We pick up where we left off as Edward Billingsly and the Giant head towards the home of Mr. Richland to get a hold of the priceless book that seems to be so important.
The Giant stopped the car just short of the driveway to the Richland Mansion. As we stepped from the car I couldn't help but notice a dull thumping coming from the trunk. "Is, is there someone in there?" I asked as I looked nervously from the Giant to the car.
The big man grunted and walked round to the rear of the car where he unlocked the trunk. To my surprise a young woman sprang from the back of the car, shook herself and started poking the Giant in the chest with her finger! "Hey, ya know I been in there almost all night! Why couldn't I ride up front wit' you huh?"
The Giant shrugged and pointed to me, then made some sort of sign with his hands that the girl seemed to understand. "So this is who I gotta work with huh, well he don't look like much." I figured her to be perhaps a few years younger than myself, but she certainly had a street savvy way about her. She introduced herself as Beatrice Farwell and that she was going to be my "partner" in our endeavor to get whatever it was the "Butcher" wanted, and by whatever means necessary too. I was shocked to see her pick up and deliberate upon which weapons and tools she was going to bring on our "job".
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| Beatrice Farwell |
I knocked on the door of the Richland residence while fumbling in my pocket for the card Prof. Carter had given me. After a long moment the door opened and we were greeted by whom I had to guess was Mrs. Richland. Her brows arched as she looked over the odd pair at her door. I'm pretty sure I heard Beatrice mutter "bitch" under her breath. "Uh Mrs. Richland, I'm Edward Billingsly. Professor Carter sent me to pick up a package from you." She stood in the doorway and seemed to peer into my very being, there was something, something I can't describe about her. My heart raced and I felt terrified as well as enamored at the same time!
"Come in." her tone was like ice. Beatrice and I were led into the parlor and took a seat. "Let me get you some tea." said the tall woman as she turned and disappeared through a swinging door into what I presume was the kitchen. Almost instantly Beatrice was up nosing about, looking everywhere. She even checked behind a few pictures hanging on the wall! "What are you doing?" I whispered.
"Figuring out where the stuff is hid dummy." Beatrice shot me a look like I was a child. The sound of china tinkling made her shoot back to her seat beside me.
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| Mrs. Strickland Richland |
"As you may have guessed my husband is not home, and I'm afraid what you came for is not here either." she poured tea into a cup and looked directly at the both of us. "I, um, well I see that is a bit of a problem as the Professor was really looking forward to seeing the book." I said as I accepted the cup, "when do you expect him?"
"I don't." she said flatly, "He hasn't been home for two days now, and I haven't been able to reach him at the Museum. Perhaps you could locate him for me?" I sat petrified holding the cup to my lip the steam rising up in front of my eyes giving her a strange otherworldly look. Beatrice elbowed me in the ribs and brought me back to reality. "Two days! That seems very unlike him no? Of course I will help you locate your husband, you can count on us!" I couldn't believe I just said that, and neither apparently could Beatrice.
"Of course you will. Now I have an appointment I cannot miss. I expect to hear from you tomorrow about what you discover." Mrs. Richland rose and handed me a card with her name and address on it. She showed us to the door and we walked quickly down the drive back to the Giant awaiting in the car.
Beatrice laid into me about how I was like a moonstruck boy with the Richland woman. Beatrice then convinced the Giant and I that we only had to wait untill she left for her appointment and then we could sneak back into the house and look for the book which was probably there regardless of what she told us.
We waited about 20 minutes before Mrs. Strickland finally drove off, and we pulled around the back of the house and found the servants entrance. After a few minutes we got the back door open only to discover the entry had been boarded up from the inside!? Unable to get past this the Giant just broke the wood down by punching it in. Beatrice and I made our way into the darkened home and quickly found the study of Mr. Richland just beyond the stairs on the first floor. While Beatrice rummaged around I had an odd feeling about the door under the stairs. It should lead to the basement I thought, but felt compelled to look. Opening the door I saw, something. Something that shouldn't be there yet it was...
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| The hall that wasn't |
We quickly made our way through the desk and shelves in the study. Though it was filled with many items of interest I just knew none of it was exactly what we were looking for. In the end I found Mr. Richlands date book with a note about seeing "O'malley" dated two days prior and a folder stuffed with papers upon which frantically written notes had been scrawled. A few of the words stood out to me as unusual and worth looking at closer so I took them. We left the house and I convinced my two compatriots that we must go to the Museum Offices of Mr. Richland. The pair agreed as it seemed the only logical place to look for more clues. I sat in the back and looked over the notes from the folder. None of which made any sense, but the words ABOTH, DAOLOTH, AZATHOTH, and EIHORT were used repeatedly throughout.
By the time we reached the museum, it was closed and we wouldn't be able to get in. However I remembered that one of the younger guards that I had become friendly with during my office duties just might be working tonight. I asked the Giant to park in the alleway round the back and I took Beatrice by the hand as we walked towards the loading bay entrance.
The single bulb buzzed over our heads like an angry insect in the dark as I knocked on the door three times in quick succession, then twice more. Beatrice began to reach for her lock picks and I told her to wait a moment more. The sound of a bolt being drawn startled us both and the door opened inward. "Hey Eddie, is that you?" the young museum guard peered out at us. "Hi Jimmy!" I said, "Look, I was wondering. Do you think we could come in for a little secret tour?" I pulled Beatrice up so he could see her better.
Jimmy's eyes widened, and he started nodding his head as he winked at me, "Sure Eddie, sure. I'll keep old George busy at the other end for an hour at least." We slid inside as Jimmy shut the door and then let us out into the main foyer. "Don't do nothin' I wouldn't." he said with a grin as he closed the door.
"Jimmy's pretty cute." cracked Beatrice. "Well I introduce you later, right now we have to get to the offices c'mon." We took off at a quick walk through the darkened exhibits and made our way to the stairs for the second floor and the administrative offices. Having spent many months working here I knew exactly where to go. Moments later after Beatrice picked the lock we were in Mr. Richlands office looking for something that might help us find him and or the Book. Unfortunately it looked as though someone had already been here and was none to discreet about it! "This place has been tossed!" hissed Beatrice, "Somebody was already here."
"How would you know?" I said as I looked around and something glass crunched underfoot!
"Who's there!" commanded a thick scottish accent! Both Beatrice and I froze in place. I knew it wasn't old George the guard, and Mr. Richland didn't have an accent, who was this???
A flashlight blinded us and we held up our hands to ward off the brightness. "What're yoo two doin' skulking aboot in here?" the flashlight lowered and I could make out the shadow of a large man in the doorway. He held what I thought might be a gun in his left hand. "It's uh, me Edward Billingsly Sir. I'm here on an errand for Mrs. Richland."
"Mrs. Richland eh, then you two better come with me."
Beatrice and I sat across from Professor O'malley. He poured a third shot of bourbon from a bottle he had pulled from his desk, drank it and said,"Mrs Richland eh, I thought you worked for old Carter Edward?"
"I did, I mean i do. Yes, I mean."
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| Prof. O'malley Occult Investigator |
O'malley produced a second then third glass and poured a drink for both Beatrice and myself. I told him everything that had happened so far, and I mean everything. The Professor listened quite intently when I described Mrs. Richland and what had happened in the house, and he was keenly interested in the notes I had. He then revealed that he was also looking for Mr. Richland or Strickland as he called him since they were friends, and that Prof. Carter had involved me in something which he was clueless about. But the most shocking fact was the Mrs. Richland was NOT Sticklands wife, because you see he has never been married!
"Then who is she?" Beatrice and I asked at the same time.
"That my plucky duo is what we're going to find oot!" O'malley stood up and began tossing items in a carpet bag he produced from under his desk. The notes I had, the bourbon bottle as well a weird looking knife and some other things I wasn't able to make out.
Suddenly there was a crash of breaking glass! O'malley was spooked and turned off the lights. He whispered to us that we needed to make a break for the stairs and get out before "They" get us!! We began to navigate down the darkened hall when I was overcome with the same sensation I felt at the house when looking at that strange hallway. Somehow I lost both Beatrice and O'malley and seemed to lose track of time! The next thing I know I burst out of the maintenance door only to find myself in the museum foyer surrounded by a group of people wearing strange outfits and chanting! The sun seemed to be intently burning through the glass doors and I was very hot, my head was spinning. The people began to converge upon me as I sank to my knees, I wanted to go to the other place!! NO, no I did not want to but I couldn't help myself!!
I felt myself jerked back from falling and I could barely make out O'malley yelling, "stay with us lad!" There was a stacatto sound pounding out next to me and I saw Beatrice firing a tommy-gun at the robed people a wide cheshire grin upon her face.
The next thing I knew we were in the alleyway behind the museum, and we were running for the car as the Giant started the engine! O'malley in the front seat urging the Giant on as Beatrice leaned out the back firing the tommy-gun!
Stay tuned for part 3 coming soon!
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