IC -27 - Stakeout! - Everyone

[Silver Priest]

"If you really think it prudent we can check her out first, though I'm not sure what a direct approach will get us," Simon says. "If we spook her and she contacts Balfour, he'll know we're onto him. But without being able to determine precisely who has had contact with Balfour recently, I'm not sure I see a better option.

"For what it's worth, my preference would be to discretely sabotage the cars of anyone we suspect of being the family of Balfour's new chosen child in order to delay them. But you're the officer of the law. If you believe there's something to be gained from confronting Hayman directly, I'll support you to the best of my considerable abilities."

[Mr. Handy]

"No, I don't think we should approach her directly," says Jocelyn, "just check to see if she's at home, and her daughter. If they're not, we can ask the neighbours where they've gone."

[Silver Priest]

Simon nods, finding nothing particularly objectionable with this plan.

[Mephistophilis]

So Simon and Jocelyn are off to Southwark to see Louise Hayman? Home or work (she runs a nail bar). You driving?

[Mr. Handy]

I'll drive. What time of day is it. If the nail bar would likely be open now, we'll drive by there first. Did the files also have pictures so that we recognize her when we see her? I did very well on the Luck roll.

[Mephistophilis]

Simon and Jocelyn move here.

[Mephistophilis]

Kris and Lucy sit in her Nissan, watching the house. Lucy's not very chatty today and the wait is pretty uncomfortable for both of them. About half an hour after Jocelyn and Simon head off, Lucy nudges Kris and gestures to the house. 'Someone's on the move.'

A silver Suzuki SUV reverses out of the driveway before pulling off. Kris just manages to glance through the window as it passes, trying to make out who the driver is.

It's Sarah Balfour.

[Philulhu]

Spot hidden (40%) - 1d100

”Damnit! Who was that Lucy? Did you see?” asked Kris, trying desperately to ID the driver…

[Mephistophilis]

Kris can't make out the driver, his position makes it too hard for him to get a good look. But Lucy starts the engine and pulls off, 'That's Sarah Balfour,' she hisses.

Bates follows the car, keeping quite close behind. Closer than Kris would like. Looking down at her hands, Kris can see her knuckles are red and she's muttering under her breath, staring unblinkingly at the car ahead. A few hundred metres down the road, at the roundabout leading to Desborough Avenue the SUV pauses, waiting too long at the line even though there aren't any cars coming the other way. Then it turns right and drives down towards the Marlow Road, heading in the general direction of the M40.

Spot Hidden 50%: 1d100 24
Drive Auto 55%: 1d100 87

[Philulhu]

Kris thought about sarcastically asking Lucy if they thought they should follow her rather than keeping an eye on her husband but decided that her state of mind could only be improved by keeping his comments to himself.

”Ease back a bit, Lucy,” he cautioned. ”We don’t want to give ourselves away.” He pulled out his phone and sent a quick text to the others to tell them they were on the move, then checked the map on his phone, trying to work out where Sarah Balfour could be going. Back to Oxford?

[Mephistophilis]

Kris can't see exactly where Sarah Balfour could be going. If she got on the M40 she could head towards Oxford or into London, but he can't think of an obvious reason she'd be heading to either.

Do you want to give me a Know, Luck, Stealth, or Drive Auto roll to get an idea what's going on?

[Philulhu]

”Where the hell is she going?!” Kris muttered, hoping that they hadn’t just fallen for a ruse to get them out of the way…

Know (70%) - 1d100

Edit: Well that was a fucking disaster! I don’t have the luck points to rescue that!

[Mephistophilis]

Kris isn't sure where she's going but it's obvious she's going to try and get onto the M40 and head out of High Wycombe. There must be somewhere she's heading that they haven't figured out yet. Maybe she's going to London to meet someone?

[Mephistophilis]

His phone beeps and Kris receives a message back from Simon.

Noted. Jocelyn is attempting to get eyes on Louise Hayman, one of the individuals listed in Johnny's phone. Please text an update if you require our assistance.

[Philulhu]

’Any of those suspects got a London address? We’re following Sarah B in that direction.’ Kris replied.

[Mephistophilis]

Pulling on to the Handy Cross Roundabout that leads to the M40, Sarah Balfour suddenly accelerates rapidly and away from Kris and Lucy. DS Bates curses and floors it, weaving out through the lines of traffic circling the roundabout. Balfour's silver Suzuki moves as if to leave the junction eastbound then veers back across two lanes, narrowly missing several other cars, and shoots over bridge that crosses the M40 itself.

Bates doesn't let up and Kris swears her Nissan is only an inch or so away from colliding with a van as she accelerates after the silver SUV. They just catch sight of it roaring past the westbound exit and back over the bridge having made a U-turn back towards Wycombe. 'Fuck this,' spits Bates and she guns it down the inside lane and then pulls out in front of a startled motorcylist to pull right up behind the SUV.

Balfour obviously notices her because she weaves across the road and smashes through some low metal fencing that marks where the two lanes of the approaching M40 slip road separate. Her car continues across the next two lanes, dragging twisted fragments of grey fencework, and mounts the grass verge at the far side, ploughing into a tree. The bonnet crumples and pops open, the airbags inside clearly deploy, and there's a cloud of steam or smoke that vents from the front of the vehicle.

Slowing down to a more reasonable pace, Bates continues around the roundabout and draws to a stop in the outer lane of the slip road. 'Well I think we can all agree that could have gone better. Since I'm still not working do you want to take the lead Detective Constable?'

OOC:   Guess who fumbled.

Drive Auto 55%: 1d100 20
Drive Auto 35%: 1d100 100

[Philulhu]

”No shit, Lucy,” replied Kris dryly, popping his seatbelt and opening the door. ”I better go and check she’s still alive!”

He checked for traffic then ran over to Sarah Balfour’s car to see what damage the woman had done.

[Mephistophilis]

The front of the car looks pretty messed up, wrapped around a tree. And the bodywork down one side is all scratched and deformed after ploughing through the fence. Just as Kris is starting to feel a little worried for Mrs Balfour's safety the driver side door springs open and she half jumps, half falls from the vehicle.

By now several drivers have stopped their cars and got out, looking to help her. A middle aged white woman runs over to her and asks if she's alright. Kris can't see Sarah Balfour's face but there's obviously something in the expression that makes the woman take her hands off her and back away, mouthing sorry.

[Philulhu]

Kris swore to himself. Something was up! He pulled out his Asp and held it ready in case he needed it as he moved closer to take a look at Sarah Balfour…

[Mephistophilis]

Kris advances on Sarah Balfour who is pushing herself up onto her knees. Another good Samaritan is approaching her, a young asian man in his late twenties. Kris can just make out him asking something like 'Are you okay?' when Mrs Balfour makes a lunge at him, grabbing his arm, and spinning him around. 'Look what you've done!' she hisses at him. The man pulls his arm away and walks a few paces backwards looking a bit bewildered.

A message from Simon reads:
Not really. One of Johnny's mates is in London, but I don't believe he's connected to this matter; he reported he came around a month or so ago and tried to indirectly ask how to get a gun. The two I suspect are both from families in Wycombe. I'll fill you in when we meet up. Keep me informed.