Part 9 Epilogue: Police Reports and Follow-Ups

SCOTLAND YARD POLICE REPORT INVESTIGATOR: Inspector Lionel Taylor              DATE: 3 December, 1928 TITLE: Police Blotter Call #451273; neighborly call regarding foul odor. LOCATION: 112 Liverpool Road, Holloway, North London INITIATING ACTION: Call by Mrs. Gladdis Knight, at 110 Liverpool Road, complaining about foul odor from neighbor’s house. DETECTIVE REPORT: The house belongs to the deceased Mr. Lawrence Bacon, found murdered on 28 November, blocks from his home. I Interviewed Mrs. Knight who reported seeing a large man enter the house over the last 3 days; beginning 2 days after Mr. Bacon’s demise. She’d seen the same man in the company of 4 others back on 27 November: a woman, a larger man, and 2 others she could not describe because of shadows. I entered Mr. Bacon’s house confirming the foul odor coming from the kitchen where I found the most horrid creature gnawing on a human femur. Raising it like a club, it tried to attack me. But 3 bullets quickly felled the thing. I was able to snap a picture of the beast (photo evidence #23) just before the creature began to decompose and turn to dust. I searched the rest of the house, finding dirt tunnels below the kitchen, in the food cellar. Red-beady eyes starred back at me till I fired another 3 rounds. I climbed out of the tunnel and pushed furnishing into it to block their passage. I then climbed out of the cellar and shoved heavy furniture atop the trap door. Upon further investigation, I’ve learned the original large man to be Dr. Oliver Richardson; the psychologist we occasionally hire to assist with profiling serial killers. Last reported by his secretary, Mr. Oliver is on a business trip to Scotland. Upon his return, I will interview him and his known associates to ascertain just what has been going on at the Bacon house. EVIDENCE: Photo #23 (ghoul), one book titled “An Artistic Study of Ghouls” by Walter Pickman. REVIEWED BY:                                                     STATUS:

Lionel sipped his scotch as he took another look at his photo #23, “As if anyone would believe me with the body decomposed and now dust. I report this and I could be a patient of Mr. Oliver when he returns from Scotland.” Lionel crumpled the report and started anew. But first a call to Mr. Bacon’s attorney, Mr. Jacobson (per the business card found on Bacon’s study desk). “Mr. Jacobson, Inspector Taylor here. With Mr. Bacon’s reported death, might I suggest you send a moving crew to empty his house before looters get there first. ‘Watson’s Moving and Storage?’ Excellent idea.”

Satisfied at closing the loop for the busy-body Mrs. Knight, Lionel pulled out another blank report. He then used his camera to take a picture of his own ice-box (same brand as he scooted atop Mr. Bacon’s trap door cellar). He then roamed the alleys near his house till he found a swarm of rats. Satisfied with the new report and supporting evidence, Lionel settled in his comfy chair as he opened the book titled ‘An Artistic Study of Ghouls.’ “There’s a whole new world underground. I best learn what I’m up against. And when Mr. Oliver and his accomplices return, I must discretely ask what they have been dealing with.”

SCOTLAND YARD POLICE REPORT INVESTIGATOR: Inspector Lionel Taylor              DATE: 3 December, 1928 TITLE: Police Blotter Call #451273; neighborly call regarding foul odor. LOCATION: 112 Liverpool Road, Holloway, North London INITIATING ACTION: Call by Mrs. Gladdis Knight, at 110 Liverpool Road, complaining about foul odor from neighbor’s house. DETECTIVE REPORT: The house belongs to the deceased Mr. Lawrence Bacon, found murdered on 28 November, blocks from his home. I Interviewed Mrs. Knight who reported the odor. She also mentioned seeing a large man enter the house over the last 3 days; beginning 2 days after Mr. Bacon’s demise. Turns out Mr. Bacon’s attorney, Mr. Jacobson, has been trying to coordinate furniture storage for eventual estate sale. The first estimator Mrs. Gladdis saw, turned the job down. Mr. Jacobson has since contracted Ralph Watson of ‘Watson’s Moving and Storage.’ Meanwhile, the reported odor came from an ice-box in which meat spoiled. To make matters worse, the ice-box door was left open allowing a swarm of rats to feast. EVIDENCE: Photos #24 (open freezer) and #25 (rat swarm) REVIEWED BY:                                                     STATUS:

Inspector Lionel Taylor, of Scotland Yard

Monday, 10 December: The ringing doorbell jars Jenny from her slumber, “Excuse me mam, I’m inspector Taylor from Scotland Yard. I have it on record that you are… were… a friend of Dr. Oliver Richardson. I found your name along with his on a 17 October police report regarding a riot at the Scala Theater during a performance. I also found your name recorded along with his on numerous visits to the station. In fact, a diner hostess verified you and others frequently joined the doctor for dinner. My point being, I’m hoping you can explain just what Mr. Oliver was doing at the Bacon house. You see, neighbors reported a foul stench from the place. They spotted the doctor frequently entering the establishment where I found body parts stored in a freezer. Would you care to explain just what he was doing? And please, don’t mention Dr. Frankenstein. And please, keep your hands away from that machete. I understand you are quite proficient with it.”

John steps in, behind the inspector, "Jen, trust him. The inspector has seen the ghoul at Bacon's house. He's with us." Hours later and Lionel has barely scratched the surface of the Roby/Edwards plot. Dr. Oliver's secretary Marge was quite helpful listing Oliver's other accomplices. Calls to Clair Melford police and Weobley police helped paint a picture of Oliver's activities. With a little prodding at his museum while he worked, John was soon to stumble on his cover-up story and finally confessed all. Lionel showing the picture of the ghoul helped to loosen John's tongue.

Next Session: https://rigglew5totk.blogspot.com/2019/11/s2e1-british-gods-we-aint-out-of-woods.html