Play@YSDC

The traffic is stop-start on the way back to Guildford (continuing camera repairs on the A3 according to Sgt. Dhillon), so you are still in transit when Nightingale replies to Izzy's message.

'I have just received a similar missive from my superiors. Mr. Grimes has quite the following among people of certain political leanings - Britain First, English Ordnance and the like. The powers that be are worried he'll expose us. Be careful. Act against Grimes only if you have concrete evidence. I'll prepare the way as best I can.'

By the time you reach Lime Grove - a nondescript 1960s housing estate - it is around 4pm. Barry's flat is on the upper floor of a modest end-of-terrace house, reached by metal steps up the side of the building. Knocking on the frosted-glass door elicits no response.

"That website had a mobile phone number," says Jordan. "Let's give him a call. Maybe he's out. Or maybe there's trouble."

”… or p’raps someone could open de door?” suggested Des, looking pointedly at Leo and Izzy, who were, as far as she was concerned, the group’s actual magical practitioners.

"I'm not a constable," says Jordan, "but I've seen enough cop programmes to know that they need either a warrant or exigent circumstances. Plus, we need to be careful. Remember the greenhouse. There could be all sorts of nasty plants inside."

Skipper is industriously checking the lock, checking under the doormat, under any pot-plants or other hiding places for a spare key. As he does so, he chats amiably.

"Can I just say, most of this Folly voodoo has been your psychological, creepy movie kind of strangeness. Well, aside from DC Napalm, obviously."

"But that nursery, finally we had a moment straight out of Harry Potter. I am well pleased."

Is it a standard lock? Is the door actually locked? Is there any way to climb to a window, or balcony, or skylight, without risking a broken neck? Any handy ladders about nearby?

On receiving the reply from DCI Nightingale, Izzy passes the info on to the others.

"Going by what the guv'nor said, I'm wondering just who it is that's worried about us being exposed. Met Commissioner... or maybe Tyburn?"

Izzy's thoughts lean in the direction of Lady Ty, knowing that the river goddess is well acquainted with the ins and outs of Whitehall politics and the upper echelons of the Metropolitan Police. Her own relationship with Tyburn, from their few encounters on Folly related business, has tended to be a bit more cordial than Tyburn's relationship with Peter - perhaps because she doesn't allow her personality to clash with Tyburn's as much, or maybe because of the help that Izzy's been able to offer Ty's daughter in her own coming out process... but in any case, she can definitely see those perfectly manicured fingers all over the instructions from on high.

"Jordan's right", she adds, when faced with the locked door of Lime Grove. "Legally, under PACE we can't enter without a search warrant, unless we're arresting someone or have good reason to suspect they're in danger. Or after they've been arrested."

Referring to the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, of course.

Izzy makes a point of looking at the innocent-seeming Skipper as she speaks, her eyes being all the warning he should need to not do what she suspects he's about to do.

OOC:   As a player, I'm all for it! As a copper, Izzy's dead set against it!

Des’ luck is 69 so it isn’t her.

Skipper has an air of innocent exploration as he peers about for hidden keys, with all the enthusiasm of a child in a lolly shop. With fractional reluctance and a slight sigh, he looks back at the others.

"There was some mention of an allotment I believe, where Barry might operate his business from? We could just head over there quick sticks and surprise the little Vulcan before he has time to hide his naughty produce."

"The old allotment can't be far, right?"

Ok, Izzy’s Luck it is…

[12] = 12
Luck 35 1d100: [ 12 ] = 12

While mooching around the door, around which hang some lush hanging baskets, you knock over a plastic garden gnome. Inside it, something clinks.

Upon closer inspection, you discover that the head unscrews and inside is a door key.

"I haven't burned down a building in several weeks now," Leo says, as he catches up to the group.

When he sees what they are planning, he almost wishes he hadn't. While he knew sometimes you had to break a few eggs to make an omelette, he was never going to be comfortable playing the "Lawful Stupid" alignment.

"Let's ask the SIO to get us a warrant first. See what happens. Then..." he gestured at the incipient crime scene.

Des rolled her eyes. ”We bin tol’ to back off. Why dafuq u tink we’ll get a warrant?!” she snapped at Leo.

"We were told to back off of Grimes. This isn't his place. This is Barry's, and nobody said not to investigate him..."

Izzy stays calm and patient as she explains, but she can't avoid a mild sigh of annoyance as they find the key. Now she knows there's likely no chance of the group doing this the legal way, since a warrant is needed with or without a key, but she perseveres anyway.

"Leo's right, we still need a warrant. We should be able to get one sent across, but it can't hurt to try the phone number in the meantime. If Barry's home and not answering the door, then we can corner him. If he's not in to begin with, at least then we can try and trace him. Or, you know, try the allotment as Skipper said..."

Left unsaid is the other, slightly more worrying option. If they can't get an answer by phone, then they can always enter with the key under the reasonable suspicion that Barry is inside and in danger, or even dead. Nice and PACE compliant... though not so great for Barry...

”Still investigating’ de same case,” muttered Des sullenly, annoyed at having made a mistake and been lectured by Izzy like she was thick.

"Well spotted," says Jordan. "Good plan, Izzy."

Skipper looks over at Izzy with sage-like benevolence.

"Voodoo Child, as one who has spent more time avoiding the Met's attention than aiding it, can I suggest a different course to sail?"

"We know where the house key is now, but Barry doesn't seem to be home. Let's imagine he is well supplied with wicked drugs instead of weird magic flower juice and it's in his allotment shed. If you ring him and say we'll be around in ten, he's going to spend that ten minutes fertilizing the neighbour's tomatoes with his naughty product. And you may have no evidence to barter with to extract his customers' names."

"Or we surprise him at the allotment, up to his neck in well wicked horticultural-ness. If he doesn't have the Harry Potter spray there, we bring him here, by which time you have obtained your PACE section 8 warrant in His Majesty's Name. Meantime, perhaps the excellent, not to say well fit, sergeant here can rustle up a couple of uniforms to guard this place."

"Of course, if you want a bit of unofficial and extra-legal intel on what's in Barry's gaff before we leave, just say the word."

Skipper carefully puts the gnome back, head on right, but minus the key.

Although Izzy would never admit it, she's actually quite impressed by Skipper's deductive reasoning there. She nods, and agrees.

"Sounds like a plan then. I'll sort the warrant out now and hopefully it'll be ready to go before we get to the allotment."

With that, she drafts a quick text to the relevant officers, chats to the Sergeant, and goes about the process to obtain a PACE search warrant...

As Izzy is sending her text, a grin spreads across Leo's face. He pulls up the Wikipedia app on his phone, and does some quick research before putting it back in his pocket. "You know, 'Griffin Juice' might be a better appellation for this concoction, given that was the name of Herbert George Wells' scientist in The Invisible Man."

While still standing there with the others, he slowly turns in place, scanning the neighborhood. He shudders as he realizes that someone using this could potentially be standing out there watching back. The previous smile slowly disappears; this time, Leo does not share his thought with his friends.