Hope he's right, you think as you dial Harrowmont's number. The call goes long, five rings before groggy man on the other end picks up. "Hello, who's there?" Even in his present state there's a very cut-glass English accent that reminds you of nothing so much as Matthew Macfadyen playing Mr. Darcy.
So you launch into a fundamentally true if slightly more flattering account of what Arlene had said about him when she gave you his number, emphasizing that this is an investigation grave as it is urgent aimed at those who are a threat to all within the city. It's when you toss in the word Lawbreaker that you really get his attention though.
"So the Council has requires my skills," the words 'at last' aren't spoken, but they might as well be shouted given the relish with which he speaks. "Far be it from me to impede the protectors of mankind, but given how protective the Wardens are of 'official business' I think it would be prudent to offer some recognition wouldn't you say so Ms Carpenter?"
Chip on his shoulder the size of Mount Everest, annoyed at the Council. Wanted to be a wizard, didn't make the cut, tried to study his way out of a lack of talent, ended up broadening instead of deepening his gift. At the back of your mind Usum is chuckling darkly and you do not even have to ask why. In the marketplace of souls Alexander Harrowmont's would be at a Black Friday discount for anyone paying in the proper coin, the question is if any buyer's gotten to him yet.
"I'm sure we can work something out," you agree, which is to say if needs be Harry can give him an 'official' White Council gold star or something. "What I would like to ask you is if you know anything about the present disposition of the Red Court or their attack earlier this year on the illusionist known as Orpheus. I also have a picture for you to look over to tell me if you recognize the woman in it as well as a general account of things in Vegas since this summer. Shifts in power, politically and magically, people acting unusually, going missing."
"One of the grad students at UNLV where I work, Patricia Ruiz-Borges died of an overdose. At least that is how the LVPD ruled it, but I am quite certain it was murder. She was looking into corruption and human trafficking though McCarran International Airport. I tried to warn her that she would find far more than merely human wickedness at play, but she was convinced she would crack the whole network wide open, spread it all over the press, too far and too fast for a cover up."
"Did she sound like someone put her up to it?" you ask, thinking of how easy someone like that would be to turn into a catspaw.
"Hard to tell really, there was no touch of the occult about her, no charms and hexes, but a word in the right ear can often do more harm than any enchantment. One thing I can say for certain is that she went down into the tunnels where Orpheus used to dwell, looking for eyewitness testimony, people who had managed to get away from the..." disdain enters his voice. "Blood trade. To be honest I counted her death the work of the Red Court, it fits their particular brand of... well I hesitate to call it humor, but they might find such character assassination amusing."
You nod to yourself, that does sound like something they would do with no outside prodding. "Alright, sending the picture over now..."
The answer is as instant as it is electrifying: "Oh, I know her, that's Sandra Marling, she's a freshman enrolled this year. How is she mixed up in all this?"
"You know the Laws yes?" You do not give him time to answer. "There are those who break them in ignorance, those who break them in folly and arrogance and there are those who walk into the Pit with their eyes open, she had broken the Seventh Law, she is a willing servant of Those Beyond the Outer Gates."
"Higher Demons? No there are too many books on..." he cuts himself off, not wanting to spread his reading habits to someone associated with the Council.
"The most common term for them is Outsider, it is not very useful as far as morphological description goes, but it also does not risk drawing the wrong kind of attention. Can you tell me what Sandra has been doing, what social circles she's been moving in? Names, addresses?"
"Ms Carpenter I am an archivist, certain serialized depictions of the job aside I do not socialize with the students. Marling struck me as a reasonably well liked young lady, I have not seen her in the stacks that often, but she generally came as part of a group. On that note I know of a way to enhance my own memory to recall their names, but it will take a few hours..." he cuts himself off. "I could certainly give you her list of courses and of course all of her professors, you could probably work your way out from there, though of course tomorrow is Sunday. It would probably be best to work this out on Monday..."
"I am afraid we do not have the time to wait on that." The city of Las Vegas does not have the time. "If she spent time at the university it was for some nefarious purpose."
"I wonder..." Harrowmont hmms very dramatically. "There have been an unusual number of young people having breakdowns before the midterms. I mean you always get one or two, fainting spells especially, students these days do not know how to take care of their bodies. We have had one young lady get the shakes, another fellow started hearing voices, three cases of narcolepsy. There has been a lot of blaming of certain illicit substances among the staff, I was not paying that much attention. A oneiric vector perhaps? I do have some small skill in that regard."
Dreams again... you think, then muse aloud. "Did you know Orpheus? Could he have been involved? What was he involved in?"
"We've met a time or two," he temporizes, badly. "He was a gentle soul, in his own way quitecontent to live among his dreams, help others share in their dreams around. Some would liken him to just another dealer in a city filled with them, but I do not think he acted out of greed, more a belief that reality is a cruel place and it is better to dwell in the land of dreams as long as one is able. I have no idea what he could have doen to anger the Red Court unless it was that they came to see him as competition or they simply desired his talents. Orpheus would have rather died than join them, like any sensibile person who saw beneath the mask of stolen humanity. If in the process of dealing with Marling you should see fit to rid the city of that blight many would be greatful for the deed."
As he speaks your mind is already wondering elsewhere, to Harry's talents. After all your Crown can tell you where Sandra is at any given moment but his could provide an continous path. "If Sandra has been around campus can you think of any place where she might have mispalced hair or anything else that could serve as a thaumaturgic focus. She would naturally be weary of such things, but that does not mean she's always perfect."
He thinks a moment "Chemistry labs perhaps? I recall she's taking an organic chemistry course at least. Students do often have to wear head protection, it would not take much to lose a few stray hairs." A sigh comes from the other end of the call, not all that sincere you would judge, more the attitude Harrowmont thinks is expected of him. "Do you want me to get you onto the campus. I only have the keys to the library and the archives, but I imagine you will not have much trouble breaking in the buildings, there is naught but mundane locks in the way."
