The Langham Hotel Aftermath

The journal picks up a few years into the campaign, after a disaster at the Langham Hotel in London which left the party, and Alfie in particular, in possession of a supernatural jar containing a scroll. The session starts just before midnight on May 26, 1921. Everett, Grainger and Anderton each gave different advice to Alfie on where to go and when to meet. Alfie didn’t follow any of them! Grainger went to Kings Cross to meet Alfie at 1am. Alfie didn’t appear. Everett and John went to Everett’s shop - Alfie didn’t appear. Eventually all three men went home. Friday May 27, 2021 Around 9am Father March delivered a letter from Alfie to John’s. Father March advise that “with his sister” meant in the cemetery at Poplar, where Alfie was hiding in a small chapel Parker drove John to pick up Alfie, and together they deposit the clay jar in another safe deposit at John’s bank. Everett returns to the site of the Langham. He seems smoking rubble, police barriers, but also notices a man who looks slightly out of place. Rather than a casual passerby he seems to be focussed and observant. Everett has a very brief conversation with the man and then moves on. The man is one of Finley’s agents! Unknown to Everett, the man (later determined to be Albert Huston) follows Everett to his bookshop and reports this to Finley. Everett sends an honest letter to his sister, Constance, including the people he met at the hotel and John’s address, just in case something happens to him. (Note - Carl Sherwin (deceased) is from the firm of Marklin and Walsh) John contacted his solicitor to get a valuation on the demolished site of the Langham - eventually the solicitor came back with an estimate of £80,000 to £150,000. At this point it is lunchtime (about 1pm) on Friday May 27 Grainger, Reed and Anderton go to the bank vault containing the clay jar. Grainger and Reed each take two detailed sketches of the clay jar, with the intent of asking someone to provide a translation. Grainger in his journal, Reed in his notebook. Alfie goes to The Langham and stealthily turns the tables on Albert Huston, following him on the Tube to his home in Camden Town. Alfie then recruits (with a couple of pennies) a young beggar named Jeremy to follow Albert the next day to determine where Albert works. Alfie arranges to come back the next day. Saturday May 28, 1921 At breakfast Parker shows Keating’s classified post to John, who calls Everett to let him know “A.K” is looking for him. Everett correctly deduces this is Keating. Alfie meets Jeremy after lunch, only to discover that since it’s a Saturday Albert has only gone out to buy a newspaper. He arranges to return at 5pm Monday afternoon. Vernon Nowell telegrams Anderton Saturday - “Just learned of hotel disaster. Please advise Monday” Grainger and Reed take their sketches to the British Museum and ask to meet an expert in Nabatean Aramaic. They are advised to come back Monday, but also directed to Room 42. They plan to look for related artefacts and scripts.