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The Dante Club: Darkmatter D20 Modern Style {Newly updated to Chapter 3. 7/13/05}
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<blockquote data-quote="broghammerj" data-source="post: 2308325" data-attributes="member: 1869"><p><strong>Chapter 1: A Fly on The Wall</strong></p><p></p><p>Time on the job has been difficult for all those involved in the MCOPS project. There has been bickering between departments. Now jurisdiction is turned over to the MCOPS officer on the scenes. Homicide, narcotics, and vice squad have all had their glory stolen by MCOPS. Even the feds are getting edged out of the action.</p><p></p><p>A shrill chirp from a pager snaps Drew back to reality. Sitting at his desk drinking coffee his mind once again shifting from the cloudy period back in Australia where he "lost time". It had been another late night doing some "research". He wasn't sure why but something about a desert in Western China kept consuming him but it would have to wait.</p><p></p><p>Cyrus strolls out of an AM briefing, "What's up?"</p><p></p><p>Vance verbalizing his thoughts, "187. Looks like a homicide. Scene must be cold to get a page. Let's check it out. Give Jake a ring and get the truck rolling."</p><p></p><p>Rolling up on the scene to local Gross Pointe police have the area cordoned off. This is the residence of one Judge Michael Arthur. By the look of his posh residence he is clearly from old money.</p><p></p><p>Cyrus: "It's obvious we grew up on the wrong side of the law!"</p><p></p><p>Officers Fatima and Gilkey are actively questioning and counseling two distraught women out in front of the house. One tall, slender, elegantly dressed, slightly older stands sobbing violently. The other a short hispanic women in plain jeans and a shirt stands answering questions.</p><p></p><p>Jake notices a peculiar look from a neighbor as the truck pulls in the drive. The shadowy figure withdraws back behind the blinds. Officer Fatima approaches with the run down. It appears that Judge was to take a trip up north for fishing. His is car in the garage and it appears his fishing gear left untouched. Alicia Arthur, his wife had just returned from a weekend shopping trip to Toronto with her girlfriend. She didn't want to spend the weekend along so she left town. The house had been empty until this morning when she returned home. Valentina arrive around the same time and began her daily chores. </p><p></p><p>Alicia Arthur: "When I brought my bags up to the master bedroom to put them in the closet I heard Valentina scream downstairs to find her out back. Then I saw that thing. My god I hope that not Micheal".....she then begans breaking down.</p><p></p><p>Valentina: "Oh senior. I came this morning to start my work and prepare dinner for Ms. Talbot. I was hanging the rugs out back like I always then I noticed that smell. I went to look further and I noticed trash all over the lawn. Then I noticed insects swarming all around biting and stinging me. There was the body. I ain't seen nuthin like it senior. I moved closer and I swear Mother Mary it moaned. I just hope it aint Mr. Arthur."</p><p></p><p>Drew continues the questioning of the witness out front while Cyrus and Jake move out back. The lawn is litered with scraps of paper.....a strange jumble of letters cut into small squares. The stench is overwhelming. A mound of what could be a man lies not far from the beach.</p><p></p><p>Cyrus: "Come on Jake. Get on up here. This is your deal not mine. That poor fool ain't gonna get up and go Boo. I don't have all those fancy degrees, but I'll tell you he's sure hasn't been dead for 48 hours."</p><p></p><p>Jake: "Well I'll have to agree with you on that. Haven't you noticed these bugs. Some sort of fly. Not too surprising but look at this blue wasp. Haven't seen one of these before and they're all over. Hey, by the way did you notice the neighbor's strange reaction when we pulled up?"</p><p></p><p>Cyrus: "Don't worry I'll take care of the questions."</p><p></p><p>The two approach the corpse or what remains of it. Teaming with insect larvae the skin almost appears to crawl. Little is identifiable. Liquifactive necrosis has set in and the flesh is infested with bugs. The body has decomposed far to extensively to someone who has gone missing for only 48 hours. Jake bags and tags what little remains.</p><p></p><p>Meanwhile Drew has walked a fine line between hard questions and appearing compassionate. Alicia Arthur's story appears to have checked out. Here friend, Liz Harris, confirms the two were in Toronto for the weekend. According to Judge Arthur's fishing buddies he cancelled on Friday at the last minute but didn't appear distressed or concerned.</p><p></p><p>Cyrus moves to questioning the neighbor, Freddrick Laffey. Laffey is clearly evasive and has something to hide. Cyrus "leans" on him a bit causing Laffey to break down. It turns out he saw a vagrant wandering around the house the presumed night of the murder. Concerned that he could be blamed for the crime because he never reported the vagrant to the police, Laffey didn't want to come forward. A description is taken and an APB sent out looking for someone matching that description.</p><p></p><p>The invesitgation moves into the house. The crime becomes apparent. A bloodied tire iron is found in the back of the Judge's Range Rover. The crime occured in the master bedroom. Arthur appears to have been struck from behind, stripped naked, and drug from the upstairs through the kitchen to the back. Several things are evident. The killer attempted to hide the bloodstained carpet in the bedroom by covering it with bags packed for the trip. The kitchen floor was cleaned with bleach but the carpeted stairs were missed. Dirty towels were hastily stuffed in the laundry machine. The most gruesome details appears to be that the judge was alive when drug out of the house. His bloodied handprints line the sliding glass door to the outside showing signs of resistance.</p><p></p><p>Even more interesting is a possible motive. Judge Arthur is somewhat of a local celebrity in the area. He has held court over several priest abuse scandal cases regarding the Detroit Diocese. He's thought of as tough but fair, having sided in cases for both the victims and the church. As a result of his neutrality and own desire as a Catholic to clean up the local scandal, he as been appointed to a committee composed of lawyers, priests, and community leaders to address this problem on a local level. Numerious notes and newspaper clippings are found in the study detailing this.</p><p></p><p><u><strong>FOLLOW UP TO THE CASE</strong></u></p><p>Analysis of the insects reveals two predominent species:</p><p></p><p>Chlorion aerarium- A blud mud dauber wasp normally solitary in nature. Normally docile and not associated with corpses. It can be found in Michigan but not normally in these numbers.</p><p></p><p>Cochliomyia hominvorax- One of the subspecies of blowflies. Also known as the New World Screw fly. Unlike other flies it lays its eggs in fresh live tissue and not rotting flesh. The larva have hatched and developed on the corpse at a rate not normal in nature.</p><p></p><p>The strange letters strewn about the lawn spell out "I am the way to the city of woe."</p><p></p><p><u><strong>Questions remaining to be answered???????</strong></u> </p><p>Who killed the Judge?</p><p>What was the motive?</p><p>What does the strange quote on the papers mean?</p><p>How could the body have rotted so quickly?</p><p>Where did these strange insects come from ?</p><p></p><p>Find out more in our next installment</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="broghammerj, post: 2308325, member: 1869"] [b]Chapter 1: A Fly on The Wall[/b] Time on the job has been difficult for all those involved in the MCOPS project. There has been bickering between departments. Now jurisdiction is turned over to the MCOPS officer on the scenes. Homicide, narcotics, and vice squad have all had their glory stolen by MCOPS. Even the feds are getting edged out of the action. A shrill chirp from a pager snaps Drew back to reality. Sitting at his desk drinking coffee his mind once again shifting from the cloudy period back in Australia where he "lost time". It had been another late night doing some "research". He wasn't sure why but something about a desert in Western China kept consuming him but it would have to wait. Cyrus strolls out of an AM briefing, "What's up?" Vance verbalizing his thoughts, "187. Looks like a homicide. Scene must be cold to get a page. Let's check it out. Give Jake a ring and get the truck rolling." Rolling up on the scene to local Gross Pointe police have the area cordoned off. This is the residence of one Judge Michael Arthur. By the look of his posh residence he is clearly from old money. Cyrus: "It's obvious we grew up on the wrong side of the law!" Officers Fatima and Gilkey are actively questioning and counseling two distraught women out in front of the house. One tall, slender, elegantly dressed, slightly older stands sobbing violently. The other a short hispanic women in plain jeans and a shirt stands answering questions. Jake notices a peculiar look from a neighbor as the truck pulls in the drive. The shadowy figure withdraws back behind the blinds. Officer Fatima approaches with the run down. It appears that Judge was to take a trip up north for fishing. His is car in the garage and it appears his fishing gear left untouched. Alicia Arthur, his wife had just returned from a weekend shopping trip to Toronto with her girlfriend. She didn't want to spend the weekend along so she left town. The house had been empty until this morning when she returned home. Valentina arrive around the same time and began her daily chores. Alicia Arthur: "When I brought my bags up to the master bedroom to put them in the closet I heard Valentina scream downstairs to find her out back. Then I saw that thing. My god I hope that not Micheal".....she then begans breaking down. Valentina: "Oh senior. I came this morning to start my work and prepare dinner for Ms. Talbot. I was hanging the rugs out back like I always then I noticed that smell. I went to look further and I noticed trash all over the lawn. Then I noticed insects swarming all around biting and stinging me. There was the body. I ain't seen nuthin like it senior. I moved closer and I swear Mother Mary it moaned. I just hope it aint Mr. Arthur." Drew continues the questioning of the witness out front while Cyrus and Jake move out back. The lawn is litered with scraps of paper.....a strange jumble of letters cut into small squares. The stench is overwhelming. A mound of what could be a man lies not far from the beach. Cyrus: "Come on Jake. Get on up here. This is your deal not mine. That poor fool ain't gonna get up and go Boo. I don't have all those fancy degrees, but I'll tell you he's sure hasn't been dead for 48 hours." Jake: "Well I'll have to agree with you on that. Haven't you noticed these bugs. Some sort of fly. Not too surprising but look at this blue wasp. Haven't seen one of these before and they're all over. Hey, by the way did you notice the neighbor's strange reaction when we pulled up?" Cyrus: "Don't worry I'll take care of the questions." The two approach the corpse or what remains of it. Teaming with insect larvae the skin almost appears to crawl. Little is identifiable. Liquifactive necrosis has set in and the flesh is infested with bugs. The body has decomposed far to extensively to someone who has gone missing for only 48 hours. Jake bags and tags what little remains. Meanwhile Drew has walked a fine line between hard questions and appearing compassionate. Alicia Arthur's story appears to have checked out. Here friend, Liz Harris, confirms the two were in Toronto for the weekend. According to Judge Arthur's fishing buddies he cancelled on Friday at the last minute but didn't appear distressed or concerned. Cyrus moves to questioning the neighbor, Freddrick Laffey. Laffey is clearly evasive and has something to hide. Cyrus "leans" on him a bit causing Laffey to break down. It turns out he saw a vagrant wandering around the house the presumed night of the murder. Concerned that he could be blamed for the crime because he never reported the vagrant to the police, Laffey didn't want to come forward. A description is taken and an APB sent out looking for someone matching that description. The invesitgation moves into the house. The crime becomes apparent. A bloodied tire iron is found in the back of the Judge's Range Rover. The crime occured in the master bedroom. Arthur appears to have been struck from behind, stripped naked, and drug from the upstairs through the kitchen to the back. Several things are evident. The killer attempted to hide the bloodstained carpet in the bedroom by covering it with bags packed for the trip. The kitchen floor was cleaned with bleach but the carpeted stairs were missed. Dirty towels were hastily stuffed in the laundry machine. The most gruesome details appears to be that the judge was alive when drug out of the house. His bloodied handprints line the sliding glass door to the outside showing signs of resistance. Even more interesting is a possible motive. Judge Arthur is somewhat of a local celebrity in the area. He has held court over several priest abuse scandal cases regarding the Detroit Diocese. He's thought of as tough but fair, having sided in cases for both the victims and the church. As a result of his neutrality and own desire as a Catholic to clean up the local scandal, he as been appointed to a committee composed of lawyers, priests, and community leaders to address this problem on a local level. Numerious notes and newspaper clippings are found in the study detailing this. [U][B]FOLLOW UP TO THE CASE[/B][/U] Analysis of the insects reveals two predominent species: Chlorion aerarium- A blud mud dauber wasp normally solitary in nature. Normally docile and not associated with corpses. It can be found in Michigan but not normally in these numbers. Cochliomyia hominvorax- One of the subspecies of blowflies. Also known as the New World Screw fly. Unlike other flies it lays its eggs in fresh live tissue and not rotting flesh. The larva have hatched and developed on the corpse at a rate not normal in nature. The strange letters strewn about the lawn spell out "I am the way to the city of woe." [U][B]Questions remaining to be answered???????[/B][/U] Who killed the Judge? What was the motive? What does the strange quote on the papers mean? How could the body have rotted so quickly? Where did these strange insects come from ? Find out more in our next installment [/QUOTE]
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