Horror Candlewood

The Archives, below Townhall

The Professor laughed. He had something boyish about him when he gave people this surprised, inoffensive laugh.

"I would have bet this is the ghost story everyone around here knows. But really none of you ever heard about it, did you?" He pointed at the picture. "1869 they vanished. All of them ... over night basically." He looked over at his books. "Why is up to speculation, but you can find a lot stuff on werewolves and alien abduction. Most likely though the got into trouble with the locals. The natives were not exactly peaceful by nature. Also I heard in reservations some of the older Indios tell a different story about the lumberjacks." He sighed. "Gonna go there in a few days. But why are you interested in this?"

Tag: @JediMasterAnne



Jane Masters flat, Kennedy Street 61b, Southern District

Anna nodded in agreement. Not with anything specific but with the Sheriff's general idea of the case.

"They cut the power and she get's her gun. I see that. But how did they open the door without leaving a trace? How did she not shoot them when they came after her or scream for help? Why did she not call us with her mobile?" Anna shrugged. "Cutting the power effectively earned her of an imminent attack and as she got her gun she suspected one." Anna shook her head. "It doesn't add up. Maybe she ran and this is actually not the crime scene?" She sighed, knowing that in Candlewood a fearful young woman running away would not go unnoticed. "Maybe the neighbors have heard something."

Anna went back to work. Before the Sheriff could leave she turned to him. "Ethan will be alright. I think I know him that well. Being passionate will not make him unprofessional."

Tag: @HanSolo29


Route 101, entering Candlewood

They arrived at the hotel and Professor Monroe was waiting right in front of it. In his short trousers and with a stupid "Welcome to Candlewood" cap on and his cheap sunglasses he looked like a typical tourist. But that was probably intentional, as he had always been humble in his appearance, even when he made good money through Lazarus Dad.

"Lazarus, good to see you. Boy I need to get used to this look. Just like your old man back in the days." The Professor approached him as he left the car and gave him a strong and confident handshake. "Glad you came. I wouldn't have asked if I did not consider it worth your time. Guess you got a lot to do."

Tag: @Master Vo'Un'Var



Barnett House, Southern District

Mr. Cushing looked around one final time and smiled. "It is a wonderful house and the price is more than fair." He smiled to Chloe who had once be his student when she went to the Candlewood private school. Chloe smiled back, but it was one of her forced smiles. The bald sports teacher looked around one final time. "I need to talk to my bank, but I am interested." He finally said and now Chloe's smile of relief was genuine.

"That is great! Really." She followed her former teacher outside and they shook hands. "I talk of them ASAP and you let me know when there is any other interested party?" He asked. Chloe nodded. "Sure."

Then Mr. Cushing looked at the street. "Is that one yours?" He pointed at a black limousine standing on the street. Chloe looked and shook her head. "I was here yesterday evening to have a look. It was already there. Someone is sitting inside, I could see that." Cushing shrugged. "Maybe another interested party?"

Chloe looked at the car. Being interested in the house probably did not mean you were watching it for two days and from where the car was parking there was little more to see than this house and the garden. She stared at the car and saw someone was inside and the motor started now, but it was impossible to make out who.

Tag: Nobody



Streets of Candlewood

Miles was too late, as the car of Kyle already took off and left him standing there with the seemingly cursed delivery for Ms. Masters.

"Everything alright?" The voice came from behind and as Michael turned around before him stood John Michaels, the former deputy of the former Sheriff. Once a good looking man he was now a badly shaved slightly overweight man with washed out clothes and an NRA cap. "Miles, isn't it? You are alright man? You look like you seen a ghost man." He smiled and looked at the package. It was strange he looked at the package. Why would a man look at a package and why looked his eyes so ... hungry?

Tag: @Reynar_Tedros

 

ooc: Last update was made in a hurry so I pasted the wrong update for Julia in. Here is the right one!

The Archives, below Townhall

The Professor looked at the pages and then to Roberta who had been walking away to sort some books. "Where ... where did you get those?" He took a longer look at one of the pictures ... schematics ... whatever the dots and their connecting lines meant.

"I might know what those are. Can I have one? This one maybe?" He looked at her. "This looks like they are from a book. But who wrote a book on this subject? Was it the lumberjacks?" He was now more tense, a little more haunted than before ... yes haunted was the right word. His eyes looked desperate to understand. But he radiates a sense of importance and urgency when seeing these pages.

Tag: @JediMasterAnne

 

IC: Julia Wilson
Archives, below Town Hall

Fallon’s surprise was written all over his face; he clearly knew something about the odd symbols.

"I might know what those are. Can I have one? This one maybe?" Julia let him take a picture with his own phone. "This looks like they are from a book. But who wrote a book on this subject? Was it the lumberjacks?"

He looked like he’d seen a ghost.

“It was brought to my dad by someone who wanted to know if it would be worth selling,” Julia explained, trying to answer his questions without mentioning Chloe’s name. “It looks like a journal, maybe? The writer’s name isn’t in it, we could only find the initials, ‘J. F. K.’. It was written the year the lumberjacks vanished, 1869.”

She tapped at the drawing on her phone screen. “But what do you think these mean?”

TAG: @SirakRomar

 

IC: Miles Rayburn
Outside Balzac Cafe, Candlewood

Kyle had already left the coffee shop by the time Miles made it outside. He swore under his breath and looked down at the satchel in his hand, seemingly cursed to carry it with him forever. He couldn't wait to get back to the office and give the damn thing to his supervisor and be done with it.

"Everything alright?" Miles jumped a bit as the voice came from behind him. He turned and saw a haggard looking man with ragged clothes. He looked vaguely familiar, but Miles couldn't place him. "Miles, isn't it? You are alright, man? You look like you seen a ghost, man." He smiled and looked at the satchel in Miles's hand. The way he looked at it with a strangely intense glare was unsettling, as if he could see through the satchel and to the package contained within, and Miles found himself wishing even more now that Kyle would've been able to take it with him. And how did he know his name?

"Do I know you?" Miles asked, instinctively moving the satchel behind his back and away from the newcomer, as if he had some sudden, unconscious protectiveness towards it.

Tag: @SirakRomar

 

Jane's Masters Appartement and Sheriff Station

Anna nodded. "I am okay. Before I broke off college I used to party for days, I can do a day without sleep." She smiled. "And it takes to long to get someone here." With that she picked up the evidence to bring it into the car.

The Sheriff was busy over the next two hours talking to the hospital and the doctors in town, the highway patrol and the police of Martin's beach. The bus stations and car rentals came last. Nobody had seen or heard Jane Masters.

When he finally returned to the Sheriff station the preliminary report of the crime scene was there. No fingerprints st all so far. Not even Jane Masters. But Mara, their Candlewood secretary winked at him as he entered. The red haired elder woman nodded over to the single interrogation cell. "Ethan brought somebody in. About the Jane Masters case."

Ethan stood in front of the window of the cell looking at the man who sat inside in his blue polo shirt and beige chino trousers. The Sheriff knew him from the Ocean View Cafe. "John Carver, checking his background right now. He is the lover of Jane. Eddy from the library tipped him off. Said the guy was pretty indifferent when he asked him about Jane this morning and mentioning her vanishing. Seemed not too surprised, actually. I was waiting for you to talk to him, but he was cooperative when I brought him in."

Tag: @HanSolo29, @DarkLordoftheFins



The Archives, below Townhall

The Professor sighed. "I ... I am not sure yet. Let me confirm my idea before I say anything ... but if that book is what I think it is ..." He had an idea, she could see t in his intelligent blue eyes as they suddenly had a spark and he turned to his desk and went through his papers. "JFK. Here. Johan Ferdinand Kramer. One of the lumberjacks. Obviously a relative of the leader but I am not sure what their relationship was. This is more a notebook than a journal, I'd say. A study. Give me a few hours to figure it out. Shall we meet for dinner? I might have a lot more insight by then."

Tag: @JediMasterAnne



Street before the Balzac

The man smiled. "Ah sorry, Michaels. Deputy Michaels? Former deputy. Well, might have been before your time." Michaels smiled but something about the smile seemed so acted, it was almost too obvious. "Seen you crush those fisherdudes at the Bowling Alley the other night. Man, you know how to play the game."

He smiled again and kept chewing his gum. "So when I saw you all spooked and **** I wondered if I should not offer my help. Guess old habits die hard, do they?"

The eyes could hardly leave the package though. "Afraid of something? You know the feeling when you cannot get rid of something you desperately wanna get rid off? Oh man I do." He smiled. "I do."

Tag: @Reynar_Tedros

 

James Power
Townhall; Mayors Office

James sat back in his chair, quiet for a few seconds, contemplating the issue before him.
In truth he still wasn't positive he wanted to sell the observatory. He refused to believe that both Croft, and this Mrs. Barnes wanting to buy this property on the same day was a coincidence. They wouldn't know for sure until they heard back from Sam, but it seemed like to much of a stretch that they were both working on a hunch that the land this observatory was on might be valuable down the line.
Even so he was beginning to feel boxed into a corner. Backing out of selling the building to Croft would one thing, he could try to push through any backlash against that. But turning down two such extraordinary offers? It would be hard to justify that without some hard evidence of the lands value.

Between the two he was leaning towards Croft. Yes, he would still be seen by some as an arrogant rich guy exploiting the town for wealth; but at least he was known to the town, and he promised he only wanted to renovate the building. People would get over that fairly quickly. James very much doubted the townsfolk would accept being 'invaded' by a company on the other side of the nation, with no understanding of the people and traditions that attracted so many here.
The potential jobs were certainly attractive, and it would certainly be a boost to the economy. But the political ramifications were just too great. He could already see the attack ads that would be run at him if he accepted it. 'Corporate sell out' The opposition would exaggerate such a deal to be the end of the town, something out of a dystopian future where all people are enslaved to some CEO or whatever.

There was still potential if they could force them to compete for the property, should a sale go through it might as well be to the maximum profit of the town.

"By all means." He finally nodded at Mrs. Barnes comment. "I can't promise anything. But I will aid you in contacting who ever you want to in order to settle this issue."
He would also have to contact the members of the council independently before the next meeting. They had to be fully briefed on the implications of a sale, before they got swooned by either party. There was more at play here than just money.

"And be sure to enjoy yourself while in Candlewood." He smiled, betraying none of the conflict within him.

Tag: @SirakRomar, @TheSithGirly

 

IC- Lazarus Reeds
Candlewood Hotel Entrance

Lazarus continued to gaze from the window of the limousine until the vehicle had come to a complete stop, there stood Prof. Monroe, waiting. God, Lazarus thought to himself, How long had he been standing there. Lazarus quickly scanned his revoltingly casual clothes and then slid out of the car. Lazarus tried to make out the features of the Professor behind his hat and sunglasses, it really had been a while since Lazarus had seen him.
"Lazarus, good to see you. Boy I need to get used to this look. Just like your old man back in the days."
"Or not use the look at all" remarked Lazarus, smiling ever so slightly.
The Professor gave Lazarus a good, firm handshake, Lazarus accepted the friendly gesture.
"Glad you came. I wouldn't have asked if I did not consider it worth your time. Guess you got a lot to do."
Lazarus chuckled at this comment, a lot to do... oh, he couldn't even begin to imagine.
"it better be worth my time,or someone will be off the list of friends of the company. but show me that it is worth my time, I think I deserve after the travel."

TAG- @SirakRomar

 

IC: Julia Wilson
Archives, below Town Hall

Fallon wouldn’t say what he thought the symbols were, not yet, but Julia saw a spark of recognition cross over his face and he went back to his table, digging out another paper. “JFK. Here. Johan Ferdinand Kramer. One of the lumberjacks. Obviously a relative of the leader but I am not sure what their relationship was.”

So at least that mystery was solved. Julia didn’t recall hearing the name anywhere else, so it was hard to say if the book was going to be worth anything to anyone—anyone besides a person like Fallon, at least. Obscure books by unknown writers could be rare, valuable collectibles, or as worthless as a tabloid article.

“This is more a notebook than a journal, I'd say. A study. Give me a few hours to figure it out. Shall we meet for dinner? I might have a lot more insight by then."

Julia considered for a moment. “If you don’t mind my father coming along,” she stipulated. She didn’t dine with strange men by herself, no matter what the reason. And besides—“He’s going to want to hear whatever you find out anyway. Or you could come by the Bookworm around closing time and we can all talk there, whichever is easier.”

TAG: @SirakRomar

 

Mayor's Office, Candlewood

Once the lawyer had left Grace sighed and waited until they were sure until the young woman was outside the range to hear anything.

"What the hell do they want with that land?" She finally sighed. Then raised her brows. "If we double cross Croft he can make reelections very, very difficult. You know that." She sighed. Indeed changes in the Mayor's office had usually only happened with the silent consent of Candlewoods most powerful citizen. For Power's election he had acted neutral. "But I googled this Fund. They are huge. Political players, too. If they wanna make trouble ..." She did not end the sentence but raised her brows. "Sam. You should visit him tonight. We need a bit more info on this observatory."

Getting up she packed her case to go to the infrastructure council. "What do you think Maria will think of this?" Obviously Maria Burns was a power when it came to decisions regarding tourism. She was by far no professional politician, but she had served the city on the council for longer than any of them. "I will let them get some Asian food. Or you won't eat all day. Don't forget the Professor in half an hour." She reminded him of his next appointment and he could see her concern.

Tag: @ConservativeJedi321


Streets of Candlewood, in front of the Harbor hotel

The Professor smiled. "Well, from where I stand right now I see two alternatives. I became a delusional old man who should retire, or I found something that could change the world. I mean fundamentally change the world." He raised his brows. "This could make you from one of the bigger tech companies to one of the big five if not the biggest of them all." He sighed.

"Let us walk." He began walking and looked around to make sure nobody was listening. "A friend of mine ... a colleague really ... asked me to date a finding of his a few days ago. Nothing special at first. A cave with drawing from indian tribes. The Wynoochee probably. Nothing special. The finding was quite something. Astronomy data painted on walls. Interesting for a science journal. Indians who could not write were actually invested in astronomy. Then I found out they actually did not only map stars, they predicted star constellations. For religious reasons." Monroe smiled. "Completely unspectacular to me, until I found out they predicted star constellations up to 2023 a.D.." He looked around again. "One is for 2018. Basically in two days we reach the constellation." He took out a print out and handed it to Reed. "It is a 100% exact. A friend of mine at NASA confirmed this. Another was for 2008. The same. You know how old the paintings are? My early estimate is 1000 a.D.." He stopped again. "What do you know about the calculation of astrological constellations? Maybe as little as I do. Well, take a guess how far NASA can predict them in advance?" The Professor did not wait for an answer. "57 years." He answered his own question and stopped, allowing his words to sink in. "With a 3% inaccuracy."

Tag: @Master Vo'Un'Var



The Archives, below Townhall

The Professor nodded. "I will be there around eight then? That gives me a few hours after the appointment with the Mayor to test my hypothesis." He already began to pack together his things and gave Julia a smile. "I would love to hear what your father found out. I assume he is reading it right now."

The Professor was done packing his things. He gave her his card and smiled. "See you there."

The moment he was out Roberts appeared from between two bookshelfs and folded her arms. "Julia did you have a long good look at the stars lately? I mean ... have you looked st them?" She behaved as if this question made a lot of sense.

Tag: @JediMasterAnne



The Observatory, Brownback Hills

Sam Lawrence wiped the sweat from his face and catched his breath, as he arrived at the old overgrown ruin that once was the observatory. He sighed and cursed himself for taking this mission. The hike had been harder than he remembered from his younger days. He remembered how they had brought up the material here in his younger days. The army had helped. He had not appreciated the monumental task of what they had done.

With a sigh he took the bottle of water from his backpack and drank. Then he took up his food old wooden walking stick and started to make his way into the ruins. Graffiti covered the walls inside. No furniture was left, few doors remained intact. Budweiser cans and the remains of cigarettes and cheap wine bottles occasionally covered the floor. It was a spooky place. Steps echoed through the abandoned floors. "Good luck renovating this." Sam hissed. Then he arrived at the main hall where the telescope was once installed. Dirt covered the windows above. It was dimly lit. But one large grafitti covered the central wall.

Atahk Kihtinihsehk Isi

Sam looked at it, having no idea what this meant. The words made him feel uneasy though. It was huge. Who had invested time and effort into this huge grafitti? Into writing nonsense on a wall in an abandoned building?

Then he heard the gnarling sound. Sam turned around. It was impossible to say where it was coming from. But it was there. A sound ... as if someone was chewing on bones. Or dry wood. Was it the material slowly rotting? It stopped and left the former Mayor of Candlewood wondering what he had just heard.

Whatever was so special about this place was probably not here. Anyway he took out his digital camera and started making photos. He had a job to do. God knew he usually got his job done.

Tag: Nobody








Episode I will end after your next update

 

IC: Miles Rayburn
Outside Balzac Cafe, Candlewood

It was easy to tell that something wasn't right with this former deputy, with the creepy manner in which he was speaking and the eerie way he kept eyeing the package that Miles held inside the satchel in his hand.

"Afraid of something?" the disheveled man inquired. "You know the feeling when you cannot get rid of something you desperately wanna get rid off? Oh man I do. I do."

The guy was practically chomping at the bit to get at the parcel, and Miles knew it was time for him to go. "Right..." He started backing up to his postal truck parked a few spots down. "Well I've gotta get back to work. Good to see you, Mister Michaels." And with that he turned on his heel and pulled out his keys with his free hand, anxious to get as far away from the old policeman as possible.

Tag: @SirakRomar

 

IC: Julia Wilson
Archives, below Town Hall

The professor agreed to come to the store instead, and started packing away his things. "I would love to hear what your father found out. I assume he is reading it right now."

“Probably, if he’s not busy with customers,” Julia said. She wondered if her father had attempted to translate any of it yet.

Fallon gave her his card and headed off, leaving Julia alone with Roberta, who reappeared from behind a set of shelves as Julia was tucking Fallon’s card into her purse.

"Julia did you have a long good look at the stars lately? I mean ... have you looked st them?" Roberta asked. As odd a question as it seemed to Julia, from Roberta’s casual tone, she might have been asking about the weather.

Julia frowned, and had to stop and think about it. She hadn’t really spent a lot of time watching the night sky; probably the last time she’d done any significant star-gazing was when she and Ethan had gone camping a few years earlier, before they’d even gotten engaged. “Not recently, why?”

TAG: @SirakRomar

 

John Carver
Police Station

The Deputy had asked him to come with him to the police station and John had immediately known what it was about. He had considered asking the "classical" questions of a wrongfully accused, but had decided against toying with a man who had a very serious job to do. He had simply nodded and joined him in the car.

Now he was sitting in a standard interrogation room with this oversized mirror and waited. They were having him wait. Not the most innovative strategy, but effective enough. He assumed they did these things by the rulebook here.

So he waited, patiently. He had not requested his call, had not given them any indication of his identity except his passport and name. They would find out soon enough who he was, he assumed.

What had him concerned was the effort. These were small time cops. They saw little major crimes and if they did they probably got help. Their first instinct would be ... and rightfully though ... not to blow things out of proportion. Yet, here he was. An interrogation, not a questioning. They had opened an investigation. They had done so immediately. Something was wrong with Jane. Obviously something was very wrong. That worried him and he was as much here to find out what than he was to answer any question that might help them.

"You know how to use a gun, do you?"

"Sure."

"Can you show me?"

This little pillow talk had meant nothing to him. This was America. People liked their guns. Now he hated himself for being lazy. Not thinking about this, when he had a chance to ask her.

The door opened and the Sheriff came in, the deputy who had picked them up in tow. Ethan, husband to John's favorite book-dealer. They choose a classical opening. Maybe the only one they did out here.

"John Carver, but I guess you know that already." He gave them a smile back as cold as the one they gave him. "What can I do for you?"

Tag: @HanSolo29, @SirakRomar

 

James Power
Townhall; Mayors Office

"What the hell do they want with that land?" Grace was finally free to speak her mind. James simply listened quietly. "If we double cross Croft he can make reelections very, very difficult. You know that."

"I have no doubt." He conceded, even as she continued. "But I googled this Fund. They are huge. Political players, too. If they wanna make trouble ..."
"Allying with one might cancel out the danger of the other," He contemplated, "But I sincerely doubt this fund would bother meddling in small town politics out of spite." They would have to be really desperate to get this land, if they were to expend such resources on a mayoral race.
"Sam. You should visit him tonight. We need a bit more info on this observatory." "Agreed" The Mayor grabbed some papers off his desk, and glanced at the clock.

"What do you think Maria will think of this?" He considered this for a moment. "At face value she might be blinded by the money, We should make time to contact her, and the others before the meeting, to ensure they are aware of the full implications of making a deal with either party."

He moved away from his desk, and led her towards the door. "Not that I think we have a choice. Last thing we need is to make enemies in both of them."
Grace put her arm around him. "I will let them get some Asian food. Or you won't eat all day."
"Alright. But you're driving this time." He smile at her, though she returned to a more business like expression. "Don't forget the Professor in half an hour."

"How could I forget?" A lie, a fact they both knew even as he said it, After a short laugh, he tossed her the keys and they immediately headed down stairs.

Tags: @SirakRomar

 

John Carver
Police Station

A change of pace, now John had to smile. They were probably better than he had thought in his arrogance.

Looking at Ethan and then at the Sheriff again he nodded. He could play that game and changed into a total relaxed and artificially friendly appearance. "Been here a month now. Maybe even more. So I love this town. Totally quiet and peaceful ... until now." He leaned forward. "And Ocean View? Seriously, I love the coffee. What is she doing with it, that it is so tasty? Do you know the secret? There must be one." He looked at the deputy and then back at the Sheriff. "And you know this little bookstore near the harbor? Great collection and a pretty cute girl there selling them." Bait, he avoided looking at Ethan to not ruin his attempt to lure him out.

Tag: @HanSolo29, @SirakRomar

 

John Carver
Sheriff Station, Interrogation Room

(Input from Sirak re Ethan)

The man introduced as "Ethan" did clench his teeth and his hand became a fist, but he did not say anything. The Sheriff started his approach meanwhile.

"Actually I would not say that. I barely know her, also I feel obviously a certain sympathy for her."

John sighed and decided to make this short. These guys were on a clock. Whatever happened they were following a false lead and the right one was getting colder every second probably.

"So I will make this easy for you. This morning I was informed and questioned by a man called Edward because Jane had not shown up for work. He hoped she was with me, which she was not. I met Jane Masters two days ago at night at the harbor. We talked, we spend the night together. The encounter was sexual in nature, also I believe she did not do this regularly. She seemed quite tense or nervous but relaxed over the night. We talked. We enjoyed our company. I stayed over night. Nothing suspicious was happened or was mentioned, except she had acquired a gun lately and asked me if I could show her how to use it, which I promised to do over the next days. I did not see her afterwards, but texted with her. Yesterday she asked to meet again, but I was asleep. Answered this morning and she hasn't read my reply yet." He sighed. "I ate a steak yesterday which was brought to me by the room service around seven. I have no alibi for the hours after that." He shrugged. "You have my explicit consent to check my mobile data."

He shrugged. "Anything else I might do to help you with your investigation I am willing to do. I know this is against protocol, but may I ask if she has been victim of a crime?" Had she been murdered? He did not ask. He did not jump to conclusions so early, but wondered if these guys were up to this. Police were not good at these things, he knew that from experience. Too much to do. Too easily distracted by their broad mandate. Then again this was a peaceful town. This would probably be THE case for them.

Tag: @HanSolo29, @SirakRomar

 

Episode 2: The Sea of Stars

... where the Book reveals a secret and people start hearing things ...



Mayor's Office, Candlewood

Afternoon was approaching as the Mayor found himself back in his office without his wife and the Professor was already waiting for him in his office.

Professor Fallon was a handsome man in his late forties, his skin was brown and his clothing functional. He stood up the moment the Mayor entered. "Mayor Power, a pleasure meeting you." He offered his hand and had a firm handshake.

Only now the Mayor saw a map the man had brought spread on the nearby table. It showed the Brownback Hills, the very location included everyone was so eager to acquire right now.

"Thank you for taking the time, I appreciate you made room for me on such short notice."

Tag: @ConservativeJedi321


The Archives, below Townhall

Roberta gave her a smile that seemed almost embarrassed. "Ah, it is probably nothing. But I sometimes watch the stars at night over a good glass of wine. People do not appreciate the nightsky enough if you ask me. We have little light pollution here, so it is pretty spectacular what we see here." The elder Afro-American cleared her throat. "I ... I just wondered if you ... something is wrong with the stars. I cannot say it any other way. Maybe I just hang out too much in this cellar. Forget it, I know you got stuff to do. I don't wanna bore you with my stuff." Roberta smiled. "Please say hello to your Dad. I am ever grateful he got me this job."

Julia had probably not known her Dad had a hand in it, but she knew he had been asked to handle the archives before. "Your friend Jane ... she was here a few days ago and I believe she felt the same." Roberta added. Then she turned to return to work.

Tag: @JediMasterAnne


Miles flat, northern district

Michaels had only nodded and watched Miles leave. In the rear view mirror he saw the man looking after him.

The package kept on finding ways to stay with him. When Miles returned from his tour the post office had closed early, as Martha ... Miles boss ... had a family emergency. A note asked them to bring any undeliverable packages the next morning. She would take care of it. Again he was stuck with the package.

Every time Miles tried to leave it he got somehow distracted and realized later on it was still under his arm or in his hand and so the package ended on his kitchen table, sitting there as if it waited for something. As if it urged him to do something. Seven was still an hour away and he was alone with the package.

Tag: @Reynar_Tedros


Sheriff Station, Candlewood

Ethan breathed a little heavier as he heard the man's story. The Sheriff could see he was suspecting him.

"So you basically slept all night with no witness? A woman that attractive asks you to come over and you wanna tell us you fell asleep? Really?" He folded his arms.

He sighed. "I know Jane pretty well, she is not that easy to get, really. Many tried. So what made you so interesting for her? Big city charme? Good looks? She resisted those before." He leaned forward on the table. "So tell me what was your trick get the woman everybody wanted into bed? Hm?"

Tag: @HanSolo29, @DarkLordoftheFins

 

John Carver
Police Station

John looked at Ethan and then sighed.

"I was asleep when her message came in. The night before was kinda ... exhausting." He shrugged and decided against going into detail of a younger woman like Jane and him.

"But I really did not do anything special. We just talked and the initiative came from her side. Dunno what made me special. But she was a young woman and had her needs probably. Maybe I was just at the right place the right time." He folded his hands. "So what happened?"

Maybe she had something else in mind. But he was not willing to share his thoughts on this before these guys shared a bit more about the situation.

If anything had happened at night as it seemed to be the case, they might have lost half of their 24 hours window unaware a crime happened at all. Whoever did something to her might be in another state already. But obviously Jane had not identified her attacker and that implied something terrible might have happened.

Tag: @HanSolo29, @SirakRomar

 

IC: Julia Wilson
Archives, below Town Hall

What did Roberta mean, something was wrong with the stars? The night sky was a relatively unchanging thing, as far as Julia’s understanding went. Depending on the weather or location, some celestial bodies might not always be visible, but as Roberta had stated, Candlewood generally offered fairly ideal conditions for stargazers. And even if a star died out right that moment, no one on Earth would know about until years after the fact—Julia remembered that tidbit from some Discovery Channel show.

She had been about to ask Roberta to elaborate, but the older woman had already shrugged it off and changed subjects. "Please say hello to your Dad. I am ever grateful he got me this job."

Julia knew that her father had once been asked to take over the archives, but had passed over the offer, preferring to stay at his shop. She had not, however, known that he had helped recruit Roberta for the curator position instead. “I will, and thanks for your help.”

"Your friend Jane ... she was here a few days ago and I believe she felt the same."

Julia had been heading for the door, but at this, she stopped in her tracks. “Jane was here? When? What for?”

TAG: @SirakRomar

 

John Carver
Police Station

Missing. In many ways this was the worst case scenario. Nobody cared about the missing. Not as much as about the dead, the injured or threatened. Too often missing people showed up okay.

John sighed. He could have had another Diet Coke that night and he would have been awake when she wrote. The small details that decided about life or death. Well, she wasn't dead yet. At least he hoped she wasn't. Another sigh escaped his lips.

"I understand I am a person of interest. Of course I am." He folded his hands. "But I hope I can rule myself out as a suspect. First, why would I still be here? Second, I think I could have arranged this to leave no trace, if I had planned it. A weekend trip she never returns from. Taken her far away from where she would be missed. A crime of passion, well that one is always unpredictable, but again ... why would I still be here?" He breathed in an out and then he sighed. "But I have not missed the misgivings you had for Deputy Wilson's questions, Sheriff Collins. May I jump to his defense though? I think he asks a valid question. A woman who never had a one night stand suddenly picks up a stranger? The night before she vanished? I am not exactly a monk, but certainly not a ladies man and that she took the initiative was even more unusual for her. Woman who look like her don't have to, usually. I think it is a valid question why she did it? My guess, she did not wanted to be alone." Had she been followed? Had she seen a guy at the harbor and took a chance, because someone was after her? She could have told him, except she wasn't sure ... but sure enough to take this step. "Another unusual habit of hers was having a gun. .38 Special. Classical self-defense weapon totally useless for sports or hunting. She had acquired it fairly recently." He leaned back. "So this are two behavior patterns against her usual profile right before she goes missing. I think we ... you ... should probably work under the working assumption that she was aware she was in danger. To an extent that she felt she had to take measures to protect herself." John nodded and realized this was meat between his jaws. He had bitten the bait.

"Could I see the Report or even better the flat of Jane?" He asked and looked at the Sheriff. "I might be able to help."

Tag: @HanSolo29, @SirakRomar

 

James Power
Townhall; Mayors Office

The mayor offered a firm handshake to the professor in return. "Always happy to be of service." His eye's paused at the map on the table, but offered no outward sign of his surprise. He had been thinking a lot about that land. While he and his wife made small talk over lunch, his mind focused on the series of coincidences involving it that day. A startling pattern that looked as if it would not end soon.

"Please take a seat." He offered as he moved over to his desk, setting papers down in an organized pattern.
"What can I do for you?"

Tags: @SirakRomar