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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Kid Charlemagne" data-source="post: 2895703" data-attributes="member: 93">No. 4 Whitehall Place, London, EnglandJanuary 10th, 1888Scotland Yard was a bustling place on the most ordinary of days.  London was a hotbed of crime, and the number of inspectors and constables working there filled the place almost to bursting.  Every significant robbery, mugging, and kidnapping occuring in the city of London was handled there.Inspector Charles Bennett was busier than most.  Murder was a nasty business, and there had been four of them in the past three weeks, as well as a half-dozen associated missing persons.  His hair was tousled from his pulling at it, and he was only roused from his dark speculations by a knock on his office door."Come in," he rumbled."Pardon me," answered Nigel Spenser.  "Inspector Bennett?  The seargent at the front desk said we could find you here.""Yes, yes.  I'm very busy, I'm afraid…""We may be able to help," Nigel replied.  "You sent me this letter a few days ago, in regards to certain killings happening in the city.""My name is Nigel Spenser, and these are my colleagues.  We're interested in helping.""Spenser?  Ah, yes!  Of course!  Forgive my earlier reticence, I've been working late nights lately.  Please come in, and I will give you the facts of the matter so that you may understand what it is we'd like to ask of you."Nigel came in and sat down in front of Bennet's desk, followed by Artimis Swain.  Sandor Kertes and Orla Taoiseach stood, flanking the office door.  Amanda Higgins-Rafferty sat daintily on a chair by a chalk-board covered in a rough neighborhood map, apparently the area where the killings had taken place.  Cassandra Cavanuagh leaned against a cabinet in the corner of the office.Inspector Bennett blinked the fatigue out of his eyes.  London was such a strange place these days."Well, as you may have read in the papers, there has been a few killings recently.  We've kept the press away from it for the most part, but that won't last."He stood up and walked to the chalkboard.  "The attacks have all taken place within a roughly eight block radius of this section of Swan Street.  It's a fairly well-to-do neighborhood.""We've been asking for help in guarding certain families that have asked for help.  We're simply too taxed to provide personal security, and we don't have the budget to add more staff.  The families, however, are willing to pay for the assistance."He rummaged through some folders on his desk."The family I'd like to assign you to is the Dromidal family.  Lady Adriane has been most vocal about needing protection, and in fact her son-in-law was one of the victims, so we are especially concerned that the madman might return to the Dromidal House."Nigel leaned forward on Inspector Bennett's desk, supporting his chin with his hands, his fingers knitted together as he looked at the case files."Inspector," he asked, "could you give us the particulars of the attacks?  It might help us execute our duties more effectively.""Of course, that seems sensible," he replied, returning to his desk and rifling through his folders.  He arranged them in chronological order, and began.  Nigel pulled out his notebook, and began jotting down details in a precise, small script.Three weeks ago:  Archibald Pickwill (missing) – attorney. Sixteen days ago:  Thomas Turner (murdered) – husband of Lady Adriane Dromidal's granddaughter, found with his throat cut in the sideroom of the Dromidal House. Two weeks ago:  Elizabeth Gorman (murdered) – throat cut in her own house. Two weeks ago:  Angela Gorman (missing) – went missing that same night. Twelve days ago: Edith Lovely (missing) – society matron, well-respected and wealthy.  Some blood and struggle evident at scene. Nine days ago:  Michael Hastings (murdered) – throat cut in kitchen of his inn Nine days ago:  Agatha Hastings (missing) – missing at that same time One week ago:  Vivian Knots (missing) – famous actress, disappeared after a cast party following an appearance in a play.  This one is being kept secret to avoid press. Five days ago:  Julia Pimm (murdered) – scarlet woman, throat cut.  Furthest from Swan Street – found one mile away. Four days ago:  Cole Charleston (missing) – young man, "popular" with the local ladies."Did the killings take place at a particular time of day?" Orla asked when Bennett was finished."Between the hours of eleven at night and three in the morning.""Was anything taken from the crime scenes?" Nigel asked."No, apart from any struggle that might have taken place, nothing was disturbed.""So no souvenirs," Artimis remarked."Any other connections between the victims?" Cass asked.  "Was Pickwill the attorney for all of them, for example?""No," Bennett replied.  "Although they do all move within the same social circles, and live within this eight block radius of Swan Street.  With the exception of Julia Pimm, of course.  She's the outlier."Further perusing of the files revealed no clues, and the investigators made their way to the Dromidal House, escorted by Inspector Bennett.  He appointed them temporary constables of the Metropolitan Police so that they could have a measure of official endorsement, and presented them with badges."I'll make the introductions, and if Lady Adriane agrees, you can begin work immediately," he explained.The Dromidal House was a large, imposing mansion that had seen better days.  While still in solid structural condition, the paint was peeling in a few places, and the grounds had been allowed to get the better of whatever gardener the Dromidals employed.  Inspector Bennett opened the squeaking iron gate that opened onto the street, and led the investigators to the front door.A woman's voice could be heard inside, yelling loudly"May!  Get up here!  Now!"Bennett rang the bell and the voice stopped yelling.  He pointed at the yard while they waited for what seemed an unusually long time."The family fell somewhat out of favor when Lord Dromidal passed on," he explained.  "Lady Adriane is…""FARNSWORTH!  Get the door, you dottering…!"The door opened.  A wizened, ancient butler waved the into the foyer.  A young, pretty woman in her late twenties came running in from the back of the house."Oh, dear!" she exclaimed. "I'm so sorry about the wait.  How good to see you again, Inspector Bennett.""This is Cecilia Turner, Lady Adriane's granddaughter," Bennett said, in explanation."Inspector Bennett!" a voice came from above them, on the second floor landing.  They turned to see who it was.  Nigel noted that it was the same voice that had been screaming at Farnsworth and the unseen May, but that she had turned on the charm for her visitors.  The voice came from an elderly woman, in her seventies.  She was dressed in a gown that would have been fashionable perhaps in the 1850's, but was hopelessly dated now.  Amanda noted that she was rather overly made up, as well."What a fine group of guests you have brought to my humble abode," Lady Adriane said.  "Cecilia, why don't you take our guests into the drawing room while I finish getting ready?""Of course, grandmother."They had scarcely left the foyer when Lady Adriane's voice rose to a screech once again."MAY!  Now!"Artimis remained at the door between foyer and drawing room, and saw a small, Japanese woman rushing up to the second floor, muttering to herself.  "Must be May," he thought to himself.  "Or Mai, to be more precise."He joined the others as Cecilia was talking."…Five hundred pounds, per person, per week, does that sound acceptable?" she was saying as she brought out a chequebook.  "You may stay on the third floor, and grandmother would like you to be as quiet as possible on the second floor, where our rooms are.  There's no need to be constantly checking those rooms, I should think."They accepted the terms, and repaired to their rooms on the third floor, which was little more than an attic.  They divided up the times that they would watch.  Nigel, Cass, and Sandor would watch during the day, and Orla, Artimis, and Amanda would watch at night.  The day crew began to make the rounds, familiarizing themselves with the house and grounds.  Nigel wound his way through the dining room, the foyer, and finally the sideroom off of the dining room, where  Thomas Turner, Cecilia's husband had been found murdered.  There were a few pieces of antiuque furniture, and on one wall was a large shield with the Dromidal device.  Opposite the shield, on the outside wall, was an elaborate stained glass window, apparently depicting the late Lord Dromidal in the guise of a knight, in full armor, sword and shield.He came back into the dining room, and something moved, just at the edge of his vision.  Nigel shook his head to clear it.  He approached where he saw the movement.  It was a closed china cabinet.  He peered in, and could see clearly where the sugar bowl had moved perhaps six inches from where it had been.  He could see the trail it had left in the dust on the cabinet shelf."What in the blazes?" he asked himself, not sure of his own eyes.  The sugar bowl seemed innocent and innanimate enough now.Meanwhile, Cass had walked out onto the grounds.  The inside of the house was far better maintained than the outside, she noticed.  There was a fountain in the backyard, and a wall and hedge surrounded the estate.  There was a gate out onto a service road in back.  She returned to the house and entered by the back door, just alongside the kitchen.  She heard a slight crunching noise underfoot, and kneeled to see what it was.It was a small, brightly colored origami crane, now crushed and bent.  Cass straightened it out, and put it in her pocket.</blockquote>

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