London Fog - 07

[TheUdjat]

Everyone-

While discussing plans, Tommy looks into the feasibility of contacting Miriam Atwright, to see about her cooperation in holding some materials for the group. He knows a phone call would be impossible—particularly on a Saturday—but a telegram would have a better chance of reaching her. Even so, it is possible she won’t receive it until Monday, as Tommy can only guess at her work schedule. If the woman isn’t working through the weekend, the message may not reach her for some time.

But he arranges for the message nonetheless. It would be possible to send the books in advance, considering it will take a great deal of time to reach her, but it might be ill-advised until she has agreed to hold them. And then, of course, Tommy must remember that the books belong to Dr. Osgood (and Rebecca?), and the decision to send them or not depends on him. [Go ahead and draft your telegram. Remember, every word costs money—they’re written less like letters, more like notes. See Elias’s initial telegram for guidance.]

That taken care of, Col. Grey reveals that he may be able to contact a man he has heard of, an influential member of the Egyptian community—a spice dealer named Tewfik al-Sayed. A couple of calls reveals that the man in question is currently working, his shop open until 5 on Saturdays. It would still be possible to reach him during business hours, though the group could easily stop by just after closing. Tewfik’s shop, from what Grey hears, is also his home. [I’m going to assume you’ll head there.]

The shop is a small, neat, two-story building on Ardour Street in Soho. You spy people of all sorts patronizing the shop—it is clearly a profitable, modestly popular business. The shop opens onto Ardour Street with a set of wooden double-doors and a small window showing various spices and advertisements for spices. Movement can be seen behind curtains, where patrons move and browse through the store. There is space on either side of the building where one can move around it, suggesting the existence of a back door and other windows—indeed, a pair of windows on the second floor overlook the street, but nothing can be seen inside. It is likely that Tewfik lives upstairs and maintains his business on the first floor.

From what Grey has heard, the shop has a good reputation, and Tewfik is generally well-regarded in the community, by both other Egyptians and other subjects of the crown.

[Ball’s in your court.]




List of clues

[Japic]

{Save the telegram, Thurman is not willing to part with his books. Especially not to a lady he's never met that has had books of importance literally disappear under her nose. The knowledge contained within is too important to let go just yet.}

{I don't have time for a better post just now, so Thurman will go along with the others offering his help where applicable. If we have had any downtime since Gray decided to join us, I would recommend that he look at the French book we have. To see what it's got to tell us.}

[VemuKhaham]

If we have had any downtime since Gray decided to join us, I would recommend that he look at the French book we have. To see what it's got to tell us.}

[You just want to screw with Gray's sanity. Anyway, I'm not sure if Gray's French is any good. He at least hasn't any skills in it, despite his high education. But I can always look.]

Arriving at the shop, Gray for a moment halts before entering. "So we want to ask mr. Al-Sayed about the murders in his community? I must say, we should heed the warnings we speak among ourselves. What reason do we have, not being law officers of any kind, to so bruskly ask about such matters; matters which, above all things, seem to strike a tense chore among people of this community..."

Gray muses for a moment on a possible answer to his question. "Of course, we could just bring the topic up as casual conversation, and hope he does not brush it off. Anybody bought a copy of today's newspaper?

That, or we could play it through his link with the Penhew Foundation. But that may be presumptuous."

[Japic]

Jun 25, 2008 10:09:51 GMT -5 VemuKhaham said:

[You just want to screw with Gray's sanity. Anyway, I'm not sure if Gray's French is any good. He at least hasn't any skills in it, despite his high education. But I can always look.]

{My bad, I thought you spoke the language for some reason. If not then nevermnd. Oh, and yes, I'm trying to screw your sanity. Welcome to the team.}

If you'd prefer Vemu we can pick upa copy of the paper and happen to have the article open. We're recently back from the States and can hope that he carries some american flavors in there. It's a reason to visit atleast. It's good to know what we're talking abotu before we go in. No surprises later.

[Yakumo]

Tommy grumbles at the Doctor's objection to his sending the books back overseas. "You know, I bet the book disappearing wasn't even her fault, it was probably the Bloody Tongue or something. I bet the book was very telling of their actions or something and that's why Elias wanted it and they didn't want him to have it."

In spite of their protests, when no one is looking Tommy decides to draft the telegram anyway, even if he isn't sending the books, he wants to have the option available to him. The perk of having an avid reader and an acquaintance who is familiar with many of Elias' works far outweighs, in his opinion, the rest of the group's hesitation. But maybe, just maybe, Tommy felt bad about lying to her and never telling her what happened to Elias.

Telegram:
DEFINITE CULT CONNECTIONS ELIAS' DEATH STOP LONDON CONTINUING RESEARCH STOP NEED ASSISTANCE PLEASE RESPOND
SIGNED CANNON & DEVEREUX

Tommy will send the telegram as soon as he can, hoping that Miriam remembers them and that the addition of Ms. Devereux's name to the telegram will add some credence to it. Tommy will fork over the 25$ and 50 cents with the utmost sorrow, but knows it will ultimately help. (Or 26.75 if you count the ampersand, I looked it up in the book, international telegram is 1.25 per word and I figured that the 25 cents for the first 12 words didn't apply to it. So let me know the actual monetary damage)

Tommy digs out a copy of the newspaper he took earlier from the paperboy and hand it to the Doctor, "It's all yours. Just remember to be careful what you say."

Tommy wishes to browse the store, seeing as there are a large amount and variety of people in there, he doesn't think he'll stick out too much. He wants to get an idea for its layout and see the sort of things that a spice shop sells.

[VemuKhaham]

Gray takes the paper, looking a bit uncertain at what to do, trying to cover it by looking over the article on the murders, before he resolutely seems to make up his mind, pursing his lips before saying: "Well, let's see what we can learn then!"

He heads into the shop, walking inside confidently, with the paper under his right arm. Immediately, the strong scent of all kinds of spices penetrated his nostrils. He sniffed, obviously as if familiar with it. "Surely, an Egyptian spice shop if ever there was one."

"Wait a moment," he said to Tommy, and anyone else going inside with him. He went to look at the wares, trying to find some cinnamon and ginger. While there, he might as well do something useful, he thought to himself. After having picked up what he needed, he went to the salesman. Hopefully, Tewfik would be right there. At any rate, he would wait until there was only a short line, so as not to hold any people, or Tewfik himself, up too much while he tried to get a conversation going.

Either way, he would pay for the spices. If Tewfik was there, he would try to start a conversation, obviously looking for words. Gray was, despite his natural way with people, no good at being vague or sly, even if it served an important purpose: "Good day, sir," he began as he put the spices on the shelves, inconspicuously placing the newspaper with the murder article up top on the shelf besides the spices, "At least, I hope you have a good day, considering all the murders going on. Have you read the papers today?" He said, looking at the specific article.

Etcetera. but I'll not get to far ahead of everything, cause there might as well be a sacrifice going on inside.