And it does get odd

20th April 1925 - Continued
At the speak-easy -
I'm enjoying my drink at the speak easy as Charlie rejoins us, he had been talking to Antonio away from the group and when he comes back he shares that Antonio has no information for us. Bartholomew heads to the bar to ask about his "lost" evening last night, he discovers that Jimmy one of the heavy's at the Bar found him cold in ditch 30km north of the Bar toward the suburbs. Jimmy brought him back to the bar as he looked roughed up, possibly drunk and chilled to the bone. After finishing our drinks we go to my penthouse suite at the Waldorf (with the exception of Elizabeth who goes home to her apartment) with the agreement to all meet for breakfast at the Waldorf's restaurant in the morning.
 
21st April 1925
 
After meeting at breakfast, we head to Harlem to the JUJU house, as our appointment at the Carlyle estate has been confirmed for this afternoon.
 
We meet at the restaurant, eat and regroup and make a plan for the day. Bartholomew calls the Carlyle Estate to make an appointment to visit this afternoon. This morning we make our way to the Juu Juu Store, I drive my car and find a park close to the cramped dirty alleyway which is signposted Randsom Court. Bartholomew and I enter the alleyway, there is an abandoned, dusty windowed, boarded up store which was possibly a pawn shop in its previous life next to our destination. I enter the JUJU house it is a small, jam packed, crammed and oppressive store. the stock is mainly African. Looking around the shelves and tables are full of masks, non functional weapons, ivory figures, fertility goddesses, and stuffed toys including giraffes. The plan is that I distract the shopkeeper with enthusiasm and questions so Bartholomew can get a good look at the artifacts. The plan works perfectly with the exception of a small mistake on my part. I tried to get hold of a key around the shopkeepers neck. While I was close to the gentleman I look in his eyes and he looked so haunted, his eyes were black, I am shaken by what I saw in his face. I managed to bluff my way out of it luckily without a confrontation. I purchase a terrible stuffed giraffe to help the cover story. Bartholomew tells me that there was nothing of note about the artifacts in the store. When we leave the store Charlie is checking out the vacant pawn store.
 
As we arrive at the Carlyle Estate it is very clear there are renovations underway, in the upper corner of the upper storey of the house the roof and walls have taupulins covering them and scaffolding has been erected. A Mr Bradley Gray greets us in the doorway flanked by two large men who look like members of the Mafia. Erica is not here and we will meet with Bradley. We are lead into the foyer and are patted down, my small pistol and knife are taken from my boots and are placed on a silver tray for collection on leaving the property. We are then taken to the conservatory and offered refreshments and seated. Bradley makes mention of the renovations taking place while he pours himself a strong drink, we cannot be received in the study for this reason. I am shocked to find out that Elizabeth and Bartholomew were here when a theft took place yesterday which had casualties and this is why the guards are present today. Major offence is taken by Mr Gray when it is found out we are Jackson's fiends as he wanted access to Roger's private collection, and the belief he had the Roger survived the massacre. Looking out into the grounds it is very obvious that the property is guarded including with dogs. When questioned about this Elizabeth and Bartholomew have no memory of this, they ask about their companions are we are told they were the casualties. When we ask to see the study we are taken toward the part of the house that the renovations are taking place, as we move closer to the study it gets colder, so cold we can see our breath on the air. We reach the study and there is another Italian fellow guarding the door. When I step into the room I notice the roof is gone and the stone wall is destroyed, what has happened here !? Bradley starts to look agitated, he tells us something came through the wall, while pouring himself another drink, he is repeating "I can hear the screaming and the stone breaking" he is clearly traumatized by whatever has happened. When Elizabeth questions him he states that she was there with Bartholomew and their companions. Erica is somewhere safe and was pushed out the door when the "something" came through the wall. As this conversation progresses Bradley is getting more and more agitated and aggressive. Hans, Bartholomew, Elizabeth and I take Bradley from the room back to the conservatory while Charlie stays behind in the study.