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The Hunt Club - in which Anikka gets a Clue
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Anikka
Anikka
Babelfish

Feb-2-2010 16:24

In several large cities around the world, there is a social club known only to a select group of people. Simply called 'The Hunt Club', it is not to be confused with any other 'Hunt' club, where discussions of horses and hounds hold sway; rather, it is a place where the pursuit of people is the topic of the hour - for The Hunt Club is the gathering place of many a Private Investigator.

Regardless of social class, wealth (or lack thereof), or any other determining factor - except one - the Club is open to anyone, any time. All one must do to get in is to flash one's license. Once inside, cozy rooms with dark wood panel walls and deep, plushy carpet are furnished with comfortable armchairs and sofas, waiting to give comfort to a tired-footed gumshoe. Warm fires, good food, and free drinks help to soothe even the most weary soul.

Even that luxurious steamer, the Sleuthetania, has a room set aside solely for Hunt Club use. While Anikka Sevine was sailing to England at the beginning of her adventure, she spent many a happy hour there, chatting with Rosamund Clifford about the latter's exploits in Cairo. On her way back to New York, she spent many a quiet hour there, reading Agatha Christie novels and absently nibbling on chocolates.

Back in New York, Anikka unpacked her steamer trunks, throwing her clothes into a pile on the bed in a most distracted fashion. Finally, after staring blankly at the pile for several minutes, she muttered a mild curse word, changed her clothing, and stalked off to the New York chapter of the Club, where she found the smallest room (two chairs before a fire, two chairs back in the corners, and small tables to hold plates and glasses) and threw herself into a chair.

When Molly Maltese wandered into the room a scant twenty minutes later, she found her friend staring at the fire. "I heard you were back from your trip, how was it?" she asked blithely.

Replies

Anikka
Anikka
Babelfish

Feb-2-2010 16:25

Anikka gave her a disgruntled look. "Not quite the blast of fun I was expecting," she replied, her voice tired.

Molly studied her face for a minute, then sat in the chair next to Anikka. "Tell me."

"Well. I'd received an engraved invitation, done on the type of heavy linen paper that soothes your eyes and makes your fingers cry with joy for the touching of it." The young woman sighed and shifted in her chair to face Molly. "You know the type. It costs at least fifteen dollars for a sheet of it, and it's used by people who buy it by the gross."

Molly nodded. "I know exactly what you're talking about. I'm practically drooling, just thinking about it."

At this moment, the man that members simply referred to as Bevingston - per his request - quietly entered the room and, in a soft voice, asked the ladies if they wished any food or drinks.

"Bring us some ginger ale, Bevingston, and perhaps some tea sandwiches," Molly requested. Anikka raised an eyebrow at her friend, who usually requested alcohol. Molly gave her another of those searching looks, then shrugged. "I just have the feeling I'm going to need to be sober for this one."

Anikka returned the slight shrug, and a small, trembling smile touched her lips for a few seconds before disappearing back to the ether. "Perhaps, Molly, and perhaps you shall regret it. In any case... now, where was I? Oh, yes, the engraved invitation. It was from the British philanthropist, Lord Archibald Boddy." Molly gave a start. "Ahh, so you have an idea where I'm going with this, good."

"He invited you to... to play? The GAME?"

"Indeed he did, my friend. Indeed he did."

"Oh, Anikka, why are you so morose? I'll never forget when I played the Game. I had a fabulous time! And so did everyone I know who ever was invited to play."

"Molly, please tell me, in abbreviated version, what happen when you went there to play?"

Anikka
Anikka
Babelfish

Feb-2-2010 16:25

Molly shifted in her seat, practically bouncing with her enthusiasm. "Oh, it was wonderful. When I arrived, Jarvis - you know, the butler - showed me to a beautiful room upstairs; gorgeously furnished and with a connected bath. It wasn't too late, and I went down to have dinner with my host, after which we both retired to our rooms." Molly sighed blissfully. "I slept like a baby, that night. And then, in the morning, after a wonderful breakfast, Jarvis came to collect me and brought me to the entrance hall and outside, where Mister Boddy lay on a blanket, on the grass. His eyes were closed, but he did open them once, and winked at me." She chuckled at the memory, then caught a glimpse of Anikka's troubled face.

"After that, well, it was running around all the tremendous ground floor rooms, meeting Mr. Boddy's friends (who used fake names, of course), and asking them questions and examing things, and figuring out which of them was the 'killer'. It was really a blast," Molly finished, her voice dying off as she watched her friend's expression go from troubled to sad. "Ani? What happened?"

"Oh! Well. I've heard other peoples' accounts of when they were invited to play the Game, you know. Some of them match yours so exactly it's amazing. Of course, some stories differ slightly, according to the time they arrived, or other such trivialities." At this moment, Bevingston returned with a plate of sandwiches and a carafe of ginger ale. Marc Lacrimosa, coming in behind him, was juggling three tumblers with an adeptness that Bevingston failed to appreciate. Marc thought frost might issue from the man's eyes, so he carefully placed the tumblers on a table, then pulled a chair over to join the ladies.

Anikka
Anikka
Babelfish

Feb-2-2010 16:26

"Mind if I sit? Thanks," was all he said, stuffing a cucumber sandwich into his mouth as he flopped into the armchair. A sudden horror came over his face. "How do you eat this stuff? Seriously!" Molly was amused to see Bevingston's lips twitch in amusement and, possibly, sympathy. "Be a pal, Bevingston, and bring a man some actual food?" The servant gave the small ghost of a bow, and just as he moved out of sight, Molly saw him grin.

"If you're going to sit, you have to hush, Marc. Anikka went to Lord Boddy's manor to play the Game, and she's about to tell me about it."

"The Game! I had such fun, when I went." Marc smiled, about to expound, when he caught a glimpse of dread on Anikka's face. "Well, then. You don't look like you had any fun at all."

"I arrived in late evening, after traveling non-stop from the ship. I was tired, I was hungry, and I was met at the entrance by the sight of Lord Boddy, lying on the front steps. Covered in blood, eyes wide open, expression of surprise..." Anikka's voice trailed off for a moment, and she took up a tumbler, taking a huge gulp of ginger ale. Marc and Molly looked horrified. "So I went in and, you know, that huge entry hall and the gorgeous crystal chandelier... well, it was Reverend Green, in the Hall, with the Rope, of course."

"Wait, Reverend Green killed Lord Boddy? Green was one of his best friends!" exclaimed Molly in a wail.

"Oh, you misunderstand. It was Reverend Green, hanging from the chandelier in the Hall, the Rope tied in a noose around his neck. Dead as a doornail, in fact." Molly's face went white and Marc made some exclamation, then went off in search of a bottle of gin.

"Oh, Anikka, that's terrible! Who would do such a horrendous thing?"

Anikka
Anikka
Babelfish

Feb-2-2010 16:26

"Well, I did go in search of the rest of the party. And some food; I hadn't eaten since noon, and it was nearly nine o'clock. So I went to the dining room, thinking that perhaps the others were at dinner and didn't know anything was wrong; or at least that dinner had been set up and I could stuff something in my mouth to keep me from swooning in hunger. And that's how I found it was Mrs. Peacock in the Dining Room with the Candlestick."

"So, Mrs. Peacock killed Lord Boddy with the Candlestick? But how did she move him from the Dining Room to the front steps? She's a rather old girl," Molly ruminated. Anikka sighed. "Wait!" Molly exclaimed. "I know, Reverend Green probably found her after, and moved old Boddy himself. And then he hung himself out of guilt... no?" she asked as Anikka shook her head.

"No. Mrs. Peacock was seated at the Dining Room table, which had just been set with tableware but held no food yet, thank goodness. And her head was partially caved in, I'd say by the candlestick lying on the table. Just judging from the fact it was covered in blood. And as gruesome as it was, I'm ashamed to say that my hunger was enough to overcome the horror, so I went off in search of the kitchen."

"I'm afraid to ask," Molly started, but Anikka shrugged.

"Empty, save for the food that had been prepared. There was a lovely roast of beef, and potatoes done just right and turnips and green beans and..."

"Sounds like my idea of a great place to be," came Marc's voice, as he stepped into the room, gin in hand. Bevingston came in behind him, a plate of beef sandwiches in one hand and a bowl of fruit in the other. Anikka reached out and snatched the same sandwich Marc was reaching for, but if he protested, he kept it to himself. Marc pulled a slightly larger, lower table around so it was in front of the three chairs, and the food was transferred to it so they could all eat, though Molly was rapidly losing her appetite. "So, what'd I miss?"

Anikka
Anikka
Babelfish

Feb-2-2010 16:27

"Peacock, Dining Room, Candlestick," Molly answered shortly, and by her tone, Marc understood the implication immediately.

"That's tough. I really liked the old bird," was his reply, and Molly hushed him.

"So, I had myself a heaven of a meal, and was just leaving to go figure out what was going on, when I saw a foot sticking out of a closet door. Mrs. White, apparently, and I wondered why she'd been shoved in the closet. When I swung the door open, I could see a large, dark passageway, and just a little bit in was the Knife that had done for Mrs. White while she was in the Kitchen. I searched the Kitchen for a flashlight; found one on a shelf in the pantry, and made my way through the dark passage. I ended up at what I thought, at first, was a dead end. But I found a latch and when the wall swung open, I was glad to find myself in an empty Study. It was a pleasant room, but you've both seen it, anyway. I don't need to describe it."

Molly and Marc shook their heads, mutely. Despite the gruesomeness of the story, all three were steadily making their way through the plates of sandwiches and fruits, and the carafe of ginger ale for the ladies had already been replenished once.

"And so it went. Poor Professor Plum - I've heard so many stories of how nice he was - smacked in the head with a Lead Pipe while he played in the Billiard Room. Beautiful Miss Scarlett, brutally beaten to death with the Spanner that was lying next to her on the floor of the Lounge. And I got a real turn when I was searching the Conservatory and found Colonel Mustard sitting on a bench, holding a Dreyse M1907 semi-automatic. Since he was the only one left, I thought perhaps he'd gone crazy and killed them all, and was just waiting to shoot me.

"But then I realised he was dead. So I thought perhaps he'd killed himself, in remorse. Well, after a good look at the body, I realised he hadn't killed himself at all."

Anikka
Anikka
Babelfish

Feb-2-2010 16:27

"How could you be sure?" asked Marc as he poured himself yet another glass of gin.

"He'd been shot in the back of the head," came the reply, and they all sat in silence for several minutes.

"But... then..." Molly started, then settled back into silence before trying again. "So, is that it? You just gave up and came home?" Anikka's eyes blazed, and Molly drew back a little. "I didn't mean it like that, really. Please tell us what happened."

Anikka shook her head a little, gave a little self-mocking ghost of a smile, and shrugged. "Well, after all that, it could only have been one person. I searched the house, and eventually found the killer in the cellar, giggling. Quite mad, and in Bedlam now."

The trio sat quietly, staring at the fire and shaking their heads until Marc gave a start, shook Anikka's arm, and asked, "Well, then, who was it?"

Anikka heaved a sigh and a disgruntled expression crept over her face. "Who else? There was only one person left, wasn't there?"

"But... who done it?"

Anikka sat silent, and Molly frowned as she stared at her friend until, finally!, the fog lifted and she began to giggle.

"It's not funny, Molly."

"It is from this chair," came the reply, and Molly covered her face with both hands while her shoulders heaved, her body wracked with laughter.

"What's not funny, that's so funny? Who was it," asked Marc.

"Unfair, that's who it was! Unfair that I get the most interesting mystery I've ever heard of, and it turns out to be a cliche!" And Anikka stood from her chair and paced in front of the fire, occasionally stopping to glare at Molly's laughter, until she finally threw herself back into the chair, muttering, "Damned cliche!"

Anikka
Anikka
Babelfish

Feb-2-2010 16:28

Finally, Molly overcame her laughter and perservered to keep from breaking out again by not looking at her friend. In the third chair, Marc was still trying to work it out, fighting the effects of the large amounts of gin he'd imbibed during the story. The silence became comfortable again, and Molly reached out a hand to Anikka, who clasped it briefly, and peace was restored.

Bevingston came to retrieve empty plates some time later, and found Anikka gone, Molly in the giggles again, and Marc muttering, "Who's a cliche? Who's the killer? How can a killer be a cliche?" Bevingston, who had overheard the entire story, merely shook his head and collected plates and bottles, leaving silently. Shortly thereafter, there was an uproar when Marc, in drunken triumph, staggered out onto the balcony overlooking the main room and shouted, "THE BUTLER DID IT!", after which he collapsed to the floor, laughing until tears flowed down his cheeks.

Anikka
Anikka
Babelfish

Feb-2-2010 16:30

*Footnote: This is meant to be a story, not a running roleplay. However, anyone who wishes to use 'the Hunt Club', Bevingston, or anything else pertaining to them is perfectly welcomed - even encouraged - to do so.

Molly Maltese
Molly Maltese
Old Shoe

Feb-2-2010 17:33

Haha! I loved it Anikka!

Secret_Squirrel
Secret_Squirrel
Safety Officer

Feb-2-2010 18:33

lol Nice story Ani. :D :D :D Now go finish that Scripted Mystery!

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