Seeing the menhir shape again is too much of a coincidence. I think of the poor maid being locked up for months on end. Since the detective is talking with Jacob I go back into the house and wander around. I poke around, opening shut doors and looking for anything unusual.
You find nothing curious in the house; just a lot more musty rooms full of old furniture. All the windows are bolted from the inside. You can hear Colonel Ellis downstairs, once more loudly holding forth to Mrs. Cornelisz.
"Detective? Agent Barley? What's our next step? Are we done here?" Tommy asks.
Tony gives the professor a little more time to do whatever he was doing in the house, pretending to inspect the law, then nods.
"Yes," he finally says, drawing another cigarette from the pack and lighting it up. He drags on it, then puffs, eyeing the blaze as if studing it. "We head back to the station, and we escort the maid with us."
Tony turns to Jacob, pointing his way with the hand that holds the cigarette. "Have your other house help ready. Once we are done, we will bring the maid back and pick another one up."
Without waiting to be questioned, Tony begins to walk towards the house and, hopefuly, his car.
You find nothing curious in the house; just a lot more musty rooms full of old furniture. All the windows are bolted from the inside. You can hear Colonel Ellis downstairs, once more loudly holding forth to Mrs. Cornelisz.
Finding nothing of note I head outside. I'll help the maid get into the backseat of Giacomini's car.
Tommy makes himself busy collecting the castings and equipment before heading back to the car with Agent Barley.
Tony gives the professor a little more time to do whatever he was doing in the house, pretending to inspect the law, then nods.
"Yes," he finally says, drawing another cigarette from the pack and lighting it up. He drags on it, then puffs, eyeing the blaze as if studing it. "We head back to the station, and we escort the maid with us."
Tony turns to Jacob, pointing his way with the hand that holds the cigarette. "Have your other house help ready. Once we are done, we will bring the maid back and pick another one up."
Without waiting to be questioned, Tony begins to walk towards the house and, hopefuly, his car.
In the yard.
Agent Barley approaches Jacob as Tony stalks off to retrieve the housekeeper, pausing to retrieve a card from his coat pocket."If there are any changes- a ransom note or other communication from the kidnappers, for instance, please call the station at this number. The operator will patch you through to myself or my associates."
Jacob takes the proferred card, his face expressionless.
"My gratitude, Agent. Please inform your colleague that Olga is our only household servant, as well as the only person in residence when Adam was stolen. Please, retrieve my son with all due haste."
Mr. Cornelisz looks you each briefly in the eye, his gaze gaining in intensity while his face remains expressionless. He turns and walks back into his home.
In the house- Detective Giacomini
One last time tonight, you walk into the house. The maid looks frightened when you tell her you're taking her in but she nods and retrieves her coat.
"Ah, yes!", Colonel Ellis says as he himself gathers his coat,"Start with the Pollack, you'll get some information there. She's bound to be wrapped up in this- weak character, you know what they say about her kind."
Harriet watches with minimal comment, her eyes lingering on the maid.
Tony brings Olga out the front and Professor Blackwell holds the door open for her. She gets in the car without comment or resistance. In your separate cars, you take the long drive back to the precinct first through empty country roads and then through practically empty city roads; it's very late when you pull into the parking lot and walk through the heavy oak doors at the front of the precinct. There's still some activity in the front- this is the City That Never Sleeps, after all- but it's notably more subdued.
Ignoring Col Ellis and been barely respectful with the owners, Tony grumbles a goodbye and heads to the car, escorting Olga with a hand lightly on her shoulder. "Don't worry," he finally says.
As soon as they are near the cars, Olga already directed to enter on the back seat, Tony nods to Barley: "Fort's office should do. What do you think?"
As soon as they have a concensus, Tony gets the engine running and heads back to the office.
As opposed to the drive to the residence, for the return I am deep in thought and quiet. Keep wondering why the maid referred to things as "it" as opposed to "he." Maybe she's poor with pronoun usage. Maybe not. What was behind that intense gaze, Jacob Cornelisz? I need to do some checking with the county records office and then visit the library.
Once back at the station I follow the policeman's lead.
Ignoring Col Ellis and been barely respectful with the owners, Tony grumbles a goodbye and heads to the car, escorting Olga with a hand lightly on her shoulder. "Don't worry," he finally says.
As soon as they are near the cars, Olga already directed to enter on the back seat, Tony nods to Barley: "Fort's office should do. What do you think?"
As soon as they have a concensus, Tony gets the engine running and heads back to the office.
"Good enough.", Barley nods.
Agent Barley directs Olga into Fort's office and one of the chairs. Fort has a wooden desk, three chairs and various stacks of books and papers still in their boxes- he's had little chance to unpack since getting here. His crisp blotter and clean ashtray sit on the desk along with a small framed photograph of his two sons, smiling and holding up a fish.
The house servant takes a seat, he hands clasped in her lap. She doesn't say anything, but occasionally looks at each of you, never making eye contact.
I find a glass and bring the servant some water. I ask the detectives, "Do either of you have something for her to eat?"
"Now, now, dear Olga. You are safe and away from your masters. Can you tell how you were a prisoner and how your baby was taken away from you?"
The Journal
The journal from under Olga's bed is a cheap pocketbook; on the inside front cover, the name "Maria" is written in a corner.
The entries start about two years ago and the first several detail mostly mundane things in broken english. After a point, however, the diarist switches to Polish and the handwriting starts getting more and more shaky.
"April 12th: Hello diary, my new friend. I write this on English to practice. It was a strange day in this new house, so differently to the small dwelling in New York. Is it, thus calmly out here, missies I the noises of the roads.
April 15th: Mr. Jacob and Mrs. Harriet seem very friendly, but not the kind of people, which would be friends with Jerry Grant. I do not trust Jerry Grant, it have cruel eyes. Old eyes have the Corneliszes, like deep wells.
April 25th: They never seem like my cooking. I know that I am a good cook and they eat whatever I set before them. They say even that they like it, but it never each possible joy in their voice gives."
The next entry is in Polish in a distressed hand.
May 2nd (Polish): ** spoiler omitted **The journal then resumes in English.
"May 10th: I feel very sick today.September 16th: I can feel it kicking inside me. When mother was pregnant with Ela, she did not feel the baby kick until much later. The baby is very healthy.
October 31st: I heard them leave the house. I tried to run away, but I am too big to move. I crawled as far as the top of the stairs before the pain was too much to ensure.
December 3rd: Today it is my birthday. I wrote a letter home, telling them that I would not be coming home because I have too much work. It makes me laugh. I miss work. I miss walking. I miss being able...
I find a glass and bring the servant some water. I ask the detectives, "Do either of you have something for her to eat?"
"Now, now, dear Olga. You are safe and away from your masters. Can you answer this... Who is Maria?"
"Maria was last servant for Corneliszes, before me. I replace.," Olga says, after a steadying breath,"Jerry Grant hire me, pays well to say nothing about family and help with Adam. I know was strange, but my family need money... Mr. Grant say she quit... but then I find book in room!"
Olga's eyes are full of fear when she speaks, her voice forceful and emphatic.
"Evil people, the Jacob and Harriet! Devil worshippers, witches! I hear strange voices in night, footsteps and worse! House is haunted, forsaken by god!"
"Do you know Maria's last name? Who is Jerry Grant?"
"Also... how do you know they worship the devil? What have you seen?"
Tony seats on the desk top, watching the professor speak with the main. He rubs his eyes with his hand, sighing deeply. With a yawn, he fishes for his cigarette pack, realizing it is empty.
"I don't," he says, replying the professor's question. "But I'm sure Barley will be a nice boy and fetch her something, won't you, Agent Barley?"
Tony throws the empty cigarette pack on the trashbin, missing it. "Might as well bring me more smokes too."
He crosses his arms, turning to wait for the maid's answer, as if expecting Barley to be on his way already.
"Do you know Maria's last name? Who is Jerry Grant?"
"Also... how do you know they worship the devil? What have you seen?"
"Jerry Grant find job, he owns building where family lives. One day he tell me he have job, pays well. We need money, so I take."
Olga shakes her head, her hands grip the material of her black dress in her lap."I do not know. Maria is only name in pocketbook. I find that under floor in room and I read... that's how I know! I had to...."
She stops herself.
From Barley's expression, there are a number of creative places he would have preferred Giacomini shove that cigarette pack... but instead he says,"Last time I checked, Giacomini, your legs work just fine. Why don't you show us the detective skills that made you the sterling example of New York's Finest that we see today and find your own smokes? There's probably some cold coffee and some old day old donuts around somewhere, but I doubt it's anything that would make her feel at home. We can find her something once we've decided what to do with her."
Seeing the two policemen get their dander up will not help matters. I stand, "Gentlemen, gentlemen! I will roust something for this poor woman. Please continue with questions. Perhaps we can dig up some records on this Jerry Grant fellow, no?"
I hunt around for anything that might give the woman a bit of sustenance.
"You had to what?" Tommy asks as he sits down opposite Olga, taking her hand in his. "Go ahead, what were you going to say? You can tell us, we want to help."
"You had to what?" Tommy asks as he sits down opposite Olga, taking her hand in his. "Go ahead, what were you going to say? You can tell us, we want to help."
"I... had to get him out of that house. Two weeks past, a man comes to Corneliszes house- he was first person I ever see that wasn't friend of Mr. Jacob and Mrs. Harriet. He come to look for work, this man, say his name is Thomas...."
With a bit more coaxing from Tommy, Olga spills the rest of the story.
"Thomas have dark hair, he is handsome but his nose is squash- flatten, yes? We talk a long time and I tell him I am scared for Adam, that I would get him away from Mr. Jacob. Thomas come back a week later, with a second man and he says that if I leave window open at night... he would take Adam and put him in orphanage."
This revelation causes me to almost drop the coffee cup I've found.
"Orphanage? Which orphanage?"
"He did not say.", Olga says,"Better I not know, Mr. Cornelisz cannot make me say."
As silence fills the room, Tommy realizes that his jaw is dropped, and he closes his mouth. "Olga, why did you think he was in danger? Why would they harm their own baby?" he asks.
As I listen to the reporter quiz Olga, I am very glad he is doing the interview. He has a very personable approach and seems able to get others to drop their guard almost immediately. I'm too much the academician and a bit awkward in this sort of situation.
Keep your mouth shut, Thaddeus, old boy.
Having found some water and half an old bagel, I set it before the maid.
"I found journal! I read what happened to last girl they hire! You live in that house, you hear the voices in the night and live with their old stares in their young face, you would do the same!", Olga declares.
"We need to find this Thomas, Olga. How do we find him?"
"I do not know!", Olga says fervently,"Even if I did, I not tell! You just bring Adam back to them. I got him out that house, God be praised, at least I do that much."
A stray tear or two runs down the servant's cheek, but she wipes them away quickly with her sleeve.
Tommy momentarily puts his head down on top of his folded arms before raising it again. "Olga, you're admitting your complacent in kidnapping. Don't you realize that means you're going to go to jail?"
Shaking his head, Tommy gets up and motions for the professor and the others to meet him in the hallway. Once there, he shakes his head and mutter, "This is nuts." In a louder voice, he continues. "Okay, gentlemen. We need to find this Thomas fellow. It sounds like he was might have done some work for the family at the house." Looking around, he asks, "Any other suggestions?"
After watching the reporter do the talk (which is good, considering Tony did not know how to talk with his tongue as much as with his fist), Tony followed the others outside.
"We have no evidence that there WAS a crime other than the kidnapping," he says shaking his head with a humorless smile on his lips. "We got carried away by that journal, and we don't even know if whatever is written in it is real or not."
Irritated, Tony paces the hall and stops near a window. He looks outside, rubbing his eyes. What time is it? He completelly lost track of it.
"We need to process her and get done with it. And find out about this Thomas fellow."
Hearing the detective grouse, I worry that I led the investigation down the wrong trail. Will wait and see what the policemen suggest as the next move.
Something does not seem to add up, though. If Olga tried to 'save' the baby, then why did the Cornelisz' seem so unconcerned with the disappearance of their child?
"So should we all drive back out there and ask about this Thomas fellow?"
"Officers, might we check your voluminous files first? Jerry Grant sounds very suspicious. And while we are at it perhaps we can look up the name Cornelisz and reference any unusual activity in Westchester."
Hopeful we can find something useful and my academic curiosity is piqued at the chance to rummage through the police archives.
To Olga I ask, "Is Thomas his first name or last? Do you know his full name? Did you see the other man who helped him take away Adam? What did he look like?"
As an afterthought I ask the policemen, "Do you have a Polish-English dictionary about?"
With a bit more coaxing from Tommy, Olga spills the rest of the story.
"Thomas have dark hair, he is handsome but his nose is squash- flatten, yes? We talk a long time and I tell him I am scared for Adam, that I would get him away from Mr. Jacob. Thomas come back a week later, with a second man and he says that if I leave window open at night... he would take Adam and put him in orphanage."
Olga shakes her head.
"I do not know last name. The other man, he not speak. He had red hair and scar on face... was missing two fingers and he wear heavy boots."She looks you all in the eye. Though she does seem frightened, you can see the resolve in her bearing.
"If you put me in jail... so be it. I regret nothing; what I did for Adam, the Lord will understand. But I not go back to that house. If Mr. Jacob ever find out..."
Agent Barley listens intently, then turns to all of you.
"I'm no expert, but to me it seems like a woman with Harriet Cornelisz's figure couldn't have possibly had a child so recently. That journal... probably the product of a deranged mind, but there is a possibility that the child wasn't really Mrs. Cornelisz's at the least."
As an afterthought I ask the policemen, "Do you have a Polish-English dictionary about?"
"I doubt it, Professor.", Jasper says,"Typically we get someone to translate when we bring someone in... or just charge the perp and file 'em away. We can stop at the library tomorrow for one, though."
Agent Barley motions for Ms. Lesek to rise.
"Olga Lesek, you're under arrest as an accessory to the kidnapping of Adam Cornelisz. Come with me."
Her eyes on the floor, Olga follows Agent Barley.
Tony watches Barley take Olga away, wondering what did he get himself into anyway.
Finally, with a heavy sigh, he pushes himself away from the wall he was leaning on. "I'm going to hit the streets. Try to find out something about this Jerry Grant and this Thomas. And get me a pack of cigarettes. I really need it..."
Seeing the woman taken away and the disgust on Giacomini's face fills me with an emptiness.
"Gentlemen, I will contact you by phone later. I plan on going to the New York Public Library, then back up to Westchester. I want to check the county records building and maybe talk with the neighbors."
I look at Mr. Brennan, "Thomas, you are more than welcome to join me, of course."
Exhausted, I take my leave and head home for a few hours rest.
You all say goodnight and head home, though Giacomini walks south from the station toward Brooklyn Bridge. He stops for a pack of cigarettes from a magazine vendor just on the verge of closing his stand for the night; after that first puff of tobacco, his mind organizes and he remembers where he's heard of Jerry Grant- there's a speakeasy owner on the Lower East Side by that name. Rat-like little weasel of a guy, ties to organized crime. Not exactly the type to have friends in Westchester.
The detective walks into a dive on Fulton street to find Slim Al Herschel at the bar with his usual poison. A drink and a friendly reminder of a narcotics charge Tony got the stoolie out of gets him talkative. With a description of the men at the Cornelisz house, Slim Al rubs his chin.
"Sounds like Tommy Galiano, the boxer. Works with Ray Barrett and Al Pirolo. Try down at the boxing clubs; bad sort, though, gumshoe. Watch your step. "Fingers" Wisner- that's the other guy. Hick from some small town in the Catskills; small-time. Seem to remember him working with Barrett."
With a little more to go on, Detective Giacomini looks up one of his old pals from the force, Detective Tom Talby. Talby's a brick s&$~ house with a moustache, more than six feet tall and built like an oversized bulldog. Tony catches him in the pub near the station where a lot of the boys grab a drink after their shift. A quick description of the perp coupled with Barrett's name and Talby's got the whole gang run down for you:
"Ray 'Iron' Barrett's an ex-boxer, trying to make a name for himself doing robberies and bank heists. Recruited Wisner recently; he ain't been in the city too long but he's made a name between that funny accent of his and his missing fingers. Clyde Higgins runs with them sometimes- he's a vet, just does enough to keep himself in the hooch. Galiano, he runs up a red streak when he's pissed but you'd never guess it when he's calm. Met Barrett through the sweet science. Pirolo's Barrett's partner in crime- rumor is he beat a hobo to death in Chicago then he came up here on the run.... oh, Sammy 'the Squid' works with them too sometimes. He's an ugly, smelly kid from down on the docks. You stickin' around for a belt or what, Giacomini, now that I told you their friggin' life stories?"
After a short cab ride home, Professor Blackwell mounts the stairs to his apartment near NYU and Washington Square. It seems like his head has only just hit the pillow when he opens his eyes to sunlight flooding through the window. Rising, he puts his coffee on. The phone in the hall rings shortly thereafter- Agent Barley.
"Professor, we got a call from the Corneliszes- ransom note received. We ought to head up there to take a look and get our course of action. I'm gonna call Brennan; do me a favor and give Giacomini a ring? Little early for me to deal with him..."
"Professor, we got a call from the Corneliszes- ransom note received. We ought to head up there to take a look and get our course of action. I'm gonna call Brennan; do me a favor and give Giacomini a ring? Little early for me to deal with him..."
"Right. Meet you back at the station."
Promptly I clean up, shave, and dress. I dial Giacomini's number, halfway hoping he does not answer. If he does, I quickly tell him the news.
Then I call for a cab.
Tony gets up with a curse and a massive headache. The ringing phone sounds like a g~+ d@#ned cathedral's bell inside his head. Wanting only to end this torture, he rolls off his bed and stumbles towards the phone, answering it with a grunt.
It takes him a minute to realize it is the professor and longer to comprehend what he is saying. Remembrance of last night, the talk with Slim and Talby come back in flashes. He is in bad need of a smoke.
"I'll be there," he tells the professor. Or maybe he just grunted again before hanging up.
Tony slashes some water on his face and stares at the mirror for long enough to wake up. Then, with a sigh, he pushes away from the sink and heads to his bedroom, fishing for some half-decent cloths. He is in no mood of hearing about his dressing or hygene this time around.
"Stupid kidnappers," he mumbles as he lights a cigarette and turns on the engine, headed for the station.
Hey guys, I'm sorry but I think I may have to pull the plug on this one. Between all of us being new to the game system and the number of irons I have in the fire right now, I'm not enjoying running the case as much as I used to. It's got nothing to do with you guys as players- your enthusiasm and interest is what makes dropping out on this a hard decision. But I'm just not feeling it anymore. Maybe after the holidays or some time in the future I'll put together another CoC type game and I'll make sure you guys get first dibs.
Again, really sorry and thanks for giving this a shot.
Again, really sorry and thanks for giving this a shot.
Bummer. But yeah, we had trouble maintaining any sense of momentum. Will keep an eye out for a game (hopefully) in the future!
Thanks,
Eradico aka Professor Blackwell
It was a fun idea (and I loved my character :D), but I agree. We lost momentum (and player!). This kind of game (investigation) is hard to keep moving, especially on a forum
But I loved it. It was my first opportunity to play by forum and the first rpg in months. Thanks James!
Yeah, I dunno. I thought it would work out okay, but I guess more action is needed on a long term thing like this. I've been doing Tatters of the King since January and even if it's a bit slow in pace, it's still moving along. Oh, well. I still would love to run Dead White World or Red Eye of Azathoth, but it's an idea for another day.
Okay. I've been mulling officially dropping out anyway, mostly because I just haven't been able to get into Tommy as a character.