IC - 28 - The Big Smoke - Simon and Jocelyn

[Philulhu]

”Just waiting to hear from Simon,” said Kris. ”I’m sure he’ll be in touch shortly!”

Pulling out his phone, he sent a quick text. ”How are you getting on?”

[Mr. Handy]

"Yes, let's see what he has to report from his surveillance first," says Jocelyn.

[Mephistophilis]

Louise Hayman looks increasingly confused as Simon begins monologuing. At the mention of Samuels she reacts, the slightest of flinches. 'What's this got to do with Henry? He left all that stuff behind when he came out of prison...we all left that life behind...' she seems somewhere else for a second, remembering something, not necessarily something good. 'It was a long time ago.'

But as soon as Simon talks about taking her child away her expression sharpens, eyes narrow, she seems combatative and the pressure against his leg increases, he can feel the tip of the knife pressing against his skin as it slips between the fibres of his trousers.

She looks broadly into his face, tipping her head to one side with a slight smile that portends nothing good. Simon feels the knife twist, it's sharp and there's a pinch against his skin...he thinks the knife tip may even have broken the skin!

'You've just threatened me. Threatened my daughter. Why should I trust you?'

I think a Persuade roll here - that was a nice speech so take a bonus die

[Silver Priest]

Simon winces as the knife digs in further. He knows he's dealing with a woman who is unstable, but his outrage continues to win out over self preservation.

“What precisely do you think this will acomplish? Forget this mess with Balfour, you'll lose your child regardless once you're arrested. And I've already explained why you should trust me. I never felt you fit the profile and am prepared to testify to that effect; I'm not a member of the police so have no skin in this particular conflict. If anything it will make them realize they should heed my advise in the future. Now stop being foolish, put down the bloody weapon before you embarrass yourself further, and let me make a call and put an end to this farce, hmm?” His tone is patronizing and as if he is speaking to a particularly disobedient child.

1d100

1d10 Bonus die

Have to be honest, if Simon's story had ended with him being gutted in a tacky nail salon I think I'd have been okay with it.

[Mephistophilis]

Louise stares at Simon, unblinking. He can feel the tension in her arm as the tip of the knife presses against him. She's like a coiled spring ready to release. Then he feels her hand slacken. She throws up her hands in the air and throws the knife onto the table.

'What's going on?' she asks plaintively. Her expression collapsing into one of concern and distress. 'What's any of this got to do with me and Chantelle?' Her lips pinch and her eyes take on a pained look. 'It's cos I told them coppers I hadn't heard nothing from Johnny isn't it? I knew I shouldn't have. I shoulda just told 'em.'

[Silver Priest]

"A wise decision." Simon responds, only now realizing how close he came to a violent confrontation. Thankfully Louise was willing to see reason, though it would have been difficult for her to have not given how he had laid things out for her.

"The police are on high alert now, because Balfour is as dangerous as I've said. He was planning to murder his own daughter tonight in a religious ceremony. I managed to stop this, but now I fear he's looking for another child to use in her place. When Mr. Zero visited you it was feared you may have fallen in with him in this plot, but I'm glad to see you had more sense than that and have learned from past mistakes. What exactly did he want from you?"

[Mephistophilis]

She looks uncomfortable, squirms a bit in her seat. 'Me an Johnny, we used to have a thing. Long time ago. I knew him through my brother. Johnny used to hang with the 318 Crew. We kept in touch, now and again anyway. Then he found God and I didn't hear nothing from him for ages.' She looks acutely uneasy. 'I know I told them coppers I hadn't heard from him but that ain't true. Few weeks ago he called me up. Wanted to me to hook him back in with some of the old crew. I don't know what he wanted but it weren't good, that's for sure. I told him I couldn't help him. That's all. I didn't want Henry knowing I was talking to Johnny, him an Johnny didn't get along, he always said he was a waste of space.'

[Silver Priest]

Simon listens with some frustration. This gave them little, making the whole matter a waste of time-- when time was the one resource they were running out of. Still, one had to make use of what they had.

“Ms. Hayman, I've told you what we're investigating, and suffice it to say neither you nor Henry are of interest to us. I'm very glad you had the sense not to get mixed back up with Johnny. But you can still be of great help to us. As I've said, Reverend Balfour is planning to murder an innocent child tonight during his sermon. If you were willing to say that Johnny called you and mentioned John Balfour's name and that he wanted some of the, ah, 'old crew' for nefarious purposes we could shut his sermon down and ensure he's unable to harm anyone. It would be your word against Mr. Zero, and that's no contest; he's in jail right now for assaulting an elderly woman as he was trying to escape arrest.

“I would of course ensure that no legal ramifications came from this. Explain that you are simply an upstanding woman that wished to leave your past behind, and preferred not getting involved. But after hearing of Mr. Zero's arrest, you felt a civic obligation to come forward.”

[Mephistophilis]

'Uhm...'

OOC:   Wow, you're aiming high. You want her to perjure herself and lie to say that Johnny called her and said Balfour wanted to get some gangsters to help him out? That sounds like a Hard Persuade (because it's a big ask) with a penalty die (because she doesn't trust the authorities)!

[Silver Priest]

I confess I was hoping my hard success on the last roll would have endeared her enough to get me an auto success on this, but I don't blame you for not letting me off that easy. In my mind Simon's becoming increasingly convinced that everyone around him is incompetent and he's the only person that can thwart a major terrorist attack and perhaps more importantly, get the accolades he feels he deserves. It's making him a little devious.

1d100

1d10 penalty

The penalty seems to have ruined me. Though I would point out Simon's taken pains to separate his own reputation from that of the authorities and has badmouthed them to her. But I'm prepared for her to pick up the knife again and gut Simon with it.

[Mephistophilis]

Louise looks at Simon, he can see a struggle in her eyes. For just a moment he thinks she looks like she might go along with his suggestion, but then she lets out a breath she has been holding.

'Nah, no way. If you've got evidence against that Balfour geezer you could act on it without asking me to make shit up.' She shakes her head, looking more decided now. 'I don't want no kid to get killed but that's your job, not mine. I've just gotta think about me and Chantelle.'

She isn't going to gut Simon - she's just not going to lie for him.

[Silver Priest]

Simon looks blankly at Louise before he smiles.

"Of course. I can hardly fault you, not everyone has the courage to do what must be done.Hopefully we can resolve the matter regardless."

"For now, I am a man of my word. Let me clear up your recent troubles." He pulls out his phone and dials Jocelyn so Louise can hear their entire conversation.

"Louise Hayman is completely uninvolved in Balfour's plot. Do not continue the case against her." He smiles reassuringly at the woman as he speaks.

[Mr. Handy]

"I'm sorry," says Jocelyn, "I guess we've been wasting our time. We need to cover Balfour ASAP."

[Philulhu]

”Miss Hayman,” said Kris. ”This is Detective Constable Sapru from Thames Valley CID. While you’re not directly involved, others you know may be. Is there anywhere you could take Chantelle away for a couple of days, just the two of you? Just to be on the safe side.”

[Silver Priest]

Simon puts the phone on speaker.

[Mephistophilis]

Louise takes on a look of anxiety as Kris suggests she take her daughter away for a few days.

'Do you...do you think Chantelle's in danger? I didn't say anything to Johnny! He wouldn't come for her...would he?'

Simon can see the panic rise in Louise's eyes. 'I could go to my sister in Margate? Is that far enough away? What do I tell Henry? Is he in danger?'

She starts to pack away some of the items on the bench on front of her. 'I have to go and get her now, I have to get my daughter.'

[Philulhu]

”Miss Hayman, we’re not sure who you can trust. Take your daughter to Margate by all means, but it’s better not to tell anyone where you’ve gone,” said Kris. ”You might think you can trust someone but they could let the cat out of the bag and you’d both be in danger again. It’s safer for Chantelle if you don’t tell anyone where you are.”

[Silver Priest]

"This is why I asked for your assistance putting these people away." Simon explains. "But if you wish to leave town that may be for the best. I don't believe your daughter holds any special significance to Johnny or his associates, so you likely will not have to fear pursuit. But for your piece of mind consider taking a small holiday."

[Mr. Handy]

Jocelyn realizes that if Chantelle is a firstborn child, as she appears to be, and if Balfour can really do what he plans to do, there is nowhere on Earth she'd be safe if they fail. However, she's not about to say that to Louise.

[Mephistophilis]

Louise looks confused for a second. 'I have to tell Henry something. I guess I could say my aunt's sick...'

She's already picked up her bag and stuffed her few possessions inside. She walks past Simon making her way for the door. Just before she opens it she turns, look embarrassed for a moment, then says 'Good luck stopping that Balfour, okay,'

And then she heads out the shop.