September 27, 1926

(roll)

Eric still remains prone in the long grass. Rifle sight pointing straight at Dick.

We don't want any trouble. Really

Sprouston squints at Caden for what feels like a long time. Then he grins again. That wide, toothless, knowing leer. "No sir, no trouble at all. In fact, maybe me 'n my boys here can help ya find what yer lookin' for, eh? Whaddaya say?"

Half a dozen barrels are trained on the investigators. It's hard to tell whether the grotesque appearances of the members of Sprouston's posse are real or byproducts of the torchlight lapping at their faces.

Sadly glances at the others, hoping they agree, at least for now, to avoid active conflict

Eric does his best to stay hidden in the grass. Finger stroking the trigger not taking the sight off Dick. Ready should anything happen.

Stealth (20)

Damn

"C'mon, you too, Mr. Fulbright, I see you layin' there! Stand on up, son, let's see ya."

Dick motions for his posse to begin herding Louis and Virgil up the creek bed and towards the grass where Eric, Caden, and Linus are. The air is thick with tension, the only sounds those of the insects buzzing in the grass and the creek flowing a ways off.

"Hi Dick you woke me up. Who are you friends? Are you gonna introduce them."

Keeps his eyes on everything, hoping he can quickly grab and shoot his gun if needed

Virgil is unsure what the heck is going on, but he keeps his hands behind his head, having slipped the gun into the back of his belt as the men approached. He takes on a posture of timidity, following whatever orders are given him and only too aware of the arms on display.

Eric casually swings his rife to the devastated and burnt out camp behind him. Speaking in a low growl "So Dick.... you and your kin responsible for all this?"

Dick laughs hoarsely and makes a sweeping gesture across the burnt out campsite. "Aw, this? Heck, I ain't been no party to nothin' like this. Swear on my mother."

This comment elicits a few eerie chuckles before Sprouston continues.

"If'n I had to guess, I'd say this looks like the work of those Carmody boys and their goons. I warned you them was trouble." He clucks his tongue in mocking disapproval.

"Anyway, me n' the boys here, we was just out here doin' a little patrol. Y'see, barely an hour ago, I was fast asleep, 'n all of a sudden I get woken up by the sounds of gunshots comin' from the north. Well, I figure it's the Carmody's causin' problems of some sort in the middle of the night, and heck, it ain't safe for an old timer like me to be wandering around in the middle of the night by his lonesome, so I rustled up these here fellas to lend me a hand. Expected to find some sorta hooch deal gone wrong, but imagine my surprise to see all o' you here instead. Hope you don't mind my askin' - but what exactly was you shooting at, anyway?"

"Are you gonna introduce your friends?"

Linus looks at the others, as if sussing out whether they're ready to admit being the culprits of the gunfire.

Sprouston lets out a long wheeze of a laugh. "Oh, I think the time fer introductions is past, don't you? Anyway, why dontcha come along with us while we finish up our patrol, eh? C'mon, stand up. Fellers," he finishes to his compatriots with a gesture towards the investigators. With that, the men move in, two to an investigator, shotguns drawn.