Radio Silence Broken

Consider the prolonged radio silence now broken. I have been catching up on the non-case aspects of my life since returning from Boston. Also, feraing they may be investigating us, i thought laying low on communications may force them to operate less covertly and come closer to us. This would appear not to have been the case, at least from my perspective, and we still appear to be working 'under the radar' so to speak.

Allow me to clarify my position on Ethan/Evan, for I fear I may have given a false impression of his significance (ot lack thereof): I was in Croatia based on a tipoff from one of Safelight's photojournalism associates, who had told me something unique and unknown was occuring there (details of which I cannot discuss at the time, though can confirm they are irrelevant to the Searly case). E was unimportant then and is likely so now; I mention him purely because he is the only Wisconsin kid I have met in person and may have been able to unwittingly pass on information of the local subculture, wooly or otherwise. Why he was alone I did not determine, which is why he stands out in my memory - as a detective I have a natural tendency for the unresolved to stick in my mind like a thorn. It is only with hindsight that he seems possibly significant, though I am not investing much in that 'theory'. Croatia does not seem to have any connection to the Searly case, though any coastal region can perhaps not be fully discounted without satisfactory evidence to the contrary.

Btw: Congratulations on your sporting achievement, though it is a shame there was no photo finish - I hate to see a good photo oppotunity go to waste. I picture you with dark locks streaming behind you in the wind as your opponent drifts gradually behind with cheeks puffing and eyes popping in exaperation, camera panning to record your victory against blurred backdrop of black n white treeline in distance. Perhaps a member of EPPS was there to capture it.

Speaking of EPPS, it is good to have this new lead courtesy of Lone Wolf's dream and your 'chance' meeting at the Cumberland Club. The question now begs, why would someone from as far away as Edinburgh be covering the catacombs of Peru? Some journalistic project perhaps, or something more sinister? If Contact B is well known as being someone who takes 'some great shots' he could be an in demand go-to guy for such specialist projects. I believe, based on recent revelations, that Contact B warrants further investigation. Perhaps you can find the missing catacomb images.

I will attempt to answer your further questions post haste.

The Big Fox

I believe I know who / what EPPS is. I have met him (or rather a member of the group) without knowing it. EPPS is none other than the Edinburgh Photographic and Photojournalistic Society, a covert branch of IPPS, the International Photographic and Photojournalistic Society (also sometimes referred to as the International Photo-Press Society). Bells rang when I first investigated the online works of Contact B, met in the Cumberland Club. It included stuff that could only be considered journalistic – including images of war graves and international conference attendees.

The Cumberland Club, I now realise, is the base of the EPPS. Contact B may even be the very same member who took photographic images while exploring the catacombs of Peru. He certainly will be aware of the images taken, with a personal interest due to his own great lakes background. I believe his allusion to an urban fox he has located, of which he refuses to tell the authorities the location, can only be code. An urban fox is a perfect symbol for an underground fugitive living undetected within a city, like so many of the individuals involved in this investigation.

Certainly, Contact B (B for Brian EPPS, perhaps), does also photograph real urban foxes, however I am now certain that he and I were thrown together on that fateful night for reasons other than the discussion of actual ‘foxes’. Rather, it was understood that the fox in question was a ‘big fish’ in our investigations.

I feel sure from our investigator’s earlier contact with EPPS that they must also be following the case closely. They may know more than ourselves. They may even be in contact with the group/s or individuals involved, possibly in a partisan, non-neutral way. Certainly, my Brian EPPS was insistant the cover of the BIG FOX in question was on no account to be blown.

I must return to the Cumberland Club…

An anecdote

Here goes official account of my meeting two days ago at the Cumberland Club.

Thursday: Successful hitch to Ullapool with a young lady from Brighton (and her mother), the young lady is not relevant to the case except to point out that she had the most wonderful soft light brown hair on her arms, and was a wonderful human being besides. I was weak as a dog from throat infections. Bus journey to Edinburgh uneventful.

Friday: Kooper Bloomfield Stills Super Session acquired in backbeat, along with Patti Smith Horses also on vinyl. Also Pearl Jam Ten on vinyl acquired previously in Vinyl Villains.

Saturday:
8.00pm: Acquired around 12 black ballpoints from pizza express Sat pm. (The owner was dumping them after 10 mins of use, due to ease of acquisition and basic mental and emotional disassociation with resources) – sufficient ammunition for any remaining journalism to occur, though case was at this point forgotten to the investigator.
10.00pm: Approached the Cumberland Club. Drinking screwdrivers.
12.30: Contact A sighted, being interrogated by R.G.
1.00am: Contact A approached. Introduced by R.G. through accusation by R.G. of Contact A’s hair being flicked backwards into face of the investigator (false).
Name is Candy, from Port X on the coast of L. Huron. Various information. Investigator decided to come clean about the case. Contact A suggests L. Superior most likely location of the hidden State of Michigan; ‘because Lake Superior is bigger than the State of Michigan’. Contact A corrects investigator’s pronunciation of Michigan (Should be ‘Mishigan’, not ‘mitchigan’ as investigator had been saying).
1.30am: Contact B approaches investigator. Accent like Loyd Grosman only more drug-addled.
‘That’s my wife you’ve been talking to.’
‘I know’ (smilingly).
Contact B reveals he is a freelance photojournalist who tracks urban foxes. ‘There’s this one, but I can’t tell you, or they’ll...[slurring – I don’t know who they are or what they would do.]

Contact B tells investigator the location of said urban fox. For now at least, this investigator will refer to location as E.B.G. “My friends tell me send these pictures to the newpapers. I can’t do that…” … He is still on its trail. “I would give myself a 97% chance of tracking this fox.” At this point investigator has grabbed 1 of his ballpoints and is hastily scribbling notes on the back of contact B’s business card. He notices; looks alarmed or confused. ‘It’s okay, I’m just making a few notes.’