08:09, Today: Mary-Alice Reussoe Conner rolled 16 using 1d20+1. Climb.

She tossed her weapon back in the window and climbed down the stairs as fast as she could.

Kate/Penny: You soon find yourselves at a small house on the corner of one of the main streets in town. It has a white picket fence, well manicured gardens and is neat and tidy but it is small and the surrounding homes are not so well kept, leading you to believe this is not the best neighborhood. Compared to the slums of New York though, it is still fare superior.

Emma, Ian and Kate find a park bench down the street to wait. No sense sitting outside the woman's house and making her suspicious though they are in easy view of the house and all Penny need do is wave out the door for them to come should it be necessary. Ian watches the house restlessly as Penny approaches. As soon as she's out of earshot he turns to Kate. So is she still sore at me or not? You know, about the way I snapped at her the other week. Does she even care?

Penny: You knock on the door and after a moment it is answered by a proud looking black woman in her late forties or so. She sees your fine dress and well bred posture and looks dryly amused. Miss, I think you must be lost. The white parts of town are thataway she points the way you've come.

Mary-Alice: You traverse the fire escape with ease and rush past the fallen man, unsure if he's still alive or not. The pair have ducked down the street and disappear inside a shop, a butcher's shop from the looks of it. The building is quite large and you figure it probably stores a great deal of his merchandise. Great, nothing like a place full of dead animals and possible demons. Should you go inside you will discover the shop keep looking bewildered, bleeding profusely from the head but still alive at least. He points to a door leading to the rest of the warehouse, indicating that is where they fled.

ooc: If you look for them please roll a search/spot/listen

10:20, Today: Mary-Alice Reussoe Conner rolled 9 using 1d20+7.  spot.
10:19, Today: Mary-Alice Reussoe Conner rolled 6 using 1d20+4.  listen.
10:19, Today: Father Simon Mary-Alice Reussoe Conner Cole rolled 21 using 1d20+1.  Search.

Alice nodded at the butcher and turned to the doors. She drew her pistols and pushed the doors open and carefully stepped inside.

'No, madam, I'm not lost. I came to see you – you are Mrs Cole Michaels, are you not? Then you are the woman I came to see. May we speak inside?' she asked politely. She wished she'd known the woman's given name; she was too much a suffragist to be comfortable calling a woman by her husband's name.

With permission, she stepped inside, making some small talk with some compliments to set the lady at ease. 'I must say, you have a lovely home. And this garden is grand.' Given the contrast with the surrounding houses, it was easy to tell the Michaels had been house-proud.

'I have a small proposal for you, but first, I should introduce myself. I'm something of a paranormal investigator— no, no, not a medium or spiritualist, I assure you.' she quickly explained to head off Mrs Michaels' ire. 'Charlatans, all of them. No, I work to debunk their claims and expose their frauds. In this, I've had some success, and in their dread they've come to call me Penny Dreadful. But please, call me Penny.' she offered with smile. 'Forgive me, I don't know your name?'


OOC:
20:40, Today: Penny Dreadful rolled 22 using 1d20+3. diplomacy.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 06:53, Thu 15 Sept 2016.

Kate snorted at Ian's question as to if Penny was upset with him. "I think that's a better question for her to answer don't you?"

Kate: Ian quickly shakes his head, mortified by the idea. Oh no that's not about to happen! Last time I apologized for somethin she didn't even care in the first place. I'm not about to go fallin all over myself for someone who wouldn't even notice.

Penny: She seems quite hesitant to let you in but your clear high social status has made her acquiesce. When you compliment her home and garden she almost seems pleased, clearly proud of them. She invites you to sit down but doesn't offer any refreshment, whether because she doesn't want you to stay that long or because she doesn't have any you are unsure. The interior of the house is just as nice as the outside though some of the furnishings are a tad outdated. When you explain yourself she does indeed start to seem irked but quickly calms once she realizes the nature of your work. I'm Molly. Investigator eh? Interesting. And you come to me why? Let me guess, something to do with that dreadful Winchester woman? her face hardens.

Mary-Alice: You look around but see and hear very little. The place is full of hanging carcasses in some form of dissection or another and the dim lighting makes it more difficult to look around it should have. A thorough examination of the place reveals the pair appear to have escaped but not before you notice a small torn piece of paper on the ground. It has a hand scrawled name on it and the bare bones of an address: Molly Michaels, Lorall street.

Alice sneered as she shoved the scrap of paper into her coat pocket. She made her way back out to the butcher. "Are you alright, sir? Do you need a doctor?"

'I'm afraid so,' Penny replied carefully. 'You know these rich folk: too much money, too little sense. But I fear Mrs Winchester is mad with grief, too willing to pursue fads, and so falls easy prey to confidence tricksters...'

'Well, in any case, another scurrilous pair has come to play their deceits on her. One a fortune teller, the other a witch who claims to summon the spirits of the departed. I've accompanied them so I might expose their trickery to their clients. They've accepted my presence as a challenge, but I'm determined they'll not cheat another.'

Penny took a deep breath, hesitating as she got to the sensitive heart of the matter. This would be offensive to the poor woman, but it would be offensive regardless, to her, and to nature and to God alike. The dark arts had a way of demanding they be used. 'This, I'm afraid, is where your husband comes in.' Penny reached out to place a comforting hand on Molly's own.

'The witch, the witch has promised to let Sarah Winchester speak with your dear Cole one last time. She wants to ask him where she left a ring in that infernal house of hers! Of all the absurdities! It's ridiculous fakery, of course, but the offence to your late husband's memory! I'm so sorry, madam!' Penny sobbed.


OOC: Bluff 18
20:15, Today: Penny Dreadful rolled 18 using 1d20+5. bluff.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:00, Wed 21 Sept 2016.

Mary-Alice: The man holds his bloodied head uncertainly, swaying a bit but at last shakes it. I-I think I'll be alright Miss. Who were those ruffians? I'm lucky they didn't kill me! he pants.

Penny: Molly's face turns aghast and then instantly furious. She stands and starts pacing the room like a wild thing. What!? Has she not done enough to him?! She's the one who took him from me in the first place and now she wants to accost his memory with her blasphemy!? No!! I'll go over there myself and tear that house down on her lying head! How dare she! she looks ready to cry but her anger is the worse of the two emotions.

Alice answered, "Robbers...thieves." She stared behind where they had been. She spun her pistols into their holsters without thinking, "Well if you don't need anything..."

She will head back to the hotel.

'No, wait!' Penny begged. 'Please, sit, listen: I have an idea, one that will expose their ruse and embarrass Mrs Winchester, and I hope dissuade her from dealing with such folk again.' she promised, but knew Molly would need something much more personally satisfying... 'And you'll get to have a good laugh at her expense...'

Penny leaned closer to explain her plan. 'Now, very soon, this pair will be stopping by here to visit you. I'll be with them as an observer. For their ritual, they claim they need an item of Cole's, something that was close to him for a long time, such as a favourite hat, a tool, a ring, a pocket watch? One of the workers mentioned your husband had one. They'll ask you for such an item. I propose you let them have it.'

'But, here is the trick: you give it to me to keep safe. I shall go into town and purchase a duplicate, as close as possible to the original, and make modifications to complete the forgery. After all, Mrs Winchester knew your husband too well to accept any old item, it must be convincing. I shall swap the items, and when in the séance, I'll let them work their chicanery on the insignificant duplicate. Then, afterward, I shall produce the original and expose the fraud!' Penny ended with as much as triumph as if she'd just done it. And, in a way, she had. Jesus, please forgive me for deceiving this innocent woman.

She returned power over this to Molly. 'Do you think this would work? Do know of something suitable?'

Mary-Alice: Pm

Penny/Kate:

Molly listens to Penny with growing horror, completely furious that they would use her husband's belongings in such a way. How dare they! How DARE-!!!! she fumes, looking so angry you fear she'll turn violent though she manages to avoid that at least. It is with effort that you remind yourself the very world is at stake and this pocket watch has grave importance. In the meantime angry tears stream down her cheeks and she wipes them away savagely. Break her! I want you to break that crazy old woman! There's no such thing as ghosts, shove that down her throat until she's as miserable as I! What kind of demented creature would prey upon my sorrows for their own gain!? Yes, take it, take it she pulls the pocket watch from her blouse where it hangs on a chain. The poor widow must miss him very much indeed to always keep it close. But I don't want to see them! There's no telling what I'll do, I can't keep civil knowing what I know. Tell them you took it, or that I sold it to you, heaven knows they'll believe I need the money. Just take it and make things right! I warn you though she adds suddenly, You had best return it in one piece! It's all I have left of him! Promise me now, that I shall have it in my hand again tomorrow! May God strike you down if you lie!

PM

Mary Alice decided to investigate the address. She will first look for, then ask around to find the woman. She believes the woman might be in danger or be a danger herself and thus she needed to find this woman. She took her shotgun with her, closing the room up completely. She hoped to stop evil, and she cannot say if this woman is evil or not.

Never mind the wrath of God. Penny quailed at the wrath of Molly Michaels. 'Madam, I shall do all I can and more, and you have my word that I'll have this back in your hand tomorrow. I feel I am doing God's work.' she swore, as much to herself as this poor woman. And if Father Simon hadn't had to leave so suddenly and could sit beside her, she might feel it.

She took the pocket watch and chain carefully, depositing it safely in her purse. She rose from her seat, but did not leave. Guilt compelled her to stay and ask 'Is there anything else I may do for you, madam?' She resolved to reward the widow handsomely tomorrow, when she had some more money on hand.

"I wouldn't worry too much about it." Kate recommended. "Penny can be oblivious to peoples feelings. At least from her admirers..." She remembered the mess with Father Simon and was glad they wouldn't be needing to worry about that now that he'd transferred his affection to Lily.

"As weird as it is I'm technically her mother so feel free to not ask me love advice," she added with a grin.

Kate: Ian looks aghast. Admirer! Who said anything about that!? You read me wrong woman! Why would I ask her mother- ugh! he looks mortified and embarrassed. And this be not love advice I'll have you know! It's merely getting along advice, that's all! I'm not the settlin down type right now anyway, all I wanted was-UGH! he shakes his head again, standing up and pacing around. Emma actually laughs, the first you've heard her do so.

Mary-Alice: As you approach the address you see a trio on a bench not far away, seemingly waiting for something. A young woman, a handsome man and a middle aged woman, the two females seemingly amused by their agitated companion. They seem like a good sort to ask for directions.

Penny: Molly shakes her head, anger still fuming but a great loneliness overtaking her too, you can see it in her eyes. Just, please, make them pay. They don't care what they're doing to me, what they have done to me. I'm powerless to do anything myself. A lone black woman against a rich white shrew like that Winchester. What could I do anyway? Make her pay. she trembles. It occurs to you the irony of both women being so afflicted by the same thing. Loss. Molly with her husband and Sarah with her family, both affected so differently and yet their grief no less intense.

Alice approached the house in question. She was carrying a shotgun under her coat, holding it with her hand in the pocket. Her western style hat, while common on the plains, seemed out of place on the streets of a city, as does her long coat and boots with spurs. She looked like she walked out of Bill Cody's Wild West Show.

She was searching, her eyes moving side to side as she looked for something or someone. She drew her left hand out of her pocket and looked at something in it (a scrap of paper with Molly Michaels, Lorall street written on it). She mouthed the words as she read them crossing the street. She stopped at the edge of the property, noticing two women and a man. The man was VERY good looking, which caused her eyebrows to lift but no other visible reaction. He was with a beautiful women and he seemed uncomfortable. There was a second woman, matronly, and likely a chaperone for the other. To Alice it seemed like this was a lady's man who was with two women, either of which might actually be his lover, or Dear God both of them, and her nose crinkled at the hedonism of it. Whatever interest she might have had for him evaporated at her own assumptions.

Her face snapped back to the house, trying to decide whether to go to the door or to the people sitting outside of it. After several seconds she decided to interrupt the lovers. "Excuse me, are either of you Molly Michaels?"

Face tight with shame and guilt, Penny regarded Mrs Michaels sympathetically. Perhaps she'd overplayed this, had provoked Molly anger too much, but what was done was done. In an ideal world, without class or colour or differing beliefs, Molly and Sarah might be one of a kind in their grief. Two sides of the same kind, yet they couldn't be more unalike. Awkwardly, she reached out, touched Molly's forearm to reassure her. All of Father's rantings against negroes rose unbidden in the red dark back of her mind, and she buried them again. 'You have already done much, madam, more than you can know. I'll do all I can to make this right, and return as soon I can... Please, have a good day.' she farewelled, and discreetly departed, leaving the woman to her grief.

On the walk away from the house, her anger grew, at Emma Bently and Sarah Winchester for getting her into this, and at herself.


OOC: I'm not sure how far away I am, I'll wait until Artemis says we're back together.

ooc: Since I know Kate is sporadically available, I'll have it so you two get a chance to interact too. Basically Penny, when you get out you see this woman talking to the others. I'll post more soon, when I get the chance. Crazy week.

Walking back to where she'd left her companions, Penny found another woman addressing them. She looked like one of the performers from the Wild West show Penny had seen at the American Exhibition in 1887, but it didn't take a detective to see she was no performer. 'Good day. What do you need of Molly Michaels?' Penny doffed her hat politely, but was wary.

Alice turned to see yet another pretty woman approaching. This fellow certainly had himself quit a little harem going. The new woman's accent was upper crust British. Alison answered the question with one of her own, "Are you she? If you are you are in danger. This may sound...off...but there are men who would see you harmed. It is a bit of a long story, and one not best shared in public. Perhaps we could go inside your home?"

Penny hesitated, glancing momentarily back to the house, afraid for Molly but not wishing to disturb her again. Returning now with some other tale would ruin the whole plan. And who could possibly be threatening that poor widow? Surely the danger was really to Penny and her companions. 'Can you tell me now? Who are these men?'

Alison felt odd, talking about this in public. It was difficult enough to tell an unbelieving world that demons exist, but doubly so to tell someone they are in a demon's cross hairs. She strained at the difficulty but eventually erred on the side of caution. "They aren't men, you see, they only look like men. Whether you believe it or not, ma'am, there are demons in the world and two of them are coming for you."

She continued, "You see I came here to find some friends of a friend. They are staying nearby at a hotel. When I found the room I heard people inside, but not women you understand. So I pushed in and found them rummaging around, two of them. I chased them, but I wasn't fast enough. They dropped this," she handed Penny the scrap of paper, "so I came looking for you because your in danger, ma'am."

'Quite.' Penny agreed, faintly amused at being told the revelation of demons.

She was more disturbed to hear of these demons creeping about in their rooms. What had been found, what had been stolen? Blast! The fiends were ahead of them once more. 'And who are these friends of yours?' she inquired. She fancied she knew already, but wanted to test this stranger's knowledge and relationship. Was she a fellow hunter, or demon attempting some ruse?

Meanwhile, Penny took the proffered note and inspected it: the nature of the tear, the type of paper, whether it was folded or crumpled, the ink and penmanship. She even sniffed it, for traces of perfume, cologne, or other aromas.


OOC: Examining the note for clues. I'm not quite sure what to roll right now, but here's a few:
11:57, Today: Penny Dreadful rolled 12 using 1d20+9. spot.
11:57, Today: Penny Dreadful rolled 16 using 1d20+13. search.
11:57, Today: Penny Dreadful rolled 14 using 1d20+10. decipher script.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:56, Sun 02 Oct 2016.