Play@YSDC

Ivy tentatively pushed open the door to Fraser’s office. It was quiet, with the curtains drawn back to let in what light the day had to offer.

In the corner of the room, the door to the vault was closed and the bookcase just looked like normal.

After double-checking that the vault is locked, Ivy tentatively peeks into her handbag to see if the letter is still ensconced within.

If it is, she’ll call the mansion and if any of the investigators are still there, will tell them she has it, still relatively intact.

The letter was still tucked into Ivy’s handbag.

She clicked her bag shut and picked up the phone, abruptly instructing the switchboard operator to put her through the Mr Fraser’s residence. The call was answered by Fraser himself who confirmed that Detective Reynolds, was still with him and he put him on the line so they could speak.

OOC,Go here for the phone call: https://www.callofcthulhu.org.uk/pbp/viewtopic.php?f=438&t=7265&p=243760#p243760

Ivy set to her task, and with a foolscap notepad on the desk in front of her, started making notes of clients who may have had a grievance with the bank, or more specifically, Mr Fraser.

She soon found, however, that the task was more complicated than expected. Although there were journals kept of correspondence sent by the bank, they weren’t always detailed enough, so Ivy had to call for the files to read the correspondence in detail. After an hour, she had just one name on her list, that of a cantankerous older gentlemen whose declining mental faculties had been the cause of numerous disputes with the bank.

Ivy looked at the pile of files on her desk and sighed. It seemed that this job might take far longer than anticipated...

Alex enters the room. "Ms Ripley. Are you well? I know from experience whatever they put on those letters can be rather distressing.

"I spoke with the station, the photographer is on his way. The university man may take a little longer, but hopefully they'll be along shortly as well. In the meantime, I'm happy to assist however I can."

Sighing, Ivy pinches the bridge of her nose.

“Going through this paperwork is taking longer than I’d like. Perhaps you could track down some protective clothing for when we open the letter? Rubber gloves, aprons and something to cover our faces? There should be some first aid equipment here somewhere, and perhaps a nearby restaurant could supply the gloves?” she suggests, whilst still poring through the files.

"I should be able to do that," Alex nods, confidently. "Will you be alright here by yourself?"

Assuming Ivy gives an affirmation He heads off in search of said equipment.

As Alex left Ivy’s office, he almost collided with Carl Waites - the departmental photographer - who was been shown in by the head cashier.

Carl was tall and thin, with wire rimmed glasses and a prematurely receding hairline. Alex had always thought he looked ungainly, never more so than when he was wrestling with his camera equipment, tripod and all, as he was now.

After a quick round of introductions, Carl set up his camera and asked Ivy to place the envelope on the desk. He carefully photographed the address and then flipped it over with the help of a letter opener so he could photograph the rear, where the pattern was starting to bleed through.

Once Carl had completed that task, he looked to Alex and said, ”Are you going to open the envelope so we can take a photograph of the letter itself?”

"Oh. Hello, Carl." Alex shows him in and watches him work.

When he's asked a question, he hesitates. "I'm not sure we should. When I was exposed to one of the letters the ink faded rather quickly. It might be best to wait for Miskatonic to send us someone who can understand whatever chemicals are causing us to have such odd side effects. What do you think, Ms. Ripley?"

“I concur detective; I’m content to wait.”

Ivy arranges for coffee to be sent in.

“Oh, I feel I must mention this: the substance brought on a strange waking dream. The bank was deserted and the vault led somehow back to the mansion. I saw you and Mr. Fraser talking in a mist vulgar fashion in his office, but there was another man, who could see and talk to me. He was older than me; balding and with a crooked smile. Gave me quite a start when he appeared.”

"I was in his study, but the conversation was professional throughout," Alex assured her. Mostly. "This man was likely a hallucination, there was no one matching that description there with us."

Carl looked sceptical but as neither Alex nor Ivy seemed in a rush to open the envelope he took a seat on one of the chair’s in Ivy’s office and waited.

Twenty minutes passed before there was a knock at the door. A young woman looked in tentatively. ”I’m looking for Detective Reynolds,” she said. “I’m Alexandra, Professor Cooper’s research assistant. He asked me to come and collect a sample for him. Have I come to the right place?”

"You have. Good to meet you, Ms. Alexandra. The sample is right here." He shows her the note. "Be warned, it's very dangerous. Merely touching the letter is enough to trigger hallucinations a major episode of melancholy; A man has already died from exposure to it, and Ms. Ripley and I have suffered milder effects."

“Quite so: please be exceedingly careful. In fact, I will fetch a pitcher of water so that we can wash it off if you accidentally touch it,” Ivy states.

“Mr. Waites, be ready with your camera.”

Alexandra looked extremely wary about touching the letter. “Professor Cooper didn’t tell me that the substance on the letter was toxic,” she explained. “I think the best place to open this would be back at the laboratory. If you have something I can carry the letter in, then I can take it back and analyse it?”

“A sensible precaution. I will get a metal cash box,” states Ivy.

Alexandra looked relieved. “That should be ideal,” she agreed. When Ivy returned with the metal box, Alexandra carefully placed the letter inside, closed the lid and turned the key.

“I understand Captain Keats wants a quick response so I’ll take this over to the Professor now,” she said.

OOC,Anything you want to do while you wait?