The guys did walk by a small diner some blocks back. It is most certainly not within sight of this house, but it did look like there were several customers there.
"I think the coffee shop would be our best bet for talking to people. We can start with fishing and sight-seeing as our topics and see if anyone mentions the suicide. I think that people leaving the house of the deceased's family will probably stop in there as well. If they see us talking to other locals it might make them less guarded towards us."
John nods in agreement.
"I think you've got the right of it. Let's head back to the diner. As much as I'm enjoying this brisk chilly morning air, I could use a cup of coffee right now!" The large man says enthusiastically.
John heads back to the diner with Kenny, and enters. He looks around and nods with a small smile at the locals, and orders a cup of coffee.
The Diner is about half full. Most of the locals don't seem particularly talkitive at the outset, though most of them nod politely. The waitress, a young girl, maybe sixteen or seventeen years old, is cheerful enough and makes small talk with everyone as she takes orders, delivers food and buses tables.
Most of the conversation either seems to be on the unseasonably warm weather or the recent suicide.
Gather Information:
The two men, working together, manage to start up a few conversations. They don't hear anything about abominable snowmen or yetis or anything like that, but they hear plenty about the recently deceased young man. Actually, they find out he was about fortyish, never married, and given to reading. Most people don't seem to trust either he or his father, but they are sympathetic about the loss.
They also hear a couple of warnings to stay away from the mountains to the south and to confine any wilderness trekings to the river and the regions north of town.
John smiles and nods, and thanks the locals enthusiastically for the warnings, but mentions to Kenny the distinct lack of details regarding what KIND of dangers exist to the south.
John passes some time drinking more coffee, and asking the locals what sort of fishing and small game the local area is good for. He keeps an eye out the window, looking for signs that the wake is breaking up.
As Kenny and John wait in the diner, the door slams open and in stumbles a grizzled old man in dusty clothes (battered blue jeans and a brownish flannel shirt). He looks around wildly and then stumbles up to the counter.
"Coffee," he mutters. He shakes his heavily bearded face and runs one hand through his gray hair.
"Are you alright, Mr. Mackalter," asks the waitress concernedly as she brings him a steaming cup.
"The Mooseman was out last night. I done seen 'im. 'Aven't dared ta sleep."
"You sure you weren't drinking a bit," asks one of the other customers.
"I tell you, I done seen 'im. In the field south o' my cabin! 'E ain't ever been this close to town, but 'e was standin' there watchin'. Watchin' the town!"
This announcement is met by what might be emberassed silence at the outburst.
John looks at Kenny, both eyebrows raised in surprise. Whatever he was expecting, Kenny's pretty sure this wasn't it!
"Are yeh alrigh'? Mr,... Mackalter, was it?" John asks with concern, allowing his southern drawl to creep up into heavy mode. He reaches into the inside pocket of his coat and pulls out a flask.
"Yeh kin have a shot o' this, if'n yeh'd like. I don' recommend it if'n yer a recover'n alcoholic, but Ah find that nuthin' works better for calmin' the nerves. An' that's the voice o' experience sir. I was, ah, stationed over seas. In the sandbox. And I've seen sh,... Sorry miss, stuff, that makes me not want to sleep either."
John looks at the man with eyebrows raised, his flask indicating the man;s coffee cup, clearly asking if he would like a shot,...
The man looks at John slightly askance and shakes his head, "Don't drink that stuff. Who are you? I don' think I know you."
John takes no offense at the man's refusal of his proffered drink. He tucks the flask, still unopened, back into his jacket.
"No problem sir, Jes' bein' neighborly. Oh! Sorry bout that, yeh, Ah'm John, this is Kenny, we're from out of town. Pleased to meet yeh." John says smiling, holding out his hand to the man,...
The man takes the hand and shakes it.
"John's a good name. I'm John Mackalter. Live just south o' town."
Then, turning back to the others in the diner he says, "Something was afoot last night in town. What was it?"
John turns to Kenny, unable to believe their good luck. But he bites his tongue, waiting for the locals to answer Mr. Mackalter's question. Both to be polite, and because it sounds interesting. And as much as he might not want to admit it, talking with his new 'partners' has made him curious. So he waits,...
Kenny follows John's lead and waits for the reaction of the crowd to the other John's outburst.
"Jim Highbrook, John's son, killed himself last night," volunteers one of the others grudgingly.
Mackalter nods sagely as if he expected nothing less, "Goes ta show you what happens when you go playing with ungodly things."
John looks at Kenny with a raised eyebrow. He takes another swig of his coffee, and after waiting a few moments to make sure he's not interrupting an obviously awkward moment for most of the cafe'-dwellers, he gently gets Mr Mackalter's attention once more.
"Excuse me sir, My friend here is kind of a history buff. We ran into the mayor while walking, and he said that you were the best person to get the history of the area from. We were wondering if you'd mind sharing the town's history with us? I'd be happy to buy you lunch for your time and trouble." John asks Mr Mackalter.
Kenny is impressed by John's approach and waits for the outcome. He makes a mental note that John has some skill at ingratiating himself with strangers.
;)
Kenny notices the man looking askance at John's request and realized a valuable lead will be lost, at least for the moment, if he doesn't step in...
"Mr. McAlter, with all due respect, how can anyone be sure why the young man did what he did? It is pretty common for us men to hold everything inside. Whatever he was suffering from, he might never have let anyone know."
Miss waves to the young lady and grins. Then she takes Carlotta's hand and leads her to the cloths, saying that she desperately needs a new dress. Because her current one looks as though someone vomited on it.
They shop around for a bit, and find a knee length polka dot dress for Miss that makes her look even smaller than usual, and about twelve years old.
"Maybe," grumps the man at Kenny, "And maybe some other time. I guess I should go over and pay my respects to John, and Jake if he's there."
Kenny gets the feeling that the man might actually talk to them later.
John Mackalter quaffs the contents of his cup and then gets up to leave. He glances around at others in the room and says, "I don't hold with John's believes but no reason not to be a good neighbor. I'll talk ta you all later."
John nods politely at his namesake, and finishes his own cup of coffee.
"Thanks fer the save Kenny. I have no problem talking to people, I just seem to have a natural gift for ticking them off rather than making them want to stay and chat!" He shakes his head.
"Anyway, I guess we should finish our walk, see the town. Then see if we can find the girls?"
"Yeah, I think a bit of feminine charm could help disarm some of the folks around here. Mind you, I am not as much of an interviewer as an investigator. And, anyway, the 'Scoop is not as concerned with being accurate as much as being entertaining."
"Glad to hear that. I'll just stick to taking pictures then, and let you guys handle the writin'." John says straight-faced. He fastens up his coat as they head outside, and digs his camera out of his backpack.
"Might as well let the locals see me taking pics. Maybe they won't be so suspicious of any I might take later if they just think I'm a shutterbug. Which is true. Mostly." John says as he adjusts his lens and takes a couple of shots of the street.
"Where did the girls say they were goin'?" He asks as he performs minor adjustments to his camera that only a true shutterbug would be the least bit concerned with.
Carlotta enjoys her time with Miss, laughing and smiling often. She grins at Miss "Y'know, its good to have you with us, its been just me an' Kenny for so long running about. I start missing having other...people, around after a little while."
When they are paying for the dress, Carlotta smiles at the girl. "Have you lived here long? We're new here..."
"All my life," says the girl politely, and she adds sweetly, with good humor, "And you don't have to tell people you're new. We all know everybody. Hope you enjoy your visit to town. Anything special bring you here? Fishing?"
"Yeah? What kind of stuff goes on around here? Not too special, we were in Arizona for a while and thought a change of scenery, and temperature, might be kind of fun."
"And it sure has been. Well Carlotta, you ready to rumble?" She smirks at Carlotta as though they are sharing a private joke. Then waves at the girl, gives her a grin, and Miss and Carlotta amble out of the store, Miss's dress over her arm.
"Ah-hah. There they are!" John says as he snaps a picture of the street, and spots the girls coming out of a store down the block.
"Well, Kenny, shall we see if they had as much luck with their 'fishing' as we did?" John asks in good humor as he tucks his camera away lovingly into his backpack.
"Hey ladies!" He calls, waving to get their attention.
Carlotta turns and waves back to John. She approaches him "Anything interesting happen to you two?" She asks.
"Not really." John says with a shrug.
"Met the mayor. Had a cup of coffee in the cafe', not bad. And met a fellah who might be willing to give us the town history. That about covers it?" He asks Kenny.
"Yeah? What kind of stuff goes on around here? Not too special, we were in Arizona for a while and thought a change of scenery, and temperature, might be kind of fun."
flashback a few minutes: The girls shrugs noncommitally, "Hunting and fishing mostly. We have a bowling alley too, but its not open all the time."
"Not really." John says with a shrug.
"Met the mayor. Had a cup of coffee in the cafe', not bad. And met a fellah who might be willing to give us the town history. That about covers it?" He asks Kenny.
"That it does. I am not sure how to go about approaching the guy who knows the town history, though. He seems a bit weird."
"I dunno. He seemed a little funny, or maybe just more open and honest. Most people just can't, or won't, admit to seeing something that 'isn't supposed to be'. We're just trained not to believe in, stuff, from the time we're kids. He might just be the guy that says, 'oh look, it's bigfoot. You want another beer?' You know what I mean?" John says in an uncharacteristically long speech.
"Just thinkin'." He shrugs.
"That could explain why the people around here treat him the way that they do. I think we should approach him when he is alone and tell him why we are here. If we can get internet access we can show him our experiences in Virginia and Arizone. This might show him that we are 'kindred spirits' so to speak."
"Maybe," John agrees reluctantly.
"Just don't go showin' him your scrapbook until your sure that he's a 'believer'. Heck, I saw, something, on the way in, and I still don't want to believe it!"
"Carlotta and I saw a ship pulled down by ...something. And we saw a basement full of kidnapped women in the basement of a restaurant. The police only believed the second one because there were survivors. So anything you saw, don't hesitate to tell us out of concern that we will think you are crazy."
"It's not that,... Exactly. It's more like, I'm afraid that if I think about it to much, I WILL go crazy! It was just, that,... <shudder>"
"C'mon. Let's go check out the rest of the town. Then maybe see about finding out where our historian lives. I'd be interested in finding out if there are any stories in the towns history about big foot, or, you know,... something."
The town does not appear to have either a newspaper or a university. There is a lone radio tower visible on the east side of the community, so it likely has some sort of radio station. It also has a library of sorts on the west side of town.
The town does not appear to have either a newspaper or a university. There is a lone radio tower visible on the east side of the community, so it likely has some sort of radio station. It also has a library of sorts on the west side of town.
If we go to the library it will seem odd to the residents. Who goes to a remote Alaskan town just to visit a library? I am not sure how to approach the radio station either. I think we had best do something touristy before we do any real investigation. This way we wont send off any obvious red flags.
"Yeah, besides, that way we can have a little fun with work!" John agrees.
"SO? What do you guys and gals want to do first? Hunting? Or Fishing?" He asks as if those are the only two choices a person should consider,...