Statement 3: Flowers Fields

[Mr. Handy]

"Thank you," says Jordan, putting the picture away again. He turns to the others. "I'm wondering about the Saturday girl. Is it possible she could have made an unauthorised sale, perhaps without even knowing what she was doing?"

[Snapper]

"Hmmm." Skipper is both relieved and slightly disappointed not to find something triffid-like. Or Audrey demanding feeding...

He pulls his old film camera out, quickly sets it to shortest distance focus, then holds it one-handed through the door and takes a shot. Skipper pulls the camera back, winds it on efficiently then continues quickly taking photos left, right, centre, up and down, trying to cover everything.

[jp1885]

A luck roll, if you please.

[Snapper]

1d%L56%

Hard Success.

[Philulhu]

Des watched Skipper as he took some one-handed photos in one of the greenhouses. For some reason it reminded her of a scene in an old film that her dad liked. What was the name of the film again? Some secret agent with wonky teeth? Oh yeah, Austin Powers… …

[Trivun]

As Maud takes the bag, Izzy notes the reference to her family. "When you say 'saplings in places he shouldn't have', do you mean that literally, or metaphorically?"

She's thinking of the time when Peter Grant took a trip to the land of the Fae in Herefordshire. And the time after that, with the cars.

She doesn't fail to spot the reaction to the evidence bag when Maud takes a sniff. However, she doesn't say anything more for now - no sense antagonising the public! Instead, she gives a rather meaningful glance to Jordan and Eli to see if they can wheedle something out of the older woman...

[jp1885]

Skipper - After snapping away for a while, you withdraw the camera. It is soaking wet, but appears to be undamaged - perhaps a little fogging around the edge of the lens, but this quickly fades away in the cooler air.

Everyone else - On the verge of ushering you out of the shop, Maud pauses - something in the tone of Eli's voice calming her down.

Shoulders slumped in defeat, she sighs at izzy.

"Literally! Some of the plants we grow here aren't from the mundane world..."

Overhearing Jordan's statement, she shakes her head emphatically.

"No. They're good girls - they know better than to sell anything... different... without asking me first."

She turns to Eli.

"As I said - my son ain't around no more. But my grandson Barry... despite having no head for figures, the silly bugger has branched out his own - 'Greenthumb Gardening Services' would you believe? He rents a flat near Lime Grove in Guildford. He keeps a small allotment there, from where he runs his 'business' - if you can call it that; he's only managed to keep one client! And as for that stuff..."

She pokes a finger at the container.

“Smells like Demon Flower sap. Dangerous plants Demon Flowers – magical and very rare mind you. The juice can turn things invisible, but it melts your brain if you get any on you. Difficult buggers to grow – the only one I’ve ever known to get them to flourish is Barry…"

Her face falls.

"Oh no, what’s he got himself into?”

[Trivun]

And there it is.

"Melts your brain... by which you mean hyperthaumaturgical degradation." It's not a question, but a statement of fact.

Immediately Izzy switches tack, and the expression on her face is one of sympathy and concern, trying to empathise with the shopkeeper. "We promise, Barry's not in any trouble, but we think somebody's had a nasty accident with this stuff, and they're... no longer with us. We just want to make sure that nobody else ends up being hurt by the sap."

The implication in her tone is one of of course Barry's going to be fine, he didn't know someone would get hurt, after all, you don't arrest the manager at Asda when someone drinks bleach, do you? She glances at Sgt. Dhillon as well, trying to communicate non-verbally, make sure Forensics know not to touch the sap, although she's certain that common sense would ensure they don't do so anyway. For all they know the trace remains of fluid in evidence could be acid...

"Do you know who Barry's one client is that he's managed to keep?"

[Snapper]

Skipper frowns and gives his camera a quick wipe with a handkerchief before stashing it away in his backpack. He slides the door shut again and does his best to at least temporarily push the fallen clasp back into place. As long as it looks about right is all he's aiming for.

As soon as he can, Skipper will start stalking back towards the others.

[Mr. Handy]

"That makes a lot of sense," says Jordan. He has a good idea who the client was, but he waits for Maud to confirm it. "It explains how someone who isn't a practitioner can get HTD."

[BoyBlunder78]

Turning to Jordan , Eli quietly says"So direct contact can lead to THD, then spraying his entire body with it I'd think would be a fatal dose. The question is was he told that? Or did he ignore any advice he was given?" Facing Maud he asks gently, How does Barry advertise his business? Do you have any business cards?
A thought suddenly strikes him. "Detective Cooper, when we searched the victims car, in the boot we found some of the spilt contents of the spray. If it as dangerous to the touch as we have been told, then maybe we should warn the forensics team, or anyone who will be searching the car!"

[SaintMeerkat]

DC Leo Dansby.jpg (16.73 KiB) Viewed 644 times

Leo listens to all of the conversation. His debit card is still out. He still wants a peace lily (or two), and when it looks like Maud is about to eject the entire group, he plants his feet hard.

He looks over at Jordan. "But there was a powerful vestigia there in the changing area of the leisure centre. Literally blew me out of the room, and I am literally using literally correctly this time. Knocked me on my arse. Someone did something there."

[jp1885]

Maud's head switches back and forth as you discuss the case.

"I wouldn't take one of his stupid cards. I didn't approve of Barry going off on his own but I let him do it - it's the only way he'll learn about failure - or so I thought! He did manage to make a website though - he was very pleased with himself about that."

"He also got very excited about his client - some motoring bloke off the telly. Barry always liked cars - not that he could ever afford one. He was a bugger behind the wheel of the van though! He idolised this bloke - silly bugger started wearing jeans and a leather jacket and such - even when he was gardening."

"HTD? That's what you lot call brain-melt eh? What's vestigia? Oh - you mean the smell?" She nods at Izzy and Leo. "Like what you two have. Yeah, Demon Flower sap would leave a smell wherever it was sprayed - even if it was watered down, which you'd need to do to spray it over yourself."

She chuckles grimly.

"Lemme guess - you found someone dead who'd done just that? Wouldn't be the first time it's been tried - wouldn't be the last time someone died. That's why we don't sell Demon Flowers - we just grows 'em in-"

She stops and slaps her forehead.

"I bet the bugger took one from the greenhouse!"

With a surprising turn of speed, she bustles through the rear door of the shop, almost sending a returning Skipper sprawling.

Meanwhile, looking rather alarmed, Sgt. Dhillon contacts the Forensics department to warn them about the substance.

[SaintMeerkat]

DC Leo Dansby.jpg (16.73 KiB) Viewed 628 times

Leo yelps when he sees the woman move surprisingly quickly toward her greenhouse. He chases after her with his debit card out in front of him, presenting it like Van Helsing with his crucifix. "I'm not leaving without that peace lily, Ms. Flowers."

[Mr. Handy]

Jordan follows too, determined to check out the scene.

[Snapper]

Skipper, still clenching half a smouldering cigar between his teeth, grunts and jumps out of the way. He assumes he's been rumbled but waits to see. As the 'News of the Week' used to tell them, deny everything.

To Jordan, Leo and anyone else following the portly little Vulcan, he points out the greenhouse with the 'danger' sign. "Nothing moving in it that I can hear. No angry plants."

[Trivun]

As the events unfurl rapidly, Izzy cannot believe what she's seeing and hearing.

"By Loki, are you fucking kidding me right now? This is what you're most concerned with? How the hell am I the sane adult in the room, of all people? No offence," she gives a quick apologetic glance at Eli and Des.

Okay, fine, Jordan is too, and Skipper's only just returned, but as to her fellow police officer - he's meant to be responsible...

She looks towards Sgt. Dhillon, and her words are rapid - true, the sergeant may outrank her, but this is a Falcon case and she'll gladly assume jurisdiction. "Sarge, Eli's right. Make sure nobody, nobody, touches that sap. And we need an action on HOLMES2, get a PC to check out Will Grimes, the guy off the telly. Sounds like he's our Barry's mystery client. Oh, and another action on there, someone to check on Barry Flowers' last known address, Maud said it was in Guildford, we need to make sure he's not gone anywhere before we can talk to him. And Des! See what's on that website that Barry set up, might be useful info!"

She can update her notes later, but for now, Izzy starts racing on to the back, following in the wake of Maud and Leo. Damn the peace lily...

[Snapper]

Skipper, regaining his balance just outside the shop, is torn between watching Izzy melt down and seeing what Spock's grandma is up to. While the melt down is entertaining, he can't really go inside while still smoking his cigar, so decides to follow the procession in the nursery.

To everyone and no-one in particular, in a slightly louder voice he asks, "What was that about don't touch the sap...? Asking for a friend."

[Philulhu]

Des’ thumbs danced across the screen of her phone, searching for ‘Barry Flowers’, ‘Demon Flower Sap’ and ‘Will Grimes’ but just found herself overloaded with photos of a boomer in a leather jacket, poncing round with a range of different high-end cars.

She rolled her eyes. It wasn’t going her way…

I’m assuming that’s research is the relevant skill (30%) 1d100

[Mr. Handy]

"The stuff we found was made from the sap of one of the plants in the greenhouse," says Jordan. "If you get it on your skin, or the stuff itself, you'll end up with cauliflower brain. That's what happened to the deceased."