[Denny and Angela could
not attend; thus, the absence of Bartholomew and Evie.]
Sunday, 4 November, 1928: As John reads about
the stabbing death of Dr. Trollope, Oliver gasps at the description of the attacker,
reported by a newspaper boy who witnessed it all, “A tall man, in a long dark
coat.” Oliver turns to Jen to remind her, “That sounds like the same man who
told us to leave after the murder.” The others at the table stunned, “What
murder?!”
Jen talking
thru her mouthful of food (as if it was no big deal), “It wasn’t murder; more
self-defense as he stabbed me first.” Oliver choking on his food as he tries to
explain, “We only went to interview Mr. Talbot Estes; you know, the producer of
that Carcosa play. Next thing I know, Jen drops a book, Estes is on his
hands-n-knees to pick it up, he screams about Jen taking something, Jen screams
in pain, then her machete flashes and Estes has a new grin from ear to ear. And
that’s when the man in all black appears at the back door and commands us to
leave. I’m sure the same tall man that confronted me at the bar the other
night. So, hell yes we ran. And this morning I read
how Mr. Estes’ house burnt down last night.”
A lot of discussion
before they decide to get Mr. Grahame Roby’s version of his brother’s
involvement in the family double-homicide. Oliver drives all to Mr. Roby’s estate
surrounded by a tall, spiked metal fence with buzzer speaker at the gate. John
steps forward, “We’d like to speak to Mr. Roby about his brother. Tomorrow? No,
it’s important we see him now. Appointment?” Jenny tries to bluff their way in.
Oliver offers, “This is about the pending release of his brother Alexander.” The
magic words that unlock the gate. An elder maid, Ms. Vetch, leads them to the
parlor. Soon a gentleman in suit and bowtie appears, “You have 10 minutes
before my next appointment. Now what’s this about my brother? So, you’re the
expert psychologist; tell me, do you plan to release him? So, you haven’t made
a decision yet; let me offer advice.”
Grahame describes his strained relationship with his brother. “He became pseudo famous after he published that 1923 book. Why yes, Der Wanderer Durch Den See. Just a collection of his senseless babble. You have to understand he was a changed man when he came back from the Great War. Only a glorified clerk who had to compose all those death letters sent to the families. The toll became too much. Bouts of insomnia, medication, drugs. Then audiences on his book tours. Where he met that shady woman Delia Hartston. Young and attractive but I’m sure she was only interested in his money. Even engaged and lived with father. I have to admit I was surprised when they split. Maybe she realized his crazed mind wasn’t worth the money. Those other shady men he dealt with. Now his mind snapped. Have you read his book? Ramblings about Kaiwan, the Unspeakable One, the King. And people read that shit?! I tell you he is dangerous to society. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have more important matters to attend.”
Oliver drops John at the University of London (where Bartholomew works) in hopes of finding someone to translate
the German portion of Alex’s book. References to the Dreamer. A sequence of
dreams as if personal recollections. Then periods of maddening frustration at
the lack of dreams. The English portion of the book more an autobiography of
Alex’s drug use and treatments. A sing-song chapter that reads more like an
incantation (if you believe in the occult).
Meanwhile, Oliver and
Jen find Hartston in the phone book and drive to the neighborhood. “Let’s chat
with her neighbors first.” Elizabeth Hartston, wonderful elder widow. Her
husband John a good man till his death of old age. Yes, a daughter Delia.
Married over a year ago. Moved out. Oliver suggests a tactic for Jen, “Tell
Elizabeth how Alex wants to put Delia in his will and thus we need her new name
and address.” At the Hartston house, Elizabeth bits, “Now why would Alex want
to include her; they were only together for months. Delia met Alex in 1925 at
one of his lectures. But they broke up in December of that same year. She
married Peter Morrison, a canal surveyor, about a year later. They live at 10
Turkey Street in Enfield, Middlesex county of north London. Oh, but they’re not
home right now. Vacationing. Should get back tomorrow.”
Climbing back into the
car, Oliver suggests a drive to the Morrison home. Jen smiling, “I thought
you’d never ask.” But while the house is empty with lights off, there are too
many neighbors out on their porch for a smoke. Jen offering, “Maybe later
tonight.” As they drive off, neither spot the car that has been following them.
Not there to see the black-clad man slink thru the shadows into the alley and
back door where he fails to pick the lock. Do not hear the tinkle of window
glass as he breaks in. And thus, have no knowledge of what he finds or learns.
Monday, 5 November, 1928: Another cold and
windy day as they gather for breakfast. Oliver mentioning a letter he received
last night from Scotland Yard’s detective Taylor. John remembering that was the
investigator assigned to Dr. Trollope’s murder. “Let’s call the asylum to set
up another appointment with Dr. Highsmith. You can then see your inspector.”
But the call to St. Agnes changes everything, “I’m sorry but the doctor is busy
right now. No, I can’t say what. Oh, Dr. Richardson. Well, I can tell you.
There has been another death. That’s all I can say over the phone. The doctor
is tied up all day; maybe if you call tomorrow.”
John and Jen go to the
morgue to view Dr. Trollope’s body. Using pseudonyms as Private Investigators. Jen
(aka Rita Drummond) hard Persuade to learn it was a violent assault. Body fell
in the river. John (aka Walter Ridley) gagging at the sight of the ‘Y’ shaped
autopsy cut upon the chest. Any personal possessions stored at Scotland Yard as evidence. Meanwhile, at work
trying to catch up on his own backlog of patients, Oliver calls Lt. Taylor who
informs, “I noticed Dr. Trollope’s appointment book had your name recorded on
the day before his death.” Oliver summarizing their visit and common patient
‘W’. “I read the newspaper mentioned his attacker was a tall man in a long
black coat. After the appointment, I was threatened at a bar by possibly the
same man who carried a long knife at his waist inside a long black coat. Come
in to meet with your sketch artist? I’m afraid that will have to wait as I have
an important meeting concerning patient ‘W’. I realize memories fade with time.
I’ll be there as soon as I can later today.” [Oliver has forgotten the asylum
at Weobley is a 5-hour train ride away. One-way.]
A bust at the morgue,
John and Jen call Oliver for a ride. Oliver parks and as he walks toward the morgue,
he spots a man walking (more floating) toward him. Wearing a pallid mask as a
wispy cloak swirls around him. A woman walks toward the man…and continues
walking RIGHT THRU HIM! The woman shutters as if hit by a cold blast of air.
Oliver rubs his eyes in disbelief. The man now gone, “Father, did you see what
I saw?!” John and Jen arriving at the same time, “Who are you talking to? Your
father? You do realize your father is dead, right? What man? Pallid mask and
cape? Are you dreaming about that play again? Never mind. As for St. Agnes,
it’s too late. Remember, it’s half-a-day train-ride there. You’d best call
ahead for an appointment tomorrow. Meanwhile, go see the inspector. Maybe you
can gain some info out of him.”
Thus, Oliver arrives at
Scotland Yard finding Lt. Taylor. “Doctor, I’m so glad you found the time to
come in. Let me introduce you to our sketch artist, Robert.” Oliver describes
the man from the bar encounter [hard INT check for details], “Black, greasy
hair. Tall. Sharper facial features. Eyes more threatening. Thick eyebrows.
Yes, yes, that looks like him.” As Robert looks to Oliver for confirmation, he
pauses in memory of another sketch, “Excuse me for asking, but a woman was in
earlier today giving a description that looks similar to yourself. Mentioned a
bulky man in rumpled clothing with stains on his shirt asking questions about
one of her neighbors. Hours later there was a fire at the artist’s house where
he apparently died.” Oliver caught off-guard [failed POW] but manages to
control his surprise [success Insane DEX to avoid spilling his water], “Oh my.
To burn to death. How painful. Poor woman to witness such horror.”
[Meanwhile, the
black-clad man breaks into Dr. Trollope’s office. Rifles thru his folders
finding Alex’s file. Dated notes from his visits. Tried to give him
tranquilizers. Alex having trouble sleeping from mid-October thru next March.]
Tuesday, 6 November, 1928: Indeed, the morning
paper vaguely mentions the St. Agnes death 3 days ago; not yesterday! 3
November: the same day Dr. Trollope was killed. A nurse Frederick Long was
found sliced up in a patient cell. Oliver tormented, “We need to get up to the
asylum ASAP. But I can’t leave that police artist wondering. I need to get back
to him to confess that WAS me. And if asked, Jenny too. I mean we did ask
around before going to Mr. Estes’ house. Wouldn’t take much for the police to
track down George Keith and learn we talked with him too about Estes. I’ll tell
him how I didn’t connect the house fire to Estes till today. Tell him the
‘truth’ how I was trying to introduce Jenny as an aspiring young actress,
thinking Estes was still a producer.” John hesitant to agree, “Yeah, maybe you
can get your father to backup your story. Think about it first. Let Jen and I
interview Delia this evening, then if you still want to…”
[Meanwhile,
the mysterious man uses the morning to check in on Delia as a PI. Gaining
details about her relationship with Alex Roby.]
It’s
2pm when John and Jen arrive to knock on the Morrison door. A gruff male voice,
“Get the door!” a petite young woman answers the door finding two ‘insurance
agents’. Jen (aka Sally Fields) hides her anger when she spots Delia’s shiner,
“We spoke to your mother yesterday about Alex Roby and his desire to include
you in his will.” Delia surprised, “You’re the 2nd person today to
ask about Alex.” Her husband Peter complaining about their noise drowning out
the radio broadcast of a cricket match; so, Delia takes them into a side room.
“Same
thing I told that Scotland Yard inspector (tall, long hair, goatee; dark skin
of a Far Easterner). I met Alex in May 1925 at one of his lectures. We began
dating. Even engaged. Till October when he began displaying increasingly
troubling behavior. Scary references to his book entries. He swore it was a
true story from when he was in Germany during the war. Robbie kept saying how
the king was going to rule Carcosa. He began planning something for late
December. Mentioned something about ‘the 9 teeth are ready’ on a hill outside
of Clare Melford. Plotting with 4 other men. Edwards seemed the leader. There
was a nice man Quarrie and an older boss Bacon. Then that greasy/violent man
Coombs. Oh, he scared me so! Anyway, we were staying with his father at the
time. Even his father disliked the other men. I left him at Christmas time when
he and the others took off for Clare Melford. He said others would join them to
meet up on the hill. And that’s the last contact I had. I’ve no desire to
contact him again.”
And
that’s when Peter opens the parlor door, “I thought you got rid of these folks.
Get my hat and coat woman; I’m going to the bar.” Delia jumps in compliance
then cowers as her husband leaves (but not before Peter gives Jen the once-over
lustful glare, then gives John the stink-eye). Jen contemptuously watching the
man round the corner before offering to Delia, “I know what you’re going thru.
My father used to beat me. I can help you leave; start a new life.” [Failed Persuade;
failed push] Delia defending Peter, “He’s a good man. Provides for me even
though I’ve failed to provide him with kids. It’s my fault.”
Luck
that John just happens to look up in time to see Peter coming out of the
shadows with a crowbar in hand, “Likes poking another man’s wife does ya?!”
John (all 340 lbs) has just enough time to stumble out of the way of the
swinging attack and runs, calling for the police. Jen smiles at the thought of
how she was going to the bar to kick the shit out of the man; how he has come
to her instead. “So, you sleazy wife-beater; care to try beating me?” As Jen
displays her machete, Peter smiles lustfully at the beauty before him, “Oh,
I’ll do more than beat ya you little whore. Come to papa.”
Jen the
first to attack, slices open Peter’s gut (8 damage). Peter grabs the wound with
his left arm trying to keep his intestine inside, “You bitch!” He swings wildly
with the crowbar that Jen blocks. Her counter-attack (6 damage) drops him.
Stunned, Delia rushes to her husband’s side as he bleeds out. Police whistles
change Jen’s composure; she starts crying and shaking. For the new audience in
long blue-coated uniform she sobs, “He was beating his wife. We tried to stop
him but he turned his anger on us. He attacked me with that crowbar. I stumbled
backwards into that wood pile and luckily found that knife. Machete? Is that
what you call it? He must have been drunk with rage; how else could a frail
woman like me best that beast?!”
The
police interview all witnesses except Delia still in shock. Almost an hour to cleanup
the scene. Now Jen cries for real as the police take her machete for evidence.
Jen wraps her arms around Delia who still sobs, “I’m destitute. No job, no
provider. Unlike my mother, not even a small pension to live off of.” Jen
empties her purse (all $88 pounds) as she whispers, “There’s another $10 lbs a
week till you get settled on your feet. You can always move in with me.”
When all regroup, Oliver
shares a letter he received in the mail. “Dr. Trollope must have written it
right after our meeting and before his murder. Confirms Alex wrote that book
titled The Walker by the Lake. Words and phrases within the book
spoke to the root of his incapacity displayed at the asylum. Confesses an
experiment where he read passages from the book to Alex. Alex responsive and
alive. The doctor touching Alex and suddenly overcome by a vivid dream…a
premonition of his own death in St. James Park. It was Grahame Roby who hired a
PI (Vincent Tuck from Wapping) who learned about Alex’s dealing with an antique
merchant, Mr. Lawrence Bacon (an occultist residing in Liverpool Road,
Islington). The doctor fears that if Alex is released, how he might seek out
this Bacon to complete whatever evil task they had been plotting.”
Having read the letter,
John shares news about Delia and her dead husband. Oliver is shocked to learn
he has been working beside a serial killer. Oliver pulls out his watch as he
tries to hypnotize Jen, “Just catch your breath. Relax. Think back to events
that started your mad rampage with that blade.” The bleary-eyed beauty sitting
in her chair in deep pondering thought, “It all began…when some dumbass doctor
began swinging a watch in my face. Now put that thing away before I shove it up
your Hershey highway. If you really want to help me, then think about how I can
get ‘Billy Black’ back. The machete.”
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