New York Police Department
January 16, 1925



This message was last edited by the GM at 14:00, Mon 11 Aug 2014.

On the way downtown, Bishop had explained that there might come a time when he and Poole would need to speak privately to gain the access to case files or some other confidential information. He asked Dr. Elias to be prepared to step away for a moment. Bishop kept to his habit of looking for tails, and cruised the street before pulling into a spot and approaching the precinct house.

Bishop flashed his Pinkerton badge "We are here to see Lueitenant Poole. We are expected."

At Bishop's lack of greeting and brusque manner, the officer on duty furrowed his brow a bit, looked down at the desk and flipped through a few pages in his appointment book before closing it. "You say you're expected, Mr. Bishop, but I don't any record of you're having an appointment with Lieutenant Poole."

---

OOC:
Make a Fast Talk or Persuade attempt - a roll with an accompanying post.

"Sergeant, I think if you speak with the lieutenant you will find I am expected." Bishop added. He also made a note of the man.

While in the car, Leo shook his head. "I don't need to see Poole, unless you think it would be useful. If we're going to offer our assistance and resources, my presence might useful, but if we're not going to join forces, as it were, then I don't think there's much I need to discuss with him."

Once they got to the station, Leo let Stanley take the lead on seeing Poole.

After taking both of their names, the officer asked them to wait, returning minutes later and asking them to follow him. An office lay just down the hall where they were greeted by Poole, who politely bade them sit down and had the Sergeant close the door behind them as they left.

"Mr. Bishop, Dr. Elias, I'm not surprised to see you here. I'm afraid it's been too soon to discover anything about the case, so I'm sorry to report that I have no information for you as of yet. Rest assured, as soon as we have made progress in our investigation into the matter that we're able to report, you'll know first."
This message was last edited by the player at 13:43, Thu 14 Aug 2014.

"Thank you for seeing us Lieutenant. If you remember, last night we spoke of meeting to get a list of the other victims you thought might be connected to Jack's death." Bishop said trying to be as considerate of Dr Elias as possible.

"We were going to have the others go over the list to see if they recognized the names as people known to Jack."

Poole stood up and walked over to the door behind them and closed the blinds, shading them from view from the outside. He walked over to a file cabinet next to his desk and pulled out a folder.

"We've worked together on cases before, Bishop, and this isn't the first time we've shared information on things but...usually not active investigations. I trust in your discretion as to the things that we discuss today. I can't give you this folder, not that we have much anyway, but if you should happen to find some leads wherever you find them..."

He pulled out a typewritten sheet of paper from the folder and casually dropped it on the desk in front of Bishop.

"Nobody talks to the police anymore, especially not up in Harlem. And some folks around the department don't take all this cult business as seriously as I do, so there's some resistance to pursuing it in the first place at all. They pull men from my unit, and move money around for other things. Mostly bootlegging bullshit. I'm gonna crack this case if it's the last thing I do. If you can help me bring this thing down, I'll count it as a solid."

On the sheet of paper placed on the table was a list of names, some notes, and corresponding addresses.

• Walter Van Buskirk (Queens)
• Rev. Elijah A. Johnson (Harlem)
• Michael Conley (Queens)
• Richard “Ritchie C.” Cederecci (Brooklyn)
• Roberta Barlow (Harlem)
• Adolf Thurmond (Brooklyn)

---

OOC:

Assume that each of those area listings has an actual corresponding street address on the paper Poole gives them.

"This will all stay between us."

"Well .. unofficially if we  turn any thing worth pursing we will turn it over to you." Bishop said.

"Did anything come of the car seen fleeing the scene?"

"No, nothing on the car yet. We're still looking into that," he said.

"These people whose names you have now, I can tell you a little about them, but just that. Buskirk was a private investigator. Reverend Johnson was a minister - pretty active in preaching against immorality in Harlem. Conley was a longshoreman. Ritchie C. was a low-level goombah. He's been in and out, but mostly out now since he got in with the Frankie Yale and them Italians. Roberta Barlow was a seamstress up in Harlem. Adolf Thurmond lived in Brooklyn and owned several successful bookstores. Believe it or not, that's all we got. Not much of a pattern. White, black, Irish, Italian, rich, poor, law abiding citizens, criminals, you name it."

"An odd collection. I am guessing they are link by the savage way by which the victims were killed. If so there must be something that links them."

"Dr. Elias hoped we might be able to retrieve Jack's things from his room at the hotel." Bishop asked looking over to Leonardo.

"Perhaps we might find something that could help clear things up in his belongings."

Leo followed the back-and-forth between the men, generally content to stay in the background, though Poole seemed to have quite a few good leads. At Poole's request for assistance, Leo perked up a little. "I obviously have an interest in seeing you crack this case as well, Detective. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help."

At Stanley's prompting concerning items of Jackson, Leo nodded. "Yes, unfortunately I also come here as next-of-kin. Understanding that anything of importance to the case might need to remain in your possession."

He thought for a moment about possible connections between the other victims. "Is there any pattern to the location of the deaths of the other victims?"

Sympathy showed in Poole's face as he looked at the doctor. "Dr. Elias, I must seem cold to you, only considering the case at a time like this. You must forgive me - I've been wrapped up in this investigation for some time now and am quite driven to bring it to its resolution. I lost my son in the war, so I know what it's like for such a thing to happen. My thoughts and prayers are with you in this."

"You won't find his things in the hotel room, however. We have retrieved and cataloged all of his items and have them here at the station. I believe we can return them to you today. There was unfortunately little in the way of any information that might have been helpful to us in unraveling the investigation.

"There is one bit that does add support to your narrative of the events, Bishop, bolstering the case for self defense. We matched the prints on the Luger to one of the dead man's hands. The gun it turns out is registered to Jackson Elias, so he must have gotten it out of Jackson's luggage. It's a good thing you managed to get it out of his hands. We'll be returning that to you as well."

Leo shook his head and gave Poole a wan smile. "You don't seem cold, just professional. I'm glad that someone unattached to Jackson is trying to track down these leads."

Leo nodded at the mention of the return of Jackson's belongings. "Thank you for returning everything to me, Detective. I will let you know if anything within his belongings appears to be a clue concerning what transpired. Or perhaps more importantly, why it happened."

Leo then furrowed his brow. "Did you inspect the headpieces that the men who killed Jackson and assaulted us wore?"

OOC: I don't recall us indicating exactly what we were doing with the headpieces on the men. If we took them all, Leo wouldn't ask that question.

"Those things...they've been linked to some kinda African death cult, just like the markings that were...on his forehead, and all the foreheads of all the other vics. The negroes in Harlem won't talk to us about it. Not that they'll ever talk to us about anything," he said.

"As to your earlier question, there doesn't seem to be any pattern that we can discern, and let me tell you something - I've busted a couple of serial killers in my time and have studied this kinda thing. You'd probably know more about this than I do, doc, but most serial killers are maniacal...but there's a method to their madness. And when they mess up - they leave a web of clues behind. A good investigator with the right information might be able to connect the dots, with time. This damn cult though, they're organized and secretive and who knows what kinda nonsense superstitions they believe in. Good at covering up their tracks, too. But I'll get 'em eventually."

Bishop was glad that Leonardo had joined him. It gave him a chance to see that Poole was a dedicated cop. It also gave Poole a chance to become more committed to the case.

"I did find one thing. It was on the ground after the fight. It did not seem related until I noticed the back. Seems like an African name. Could be they had found what they were after." Bishop handed over the card from Emerson Imports.

"Emerson Imports...Silas En-Kwah-Nay...En-Kwayne??" he said, trying out a couple of different pronunciations of the surname. "Sounds African to me. Or at least some kinda foreign."

"Glad you remembered to bring this by, Bishop," he added dryly.

"Could be a connection. Maybe the first we've had in the way of a name. Just 'cause he's African don't mean he's the one, but it's a good lead to start with. Of course, those people never talk to us, so you know...not sure how far this'll lead me. But a good start."

"Well hopefully we can turn up some other leads. If we find anything useful we will contact you immediately."

"If your theory is correct these killers need to be stopped. Knowing Jack he was digging into their nefarious practices and had uncovered there secrets. It cost Jack his life. So we will be careful. I have no doubt they will target anyone who threatens there dark ways. That may even include you Martin." Bishop said.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:42, Thu 21 Aug 2014.

"I appreciate the thought, Stanley. I'd like you to exercise the same caution and stay on the safe side when you're looking into these things. There are obviously passions involved, but you don't have to get yourselves into another situation where you'll need to defend yourselves with lethal force. I don't wanna encourage a vigilante attitude."

Poole reached into a drawer and pulled out a card, passing it to Stanley. It was a business card with his name, address, and office telephone number on it. "Keep this on you. I may or may not be here to answer the phone, in which case you can just call the station line. But that's my direct line - if I'm there, I'll answer it."
This message was last updated by the player at 15:30, Thu 21 Aug 2014.

Bishop took the card and placed into his wallet. Then took out one of his own and handed it to Poole.

"You can leave a message there any time night or day. Some of Jack's relatives and friends have specialized talents that might be of use to you in your investigation. I am certain they would gladly assist you with any research you might require."

"Well run this list past the others, and let you know if we come up with any connections. Thank you again." Bishop shook Poole's hand and prepared to depart.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:48, Sat 23 Aug 2014.

Leo went to shake Poole's hand as well. "My thanks for your diligence, detective. If there's any way I can help your investigations, let me know. You can contact me at either my house phone or my office phone."

Leo almost turned to leave, but then thought to ask one more question. "The mark that was on Jackson's forehead. Did all the other victims have the same mark?"

"Thanks, Bishop," he said, taking the card.

"Just doin' my job, Dr. Elias. And yes, they all had...you know, the same thing." He made a rough mime gesture of drawing on his own forehead.
This message was last updated by the player at 17:13, Tue 26 Aug 2014.

Bishop has figured it was the case. He hoped to have a closer look at Jack and his killers at the morgue. He was not sure what Leonardo would say when he suggested it, but it might answer some questions.

OOC:

Both Bishop and Dr. Elias are aware (Bishop, by being a cop, and Elias by having worked at Bellevue in the past) that murder victims and other suspicious deaths are the responsibility of the New York City Medical Examiner’s office which performs all of the autopsies in the city. This office is headquartered in Bellevue Hospital and the remains are retained in the morgue until they are either turned over to families (or other claimants) or are buried by the city at the Potter’s Field on Hart Island.
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:29, Tue 26 Aug 2014.

"Well we have taken up enough of your time. Better let you get back to the job." Bishop said with a hand shake. Once Elias was ready, Bishop headed down to the car.

Once outside, the detective casually looked for anyone who might be keeping an eye on them. As they headed to the car "We should call and check in. We report the details of the other victims and see what the others have turned up."

"I was think we should stop by the Chelsea. If Jack had something hidden in the room the cops and his assailants might have missed it."

"But I would like to have a chat with the night staff in case any of them saw anything. After that, later in the evening, I want to stop by Belleview. I know it will not be easy but I would like to have a look at Jack's assailants. Do you think you would be up to it doctor?"
This message was last edited by the player at 04:11, Wed 27 Aug 2014.

Leo finished his thanks and farewell to the detective and then left on Stanley's heels.

Leo nodded at the suggestions. "The Chelsea and Bellevue sound like good next steps. I do need to get to Columbia tonight to meet with that professor from Australia. The lecture and any follow-up discussions we might be able to have could take a couple hours."
This message was last edited by the player at 16:50, Thu 28 Aug 2014.

"Well we can stop at the Chelsea on the way, conduct your business at Columbia and then stop at the medical examiner's office for a after hours visit." Bishop replied unsure if Leonardo was aware of what the visits entailed.
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:03, Thu 28 Aug 2014.

OOC:

I'll take you to the Chelsea hotel, but a couple of things to note:

• As Annabel discovered on her phone call that you were there for, Professor Cowles is no longer at NYU, but Columbia - which is I think what you both meant to say in your last two posts, isn't it?
• The lecture isn't till 8 pm, so unless you spend 8+ hours poring over every inch of the Chelsea hotel, I imagine you will have time to spare. It could be a good time for a rendezvous with the others back at Leo's place.

This message was last edited by the GM at 13:03, Thu 28 Aug 2014.

OOC: Edited

I also realize I forgot to mention that Leo was going to pick up Jackson's things from the police on the way out.

Leo's lips became a thin line as he considered the planned stops. "Perhaps we should just go to Bellevue after the Chelsea. I might be able to get us access to the medical examiner. Perhaps there is some information on the other victims that we can get by face-to-face discussion."

"I was also planning on going to the Chelsea after six so we could question the staff that was on duty last night. As for the morgue, I was thinking of something a little more clandestine, later this evening. In my experience medical examiners are less apt to allow you to get a peek at a body then a poorly paid orderly stuck on the graveyard shift. In any case it, given the blizzard yesterday, I doubt they have conducted the autopsy yet." Bishop said.

"But we got the day, we can try the Medical Examiner if you think you got suction with the guy."

"But we should call in and report in first."

Leo considered briefly, rubbing his chin as he did. "We might as well try the morgue now. If we can't get access by playing straight up, it shouldn't affect our ability to use your more clandestine route later on."

"Agreed." Bishop said as he pulled up next to a drug store to allow Doctor Elias to use the phone to call and check in with the Miss Ashcroft. After that he drove to the Coroner's office.

The man didn't look up as they entered, clearly focused intently on what he was working on. "Ja, wie kann ich..." He looked up, and pushed back his glasses, speaking again in English, but with a rather thick German accent. "How can I help you?" An older man, his hair was gray and thinning, his face seemed devoid of any expression, and his tone was equally unexpressive.

This was Dr. Elias' show so Bishop decided to hang back and let the two medical men discuss things. But while he had access to places he might not otherwise, the experienced detective could not help but look things over that might be useful at a later time, such as the location of keys, files and certain offices.

10:12, Today: Stanley Bishop rolled 21 using 1d100 with rolls of 21. spot hidden 70.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:14, Wed 10 Sept 2014.

Leo nodded at the question. "Hello, I am Doctor Leonardo Elias. I was hoping to speak with the Medical Examiner - is that you?"

Once Franz had affirmed his identity, Leo continued. "I was hoping to get a look at a couple of fellows that have recently found their way into your care."

"My care, yes," he said with a dry humor. "I care very dearly for my patients, Dr. Elias. What is this all about, now? And who is this man?" he asked Elias, giving Bishop a strange look.

---

OOC:

Give me Persuasion and/or Credit Rating. And a good post.
This message was last updated by the player at 18:14, Fri 12 Sept 2014.

Leo smiled at the response - he had been attempting to inject at least a little humor into the situation. Folks constantly dealing with the dead had better be able to laugh a little here and there, lest they end up staring blankly at the walls of a padded room. "I don't know if you've heard, but my son was murdered yesterday." Leo paused for a moment, as he wasn't quite used to saying those words all together just yet. Once he had gathered himself, he continued. "A police investigator informed me that there were several other victims of similar murders in recent weeks. I was hoping to speak with whoever examined the bodies of the other victims, or at least review their notes. I'd also like to take a look at the men that murdered my son, if you've received them yet."

He turned to look over his shoulder at Stanley at Franz's question. He gestured toward the other man. "He is a relative of mine - he was in town to celebrate my birthday yesterday. He also has a keen eye - I'd like him to take a look as well, in case I miss anything." Leo returned gaze to the examiner, and awaited his response.

OOC: 11:49, Today: Dr. Leonardo Elias rolled 1 using 1d100 with rolls of 1. Persuasion (65).

Franz looked like he was mulling something over in his mind, muttering to himself. When he spoke, he sounded somewhat mechanical. Clearly, he was a strange man that spent a lot of time with corpses. "Yes, yes. Elias. I am sorry for your loss. I did not make the connection. Well, I have examined the bodies I think to which you refer, with the sign on the head. If you wish to look at those associated with your son's death, you can as well - under my supervision, though I doubt you will find anything of interest there. They are simply dead men."

Bishop was impressed by the access Dr. Elias had just gained with the simple request. He said nothing and waited to accompany the two doctor's to view the bodies.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:45, Fri 12 Sept 2014.

Leo nodded and smiled at the man's offer. "Thank you, doctor. I will not touch anything without your permission - you have my word." Leo waited for the man to lead them to where the bodies would be. Best to look at those first before questioning the man about the previous examinations he had made.

Franz granted both of the men entry into the office, and showed them to where the bodies were being kept. He stayed with them the entire time, and wore his gloves. "As I mentioned earlier, I doubt you will find anything of interest here," he said.

---

OOC:

Go ahead and do whatever it is you came to do here with the bodies. Make any rolls that you need, and let me know what you intend.

Leo started his examination by simply looking over the bodies to see if there was anything they had missed during their initial, hurried look at them. Markings, piercings, or other oddities that are similar among the dead men would potentially require more research. He was also curious if there were any marks left on the skin from the strange jewelry they wore on their foreheads, including tan lines.

Under Nefen's keen eye and only after being given gloves by Nefen is Dr. Elias allowed to conduct an inspection of the bodies. There are no markings, piercings, or tattoos which set the men apart. In fact, their bodies can be said to be remarkably unremarkable. Leo also did not find any hint left behind by the strange adornment the men had worn the day before. It would seem that as Franz Nefen had said, they were "simply dead men."

Bishop had little luck seeing anything of interest from his where he stood. But hoped that Elias might gain some access to older files of the other victims.

"This is remarkable." Leo's voice inflection didn't seem to match the words very well, remaining flat. "In that there is nothing even remotely remarkable about these men, at least on the outside." Leo took a closer look at where the damage from the weapons had occurred, to see if there might be anything interesting there. "Have you had the chance to do any sort of autopsy?" Leo halted his inspection and looked at the medical examiner to see if he might have any more information for them.

He shook his head in the negative. "I gave these men only a preliminary examination. The cause of death in these cases is well known."

Leo nodded his agreement. "It does seem that way."

He then turned to regard the man. "What about the other victims that had that mark on their forehead? Do you have the notes from their examinations?"

"Yes, I most certainly do," he said, pushing the bodies back into the enclosures from which he had removed them for Dr. Elias to examine.

Beckoning the pair, he moved over to the front area where he had been earlier, and opened a filing cabinet. He began to retrieve folders for them to look at. "So far, there have been six such cases. The precise cause of death varied in each case, but all victims suffered from blunt trauma as well as lacerations, which were ultimately what killed them. Of course, all of these also had the marking on the forehead."

OOC:

Are they looking for something specific in the files?
This message was last updated by the player at 00:32, Tue 21 July 2015.

Leo nodded at the response from Franz. "Blunt trauma and lacerations - like clubs and swords? Do you mind if I read over the notes that you've taken?"

OOC: Mostly just seeing if anything here might be a clue to the attackers, or give us a connection between the victims.

"I think longer knives more likely than swords, which I am sure you know have fallen out of fashion in recent times. As for clubs, perhaps. Walls, floors, a fist - any hard surface that did not break the skin. The blunt trauma I presume was a result of an altercation that preceded the lacerations, which ultimately were what killed all of these."

---

OOC:

The files contain only medical details pertaining to the attackers. Make a Medicine roll.

Leo nodded at the details he received. "Longer knives...like machetes?" Leo looked at the file, but nothing really came to him as he viewed the medical details. It looked like these people had been roughly treated and then killed.

09:47, Today: Dr. Leonardo Elias rolled 97 using 1d100 with rolls of 97. Medicine (75).

"Yes, I suppose. Or Bowie knives perhaps. A longer blade than a kitchen knife, but not something our ancestors might have carried with them during the time of the Crusades."

OOC:

Nothing stands out to him, but then again, he does know that all these files have are medical details. There's nothing much in the way of anything that might connect the killings in the details here.

Leo nodded at the response. "Do you have record of where each of these were found? We were told by the police where each of them lived, but I wonder if they were at home or elsewhere."

Edit: I suppose their lives are all past tense now...
This message was last edited by the player at 03:10, Sat 20 Sept 2014.

"It is in each of the files," said the German, showing Dr. Elias where to find the relevant information. For each of them, there is a particular street address where each of them was found.

With the exception of the file on Michael Conley, the longshoreman whose body was found at the docks, and Adolf Thurmond, whose body was found in the bookstore that he owned, the others were all found somewhere on the streets in Harlem.

Leo frowned at seeing so many of them were found in Harlem. "The bodies that were found in the streets of Harlem, was their any sign that they were moved and left there? Or do we know if they got there on their own and were killed in Harlem?"

"Buskirk and Cedericci were moved. The others were not," he said.
This message was last updated by the player at 16:34, Tue 23 Sept 2014.

"Where did the two that were moved end up?" Leo opened one of their files, and hoped that someone else would look at the other. It might not mean anything, but perhaps there was some connection to where these two were moved.

Nefen seemed a bit perplexed by the question. "They ended up where we found them. From where they were moved, that we do not know."

Leo nodded. "Right. But was there any connection between where the two that were moved were found? Were they on seemingly opposite sides of Harlem? Or were they one street apart?"

"I do not know Harlem very well, I am afraid. I do not spend time in those parts of the city," he said.

"I am just here to perform the autopsies. Your questions on these matters it seems perhaps will be better directed to the police."
This message was last updated by the player at 17:18, Tue 23 Sept 2014.

OOC:

Rolling d100 against Knowledge (at half)

10:34, Today: Dr. Leonardo Elias rolled 32 using 1d100 with rolls of 32. Know Harlem? (38).

OOC:

The two were found in different parts of Harlem, though nothing immediately jumps out at Leo about the spatial relation of the sites where the bodies were discovered.

Bishop, seeing that Elias was making progress, did not say anything. Rather he listened and observed what he could.

Leo thought to himself for a moment, his eyes becoming unfocused. He imagined Harlem in his mind's eye. Though he hadn't spent a lot of time there, he knew that the bodies were found far from each other. That didn't seem to be any help.

"Hm. There doesn't seem to be much to go on here. Just a bunch of people killed with the same signature on it." Leo thought about that for a second, then knotted his forehead together. He thought of other questions that these results would raise, but shook his head rather than asking them of the medical examiner. "Thanks so much for answering my questions and taking time out of your day." He looked over to Stanley. "Do you have any questions?"

"Given Harlem, even if the locals had an idea of what is going on they are unlike to talk. But looking at where the bodies were discovered might help us to discover the killers."

"This kind of killing takes time. The others might have taken back to Harlem to provide the time. That suggests that whoever is behind the killings probably has a safe place in Harlem that allows them the privacy needed." Bishop said remembering some badly butchered marines in the Philippines.

"Were they all bound? Were they all gagged?" Bishop asked knowing that such things left marks on the dead.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:42, Wed 24 Sept 2014.

"Only one was bound - Buskirk. A quick cut to the throat in most cases was the method of dealing death."
This message was last updated by the player at 15:40, Wed 24 Sept 2014.

Leo nodded at Bishop's question and the answer, and it jogged his memory about something he had been curious about. "Does it appear they were all tortured before being killed? Or was the deed done quickly?"

"It appeared to me to be a quick death in all cases, followed by some ritual cutting and the symbolic carving, and such," he said, in his detached and clinical manner.

"It is difficult to tell the exact delay in time involved, but it does not appear that there was torture first."

Bishop started running through what he had learned about the deadmen so far  "So they were not mutilated to gain information, or to cause pain. Rather these appear to be purely ritualistic."

"As a private detective Buskirk might have been digging into something and been captured and tied up so he could be questioned."

"If this is a cult then Reverend Johnson might have been seen as the competition or might have stuck his nose into things. The hood might have crossed paths with them as well. The Italians have there fingers in Harlem, women, drugs and the numbers. Maybe some of the cult members are involved in those rackets. Not sure how the others might fit into things. Maybe they were witnesses to some other killing or crime. If that is the case the seamstress might live someplace close to where the killings are done."

"When was Buskirk murdered?" Bishop asked.

"On the third of January," Nefen replied calmly.

"Thank you." Bishop nodded.

Someone had likely hired the detective to dig into the killings. If Buskirk had a partner they might be able to see if he had any idea of what the dead man might have been working on when he was killed. There was a chance that the detective had paid his rent early and that his office might not have been cleaned out yet. If so it might be worth poking around his office.

Otherwise with a list of the victims, the location where their bodies and the dates when they were discovered it might be possible to find a pattern that might point at a possible location where the murders were commited.

"Well, gentlemen, as much as I would like to spend all of my day answering these questions, I must get back to my work," he said.

Leo smiled and nodded at Franz. "Again, thank you so much for your time. Let me know if you ever need anything, I'd be happy to return the favor." Leo offered his hand to the man before turning to leave.

"Thank you." Bishop said simply as he waited for Dr Elias to say his good byes.

OOC:

Where to next?

OOC: I think we're headed back to Leo's house at this point.

OOC we still have lots to do. Perahaps a phone call can spare us a trip uptown.

"I would like to see if that detective's office might offer any answer. If someone hired him to look into the killings, he must have gotten close for someone to have grabbed him and killed him. If that is indeed what happened it might be best to rethink have a bunch of amateurs running around town asking questions."

"Having a look around his office or talking to his associates might offer us some insights and save us some shoe leather." Bishop said as they headed out.

"I would also like to get a map and have a look at where the bodies were discovered and see if we might not find a pattern."
This message was last edited by the player at 02:28, Fri 03 Oct 2014.

Leo nodded at the suggestions. "Sounds like a good plan. We can get a map at a filling station."

"We can take a look at the yellow pages and see if this detective had an office." Bishop said as they made their way out to the car.

Realizing that they Poole had already given them an address for Buskirk's office, Leonardo and Stanley headed there directly. Making their way into a dingy building in Queens, they went up one flight of stairs to arrive at the office. The wooden door had an opaque, clouded glass upon which was lettered 'BUSKIRK & JONES, PRIVATE INVESTIGATORS.'

Leo shrugged. He couldn't see any reason why they shouldn't just try to walk in. He tried the handle.

The door opened, revealing a dark office with light streaming in from a large window. The room was sparsely furnished, with two desks, a bookshelf and a filing cabinet. Only one of the desks was occupied, the man looking up at them.

"What can I do for you fellas?" he asked.

That his dead partner's name was still on the door either meant the man was sentimental or just had not gotten around to having it scraped off.

"Name is Stanley Bishop." The big man said handing over business cards. Pinkerton was a big fish, so Bishop soft peddled it and left it unstated.

"We were following up on a case that might be related to your partner's death. I was hoping we could compare notes and see if you might have something that would help us find the killers." Bishop saw no reason to introduce Elias hoping that Jones might assume he was also a Pinkerton man.

"Pinkerton, eh? Why don't ya close the door, grab a seat," he said, referring to the two other chairs in the room.

"I don't know nothin' about Walter's death, though I'll tell you what I can. Got my own cases now that I'm gettin' paid to work. What do you wanna know?"

” We appreciate that time is money.”

”Can you tell me what cases your partner was working on when he was killed?” Bishop asked directly.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:16, Wed 08 Oct 2014.

"He was lookin' for some rich broad that had gone missin'," he said. "You know, blonde hair, sparkly blue eyes and all that. Last time I sees him, he says he's gotta lead in Harlem and he's gonna go check it out."
This message was last updated by the player at 17:24, Wed 08 Oct 2014.

"Did he keep case files? We would be grateful for the chance to have a look at them. It might end up helping us bring your partner's killers to justice." Bishop replied as wondered if there might be more victims.
This message was last updated by the player at 17:16, Wed 08 Oct 2014.

He raised an eyebrow. "I dunno if I should be givin' you his files...You guys gotta warrant?"
This message was last updated by the player at 17:24, Wed 08 Oct 2014.

Leo remained quiet during the exchange. Chatting with another professional detective was something that Stanley was best suited to handle.

PM:
This message was last updated by the GM at 18:57, Wed 08 Oct 2014.

Bishop acted a bit surprised "We are not the police. Just working on a matter that likely ties in to your partner's death."

"So just hoping to have a look. Consider it a chip, one you could call in down the road."

OOC:

Bishop, make a Persuasion roll against half your skill.

12:56, Today: Stanley Bishop rolled 31 using 1d100 with rolls of 31. persusion 65.

Bishop let the last sentence hang like a lure waiting for Jones to bite.

His eyes lit up a bit at the end there. "A chip I could call in with a Pinkerton. I guess that's worth somethin'," he said, standing up and moving over to the file cabinet. Pulling out a key, he opened one of the shelves and pulled out a folder, putting it on the other desk.

"That's all his papers. Everything he left in here, anyway. You're gonna have to look through it while you're here, just in case the cops come back later and need to take it or anything. But you can write down whatever you want." He put a pencil and some paper on the table.

OOC:

You find the name Andrea Duncan and an address on the Upper East Side. There's a fairly thorough interview conducted with her mother and father, the details of which distill down to the notion that they disapproved of the friends and the company she was keeping. Walter Buskirk took this for the notion that they were negro foreigners, noting this in the file. They wouldn't come right out and say it, but they thought she was getting alcohol from them. There's a picture of her as well, a good looking blonde haired blue eyed woman.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:56, Tue 21 Oct 2014.

Leo took the pencil and paper, and began to copy the information in the files. He considered the notes he was taking, but continued to let Stanley do the talking.

Bishop worked through the files and took notes. It seemed to point them the same place as the other clues and to the likelihood that the girl had been murdered or worse from the same people responsible for Jack's death.

"Thanks for the leg up Jones. I won't forget the favor." Bishop said as he finished taking notes and let Dr. Elias have a look.

OOC:

What's next?

After they departed the office, Bishop spoke to Elias ” If they killed a detective who was asking questions about a missing girl, I am sure they will not hesitate to eliminate us. I am commited to find Jack's killers but the others should be warned.”

” I think a visit to the girl's parents might be useful, as would a chat with the staff of the Chealsea.”

Leo nodded. "Yes, let's go check out both of those leads. And then we can discuss the severity of the situation with the others."

In reply to Dr. Leonardo Elias, Bishop stated ” The Chealsea is near by we can stop there first and then visit the girl's family.


Off to the hotel watching for tails and stakeouts.

Soon after, the pair arrived at the Chelsea hotel, where the same clerk that had greeted them the previous day was at the desk. He looked up, and seemed surprised to see them there again. "Good evening, gentlemen. My condolences, Doctor. How may I help you today?"

Bishop waited for the doctor to exchange formalities, and then interceded "We are still trying to come to terms with what happened, we were hopping that we might be able to talk with some of the staff to see if any of them might have seen anything."

"We were also hoping to have a look at the room. The police said they collected what they needed, but we were afraid some cherished items that would mean a lot to the family might have been left behind."

"You're free to have a look around the room, sir, but I'm pretty sure the police took everything, and the cleaning staff have been working hard to restore the room to its previous condition so that it can be let out again," he said.

"Which of the staff would you like to speak to, other than myself? Everyone who was here yesterday during that series of unfortunate events is here today as well, it being the same shift."

Bishop wanted to check the room in case jack had hidden anything in the room "Thank you. Likely nothing was overlooked, but we would like to have a look."

"We would like to speak to anyone who might have noticed Jack's assailants. Especially the doorman and anyone who might have seen someone odd hanging around or in the alley outback."

OOC GM feel free to give us a summary.

The clerk promises to do as Bishop and Leo request, first arranging them to have shown the room and then promising that once they are finished he'll see if he can find anyone that might have seen anything. They are taken up to the room, where they find that as they were told by both the clerk and the police, nothing of note remains. The two men nonetheless take a few minutes to painstakingly inspect the room, leaving nothing unturned, much to the quiet chagrin of the maid who escorted them to the room in the first place, who will have to put things right again after the men finished. Despite their excruciatingly thorough search, the men find nothing of note in the room, the only result of their investigation being more work for the hotel maids.

After querying the staff, most of whom had only spent time inside the hotel and as such had not been able to see the assailants who didn't set foot inside the hotel aside from the interior of Jackson's room, the clerk at best managed to find a janitor who had gone out for a cigarette. When Leo and Stanley arrived back in the lobby, the clerk awaited them with the man with him and explained the situation to Leo and Stanley.

OOC:

You can ask any questions you have to the man.

"Wondering if you saw anything out of place last night? Perhaps a car in the alley or some strange men?"

Bishop also asked to speak with the doorman. Even if the man did not think he saw  anything, he might have over looked something.

"Yeah, same thing I told the police already," the man said. "Told 'em yesterday. There was an old black car, a Hudson I think, down the way. It'd just been waiting across the road, still runnin' like. That's when I heard the gunshots start goin' off, and the car started to leave just 'round then."

He shrugged. "Sorry, but I didn't see nothin' else."

Leo nodded at the response. He had some training in bringing out more details from people's minds - details they didn't necessarily know they had. "Can you picture that car in your mind again? Do you recall how many people were in it?"

"I dunno," the man replied. "All I saw was a negro driver. There was maybe another guy in there. It was kinda far away, I couldn't really say for sure. Maybe just the driver, maybe another guy too."

"Did it sound like they left any rubber on the road? If so where were they parked?" Bishop asked. It sounded like a dead end but a negro in a running car would be noticed. He looked to see if anyone else near by might have noted the car.

"Maybe a little. Nothin' crazy. They was parked across the street," he said.

” Thank you for your assistance.” Bishop said as he pulled out pack of cigarettes and offered the man one.

” Lets check across the street to see if there is a sign of a track, or if anyone clocked them.” Bishop said as he offered the janitor a nod and looked to the doctor.
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:49, Sat 18 Oct 2014.

Leo nodded at Stan's suggestion. "Yes, let's do that."

"No problem," the man said, gladly accepting the cigarette. He walked out with them to smoke it, and pointed the area across the street to them where the car had been parked, leaving them to check out that place on their own.

When Leo and Stanley got the other side of the street, they saw that indeed someone had burned rubber there, but not overly much.

Bishop made notes of the pattern in case they located an automobile that fit the description. Then he looked about for anyone likely to have seen the car and who might have taken note of the occupants or even the license number.

The car had been parked near an unoccupied construction site.
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:31, Tue 21 Oct 2014.

"Well it seems we are at a dead end." Bishop concluded.

"Let's have a look at the room and then go see the girl's family." Bishop was looking to build as much of a case as he could to hand to the police. If he was going to add a missing person he wanted to try and put a bow on this thing.


OOC Just going to search the room for any hidden items. Looking for a loose floor board or molding that sort of thing. Feel free to make any rolls for me so we don't slow things down.

OOC:

Just to be clear, you want to inspect the room for the third time? You just finished checking the hotel room before interviewing the janitor...

In reply to The Keeper (msg # 120):

No. Missed the first time. Sorry

Leo nodded at the suggestion. "Sounds like a good plan."

The hotel staff patiently admitted the two men to the hotel room previously occupied by the deceased Jackson Elias for the second time that hour. Despite probing every orifice of the room for clues, they were unable to turn anything up, which was in retrospect unsurprising as the room had been thoroughly searched by many people in the last day. They had gone over it themselves the day before, then the police had gone over it, then the hotel staff had cleaned the room, then they had gone over it again not twenty minutes past.

Resigning themselves to the fact that even the combined sleuthing might of Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot was unlikely to turn anything up from that room, the two men departed their hotel, got back into the car, and headed to the Upper East Side to the address given to them by David Jones.

A woman in her fifties greeted them at the door. "Yes, how may I help you?"

---

OOC:

Both Stanley and Leo get critical successes on their search of the room, but still find nothing.

11:04, Today: The Keeper, on behalf of Dr. Leonardo Elias, rolled 1 using 1d100 with rolls of 1. Spot Hidden.
11:04, Today: The Keeper, on behalf of Stanley Bishop, rolled 1 using 1d100 with rolls of 1. Spot Hidden.

"Sorry to bother you. We are looking for Mr and Mrs Duncan." Bishop said in a professional manner. Dealing with distraught parents could be a very touchy matter. He was glad to have Doctor Elias with him in case things grew difficult.

"I'm Mrs. Duncan. What can I do for you?" the woman asked, standing in the doorway.

"I'm sorry to trouble you. My name is Bishop, we are looking into the death of Walter Van Buskirk. We understand he was working on a case for you at the time of his death and hoped you might be able to help us." Bishop said as he handed her a card. This card had his name and below it the word detective.

"Yes, yes, Mr. Buskirk was looking into the disappearance of our daughter. We heard some time ago about his passing. Please, do come in. It's cold out," she said, opening the door so that the two men could enter the warm environs of the home within.

She lead them into the living room, where there was a bespectacled man maybe a few years her elder who sat reading a newspaper by the fire. He looked up as they entered the room, and she introduced them. "Honey, these men are detectives, and they're looking into the matter with Mr. Buskirk."

"Oh yes," he said, folding his newspaper and putting it on the side table next to his seat. "Please, have a seat. Anything we can do to help."

"Thank you." Bishop stomped lightly and wiped his feet off on the mat before stepping inside.

"We are trying to see if his death might have been related to one of his cases. We were hoping that Mr. Buskirk might have updated you on the progress of the investigation. Did he check in with you? When was the last time you heard from him?"

Leo looked around as if he were actually a detective. He acted just like a detective might under these circumstances, so the first thing in anyone's mind when they saw him would be 'detective'. He nodded his thanks in addition to Stanley's, and made himself comfortable as well, attention fully on the people discussing the disappearance of their daughter.

"Well, the last time we heard from him was a couple of weeks ago, just before he died. He didn't have much of an update - just said he thought maybe she was in Harlem somewhere," the man said.

"I am sorry to ask you to go over this again, but perhaps you can tell us what you told Mr. Buskirk. Perhaps if we retrace his work we can find some answers." Bishop said.

"We hired him to find our daughter, Andrea. She had been consorting with the wrong sorts of people, if you know what I mean. You know. Negroes. Negro foreigners. I don't know how she got involved with them, but she stopped going to church with us, and she started spending more and more time with these new friends she somehow made. She came home smelling of alcohol sometimes, which I'm guessing she got from them," her father said.

"Those people were up to no good, I told her!" interjected the mother.

"Anyway, one day Andrea just didn't come home. We hired Detective Buskirk to find her, because the police weren't working fast enough. But then he died. We figure she's probably gone too," he said, sadly.

Bishop listened and nodded, when they spoke of death he nodded more solemnly. He let a long moment pass before he continued.

"Did he go through the things in her room .. her diary  .. her address book?" Bishop asked, hoping to get permission to check her room. What he really wanted was a chance to check her coat pockets and hand bags.

"We gave him the full run o' the place, though I kept a close eye on him, just to make sure he wasn't up to any funny business. He wasn't. He went through all of her possessions, clothes, you name it trying to turn something up," the father said. An older man, he dressed respectably, wearing attire that seemed if not formal, not overly casual.

"Only thing he found was a slip of paper with an address written on it."

Bishop nodded.

"Do you know the address? Have you found anything else like match books or ticket stubs from a show or a club?" Bishop asked. He had hoped to look things over, but at lead a professional had already done so.

"I don't remember," the man said, shaking his head, looking a cross between sad and very angry. "Or I'd have gone there myself." It was likely an empty threat, made out of a feeling of powerlessness. This was not a man that was in any condition to pose a threat to anyone, nor did he seem to have the temperament for violence.

Bishop looked a bit sheepish at the man's anguish. Having lost his own wife and daughter he knew that there were no words.

"I know you have already been through a lot, but if I could impose on you to have a look at her room, perhaps we Mr. Buskirk might have overlooked something."

OOC:

Give me a Persuade roll.

10:07, Today: Secret Roll: Stanley Bishop rolled 97 using 1d100 with rolls of 97. Persuade.

Perhaps, too hardened by war and death Bishop came off colder than he intended.

The man shook his head. "I'm sorry Mr..."

"Bishop," his wife filled in, having been the only one to see the card.

"Mr. Bishop. I've been through that before once and I don't think I care to do it again. You'll just have to take my word for it - the man was very thorough. Besides, you can maybe call up his partner. I'm sure the detective would have left it in his files."

---

OOC:

What next for Leo and Stanley?

Bear in mind, all the other players are somewhat held up by this thread, their characters waiting on the return of Stanley and Leo. If there is something pressing that must be investigated now or never, let's do it. If something can wait, reconvening the group would be my preference.

OOC: My preference, too.

OOC:

We'll decide how to proceed after hearing back from Stanley. If you are both alright with reconvening the group, go ahead and move into Chapter 1.4: Dogs, Sorcerers, and Murderers.

"I am sure Mr. Buskirk was very thorough." Bishop said nodding in agreement.

"Sorry to have troubled you folks at this late hour. Please have a good night." Bishop said heading to the door.

Once the goodbyes were made, with Doctor Elias' agreement they headed back to the house.