Hisa Momoi
Location: Pinefall High Main Building - Campus Grounds
Phase: Morning Phase
Date: 09.09.1994 (FRI)
Weather: Rain
“I saw that painting,” I spoke up suddenly with a blank expression, “Just briefly, and I certainly couldn’t make too much out of it.”
It likely would have been unwise to mention that I just accidentally spotted it while gazing through the walls and the floor of the hotel. Yes, certainly a dangerous detail, especially with Barney present.
“I just automatically assumed that it was Mr. Halloway’s wife, but now that I think about it...she looked almost like this other girl I’ve seen on a photo in some old article back from 1940’s. She was spotted in Majuro together with Howard McLampet, soon before they ended up coming here to start the mill business up…”
What else was there exactly?
Rubbing my chin, I peeked into every nook and cranny of my memory to dig up anything else that I could connect to the case, with debatable success.
“I think she was mentioned later as well. There was a man, some Ezekiel Lowgate, who talked about a ‘strange woman’ that Howard McLampet brought here, someone he was obsessed with, and someone who was apparently poisoning his mind. This was before the native americans were murdered, so it wouldn’t be beyond my imagination that this woman urged him into such deeds.”
“Of course, we know that soon after the McLampets died as well. But if it’s the same woman, and if it is her who appears on the painting with Halloway, then it could very well be that she moved on to driving him mad as well. Or maybe she already was even back then the McLampets were still alive, which would give a good base for the theory suggesting that Halloway killed, at the very least, Howard McLampet.”
The words were rolling off my tongue rapidly, as the gears inside my brain turned faster and faster as well. It certainly made sense. The dates and some other details could align as well. But it could very well just be that once again I am just conveniently putting clues that have nothing to do with each other together, only to make up a story that is to my liking.
“Perhaps this owes to the woman being a bad omen. Most people would likely consider her evil, a witch, someone who toys with men and makes them do her bidding. After all, if I’m making sense, then she is likely responsible for quite a few horrible events that happened around town. Though, this also makes me assume that her being the McLampet heir is just a false lead. It just doesn’t connect, since I can say for sure that I know who Josie’s daughter is, and she cannot have anything to do with this woman, so…”
Yes, Aleen certainly cannot be the girl in blue.
A vampire, maybe. An elusive person who has been kept safe from the prying eyes of the townspeople, maybe. But that is as far as the story goes.
“Of course, none of this explains why she is ‘Patient Zero’. Or why exactly the townspeople react to her name so strongly. Not wanting to talk about her is one thing but...I know at least one person who ended up getting stalked by the townsfolk just because they were inquiring about her. Who killed her, to be more specific. Which also raises the question - could it be that she is dead?”
As the line of thought came to an end, so did the rapid theorizing, and I couldn’t help but be glad that I could finally take a deep breath and fill my lungs with air again.
Still, I had at least one more question, as my attention turned towards Colt.
“What exactly is this chevron lounge you mentioned, if you don’t mind me asking?”