Ch.14b. A Letter From a Friend (Jerry & William)

[Philulhu]

Sunday, August 31st, 1930 6.30pm
Arkham Asylum, Arkham, Mass.

79 Power Street,
College Hill,
Providence, R.I.

Dear Lawrence,

I hope you and your family are keeping well.

I remember you spoke to me the last time we met about some weird events you’d got mixed up in. You didn’t go into details but I could tell it had affected you deeply.

I don’t think this is in the same ballpark but I’ve found a strange tunnel under my house and to be honest, I wasn’t sure who else to call upon. If you’re able, please come and see me. I’m living in Providence, in a house I inherited from my late Aunt Florence.

If you’re able, please telegram and advise me when you’ll arrive. Feel free to bring any of those friends of yours you were telling me about - they’d be more than welcome!

Best wishes.

Your friend,

Joshua Winscott

Jerry finished reading the letter and looked across at his brother, who lay staring at the ceiling, unblinking, as he had every time that Jerry had visited over the past few weeks. He’d hoped that something in the letter might have elicited a response from Lawrence, but it wasn’t to be.

He heard the door open and looked up to see Lawrence’s friend, William, come into the room. A lawyer, no less! His brother was friends with a lawyer. Not that it was doing anything for him at the moment, however…

[Bullfrog]

"What in the hell have you gotten into, Lawrence?" Jerry mutters under his breath, knowing full well that his brother wasn't in any state to answer. He always figured that he would be the one to accidentally drag Lawrence into dangerous business, but with how cagey everyone had been about what happened to Lawrence, Jerry was starting to wonder just what kind of skeletons were hiding in his brother's closet.

Jerry abruptly turns to face William as he enters, surprised and perhaps a little shocked to see a visitor. The eldest of the Gilman brothers certainly isn't a pleasant sight, to say the least, with burn scars on his face that have twisted his expression into an ever-present sneer.
"Pleased to meet you, William. I grabbed this letter for my brother, thought that it'd maybe make him do something if he heard me read it, but the guy's still dead to the world. Go and have a look at it, yourself; I don't know anything about what kind of 'weird events' this Winscott guy is talking about."

[Mr. Handy]

"Count yourself lucky," says William, shaking his hand as he reads the letter. "There's a good reason Lawrence is here."

[Bullfrog]

"I've seen this kind of stuff from men who fought in the war, and I know that my brother's never even fired a gun in anger, much less saw combat. So tell me, Mr. Preston, what did he see? I think I'm owed an explanation." Jerry leans forward, his voice taking on a threatening tone; it was clear that he did not take the news of what happened to Lawrence very well, and may have been looking for someone to blame.

[Mr. Handy]

"I'm sorry, but I couldn't tell you without his consent," says William. "I'd be betraying his confidence. Since his commitment I've been acting as his representative, and as a result anything he has told me is protected by attorney-client privilege."

[Bullfrog]

It's a tense few seconds as Jerry stares William down, but as a man with a lick of common sense he knows better than to punch a lawyer in the face.

"Fine. The man's only my brother." Jerry relents, although he remains bitter. "I'm gonna look into this Winscott matter, then; maybe I can get some straight answers out of it, and I haven't got anything else to do. Besides, there's a guy at the boarding house who keeps trying to steal my shoes when I'm around."

[Philulhu]

Such a delightful family, the Gilmans…

[Bullfrog]

The family reunions are simply fantastic. Just don't bring fish. Grandfather goes into fits whenever he sees them. As a matter of fact, don't even mention fish.

[Philulhu]

Brilliant!

[Mr. Handy]

"I can help you check it out," says William.

[Philulhu]

How do you plan to get there, etc.?

[Mr. Handy]

While we could take the train, I think I'd rather drive there in my car. That gives more freedom of movement once we get there.

[Philulhu]

Whichever way you wish to travel is fine. Providence is around two hours away by car.

Will William be taking the delightful Jerry with him, or making him take the bus?

[Bullfrog]

Jerry has his own car, which he'll probably be taking. He's not too fond of lawyers, considering his own career.

[Philulhu]

When do you plan to travel? Tonight? Tomorrow morning?

[Mr. Handy]

I think it's better to wait for the morning.

[Philulhu]

OK, I’m presuming Jerry will do the same unless he plans to turn up and try and impose upon Joshua/sleep in his car?

What time do you plan to set off in the morning? Are you coordinating so you arrive at the same time? Providence is approximately two hours from Arkham, possibly longer depending up-on the mechanical state of Jerry’s car.

[Mr. Handy]

I think we should travel at the same time. Dawn is good for me, but if Jerry would rather sleep in, I'll wait for him.

[Bullfrog]

Jerry's going to leave for Providence tonight. It certainly isn't the first time he's slept in his car, and it won't be the last.

The Jerrymobile isn't anything remarkable, but it isn't junk. Probably a Ford Model A coupe, or something tonthat effect.

[Mr. Handy]

If you're driving there tonight, I will too. I'm not about to let you get your face et by a gribble.