IC: Chapter Two- The Death of a Sea Captain

[BlackGoat]

Sean intrigued by the information regarding the death shares his find with Gunnar

"I suppose now it's time to look up some information on this chap and see what turns up"

[Raiko]

Commissioner Bolan’s Office – NYPD Headquarters, Centre Street, New York
11:20am – Wednesday 6th September 1933

The Commissioner laughs, “I’m afraid I’m not exactly Ivy League Professor, I’ve been a cop all my life. And I really can’t discuss an ongoing murder investigation too much, but since you helped us out with Lawrence I’ll tell you what I can.”

“As you saw for yourself that Lawrence was a madman, who ended his own life. You’ve seen the autopsy reports and there isn’t any indication of foul play.”

“As to Commander Douglas; it’s unfortunate, but the part of town where he chose to stay is quite notorious. I expect it will turn out to be the result of a drunken dispute or a mugging. The only thing that concerns us is that Douglas still had his wallet, but it’s possible that the robber was disturbed before he found it.”

Pier 74 – New York
Lunchtime – Wednesday 6th September 1933

It’s crowded with the security watchman and seven explorers all packed into the small security office, but at least it’s dry here. Outside the heavy rain shows no sign of ever stopping.


New York Public Library – New York
The Afternoon – Wednesday 6th September, 1933

Sean and Gunnar spend the rest of the afternoon in the NYPL pouring over newspaper cuttings and other historical records, but can find nothing other than the riverboat fire to indicate that Arthur Pym was anything other than a fictitious creation of Poe.

Curiously though, follow on articles about the Hudson Riverboat fire indicate that it was a terrible act of arson, for which nobody was ever brought to justice.

[Charles Graves]

After thanking Bolan for his valuable time, Graves heads to the Library. He arrives in time to see Sean and Gunnar leaning over a table crammed with books and old newspapers. From the beaming smile on Sean's face it appears they might have discovered something of interest.

"Good afternoon Gentlemen, is there anything I can do to help?"

[Henrik]

Olof greets McRaven and Isutag. He has not spoken at any greater length with them and is interested in what they have figured out.

[Decrepit]

"What's the plan, gentlemen?" Jack asks, smiling. "I've found out very little, but there's a promise of more to come. Any news here?"

[OrionUK]

"We have decided that the amount of things going missing ect to delay the expedition could be down to sabotage so have decided to move our belongings here to do further investigation"James replies to Jack

[Decrepit]

"Really?" Jack says. "Hoping to catch someone in the act, eh? Well, it's probably as good a plan as any. If it's all the same, I'm probably going to remain at the hotel, try to follow up some more leads. I need to head back to police headquarters tomorrow to look at some notes related to Miss Lexington. So maybe we can tackle the problem of sabotage from two different directions--if, indeed, Miss Lexington has anything at all to do with the sabotage, which I rather doubt.

"Anything I can bring you fellows?"

[Steerpike]

McRaven, nods to everyone assembled, then looks around to make sure it's just them, seeing the guards, begins to speak quietly.

"You all know what happened this morning. After the Lawrence thing, we were plenty spooked but this killing made it worse. First off we have just been back from the hotel were Cmdr Douglas had been staying...."

At this point he waves to silence any protest or a rush of questions

"His room was trashed, long before the cops got there...whoever did was looking for something specific, not sure what they got...but we managed to find quite a bit ourselves...including a letter that states clearly that Douglas had no intention of being the expeditions captain and that Starkweather knew this, although he still told the press the man was on the team!"

McRaven takes out the letter Isugtag had handed to him earlier, and lays it on the table for the others to look at.

"We have other things as well, but we need somewhere more private to check them out. More than ever we need to know what really happened out there last time"

[Decrepit]

Jack gives a low whistle. "That was a risky move on Starkweather's part, announcing Douglas was 'on board,' so to speak, when he wasn't. If it's one thing I've learned about Starkweather, though, is that he's a risk taker, a gambler. Not the sort of fellow I'm all that anxious to be leading a dangerous expedition--especially one I'm in.

"Was Douglas going to work for Lexington then? And why was he at that fleatrap anyway, I wonder?"

[OrionUK]

"Very interesting, who is left to speak to about the previous expedition that might be able to shed some light on this?" James asked McRaven

"Yes we are hoping to find out who is commissioning the person disrupting the supplies & why" James replies to Jack "and I can't speak for the others but I have everything I need here now my kit has been brought from the hotel - but thanks alot for the offer"

[Steerpike]

"Well going by that letter" Contiues McRaven "He was being dogged by some conman, probably the same joe who broke in and trashed the place. We have some journals here belonging to the captain...I notice a couple are missing...it may be the items he was sent to his brother. There are a number of phone numbers too, something to go on maybe"

He pauses for a moment while studying the letter

"So whats this about disrupted supplies?"

[BlackGoat]

Sean appears baffled at this point. He knows there is more to it and, something right there but he is unable to realize how to grasp it. He looks to his assistant.

"What do you suggest we do at this point?"

[Henrik]

Olof listens carefully to the conversation, but thus he does not add anything. He carefully reads the commander's letter when it is shown to him. "Perhaps it is better to confront Moore with this information. He seems to be a more rational man than Starkweather."

[Raiko]

New York Public Library – New York
The Afternoon – Wednesday 6th September, 1933

Gunnar (OOC: who isn't anyone's assistant BTW) is equally confused about how to investigate a mass murder from nearly a century ago, "I don't know Sean," he turns to Graves, "what do you think Professor?"

[Decrepit]

"I can go ring up some numbers if you'd like," Jack says. "It'd be easier to do that from the hotel than from here, certainly. Do we know anything about these numbers?"

He looks at Olof. "I think it's almost time to confront Moore again, but I'd really like something more to go on than our admittedly correct sense that something's not right. I'd like something to really press Moore with."

[Steerpike]

"Well, they're all new york numbers...though two of these entries have no numbers, Phillip...which I guess is the brother, then there are the four names, Wykes, Grimes, Brewer, and...purple cup?..which could be a bar somewhere"

McRaven hands over the paper with the numbers to Jack.



Starkweather, Amherst Hotel. WH-5040; 10:00am

* Gerald Blackman GR-7738

* Phillip – 10:40, 12:55, 3:10, 8:45 (overnight)

* Wykes, Grimes, Brewer – Purple Cup

* A. Lexington QB-0505 (there are several check marks against this phone number)

[Decrepit]

Jack looks at the list.

"I think Philip's worth a call. He might know more about his brother's state of mind, although we get some of that from the journals, of course.

"We already know to speak to Lexington, so I'll lave that be for the moment.

"I'll also see if I can find out whether there's information about the Purple Cup. It probably is as you describe it.

"That leaves Gerald Blackman. I guess I could just try to ring him, see what happens--unless someone has another idea."

[Ghost_1971]

"I'll check out the Purple Cup lead if you like? Take some of the pressure off you. It'll give me something to do til we start our stake out."

[Decrepit]

"Oh, sure, take the fun assignment," Jack says, smirking.

But then more seriously, he adds, "If I were you, though, I wouldn't just go sauntering down there alone asking for these fellows. We don't really know who they are or why Douglas was interested in them."

[Steerpike]

"Stakeout? what stakeout?" Says McRaven