Auger Detection

Auger Detection is a private detective agency hired by Celeste Roget during the storyline of Something in the Sea. This firm boasts offices in major cities throughout the United States, ranging from San Francisco to New York City.

Lutwidge Investigation, Pre 1960
Celeste Roget contacted Auger detection in the spring of 1958 when she hired their Manhattan agents, including Dash H. Carmady, to keep surveillance on Orrin Oscar Lutwidge. This was after she received a seemingly taunting letter from Lutwidge about her surviving a failed expedition to the Himalayas in search of her father. The agents set to tail Lutwidge were not very successful, saying in their report that Lutwidge was proving to be a slippery character. However, they did discover that Lutwidge was keeping contact with someone known only as "Red Pawn" who aided him in making forgeries, including the ones that led Ms. Roget to make her trip to the Himalayas. However, these investigations proved unsuccessful when Lutwidge disappeared in late 1959. Agents continued to keep surveillance on Lutwidge's properties despite his absence.

Resumed Lutwidge Investigations, Post 1960
On August 31st, 1960 Agent Dash Carmady observed Lutwidge breaking into one of his Workshops in Midtown Manhattan. He had facial scaring and behaved strangely. Auger Detection contacted Celeste Roget with this news, causing her to take a flight to New York from Paris to behold Lutwidge with her own eyes. The sight shocked her so badly that she immediately returned to Paris. Later, Auger Detection informed Celeste when Lutwidge was put in Tollevue Mental Hospital and she bribed the agents to make sure that Lutwidge would never get out.

Aiding Mark Meltzer, 1968
Mark Meltzer's investigation into the kidnapping of his daughter, Cindy Meltzer, eventualy lead him to searching for information on Orrin Oscar Lutwidge. Celeste requested that her agents give Mark all the information from their previous surveillance of Lutwidge. Carmady complied, leading Mark to find Lutwidge in Tollevue. Auger Detection temporarily withdrew their support after Celeste was spooked by a threatening letter, but they began to help Mark again when Celeste went missing.

Auger Detection began to collaborate with Mark Meltzer in finding the identity of the Red Pawn. Dash Carmady requested that Mark give them his contact list, and soon after they sent Mark a criminal record of a "Jerry Lynchman," suggesting that Jeremiah Lynch, one of Marks contacts, had been deceiving him and was in fact the Red Pawn who aided Lutwidge in making forgeries years ago.

Letter 1

 * AUGER
 * DETECTION
 * Private Investigative & Security Services
 * Manhattan ~ Washington, D.C. ~ Chicago ~ San Francisco


 * "Our Eyes Never Rest"

CLIENT: ROGET, C. ................... CASE no. _________________

AGENT: CARMADY, D.H. ................ DATE: 7/28/58

RE: Continued Surveillance of O. Lutwidge re: suspected harassment of Celeste Roget.

SUMMARY: Per instructions, I w/assistance of rotation of two add'l agents have been tailing O. Lutwidge. He continues to employ evasive maneuvers as if he suspects being watched, even though we have avoided direct detection. Lutwidge is in short a slippery & practiced customer and our coverage has failed to be 100% complete.

Preliminary indications suggest that Lutwidge is NOT working alone. He appears to communicate with an accomplice who assists him primarily in forging documentation (such as the various suspect documents that led C. Roget on her "wild goose chase" in Himalayas).

In intercepted communication, Lutwidge generally refers to this individual by codename "Red Pawn".

Identity of Red Pawn has not yet been ascertained.

Letter 2

 * AUGER
 * DETECTION
 * Private Investigative & Security Services
 * Manhattan ~ Washington, D.C. ~ Chicago ~ San Francisco


 * "Our Eyes Never Rest"

CLIENT: ROGET, C. ..................... CASE No:___________

AGENT: CARMADY, D.H. ................... DATE: 8/3/60

SUMMARY: As part of ongoing surveillance of Orrin O. Lutwidge and his holdings I observed unusual activity during a regular twice-weekly observation of his properties.

A basement lab/workshop in Midtown Manhattan has been dormant for some time. At approximately 2:17 am on 8/3 I noticed some lights inside the facility. This was the first time I had spotted activity in 2+ years of reg. observation. I approached cautiously w/ camera. There were no signs of life but various furniture/tools had been moved. I waited for approx. 30 min. when I noticed and heard figure working lock to side door leading to basement lab. Individual generally resembled photos and descriptions of Orrin Lutwidge but with numerous discrepancies - possibly the result of of accident/severe scarring. See attached photo.

Lutwidge was observed with an unusual hypodermic needle and several glass jars. He appeared to be attempting to scrape or pour together the last remaining dregs of of several jars together.

Lutwidge was also observed crawling on the floor tiles while muttering and then working on typing a manuscript.

Lutwidge appeared to collapse from exhaustion at approx. 5:40 AM whereupon I located the nearest telephone to report and request further instructions from HQ.

Short Note

 * AUGER
 * DETECTION
 * Private Investigative & Security Services
 * Manhattan ~ Washington, D.C. ~ Chicago ~ San Francisco


 * "Our Eyes Never Rest"

Mr. Meltzer:


 * Re: The Red Pawn hunt...


 * We may have a winner. See attached.


 * Call me at your earliest convenience at the usual number.


 * Dash


 * -D.H. Carmady

Report on Jeremiah Lynch

 * FLORIDA STATE PENITENTIARY
 * RECORD
 * OF
 * JERRY LYNCHMAN
 * '#________

ALIAS: Jeremiah James, Ian Lynch, Mick Lynchman, "Laughing Mick"

Fingerprint Classification:
 * 16(top:1 R II 10)(Bottom:1 R II 9)

Received:- August 17th, 1940.............From:- Dade County
 * Sentence:- Five to Seven

Crime: Grand Larceny, Conspiracy to steal, Criminal Forgery
 * [to run concurrent]

CRIMINAL RECORD AS FOLLOWS:

AS: Jeremiah James arrested at Miami, FLA. On Dec.17,1938 Charge Gambling. Case Dismissed.

AS: Ian Lynch Arrested at Orlando, FLA. on May 14 1939 for check kiting, forgery. Settled Civilly, Charges dropped.

AS: Mick Lynchman arrested at Ft.Lauderdale, FLA. on Feb 10, 1940 for confidence scheme, Grand Larceny involving forgery of property deed, Federal and State licenses. Arrested with three others as part of District Attorney sting operation on Feb 10,1940.

COMMENTS: American citizen, born in Ireland. Sometimes plays up accent. Jovial sense of humor, accent inspires criminal assoc. to refer to him as "Laughing Mick." Expert Forger, earns confidence of "marks" with good humor, appearance of education and convincing forged documentation. Malicious sense of humor. Numerous incidents where "cons" / hoaxes were not prosecuted as they seemed intended as pranks without any obvious personal gain.