<div class="bbm_float fright" style="float:right;margin:0 0 5px 10px">
<div class="bbImageWrapper js-lbImage" data-lb-caption-extra-html="" data-lb-sidebar-href="" data-single-image="1" data-src="https://blackdahliaroleplaying.com/attachments/youngreahairedgirl3-jpg.97947/" title="youngreahairedgirl3.jpg">
<img alt="youngreahairedgirl3.jpg" class="bbImage lazyload" data-src="https://blackdahliaroleplaying.com/attachments/youngreahairedgirl3-jpg.97947/" data-url="" data-zoom-target="1" height="174" src="data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg xmlns%3D'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg' width='168' height='174' viewBox%3D'0 0 168 174'%2F%3E" style="" title="youngreahairedgirl3.jpg" width="168"/>
<noscript><img alt="youngreahairedgirl3.jpg" class="bbImage" data-url="" data-zoom-target="1" height="174" src="https://blackdahliaroleplaying.com/attachments/youngreahairedgirl3-jpg.97947/" style="" title="youngreahairedgirl3.jpg" width="168"/></noscript>
</div>
</div><span style="font-family: 'Georgia'">After Miss Widcombe had given Rikkie the task making a list of the people in the mansion, Rikkie excused herself from Ms. Ishimoto's side with a gentle squeeze of the Asian woman's hand, saying, <span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(247, 218, 100)">"Everything will be alright.  I'll be back as soon as I can."</span><br/>
<br/>
Rikkie actually believed that she could have given Miss Widcombe an oral report right then and there, but Marcus' daughter had asked for 'a list' and so that's what Rikkie would get for her.  She returned to the foyer, where the check-off sheet had been left when everyone moved to the parlor with Ms. Ishimoto.  The clipboard and list was there and she picked it up from the small table it was on.<br/>
<br/>
It was a very short list, much shorter than the number of people actually there:  Miss Daniels, Ms. Ishimoto and Miss Montgomery.  It was quite strange and Rikkie wondered if the list that she'd been given didn't include the names of people that were <u><i>expected</i></u> to be there.  Miss Widcombe, young Mr. Widcombe, Miss Corne and Mr. Wahl's names were not on the list.  Rikkie's mother's name wasn't on the list and Rikkie had felt certain that Marcus would leave Rikkie's mother <i>something</i> for her service to him over the years.  <br/>
<br/>
The three women had entered the mansion after Rikkie had arrived, and Rikkie had been on time.  She needed to account for everyone, so  Rikkie went to the study for a small piece of paper on which she could add some notes and some cellophane tape to affix it to the list.  She found what she needed and wrote:  "Miss Widcombe, you, young Mr. Widcombe, Miss Corne and myself were inside the mansion before the time that guests were supposed to arrive.  Mr. Wahl did not arrive by way of the front door and probably came in through the kitchen entrance.  Young Mr. Widcombe mentioned the possibility of someone named Ethan coming, but only the three ladies have entered the mansion through the front door."<br/>
<br/>
After finishing the note and fixing it to the list, Rikkie briefly felt quite faint.  She closed her eyes for a minute, concentrating on her balance.  When she opened them, she didn't feel as if she was standing in quite the place that she had been when she had closed her eyes.  She grabbed the clipboard and papers, to go and give them to Miss Widcombe..., but then saw a strange looking old key on the desk blotter that she hadn't noticed while she'd been writing the note.  Best to leave it there.  <br/>
<br/>
<div class="bbCodeSpoiler">
<button class="bbCodeSpoiler-button button--longText button" data-xf-click="toggle" data-xf-init="tooltip" title="Click to reveal or hide spoiler" type="button"><span class="button-text">
<span>Spoiler: <span class="bbCodeSpoiler-button-title">Strange Looking Old Key</span></span>
</span></button>
<div class="bbCodeSpoiler-content">
<div class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--spoiler">
<div class="bbCodeBlock-content"><div class="bbImageWrapper js-lbImage" data-lb-caption-extra-html="" data-lb-sidebar-href="" data-single-image="1" data-src="https://blackdahliaroleplaying.com/attachments/old-key2-jpg.98383/" title="old-key2.jpg">
<img alt="old-key2.jpg" class="bbImage lazyload" data-src="https://blackdahliaroleplaying.com/attachments/old-key2-jpg.98383/" data-url="" data-zoom-target="1" height="462" src="data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg xmlns%3D'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg' width='822' height='462' viewBox%3D'0 0 822 462'%2F%3E" style="" title="old-key2.jpg" width="822"/>
<noscript><img alt="old-key2.jpg" class="bbImage" data-url="" data-zoom-target="1" height="462" src="https://blackdahliaroleplaying.com/attachments/old-key2-jpg.98383/" style="" title="old-key2.jpg" width="822"/></noscript>
</div></div>
</div>
</div>
</div><br/>
Rikkie glanced at her wristwatch and saw that maybe as much as five minutes had passed while she was dealing with her bout of dizziness.  That long? She'd best hurry back to the parlor, to give Miss Widcombe the list!<br/>
<br/>
*  *  *  *</span><br/><br/><div class="bbm_float fright" style="float:right;margin:0 0 5px 10px">
<div class="bbImageWrapper js-lbImage" data-lb-caption-extra-html="" data-lb-sidebar-href="" data-single-image="1" data-src="https://blackdahliaroleplaying.com/attachments/toughguy2-jpg.97951/" title="toughguy2.jpg">
<img alt="toughguy2.jpg" class="bbImage lazyload" data-src="https://blackdahliaroleplaying.com/attachments/toughguy2-jpg.97951/" data-url="" data-zoom-target="1" height="326" src="data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg xmlns%3D'http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg' width='287' height='326' viewBox%3D'0 0 287 326'%2F%3E" style="" title="toughguy2.jpg" width="287"/>
<noscript><img alt="toughguy2.jpg" class="bbImage" data-url="" data-zoom-target="1" height="326" src="https://blackdahliaroleplaying.com/attachments/toughguy2-jpg.97951/" style="" title="toughguy2.jpg" width="287"/></noscript>
</div>
</div><span style="font-family: 'Georgia'">After Grace had touched his arm and spoken to him, Karl moved professionally, but without obvious haste.  Grace's theory of an open window upstairs might account for all of the doors that everyone had heard slamming.  Maybe there was more than one window open, he thought as he reached the foot of the stairs and began climbing up them.   <br/>
<br/>
As he ascended the staircase, Karl briefly felt as if he'd been enveloped by a cold wind.  This coldness was very much at odds with the weather that was producing thunder and lightning, but then the change in the weather today had been completely unexpected and Karl banished the strange thought as he reached the landing of the second floor.  There were a good number of rooms to check on this floor and then the third floor.  This little job was going to take a some time....</span>