The investigators hurried to gather information and supplies before their imminent departure on the Orient Express. Madame Zorba, Mr. Lake, Mr. Corning and Professor Smith ventured to the Lambeth lodgings of the deceased Matthew Pook, hoping his rooms might contain clues about the blood red fez and its origins.
At the simple residential building, Zorba took it upon herself to charm the older caretaker into lending them the key to Pook’s flat. She spun a quick tale of being the poor boy’s aunt, come to collect her wayward nephew’s belongings. The caretaker was reluctant at first, complaining of others having recently come around asking after Pook. But a few pounds secured his cooperation.
Inside the cluttered rooms, the investigators searched for any scrap of knowledge. The space was in complete disarray, with furniture overturned, papers strewn about, and the window ajar. Amidst the chaos, Corning discovered Pook’s journal, its last entries chillingly depicting the student’s ill-fated pursuit of the fez. It seemed Pook had been tracking a man named Menkaph, who possessed the fez and had plans to depart London for Constantinople shortly.
While the others scoured Pook’s belongings, Oskarson and Sutcliffe dug amongst the stacks of the university library. Guided by Oskarson’s psychological expertise, they gathered texts analyzing the workings of the criminal mind and occult phenomena. A newspaper article suggested a possible link - a fez collector had just been viciously murdered in Rotherhithe.
Once reunited, the investigators shared their discoveries. Pook’s own words pointed to the insidious nature of the fez they had agreed to transport. And the recent murder of a fez aficionado further evidenced the trail of death it left behind. The coming train ride could prove even more perilous than anticipated.
Key Events