Chapter and Verse - Reginald Wilkins & Isaiah Bartlett

[SocraticLawyer]

“Well you may be right about lawmen,” says Isaih, remembering his own frustrating experiences with them years ago. “But if the Bureau of Investigation is involved, that must mean something is serious enough for the Feds to notice.”

Fair enough, says Reginald. I suppose it can't hurt to see what this Agent Baines has to say. But we should tread carefully with him. I don't want to end up in a sanitarium. He looks at Isaiah. No offense.

“The tome you mentioned, the Unausprachlichen culten, if Timothy was reading that it confirms in my own mind he was involved with a cult. The pages missing – they must be held by someone, most likely part of whatever dark coven poor Timothy became ensnarled in.”

“May I borrow your phone?” the old man asks. He dials a number. “Yes, I’d like to talk with Agent Gwen Baines please. This is Isaiah Bartlett, concerning the case of Timothy Carver. I have important information.” He pauses. “I see, well please get a message to him.”

He hangs up. “Mr. Baines is not available. Perhaps looking at Timothy's books and notes more may reveal his thinking?" wonders Isaiah aloud.

Good idea, says Reginald. I don't think I have anything like that around here, though. OOC: Or do I? Let's head over to Timothy's apartment and start there.

Then the door bell tinkles. Reginald receives his first customer of the day...

A furtive looking old man whose face is a maze of wrinkles.



"I was told you carry esoteric books," he rasps.

Something about the furtive old man makes Reginald nervous. He looks to Isaiah, to gauge his reaction. Reginald walks closer to the customer, but keeps at least a few feet of distance from him. What sort of esoteric book are you looking for?

[Grognardsw]

The wrinkled, pallid old man, whose body odor upon closer approach is unpleasantly pungent, twirls his claw-like fingers and rasps: "I seek books on the occult having to do with mystic travel - reputed crossing overs, journeys of the spirit or soul, otherworldly transportation, and such."

[SocraticLawyer]

The wrinkled, pallid old man, whose body odor upon closer approach is unpleasantly pungent, twirls his claw-like fingers and rasps: "I seek books on the occult having to do with mystic travel - reputed crossing overs, journeys of the spirit or soul, otherworldly transportation, and such."

I see, says Reginald. He looks to Isaiah, to observe his reaction to this customer. Something doesn't add up here, and it makes Reginald nervous. In a matter of days, his rarest books have been stolen, destroyed, and possibly used in some weird cult crimes if Bartlett is to be believed. And now this strange old man, who looks and smells like death, comes by asking for similar tomes out of the blue?

I'm afraid I don't have much that you'd be interested in here at present, says Reginald. But I know several dealers in such books, and I certainly can track some down for you. If you leave me a deposit and an address where you can be reached, I will contact you as soon as they come in.

[Grognardsw]

Isaiah glances back at Reginald, who answers the wizened old man.

"I see," he says, with a hint of disappointment. "Would you have recommendations for such books? Perhaps I'll look at your stock. My name is Raymond Randolph." He hands Reginald an introduction card with a phone number and P.O. box address in Arkham, MA.

"I have an interest in the esoteric myself," says Isaiah. "What moves you to explore that topic?"

[Grognardsw]

As Reginald considers how to respond to the old man's request, Isaiah questions him.

"My background is anthrolpology and archeology, but recently I've had cause to research occult sources for..." he hesitates. "Transport of body or mind. My understanding of the esoteric and allegedly magic is not deep, so I have been scouring for volumes that may address my needs."

[SocraticLawyer]

Interesting, says Reginald. My own background is in history, which of course overlaps quite a bit with anthropology and archeology. Can I ask which aspects of those fields have led you here?

Regarding the esoteric, I'd recommend the works of Mr. Crowley as a starting point. Are you familiar with his work? English fellow, although I gather he's travelled some. I may have one of his volumes here.

Depending on the response, Reginald may attempt to glean more information from this odd customer. He remains several feet away and will not turn his back on the creepy old man.

[Grognardsw]

"I was on an archeological dig when..." the old man trails off, seemingly lost in thought. "Most disturbing things... It led to me this topic. This Crowley, he is a generalist? Does he delve into mystic travel or transmigration?"

"Well thank you, please contact me if you find what I'm looking for," the old Mr. Randolph says, shuffling out of the store.

"An odd duck," comments Isaiah Bartlett. "His name, it rings a bell, but I can't place it... Anyway, shall we go to Timoty's apartment?"

[Fulci]

OOC: I'm taking over again, thanks a lot for keeping things moving in my absence!!

At a certain point before the arrival of Mr. Randolph, Isaiah inserts one more little thought about dangerous lore: Look, Mr. Wilkins, I'm not saying that the books themselves are the direct cause of deviant behavior! But you have to agree: these volumes turn in, so to say, incriminating contexts just far too often!

When Randolph walks out the door, Isaiah shrugs: "He gave me the shivers, that old man," then stops, thinking how he himself might give the shivers to bystanders. "All these people coming to your place, looking for the darkest of knowledge... but somehow I sensed a sort of desperation and hopelessness in this fellow. Not a thirst for otherworldly powers. Strange... But let us return to our more pushing matters. A visit to Timothy's apartment and later a meeting with Agent Baines is due!"

[Grognardsw]

Reginald and Isaiah decide to visit Timothy's apartment. They open the door to leave when a gentleman stops them at the stoop.

"Good day, sirs. My name's Eddie Sharpe, reporter with the Arkham Gazette. Are any of you by any chance the owner of this store?"

May I suggest you talk on the way to Timothy's apartment?

[SocraticLawyer]

Reginald closes up the bookshop with Bartlett. He is disturbed by the encounter with Randolph for reasons he can't quite explain. He keeps Randolph's card in his front pocket, with his keys to the store.

Reginald is less than thrilled by the appearance of a reporter. That's all I need, he thinks to himself. It's bad enough that the police were here. If some reporter starts letting on that people who work here go mad with murder, I may never sell another book again!

I'm afraid we were just on our way out, Mr. Sharpe, says Reginald. He continues walking towards Timothy's place OOC: or hailing a cab?, nudging Isaiah to follow his lead. Unless your newspaper wishes to purchase one of my books, we'll have to speak tomorrow.

[Anders Molin]

"I take it you're Mr Wilkins then," Eddie said as he started to walk alongside the two men. "I only have a few questions concerning the man Mr Carver, who I understand works - or worked? - for you. Anything you say can be off the record, of course - I'm just trying to understand the background for a murder story up in Arkham which has similarities to the ones Mr Carver confessed to."

[Grognardsw]

Isaiah Barlett's ears perk and his heart skips a beat when he hears the reporter mention similar murders in Arkham. The old man feared something like this. He suppresses flashbacks of his own experiences. What does this reporter know?

[Fulci]

Isaiah suppresses an inhuman cry. For a moment he wants to tell this journalist everything... but that would be too much new people he lays his trust on in a single day. He trusts Wilkins now, the police too (despite the fact that they will end up doing nothing), but this no-gooder newspaperman has yet to prove himself. Maybe he is an agent of the cult. Talk or don't? Trust or don't? Isaiah walks along without a word - though if the journalist is watching him, he might notice the inner turmoil of the old man.

[SocraticLawyer]

"I take it you're Mr Wilkins then," Eddie said as he started to walk alongside the two men. "I only have a few questions concerning the man Mr Carver, who I understand works - or worked? - for you. Anything you say can be off the record, of course - I'm just trying to understand the background for a murder story up in Arkham which has similarities to the ones Mr Carver confessed to."

Reginald almost responds, Timothy has never been to Arkham!, but then the implications of that statement hit him. Reginald stops in his tracks, thinking it through. He shakes his head to clear it, then looks at Isaiah. The old man had said there would be others. They were just about to look at Timothy's apartment for evidence of others, and now this reporter is here confirming the fact.

Mr. Sharpe, says Reginald, speaking slowly and choosing his words carefully. Has anyone ... confessed ... to the Arkham case?

[Grognardsw]

Eddie feels the hook sink in with Reginald's question. He thinks he can get them talking.

The hailed taxi pulls up. They all get in as the conversation continues. Soon they will be at Robert and Timothy's apartment.

[Anders Molin]

Eddie gets into the cab and glances at the driver before addressing Wilkins' question: "No, no-one has confessed to the murders in Arkham, and on the record, the police don't have any suspects. Me personally, I am following a line of investigation which may or may not lead to the killer. But why do you ask? Is there anything in Mr Carver's story that suggests he would know of others with the same... interests?"

[Grognardsw]

As Reginald, Isaiah and Eddie talk, the taxi pulls up to Timothy and Robert's apartment.

[SocraticLawyer]

Eddie gets into the cab and glances at the driver before addressing Wilkins' question: "No, no-one has confessed to the murders in Arkham, and on the record, the police don't have any suspects. Me personally, I am following a line of investigation which may or may not lead to the killer. But why do you ask? Is there anything in Mr Carver's story that suggests he would know of others with the same... interests?"

Reginald is still trying to process this news. Another killer? In a different city? I don't know very much of Timothy's story, unfortunately, he says. It's just a very striking coincidence, that Timothy would perform so gruesome an act, with a similar murderer loose in Arkham. If they are connected.... Reginald lets that last thought trail off. We could be in grave danger. We have to find this murderer.

OOC: Sorry for the delay!

[Anders Molin]

As Eddie exited the cab and stepped onto the sidewalk, Wilkins' words echoed in his head: "We could be in grave danger." Eddie got a feeling this guy knew more than he was letting on.

Waiting for Wilkins and his old companion to get out of the cab, Eddie then continued, "Mr Wilkins, Why are we in any particular danger if the crimes are connected? And they must surely be, by the way - coincidence could not explain the similarities."

[Fulci]

Isaiah still cannot decide whether to trust the newspaperman or not - but Reginald is already giving away too much information. Judging from Eddie's reactions, he is not connected to a cult... or he is a very good actor. Isaiah is starting to feel tired: his age, the long journey and the gruesome realizations and memories are taking their toll. He decides it would be the best if he came clear.

"Boy," he turns to Eddie and simply says: "We cannot trust you. Or I don't trust you, at least," he adds, looking judgingly at Reginald.
"You have no idea what you are facing, youngster. We are looking into the same matters as you are, but if you want any information... you must give some to us as well."

A strong coughing fit overcomes Isaiah. He leans to the wall, trying to force out some words from his rusty lungs inbetween the coughs.

"Tell... us... about Arkh-kh-kh-am!"


Is Eddie aware that they have arrived to Carver's flat?