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The Story of Miss Violet Parr
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Violet Parr
Violet Parr
Thespian

Feb-9-2007 16:26

Miss Violet Parr smiled politely at the beggar who nearly bumped into her as she walked as fast as she possibly could through the streets of New York. Though Miss Parr felt sick to the stomach, she managed to smile at someone most people around her managed to ignore. The man, puzzled, looked at her from behind his shoulder as he walked away.

Adamant that she should not physically run into another person or, worse yet, an automobile, Violet Parr sat on the steps of a rundown bakery. Her mind twirled with the thoughts that attacked it when she was checking out of the Broadway Plaza Hotel.

She braced herself and tried very hard to empty her mind from thoughts… She could not…

Violet Parr was very good at escaping her present moments. She easily drifted away in thought, though she always attempted to conceal her daydreaming as much as possible. Nevertheless, she could never escape the past. Thoughts of her last visit to New York crept into her mind despite her.

She glanced at the New York streets and sidewalks absentmindedly as her mind dragged her back into the alleys of her memory.


Replies

Breitkat
Breitkat
Pinball Amateur

Feb-13-2007 22:02

British War Office
Intelligence Division
Bletchley Park, just outside London

Douglas Sullivan pinched the bridge of his nose and squeezed his eyes shut in disbelief, then read the dispatch again. Doug looked up from reading the coded telegraph message and at his colleague, Charlie Cobbe, who was sitting at a nearby desk patiently waiting. "She slipped through the dragnet in New York!"

Charlie's feet came crashing off the desk, "What?!"

Doug handed him the slip. "Some idiot purser on the Oceania let himself get sweet-talked by Violet Parr into letting her on board the ship! She's due here in London tomorrow morning.

Charlie read through the telegraph slowly, rubbing his stubbled chin as he studied it. He glanced up at Doug, "Looks like we get to go fishin' tomorrow."

Doug ran his hand wearily through his dark hair. "That woman has the best luck on the planet." He looked at Charlie morosely, "You read what happened to Sahira?"

A glacial tint to Charlie's light blue eyes was his only reaction, "Mmm."

Doug's emerald eyes were dark with anger, "You think whoever's after her'll be daft enough to do it again tomorrow?"

Charlie shrugged imperceptibly, "I know I don't wanna be ta daft bugger t' underestimate these blokes ag'in, whoever they are, or that bird, fer that matter." His thick accent sounded British, but could've been from any of a dozen different Commonwealth territories.

Doug nodded, then reached for the telephone on the desk, "Get me the Yard, please." He covered the mouthpiece as he waited for the connection to go through, "Wouldn't hurt to have some friends along to watch our backs on our sharkhunt tomorrow."

Charlie's mouth curled up slightly at that...

Breitkat
Breitkat
Pinball Amateur

Feb-13-2007 23:02

(Early the next morning....)
The London Docks
Pier #17

Fog blanketed much of the water, making visibility mediocre at best. The four men sitting in an unoccupied corner of the Harbormaster's Office, located in a second story warehouse above the docks, were blissfully unaffected by the damp cold at that moment as they carefully observed the already hectic bustle of dockworkers, passengers, tourists, and wharf rats dashing about below them.

One of the men pointed a stubby finger at the windowglass, "There. By t' gangplank. T' lout not doin' nowt, just standin' there."

The other three men nodded, noting the man's clothes and appearance. "That makes four," Doug murmured. They continued searching. Some minutes later, Charlie spotted a fifth man wandering aimlessly amongst the crowd.

Just then, they heard a ship-to-shore radio call from down the corridor. It was the Oceania, announcing its arrival into port. Doug looked at the other men, "Okay, there's our boat." He turned to the two plainclothesed Scotland Yard detectives, "Evan, will you and Nigel deal with the two goons we spotted over by that warehouse? Charlie and Murphy will take the others. I'll get the girl, and get her outta here, in case there's more people we haven't spotted. Remember, disable 'em if you can, take 'em down if you have to. We need the girl alive at all costs."

At Evan's silent nod, Doug checked his gun, leaving it unbuckled in his shoulder holster, then looked around at the others who were also checking their various weapons. "All set? Good, then let's do it." Silently, the four men slipped out the back of the Harbormaster's Office, down the stairs, and into the noisy crowd....

Breitkat
Breitkat
Pinball Amateur

Feb-13-2007 23:54

Fifteen minutes later, Doug waited patiently for the gangplank to be rolled over to the now-docked Oceania. So far, things had gone just as planned. The Brits, Evan and Nigel, had both detained their targets with few people being any the wiser. Charlie and Murphy had been even more stealthy. One second, they'd slipped out of the fog next to each of their targets. The next, both captors and prey had completely vanished.

Doug smiled furtively as he watched the passengers waiting to disembark from the ship. He spied a woman dressed entirely in purple, with a violet scarf wrapped around her head, carrying a small suitcase near the front of the line. 'Not exactly being subtle, is she,' he thought to himself, as he slipped into the shadows off to one side of the gangplank corridor to wait.

Miss Violet Parr hurried down the gangway, eager to be off the ship and back home in London. She was exhausted from the long trip and bad weather across the Atlantic, and from being confined in her tiny cabin the whole time. Suddenly, a hand wrapped firmly around her elbow.

"Darling! I've missed you!" a low male American voice murmured beside her.

Violet whirled around in stunned shock to find a tall, dark-haired, emerald-eyed man dressed neatly in an expensive three-piece suit and overcoat strolling beside her. "Who ARE you?" she whispered.

"Darling?" he replied, wounded, "You don't recognize your own fiancee? How could you?"

"WHAT?" Violet shrieked.

Doug chuckled silently to himself, then saw her glance wildly about, and felt her arm tense as she prepared to strike out at him, and he squeezed his hand around her arm bruisingly. "DON'T!" he growled lowly.

Breitkat
Breitkat
Pinball Amateur

Feb-14-2007 00:47

He shook her slightly, making her focus on him again. "I'm your only chance of getting out of here alive right now. My people have already taken out five of your friends who were waiting here to kill you. There's probably more somewhere in the crowd. If you want to live through the next ten minutes, play along, dammit!” he rumbled as he pulled her through the mob.

Violet stumbled after him, too numb from exhaustion and anxiety to respond.

Doug gentled his grip on her arm slightly as he led her through the crowd down the quay, but didn't trust her enough to release her entirely. He pretended to banter back and forth with her for whomever might be watching them, asking her about her trip, and if she'd like lunch at the Savoy Grill before they headed for home.

He noticed as Charlie came up on the other side of Violet, gazing about at the crowd for anything suspicious. A moment later, he saw Evan come up in front of him, and glanced quickly over his shoulder to see Nigel bringing up the rear. She was now flanked by agents on all sides, and was as protected as was possible.

Several minutes later, the crowd began to thin as they reached the end of the wharf, and Violet finally noticed the other men accompanying them. She looked up at the stranger in confusion, "Who're these men?"

Doug smiled at her, "Your bodyguards, Darling. They're the good guys."

He glanced at Charlie as the group approached a car, "Where's Murphy?"

Charlie tilted his head at a neighboring lorry as he unlocked the car and stowed Violet's suitcase in the boot, "Watchin' over the sleepin' beauties, mate. They should be fine for a bit."

Doug nodded, then held the door open for Violet, "After you, Darling."

Violet glared at him distrustfully, "Where are you taking me?"

Doug glared back, "Somewhere safe. Captain Ridley has a hunting lodge nearby, and we have some questions that need answering. Are you getting in, or do I need to 'cuff you?"

Breitkat
Breitkat
Pinball Amateur

Feb-14-2007 00:54

Violet huffed irritably, but slid into the back seat of the car. Maybe she could get away from this lodge, wherever it was. And who in the world was Captain Ridley?

The four agents climbed in after her, Charlie at the wheel, and drove off quickly into the London fog....

Breitkat
Breitkat
Pinball Amateur

Feb-14-2007 01:32

(Back at Bletchley Park, just outside London....)

Doug and Charlie guided Miss Parr through a maze of corridors and hallways in the old mansion. Leading her down a wide flight of stairs, they went through another warren of offices and passageways, coming finally to a heavy wooden door. They went in without bothering to knock. Inside was a starkly furnished office, bare of windows and the most basic of decorations. A second door was built into the opposite wall from the entry.

Doug waved Violet to one of the two simple wooden chairs in the room, "Please have a seat, Miss Parr. I'm sorry we don't have anything more comfortable for you at the moment."

Violet ignored him, interrupting him, "Who are you? Why am I here?"

Doug reached into his left-hand inner suitjacket pocket and pulled out a badge, showing it to Violet, "Douglas Samson, United States Office of Strategic Services." He tilted his head at Charlie, "That's Charles Cochran, His Majesty's Australian Secret Service." Charlie nodded silently in greeting at her.

"You're here because we believe you have information is vital to the safety of the United States, her Allies, and the people working to defend them from harm," he continued. "Several days ago, you gained illegal entry to a classified government facility, and spoke with a man there. He's been working for us. You remember Barry Grant, don't you, Miss Parr?"

Violet paled slightly, then sniffed dismissively at Mr. 'Samson'. "Names can be faked, Sir. Badges can be forged. How do I know you're really who you say who you are? How do I know you're not going to kill me if I talk?"

Doug pinched the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes in exasperation at Violet. Then he looked up at Charlie, "She thinks WE'RE the ones out to get her."

Charlie shrugged, "Mebbe she'll believe the Boss," and nodded at the other closed door.

Breitkat
Breitkat
Pinball Amateur

Feb-14-2007 02:06

Doug shrugged back, "Fair enough." Then he crossed to the door, knocked twice, and stuck his head through, " 'Scuse me, Sirs. Our witness is being a bit reluctant. She's under the impression that we've been trying to kill her."

Two men entered the small office at that, both tall, one thin with graying hair and a full mustache, the second extremely portly, balding, and a stern look on his face.

"So we heard, Douglas," the second one grumbled. He eyed Violet dourly, "Perhaps you recognize the Prime Minister, Miss Parr?"

Violet's jaw dropped in shock as she recognized both men. "Lord Churchill. Your Honour, Mr. MacDonald, Sir. My apologies."

Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald leaned against the desk, "There's a great deal more at stake here than you may be aware of, Miss Parr. England needs your help," he said quietly.

Winston Churchill clamped his cigar between his teeth, his jowls heavy against his collar. "I suggest you tell these men what they need to know, dear girl," he muttered gruffly, "Unless you think we're imposters also?"

Violet laughed nervously, "Of course not, Milord!"

Churchill chewed on his cigar, "Mmm," then cocked an eyebrow at Doug and Charlie, "Gentlemen?"

Doug smiled silently to himself, "Thank you, Mr. Churchill, Mr. MacDonald." He then turned to Violet, "Would you please tell us how you know Barry Grant, and why you have so many people trying to kill you, Miss Parr?"

He folded his arms across his chest and waited patiently along with the other men for Violet's response....

Violet Parr
Violet Parr
Thespian

Feb-14-2007 14:05

Miss Violet Parr’s left hand instinctively removed the scarf around her head in a very gentle manner, exposing her long dark hair. Though Miss Parr felt sick to her stomach with fear and intimidation, she was determined to keep a proper, collected demeanor about her before a man which she held with the highest regard.

She could not believe she was before the Prime Minister MacDonald, and not any Prime Minister at that! Mr. MacDonald was the first Labour Prime Minister, a political partly she deeply supported. He was also the first from a working-class background and probably one of the very few without a university education.

She glanced at Churchill with distaste, but, alas, she shook off her political sensitivities in the face of greater ones: Miss Violet Parr has always been very sensitive when her own well-being was concerned. Though she was sure that she was currently under the rule of law, she was nervous with fright at the suggestion of someone wanting her killed.


Violet Parr
Violet Parr
Thespian

Feb-14-2007 14:09

Miss Parr addressed Ramsay MacDonald: “Prime Minister… It is indeed an honour to be in your presence. I shall endeavour to reveal all I know concerning this matter if it is to be of any service to His Majesty’s Crown…” then glancing at Douglas Samson, her fiancée for the day, she continued. “… or to any of our loyal Allies…”

She masterfully controlled her nerves and arched an eyebrow as she calmly started to take off her deep violet gloves in a theatrical show of calm serenity and tranquil composure. “Mr. Samson, in response to your earlier inquiries, please allow me to apologise in advance for my rash and irresponsible behaviour. I may have committed an offence in entering the facility where Mr. Barry Grant was hospitalized. In retrospect, I realise that my visit carried a lot of unnecessary risk for the both of us, but I acted on impulse and had ensure his well-being.

“My connection to Mr. Grant goes back more than a decade when he first started his career as a private detective. I was but a student back then and was in grave trouble. Mrs. Arabella Arundel was my aunt-”

She was then rudely interrupted by Charlie. “Arabella Arundel? The wife of the deceased George Arundel? British Diplomat in India?”

Miss Parr, though irritated, managed to continue. “Indeed Sir. My Aunt Arabella was rich & elderly… She had three nieces, two nephews, a sister, a son, and a daughter-in-law: all of whom badly needed money. We all spent Easter with her every year in her lavish Estate in Delhi where her late husband used to be posted as a British Diplomat –as the gentleman kindly pointed out."

Violet Parr
Violet Parr
Thespian

Feb-14-2007 14:11

"Across time, Aunt Arabella has several curious accidents: She fell of the stairs, her boat sunk, and the large portrait hung above her bed fell upon her as she slept. Perhaps all these were mere accidents –perhaps they weren’t.

She survived all these accidents, but her suspicions were aroused. She wrote to me about these occurrences, but by the time I received her letter – she was dead.”

Charlie was quick to cut the dramatic silence. “Tragic Miss Parr, but what does this have to do with Barry Grant.”

“Why, Mr. Grant was the detective responsible for investigating Aunt Arabella’s murder.” Violet was quick to respond. “Of course I was a suspect, we all were. I had no alibi. Nevertheless, Mr. Grant showed me humanity, compassion and understanding during that period of my life that I shall never forget. He disregarded me from his list of probable suspects depending solely upon his instinct and good nature.

“He solved this difficult case risking a false accusation on his part, and I was to be in his debt forever. Though I came across Mr. Grant once or twice after that, he never recalled me or remembered the Arundel case until I wrote to him privately about it. I can say with strong conviction that Mr. Grant is a true gentleman. The least I could do during such a testing time of his life was to see him and ensure he was healthy.”


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