want to speak to Vittoria Nangelo ourselves today."

[HoneyDog]

Bricknell shakes his head. “I’m afraid the doctors ask that she isn’t disturbed still. She needs to rest. Her parents will be coming to collect her and take her back to Boston this afternoon.”

He pauses and furrows his brow.

“She did state another odd thing, I heard from Doctor Hannigan. Vittoria said that as the man, apparently Charlton, attacked her, she scratched his face with her nails. She said that she merely creased his skin, and no blood flowed. His skin was like chalk, she said. There wasn’t any blood on her hands I’m told. A most strange tale” he continues. "By all accounts, Vittoria is a very pragmatic young woman. It must be the shock, I suppose."

He shrugs, his face puzzled. Just then the call to Grewe is put through. After some resistance, during which Bricknell does his best to keep his temper, it seems that Grewe accepts the request of the loan of the bracelet.

Replacing the receiver on its stand, Bricknell turns to the investigators.

“You may return to the museum. George has agreed, but he implores you to get the bracelet returned as soon as you can.”

[Mr. Handy]

"Thank you again," says Alice. "We'll head to the museum right away, and we'll return the bracelet as soon as possible and keep you informed of what we learn."

[HoneyDog]

OOC,Let's move the action back to the Museum - we'll rejoin the other thread.