Portland, Maine
August, 1928.
Steven Gilbert is a wealthy businessman, a leading exponent of the bourgeoisie of the roaring twenties. He sees his heritage project going up in smoke, when Timothy, his only six-year-old son, disappears.
A group of investigators will try to find his missing son. The group may include:
1) Police detectives
2) Private detective hired by Gilbert
3) Relatives or friends strongly motivated to find the missing kid
But Timothy´s disappearance is not the only gloomy burden weighing on the Gilbert family. Alyssa, Timothy's mother, committed suicide one year ago, and the reason for such an extreme action is still obscure.
"Detective, this is Mr. Michaud: he's very big in fisheries." Ivy smiles politely. "I am Ivy Ripley, of the Boston Ripleys - I believe your people know my people. Such a tense situation, although diffused, still alarms me. Please excuse me while I take a little air..."
She turns to Emma and whispers: "perhaps we should pop outside and speak to the younger man?"
She heads out of the inn to find the other male antagonist.
The man looks at Ivy, with a mixture of curiosity and mistrust. As he taks a breath and calms down, and the first feeling prevails.
"You and your friends are not from town. Are you? Not hard to guess. When you guys entered, everyone thought you were feds. You know what, I really hoped you were for a moment."
"I tried to take my sister out from there... I don´t want her to stick around Darcy and Michaud. I don´t like them. I don´t want them to give alcohol to her. I don´t like that place."
Meanwhile, Darcy begins a conversation with the two investigators at the table. Strangely enough for the time, it is she who takes the initiative, while her man stays silent.
"So you come from outside, it's not common to meet tourists here. Are you here on business?"
"I'm Detective O'Shaugnessy," Michael says, "and this is Miss Adams. She's kind of helping me out. Police business." He glances at Kathryn, knowing that he's deliberately baiting her. "You happen to know a Jason Carson or a Martin Thompson? I'd like to talk to 'em. Strictly routine."
The young man talking with Ivy waits a few seconds to reply her. He conveys a hint of distrust. His eyes seem to try to better understand Ivy´s intentions.
"My name is Jeremy. Nice to meet you. My sister has got a job in that Inn, but she made bad companies there. Darcy and Michaud traffic alchool, everyone knows ... I was trying to take her away. Michaud exports fish. I have trouble with him as well. His price is much higher than the price this prick is buying from us and there´s nothing we can do. Darcy was someone like us before becoming Michaud´s lover. Well... my sister can do whatever she wants ... but I don´t want her to stick around them. I can not see anything good for Selma ... close to them."
Darcy makes an expression of surprise ... like that of someone who did not expect such a direct question oabout two specific people ... or perhaps about these two specific specific persons. Difficult to say. She quickly covers her embarrassment by responding with a forced naturalness.
"Martin Thompson... humm.... he´s a guy from here, yes the son of the passed way Professor Thompson, one high school teacher here. I heard Martin was on a schooner that went out for fishing. He disappeared during a storm. Poor boy. What to say about Carson... ? Jason Carson used to live here in Greyton. An orphan raised by Father Colby, the city´s priest. Some time ago, he emigrated to Portland and never came back. I thought he was still there. To be stranger, it seems you know people from Greyton ... among the most ehm..... unfortunate."
"Your concern for your sister is very noble Jeremy. Emma and I will do what we can to help you while we are here."
She leans forward so that no-one else can hear.
"We may not be Feds, but we are here on police business. A young boy has gone missing and we believe he might be in Greyton. We are looking for a friend of his mother - Jason Carson. Do you know where we might find him?"
Michael and Kathryn
"Oh ... sure ... you can find father Colby in his home, at the top of the Will Hill, the one just biside the church. " answers Darcy. "As you leave the inn, head west, pass the William Pelletier's farm and find the trai that leads up the hill. You cannot miss it. I warn you he is a gruff guy... at least with his folks... maybe he´s going to be kinder with strangers. I hope I have been helpful."
Ivy and Emma
Jeremy is now more confortable in talking.
"Yes, I knew Jason, even if we have never been close. He´s a nice person, perhaps one of the few in this city. He moved to Portland in search of fortune. I heard he worked in a college over there. One summer he came here with a girlfriend he had found there. This was a few years ago... I think... anyway, since then, he´s never come back as far as I know. If he's not in Portland, I don´t know where he could be. Father Colby raised him. Maybe he can tell you more."
"Thank you Jeremy. I gather Jason had a young friend who was lost at sea during the storm last year - Martin somebody? He must've been very upset... Well, if you happen to hear of Jason's whereabouts, please let me know. In return we'll keep an eye on your sister during our stay at the hotel."
"Oh, and, silly question, but are there any underwater caves nearby?"
Ivy finishes by asking the young man for directions to Father Colby's before allowing him to leave. She then returns inside and sits at a quiet table. If she can see her, she will call Jeremy's sister over for service as a pretext for asking her some questions.
"Martin Thompson… oh.. I heard talking about him. I heard he got involved in something… and then got out from Greyton by sea. He was on a schooner that went out for fishing. Yes, there was a storm and he got lost at sea. You need to talk to Thomas Cornel. He was the captain of the thing. You´ll find him at the harbor. I also heard he had a girlfriend called Amanda, in the Northeast neighborhood.. but pay attention if you go there. Those folks don´t like stranger nosing around"
Jeremy thinks for a moment, with the dumb face of someone who fogot there´s cave in his town.
"Oh yes, the Wellington cave. You find one cave entrance up the West hill. The other one is down at Kenneth beach... near the breakwater... just in fron of the lighthouse..."
"But.. why.. do you think this boy you are looking for might be hidden inside there?" he asks with an amused smile, finding the question unusual
Michael and Kathryn
After they finish the conversation, while waiting for the Ivy and Emma to come back in, Michael and Kathryn see that Darcy casually interects with other people in the Inn. Every now and then she talks with the other girl, the waitress. Michaud follows her but leaves to her most of the social initiative. Every now and then, Darcy takes a look at the table where Michael and Kathryn are.
