[IC]Chapter 1.5 - Cold Tidings

[Mr. Handy]

"Yes, you should definitely call it in, Rebecca," says Amy between sobs. "Not only do we need to get the truth out, but publicity is our best shield. It will be harder for them to move on us if we're famous."

[Leonulf]

"I am glad we are in agreement there, I will make that call once we are done here. Your right that music stopping is giving me alarm bells now as well, the shock of this is starting to subside but now I am feeling paranoid. Could be nothing, could be something.".

Rebecca edges her head out the doorway to look back down the hall.

[Raiko]

Post redacted- this related to Atauchi only.

[Raiko]

OOC:   Reply for Dr Sánchez

Outside Room 410

A man peers cautiously out of the open door of room 408 towards Dr Sánchez. He's pale faced, with thinning blond hair and round spectacles and he is wearing a black dinner suit, with the shirt open at the collar. He has a brass trumpet in his hand.

"What the hell's happening? Is everyone okay?"

OOC:   I'm currently redoing my room 410 post, for the attention of the other investigators. Will have it posted during my lunch break, as long as I can manage to attach several images with my phone data connection.

[Raiko]

Room 410 - The Hotel Chelsea, 222 West 23rd Street - New York

Marcus catches the fluttering piece of paper, dropped by the murderer as he attempted his escape. It is a typed letter on Harvard University stationary, addressed to Jackson - care of his New York publishers - dated November 7, 1924.

Handout: Harvard Letter.

All three of Jackson's murderers are dead. The dead man who was ransacking the wardrobe is white, the other two bodies are black. Each wears a rumbled suit and a tribal mask and carried one of the crooked machetes.

None of the three carry any identification, although the white man has a large leather wallet containing a dirty syringe and two vials of liquid. There are needle track marks on the dead man's arms. A letter has been stuffed into his pocket that was originally sent to Roger Carlyle. Dated 3rd March, 1919 it has been sent by M. Warren Besart of Cairo, Egypt and references "singular curios" which might be of interest to Carlyle.

Handout: Cairo Letter

The dead man on the balcony has a business card in his pocket for Emerson Imports 648 West 47th Street, New York. "Silas N'Kwane" has been written on the back of the card, in what appears to be Jackson Elias' handwriting.

Handout: Emerson Card

The killer who was crouched over Jackson when the investigators arrived has a photograph of some junk boats and a steam yacht on a river in his pocket. There are some distinctive looking buildings in the background of the photo, and the letters DAR are the only visible part of the yacht's name.

Handout: River Photo

On the floor, by the bodies of Jackson and his killer is a blood splattered business card for the Penhew Foundation in London, originally set up by Sir Aubrey Penhew of the ill-fated Carlyle Expedition, the card lists Edward Gavigan as the foundation director.

Handout: Penhew Card

Inside Jackson's own jacket pocket is matchbook for the "Stumbling Tiger Bar - 10 Lantern Street - Shanghai Fun and Friends". Carved into Jackson's head is the calling mark of the "Voodoo Murderer."

Handout: Matchbox

Handout: Jackson's Head Wound

Finally, on the floor of room next to the bedside drawers, is a book A History of the Warfare of Science with Theology in Christendom - Volume 2, by Andrew Dickson White. A paper handbill flier has been used as a bookmark - marking the beginning of Chapter XIV "From Fetish to Hygiene."

The handbill advertises a lecture "The Cult of Darkness in Polynesia & the South West Pacific" by Professor Anthony Cowles Ph.D of the University of Sydney, Australia. The lecture is "Tonight Only" at New York University's Schuyler Hall, although there is no date given.

Handout: Cowles Lecture Flier

[Mr. Handy]

Amy gradually comes to her senses and begins to examine the clues that have been found. The flyer for the lecture catches her attention. "I can find out if this lecture is actually tonight," she says. "It probably is. Jackson didn't even get back until this morning. If it already took place, I could speak to Professor Cowles. If it is tonight, I'd like to attend." She thinks for a moment. "We also have the meeting with Bradley Gray tomorrow morning, and we should still keep that. Erica Carlyle would need to know that her brother may still be alive. But if the expedition members are all alive, why haven't they been seen in the past six years? Why not reappear publicly? What have they been doing all this time?"

[jp1885]

"Damned if I know..."

Cynthia's head swims - one minute they're shooting masked murderers over the mutilated body of their friend and the next they're cataloguing clues. She looks around for Shosenburg.

"This is just frikkin' peachy! Where's that reporter? We need her to get this story to press before the law comes down on us. Otherwise we ain't gonna be talking to anyone but the cops, and we know where that's gonna lead!"

[Silver Priest]

"This Atwright bird can tell us whatever it was Jackson was searching for," Marcus says, showing them the letter he had found. "And this Silas N'Kwane is one of the folks Adams' wife spoke to who told her these were ritual killings. Maybe Jackson spoke to him as well?" He gives a low whistle at everything else. "Seems like our old friend was quite the world traveler, too."

"If they're all still alive, maybe they ran afoul of someone, though it would have to be powerful indeed to spook someone like the Carlyle's. But if they were dealing with the same people who killed Jackson I can understand why they might be hiding."

I agree with Cynthia though-- we need to deal with the police before we worry about any of this. Careful though-- we already know at least some of them are dirty and willing to frame an innocent man,which makes me think we're dealing with some well connected people here."

[Leonulf]

Rebecca leans against the doorway "Im right here, I want to go with Amy later - hopefully the tonight on the flyer is actually tonight, it could be a good lead. I am going to go back to the lobby and speak to my editor on the phone now. Looks like more than one potential lead, no offense but people are dropping so we need to follow up them up while they are still hot.". Shes makes off for the lobby to make her call.

[Anatomist]

OOC:   Reply for Dr Sánchez

Outside Room 410

A man peers cautiously out of the open door of room 408 towards Dr Sánchez. He's pale faced, with thinning blond hair and round spectacles and he is wearing a black dinner suit, with the shirt open at the collar. He has a brass trumpet in his hand.

"What the hell's happening? Is everyone okay?"

Not wanting any loose ends Nemesio Sánchez talks fast as in a hurry trying to get the musician to turn and get back into room 408.
'Hold there for a second buddy, might not be safe for now, got back to your room, quickly!, common go go!'

hard success Fast Talk 70%,[dice]0[/dice]

OOC:   any chanse Nemesio Sánchez heard Cynthia? "Hey, if these jerks put that music on to mask the sound of their activities, then one of them has just cut the sound. Hadn't we better check?"

[kabukiman]

"As soon as we get out of here we should try to investigate those clues. But we must keep in groups of three: we had the advantage of numbers and surprise and that turn to our advantage.

[jp1885]

"Yeah, makes sense. I still wanna speak to Lemming, but are we gonna leave the scene of the crime?"

[Raiko]

With a startled look on his face, the trumpet player ducks back into his room and shuts the door.

Sánchez hears him locking the door.

OOC:   @Anatomist: Yes you can assume that Nemesio heard everything said inside room 410. (Plus I always imagine Cynthia is quite loud anyway. )

[Mr. Handy]

"No, we all have to stay and talk to the police first," says Amy. "At least there are so many witnesses that they can't possibly sweep it under the rug. And with the press involved, they'll have to be very careful what they do."

[Anatomist]

Dr. Sánchez walks over to the 410 room door 'Hey Cinthya, Marcus... I got these musicians to return to room 408, Marcus could you step out to the balcony and check they are not fleeing as rats?, What would you do with them Cinthya? check them how?'

[jp1885]

“I just thought they might’ve been playing music to mask the sound of the attack in here - gettin’ paranoid I guess.” Cynthia shrugs at Dr. Sanchez. “Though I guess we’ve all got good cause to be paranoid now.”

[Silver Priest]

"Sure." Marcus nods, stepping out onto the fire escape. He lights up and scans for any movement from the next room over.

[Raiko]

The musician appears to be staying put inside Room 408, Marcus can't see anything happening.

[Leonulf]

Rebecca grabs the lobby telephone and calls for her editor:

"Grave news im afraid, Jackson is dead - but he certainly was not involved in all those killings, rather he was a victim of them. I want to be clear in this however - I want it printed today, and make sure there is an emphasis on how he bravely fought off the attackers before dying, make him a hero. He's given us a lot of stories over the years lets not let his death be in vain. Not sure how you want to handle the police, there is evidence of corruption in the 14th precinct, I don't think they can openly touch us easily now but we may want to tread carefully and not upset the decent officers elsewhere, your better at handling politics than me. I know I am in the habit of dictating actions to you - but we both know there is more to come, and this afternoons edition is going to be breaking the biggest event of all the papers so thank me later, don't dilly dally we need you to break this as soon as possible.".

Rebecca spends a few minutes going over any details and questions her editor has before going back up to the room.

OOC,adjusted slightly (re. news edition as per note below)

[Mr. Handy]

OOC,In 1925, many papers regularly put out more than one edition per day, so maybe this could go out in an afternoon or evening edition. In rare cases, when huge news breaks, papers would put out an extra edition.