Part 1 - Ice and Time

[SunlessNick]

Closed, the interior of Barbary Club seems large and echoing - however the murals of Spain's Mediterranean coast that decorate the walls lend it a bright and warm air. A few members of staff are cleaning the tables that run down the far side of the dance floor - the stage is to the left and the bar to the right. At the bar is Daniel Reyes, who handles the accounts - JJ has talked to him a few times when getting paid for a gig - in conversation with a couple of the barmen.

[Mr. Handy]

"Hey, Daniel," says Jacqueline, sauntering up to the bar. "I was wondering if you might be able to help us. This is Ellis Lammons. One of the students at the school where he teaches, Alexander Covington Junior, has gone missing. He was last seen three days ago heading this way." She describes him.

[SunlessNick]

"Hey, Daniel," says Jacqueline, sauntering up to the bar. "I was wondering if you might be able to help us. This is Ellis Lammons. One of the students at the school where he teaches, Alexander Covington Junior, has gone missing. He was last seen three days ago heading this way." She describes him.

OOC:   Alexander Junior is the brother of one of Ellis's students - or were you just cutting the length of the story down for the sake of the witness?

Daniel greets you and admires your look before addressing the question. "I don't remember seeing a boy like that. Do you know if he planned any business here?"

One of the barmen interjects, "Was he driving a cart?" [The answer to that question is likely to be yes - icemen deliver their wares via a horse-drawn cart]

[HoneyDog]

"Yes, most likely" Ellis replies.

[Mr. Handy]

"He was delivering ice," adds Jacqueline.

OOC,Oh, I thought they both went to the same school.

[SunlessNick]

"I did see a horse drawn cart," the barman says. "It turned north on eighth. The driver was just a blur to my old eyes though - I don't know if it was your guy. Sorry." Going north on Eighth Avenue would take Alexander Junior well away from his delivery route - however the timing of the sighting checks out with what the caretaker told you.

[Mr. Handy]

"Thank you, that does help," says Jacqueline. "Now we know where to continue our search. "

[SunlessNick]

The nearest prominent landlarks on the indicated route are:

The White Rose Mission is on 136th Street - it was founded by a teacher and a former slave and provides safe harbour for young women newly arrived in Harlem. Ellis is vaguely acquainted with the teacher in question, Maritcha Lyons - she works in Brooklyn, but has helped women in her care get in touch with schools in Harlem. However, as I said, the Mission serves women rather than men.

The Wiley Wilson Sanitarium on 138th and 7th is a small clinic that offers medical services to people in the Valley unable or afraid to go to Harlem Hospital itself. JJ has met Dr Wilson, who is the ex-husband of A'lelia Walker, one of the more notorious bookers of acts, holders of salons, and patrons of artists in Harlem. However, if that's where Alexander Junior is going, he's taking an indirect route.

If he kept going west, he'd cross St Nicholas Avenue and end up in St Nicholas Park, a strip of green on craggy and narrow ground. It's one of the few places where you could hide a cart, although it going undiscovered for three days is very unlikely.

OOC,Ellis's Intelligence: 80 Rolled Idea: 68

At that thought, it occurs to Ellis that if Colonial Ice and Coal (which is on 151st and 8th) had been missing its horse and cart for three days, it would probably have called the police, who in turn would have visited the Covingtons' apartment. But neither Charlotte nor James mentioned anything like that.

Also Ellis,Finally on 134th Street, just north of Seven Avenue, is St Phillips's Protestant Episcopal Church.

There are of course a variety of smaller shops and alleys.

The sidewalks are bustling with people out strolling, although the likelihood of getting useful out of a randomly accosted passerby is low.

[HoneyDog]

“Has Alexander been reported absent from his work, do you know?” Ellis asks Jacqueline.

[Mr. Handy]

"I don't know," says Jacqueline. "We could inquire at Colonial and see if he returned the cart, and the last time they saw him. He may have been heading back that way."

[HoneyDog]

"Let's do that."

[SunlessNick]

It's quite a walk to Colonial, and it's near lunchtime by the time you arrive. It's a wholesaler, so regular folks don't go there to buy - only the icemen themselves come and go. Most of them are Italian, and have locked themselves into getting all the commercial custom - the black deliverers are limited to dealing with apartments and private homes. The better off own their own carts or trucks, while others (like Alexander Junior) have to rent them, the cost of which gets added to what they pay for the ice.

JJ will remember CC telling her Alexander Junior had a friend called Elijah. Or you could talk to the sales clerk in Colonial (a glance through the door tells you that's a white man sitting a desk, currently speaking to an Italian iceman).

[Mr. Handy]

"Let's try to find Alexander Junior's friend Elijah first," suggests Jacqueline. "He's more likely to want to help."

[HoneyDog]

"I think so too" says Ellis. "And we don't want to get Alexander into any trouble."

[Mr. Handy]

"Yes, I was thinking the same thing," says Jacqueline.

[SunlessNick]

Asking among the few black icemen who are around elicits the information that Elijah is currently making his own rounds, but should be back in a little under an hour. It gives you both time to get some lunch if you want.

When he appears, he turns out to be a tall man in a scraggy greatcoat you recognise as coming from an army uniform. He stops his cart and fusses briefly over his horse giving a chance to accost him before he enters Colonial's office. "Yes?" he says. "Are you here to arrange a purchase?"

[Mr. Handy]

"No, we're looking for Alexander Covington Junior," says Jacqueline. "I'm Jacqueline Johnson, a friend of his mother's. When is the last time you've seen him?"

[SunlessNick]

"You're here about Alexander?" He looks suspciously at you both for a moment, before apparently deciding he can trust you. He asks you to wait while he talks to the clerk inside, before he wonders what Elijah's up to.

When he emerges a few minutes later, he says, "I brought Alex's cart back here, like he asked, but I can't keep covering for him. I've told them his arm got hurt, but the Italians are already sniffing after his route, and if they get it for good, Alex is fired. Wait... you're looking for him? How long is it since his mother saw him?"

[Mr. Handy]

"Three days ago, as of last night," says Jacqueline. "We're afraid something may have happened to him. Someone saw what was probably his cart heading up 8th from 133rd. Where and when did you talk to him and get his cart to bring it back? What did he tell you?"

[SunlessNick]

Elijah brushes a hand over his mouth. "Three days? I saw him then. I'd finished by round, and I was heading down Eighth - I like to visit St Nicholas Park, you know - anyway, I ran into him and said hello. He asked if I could look after the cart. He said he had something he had to do real urgent. I was a bit put out, but I said yes. But then he didn't come back for his next round. I told the clerk Alex was hurt, and he gave the round to Guiseppe - that's that guy there - but if I keep doing that they'll just fire him anyway.
"But I saw him again yesterday. I was passing by St Phillip's and he was outside, looking like he wasn't sure about going in. I asked him what was up, and for a second it was like he didn't know me. Then he said he was in trouble, but he ran before I could ask if I could help.
"I swear I didn't know he hadn't gone home, or I would gone and told his Mother about it. Alex's eyes were scared though. I don't know what's wrong, but if he's staying away from his family it's because he's scared for them, I'm sure of it."