[Act 1] [Scene 4] [The woodcarver's]

[thirtythr33]

Karl and Giorgio make their way back to the location where Francesca was attacked. The sun struggles to light up the narrow street. Even in the morning light this is not a very busy alleyway; someone only passes by every few minutes.

You stand outside the door with a sign depicting a mallet and chisel. The window is still open overhead, but the laundry that was hanging there last night has been taken down.

[OOC: Any final preparations before entering?]

[thirtythr33]

[Okay, so since this has just hasn't moved anywhere I'm just going to move it on a little to try to get some interest going.]

You knock on the door and a man's voice yells back "Come in! It's open!"

When you step inside you see a shopfront and several rows of shelves. At the back of the shop is a staircase going up, with a curtain draped across it acting as a door. On the shelves and in display cases are various carved wooden objects. Figurines, decorative bowels, puppets and dolls, even some spears and arrows. A middle-aged man with thin black hair, glasses and wearing an apron greets you. He takes your hand and shakes it and you notice they are very calloused. He says "Welcome to Felle da Valaseno's Wood Carving. How may I help you?"

[Alex]

"Good day sire.
We are two men serving the Acerbi household.

(Karl gives the man a few seconds to register the name of the powerful house)

There has a been a disturbance last night near your workshop. A young lady was beaten and (Karl looks embarrassed) someone took advantage of her. The poor thing is still reeling and crying...

We wonder if you had seen anything last night? Even if you did not witness anything directely, have you seen anyone acting or looking suspicious?
We would welcome any information you may have on this delicate matter."

[thirtythr33]

At first he looks frightened by what you say but manages so stammer out "I.. no, no sir. I didn't see anything, I mean." He takes a step backwards and looks back and forth between the two of you, trying to gauge your reactions. He looks especially at Giorgio's weapon and gathers himself. "Nothing happened around here." he says firmly.

[DannyBoy]

"I may not be the cleverest of men," Giorgio muses to hmself as he casually saunters through the shop, eyeing the merchandise on display, "but I'm smart enough to know when I'm being lied to." His hand comes to rest on a very expensive looking carved wooden horse and fixes the shopkeeper with a stern glare. "Something did happen here last night, otherwise we would not be here." His grip on the horse tightens. "The woman who was attacked outside your shop was a friend of my wife, so trust me when I when I say that you should answer truthfully."

[Alex]

Karl a bit more accommodating:
"Just tell us what you saw."

[thirtythr33]

"No, no please sir." He puts his hands out in a praying motion. "Please don't. I don't want any trouble." He sinks to his knees.

[DannyBoy]

"Wrong answer", Giorgio snarls.
With a roar the wooden horse goes flying across the room, crashing loudly into a display case and scattering its contents. His tree trunk arms sweep across low counters scattering merchandise across the room. In an instant his attention snaps back to the shopkeeper, and he stalks toward him like a shark glides toward its prey. He grabs the smaller man's collar and lifts him up to eye level.
"Don't! Fuck! With! Us!" Giorgio screams, his right hand is raised to strike, "Tell us the truth you fucking worm, what did you see? WHAT DID YOU SEE!?"

[Alex]

Karl doesn't like this show of violence, but he just keeps quiet as he sees the shopkeeper is about to speak.

[thirtythr33]

The shopkeeper shrinks away from Giorgio's raised fist. "Please! I'm damned no matter what I do." He sighs with defeat.

"I awoke to a woman's cry late last night. I looked out the second story window... and at first I couldn't make sense of what I saw. It was so dark, but after watching for a while I saw..." He swallows. "A nobleman, forcing himself on a woman. When I opened the window he must have heard and he turned to look at me..."

He groans and put his face into his hands in despair. "But the bastard was wearing a mask! One of those Zanni masks they wear in the improvisational comedies. A red lacquered thing with a big stupid nose. Other than that he had a long dark cloak, a rapier and dagger and one of those ridiculous berets all the youths wear these days."

He looks back up to you. "But it's all pointless anyway. I... I can't testify! He looked me right in the eyes right before he ran away. He saw my face and he knows where I live. At first, I thought that was why you two were here... to, you know."

You hear a woman's voice come from upstairs. "Felle? What's all that noise?" A few moments a woman's legs come into view, descending the stairs.

[DannyBoy]

Giorgio relinquishes his hold on Felle as he hears the woman's voice, his subsiding rage leaving a disgustingly familiar pit in his stomach.

"Thank you, sir. That wasn't so difficult now, was it?" He half-heartedly brushes off the man's lapels and straightens his shirt before turning and hurrying toward the door.

"I need some air" he mumbles as he passes Karl.

[Alex]

"We are leaving for now. But I think you will need our protection in the near future..."

Karl storms out of the shop and tags along Giorgio.

"Scaring the man to death was unnecessary! He hasn't done anything wrong. Plus we are going to enlist his help for what is next. Let's meet the others, but I think I have a pretty good plan to catch that rapist..."

Karl speaks no more until he gets back to the household.

[DannyBoy]

Giorgio whirls about and jabs his index finger into Karl's solar plexus.
"I did what had to be done Karl!" He still snarls but it is less authentic than before. "He wouldn't have talked and you know it. We don't have time to politely ask if you would ever so kindly answer a few questions. Every second you waste on niceties, the trail grows colder and this bastard slips further and further from our grasp."
Giorgio squares his shoulders and clenches his fists. "We're paid to get results Karl, not hold hands and sing the gospel."

(I'm going to assume that Karl takes the high road and doesn't start a fistfight in the middle of the street)

Giorgio's shoulders slump and his head droops as Karl walks silently past him. After a few seconds or an eternity he collects himself and trails a fair distance behind the larger man.

"I need a drink" he mutters to no one in particular.

[Alex]

Karl eyes him dangerously, but he finally decides to drop the argument. He has more pressing matters to attend to.
He walks quickly to the Household.