Play@YSDC

Marcus nods in greeting, but for now keeps silent. He does not want to say too much at the moment; he knows how curious reporters can be.

The reporter looks intently at Cynthia, "I understand why you might feel that it's best to keep Millie safe, but I can assure you that her own investigations have probably already put her in danger.

And as well as the fact that we are trying to uncover evidence that will free an innocent and very brave man, and a war hero, from execution, I've got a story to research. I'm staking my professional future on uncovering the truth about Hilton and the real Voodoo murderers."

Rebecca smiles back at Cynthia, "So before we share what we know, perhaps you could tell us a little about your conspiracy?"

Millie says, "I'll go make us all a warm drink. We might be talkin' fo' a while."

Cynthia settles herself in a chair and ponders for a second before deciding she can trust the journalist.

"Alright then, you wanna know? Well it goes back to around five years ago. For various reasons a bunch of us found ourselves in Peru and, long story short, got mixed up with this guy called Larkin. He ran around with a bunch of... murderers... monsters... cultists I guess. They were all nasty pieces of work and had some bad stuff planned."

"We got together with a guy called Elias who knows all about death cults and stuff and we put a stop to it. Suffice to say Larkin didn't survive and on his body we found some weird tattoo - a guy with a spiral head. Remind you of anything? Cult of the Bloody Tongue?"

"Jump to a couple of days ago and our pal Elias writes his fiance," she winks at Amy, "that he's coming back to New York after researching the doomed Carlisle expedition. As you well know, Victoria Post, one of the victims of the voodoo murders, is also linked to this, which brings us, via Mr. Adams, to here. Clears as mud huh?"

"Well, he hasn't formally proposed yet," says Amy, "but I'm sure he will when he returns. I admire your courage, Millie. I'd do the same thing if Jackson were in your husband's situation."

Rebecca Shosenburg smiles at Amy, "Jackson Elias sounds like a very brave and resourceful man, I'd very much like to meet with him when he arrives. I have heard of your fiancé, although I've not read any of his books."

Turning back to Cynthia, she says, "I mean, you all sound like you had to be very brave, I'm glad you're investigating the same case, perhaps we can work together?

"I've honestly never come across this Cult of the Bloody Tongue, does that relate to Doctor Lemming's theory about the symbol on the bodies?

"I've also not come across anyone called Larkin, although that's not surprising if you killed him five years ago in Peru."

From the expression on her face, Miss Shosenburg isn't too sure that killing someone is such a good move, but she does her best to act unfazed.

"And I wasn't aware that the Voodoo murders had any connection to the Carlyle family, and the death of Roger Carlyle, I did know that Victoria Post and Erica were friends though. Have you tried to talk to Erica Carlyle? Not an easy woman to get an interview with."

Millie returns from the kitchen with a tray full of steaming coffee mugs, which she passes out as Rebecca continues talking.

"All of Hilton's soldier friends have given up their investigation, they've been intimidated by the police and fear that they'll be framed just like Hilton if they continue. I'm afraid that the police captain who investigated the Voodoo murders is either completely incompetent or corrupt and working with the murderers.

"Millie has followed up some of the leads that her husband found, but now she's being watched. I've not got enough evidence yet to get a story past my editors, they've not stopped me following up on the Hilton Adams story, but they're not exactly fully supporting me either.

And as I've been tipped off that you visited Hilton in Sing Sing, you can bet that the cops and maybe the murderers know as well."

She shrugs, "So, like I said you're obviously all very brave, but so was Hilton Adams are you sure you want to know more?"

Both Rebecca and Millie look hopefully towards the investigators, they're both in over their heads and need all the help they can get.

Marcus is mostly silent, but raises an eyebrow as Rebecca drops what he believes is an important admission so casually.

"Sorry Ms. Shosenburg. You're saying she's being followed?" He looks to Millie. "Can you tell me anything more about the people trailing you, ma'am?"

"I won't lie, you'll need to be careful. If these guys are the same ones we encountered in Peru, they have no qualms about tying up loose ends. Your life may very well be in danger. Yours too, Ms. Shosenburg. Take my advise, and never go anywhere alone."

He picks up a coffee mug and sips the drink, leaving the others to calm down the two women he has likely just traumatized.

Cynthia mulls over the journalist's warning as Marcus administers his. After a moments reflection, she smiles a grim smile.

"If, as you suggest, someone's keeping tabs on us, it'd be too late to pull out now, even if we wanted to. Tell us everything you know and we'll see where that takes us."

Amy smiles back at Rebecca. "Thank you, Rebecca," she says. "I would like to work with you. I and a couple of my other friends did try to contact Erica Carlyle yesterday while the rest went to the prison, and you're right, she is hard to contact. The guards wouldn't let us in, and few men can say no to my smile. They did at least tell me that I could contact her lawyer, Bradley Gray, so I called him and arranged a meeting for Friday morning with myself, Jackson, and a couple of other friends."

The Adams' House - 163 West 131st Street, Harlem, NY
7:40pm - Wednesday 14th January, 1925

Rebecca takes a couple of sips of steaming coffee from her mug while considering all the investigators' questions.

"Millie met with Captain Robson at the 14th Precinct building, protesting that they had got the wrong man and explaining what little she knew about the investigations that Hilton and his friends had been making into both the murders and the much larger number of disappearances over the same period.

"Robson was quite dismissive of the information, he said there was more than enough evidence to convict Hilton and that 'Negros come and go all the time' from Harlem, so it's hardly surprising if a few disappear now and again."

Millie takes over the story, "I insisted that Hilton was convinced that these killings were ritual and that many of the disappeared were also victims, Captain Robson just said that the ritual killing theory was just the ravings of 'some old crackpot with too much time on his hands', meaning Dr Lemming. He said that those crazy ideas had distracted from the investigation and helped cover up my husband's actions, and that it's probably best all round if I kep' my nose out of police business from now on.

"Then that same day Hilton's old army buddies got given the same message delivered by Robson's men. They took poor Jackie Wallace down a back street an' they beat the daylight outa him. Told him in no uncertain terms that if they carried on pokin' around then they'd be joinin' my Hilton."

Millie shakes her head, "Would have jus' made Hilton more determined to find out the truth o' things, but those buddies o' his ain't made o' the same stuff. They took the warning and stopped lookin', so I had no choice, but to make my own enquiries.

Hilton had tol' me that another man agreed that this was ritual killin's, an old man called Silas N'Kwane who runs Ju Ju House. Sells 'genuine African magic stuff' and other junk. So off I went to visit Mr N'Kwane at his shop, but when I got there, there's a couple o' nasty lookin' fella's waitin' outside who would not let me past.

"Then outa the shop comes this big man, looks right at me and smiles like he knows me an' says, 'give my regards to your husban' Mrs Adams', then he just walks off wi' those two thugs, smilin' like he ain't got no cares in the world, while my Hilton's waitin' for the chair.

"When I got inside Ju Ju House old Mr N'Kwane don't want to speak to me, he jus' say to go home an' forget about helpin' my Hilton. Says there ain't nothin' can be done.

"Since that day, everywhere I go, seems there's always some bad man keepin' their eye on what I do."

As Millie Adams pauses, Rebecca takes over speaking again, "From Millie's description I'm sure the big man is Mukunga M'Dai, a local mobster who runs a numbers racket out of Fat Maybelle's, a sleazy little speakeasy on 139th Street. M'Dai is one of the most dangerous men in Harlem and I suspect he's got Captain Robson in his pocket, so he's near untouchable. He's the last lead that Hilton was investigating before he was framed."

Cynthia listens intently to the two women, occasionally glancing out of the window as they describe what they've been up against.

"If we didn't know to watch our backs before, we sure as hell do now..." she muses.

"But on the bright side, if we catch any goons following us or get leaned on by the cops, we know we're on the right track.

She smiles a grim smile.

"I guess the Ju Ju House will be watched, but we should try and speak with this Silas guy. I also wanted to speak to Needham Johnson, but if he's been silenced like the rest of the old army guys... That still leaves the folklore guy, Dr. Lemming - have you spoken to him?"

"That would make sense," Marcus responds. "Hilton mentioned he was looking into Mukunga M'Dai the night he was framed. We're probably looking at our killer; of course, we'll need to do enough investigating to prove it, and pinning this on a man like Mukunga seems to be is no easy task.

He nods at Cynthia. 'I'm pretty much in agreement that this Silas N'Kwane knows something, but I'm guessing he's also been given a stern talking to and told in no uncertain terms to keep his mouth shut. I can't imagine he'd be all that happy to see us, or talk to us for that matter." He muses quietly for a moment.

"He must have something on Captain Robson," says Amy. "Either he's bribing him, or he has some other proof that the captain is dirty. Maybe we can speak to Silas at his home instead of the shop, unless he lives above the shop or something. We should definitely talk to Dr. Lemming. It sounds like he knows more about this than any of us."

jp1885 wrote:That still leaves the folklore guy, Dr. Lemming - have you spoken to him?"

"No," replies Millie, "Hilton met him once, but I haven't."

Rebecca adds, "I intend to meet with him, but no, not yet. I do know that he's not really a doctor, his research into folklore and the occult is a hobby, rather than a profession.

"He lives at the Murray Hill Hotel, in Midtown. From what I know, he's a wealthy old bachelor who's managed to set himself up as being New York's foremost expert on African folklore. Still my editors seem to believe in him."

Raising an eyebrow she says, "I could probably get someone to arrange a meeting - they don't like me spending too much time on this though - everyone at The Times thinks this story is a dead end except me."

"When do you expect your friend Jackson to arrive back? I'm curious to know how he thinks this all connects to this guy Larkin in Peru."

Cynthia lets Amy reply about Elias' return, but when the chance presents itself she will ask Rebecca what she's learned about the murder victims.

Marcus has nothing to add currently, at least not in front of a reporter, no matter how well intentioned. He continues to sip his drink.

"Pardon me for saying ma'am, but this is some damn good coffee."

"His ship comes in tomorrow," says Amy, unable to suppress her excitement.

"You must be very excited Amy, how long has he been abroad?"

When Amy has replied to Millie, Rebecca says, "I could meet you for lunch tomorrow with the information that I've gathered. Several of the victims have visited Fat Maybelle's at some time or other, or have links to gangsters, including Erica's friend Victoria.

"But there's more than just those victims. There are dozens of mysterious disappearances over the past few years. Hilton had documented many of them in his notes, but the cops took all that when they arrested him, before I really got involved in the story."

A look of fury flashed across Millie's face and she shouts, "Took his notes at the same time, dey took his knife to frame him with!"

"I've done my own checking," continues Rebecca, "and I have a few details of people who have disappeared, but sadly not as extensive as Hilton's notes.

"They always vanish just before the new moon though."

"Oh, yes!" Amy gushes to Millie. "He left months ago. I've missed him so much! I had asked to go with him, but he insisted that it was too dangerous and that I stay here and continue my education."

In response to Rebecca, she adds: "That's when the eclipse will be, in about a week and a half. I've heard that the eclipse is even more significant to them than an ordinary new moon."

"That would be nice," Marcus tells Rebecca. "But as I've said, you're both targets. The killers know who you are. I'd like to think they'd be more likely to come after us, but you may be in danger as well. I suggest neither of you go out at night if you can help it, and when you do go out, make sure you stick to crowded areas. And if you have a weapon or can get one, do so. "

"I don't know what's going on here, but it gives me a bad feeling." He gives both ladies his number. "If you think you're being followed or something feels wrong, give me a call, and I'll get the gang together and come check it out.'