Brindlewood Bay High (BBH) had an old tradition of going to Bonfire Cliff, an old quarry with a pool, and throwing a stone in, and making a wish. The quarry has some old rusty relics of the original industry.
There’s a scream (female?) from up at the top of the cliff, near where the bonfires are lit.
We rush up the pathway [OUT OF BREATH], to find a woman, Ashley Hapsbury (Thomas’s Wife, class of ‘97), saying “He’s dead”.
In the bushes, lying dead is Mark Harrison (biology teacher at BBH, and member of the class of ‘95), with a mouth stuffed absolutely full of poison sumac.
Another guy turns up, Thomas Hapsbury (businessman & ex-jock)
By the body was a big pile of bonfire wood that he’s dropped. Atsidi calls it a 10-66 to the sheriffs office.
Krystal searches Mark’s body; there is something in his pocket; a container of pills.
Winnie spots an abandoned shack off the path; disused water pumping station for the quarry. Goes in to investigate it, notices the door looks openable … so she checks it out.
Yuck, it stinks of sex and drugs .. but not sure about the rock & roll
We know that the Hapsbury’s live just down the cliff, in a big house. Been in the family for generations.
And another woman, Madison Hapsbury (an ex-goth), Thomas’s sister, and sprouts fourth about pagan rituals, bonfires and sacrifices; which Krystal replies to with the peace sign.
Hannah Turley (a teacher), coming up from the direction of the big house, asking Madison what’s going on. She recognised Mark, works with him, had dinner with him yesterday … “The right bastard, how could he get him killed like that”.
Brad Allstrom (high school graduate, class of ‘22), Mark was his teacher. He goes on about the place being a man-made scar on the planet. He’s on a gap-year, maybe blogging on the environmental damage.
Winnie does a Quincy on the body …
Meanwhile Brad is talking to Petra Posey (high school senior).
At the bonfire site, there are more people; Paul Ludlow (an engineer, class of ‘97) and Carolyn Greenleaf (a busybody, class of ‘73).
Carolyn pesters me about the shenanigans going on up her, sinful behaviour … [BORED WITLESS]
Krystal gets chatting with Petra. Mark was a “cool guy”, and seems to have been well liked by the students. But Carolyn has a “stick up her arse”!
Meanwhile Winnie blacks out and collapses!
!!! Detective Cooper turns up !!!
Where do we know Carolyn from; she was a regular kid, Winnie was quite friendly with her … at then at the end of 12, she found religion, and dived right in … and hasn’t come back up since!
Krystal tries to talk to Paul; sadly it doesn’t go well … he’s frighten and pulls back … over the cliff edge!
He’s fallen in the quarry pool.
Krystal grabs Billy the Boson’s Mate, a blow-up mascot of BBH, is uses it a flotation aid, and goes in to rescue Paul.
Paul, “I was only throwing a stone, maybe it helps remember the old days, but maybe not the dark things”.
Moved back to BB a few years ago, after divorce. Works for the county.
Looking down from the cliff top; reflection of the old crane, detritus scattered around the edges.
Get Moonhowl to check out the body & zip-locs, and then track …
She’s leads us off to the other side of the cliff, where there are paths down to the quarry.
Then off to the side undergrowth, she’s found something bizarre
Meanwhile back at the pumping station …
Krystal investigates, and Paul makes a move on her! …what happens in the pumping station, stays in the pumping station
We all return to the bonfire site … more people are arriving for the big fire. Janet Flock (owner Candlelight Booksellers), and Corinne Whately (a seeker, owner of a clothes store).
Corinne says she had a bunch of older mannikins, but couple of weeks ago, there was a break-in, and they were stolen.
The bonfire gets lit
The BBH school song is starting up, around Billy the Bosun’s exploits.
Thomas talking about his football exploits, big of ‘95 … Atsidi makes a fool of herself, attempting to chat up Thomas.
After a night of drinking, next morning …
Krystal found an envelope with a plectrum inside.
Clue: The plectrum has a design on it, which matches a guitar being played by Madison [Scarecrow]
Also we have …
Clue: A bottle of prescription medicine, in an unmarked bottle.
Krystal gets a visit from Alf [Scarecrow] … an envelope is pushed under the door, containing a treasure map
[Fox Mulder] … converting tree glyphs to a Clue:
[Cozy Move] Krystal & Winnie … find an interesting article on an arrangement of stars, known as the Million Trees, linked to teen age culture
[Cozy Move] Winnie pops round to find Atsidi and Moonhowl messing around … find an old newspaper, 1994, with photo of figures in heavy black robes running away, with headline “Children at Brindlewood Bay playing at cults”
[Cozy Move] Atsidi walks Winnie back to her house to work on her ankle, and fit Moonhowl for a doggie cardigan.
Meanwhile Krystal is checking the pill at the pharmacy … she gets a bit [Flustered] by their questioning.
It’s a counter to fainting fits caused by a blood condition.
Krystal heads off to the school to check up on the trophy, but she’s distracted and fails to check the cabinet … and she’s also got signed up to attending tomorrows music lessons to give a talk.
Next day Krystal wows the kids with her musical prowess!
Meanwhile Atsidi pokes around for copies of the schools year books;
Clue the 1995 one has couple of pages ripped out.
1992 newspaper clipping … in the autumn, Sons of Freedom (separatists), camp in the wood outside BB, 6 day siege by federal agents, saw strange things, chanting lights even animal noises.
And in the photograph, there’s a younger Etienne Beauregard, being arrested or not is unclear.
Winnie checking the trophy case; a broken trophy of player of the year 1995, given to Thomas Hapsbury.
Krystal gets kids talking about hearing chanting up in the woods.
Krystal and Atsidi head up to the Hapsbury house … the maid opens the door.
Hannah (Madison’s wife) comes in … the goth thing, all of that came out of Tom.
What about any other places of spirituality … maybe talk to Janet Flock, and her bookshops section
Winnie checks out the library, for a copy of the year book, which confirms the people in the mystery.
But there is also a rather old set of newspaper cuttings; spring 1942, wreckage of a U-Boat came ashore, literally ripped apart, one survivor, who committed suicide by slamming head into wall.
And over the back of a chair, Clue: A cardigan with black & grey smudges, smelling of woodsmoke … could be one of Ashley’s, says the librarian.
That night, we decide to re-check the Bonfire Cliff area, to see if we can get confirmation of our thoughts.
First, the pumping station; Moonhowl has picked up something … a recent curfuffle has taken here, in one corner, is a mobile phone.
Belong to Ashley, got some photos of fashion shoot, computer screen from possible projects.
Clue: Explicit text messages sent to Mark Harrison, setting up an assignation.
Then head towards the bonfire site … a bit deeper into the woods, a little clearing with candles in a circle, a fairly fresh camp site, torn sleeping bags.
Barking of dogs, whistle sound, general direction of the Hapsbury house … someone knows we’re here!
Winnie distracts them, by getting into the lake.
Meanwhile, arguing all the way, Krystal and Atsidi get the car, and recover a dripping Winnie
Winnie’s Crown of the Queen … an affair, tied up by a escapologist, then getting freed and having mad passionate sex
Bring along Detective Cooper, and reveal Ashley & Tom as the foul murderers of poor Mark Harrison