"You can't allow me to read this book anymore?" I asked, glancing up to find the man Kenzie previously identified to me as Randy, looming menacingly over me. "And why's that?"
"You know damn well, why." Randy explained, balling his hands into fists.
Come on, Corsair! Get your head in the game! I silently chastised myself at losing my situational awareness as I sat and read the BOOK OF AZATHOTH.
Vulnerable in my seated position with the angry man standing over me, I went over my tactical options in my head. Before I could come up with a plan of action, however, Randy screamed unintelligently and tackled me.
With both of us on the library floor, I instinctively wrapped my legs around Randy's torso to control him. As Randy began to punch at my head, I flipped the crazed man over, released my leg hold on him and jumped up and away.
Wholly prepared to deal with Randy's continued aggression, I stood and watched the disheveled man clumsily regain his feet and snarl at me.
Before Randy could launch another attack, Joel Manton, the other man Kenzie stated she'd known in the library, appeared behind Randy and placed him in a bear hug.
Rand kicked and screamed, but turned utterly docile after only a few seconds of struggling. Joel continued to hold Randy tight as he explained himself to me. "Thought you could use some help, mister."
I'm fine. I thought.
"Thanks." I replied. "Do you know this guy?"
"No." Joel released his hold on Randy. Surprisingly, instead of reattacking, Randy mumbled something incoherently and walked away with his head down, leaving the library entirely. At the same time Randy left, Kenzie ran up behind me and grabbed my arm.
"What happened back here?" Kenzie exclaimed.
Joel greeted Kenzie directly. "Miss Mason."
"Principle Manton." Kenzie replied professionally.
"Please call me, Joel. So. Like I was saying." Joel continued before I could bring Kenzie up to speed. "I thought you could use some help. I've seen this type of behavior before."
"You've seen that guy attack other people before?" I asked.
"No." Principle Manton laughed. "I've seen researchers become overly protective because of these occult books. Hell, rumor is some people have actually gone insane because of the incoherent ramblings written down in these old things."
"Yeah. I've heard that too." Kenzie added, still holding onto my arm.
Joel continued. "That's why I've heard students of the University only have access to this section of the library for a total of three hours a day. Their time is closely monitored by their professors from what I understand. For mental health reasons. I assume that's why this guy attacked you. Either for reading one of these books too long or for keeping and reading what he perceived as his possession for too long. Either way, keep an eye out next time you examine these old books. Some of the people who come in here are certifiable."
"We will, Joel. We will." Kenzie answered. With that, Principle Manton nodded his head at us and left.
Once Kenzie and I were alone, she began immediately questioning me. "Are you alright?"
"Of course I am." I answered, a little embarrassed at being rescued by the older man.
"Why did Randy attack you?" Kenzie asked.
"You tell me?" I replied.
"Huh?"
"You said you knew both of them, right? That Randy guy and this Joel character. So tell me, why would Randy run up and attack me out of the blue?"
Kenzie released my arm and I noticed she held several papers. "I'm sure I don't know." After a few moments of silence, Kenzie continued. "Nash, I've spoken to Principal Manton, Joel, for probably a total of ten minutes ever. All of it inside this library. And that stinky guy who attacked you? I only spoke to him one time about a month ago and that was way after I started lucid dreaming. He creeped me out then and I haven't seen him since. I wouldn't say I exactly know either of them, so please drop it."
Not sure I completely believed Kenzie, I nevertheless relented. "Fair enough. Let's get out of here. Reading that book actually made my head hurt. Perhaps the University's three–hour-rule is actually a good thing."
* * * * * * *
Back in the privacy of the car, Kenzie finally asked me, "So what did you learn? Did you find the secret? Can you break the curse?"
"Sorry." I honestly replied. "Most of that book is just nonsense and the other parts were spells, but none which would help us. Besides, I'm not really a spell-type guy. In all sincerity, I only got about halfway through the book, however. Maybe we can come back tomorrow."
"Damnit." Kenzie stated, defeated. "I thought you liked spells and such. You know? Casting spells and the like. Supernatural stuff?"
"Well, I don't. But somehow I keep getting pulled into it. How about you, what did you find out?" I asked Kenzie as we drove off the Miskatonic University campus.
Kenzie began reading over her notes, the photocopied pages and printed articles she brought with her. Let's see. First off, it looks like the whole Walter Gilman thing is a dead end."
"The man who rented your place before you?" I asked, surprised as I had previously calculated Gilman was most likely suspect for the man known as the "Great". "Are you sure?"
"Yup." Kenzie confirmed, flipping to another page. "Walter Gilman. Dead. Killed by an unknown animal as he slept. I even have a public record copy of his death certificate."
"Killed in your apartment?" I asked, regretting the question even as I asked it.
"Not sure." Kenzie replied, reading her notes. "Let's see. Walter Gilman, student at the University, majored in mathematics and folklore. At the time of his death, the school records say he was conducting research into some advanced forms of calculus and quantum physics..."
"Alright." I interrupted. "If he's dead, he can't be the Great. Who's next?"
"The next name on the list. Frank Elwood. Also dead."
"What? How?"
"Frank Elwood. Murdered as he slept. The coroner says by strangulation. Police investigated, but no suspects. At least, none listed on the official record. No one was brought to justice for his death, Nash. Oh, he was also a student at Miskatonic University."
"Two students? Two sleeping deaths? Coincidences?" I prodded Kenzie.
"No such thing, Nash." She answered.
Good girl. I thought.
"Let's see." Kenzie continued. "Brown Jenkin. Or is it Jenkin Brown? Either way, he's different from the previous two names in that he was never listed as a student and I couldn't find anything else on him online or in the newspapers."
"Interesting." I commented.
"The last name on the list, Mister Harley Warren. This guy actually piqued my interest."
"Have you ever met him?" I asked, focusing on the road ahead while scanning my rearview mirror for any tails.
"I don't think so." Kenzie answered. "But he's all over the papers and the Internet. He's officially listed by the Massachusetts State Police as a missing person, but is also listed as presumed dead."
"So another dead end." I commented, not intending to make a pun.
"Maybe not." Kenzie replied. "He's not officially deceased. Plus, there's another person listed in connection with Warren. A Mister Randolph Carter. For some reason, that name sounded familiar to me. Unfortunately, I couldn't locate a picture for Mister Carter, only an address. According to the newspaper accounts, the police interviewed Randolph Carter concerning the missing Mister Warren, but had to release Mister Carter because of a lack of evidence or something. But from what I could gather, the police definitely think this Carter guy killed Mister Warren, although the authorities could never locate a body and never charged him."
"Really?" I commented. "Are these Warren or Carter guys students of the University also?"
"I'm sorry, Nash. I didn't check that." Kenzie admitted.
"No problem." I lied, a little upset Kenzie didn't investigate that lead. "So everyone is dead except this Brown guy and this Carter guy?"
"Yeah." Kenzie confirmed. "And maybe this Warren guy, he might be still alive, but everyone thinks he's dead. Assuming the Great is even one of the names on that list at all. Anyways, that's all the information I gathered."
"You did a great job, detective." I teased Kenzie.
"Thanks. Detective, huh? So tell me, Nash." Kenzie teased me back. "Why the private detective dream when I first pulled you into the Dreamlands? When I found you. Is that what you always wanted to be or what you consider yourself? Some sort of old-timey detective?"
"I don't know." I replied. "I never had a dream like that before."
"Maybe it's something from your past or from your future." Kenzie went on. "Like I said, time between us and the Dreamlands is funny like that."
"Wait!" I exclaimed, startling Kenzie. "That guy in the library! Randy!"
"Yeah?" Kenzie responded. "What about Randy?"
"Isn't Randy short for Randolph?" I explained, making a connection between my attacker and Kenzie's research.
"Randy? Randolph? Randolph Carter! Yes! You think they're the same guy? You think that Randy guy in the library is the same person the police thought killed Harley Warren?"
"Well, let's see. You dug up some references to a Randolph Carter related to another signature in that cursed book, Warren. Randy is short for Randolph. You and Randy vaguely know each other. He attacked me as I researched that dream spellbook. Is that all a coincidence?"
Kenzie smiled at me. "Hell no! There's no such thing. Do you think he's the Great?"
"Don't know yet." I explained, excited for another lead. "But he sure is weird enough. And you have his address, right?"
"Right." Kenzie confirmed. "What now?"
"Tonight, after a little preparation, I say we pay a little visit to Mister Randolph Carter." I informed Kenzie.
"We?" The woman next to me asked, mildly nervous.
"Yes. All three of us." I explained, confusing Kenzie.