Play@YSDC

Posted: **Tue Oct 06, 2020 11:54 pm**

Wednesday March 12th, 1930 11.00am.
Fraser Mansion, Arkham, Mass.

Gerald Fraser’s home was a mile or so outside of Arkham, a big, white-painted, colonial-era house located on a hillside amid terraced gardens. A car had picked up Lawrence, Thomas and William, bringing them up to the long drive to the front of the house, where a butler let them in and bade them take a seat in the large entrance hall until Mr Fraser was ready to see them.

A sharp-faced woman sat on the opposite side of the hall, steadfastly avoiding their gaze and ignoring any attempt to make conversation. The clock in hall chimed 11.00am, and then 11.15am, and still they were kept waiting. It was only as the clock started to chime 11.30am that the door to Fraser’s study opened and Captain Keats emerged, accompanying a visibly upset couple in their middling years.

It was clear to the three men that these were Howard’s mother and father, as he shared their colouring and the familiarity in looks with his father was striking. He was doing his best to console his wife as she sobbed heavily, and they paid no attention to the three men as they passed.

Captain Keats showed them off the premises then turned and indicated that they should make their way into study. The women also rose and headed in, causing brief consternation as everyone crowded the doorway while trying not to get in each other’s way.

In the study, Fraser Snr. stood waiting. His mood did not look encouraging. He looked to the women as she took a seat at a small writing desk with a ledger and ink pens and when she was settled and Keats had closed the door, he turned to the three men and snapped, “Well?! Where’s my boy?! What have you got to say for youselves?!”

Posted: **Wed Oct 07, 2020 12:13 am**

"I'm sorry, sir," says William. "We located him in Louisiana, where he was being held by kidnappers. We set him free and escaped with him, but the kidnappers gave chase. Your son died saving me from a burning truck. I have the burns to prove it." He shows his scars. "There was nothing left of him we could bring back, but we were able to recover a few personal items. I know that's not what you want to hear, but it's the truth. The man Brophy was responsible for what happened to your son, and he is dead too."

Posted: **Wed Oct 07, 2020 6:06 am**

Lawrence soberly nodded in agreement with William's recounting of events; he'd been dreading this moment since his departure from Louisiana, and it was an even worse experience than he imagined.

Posted: **Wed Oct 07, 2020 8:18 pm**

”Is this some kind of sick joke?!” bellowed Fraser Snr. “I sent you to find my son and you’re telling me he’s dead?! I don’t want trinkets - I want him back!” He was beetroot red, with flecks of sputum at the corner of his mouth. Keats put a calming hand on his arm, but Fraser just shook him off, taking an intimidating step forward.

”I’ve paid you good money... ...” He looked across at the woman, and clicked his fingers. ”Miss Ripley!” he snapped. “How much have I given these godforsaken reprobates?!”

Posted: **Wed Oct 07, 2020 9:25 pm**

If Mr. Fraser's demeanor is boiling over with fiery rage, the piercing gaze of his secretary Ivy Ripley is in ice-cold contrast.

"Two-hundred and seventy-five dollars all told Mr. Fraser," she replies tartly, glaring at the gentlemen as if she held them personally responsible for all her woes.

"Two-hundred up front and seventy-five for expenses," she continues, turning to her employer; clearly annoyed at him snapping his fingers at her as if she were a waiter.

Posted: **Wed Oct 07, 2020 10:50 pm**

Fraser glared in return. ”Two hundred and seventy-five dollars and all I have to show for it is you sorry sons of b... ... ... telling me my son is dead!” he shouted, turning his attention back to the three men. “What the hell have you got to say for yourselves?!”

Posted: **Thu Oct 08, 2020 3:56 am**

"I'll let your son do the talking for us," says William. With nothing left to lose at this point, he holds out the letter James had written to his father. "This letter is one of the things we recovered. He addressed it to you. I don't know what's in it; it's still sealed."

Posted: **Thu Oct 08, 2020 8:51 am**

Fraser Snr. angrily snatched the letter from William and stepped back to read it. After a moment, his face drained of colour and he physically staggered, holding onto his desk to prevent himself from falling. Keats was quickly by his side and helped him to a chair, before pouring him a brandy from a nearby decanter.

After a minute to compose himself, Fraser said, ”It seems I owe you an apology.” His voice was broken, his previous vigour gone. He looked at the letter he held in a tremulous hand. “James states...”

He was abruptly cut off by a screech from the hallway, with the sound of a heavy fall, accompanied by the noise of breaking glass...

Posted: **Thu Oct 08, 2020 9:24 am**

Ivy has never been one to sit behind a desk when action needs to be taken and so, with a curt ‘excuse me’, she casts propriety aside, grabs her handbag and heads into the hallway.

Posted: **Thu Oct 08, 2020 2:47 pm**

"What was that?" Lawrence asks in confusion, starting to get up out of his chair as he turns to look towards the hallway. He would have loved to know what that letter said, but whatever happened in the hallway seemed to be a more pressing matter at the moment.

Posted: **Thu Oct 08, 2020 9:47 pm**

Ivy was first through the door. On the opposite side of the entrance hall, Fraser’s butler lay face-down, his head and neck buried into a glass-fronted cabinet. Blood dripped down the front of the cabinet, pooling on the wooden floor beneath. As Lawrence stepped up beside her, the butler shuddered once, and then lay still...

Posted: **Thu Oct 08, 2020 10:00 pm**

"Oh my good lord!" exclaims Ivy. Despite this, however, her nerve holds and she rushes over to the cabinet to see if anything can be done for the poor man.

Posted: **Fri Oct 09, 2020 2:21 am**

William follows Ivy through the door and also rushes to the butler's side. After everything he has seen, this doesn't affect him much.

Posted: **Fri Oct 09, 2020 2:50 am**

Lawrence is taken aback by the sight of the dead man, but remains calm nonetheless.
"Mr. Fraser! Captain Keats! He calls out, "I think somebody's been killed!"

Posted: **Sat Oct 10, 2020 12:49 am**

”Jacob!” cried Fraser from the doorway. “My God...!”

Keats stepped across him, putting a hand on his arm as he did so, to block the view. “An ambulance, please Gerald,” he said firmly, as much to get him occupied and out of the way. It looked very much as if the butler had breathed his last.

A visibly shaken Fraser Snr. staggered off in the direction of the telephone while Captain Keats studied the scene. He glanced at Lawrence. “‘Killed’, you said. What makes you think he has been killed?”

Posted: **Sat Oct 10, 2020 3:25 am**

William tries to do what he can for the butler, hoping it's not too late.

Posted: **Sat Oct 10, 2020 5:16 am**

"I don't know if he's dead, that's just what I thought when I saw him stop moving." Lawrence replies, watching with concern as William tries his best to save the butler.

Posted: **Sat Oct 10, 2020 6:07 am**

William could see that there was no helping Jacob. The butler was still, with no sign of life, his throat cut open by the glass in the cabinet door.

To Lawrence, Keats said, ”Yes, but you said he had been killed, which to my mind means he died as the result of actions of someone else. A homicide, instead of a suicide or an accidental death. Why would anyone want to kill Mr Fraser’s butler?”

Posted: **Sat Oct 10, 2020 7:26 am**

"A burglar perhaps?" suggests Ivy. "Disturbed in the act?"
She is about to elaborate on her theory when something catches her eye.

Posted: **Sat Oct 10, 2020 9:57 am**

Posted: **Sat Oct 10, 2020 12:41 pm**

Ivy points to the poor Jacob’s neck with a pencil.

“Look at how ripped and torn the neck wound is. I’m no expert, but I’d say this was certainly no accident. We need to call the police, but in the meantime, has anything been taken I wonder?”

She peers over the corpse and tries to recall what was in the cabinet.

Posted: **Sat Oct 10, 2020 11:38 pm**

As evidenced by the broken china around the cabinet, it had held some ornate plates and bowls, most of which had been broken when Jacob fell into the it.

Keats knelt next to the body to look closer at the wounds that Ivy had described. He shook his head and stood again. ”I think I’d better get one of my men up here,” he said, and he headed off to the study to make a phone call.

In the distance, the wailing ambulance siren could be heard approaching from the direction of Arkham town.

Posted: **Sun Oct 11, 2020 1:08 am**

"The intruder was very brazen, to break in and kill in broad daylight," says William. "Whoever it was probably fled but could still be in the house somewhere. We should all stick together until the detective arrives."

Posted: **Sun Oct 11, 2020 2:03 am**

"Do you suppose anyone could have seen the intruder as they came and went?" Lawrence contemplates, waiting for the arrival of the detective. A professional could really shed some light on this terrible situation, or so he hoped.

Posted: **Sun Oct 11, 2020 8:02 am**

Posted: **Mon Oct 12, 2020 12:48 am**

Wednesday March 12th, 1930 12.15pm.
Fraser Mansion, Arkham, Mass.

The friends and Ivy were ushered into the library by Captain Keats who rang the station to summon on of his detectives. Shortly after the ambulance crew arrived, there was a knock at the door, and Keats went out into the hall, where he could be heard talking to whoever had arrived.

He returned with a clean-cut young man in tow, who he introduced as Detective Reynolds. ”The ambulance crew have checked and there are no signs of life,” said Keats. “I’ve asked them to hold off removing the body until Detective Reynolds has had an opportunity to start his investigation.”

Behind the desk, Fraser Snr. sat drinking the latest of a number of brandies...

Posted: **Mon Oct 12, 2020 3:10 am**

"What can we do to help?" asks William.

Posted: **Mon Oct 12, 2020 5:16 am**

Detective Alexander Reynolds is a conservatively dressed man of around 30. He somberly looks at the scene, taking his hat off as he enters the building and sees the grizzly site.

"I'd say it's a pleasure to meet you all, but I'm afraid that would be a lie under the circumstances." To William he responds, "I'll need names and information from all of you as to whom the victim was and everything you know concerning his demise. For now however, I need to examine the body." He kneels down and looks it over.

Posted: **Mon Oct 12, 2020 11:43 am**

When questioned, Ivy will recount how she was with the others when she heard a screech and a crash from the hallway, followed by how she found the butler lying head-first in the display cabinet with his throat torn.

Posted: **Mon Oct 12, 2020 3:02 pm**

Posted: **Mon Oct 12, 2020 6:50 pm**

Posted: **Mon Oct 12, 2020 7:28 pm**

With everyone’s eyes on him Alexander found himself at a complete blank.

After a moment, Captain Keats said, ”Detective? What can you tell me? A burglary or not?”

Posted: **Mon Oct 12, 2020 9:22 pm**

William gives his name and tells the detective what little he knows.

Posted: **Mon Oct 12, 2020 11:16 pm**

Lawrence watches on in anticipation, awaiting the detective's answer.

Once asked, he gives Alexander his name and tells what he saw, which isn't any more information than what the others have said.

Posted: **Tue Oct 13, 2020 5:41 am**

OOC: I can't push rolls in this, right?

Alex looks over the body intently for a moment, before shaking his head in frustration.

"I'm afraid it's hard to say. Our killer was clever-- there's very little evidence left behind that I can see, which suggests this was the work of a methodical mind rather than a mere crime of passion." He looks to Fraser. "You're the owner of the house, sir? Do you know if anything is missing?"

"I'll have to take a look around the house, see if any of the doors or windows suggest forced entry."

Posted: **Tue Oct 13, 2020 5:00 pm**

Fortified with another brandy, Fraser Snr. came out, went up the stairs and returned a few minutes later. “I can’t see anything missing or out of order,” he said.

He looked around the hall. “There doesn’t appear to be anything missing here, either,” he continued. “And Jacob always locked the door after anyone came in or went out. We had some petty thieves try to take advantage of an unlocked door a few years ago and he was fastidious about it ever since.” Keats confirmed that the door had been locked and the key was on the inside when he had gone to let in the ambulance men, who were stood by the doorway.

“Can we get on?” one of them asked. “We need to get the body to the morgue and then back on duty.”

Posted: **Wed Oct 14, 2020 4:35 am**

If no one else wanted to examine the body(Alex knowing on some extent he had done a subpar job) He nods to the paramedics.

Posted: **Wed Oct 14, 2020 4:40 am**

"Is there a chance the killer could still be in the house?" asks William. "If he has any sense, he'll be long gone, but not everyone does, and he might not have been able to slip away."

Posted: **Wed Oct 14, 2020 4:54 am**

"I will do a thorough examination of the premises," Detective Reynolds says. "In the meantime you should all stay together. If you wonder off and the killer is still here you could be in grave danger.

He starts to go through the first floor rooms, gun drawn.

Posted: **Wed Oct 14, 2020 5:56 am**

It didn’t take Alex long to go through the house. As Fraser Snr. had said, there didn’t appear to be anything out of place and any windows and doors he tried were locked.

As he checked the door in the kitchen, one do the ambulance men approached him. “We found something when we moved the body. You might want to take a look.” He lead Alex back through to the hall, where Jacob now lay face up upon the rug adjacent to the cabinet. The ambulance man knelt next to the body and pointed to a blood-stained envelope that had previously been obscured.

“He also appears to have something in his hand, but I didn’t want to move that until you’d seen it.” Alex could see something tightly gripped in Jacob’s right hand. It looked like a piece of cloth...

Posted: **Wed Oct 14, 2020 6:33 am**

Grateful for the man, even if it exposed his own carelessness, Alex goes back and inspects the body once again.

"You did the right thing," He says, as he opens the envelope and scans its contents. After he's read it he will also examine the cloth.

Posted: **Wed Oct 14, 2020 7:02 am**

The envelope was addressed to Gerald Fraser but was empty. The cloth, which Alex had to pry from Jacob’s hand, bore a faded symbol that looked as if it had been painted with some green-ish ink, some of which looked like it had rubbed off onto the butler’s hand.

Posted: **Wed Oct 14, 2020 7:45 am**

Posted: **Wed Oct 14, 2020 10:50 am**

Posted: **Wed Oct 14, 2020 7:50 pm**

"Y--yes." Alex nods, shakily regaining his footing. Tears are in his eyes, and he's a bit shocked how much this is affecting him. "I'm alright. I suppose the murder was more grizzly than I was expecting. I'll be alright, though, thank you."

He still looks rather unsettled, however.

Posted: **Wed Oct 14, 2020 11:59 pm**

With his spare hand, the ambulance man clicked his fingers and his colleague ran to get Alex a chair from the study. Helping the detective take a seat, the ambulance man told him to breathe deeply, keeping his head low.

As the others came into the hall to make sure he was OK, Alex looked at the cloth in his hand. It was plain, with a strange symbol painted upon it. He could have sworn it was a vaguely luminescent green when he picked it up but now it was more grey-green in colour, with some faded numbers underneath...

Posted: **Thu Oct 15, 2020 1:23 am**

"What's going on in here? Are you alright?" Lawrence asks. His gaze shifts towards the odd little symbol on the piece of cloth, which he finds to be quite bizarre.

Posted: **Thu Oct 15, 2020 3:16 am**

Posted: **Thu Oct 15, 2020 3:26 am**

"I'll be alright," Alex insists, still not certain why this case had affected him so strongly. He examines the cloth, but really he's staring at it almost blankly, still feeling somewhat out of sorts.

Posted: **Thu Oct 15, 2020 9:46 am**

Ivy’s disdainful sniff amply indicates her opinion of the bungling detective, but she is still concerned when he staggers.

“Are you sure you’re well? What happened?”

Posted: **Thu Oct 15, 2020 12:08 pm**

Neither Lawrence nor William could see the numbers clearly as Alex was holding onto the cloth but it looked as if it was the number ‘3235’.

Posted: **Thu Oct 15, 2020 7:09 pm**

He could see their looks, especially on the secretary. They were judging him, they knew he had failed. He had fallen apart under pressure. He'd be the laugh of the department after this.

His stoic facade falls, and he feels genuine distress. So he gets to his feet, still holding onto the cloth.

"I need to-- need to go. I'm sorry." He begins to head towards the door, intent on escape, rational thought seeming to have fled him.

Posted: **Thu Oct 15, 2020 9:18 pm**

While Ivy might be prickly and judgemental, she also hates to see a person in obvious distress. With the minimum of fuss she moves to intercept Alex as he rushes out.

"Come now, enough of that," she says in a no-nonsense fashion. "Take a seat while I get a pot of coffee on the go."

She turns to the others.

"Stop lollygagging the lot of you!" she snaps.

Posted: **Thu Oct 15, 2020 10:43 pm**

Posted: **Fri Oct 16, 2020 6:02 am**

Posted: **Fri Oct 16, 2020 7:03 pm**

Alex turned the key in the lock, pulled the door open and staggered out into the fresh air. He had gone just a few steps before his head started to clear and the feeling of dread began to pass.

He found himself stood outside the house, wondering what had happened to him, with the cloth still gripped tightly in his hand. From the doorway, the ambulance men watched him warily...

Posted: **Fri Oct 16, 2020 7:41 pm**

Blinking in confusion, the detective offers a hopefully casual nod at the ambulance men before returning to the house.

"I'm... sorry. I don't rightly know what came over me there. I'm a trained professional, but something about this scene got to me." He bows his head in shame and embarrassment. "I would appreciate that coffee, ma'am."

Posted: **Fri Oct 16, 2020 11:35 pm**

"Death's never an easy thing to deal with, or at least that's what I think." Lawrence calmly reassures, trying his best to keep a cool head in such a horrible situation.
"Do you think I could have a look at that piece of cloth?" he inquires; while he didn't recognize the symbol, he certainly wanted to get a better look at the numbers and the cloth itself.

Posted: **Sat Oct 17, 2020 3:34 am**

Though it was police evidence, something in Alex trusts the man, he nods and hands it over. "Have you see it before?"

Posted: **Sat Oct 17, 2020 4:20 am**

"I thought I saw the number 3235," says William, peering at the cloth, "but I don't know what it means. Is the ink still wet? Depending on what it's made of, it might have affected you. Be careful not to touch it."

Posted: **Sat Oct 17, 2020 6:33 am**

"I've seen a lot of odd things, but that symbol is not among them.
Lawrence says, almost taking the piece of cloth, but William's warning not to touch it stops him in his tracks.
"Do you think the ink could be poison or something, William?"

Posted: **Sat Oct 17, 2020 11:31 pm**

"It's possible," says William. "It could be poison ink, or simply toxic. I read about a poison pen letter in some mystery novel or other. It might have been an Agatha Christie."

Posted: **Sat Oct 17, 2020 11:46 pm**

Whatever ink there was on the cloth was dry, so much so that the symbol and numbers had faded from view almost entirely.

Posted: **Sun Oct 18, 2020 9:17 am**

“The ink is fading and yet it still compelled the detective here to flee in terror,” muses Ivy. “If poor Jacob got the full dose, perhaps he was maddened enough to smash his head into the cabinet...”

“Perhaps the next person to hold it will experience less severe effects. Pass it to me, if you please, but make sure I don’t do anything foolish.”

Posted: **Sun Oct 18, 2020 7:44 pm**

Frowning, Alex hands her the cloth. "Be careful. I don't know if that's what affected me, but I can't explain my reaction otherwise. One of us should probably restrain her in case she has a reaction."

Posted: **Sun Oct 18, 2020 10:10 pm**

William watches Ivy closely to make sure she's all right.

Posted: **Sun Oct 18, 2020 11:10 pm**

Posted: **Mon Oct 19, 2020 1:03 am**

Lawrence keeps a watchful eye on the secretary, ready to act if she does anything strange.

Posted: **Mon Oct 19, 2020 7:39 am**

Ivy grasps the cloth, trying not to look nervous.

Posted: **Mon Oct 19, 2020 11:26 am**

Ivy took the cloth expecting the worst but experienced no ill effects from touching it.

It was a roughly-torn, white piece of cloth approximately five inches square. The image and numbers had all but vanished.

Posted: **Mon Oct 19, 2020 12:47 pm**

“Hmm, nothing,” says Ivy as she inspects the cloth. “Perhaps it’s worth copying the design before it fades though.”

Rummaging in her bag for a notebook and pencil, she will attempt to do just that.

Posted: **Mon Oct 19, 2020 1:29 pm**

Posted: **Mon Oct 19, 2020 2:06 pm**

Ivy tries, and fails, to copy the symbol.

Posted: **Mon Oct 19, 2020 2:35 pm**

Posted: **Tue Oct 20, 2020 4:36 am**

"The way I see it, the two leads we have at the moment are the number- 3235, and the empty envelope. Perhaps after some research one of those clues wills end more light on things."

Alex looks at the party. "Regardless, I'm afraid this is a police matter, and you should let us handle it. We'll get to the bottom of things, don't worry. Criminals always make a mistake, and we'll use that mistake to bring the perpetrator to justice."

Posted: **Tue Oct 20, 2020 4:58 am**

"Were there any watermarks on the paper?" asks William. "That might help us trace it. I suspect that the effects of the note have worn off over time. The butler was the first to handle it, so he must have gotten the worst of the effects. Perhaps it actually drove him to kill himself."

Posted: **Tue Oct 20, 2020 8:29 am**

“That is exactly what I postulated a few moments ago; were you not listening?” snaps Ivy.

“To whom was the note addressed to? If we know the intended target we might be able to extrapolate the sender.”

Posted: **Tue Oct 20, 2020 12:59 pm**

The envelope that had been retrieved from under Jacob’s body was heavily blood-stained but otherwise intact. It looked to be a standard No. 10 envelope, with Gerald Fraser’s name and address on the front, with a 2c Braddock’s Field stamp and an Arkham post mark.

The envelope itself was empty, seeming only to have contained the cloth that lead to Jacob’s demise.

Posted: **Tue Oct 20, 2020 11:39 pm**

"What I really want to know is this: what kind of person has access to stuff like that cloth?" Lawrence states, a bit perturbed by this thought.

Posted: **Tue Oct 20, 2020 11:56 pm**

Posted: **Wed Oct 21, 2020 2:15 am**

Posted: **Wed Oct 21, 2020 2:45 am**

"I'm sorry, ma'am, I wasn't," says William. "I've been rather distracted. It looks like Mr. Fraser was the intended target, and the butler was unfortunate enough to get it first. Whoever sent it may try again, and may try something different. He's still in terrible danger."

Posted: **Wed Oct 21, 2020 4:18 am**

"Mr. Fraser is a well respected citizen. I think we can arrange to place a guard outside his home, surely. Perhaps have someone to inspect his mail first as well." Alex looks towards the man. "Do you know anyone who wishes ill will to you, Sir?"

Posted: **Wed Oct 21, 2020 7:40 pm**

”Ill-will?” spluttered Fraser Snr.. “I’m not aware of anyone with whom I have had disagreements. I generally get on well with everyone,” he said, somewhat superciliously and against any evidence of Lawrence’s and Thomas’ previous experiences of dealing with the man.

“Feel free to talk to anyone at my club or my employees at the bank, I’m sure they’ll confirm that.”

Posted: **Wed Oct 21, 2020 11:59 pm**

Posted: **Thu Oct 22, 2020 3:41 am**

"Could it be connected to James?" asks William. "Maybe someone who bore him ill will is attacking you as a proxy."

Posted: **Thu Oct 22, 2020 5:24 am**

"What's this about a James?" Alex asked, interested in pursuing this lead.

Posted: **Thu Oct 22, 2020 1:02 pm**

”James is my son,” snapped Fraser Snr. “Or rather was my son, according to these gentlemen to whom I paid good money to bring him home. It seems that they failed in their attempts, as they were telling me he had perished not long before events involving Jacob here.” He glanced at the corpse of the unfortunate butler, who the ambulance men were placing onto a stretcher, and shuddered.

Posted: **Fri Oct 23, 2020 6:02 am**

"Well, I think I've figured something out about that symbol: while I don't know what it actually is, but I think it might have ties to witchcraft, or maybe the Indians native to the area." Lawrence hypothesizes; he was by no means a clever man, but he'd picked up quite a bit of knowledge throughout his life.

Posted: **Fri Oct 23, 2020 10:32 am**

Ivy peers at the symbol, pointedly ignoring the detective's suggestion to leave the investigating to the police.

"Perhaps we could take it to a folklorist or historian and find out? Does anybody know one?"

Posted: **Sat Oct 24, 2020 12:25 am**

Posted: **Sat Oct 24, 2020 2:46 am**

"I know someone of the sort," says William.

Posted: **Sat Oct 24, 2020 11:14 pm**

Posted: **Sun Oct 25, 2020 3:27 am**

"Professor Betty Jackson is a history professor in Arkham," says William. "I know her through her husband Harold, who's a law professor there."

Posted: **Sun Oct 25, 2020 9:00 pm**

"Then perhaps a call is in order," Ivy declares matter-of-factly.

Posted: **Sun Oct 25, 2020 9:25 pm**

"May I use your telephone, Mr. Fraser?" asks William.

Posted: **Mon Oct 26, 2020 12:47 am**

Fraser just nodded and indicated that William could use the phone on his desk.

Posted: **Mon Oct 26, 2020 1:06 am**

"Thank you," says William, going over to the phone and dialing Professor Betty Jackson's number at the university.

Posted: **Mon Oct 26, 2020 10:54 am**

The university switchboard put the call though to Professor Jackson’s office, where the she answered the call with a breezy ”Betty Jackson speaking, how can I help you?”

Posted: **Tue Oct 27, 2020 2:42 am**

"Good day, Professor," says William. "I'm William Preston. I've attended some of your husband's lectures before, but this time it's your expertise my colleagues and I need. We'd like to trace a symbol's origin."

Posted: **Tue Oct 27, 2020 12:01 pm**

Professor Jackson listened to William and said, ”I’m intrigued. Come to my office at two ‘o’ clock and we’ll see what I can tell you about your symbol. Now, you must excuse me as I need to eat lunch before my next lecture.” Without waiting for an answer, she rang off, leaving William listening to the dial tone.

Posted: **Tue Oct 27, 2020 3:15 pm**

Posted: **Tue Oct 27, 2020 3:33 pm**

Posted: **Tue Oct 27, 2020 10:47 pm**

Posted: **Wed Oct 28, 2020 4:04 am**

Posted: **Wed Oct 28, 2020 5:30 am**

Posted: **Wed Oct 28, 2020 8:36 am**

Posted: **Thu Oct 29, 2020 1:26 pm**

Posted: **Thu Oct 29, 2020 4:26 pm**

“While we wait, we should find out if there have been other suspicions deaths in the area recently,” Ivy states.“Anything in the press, or police reports.”

Posted: **Thu Oct 29, 2020 5:27 pm**

Posted: **Thu Oct 29, 2020 11:04 pm**

Posted: **Thu Oct 29, 2020 11:11 pm**

Posted: **Fri Oct 30, 2020 3:09 am**

"Yes, that's a good idea," says William.

Posted: **Fri Oct 30, 2020 5:40 am**

Posted: **Fri Oct 30, 2020 9:36 am**

Posted: **Sat Oct 31, 2020 3:18 am**

"No cases like that that I recall hearing about," Alex reports. "It would seem this professor is our best option at the moment. Seeing as Mr. Preston here knows her indirectly, it may be best if we speak to her together to learn more.

Posted: **Sat Oct 31, 2020 6:17 am**

Lawrence searches for a piece of paper to copy down the symbol on, taking a pencil out from his pocket to write with.

Posted: **Sat Oct 31, 2020 11:49 am**

OOC:

Here’s Bullfrog’s design.

Posted: **Sat Oct 31, 2020 5:20 pm**

Wednesday March 12th, 1930 2.00pm.
R.C. Memorial Hall, Arkham University, Arkham, Mass.

A porter showed them through to Professor Jackson’s office, where the Professor waited for them. A small, dark-haired woman, she greeted them as they entered and invited them to take a seat.

After a round of introductions, she smiled and, looking at them over her half-moon glasses, said, ”Well, how can I help you? A symbol you want me to identify, is that right?”

Posted: **Sat Oct 31, 2020 8:43 pm**

"That's right," says William. "The original drawing faded, but one of my friends has reproduced it."

Posted: **Sat Oct 31, 2020 10:16 pm**

"It's not a perfect copy, but it's the best I could do. There was a number with it, too: 3235."
Lawrence takes a seat, presenting his hand-drawn copy of the symbol to Professor Jackson.

Posted: **Sat Oct 31, 2020 11:30 pm**

Professor Jackson took the image from Lawrence and smoothed the paper on the desk in front of her. She picked up a pencil and jotted ‘3235’ in the corner.

“And where did you find this? Some context might help me narrow down my search.”

Posted: **Sun Nov 01, 2020 12:08 am**

"It was on a piece of cloth, in green ink that faded rapidly, sealed inside an envelope," says William.

Posted: **Sun Nov 01, 2020 9:20 am**

Professor Jackson nodded and smiled. “I think what I meant,” she said kindly, “Is why it was sent. I must admit it isn’t something I instantly recognise so knowing why it was sent will help me narrow down my search.”

Posted: **Sun Nov 01, 2020 3:55 pm**

“It was found in the grip of a man we believe had just killed himself, somewhat gruesomely I might add,” Ivy states matter-of-factly. “It also caused someone else severe distress before the ink and presumably the effects faded away. If you don’t recognise the symbol, do you know of any legends regarding sigils and the like causing people to harm themselves?”

Posted: **Sun Nov 01, 2020 8:22 pm**

"That would be me," Alex admits. "I touched the cloth and never felt anything like that, not since the Great War. I was overcome with feelings of inferiority and hopelessness. Took me a few minutes to overcome it."

Posted: **Mon Nov 02, 2020 12:41 am**

"The ink faded rapidly," says William. "As it did, so the effects seemed to as well."

Posted: **Mon Nov 02, 2020 1:04 am**

Professor Jackson looked thoughtful. ”Sigils and symbols have a long history of being used as both a curse and as a defence against such curses. They have been used for millennia in the Americas, in Europe, in Africa and Asia,” she said. “The addition of the poison is unusual, however. Normally, such symbols rely on the belief of the victim that some ill will befall them. Obviously, this works in more primitive or superstitious communities - we live in more enlightened times!”

“It may take some time to trace this,” Professor Jackson continued. “But my interest is piqued, so I will see what I can do to help you.”

Posted: **Mon Nov 02, 2020 2:46 am**

"Thank you, Professor," says William. "Please let us know if you find something. I suppose it's best if you call the detective here, as he's in charge of the investigation." He indicates Alex.

Posted: **Mon Nov 02, 2020 7:10 am**

Alex gives her his phone number. "Please do not hesitate to contact me if you learn anything, no matter how minute it may seem." He tells her.

Posted: **Mon Nov 02, 2020 2:57 pm**

Professor Jackson assured them that she would be in touch as soon as she found anything and summoned a Porter to show them back to the front entrance.

Outside, dark clouds had moved in, and the wind gusted, bringing with it the first drops of rain.

Posted: **Mon Nov 02, 2020 9:39 pm**

Ivy will take some time looking through local directories for any addresses or telephone numbers containing the number 3235, noting any that might have a link to her employer.

Posted: **Mon Nov 02, 2020 11:32 pm**

Posted: **Tue Nov 03, 2020 12:38 am**

Posted: **Tue Nov 03, 2020 1:52 am**

Posted: **Tue Nov 03, 2020 5:28 am**

Posted: **Tue Nov 03, 2020 7:41 am**

Posted: **Tue Nov 03, 2020 9:10 am**

OOC: I assume as a secretary, Ivy would have her own copy of the local directory, but otherwise she’d borrow a copy from the library or indeed a phone booth.

Posted: **Wed Nov 04, 2020 12:22 am**

Posted: **Wed Nov 04, 2020 4:28 am**

"Hey Chief. Have you heard about the Fraser case? Someone sent him a cloth with some kind of symbol on it. His butler picked it up and apparently the ink was poisonous, led to him to go into some sort of hysteria and crash into a glass cabinet.. Faded before we could properly examine it, though I'm consulting with a professor now to help me track down what it could be. In the meantime, I think we should take a look at the envelope-- There's no return address, but I'm hoping to compare the handwriting with signatures of those in Arkham, and see if we can get a match or at least narrow down our list of suspects."

Posted: **Wed Nov 04, 2020 5:25 am**

Lawrence steps into the boutique, extracting the piece of cloth from his pocket.
"I'd like to know a bit about a piece of cloth, if you've got the time." he straightforwardly states to the woman, who he assumed to be the proprietor.

Posted: **Wed Nov 04, 2020 5:47 am**

William soon finds the information he seeks.

Posted: **Wed Nov 04, 2020 11:03 am**

Search all she might, Ivy can find nothing. Slamming the directory shut, she harrumphs loudly.

Posted: **Wed Nov 04, 2020 8:34 pm**

Posted: **Wed Nov 04, 2020 10:07 pm**

Returning his gaze with one equally fierce, Ivy marches up to the librarian.

“I wouldn’t be so noisy if someone could be bothered to help me!” she hisses, slamming the directory onto his desk. “I want to find any numbers or addresses containing the digits 3235. Will you assist me or not?”

Posted: **Wed Nov 04, 2020 10:58 pm**

Having come up empty, William checks in with the others to see if they've found anything.

Posted: **Thu Nov 05, 2020 4:35 am**

"I was mostly hoping to compare the writing to signatures Arkham may have on file, such as home or automative deeds," Alex explains. "But your information is a fine start in narrowing it down. Thanks a lot, Chief."

He'll go to meet with the others and compare what they've learned.

Posted: **Thu Nov 05, 2020 6:25 am**

"Thank you, that's all I was looking to know." Lawrence responds, cataloguing that detail in his mind. He waits for her to to return the cloth to him, leaving to go congregate with the other members of the group once she has; the cloth's origin was an intriguing clue, and it was bound to be of some use in this investigation.

Posted: **Thu Nov 05, 2020 9:46 am**

Posted: **Thu Nov 05, 2020 4:21 pm**

Ivy stiffens.

“Very well, I apologise.”, she says reluctantly. “It’s been a very trying day. Any assistance you would be prepared to offer would be greatly appreciated.”

Posted: **Thu Nov 05, 2020 5:40 pm**

Posted: **Thu Nov 05, 2020 6:31 pm**

“Well, ahem, not as such,” splutters Ivy. “That’s very prescient: thank you.”
With a curt and embarrassed nod, she leaves the library and heads back to the sanctity of her desk. From there she calls the operator as the librarian suggested.

Posted: **Thu Nov 05, 2020 9:05 pm**

Posted: **Fri Nov 06, 2020 12:44 am**

"Well, I searched for any possible enemies from legal matters concerning Mr. Fraser and his business," says William. "I found nothing. I hope you've had better luck."

Posted: **Fri Nov 06, 2020 3:00 am**

"I did, in fact; the cloth is industrial grade stuff, most likely meant for an apron, the kind a nurse or maid might wear." Lawrence explains, presenting the cloth to William and Alex.

Posted: **Fri Nov 06, 2020 4:50 am**

"Good work. I had someone analyze the handwriting; they said we were looking for someone young, a child or teenager maybe. Awful penmanship, so likely with a limited education. Also very likely to be female as well."

Posted: **Fri Nov 06, 2020 8:54 am**

Ivy requests Mrs. Galvin’s address, just in case, before asking to be put through to Mr. Kirwan. If he answers, she will explain that her employer Mr. Fraser has received some poorly addressed mail and she’s trying to trace the sender. Does he have any ties to Fraser?

Posted: **Fri Nov 06, 2020 10:09 am**

Posted: **Fri Nov 06, 2020 11:12 am**

Ivy makes a note of Kirwan's details to look into later.

"I see. So no letters have been posted to him from your address? Well thank you for your time."

She then asks the operator to put her through to Noroian and, if he answers, will ask the same questions.

Posted: **Fri Nov 06, 2020 11:30 am**

Posted: **Fri Nov 06, 2020 11:55 am**

One last gambit before she reports to the others, Ivy tries Mrs. Galvin’s number: perhaps there is a relative still living at the address?

Posted: **Fri Nov 06, 2020 1:18 pm**

Posted: **Fri Nov 06, 2020 2:32 pm**

OOC: Last of the Ivy spam for now!

Ivy returns to the others, explaining how she has found three telephone numbers including the digits on the cloth: that of Mr. Kirwan, a retired cop who met Fraser once or twice and didn’t seem to bear him a grudge, Mr. Noroian, a married man who had never heard of Fraser, and the late Mrs. Galvin, who died three years ago and whose number has been discontinued.

Posted: **Fri Nov 06, 2020 3:35 pm**

By the time Ivy joined them, the afternoon was coming to an end. The clock in the office chimed five ‘o’ clock and elsewhere in the office, staff could be heard wishing each other a pleasant evening before they left for home. After a few minutes, it was quiet again.

Posted: **Fri Nov 06, 2020 8:49 pm**

"I suppose the next order of inquiry would be looking into young woman who previously worked for Mr. Fraser, specifically as either maids or perhaps even a home nurse. One of them may bear him a grudge. Although, if our suspect is less educated I have a hard time figuring out how she put together whatever concoction caused such an adverse reaction in the butler and I."

Posted: **Fri Nov 06, 2020 11:13 pm**

"Yes, it seems highly likely that a girl wrote this poison pen letter," says William, "possibly a nurse or a maid judging from the type of cloth. I'd lean more toward a nurse, as the one behind this seems to have a specialized kind of knowledge. On the other hand, she could very well be too young to have a profession from the handwriting analysis. Perhaps she is not behind this alone. If she's uneducated, she likely does not have the knowledge of poisons herself, but who would help her do this?"

Posted: **Sat Nov 07, 2020 12:21 pm**

“Perhaps the three people I called have (or had) daughters or staff. I shall look into it if you wish.”

Posted: **Sat Nov 07, 2020 6:44 pm**

"Yes, please do," says William. "Is there anything I can do to help with that process?"

Posted: **Sat Nov 07, 2020 8:14 pm**

"I'll speak with Mr. Fraser, determine if he had any former employees he had a failing out with."

Posted: **Sun Nov 08, 2020 2:52 am**

"I've got an idea: what if the numbers on the cloth weren't a phone number? It'd be strange to leave that on a letter meant to kill or harm, considering that it was probably meant to be anonymous, and it'd certainly explain why none of those people knew Mr. Fraser very well." Lawrence interjects, having come to an important realization of his own after some contemplation. That number certainly had to have some kind of significance, but what?

Posted: **Sun Nov 08, 2020 1:45 pm**

“You may very well be right young man, but we should leave no stone unturned,” Ivy says to Lawrence.

She nods at William. “If you could assist me in cross-referencing the telephone numbers with addresses. Then we find out who lives at each one - between us we should be able to discover that.” She includes the detective in this statement.

Posted: **Sun Nov 08, 2020 2:19 pm**

Posted: **Sun Nov 08, 2020 3:36 pm**

Posted: **Sun Nov 08, 2020 6:09 pm**

Posted: **Sun Nov 08, 2020 6:23 pm**

Posted: **Mon Nov 09, 2020 12:02 am**

William fetched a copy of the White Pages from the secretaries’ office and it was a matter of a few minutes’ work to find the addresses that matched the numbers:

3-3235 Galvin, Roxana (Mrs) 507 Pickman Street, Arkham
5-3235 Kirwan, Arthur P. 170 South Powder Mill Street, Arkham
6-3235 Noroian, John 205 Federal Street, Arkham

The clock in the office chimed the half-hour.

Posted: **Mon Nov 09, 2020 4:55 am**

"Those are the names I found," says William. "Only one is a woman, and if she's married, she's probably not young enough, though she could have a daughter. Interesting that she has a listing, but her husband doesn't. She could be a widow, or divorced. Let's run these names by Mr. Fraser and see if any of them are familiar to him."

Posted: **Mon Nov 09, 2020 7:02 am**

"Mrs. Galvin is deceased, and her number has evidently been discontinued. She definitely could have some living family, however." Lawrence points out. "If she proves to have a connection to Fraser, we should take a look into them."

Posted: **Mon Nov 09, 2020 11:26 am**

"Perhaps you could consult the police records Detective?" Ivy asks Alexander. "And it wouldn't hurt if we happened to be walking past each address by way of our daily exercise."

Posted: **Mon Nov 09, 2020 8:01 pm**

"Sure," Alex nods in agreement. "I can do that. I'll look them up and see if any of the names have anything of interest that stands out."

Posted: **Mon Nov 09, 2020 9:06 pm**

Posted: **Tue Nov 10, 2020 2:38 am**

Posted: **Tue Nov 10, 2020 6:14 am**

Posted: **Tue Nov 10, 2020 7:28 am**

Posted: **Tue Nov 10, 2020 11:24 am**

OOC: Ivy will catch up on her administrative work before heading home for the evening.

Posted: **Tue Nov 10, 2020 4:09 pm**

Posted: **Tue Nov 10, 2020 5:28 pm**

Posted: **Tue Nov 10, 2020 8:44 pm**

Alex frowns and rubs his face in frustration. This seemed like a dead end. He had no reason to think Kirwan was involved, and professional courtesy meant he did not want to pry into the man's affairs without cause. Hoping the others find something more, he heads home and retires for the evening, still feeling like a failure.

Posted: **Wed Nov 11, 2020 4:48 am**

"Thank you, Captain Keats," says William. "I shall speak to you again in the morning."

Posted: **Wed Nov 11, 2020 11:02 am**

Ivy nods cordially to the watchman.

“I’m hoping to catch up on some work,” she explains, assuming he recognises her.

Posted: **Wed Nov 11, 2020 11:08 am**

Posted: **Wed Nov 11, 2020 11:37 am**

Posted: **Wed Nov 11, 2020 2:34 pm**

Posted: **Thu Nov 12, 2020 3:35 am**

Posted: **Thu Nov 12, 2020 4:02 am**

Posted: **Thu Nov 12, 2020 8:01 am**

Posted: **Thu Nov 12, 2020 5:21 pm**

Thursday March 13th, 1930 9.00am.
Offices of E.E. Saltonstall & Associates, Gedney Street, Arkham, Mass.

The day had dawned brighter than the day before, though the streets of Arkham were wet from the night’s rain. The wind was blustery and the temperature cool. Winter was on its way out, but the benefits of spring were not to be felt this morning.

In William’s office, he sat behind his desk, with Alex, Ivy and Lawrence facing him. Four cups of coffee sat on a tray on his desk, steam rising towards the ceiling. The secretary who had brought their drinks closed the door quietly behind her, leaving them to discuss their business.

Posted: **Thu Nov 12, 2020 8:37 pm**

Ivy thanks the secretary and settles in her seat. When asked, she’ll outline what she’s learned.

“So, what have we discovered?” she asks.

Posted: **Thu Nov 12, 2020 9:02 pm**

Posted: **Fri Nov 13, 2020 3:47 am**

"I passed by the addresses on my way home yesterday evening: Mrs. Galvin's house is barren, not a soul living there; I saw Kirwan at his house through a window, but nothing else there of note; I didn't catch sight of the Noroians, but I did hear their baby crying inside."
Lawrence recounts the rather mundane things he saw, after which he picks up a cup of coffee and takes a quaff from it.

Play@YSDC

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