Jing Yi returns from his police adventures. 

"What-- pardon my French-- the fuck happened?" He is belatedly aware that Terrence was missing for a night, and didn't leave a note, which is highly out of character. But the broken nose is even more out of character.

"Hello, William. ... Well, you see, I was doing research on the case. Some stranger in the Royal Society pub clocked me so hard that I saw the face of god."

"Did they have a reason, or did they just decide they would rather rearrange your face? --Sorry, I shouldn't be flip."

Terrence shrugs. "By all means, lighten the mood. Um... He told me he knew what I was doing - those words - and implied I should, uh, stop. ... Heavily implied. Forcefully implied. He didn't say any specifics, though. God knows I'd never said a word to him before. I mean, I have a guess what he meant, obviously, but there's still a chance he could have been some random drunken ne'er-do-well."

Jing Yi is giving him Such A Look Of Concern. "I'm not going to tell you whether you should or should not stop whatever it was you were doing-- but does he know where you live? Do you have any plans for what you'll do if you run into him again?"

"I'm really hoping I simply don't! ...I was literally having a pint. I swear I'd been talking about Descartes for half an hour before this beanpole-shaped fellow decided to make my acquaintance. He shouldn't know anything more about me, but... God. If he does, we're in real trouble. I thought I was being reasonably subtle throughout... William, my dear fellow, I fear I may not be cut out as a detective." He admits this last part over-dramatically.

"I wouldn't have expected our investigation to stir up such strong feelings. But if you do feel you can't do it safely--" he shrugs. "Stopping is an option. And if you do keep going, and need a plan-- it doesn't have to be a good one. Half of mine is 'run, and hope I'm faster,'" he admits.

Terrence grins and snorts, and then makes a high-pitch sound as he regrets snorting. After a moment to brace himself - "That's sound. Maybe that's my problem. Never much of a runner. I ought to do more calisthenics. I'll keep doing it, anyhow, I mean, of course. I just didn't expect it to hurt that much. One of the perils of predominantly being a historian, I suppose, the marks are at least stationary. ....Anyhow. How are you."

"Though, not to be paranoid, but I'd be careful where you do those calisthenics. --Well, I didn't get punched in the face, so I think you win any competitions for who had the most interesting night."

"...That was the worst part! It wasn't even interesting. I don't even care about Descartes. I had hoped that if I were to get into a barfight, I should really have it coming. Make a production of it. But no, some fellow just comes right up... Ahem. Uh, anyhow." Terrence sounds somewhat less self-pitying and more excitedly abstract as he says this, which is to say, more like himself. Also, calling it a bar fight is remarkably generous to himself, but whatever. "Uh, anyhow. Tell me what you were up to - uh, if you can, if it wasn't your caller from the night before again on for an encore." Terrence winks.

"Hey, not many people get to say they were in a physical fight about Descartes at all. And no comment." Answering wink. "Though I did get to chat with one of the officers on the Roby case. Apparently Roby used-- a space whistle. A whistle made of a meteor. It probably isn't the murder weapon, because it is a whistle, but it definitely was involved. Do winged whistles made of meteorites come up in the history you deal with?"

What. Terrence stares dead ahead for a few seconds with an expression that clearly indicates that he has no idea about winged meteorite whistles. "Well," he says eventually, "I can tell you they're not common."

"--That makes sense. Probably would have heard of them before if they were some common ritual artifact or such like. The general public does love a good spooky meteor."

"Do they? ... Sure, sure, why not. I'm out of touch with the youth of today, William."

"Did you find anything? Other than someone that decided to punch you, that is."

"Fuck all, unfortunately. Plenty of people knew Ben Best but nobody's seen him in years or has any idea where he might be. ... They did seem to think he was unmarried, in contrast to his old professor who talked about meeting his wife. So that was... odd."

"--Hmm."

"But nothing on Best, still no hint of DeVille... I fear they're dead ends for the time being."

"Maybe Best doesn't want to be found. Maybe his wife doesn't want him found. And are willing to be violent to prevent it."

Terrence thinks that one over. "You might make a fine detective, unlike me. That sounds plausible. And if they have a connection or two at his old place of employment, who might be able to tell them if someone were asking around..."

No Comment. "You did say you weren't being that subtle."

"True. I am reconsidering my approach."

"Maybe lay off the Ben Best leads for a bit. Give violent people some time to relax and get distracted from you. --and practice some calisthenics."

"You are a wise man, William."

And Jing Yi is going to wisely head off and make love to [sparkles] Evie [sparkles].