The Adventure

[simonthompson]

"Why yes John, in my study. Whatever's the matter?"

[HoneyDog]

“Your neighbor just carried a child’s limb into his house.”

He leaves the room, looking for the study and the telephone.

[simonthompson]

Holst manoeuvres his wheelchair to the table, a look of complete mystification on his face. "What on earth's going on Harrison? What's the heck's got into your young friend?"

[jp1885]

Harrison frowns, sighing deeply.

“We saw your neighbour Corbitt carrying in some shopping into his house. He dropped a package and something, for all the world looking like a child’s severed arm, rolled out.”

He gently manoeuvres the old man away from the window.

“Let us deal with this uncle; I’m sure it’s nothing, but we’ll check to be sure.”

[simonthompson]

Holst looks up at his nephew in astonishment.

Bernard Corbitt? Are you sure of what you saw? You must have been mistaken. He wouldn't hurt a soul, in fact, quite the opposite.

Meanwhile Wessells easily locates Holst's study directly across the hallway from the drawing room he just left. The door is open and although the daylight is rapidly failing, immediately visible to the left of Holst's writing desk is the telephone.

[HoneyDog]

John picks up the phone and connects to the operator, asking for the police.

OOC:   Assuming he connects, he will describe what they saw and ask for help.

[simonthompson]

The operator puts Wessells through to the police station straight away, where the duty sergeant takes the details from him with the detached and somewhat sceptical air of someone who's heard pretty much most things before, many times.

"And you're sure the address is on Park Street, opposite number seven sir? Well, we'll get someone around there right away to check things out. Stay where you are, I'm sure they'll want to speak you personally too."

[HoneyDog]

John hangs up, and returns to the others.

“The police are on their way. Let’s see if they can accomplish anything.”

[simonthompson]

Wessells relays the conversation to both of the Holsts. Howard is openly sceptical, restating his belief that the investigators must surely be mistaken in what they believed they saw.

Across the street the lights in the room fronting the street and the hallway are burning, and the baselight lights are briefly switched on and shortly afterwards turned off again. All else is quiet until after a wait of perhaps three to four minutes a police car pulls up outside the house. Two officers get out and approach Corbitt's door. Both are looking around, neither is particularly hurrying. The door is opened and following a brief and inaudible discussion the officers enter the house.

After another five minutes or so the front door reopens and the police officers emerge, one of them carrying a small box. Again a short inaudible conversation ensues before a smiling Corbitt cheerily waves goodbye and closes his door. The officers return to their car and one puts the box onto the back seat. The contents are clearly visible - plump tomatoes, some potatoes and carrots. One officer remains with the car while the other heads towards Holst’s residence.

[jp1885]

Harrison grimaces as the police approach the house.

“Oh, looks like the cops have been payed off, eh? No need for you to get into trouble over this Uncle - put it down to us over-imaginative young folk, tired from our journey here.”

He turns to John.

”We’ll have to investigate ourselves I guess...”

[HoneyDog]

"Oh, you can be sure of that" says John grimly. "Let's see what the cops have to say."

[simonthompson]

Holst senior answers the knock at the door and ushers a stern looking police officer into his drawing room. "This is Officer O'Malley gentlemen".



“Which one of you two is Mr John Wessells?”

Once this is confirmed he says “We’ve checked things out with Mr Corbitt and it’s plain that you were obviously mistaken in what you claimed to have seen.” He eyes three whisky glasses that were left by the fireplace.

Stepping closer to Wessells he looks him up and down suspiciously. “Have you been drinking sir?”

Spoiler:

It's not illegal to possess or consume alcohol in Bolton (only to make or sell it)

[HoneyDog]

John resists the urge to hit the cop.

“You can see we have Officer. But a class of whiskey doesn’t make me start hallucinating. I know what I saw, and I’m not the only one who saw it. What explanation did Corbitt offer you for possessing a child’s arm?”

[simonthompson]

"The packages you saw from across a gloomy street were a few plant samples Mr Corbitt had just collected. I saw them myself on his kitchen table sir. Quite apart from which I know Mr Corbitt from his charitable work for the Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund and a more upstanding citizen I'd struggle to meet. Frankly I was embarrassed to put your allegations to him, so next time you have a little drink with your friends I'd suggest you think twice before wasting more police time."

O'Malley turns to Howard Holst. "Sir, you're a respectable guy yourself. I'm surprised you entertained this but please try to keep your house guests on a tighter leash next time."

With that he turns and strides from the house back to his car, which slowly drives off.

[HoneyDog]

“Goddam cops” mutters John.

He bows apologetically to their host.

“Please excuse me Mr. Holst. I want to get to the bottom of this.”

With that he goes to the front door, opens it and heads over to the Corbitt house.

OOC,I'll play it like this to give jp a chance to catch up, but John intends to knock on the door and talk to Corbitt directly.

[jp1885]

Harrison smiles apologetically at his uncle.

“I’d better go see to this - there’s no stopping ol’ Wessels when his dander’s up. Keep an eye out for us, just in case we’re not back by nightfall.”

With that, he hurries across the street to join John.

“Ease up ol’ pal; is it a good idea to go confronting this feller like that? It’s pretty clear he’s got the cops in his pocket; let’s knock on his door to apologise. It’ll give us chance to size him up and then we can back off and do some research on the guy.”

[HoneyDog]

“Yes” replies John. “Let’s talk to him.”

Reaching the Corbitt house, he knocks firmly, but not aggressively, on the front door.

[simonthompson]

Close up it's obvious the house is in immaculate condition. Well kept and obviously painted each year, with beautiful shrubs and plants in the flowerbeds it's a credit to the neighbourhood.

A few seconds after Wessells knocks the door a smiling Corbitt opens the door.



"Hello gentlemen, can I help you?" he says.

[HoneyDog]

"We're from across the street, Mr. Corbitt" says John, indicating the Holst house with his thumb. "My name is Wessells. May we come in and speak with you?"

[simonthompson]

"Ah yes, as you're probably aware I've just had a visit from the police. Well, as I explained to them I guess one of my samples could look a little like a limb, from a distance.

He smiles again, "Very public spirited of you and perhaps an understandable mistake. I hope the police officer wasn't too hard on you, I onlywish more people were such good citizens. I would invite you in of course but I've really had a very tiring day and I have to be up early tomorrow morning for business."

Corbitt looks past Wessells for the first time and sees Holst standing behind him. "Oh it's you Harrison. I haven't seen you since last summer. I hope you're well."

With that he wishes both investigators a good evening and closes the door.