January 11 - Hotel Rooms and Police Station

[robertod]

The Hotel and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele
As promised, Cavollaro booked beautiful rooms for her new Engkish friends, right above Biffi ’s on the third floor, at the crux of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele. She wired ahead for the rooms. From their balconies the investigators see Milan coming and going below, faces bowed, brows furrowed. Above, a mural pictures ancient Egypt, a man approaches a seated woman. Just yards below this, and set all around the Galleria’s walls, is statuary. La Galleria Vittorio Emanuele is a beautiful arcade opened in 1877. Soon after, its designer Giuseppe Mengoni plunged to his death from the arch that overlooks the Piazza del Duomo. The Galleria is of cruciform arrangement and covered by a hemicylindrical construct of steel and glass. There is a central dome of the same materials. The walls are three tall stories high. The long arms of the Galleria connect the Piazza del Duomo to the Piazza della Scala. These three architectural achievements form the “Centro di Milano.” There are several cafes in the Galleria, Biffi ’s being the most famous. Other shops are occupied by retailers of clothes, leather goods, jewelry, books, etc. The Galleria is crowded, but the investigators notice the people’s apathetic movement. Many among the visitors and passers-by of the Centro di Milano seem to have suffered a lot from the cold winter. Sneezing and coughing are very frequent.

The hotel rooms have shelves of guide books to the main attractions of Milan, “The Last Supper,” the Sforza Castle, the many churches and gardens, the glorious cathedral, even a book regarding Teatro alla Scala, the opera house. The book contains drawings and illustrative photographic plates. One, pertaining to costume design, includes a picture of Caterina Cavollaro, posing beside a large dummy dressing the suit of an Ancient Egyptian armor. Conversations about the disappearance of the star also continue in the hotel, but there are also rumors that the premiere of Aida will probably be kept, with a substitute singer.

The Police Station
A small protest is taking place outside the Milan police station. Six workers hold signs reading JUSTICE FOR ENNIO SPINOLA. They talk about the killing of automobile worker Ennio Spinola whose body was found yesterday in Portello, not far from the Alfa Romeo factory where he worked.

The police inspector dealing with Miss Cavollaro's case is called Mario Crespi. He´s pretty young but already overweight. A large pair of glasses occupy most of his good-natured face. His voice reveals a strong temperament, but also a certain inexperience. He must have recently been promoted. He´s keen to show that he deserved the new position.

[Mr. Handy]

"Buon Giorno, Inspector," says Felicity in Italian, smiling. "My companions and I are friends of Signorina Cavollaro. We met her on the Orient Express, but we stopped off in Lausanne and have only just arrived in Milan and found out she is missing. We were wondering how the case was progressing and how we can help the investigation. I feel much better knowing that you're on the case."

Using Flattery.

[Mephistophilis]

Andrew just smiles and nods while Felicity introduces them. He gazes casually around the police station and eyes up the officer. 'You might tell the officer that I have some experience of police-work in England. All hush hush of course. Strictly need to know.' He gestures to the protest outside the window, 'Any connection between the death of this Spinola fellow and Miss Cavollaro's disappearance?'

OOC:   Andrew has Cop Talk 1 but he used it earlier - I presume it has refreshed on the train.

[aine]

Clarence nods goodbye to his friends and settles down in his room to study the new scroll, promising to meet up for dinner later.

[SaintMeerkat]

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Archie is stunned by all the beautiful architecture as they make their way to the hotel. He spends a significant amount of the journey looking upward , constantly reminding himself to keep his mouth closed. He makes quick use of the room to freshen up and then joins Felicity at the police station, more for moral support than anything else, since he doesn't actually speak the language.

[robertod]

The police inspector is initially hesitant towards the group of foreigners. He smiles at Felicity respectfully and politely saying she can't talk about the facts of an investigation. At one point, however, he closes the door of his office and decides to start a conversation, keeping the tone of her voice low. Andrew is convincing and the Italian inspector is visibly in difficulty with the case.

"Well... the car Miss Cavollaro got in was a black Alfa Romeo. We interrogate two witnesses. They were not able to see the driver, but Miss Cavollaro got into the car as she knew the driver. We talked to the La Scala staff. Rumor has it that the driver could possibly be Flavio Conti, an old flame of Cavollaro's. We questioned Flavio Conti, and... he admitted that he had taken Cavollaro into her car to give her a ride. He says the woman suddenly asked to get off, a few blocks from the La Scala theatre. She had something important and urgent to do there. At the theater, however, she was never seen.

I think it is unlikely the Miss Cavollaro´s case is connected to the death of Spinola. The body of the automobile worker was discovered in a laneway off Via Tavazzano in Portello, not far from the Alfa Romeo factory where he worked. He was stabbed to death. We are pursuing enquiries among workers in the area. Spinola was an active unionist, and is reported to have been arguing about union matters with other workers in recent days. Spinola was killed when the union was about to decide if continuing to relentlessly face the factory´s owner, taking advantage of the businessman´s moment of weakness.

The factory´s owner is Flavio Conti... who is also the last person who has seen Cavollaro. They have been lovers and they are still friends. He has no idea about where she might have gone when she got out of his car.
Conti is a respectable citizen and gentleman. I don't think he's lying about Cavollaro. Neither I think he was involved in Spinola´s murder. Spinola was a subversive and hotheaded guy and that probably got him into trouble. "

OOC:   I´m assuming Felicity is translating from/to Italian. Yes, Andrew! You can spend the point of Cop Talk. All abilities have been refleshed when the Laosanne scenario was over. I forgot to inform about that.

[Mr. Handy]

"We would still like to talk to Signore Conti," says Felicity. "If he still has feelings for her, he will want to help in any way he can. Maybe he's forgotten or overlooked some small detail that he doesn't even know is important. Do you know where we can find him?"

Yes, I'll translate.

[SaintMeerkat]

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Archie was a patient man; one must be in his field, but he was becoming more and more frustrated as the conversation went on. He felt like he was actually slowing things down as Felicity had to stop and translate everything. It was quite gracious of her to do so, and he didn't have any problem understanding her part of it, and he nodded appreciatively as she spoke.

When she told him that she was asking after the Conti fellow, he nodded approval. "And perhaps poke around a bit wherever he claims he dropped her off."

[robertod]

The Commissioner provides Conti´s address. The point where he claims he dropped Cavollaro off is two blocks from the La Scala theatre, a residential area with very little traffic at the time when Conti says he passed. The police have already asked, but no witnesses have seen or remember seeing anything. The street coordinates of this point are written on a piece of paper.

OOC:   Where does the group go first? If you split, who goes where?

[Mr. Handy]

"Shall we go visit Signore Conti?" Felicity asks her friends.

[Mephistophilis]

'Why don't you talk to Mr Conti. I would like to follow-up on this Spinola. The man sounds like a communist and if there's one thing I know about their kind it is that they keep unsavoury company.'

Following the description of the location from the officer, Andrew goes looking for the scene of the murder.

[SaintMeerkat]

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"Yes, why don't you pay a visit to Mr. Conti," Archie chimed in. "And I'll go with Andrew to examine the crime scene. That should get us off to an excellent start."

[aine]

ooc,
Clarence has already split- to clock up the hours on the scroll.

[Mr. Handy]

"Yes, I may be able to get him to open up more if I'm alone, without another man with me," says Felicity.