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Post by maxvale76 on Oct 8, 2013 19:06:27 GMT -6
11:20 AM; Thursday, March 1st; 1928; Offices of B&H Investigations on the 2nd Floor of the Preston Building; 1st Ward of Lakefront City, Wisconsin
Two young women in their 20s sat in chairs in front of the desks of Private Investigators Gus Babushka and Jim Holland with one of them; Janet Farmer; rather ashen-faced and clearly suffering and doing her best to choke out the reason for their being there. She wasn't making much progress; so her close friend; Delores "Del" Kennedy patted her on the back in sympathy and got straight to the point.
"My friend Janet's fiancé; Tim Henson was murdered last Friday and the cops are saying it was a robbery gone bad and not doing much to look into it. The whole thing seems more than a little fishy and Janet and I want to see that justice gets done. Can you guys-"; she was interrupted by the sound of knocking on the door.
The big bear of a Russian Detective looked annoyed at the interruption and in his heavily accented voice he said to his partner; Jim Holland; "Get Door, please"; and Holland did so. The door opened to a slightly out of breath man with a press badge that read 'Daniel Jensen; Herald Examiner' and shortly after introducing himself Janet controlled herself enough to say; "It's okay...I asked him to come; he's a good friend of my brother's and a I thought a Reporter could help as well." Gus and Jim exchanged looks at that; but then as the lanky brown-haired man came into the office Gus suddenly got a look of recognition in his eyes and with a smile he said; "You reporter who did story on Priest selling wine, yes? Very funny!"; he gave a short bark of a laugh and completely ignored the strange moment of awkwardness that followed in the room.
Jim coughed once and brought everyone back onto the subject at hand. "Okay; so your fiancé was murdered and you don't think the cops are really looking into it. Walk us through exactly what happened please." Janet took a deep, shuddering breath and gathered herself and then started talking.
"Last Friday; after my shift ended at 4 pm; I was waiting in front of the Bank for Tim to pick me up as usual. After half-an-hour went by and he hadn't shown up; I telephoned his office and got no answer. Tim and his partner Rick Pauley run a small construction business called Henson & Pauley Builders with an office in the Spears Building.I then took a cab over to the office and the office door was unlocked; but neither Tim nor Rick were there. As I was leaving the office; I noticed the door to the storage room down the hall was open. This was very unusual; since they keep a safe in there and always shut it and lock it when they're not in there. I went back there and on the floor was poor Tim's body. He had been stabbed multiple times and the safe was open and empty." Janet's eyes welled up with tears at this point; but she bravely pressed on.
"I called the police and Rick; and pretty soon some cops showed up; followed by a couple of Police Detectives and Rick. They all came to the same conclusion; that someone had been robbing the safe when Tim overheard them and confronted them and they killed him and left with the money. But.....that just doesn't make sense...Tim had no idea how much money was even in the safe; that was something Rick handled; and why on earth would anyone stab him so many times? Tim was a gentle man....he was no threat to anyone..."; at this point Janet breaks down again and Del hugs her and smooths her hair comfortingly.
Janet was a very nice person; but everyone else in the room was silently looking at each other and several things were understood without anyone saying a word. The poor woman probably didn't know that the Spears Building where Henson & Pauley Building was located was well-known to those with knowledge of the shadier side of the streets to be owned behind the scenes by Al Tolino. Del broke the silence by saying; "I think we need to start with talking to Rick Pauley. He's got quite a temper....and he's more than a little creepy; he hit on Janet a few times; even after knowing that Tim and her were an item." At this; Janet nods in confirmation. Wiping her eyes and composing herself again; Janet asks; "Well...will you please take the case? I don't have much; but I have some savings and can sell a few of my grandmother's pearls to raise a few hundred dollars...."; as she looks at you all with sad and hopeful eyes....
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sammarlow
Level 2 Seer
Playing: Max's Gangbusters: Michael Walker (FED AGENT); Danny Sullivan (Criminal); Jim Holland (PI)
Posts: 26
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Post by sammarlow on Oct 9, 2013 0:21:54 GMT -6
Well I'm a sucker for a damsel in distress and given the story, something does sound fishy. I turn to Gus and say "what do ya think? There do appear to be some possible holes in the robbery scenario the police appear to have bought off on..."
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sammarlow
Level 2 Seer
Playing: Max's Gangbusters: Michael Walker (FED AGENT); Danny Sullivan (Criminal); Jim Holland (PI)
Posts: 26
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Post by sammarlow on Oct 9, 2013 0:36:11 GMT -6
Jensen, what have you heard re: this case? Have any of your law enforcement sources had anything to say about this case (off the record of course)?
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kipper
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 55
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Post by kipper on Oct 9, 2013 8:29:31 GMT -6
"Maybe someone bought off the police, or maybe they're just incompetent!" Del says. "In any case, my money's on Rick. He's mixed up in this, I wouldn't put anything past the creep."
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sammarlow
Level 2 Seer
Playing: Max's Gangbusters: Michael Walker (FED AGENT); Danny Sullivan (Criminal); Jim Holland (PI)
Posts: 26
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Post by sammarlow on Oct 9, 2013 8:53:34 GMT -6
Janet and Del, where was Rick when this happened? When you were trying to notify him, where did you end up locating him?
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Post by cleverkobold on Oct 9, 2013 11:27:46 GMT -6
Jensen, what have you heard re: this case? Have any of your law enforcement sources had anything to say about this case (off the record of course)? "I'm afraid I don't know any more than you."
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 9, 2013 15:46:23 GMT -6
Gus faces Janet and declares "We take case. Find who did this thing."
He then turns to Jim, "Is good with you, yes?"
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sammarlow
Level 2 Seer
Playing: Max's Gangbusters: Michael Walker (FED AGENT); Danny Sullivan (Criminal); Jim Holland (PI)
Posts: 26
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Post by sammarlow on Oct 9, 2013 21:47:15 GMT -6
Agreed. We are on it. Can we check out the scene of the crime? Does anyone else have a different suggestion?
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Post by maxvale76 on Oct 12, 2013 21:13:04 GMT -6
Janet is extremely grateful that Gus, Jim and Dan are all willing to look into the murder. Turning to Holland; she answers his question about where Pauley was at the time of the murder. "Well....I don't know exactly where he was since I don't know exactly what time poor Tim was killed; but I called him at his apartment just a few minutes after I got to their office and he was there. As for going to the scene of the crime; I have a key to the their office...but would it be okay if I just let you all go their on your own? I'm not sure I'm ready to go back there just yet"; she says with a tremble in her voice.
(Is everyone agreed on checking out the scene of the crime?)
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sammarlow
Level 2 Seer
Playing: Max's Gangbusters: Michael Walker (FED AGENT); Danny Sullivan (Criminal); Jim Holland (PI)
Posts: 26
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Post by sammarlow on Oct 12, 2013 23:03:03 GMT -6
Janet, no need for you to return to the office, I can take the key if that is ok with you. We are at your service and will take it from here. We also need to interview the partner, Rick Pauley. Since Del and Jensen have some background of the office, maybe they would like to come along? Jensen, do you have your camera handy? It might come in useful when we check out the office.
I also take Gus aside and ask: "Do you think it might be useful to tap the office phone line? If the partner is involved, his calls may be of interest." "what do you think?"
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kipper
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 55
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Post by kipper on Oct 13, 2013 7:53:48 GMT -6
"Sure, I'll show you around." Del says. "You'll be OK here by yourself, Janet? Or would you like me to take you home first?"
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Post by cleverkobold on Oct 13, 2013 14:31:38 GMT -6
Jensen, do you have your camera handy? It might come in useful when we check out the office. "Sure do." Danny replies. He turns to Janet, "I assure you, we'll do everything we can to get to the bottom of this."
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 13, 2013 19:13:59 GMT -6
Gus winks at Jim "Am liking how you are thinking". He then pulls his revolver from his desk, loads and holsters it. He walks over to Janet, takes her hand in his and says "Gus promise we find out what happen. And Gus keeps his promises." Gus then walks to the hat rack, gathers his coat and hat and motions to the door. "We go?"
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sammarlow
Level 2 Seer
Playing: Max's Gangbusters: Michael Walker (FED AGENT); Danny Sullivan (Criminal); Jim Holland (PI)
Posts: 26
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Post by sammarlow on Oct 13, 2013 23:18:49 GMT -6
"Janet, we will solve this."
I make sure my .45 1911 is loaded, has a round chambered and is on safe, and return it to my shoulder holster. I grab my extra magazines and put them in my trench coat, grab my hat and say to the group, "Let's go."
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Post by cleverkobold on Oct 14, 2013 9:35:37 GMT -6
Danny gathers his things and joins the investigators.
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sammarlow
Level 2 Seer
Playing: Max's Gangbusters: Michael Walker (FED AGENT); Danny Sullivan (Criminal); Jim Holland (PI)
Posts: 26
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Post by sammarlow on Oct 16, 2013 19:10:42 GMT -6
We drop off Janet and head to the office.
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Post by maxvale76 on Oct 16, 2013 20:09:49 GMT -6
Late morning thru early afternoon; Thursday, March 1st; 1928; Office and Storage Room of Henson & Pauley Builders in the Spears Building; 1st Ward of Lakefront City, Wisconsin
Janet Farmer tearfully thanked the Private Investigators Gus and Jim for taking the case and her friends the newspaper reporter Daniel Jensen and her co-worker at the bank; Delores 'Del' Kennedy. She rummaged in her purse and came up with $50; which she handed to Jim as an "initial deposit" for the case and the five of them left the office and all crammed into Jensen's green Ford Model A Tudor Sedan*. Everyone breathed a little easier after dropping off Janet at her apartment; and then they all drove over to the Spears building to have a look at the office of Henson & Pauley Builders; and the storage room where the murder actually happened.
As the band of two Private Investigators, a newspaper reporter and a spunky Flapper got out of the car they could see a nearby butcher shop with a sign reading Hardy's Fine Meats and a small newspaper stand with a little sign that read Pitzer's. They then entered the Spears Building and a search of the office proper finds little worth noticing; most of Tim's personal effects had moved out by Janet; and what was left were mostly various notes and forms regarding building materials such as concrete; lumber; shift schedules for builders; etc. The desk and drawers for Henson's partner Rick Pauley was in contrast; quite spartan and virtually nothing other than some pads of paper and a few pencils and pens were to be found.
A search of the storage room reveals the safe; closed but unlocked and empty. Dried bloodstains could still be seen on the walls and the floor; though it was clear that most of the grisly mess had been washed and bleached out. Though neither Holland nor Gus were experts in the field; both could tell that from where some of the blood spatter could still be seen it was almost certain that TIm Henson had indeed been in a see-saw struggle with someone near the safe and that he had been stabbed repeatedly. As everyone filed out and stood together to chat and think; it was clear that in a busy section of the city like this; if a robbery had taken place; somebody would have seen something....
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sammarlow
Level 2 Seer
Playing: Max's Gangbusters: Michael Walker (FED AGENT); Danny Sullivan (Criminal); Jim Holland (PI)
Posts: 26
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Post by sammarlow on Oct 16, 2013 20:19:56 GMT -6
Gus, did you need to "use" the phone?
I run a pencil over the various pads of paper on the partner's desk to see if I can pull up any prior notes. I also check the sides of the safe and see if I can move the safe enough to look under it as well.
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Post by cleverkobold on Oct 16, 2013 21:21:12 GMT -6
Jensen begins taking photos. He takes close-ups of the blood stains and a few wide-shots of the room from different angles; all while mumbling something about the scene being contaminated. When he finishes taking photos, he take a pen and pad out of his pocket and begins taking notes on as many features of the room as possible; keeping an eye out for anything obscure that he might not have seen previously.
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sammarlow
Level 2 Seer
Playing: Max's Gangbusters: Michael Walker (FED AGENT); Danny Sullivan (Criminal); Jim Holland (PI)
Posts: 26
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Post by sammarlow on Oct 16, 2013 23:14:43 GMT -6
I also look through the notes, is there anything like a calendar? I'm trying to see if there were any scheduled visitors the day of his death.
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kipper
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 55
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Post by kipper on Oct 17, 2013 8:23:17 GMT -6
Del comments on Rick's empty desk: "It certainly doesn't look like Rick was doing much work here. Even the neatest man in the world has got to have a desk more cluttered than this... I wonder what exactly his job was? Could he have been blackmailing Tim?"
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sammarlow
Level 2 Seer
Playing: Max's Gangbusters: Michael Walker (FED AGENT); Danny Sullivan (Criminal); Jim Holland (PI)
Posts: 26
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Post by sammarlow on Oct 18, 2013 9:00:51 GMT -6
Are there any file cabinets to search? If not, maybe we should canvas the neighbors. After searching the office, I'll head over to Pitzter's (the newstand) to see if they saw anything the day of the murder (I'll buy a newspaper first).
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 19, 2013 17:01:27 GMT -6
Gus gets to work setting a wiretap on the phone lines, whistling a Russian folksong while doing so. Given enough time to finish, he will then tell Jim "I go talk to butcher. Get meat and have a talk."
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sammarlow
Level 2 Seer
Playing: Max's Gangbusters: Michael Walker (FED AGENT); Danny Sullivan (Criminal); Jim Holland (PI)
Posts: 26
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Post by sammarlow on Oct 19, 2013 22:28:33 GMT -6
good plan Gus. Let me know what you find out at the butcher shop.
Over at Pitzer's I pick up the daily news and ask the clerk: "did you see any person or persons lurking outside the Spears Building last Friday?" Or did you see anything unusual last Friday?
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kipper
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 55
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Post by kipper on Oct 20, 2013 8:04:10 GMT -6
Are there any other offices (other companies) in the same building? If so, Del will go see who the receptionists (or anyone visibly working there) are of the one(s) beside Tim's. Then (since it will be lunch time soon if she's not too late!) she'll plan on chatting/gossiping with one or more of these people at a local cafe if she can recognise them.
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Post by maxvale76 on Oct 25, 2013 14:55:07 GMT -6
Early thru mid afternoon; Thursday, March 1st; 1928; Office and Storage Room of Henson & Pauley Builders in the Spears Building; 1st Ward of Lakefront City, Wisconsin
Gus rather easily manages to put a tap on Rick Pauley's phone that can be heard back at the phone for B&H Investigations while Jim keeps a lookout. Jim also fully looks over the safe and the storage room but doesn't find anything else of any significant interest. No calendar or list of visitors or appointments is found either.
Del checks out the other offices; there are 8. Only 2 are currently being utilized; one by an attorney by the name of David Morgan and the other by an accountant by the name of Edward Schwartz. Neither is currently occupied and both are locked; Schwartz's has a sign that reads; "Out on Vacation; will return March 5th."
Danny takes several photos; but doesn't see anything unusual 'grab him' as he's taking the shots. Maybe when the film is developed it will be a different story; but not now.
Shrugging their collective shoulders; the foursome head out and Gus heads to talk to the butcher while Jim heads over to the newsstand. (OOC: unsure of where Del and Danny are at this time; so I'll say Del sticks with Jim while Danny stays with Gus)
Gus and Danny head into Hardy's Fine Meats and see a well-stocked butcher store with two people working inside; a rather vacant-eyed young woman behind the register and a pleasant faced, chubby man in his forties who introduces himself as Jim Hardy and asks what they're looking for today. Gus picks out some nice steak and then asks about last Friday. Jim looks a bit sad at this and says; "Yeah...it's a real shame about Tim; he was a great guy. I wasn't on shift at the time; my employee Stan Colton was. He's back on shift tomorrow; so you can come back then and ask. Oh yeah....Cathy was. Hey Cathy; did you hear anything strange last Friday night?"; he asks the ditzy woman at the register. Cathy seems to come back to earth and replies; "Last Friday?....I don't think so.....wait was that the day poor Mr. Henson got stabbed?" Jim looks a bit hopeful for a second as he replies; "Yeah....did you see or hear anything strange?" His face falls as she seems to think for a second and then reply; "Oh...umm.....no...sorry."
Over at the newsstand; Danny and Jim aren't having any better luck. They find out that the pimply-faced teenage employee; Nick Wozniac wasn't on shift on Friday night either; the proprietor Otto Pitzer was. Nick follows up the questions with; "Do you think the Tolinos did it? I've heard they've been muscling in on businesses in this area....not sure why they'd rub-out poor Mister Henson though...he was a nice guy."
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kipper
Level 3 Conjurer
Posts: 55
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Post by kipper on Oct 26, 2013 8:18:52 GMT -6
"There's certainly something fishy going on!" Del replies to Nick. "Where can we find Otto?"
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sammarlow
Level 2 Seer
Playing: Max's Gangbusters: Michael Walker (FED AGENT); Danny Sullivan (Criminal); Jim Holland (PI)
Posts: 26
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Post by sammarlow on Oct 26, 2013 9:25:18 GMT -6
After Nick answers Del's question, I ask him "Which Tolinos have you seen in the area? Where do they hang out? Also, do you know Rick Pauley, Mister Henson's partner?"
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Post by maxvale76 on Nov 4, 2013 20:43:24 GMT -6
Late afternoon; Thursday, March 1st thru mid-morning; Friday, March 2nd, 1928; 1st Ward of Lakefront City, Wisconsin
Nick; the teenaged employee at Pitzer's snapped his head back and forth as Del and Jim asked their questions. "Umm...well; Mister Pitzer's at home with his wife right now; but he should be back tomorrow morning when we open. As for the Tolino's.....well; they tend to gather down at the Four Deuces Tavern or over at Little Augie's at night. I ain't never seen 'Big' Al personally; but I've seen 'Butcher' Bertello and the foreign guy...the one they call 'The Basque' at Little Augie's one time. As for Mister Pauley; he's kind of a jerk; to be honest." Del and Jim thank the kid and leave; Del rolling her eyes at the fawning stares of the teenager....
Meanwhile; Gus and Jensen have come to much the same conclusion; they need to wait until the morning to talk to Stan Colton or maybe hear something interesting on Rick Pauley's phone tap. The foursome reunite and drive back to the Detectives office. Nothing is heard on the phone tap; and after a while; everybody heads to their homes to bed and agrees to meet back up at the office again the next morning at 9 AM and then head over to talk to Otto Pitzer and Stan Colton and possibly Rick Pauley. As the four gather at the office; Gus comes in with a newspaper and an even more grim expression than usual on his grim face. "Look at this....not believe what has happened"; and sets the paper down where the other three gather around to take a look. The paper has been opened several pages; but the story is one that makes all of their eyes open wide. Stan Colton had been found stabbed to death at Hardy's Fine Meats that morning by Jim Hardy. He had arrived around 7 am the paper said; saying that Colton typically got their about an hour earlier. The foursome immediately headed out to follow this up....
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sammarlow
Level 2 Seer
Playing: Max's Gangbusters: Michael Walker (FED AGENT); Danny Sullivan (Criminal); Jim Holland (PI)
Posts: 26
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Post by sammarlow on Nov 5, 2013 0:55:45 GMT -6
We meet with Jim Hardy to find out what happened. If Mr. Hardy allows it, would Danny like to take photos of the crime scene? Do I or any of my partners have contacts with the police department? I was wondering if perhaps the knife wounds in Stan Colton matched those in Tim's body. Could the coroner (if they called them that back then) identify the type of knife used in the murders?
Afterwards I'll talk to Otto Pitzer and see what he remembers about the day Tim died. Also, did he see or hear anything over at the meat market when Stan was killed?
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