IC - 2- Day 2 - Dame Marie Sunday - Everyone

[Mephistophilis]

'If it were that easy, my young friend, I wouldn't be here,' says Mendoza genially, but with perhaps a hint of irritation.

[Mr. Handy]

"Ah, I'm sorry," says Laurent. "I am too young to know much of such things. Do you know the other patients well?"

[SunlessNick]

"Je comprende," Florence says to Mendoza's confession. "Is Dr Driscoll a good doctor?"

[Mephistophilis]

Mendoza seems to think for a few second. 'Si, Tom Driscoll is a good man, a good doctor. But an enterprise like the Azagon is a lot of work. And since his illness, well, it is a lot of work.'

'As for the other patients, well, I'm in something of an in-between position. I came here to tackle my own demons but I'm also earning my keep by working as a doctor so they're my fellow patients but also my patients. There are twenty to thirty patients at any one time. Most people have problems with alcohol or other addictions but some have mental illness and a few are recovering from chronic physical conditions.'

[Mr. Handy]

"What can you tell us about Lawton Lindo?" asks Laurent.

[SunlessNick]

"We mt him last night by the water," Florence adds. "At first we thought these clothes might have been his, but it seems not."

[Mephistophilis]

'Ah, Lawton, he's a good man. Successful attorney I understand, from somewhere in the US, Baltimore I think. Maybe he can be a successful attorney again, when he learns that alcoholics can't drink - ever' says Mendoza. 'Nervous sort, walks in his sleep...' he peers at the clothes, 'I can't see Lawton in these but they do look familiar...' He seems to hesitate.

[Mr. Handy]

"Do you know whose they are?" asks Laurent. "We'd like to return them to their rightful owner."

[Mephistophilis]

Mendoza seems to squirm, 'I'm not sure I should really tell you this, the Azagon manager, Paul Henninger, he's been having some problems recently, another sleepwalker actually. Anyway, these clothes do look a lot like the sort of thing he'd wear. In fact that shirt's a lot like what he was wearing last night when I saw him go out into Dame Marie. I followed him for a bit, I was worried about him, but he wasn't sleep walking. He went to the Hounfor district. You know as well as I do that it isn't just voodoo they get up to there, it's also the red light district, so I left him to it. I heard that he returned in the early hours soaking wet and naked with some story about waking up in the ocean.'

[Mr. Handy]

"That explains it," says Laurent. "We found the clothes in one of the caves at Anse Douce. There were other clothes there too. It looks like he's not the only one."

[SunlessNick]

Florence physically flinches as this news (as she imagines Marise caught up in the image Mendoza has just painted). "Do you know where we might speak to M. Henniger?" she asks. Thinking that she should suggest some more reason for it, she adds, "If they are his, we may be able to return them with less embarrassment to him than if someone at the hospital did."

[Mephistophilis]

'Didn't you meet Paul when you were hired?' he asks, becoming more suspicious.

Whoever wants to Pursuade him to take you to Henninger roll an opposed check - first 1d6 is my roll opposing you, second 1d6 is the human roll since it is definitely within human limits, I don't think your career die fit here, and finally you can add in an Insight roll if you want to risk more Insight/insanity

[Mr. Handy]

"I just come in sometimes to work on the vehicles," says Laurent. "I'm not the hotel's exclusive employee."

Mendoza's roll:
1d6
Laurent's human roll:
1d6

[Mephistophilis]

'Ah, of course, of course, forgive me' he says. 'I'll take you to see Paul. He's an interesting guy, came from a hotel in St Joe City. From Belgium originally, used to be a world class soccer player, though you wouldn't guess now. Came over to St Joe to take up a post with the Centre d'Art in the capital but it didn't work out. A painter I think.'

'And you, my dear' he says to Florence. 'What will you be doing at the Azagon?'

[SunlessNick]

"I... am curious about what it can do to help those with problems," Florence says (this is true inasmuch as she's curious about anything that might have a bearing on Marise or be able to tell Florence what is wrong with her - though she is also deeply suspicious of the place and afraid someone there has hurt her daughter). "And Laurent was kind enough to keep me company while I was so far from home."

[Mr. Handy]

"Merci, Doctor," says Laurent.

[Mephistophilis]

'Ah, I see, I misunderstood, I thought you had come to the Azagon to work. If you have a need for a doctor perhaps you would be better off seeing old Dr Clermont in Dame Marie. He's actually very good, most of the staff here would see him, keep their health and their work at the Azagon separate.'

He seems caught in two minds for a moment, then continues.

'But I'll take you to see Paul, and give him back his clothes.'

-----

Mendoza leads Florence and Laurent up the wide steps and through the double front doors. Inside the lobby is expensively furnished and almost indecently large, even for a resort hotel. The staircase could have been half as wide and still have been adequate. To Florence and Laurent, who have only ever seen pictures of such grand buildings, such as the Palais National, it is like a fairytale castle.

Still, there were some signs of its change in function, no carpets for a start. And the corridors were quite deserted, although they thought they might have seen a glimpse of Ti-Jean down a side passage. After several twists and turns Mendoza brings them to the door of an office with a nameplate saying 'Manager' in English. He knocks and then enters without waiting for a response.

-----



Inside the office is sitting an overweight man in an ill-fitting, sweat stained suit. He has a receding forehead and greasy skin. His sad grey eyes fill with alarm at the intrusion and he struggles to his feet putting out a hand with short, fat fingers.

Mendoza introduces them and he shakes their hands with a clammy grip. In the overly formal French of the European he says, 'Bonjour, bienvenue à l'Azagon. Je m'appelle Paul Henninger. Je suis le gérant.'

'Hello, welcome to Azagon. My name is Paul Henninger. I am the manager.'

[Mr. Handy]

"Bonjour, Monsieur Henninger," says Laurent, shaking his hand firmly. "Je m'appelle Laurent Toussaint."

[SunlessNick]

"Et je m'appelle Florence Lavigne. We hoped to speak with you."

[Mephistophilis]

'Bonjour, bonjour. Welcome welcome. How can I help?' says Henninger.

Mendoza mentions they may have found something of his on the beach and he immediately colours up.

He gabbles, 'No need to detain you Dr Mendoza, I'll deal with this' and he hurries Mendoza out the door.

When it is shut he turns back to them, 'You have something of mine?'