Chapter 3: Now It Begins

[innsmouth]

"Pleased to meet you Fort. That's some name you've got there. I'm Henry Glynn, the author. Alice here helps me type up my manuscripts."

"Emily - charmed."

[Mr. Handy]

"Among other things," says Alice. "I also proofread and edit. Good morning, Mr. Throckmorton."

[Silver Priest]

"I'm Henry Appleton!" Henry says hotly. "But yes, good to meet you, Mr. Glynn."

[SunlessNick]

Emily asks Henry Appleton, "I assume Mr Atwater never seemed like the kind of man who would murder someone with a poker?"

[Silver Priest]

"I can't say he did. Of course, I hardly knew him on a one on one level, but I never got that impression."

[HoneyDog]

Harden leads the way upstairs. “Do not touch anything or go anywhere else without my permission” he warns.

Stopping before they enter the room, Harden says,

“There’s another thing you need to know. The number 1 was carved into her forehead. So we need to find out who number 2 is going to be, as soon as possible.”

He opens the library door. The room is quite large, but is in an absolute mess, with books flung from the shelves and littering the floor. Furniture is overturned.

“As you don’t know what you’re looking for, I suggest you get everything into some kind of order, and then we can determine what, if anything is missing, and how significant it might be. We don’t know for sure that something was taken, but the maid says that Atwater was carrying a bundle on his way out. Mr. Williams died a while back, but his widow kept some of his clothes. Atwater may have been carrying something inside them.”

With that, Harden leaves the room, and goes downstairs.

The investigators get to work, and soon the books are piled together depending on their category. There are a great many novels, mostly of 19th century authors, bounds sets of encyclopedias, an extensive collection of histories of the Civil War. There are also a large number of miscellaneous books, some of them quite old. Some have blood stains on them, which must have occurred when Atwater picked them up.

Eventually, the companions find what appears to be Mrs. Hope’s notebook, in which she has catalogued the collection up to 1927. No begins a period of careful cross-referencing. But it's plain to see – there doesn’t seem to be anything missing.

[innsmouth]

"Say, there doesn't seem to be anything missing" says Henry Glynn "Unless perhaps it's a new acquisition not noted?"

[SunlessNick]

Before we start moving things, Emily suggests photographing everything if the police haven't already. Once nothing appears to be missing, she suggests, "Let's look at the bloodstained books. And any that were apart from the general heaps. Even if he didn't take them, if we know which ones he paid attention to, that might tell us something."

[HoneyDog]

A number of books have blood on them. The companions gather them into a small pile. There doesn’t seem to be any pattern connected to the titles though.

Harden sticks his head in the room.

“Found anything?” he asks.

[Starspawn338]

"Not yet." Harrison replies to the Harden. Then he says quietly to the others, "In order for this to make sense, I believe we need to approach it from the perspective that somehow Henry and the other man switched consciousnesses. If that were the case, then we should see if there is any connection between the old man speaking that archaic language and this crime scene."

Harrison looks around the room as he continues, "Is it possible that man had some connection to Mrs. Hope? Maybe he is connected to the Civil War in some way?"

[HoneyDog]

Harden looks around the room.

“Well, why don’t we take a trip to the hospital and ask him? I’m heading that way. We don’t have any other leads, at present.”

[Mr. Handy]

"Yes, maybe he'll be more talkative this time," says Alice.

[Silver Priest]

"Even if he does, will he be in any state to tell us?" Having no better idea however he decides to tag along.

[HoneyDog]

The party head to their transport and off to St. Mary’s.

The news on the mysterious patient is the same; still very weak, but he is showing gradual signs of recovery. He still claims to be Henry Atwater.

The doctor agrees on letting the man be interviewed, but only for a short time. The companions are led into his room, where he lays in bed, in the same position as before. He is awake though, and his eyes track their movements.

[innsmouth]

"Say, remind me who you think this chap really is?" Henry Glynn asks the others.

[aine]

Fort comes back from nosing around the garden and joins the others as they head to the hospital.

Ooc, sorry, I’m going intermittent this week

[SunlessNick]

The man in the hospital didn't claim to know Emily before, before he didn't specifically say he didn't, so she makes the test again - "Henry, it's Emily. Do you recognise me?" [If this really is Atwater somehow, this ought to be the first time he's heard her name]

[Mr. Handy]

"And I'm Alice Stanton," says Alice. "Do you remember what happened to you?"

[HoneyDog]

The man ignores Emily’s question. He raises a spindly arm to Alice.

“Bishop!” he croaks, his eyes bright.

[Starspawn338]

Harrison will stop a minute with the doctor before going into the room.

"Doctor, have you run any tests on the patient? Can you give me an estimate of how old you believe him to be and if there is any medical condition that causes him to be so hunched over?"