Session 6 - Scene 3 (of 10)

O'Conner tells Father Mulroney he owes him a lot of favors and it is time for him to start calling some of them in. He smiles slyly and tells the priest that he'll start him off with something more palatable, joking that he wants to ease Mulroney in and that he doesn't want to be too rough for the priest's "first time". O'Conner and his guys chuckle at the double entendre.
 
Getting closer to the point, O'Conner tells Father Mulroney that he knows he's also had some trouble with Mr. Flynn. The priest starts to go into a long explanation of his dealings with Flynn, but O'Conner cuts him off, telling him he doesn't need the whole story.
 
The point, he explains, is that something needs to be done about Flynn. O'Conner goes on to say that Merlo won't be able to keep the peace if they come into conflict with Tolino directly, but they should be able to get away with "nibbling around the edges" of Tolino's empire. And since Flynn is in bed with Tolino, O'Conner explains, allowing Mulroney to get revenge on him will kill two birds with one stone.
 
Father Mulroney is intrigued and wonders what O'Conner has in mind. The gangster goes on to say that word on the street has it that Mulroney isn't the only one under investigation by the feds. The local prohibition agents, Carl Beck and John Burns, are also investigating Flynn. And being the sly fox he is, O'Conner continues, Flynn plans to discredit them by calling in a tip that one of his ships will have liquor on it; a tip that will prove to be false and get the agents off his back.
 
O'Conner then offers a question, "But what would happen if the agents did find something on the ship?" He then answers his own rhetorical question by noting that Flynn would be out of the picture and no one could blame anyone for what happened.
 
Mulroney and the others are intrigued by the idea. The priest asks O'Conner if Tolino is aware Flynn is under investigation. Deanie responds that since Antonelli (the local district commissioner of the prohibition unit) is in Tolino's pocket he assumes Tolino is.
 
The priest then asks O'Conner how he plans to get the liquor on Flynn's ship. O'Conner responds that he isn't planning to do anything, but if, by fate, liquor is found on the ship then he would consider Mulroney would owe him one less favor.
 
Not sure that prison will be enough retribution, Father Mulroney inquires how much protection Flynn would have while incarcerated. O'Conner guesses that he wouldn't have much. The priest notes that a lot can happen to a man in prison.
 
Moving on, O'Conner explains that Ned Flynn is planning to make the call tomorrow morning, so any liquor would need to "appear" on the ship that night. Mulroney wonders how much liquor should be found on the ship, but Deanie says they just need enough to put him away.
 
O'Conner seems pleased at the plan, noting that he'll be glad to have "that Irish turncoat" out of the way. He goes on to say that Flynn's gang is as bad as Regan's Colts and the Southside O'Donnells (two Irish gangs from the south side also allied with Flynn). O'Conner smiles as he says he and Father Mulroney are the only honest Irishmen in town.

Session 6 - Scene 4 (of 10)

As they head back from the meet, Shoes and Mulroney discuss what to do next. Shoes' advice is to send Biggins to recruit help from Ulnovsky to get the liquor loaded, noting that Ulnovsky has no love for Flynn.
 
Mulroney isn't sure that is such a good idea, given that Ulnovsky is gunning for them at the moment because he believes they killed Jim Malloy. Shoes explains that's why they need to send Biggins, because Ulnovsky won't know him. Biggins himself, focused on driving, only pays half-attention to the discussion.
 
Father Mulroney wonders who Biggins will tell Ulnovsky that he works for, since he obviously can't tell the Russian that he works for them. Shoes retorts that the alderman can say he works for anyone, such as O'Conner, though he should probably keep names out of it if possible. The point, the youth explains, is to sell Ulnovsky on the idea that it is to his own advantage to get rid of Flynn.
 
The priest wonders if the anarchist will want any kind of financial compensation. He knows they'll need to hand over all of their free cash to pay off Tolino. He also notes they can't pay them in liquor, either, as all they've been able to produce since getting set up at the new warehouse will need to be put on Flynn's ship. Shoes responds that the "dirty Russians" only drink "potato water" anyway - spitting out the car window in disgust as he says it.

Session 6 - Scene 5 (of 10)

From the warehouse, Biggins leaves in his own car to head down to the docks. Once there, begins asking around about Ulnovsky but is having little luck.
 
After a short time, he is approach by a couple of uniformed policemen. They ask him what he's up to, and the alderman explains he's out talking to constituents. The cops tell him they have some questions for him, but it would be better if they went to the precinct. When he asks if they want him to follow them, one of the cops tells him they'll go ahead and take him there.
 
At the precinct house, Biggins is taken not to an interrogation room as he suspected, but instead to the office of Captain Daniel Ross. Behind the desk sits a fierce-looking middle-aged Irishman. Ross tells Biggins he's heard he was looking for Ulnovsky.
 
Biggins responds that he was, not noticing that the two cops standing behind him are readying their billy clubs. The captain asks Biggins what hiss interest in the man is. The alderman explains that he heard the Russian was stirring up trouble in the union and was trying to investigate.
 
Captain Ross relaxes a little, now appearing more curious. He notes Biggins is a little out of his ward. Biggins agrees, but notes that he has many constituents who work in the union.
 
Looking more circumspect, Ross notes they've had trouble with Ulnovsky as well. He tells Biggins that if he finds Ulnovsky, to be sure to let him know. The captain tells Biggins he wants to detain Ulnovsky for questioning, but notes that anything could happen while the Russian was detained.
 
Oblivious that the officers behind him have put back their clubs, Biggins agrees to help the captain. He even goes further attempting some politics, asking if the captain voted in the last election. Captain Ross smiles at the attempt, noting he is Republican.

Ross then tells his men to take Biggins back to the docks. As they leave, Biggins hears the captain calling someone but doesn't catch any of the conversation.

Session 6 - Scene 6 (of 10)

Once back at the docks, Biggins decides to take a different approach. He heads over to the local speakeasy, the Blue Parrot. Inside, he finds the bar filled with tough-looking longshoremen.
 
The bartender, looking at Biggins' suit, asks him if he's sure he's in the right place. Not intimidated by the bartender's obvious warning, Biggins says he's just coming to talk to constituents and offers to buy everyone a round of drinks. The offer is heartily accepted.
 
Tired from the day's efforts and a little tipsy from having a couple of drinks, Biggins tries to talk to the people in the bar but finds himself having trouble remembering Ulnovsky's name. Instead, he simply asks if anyone has been causing trouble down at the docks. Specifically, he notes, are there any anarchists?
 
The question immediately kills the favorable mood in the room and everyone begins moving away from Biggins. He tries to change the subject, but it is clear that no one wants to talk with him anymore. The bartender advises the alderman that he's had enough to drink and it is time to leave.
 
Exiting the clandestine bar, Biggins is grabbed by a pair of men. They appear to be dock workers. He doesn't resist as they wordlessly drag him into an alley and put a hood over his head.
 
Biggins is then put in some kind of car and driven around for a while. They end up stopping somewhere. From the sounds of the echoes, Biggins can tell it is some kind of garage or warehouse.
 
After being sat down in a chair, Biggins is told by a man that he hears Biggins has been looking for some anarchists. The man has a thick accent, but Biggins can't tell for sure if it is Russian or not.

Scared by the turn of events, Biggins says that "anarchists" is a bit of a rough term. The man asks Biggins who he works for. Biggins tries to evade the question, just saying he works for a person who is not looking for trouble. In response, Biggins feels the pain of a lit cigarette being pushed into his chest.
 
The man repeats his question about who Biggins works for. The alderman, still not really answering the question, says he does not work for the police. In response, he is backhanded across the face.
 
Once again, the man asks the alderman who he works for. Hoping to avoid more trouble, Biggins tries to be a little less oblique by saying he is looking for someone to help him get rid of someone. He offers that he is an associate of someone who is affiliated with Deanie O'Conner.
 
The answer is not direct enough for the unseen man. Biggins feels his arm being held down as the man cuts off the alderman's index finger on his left hand.
 
The alderman then feels the blade on his throat. The man whispers directly into his ear, telling him that he is asking him for the last time who he works for. Terrified, Biggins responds that he works for "the father".
 
The man asks what father Biggins is referring to. But with the pain from his injuries and the adrenaline flowing, Biggins blanks on Mulroney's name for a minute.
 
When he finally manages to spit it out, the knife again is at his throat. The man tells Biggins that Mulroney killed a friend of his, and asks the alderman why he should not kill him right now.
 
Struggling to stay alive, Biggins quickly blurts out that he is looking for help getting rid of Flynn. Ulnovsky agrees Flynn is a problem. He tells the alderman that he will make a deal – if the alderman helps him kill Mulroney and get rid of Flynn, he'll let him live.
 
Biggins notes the terms of the agreement are a little stiff, trying to keep Mulroney alive. The man asks how he could let the priest live after he killed his friend. The alderman relents, noting that the man strikes a hard bargain.
 
The man says they should deal with Flynn first and then Mulroney. But when he asks Biggins what the plan is to get rid of Flynn, Biggins doesn't seem to have one (having not been paying attention to what Mulroney and Shoes were discussing earlier), just telling the man they were hoping he'd make Flynn go away.

Laughing, the unseen man tells Biggins he is brave but stupid. He then says that since the priest has no help to offer against Flynn, they'll kill him first. He asks Biggins where the priest is at.

Scrambling to think up a way to avoid everyone getting killed, Biggins tells the man the priest is in hiding and he'll have to contact him to get him out. The man says someone named Yulian will go with him to contact the priest and make sure he directs the father to a specific location where he can be dealt with. He warns Biggins that he only has two hours to get the task done, or Yulian will kill him.

Session 6 - Scene 7 (of 10)

Biggins is put back in a car and driven to another location. Once there, his hood is removed and he finds himself in a car with a large, Slavic-looking man. He assumes his companion is the "Yulian" mentioned by his interrogator (who he assumes was Ulnovsky).
 
Yulian gets Biggins out of the car and escorts him over to a nearby pay phone. He tells the alderman to make the call.
 
Stalling for time, Biggins calls St. Vincent's. The church secretary, Sister Eunice, answers. Knowing that Sister Eunice is an elderly nun with no knowledge of Father Mulroney's shadier activities, he gives her a vague message for the father that "a group of people he's been looking for want to talk to him" and gives the nun the number for the pay phone he is at.
 
Sister Eunice, a bit confused, tells him she will pass along the message. Before ending the call, Biggins tells her he needs the father to call him back as soon as possible. The sister tells him she will pass along the message to Sister Mary, who is more likely to know where the father is.
 
A few minutes later, the phone rings at the warehouse. When Shoes answers, he finds the icy voice of Sister Mary on the other line. She tells him that Alderman Biggins left a strange message with Sister Eunice, and passes along the info. She also says the call appeared to be urgent.
 
Shoes relates the call to Mulroney, who is confused why Biggins didn't call the warehouse directly. He wonders if the alderman has ran into trouble. Shoes agrees it is a likely scenario, given that the message sounded strange.
 
Father Mulroney calls the number from the message, getting Biggins. Mulroney slyly gives instructions for Biggins to alert him using a code if everything is not all right. Biggins uses the code. When Mulroney gives him instructions for another code to see if he is hurt, Biggins gives that code as well.
 
Biggins then proceeds to explain about the meet location and time. The Russians want to meet in an hour, at a warehouse by the docks. Mulroney agrees to the meet, and Biggins signs off by noting that "they'd love to meet you".
 
Once they are done with the call, Yulian drives Biggins over to a nearby warehouse. There he finds a Russian man (whom he presumes is Ulnovsky) and three dockworkers wielding sections of metal pipe. Yulian then leaves Biggins with the men to wait for Mulroney to arrive.

Session 6 - Scene 8 (of 10)

Father Mulroney tells Shoes Biggins is in trouble and hurt. He explains the Russians want to meet with them, but can tell it is likely so they can kill them. Shoes notes that at the first sign of trouble, they'll drop Biggins first.
 
Mulroney goes over their options – they can either call O'Conner for help or try to handle it themselves by grabbing a couple of the boys, which he admits aren't all that trained in such things. Shoes notes that O'Conner is not going to like them going to him for help. The priest agrees they should handle it on their own, mentally noting that he doesn't want O'Conner thinking they are more trouble than they are worth.

Shoes goes to grab a couple of the boys. Not wanting to take everyone away from the warehouse duties, he decides to grab the two Pauls (Paul Arthurs and Paul McGuigan), known as "Bonehead" and "Guigsy".

Mulroney tells the boys he needs some assistance. Given that Bonehead is rather dim, he elects to have Guigsy be the brains of the operation. He instructs Guigsy that he will be wearing a priest's uniform for this job. The former altar boy is happy to help, giving an enthusiastic "sure thing, faddah!"

The priest goes on to explain the task – Guigsy and Bonehead will drive the truck in the front, while he and Shoes take the car and come in from the back. He notes the operation involves dealing with some troublesome Russians and that there will be a nice bonus in it for them.
 
Guigsy asks if they can get some roscoes and Mulroney has Shoes give them the guns he took off of Liam and Noel; he warns them not to use the weapons unless necessary. Shoes also cautions them about Biggins and clarifies they are not to shoot him. Mulroney himself also decides to take a gun, despite having little knowledge of them, grabbing the revolver they took off of the dead night watchman at Rosehill Cemetery.

When they get near the warehouse address, the truck starts heading inside and Mulroney has Shoes circle around to the back. But Shoes has trouble figuring out which door in the alleyway leads to the warehouse.
 
Meanwhile, inside, Biggins spots the truck pull up and two young guys get out. One of them is wearing a priest uniform. The alderman isn't sure what is up, but knows there will be trouble when one of them identifies himself as "Father Mulroney".
 
The three men with pipes start approaching the lads. The two immediately draw their guns and start firing. Ulnovsky does the same, pulling out an old Russian revolver.
 
Back in the alley, Shoes spots the door and pulls over. As they get out, the men hear the shots ringing out inside. They draw their weapons, ready for a fight.

Inside, Biggins manages to maneuver his way towards the back of the warehouse and takes cover as Shoes cracks open the back door slowly. He sees the firefight and watches as Bonehead is hit with a shot, falling to the floor.
 
Guigsy gets off a shot at one of the men with pipes, which scares off the one next to him as well. The third pipeman, however, doesn't notice and proceeds to bash in Bonehead's skull with his weapon.
 
Mulroney whispers to Shoes that they need to get to the man with the gun, whom the priest insists is Ulnovsky. As the two men head over, Guigsy shoots the third man with a pipe but takes a shot from the Russian.
 
As the Russian prepares another shot, Mulroney gets behind him and puts a gun to his head. He tells the man to drop his weapon. When he does, Shoes takes it and gives it to Biggins.
 
With the threat out of the way, Father Mulroney explains to Ulnovsky that he sent Biggins to make a deal with him, but obviously there was some breakdown in the communication. When Ulnovsky responds he won't talk to anyone who murdered his friend, the priest explains that Flynn set him up.
 
Ulnovsky's attitude immediately changes. He believes the priest and sees how it all makes sense. He agrees to listen to Mulroney's request for help.

The father goes on to detail how he was set up and explains the plan for getting Flynn arrested. Ulnovsky seems to think well of the plan, noting that the priest is a much better negotiator than his friend was.

Father Mulroney tells Ulnovsky he'll supply the liquor if Ulnovksy can have men get it on the ship. He tells the Russian that he and his compatriots will not rest until Flynn is brought to justice for his crimes.

Looking over at the shot men, Ulnovsky notes that Mulroney's boys have met with an "accident", along with his own men. He tells the priest he knows a friendly doctor that can help the boy who is still alive (indicating Guigsy).

Mulroney agrees to the assistance. Around that time, he notices Biggins' hand injury. Ulnovsky matter-of-factly notes that Biggins also had an accident. Mulroney wonders what the alderman's wife will say when she gets back from Sheboygan. The alderman says he plans to pass it off as a "construction accident".

Ulnovksy leads everyone to the office of Dr. Edward Bolkanski, located near the docks. The doctor is not at all thrilled to see the injured men, but manages to patch everyone up.
 
While waiting, Ulnovsky makes small talk with Mulroney and Shoes. He mentions that once he gets Flynn dealt with, he'll have time to take care of his other business – including the search for his girlfriend's missing father.

Mulroney tells Ulnovsky he's heard of the disappearances around the docks but Ulnovsky explains the man is a doctor at the prison. Out of the Russian's sight, Shoes frantically tries to get Mulroney to change the subject, recalling that Ulnovsky's girlfriend is Karina Krasnik and her father is the kidnapped, brain-damaged man they have back at their warehouse.

Session 10 - Scene 9 (of 10)

After some time, they conclude the business with the Russians and head back to the warehouse. Father Mulroney is concerned about his bootlegging operation taking a hit with Bonehead dead and Guigsy out for a couple of weeks in recovery. He still has Tony, Alan, Colin, and Andy, but tells Sister Mary to try and find a couple more boys to recruit from St. Vincent's Home for Homeless Boys. She finds another couple of recruits named Chris and Zack.
 
Once Dr. Krasnik is moved back to the safehouse, Mulroney has Ulnovsky's men pick up the liquor for the night and the two return to the church.
 
After sending Shoes off to First National Bank to make the drop into the safe deposit box for Merlo, Father Mulroney decides to take some time to research the Latin phrase that Dr. Krasnik mentioned. He tries to make sense of it using the books in his rectory, but is having problems with the various conjugations and declinations.
 
His studies are interrupted by the sudden appearance of Deacon Stephen Dickford. The straight-laced, stuffy man tells the priest he has serious concerns about how the father has not been around much. He casually threatens that he would hate to have to speak to the bishop about it. Father Mulroney shudders at the idea of getting the notice of Bishop Duggan, and mentally notes that knowing the deacon, he's surprised he didn't threaten to go all the way to Cardinal Mundelein.
 
Deacon Dickford goes on to complain that Mulroney has barely made it to mass lately. Father Mulroney tries to respond that he's been down with the flu, but the deacon isn't convinced.

Somewhat condescendingly, Dickford goes on to say that he believes the father has too much on his plate and needs more assistance. He tells the priest his intention to speak to Bishop Duggan about taking over more administrational duties around the parish, perhaps even taking over as principal for the Home for Homeless Boys.
 
Not wanting the deacon involved, Mulroney tries to persuade him to change his mind. Deacon Dickford suggests he might be willing to let things continue, but does want to get a closer look at the accounting books to get a comfortable feeling that everything is under control.
 
Father Mulroney tries to assure the deacon that Sister Mary handles the books. But the deacon is not so dissuaded. Dickford tells the priest he intends to get the bishop's permission to see the books then abruptly bids the father good day.

As the man leaves, Mulroney puts his hand on the hilt of the knife inside his robe and briefly wonders if he should take care of the problem right away. But he relents, not wanting to cause problems that close to him.
 
Several streets away, Mulroney isn't the only one running into trouble. Back in his office, Alderman Biggins gets an upset call from Henry Burns, the political boss for his district. Burns chews Biggins out for neglecting his duties over the last few weeks, noting he caused enough problems failing to get that liquor to the wedding reception.
 
Biggins politely listens to the complaints, knowing that Burns can destroy his political career. When Burns insists he do more to support Joe DeMotte's mayoral run, Biggins gladly agrees to step up his involvement.

Session 6 - Scene 10 (of 10)

When Shoes gets back from the bank, Mulroney informs him there is more trouble looming. He tells him the deacon has been by and wants to look over the books. Shoes agrees it could be trouble.
 
Father Mulroney explains the deacon will need to be taken care of, stating he couldn't handle it himself because he wanted to keep it away from the church.
 
Shoes wonders how quickly they need to act. Mulroney calculates that it will take a day or two for Dickford to get on the bishop's calendar, but they should probably take care of it right away. Shoes offers to handle the situation himself, with Mulroney agreeing it would be the best way to go.
 
The priest then notes to Shoes that Deacon Dickford is quite fond of the cinema, and that a double feature of Greed and The Thief of Bagdad is showing at the nearby Capitol Theater. He notes that Shoes should be able to slip in and out without too much fuss. He gives the lad his knife and tells him it should look like a robbery.
 
Shoes heads down to the theater and waits in an alley for it to let out. Distracted by an attractive flapper across the street, Shoes doesn't notice the deacon until he is almost out of the alley, heading towards his car on the street.
 
Running quickly down the alley, Shoes catches up with the man. He turns and recognizes the youth, getting out a confused "Francis?" before Shoes puts a bullet in his head.
 
The gunshot attracts all kinds of attention and yelling. A police whistle can be heard a short distance away as he grabs the man's wallet. Shoes quickly ducks back inside the theater and maneuvers around to the front door to exit with the rest of the crowd. He then heads back to St. Vincent's, confident that the job was done right.

Session 6 - Session Notes

This session got things a bit back on track, with the group actually managing to accomplish some things (with some setbacks, natch). It also saw the focus switch from the CoC-style investigation back to a pure Gangbusters-style dealings with crimes and crooks. Everyone quite enjoyed it.

My top goal this session was getting the PCs out of immediate danger. I wanted to ratchet down the violence because there is no way the PCs would survive all-out war against the Tolinos.

Prior to the session, I started putting together the list of favors O'Conner will want. Naturally, they all are "missions" in game terms. I tried to come up with ideas that fit into what O'Conner would want while at the same time presenting opportunities to continue some side plots and introduce new ones. Like O'Conner, I thought it would be best to start with something the PCs would want to do anyway.

Looking forward to next session, though we may have some delays soon because the Shoes player is having a new baby due soon.

Misc Notes:
* Since there are 3 PCs, I wanted to limit the sit-down to 3 NPCs from each side. It gives the impression of a big discussion while keeping things small enough for people to keep track of what is going on.

* In TSR's Gangbusters book, they detail the Italian gang but not the Irish one, with the intention that PCs would be in the "good" Irish gang. Since Dion O'Banion's North Side gang is pretty well documented, I generally use historical figures from that gang for inspiration.

"Yiddie" Neumark is my expy for "Hymie" Weiss (I thought using his name might break the fourth wall too much). I use the same joke from his real-life counterpart that he had a Polish name that got Americanized to a Jewish-sounding one. And again, James O'Bannion is straight out of the movie, Legends of the Fall.

* Mike Merlo was a real guy. His death led to Dion O'Banion's murder being possible. I thought it would be natural to have him be the one get the PCs off the hook.

* Anthony Lombardo was also a real guy, but I'm using dramatic license because he came into power after Merlo was dead. Lipari comes from the TSR game.

* Having the mob want to get paid-off to end a conflict is pretty common. Having the PCs have to get further indebted to O'Conner was a way to keep things interesting (granted, Mulroney did manage to bargain down the amount).

* O'Conner's idea to nibble around the edges was my way to introduce a "cold war" feel to the conflict between the gangs. It allows for some conflict without all-out war being a risk.

* Flynn calling in a tip on his own ship was one of the plots from TSR that I'm adapting.

* Regan's Colts and the Southside O'Donnells were real Chicago gangs (if less well-known). Regan's Colts will come into play sometime soon - not sure about the O'Donnells (though my area guide did note that Spike O'Donnell has connections to the governor - as in real life).

* Mulroney's plan to try and use Ulnovsky was not anticipated by me (though I should have). Sending Biggins, however, proved to be a disaster when everyone realized (far too late) that the player hadn't really been paying attention when the plan was discussed.

We were dying laughing when he couldn't remember Ulnovsky's name (and failed an Idea roll to remember) and did the really unsubtle "so any anarchists?" bit in the bar (it reminded me of the early Family Guy episode where Peter is undercover in the school - "I'm looking for some drugs. Does anybody have any drugs?")

The kidnapping and torture scene had everyone with their head in hands, assuming Biggins was a dead man. He just barely managed to not get killed.

* Captain Danny Ross is named after the second captain on Law and Order: CI, though the resemblance stops at the name. The joke was that since Deakins had ties to Biggins, Ross had ties to Flynn (which Biggins might have discovered if he hadn't failed his Notice roll). Again, Biggins barely avoided getting a beat-down.

* Ulnovksy's men actually all have names because they come from the TSR book; there just wasn't a reason to name them during the session. Dr. Bolkanski is from TSR as well. The Yulian NPC is one of my own and will have more involvement later.

* Sister Eunice was created on the fly as a way to flesh out Mulroney's parish a bit more. She's sort-of named after the nun on American Horror Story: Asylum.

Mulroney's other boys, including the nicknames, are all named after band members of Oasis (continuing the trend I started with Liam and Noel). I did change Zak to Zack, spelling-wise, because I thought it fit better.

* Mulroney and Biggins getting chewed out for neglecting their day jobs was something I thought of before but didn't get to last session.

* I didn't actually give a name to the deacon at the session, the Mulroney player came up with the last name and I just added a first one in the write-up. Bishop Duggan and Cardinal Mundelein are named after real people.

* Shoes' trip to the bank had some suspense, as I made him have a luck check to see if anything interesting happened on the way to hauling the large bag of cash there. The bank will figure into the campaign again in an upcoming session.

* The Capital Theater is the original name for the old palace theater located in downtown Cedar Rapids (known as the Paramount Theater since the 30s). I had attended the recent open house of the theater (restored after the 2008 floods) and used it for inspiration for the deacon's place of murder.

* Father Mulroney is definately getting a little murder happy. Next session will show that murdering the deacon might not have been as quick of a fix as he thought it would be (people notice more when civillians end up getting killed).

Session 7 - Cast of Characters
 
Father Clink Mulroney - Irish Roman Catholic priest running a bootlegging operation out of his church
 
Alderman Jethro Biggins - Corrupt city alderman on the take from Mulroney
 
Francis "Shoes" McDougal - Young street criminal and former orphan acting as Mulroney's chief lieutenant / muscle

Session 7 - Scene 1 (of 15)

Alderman Jethro Biggins sits in his office, enjoying a cigar behind his desk at the end of the long day. The stump of his missing finger still throbs with pain. The phone rings, and Biggins sighs as he picks it up, knowing a call this late in the evening means more trouble.

Captain James Deakins is on the other end of the line. He tells Biggins he is calling to give him a head's up – a man has been murdered near the Capital Theater. Deakins goes on to say the victim was a man named Stephen Dickford, a deacon at St. Vincent's church and the apparent victim of a robbery gone bad.

Knowing the alderman has political contacts with the church, Deakins assures the alderman that he'll make sure the Central Homicide Division puts two of their best detectives on it. According to the sector sergeant's report, there were two possible eye witnesses to the crime who saw a young hoodlum leaving the scene. Deakins figures they'll be able to solve the case quickly.

After making sure he gets all the information from the captain, Biggins calls over to the church; he knows Father Mulroney will want to know right away that a member of his church has been killed. After being informed by Sister Eunice that Father Mulroney is away from the rectory, he calls over to the warehouse.

As usual, Shoes takes the call and passes it over to Mulroney. When Biggins relates the news, the priest exclaims how tragic the situation is that his good friend Deacon Dickford was killed. He is slightly surprised when the alderman mentions the witnesses, but doesn't miss a beat and tells Biggins he's glad there's a good chance those responsible will be caught. After asking after the alderman's injury, Father Mulroney hangs up the phone.

He then relates the contents of the call to Shoes. Shoes doesn't seem worried, he's pretty sure no one actually saw him commit the crime. Still, he'd like to know more about the witnesses; particularly where they are at.

Father Mulroney explains he doesn't want to ask too many questions and make Biggins suspicious. In matters like these, he feels the right course is to give the alderman negligible information about their involvement. Shoes agrees it is for the best.

As for the witnesses, Father Mulroney says it will likely come to nothing, as Shoes obviously would have had his face covered during the murder. When Shoes doesn't immediately agree, the priest asks him more directly if he was smart enough to cover his face.

Shoes explains that a mask would get in the way of him being able to see. Mulroney then begins to worry a bit more. He notes that they'll have to find the witnesses and remove their credibility, noting a nice young man like Shoes would not do well in prison.

The youth jokes he'd try pleading insanity, though he wonders if being stuck with Dr. Bronfenburgher at the Dunning Asylum would be any better. He ponders the idea of disguising his appearance.

Changing the subject, Shoes asks the father if he's heard anything from the Russians. The priest relates that he hasn't heard anything since they picked up the delivery, but they did not have any communication planned after that. Shoes hopes they don't just steal the liquor and Mulroney responds with, "well, you know the Russians..." At the mention of the word, Shoes spits on the floor.

Just then, the warehouse phone rings again. This time, it is Sister Mary on the phone. She tells the father that two detectives are at the church looking to speak with him about the deacon.

Concerned they may be there to arrest him, Father Mulroney gives the sister a code to use to indicate that. But the icy-voiced nun tells him flatly that all they want to do is inform him of the death. After hanging up, he lets Shoes know and the two decide the youth should lie low at the warehouse while the father goes back to the church alone.

Session 7 - Scene 2 (of 15)

When Father Mulroney arrives at St. Vincent's, he sees Sister Eunice sitting off in a corner of the office area, clearly upset. Sister Mary stands next to her with a blank expression; as close to a comforting gesture as the woman is likely to give. Standing nearby are two men in suits – one younger, thin, and taller; the other shorter, older, and pudgy around the middle.

When the father approaches the two men introduce themselves as Detective George Greevy and Detective Christopher Logan. The explain about Deacon Dickford being killed in an attempted robbery. Father Mulroney acts surprised and shocked, but the sideways glance he notices between the detectives makes him think they might not be fully buying the act.

The detectives start asking questions about when Mulroney last saw the deacon. Mulroney gives the time, explaining that the deacon was off to the movies.

The next set of questions is about how often the deacon was around. Mulroney explains the deacon was a regular fixture at the church and that they were close friends. Detective Greevy asks if the same is true about the attached St. Vincent's Home for Homeless Boys. Again, Mulroney mentions how the deacon was involved from time to time, giving advice to the young lads.

Greevy notes that a young ruffian was spotted leaving the scene of the crime. Following the thought, Detective Logan asks if Dickford had any enemies at the home or major conflicts with any of the boys. Mulroney, catching where the detectives are going, simply says "nothing serious" and can tell the detectives are skeptical he is telling the truth.

Done with their questions for the moment, the detectives thank the priest for his time and tell him to let him know if he can remember anything more at all about Deacon Dickford and the orphan boys. Father Mulroney makes sure to get the detectives' names and badge numbers so he can easily contact them should he have any further information.

Once the detectives are gone, Father Mulroney thanks Sister Mary for taking care of things. After saying a kind word to Sister Eunice and informing Sister Mary to look after the elderly nun, the priest heads back to the warehouse.

Session 7 - Scene 3 (of 15)

At the warehouse, Father Mulroney tells Shoes about his conversation with the detectives. He notes to the youth that the detectives didn't fully buy his story, but says that could work to their advantage. He goes on to say that someone will need to take the blame for the crime.

Shoes, a little nervous, asks the father what he has in mind. Mulroney explains that clearly the deacon was killed by a troubled youth. And goes on to explain that such a youth would have a lot of guilt; perhaps enough to take his own life. Going further, Mulroney mentions the basement of the orphanage does have sturdy beams along the basement ceiling.

Getting the picture, Shoes asks who the priest has in mind. Mulroney isn't sure; he notes they'll need to find someone who had at least a minor conflict with the deacon to make the story work. Ideally, the father continues, it would be a quiet, loner type who the other boys wouldn't really miss.

After mulling it over for another minute, Father Mulroney shudders at the thought. Though he has committed many sins, murdering an orphan boy and staging it as a suicide is crossing another line entirely. He asks Shoes if he has any other ideas.

Shoes sticks with his thought that they'll need to get to the witnesses. Father Mulroney says they'll have to rely on the resourcefulness of Alderman Biggins. Shoes quips about that being a problem.

The youth goes on to wonder if they shouldn't start looking for guys that look like him. But he isn't thrilled with the idea either, noting that performing another murder to cover up a murder is problematic. Father Mulroney agrees it is getting a little too bloody lately.

On a more practical level, Shoes doesn't think the hanging plan would work. He feels it would make more sense that the "killer" commit suicide with the same gun that was used to shoot the deacon.

Father Mulroney decides he isn't ready to cross over this particular moral event horizon. He also notes that every time they've attempted to cover up for a bad decision they rush into making another bad decision that drags them deeper into the abyss. He tells Shoes they'll be patient this time and wait to see what develops.

In the meantime, Mulroney suggests Shoes do something to alter his appearance such as shaving his head or growing a beard. The youth sarcastically notes that it could take some time for him to grow a beard. In response, the priest jokes that perhaps they could disfigure him a little. Shoes quips back that relying on Biggins will likely lead to them all being disfigured soon.

Session 7 - Scene 4 (of 15)

The next morning, Alderman Biggins gets an early call at home from Henry Burns. Burns immediately asks him if he's heard about the death of the deacon. When Biggins responds that he has, the boss asks him what he's doing about it.

Mistaking Burns' meaning, Biggins launches into a lengthy discussion about his communications with the police and the status on the investigation. Burns interrupts him halfway through, telling him he's supposed to be a politician, not a detective. He clarifies that what he meant was, what is Biggins doing to capitalize on the politics of the situation.

Biggins, not previously thinking about the death in those terms, notes that perhaps he should have a speech. Burns tells the alderman he is already ahead of him. He's lined up a time for a press conference and Joe DeMotte will be involved as well.

Burns excitedly notes that the murder is great for DeMotte's anti-crime platform. He goes on to say that this could put DeMotte over the top in the election, making him the next mayor. Finally, the political boss tells Biggins that if he plays his cards right, he could end up Parks Commissioner or something.

Biggins chuckles at the idea, wondering if it would be going up or down in the political hierarchy. Burns scolds him for laughing, noting that the Parks Commissioner has a large budget (including control of the Park Police force) and lots of leeway to spend it. He tells the alderman that a man could do very well in that position with the right friends.

The alderman then asks more about the press conference. He can almost see Burns beaming on the other end as the man tells him he's already secured the perfect venue...

Session 7 - Scene 5 (of 15)

Mulroney is awoke from his deep slumber by a fervent knocking at his door. When he asks who it is, Sister Eunice replies.

The father quickly gets up and puts on a robe. When he cracks the door open to ask why the sister is interrupting him from sleeping in, she explains that "his excellency" is waiting in the church office for him.

Knowing that Bishop Duggan's unscheduled arrival means nothing good, Father Mulroney instructs the sister to get the bishop some coffee and that he'll be out in a minute.

After quickly dressing, Mulroney heads over to the office and finds the stern-looking bishop waiting for him. After greeting the bishop and kissing his ring, Mulroney sits down.

The bishop explains he is there due to the death of Deacon Dickford. As the two commiserate on the senseless killing, the bishop notes they will need to think long and hard on finding a suitable replacement for such a dedicated man.

The bishop instructs Father Mulroney that Deacon Dickford should have a very nice funeral service tomorrow. Father Mulroney agrees. Bishop Duggan explains his intention is to officiate the funeral mass personally, which comes as no surprise to the father.

Bishop Duggan smiles as he tells the father that because of the special circumstances, they will have a special guest at the mass. Father Mulroney, sensing he is about to get more bad news, just smiles and says, "Oh?" The bishop explains that in honor of the deacon's loyal service and the tragedy of his murder, the archbishop himself, his eminence Cardinal Mundelein, will be attending the mass.

Father Mulroney, starting to worry inwardly, smiles outwardly at the news. The bishop then goes on to say they will have another prominent guest, mayoral candidate Joe DeMotte. Apparently, the bishop continues, DeMotte is having a press conference after the funeral to speak out against crime. Mistaking the father's wincing expression for a smile, the bishop tells him he knew the father would be pleased.

Father Mulroney starts to go into a long lie about how happy he is, but the Bishop sees through it. He tells the priest not to get carried away.

After Bishop Duggan leaves, Father Mulroney quickly heads over to inform Sister Mary. She expresses some surprise at the idea the cardinal will be coming. When Mulroney explains about DeMotte as well, she asks if his friend Biggins will also be in attendance.

The father agrees that is likely, and mentions they'll need to keep an eye out for him. He also specifically mentions they'll need to be careful, as the alderman is not "in the know" about the full details of Deacon Dickford's demise. Sister Mary agrees it would not be prudent for the alderman to know such things.

Finally, Father Mulroney expresses his exasperation as for how to prepare the church for such an event. He asks the sister if she has any ideas. She flatly mentions that the deacon was shot in the head, so they'll need a lot of ice. The father shudders at the thought of the smell of the decomposing deacon, and mentions he'll have Sister Eunice get an extra-large delivery from the ice truck.