The Professor chuckles to himself remembering the excavations with Miss Myrni, sipping from his cup and pouring and offering drinks all around. "Well Romano-Greecian things were Vernon's speciality. Mine is the Neolithic Isles and our British Isles...I still cannot believe it." He pauses.
"Especially so soon after Professor Gavins departure and his replacement by O'Donnell." his words are quiet and filled with sorrow as he slurps his tea. "At least this is more welcoming than my office down stairs, all the African stores in the basement. Encroaching on the temporary offices."
Merriweather looks up; "What do you think caused Vernon to do that?" he asks.
"I have no clue to be honest. This is my first time to this country. I was surprised to see such an ordeal. Poor bugger, no one deserves to die like."
"I suppose it must have been all the stress of the exhibition. He never showed that much nerves before. I suppose he was able in his efforts." The curator wonders; "Of course you are going to his funereal tomorrow? Getting it over before the New Years break."
"I suppose it must have been all the stress of the exhibition. He never showed that much nerves before. I suppose he was able in his efforts." The curator wonders; "Of course you are going to his funereal tomorrow? Getting it over before the New Years break."
"Yes, of course we will be at the funeral. Do you have the details?"
Jerry purses his lips as he thinks for a second. He then looks at Professor Merriweather, "The Prof may have been easily distracted and little excitable on occasion, but he never struck me as the nervous type. And he was a very knowledgeable man."
He sighs and gently wipes at his right eye with his forefinger.
"What about O'Donnell? What's his story? Did he come here from another museum, or was he a University man? What's his speciality?
"Certainly, Vernon's death is a great loss." the head curators tone is sad, even if his words hold a briefness.
"Highgate Cemetery at about 10 am. I hope to see you all there." He folds the newspaper with an announcement placed there, putting it upon the table.
"Oh, O'Donnell he is 'an Expert' on ancient Celts, though he has some knowledge on Romanic culture. He always argued...sorry debated...with Vernon over those matters." Adair says whilst sipping tea. "Oh, he comes from Edinburgh University. I think he did his graduate work in Dublin. But he keeps himself to himself....except about ancient tombs and such like."
"Do you think it might be possible to speak with Curator O'Donnell? He might be able to provide us with some additional insight into the Prof's state of mind in the days leading up to the Gala."
"Thank you for your time Professor. I was hoping if it won't be askin too much. Could we possibly take a look at his office? Maybe it will ferret some information out of this terrible situation."
Adairs brow furrows; "Certainly, you may talk to O'Donnell." He steps outside to talk to the porter. A short conversation later he returns. "I have asked for the curator to join us. However, I am afraid looking in the offices is out of the question we keep valuable pieces around as they are only temporary offices and even I haven't entered Vernon's office since the..."
His words are interrupted with a knock as the young ruggedly-handsome Irish-man enters; "You wished the see me?" he asks Adair, in a slightly guarded manner before he notices the rest of you. He turns round with a slight quirk to his lip.
Stella is going to slip past the gentlemen. "Well, I need to use the little ladies room so I will be right back. Please excuse me." She winks at her cousin as she heads off in some vague direction. As soon as she gives them the slip she looks for an office that says info or map of the school or someone that might be able to provide her with the information to find the offices of the recently deceased professor.
O'Donnell nods to the departing woman, with a quick smile; "A pleasure, Miss."
You quickly find a steel door, unlocked with a sign on the outside. "No Admission. Staff Only"
The door opens gently and leads to a concrete stairwell, with a dim lighting and the silence hangs in the air like a misty cloud softening all the sounds.
Stella moves quickly through the concrete stairwell to get to the offices. She is aware they are expecting her back and is hoping that her cousin got the hint to stall for time. She looks to find the door leading to the office of the professor and fellow colleagues. The sooner we have more information the better. I hate being left in the dark.
The corridor is lit by sparsely located light-bulbs that seem to swing, blown by an unseen wind. As you go down another set of stairs there's a sign that says "African Exhibit Warehouse", below it someone has stuck a piece of paper "Temporary Romanic British Offices".
Opening the door is 4 doors to the right and 1 to the left, at the end of the corridor it turns left and there is another door.
O'Donnell shakes Jerry's hand firmly; "A pleasure to meet you, Mr?" A warm smile spreads across his face although it creases his thin scar making him look dangerous, with a rogue smile.
Seeing that Stella has sneaked off without being noticed, Aysha realises that she will need to distract the curators for a while.
Turning to O'Donnell, 'I wonder if you remember me sir. You may recall my father. He has told me many stories of the times you spent together. He has been told by my mother amongst others that his work with you was beneath him. He being a maharajah and all that comes with his position. But there has always been some unmentionable bond between him and the museum's work. I hope to be included someday, as women become more accepted in the field. The Professor understood...., his going must be a great loss for you too, I imagine?'
** spoiler omitted **
O'Donnell shakes Jerry's hand firmly; "A pleasure to meet you, Mr?" A warm smile spreads across his face although it creases his thin scar making him look dangerous, with a rogue smile.
Jerry waits for Aysha to finish speaking and quickly says "McNaughton. A pleasure to meet you Professor (?) O'Donnell."
Jerry studies O'Donnell intently for a second before letting go of his hand.
Psychology roll: (my Psychology skill is 5%)
"I better keep O'Donnell talking for as long as I can, as it looks like Stella is up to something...."
O'Donnell heartily shakes Jerry's hand, the young man seems of robust physique slightly unusual in a academic. His eyes hold a slight apprehension and tension that Jerry finds hard to read. "Yes, Professor, I did my doctorate in the Celts and their connquests." he says confidently - obviously a subject that he can talk on for days.
"Of course, the beautiful Miss Myrni. Yes, I remember that during my undergraduate courses." says the youthful man as he goes to give her a greeting hug:
His hand around her shoulder; his other hand pats the Princesses posterior.
Jerry doesn't know whether to be annoyed or impressed. "This O'Donnell chap is certainly confident, although such behaviour is not what one would expect from a gentleman. I shall have to keep my eye on him...."
O'Donnell heartily shakes Jerry's hand, the young man seems of robust physique slightly unusual in a academic. His eyes hold a slight apprehension and tension that Jerry finds hard to read. "Yes, Professor, I did my doctorate in the Celts and their connquests." he says confidently - obviously a subject that he can talk on for days.
"How absolutely spiffing old chap. Tell me, did you focus on any particular branch of the Celtic peoples, or were your studies more general?"
Roll Sneak Check
Will look at the doors to see which one has the professor's name on the front of that and enter that door quietly.
'How dare you!' Aysha slaps the curator on his cheek (a little too hard perhaps) and screams (probably a bit too melodramatically) 'I am sure I do not know what you mean by being so familiar!' with that, Aysha runs out of the room.
I must try to find Miss Stella, she can't have gone too far
Curator O'Donnell, rubs his cheek "My hand slipped!" he says sheepishly, though there is a slightly worried look to his eyes as the young lady runs out of the room.
"Sorry about that, Mr McNaughton. Now how can I be of assistance? I am sorry, we are in shock. Well mostly." O'Donnell says speaking sadly and looking at the cup of tea on the sideboard.
Stella remembers the Curator's key in her pocket, that she found in his flat. She uses it to open the door. So this must be his office!
This office is a shambles, several drawers jut from the desk, and the file cabinet has been emptied, it's files flung across the floor. A potted plant has been knocked over, spilling dark earth across the speckled floor tiles. From beneath the scattered papers underfoot is the crunch of broken glass.
Aysha, leaving the room you see the 'Keep Out - Employees Only' door down to the storage area & temporary offices; else-wise there is the main floor and exhibition hall.
spot hidden roll
Stella looks tentatively through the drawers also looking for any hidden compartments.
Curator O'Donnell, rubs his cheek "My hand slipped!" he says sheepishly, though there is a slightly worried look to his eyes as the young lady runs out of the room.
"Sorry about that, Mr McNaughton. Now how can I be of assistance? I am sorry, we are in shock. Well mostly." O'Donnell says speaking sadly and looking at the cup of tea on the sideboard.
Jerry looks archly at O'Donnell and then says, "One must always be very careful with ones hands around the posteriors of attractive young women."
He turns to Merriweather. "Wouldn't you agree Professor?"
Turning back to O'Donnell he smiles and says: "Not to worry though. I'm sure that no harm was done and you can apologise to Miss Myrni later."
"Now, perhaps we can get back to the matter at hand. I was hoping that you could tell me a little about Professor Vernon. What was he working on? How did he seem over the last few days before his untimely.... death?"
She then hears the soft shuffle of someone in the corridor outside the room.
O'Donnell smiles to Jerry and heartily clasps the side of his arm; "Certainly. Well we have all been working on this project. The Ball; about early Romano-British culture. We have taken quite a collection from the ground...." O'Donnell starts.
O'Donnell smiles to Jerry and heartily clasps the side of his arm; "Certainly. Well we have all been working on this project. The Ball; about early Romano-British culture. We have taken quite a collection from the ground...." O'Donnell starts.
"Tell me more about this exciting collection; what sort of objects have you uncovered?"
Stella slowly walks over to the door and peaks through the crack gun drawn. She waits hoping to spot who is there before she continues further. After all this weird stuff goin on. I ain't takin any chances.
As Stellat stands by the door she does notice a small scrap of paper in the internal waistband of a hat that has fallen to the floor!
Whilst, in the faculty room O'Donnell answers his voice very professorial and it even chips the Irish accent from his voice; "Oh we explored the Neolithic ruins and an ancient druidic order. Superstitious poppy-cock!" he says with enthusiasm. "We also uncovered the remains of a legion near Bath, they were destroyed by a number of accidents and battles after there initial success in pacifying the Picts and Celts of the South-West. The legion Legio IX Hispana led by Gnaeus Hosidius Geta under Aulus Plautius, swept through the area. We found some of their artefacts and the 'booty' they looted, as well as their statuary and headquarters. It was said those that survived the 'luck of the legion' succumbed to madness. Hence the latin phrase; "Luck of Legio"." he states in an authoritative manner.
"Adair, Vernon and I uncovered this..." he continues happy for a captive audience even if the ladies have gone.
"Adair, Vernon and I uncovered this..." he continues happy for a captive audience even if the ladies have gone.
Jerry gives Professor O'Donnell an encouraging smile. "Do show Professor, this is absolutely fascinating."
"Oh certainly old boy." O'Donnell replies much to Adairs consternation as the Irishman roots around in a cupboard. The Head curator moves over to the pilot; "I hope he's not boring you! He could talk for hours about his favourite subject. Only Vernon could keep up with him and that was mostly in argument!"
Finally O'Donnell comes out from the large cupboard wuth a couple of items in his hands. He shows Jerry a marble statue going into a description of how upon Bodmin Moor they discovered the remnants of a early-Romanic villa. And then produces a roman legionaires helmet; still mostly intact and passes it over for Jerry to look at whilst talking about the providence.
"Meet me downstairs in the Offices Tonight @ 7. It's about Vernons murder.
O'Donnell"
O'Donnell quickly grabs this and places it in his pocket!