Who Killed Lovell Hewwen?

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sharpen your brainstems & ripen that notebook, it's time for a homestuck whodunnit! [[new game]] [[instructions]] [[content warnings]] [[credits]] [[homestuck game jam april 2020]] to save or load a game, click the "saves" button on the menu to the left. //please note: clearing your browser history will delete all your saved game data unless it is “saved to disk.”//

please select your: name - first, last: <<textbox "$fname" "Steven">><<textbox "$lname" "Butter">> honorific: <<textbox "$mx" "Detective">> [[ok]]

writing & game by wedercats, which is a collective between seeingknifedog (aka kylonaberrie) & surprised by witches additional thanks to sol for all your help and just for being lovely homestuck & its associated domains are the property of andrew hussie; this is a fangame and a transformative work. this uses twine engine as a framework kudos to turingtested for making this game jam a thing. you always brighten my dashboard. ==geddit its a solarian pun== thanks to watson and pawdawan purrner owobi-nyan catnobi for being so fucking cute oh my god i love them so much fuck donald trump. kill all nazis [[okay but are you going to show us pictures of your pets]] [[homepage]]

this was made in 12 days for the homestuck april 2020 game jam hosted by turing tested. you can find all the games submitted to the jam here: [[http://itch.io/jam/gamebro/entries]] [[homepage]]

$mx $fname $lname [[looks good, let's start!]] [[let me change it...|new game]]

<<set $fcaps to $fname>><<set $lcaps to $lname>><<set $fcaps to $fcaps.toUpperCase()>><<set $lcaps to $lcaps.toUpperCase()>>Your name is $fcaps $lcaps. You're a PRIVATE EYE, the one and only in LION'S TOOTH GULGE, and a jadeblood, which is useful in your line of work; you only get sniffed at by the haughtiest of highbloods and wariest of lowbloods. Casteism isn't hard to come by out here, especially miles away from any humans who could give a damn about how folk conduct themselves in public. The ceiling fan spins lazily. It's hot, and stiflingly dry; it always is out in the desert. Dust imbues everything that spends any amount of time here. It's evening; the sun has just set. You're thinking it's gonna be another boring day of sorting paperwork and scanning reference books for leads when the door swings open and the MAYOR saunters in. She's a curvy, gutsy woman, the mayor. Title's of her own choosing, there ain't nothing so funny as to play at being democracy out here. You take your feet off your desk and sit up straighter as she approaches. Her bodyguard, a big blueblood fella, lingers by the door. You look up into her eyes unintimidated as she leans on your desk and dials her claws, painted cerulean to match her blood, against the hardwood. “$lname. I’m in need of your services.” You arch an eyebrow. “My rates for you are the same as ever. What can I do for you?” “Someone’s been shot out at Ida’s hotel. Some out of towner. I don’t want there to be any //trouble// if someone comes looking for revenge. Figure out who did it, and get me some evidence, so if some clademate of his comes rocking up looking to get what’s theirs I can show them that and send them on their tidy way. There were five guests staying at the hotel. I’ve got Biggs making sure they all stay put so you can question them.” “I assume the victim is dead?” “Yeah, was looking mighty dead when I saw him. Ida called me earlier this evening; she found the body when she went up to check if he wanted breakfast. Guy going by the name of LOVELL HEWWEN. Big rustblood fella. I left the scene as is for you to investigate. Let me know when you’re done and I’ll have someone haul off the body. Ida’s already complaining about the smell.” “Is there any chance it wasn’t someone who was staying at the hotel?” “I have someone checking out the security footage. They’ll call you and let you know what they find.” “I better get over there.” You sling your bag over your shoulder. “I’ll let you know what I figure out.” “Great. And remember, I want proof.” [[Head to the crime scene.]]

this game is rated "teen." it includes: - swearing - moderate violence - dead bodies - smoking - drinking - drug use - adults with sexual interest in one another (there is no explicit sexual content) - discrimination over (a fictional) religion - discrimination over bloodcaste - institutionalised xenophobia / institutionalised discrimination against a fictional species [[homepage]]

IDA’S is a two-story wooden building with faded siding and a big sign over the front porch. It’s an old building, but it’s got all the amenities, including security cameras on the front and back entrances. Inside the front door is a dining area to the left, the bar behind it. To the right is the front desk, and further back, a small lobby with a couple of armchairs and a television. The colours here are dim, washed out. Everything’s an antique, including Ida herself, who is standing by the bar near the five suspects. BIGGS, who you know well enough not to make small talk with, is leaning against the wall by the front door with zir arms crossed, scowling. IDA’s face lights up with some amount of hope as you walk in. ‘$mx $fname, thank the Condesce you’re here. We’re just about climbing the walls what with everything that happened. Here, I can introduce everyone and then I’ll show you the, uh. His room.’ She introduces the suspects as follows: FRANK, he/him. A human of all things, the only one for miles most likely. Skinny white fella with a four-inch black mohawk, red plaid pants, black Converse high tops, and black t-shirt sans sleeves advertising a band known for being noisy. More earrings than a jewelry store in his left ear, single big clawlike black earring in the right, ring with a nice green gem on the matesprit finger. He has some ink, including a full arm sleeve. He’s tapping his knee nervously as he smokes a cigarette. His left hand is wrapped. Guy looks like he works out. ANNIE, she/her. A wiry rustblood with a shaved head. Her arms are folded to hunch in defensively as she glowers out at the room. She’s young, can’t be far out of her teens, if that. One of her horns is broken. Her clothes are loose on her, a teal sundress slipping off of one shoulder, and she has no shoes or accessories or even pockets. No sign of a symbol either. She looks sopor-deprived, heavy bags under her eyes and a nervy twitch about her. But her ring looks like it might be worth something, a heavy-looking yellow number worn on the moirail finger. ENNIS, he/him. A toothpick of a goldblood, albino, with scruffy white hair and skin washed out yellow. He’s standing stiffly next to Annie rather than sitting, one arm behind her resting on the bar. He doesn’t look that old himself, maybe twenty or so. He’s wearing an oversized t-shirt from some charity run and pants that don’t quite reach his ankles. No shoes, no accessories, no symbol. Behind Annie you can just see his right hand on the bar: another ring of decent value on the moirail finger, a rust-red stone set in a silvery band. SQUEEGIE, she/her. She’s a juggalo, wide and tall, though nowhere near as large as Biggs. Her purple eyes reveal her blood colour even with paint caking the rest of her face. She has a big mane of hair and polished, sharpened claws. Her symbol, shaped like a minimalist cat head, is splayed across her black crop top. She’s also wearing a short pleated pink skirt stained with a mysterious substance or two, a clear plastic overshirt, and a lot of plastic beaded jewelry. She has a lot of tattoos, mostly of cats who are also clowns. No shoes, no quadrant rings. Her hind claws are as well kept as the ones on her hands. She’s standing slouched back against the bar, relaxed, maybe bored. VAEDRA, they/them. A slender and beautiful blueblood. Their hair is swept into a neat updo. Their clothes are all black, a well-fitting button-down, trousers, and boots. They wear their symbol, a pattern of several circles, as a metal pin on the breast of their shirt. Their eyeliner is sharp and perfect and their lips are painted night-dark and glossy. They have little onyx studs pierced several in each ear, and no quadrant rings. They have good posture, sitting up straight with their hands resting delicately in their lap while they perch on a barstool and watch you impassively. Of course, then there’s Ida herself, who lives in the hotel and has no reason to be exempt from your suspect list. You don’t know her well, though you know she gets along decently with the mayor, and has lived here longer than you have. She’s a curvy oliveblood with age lines on her face and her salt and pepper hair coiffed in ringlets like she’s some kind of human movie star. She wears her symbol, an abstract swirling thing, in this gaudy, jewelled pendant. Her claws are manicured with little rhinestones glued on, and her cat’s eye glasses are equally bejewelled. Biggs, the other person in the room, is another blueblood and approximately the size of a large rhinoceros, or maybe a small mountain. Ze’s not a suspect here, but nor is ze likely to be any help with the case, other than in making sure nobody leaves. You’d have to be real stupid or real desperate to mess with Biggs. [[Have Ida take you to the victim’s room.]]

“He was staying in Room 5,” Ida says, leading you upstairs. “It’s this one. I didn’t touch anything, and nobody’s been in since the mayor, we were all downstairs.” The door has a number five like what folk use to mark their address when they’ve got one. When you touch the handle the door swings open without you having to turn it, though something blocks it from opening fully. “It does that when it’s not locked,” Ida explains. “It’s an old building-- that’s how I found the body, I went to knock on his door and it swung right open.” Ida waits outside while you go in. The inside of the room is as drab as the rest of the hotel, and it smells like corpse. There’s a double bed in the middle of the room with a nightstand and lamp on either side, and a dresser across from the bed. There’s also a table against the far wall underneath the window, and a bathroom door in the far right corner. And, of course, a corpse. Lovell was a big fella like the mayor said: not particularly taller than average, but wide, and muscular. He’s on the ground in a crumpled heap a few steps away from the door; he’s the obstacle preventing it from opening. His back is to the door. He looks like he fell to his knees and tipped over sideways from there, slumped in a strange position ass-up. He’s dressed in day clothes; a white button down, black suit jacket, black trousers, and black shoes. A lot of dark red blood has pooled underneath his midriff and sunk into the carpet, leaving a large stain. [[Take a closer look at the body.]] [[Take a closer look at the rest of the room.]]

In addition to the blood stain on the floor, there’s some blood spattering on the covers of the made bed. Judging by the trajectory, whoever shot him was standing on the opposite side of the bed, at the back of the room. There’s a small black leather travel bag under the table. Inside you find a couple changes of clothes in Lovell’s size, a box of bullets for a handgun, a two-thirds empty steel thermos of sopor just under the legal volume, a sopor mask, a toothbrush, a small tube of toothpaste, a half-empty plastic water bottle, and an opened, half-empty pack of beef jerky. The bottle looks like it could hold about a week’s more sopor than it currently does. The dresser and side table drawers are all empty. There are no personal effects in the bathroom, either, and both it and the bedroom are otherwise unremarkable.<<set $lookedatroom to 1>> <<if $lookedatbody is not 1>>[[Take a closer look at the body.]]<<else>>[[Ask Ida a few questions.]]<</if>>

Stepping carefully around the body, you crouch down in front of it to take a look at Lovell’s front. The most obvious detail is the gunshot wound in his stomach. Dark orange-red blood stains the entire front of his shirt, which is mangled at the point of entry. You didn’t see an exit wound; the bullet is still in him. His symbol necklace, brass, hangs from his stiff neck puddled on the floor. Another thing you notice is his skin is weirdly blue. Not just pale and washed out like most corpses you’ve seen, but there’s a funny blue cast to it there shouldn’t be on a rustblood. He has a black eye, the right one. Looks recent. Somebody or something got a hit in real good. He also has a matesprit ring, an expensive one with a bronze stone. Suppose that explains the mayor’s concern. You take a pair of blue latex gloves from your bag and put them on, retracting your claws so as not to puncture them. You check the body over thoroughly-- rigor mortis has set in, which means it’s been more than three hours since he died, but fewer than forty-eight. He has several tattoos including a bull’s head on his chest, his symbol on his right wrist, and “world of hounds” in Alternian wrapped around his left ankle. He has a silver tooth, one of his back molars. His spit is foamed up in his mouth, not enough to spill out, but it’s thick and reddish. His clothes fit him well, and have no tags. His shoes fit him well, which is a little more remarkable-- not like humans mass produce that shit, not for trolls. In his pockets are a wallet, a pack of cigarettes, a Swiss army knife, a Zippo lighter, and a set of car keys. In the wallet is five hundred and sixty-three dollars in varying bill sizes, some loose change, a couple photographs, a driver’s license, and a gun license. The driver’s license says he’s named Lenny Price, 32, 5’9, 250 lbs. Judging from his appearance, the height, weight, and age are at least approximately accurate. The gun license is also issued to Lenny Price. The photographs are of Annie and Ennis; in Annie’s she has a sidecut. In the left inside pocket of his jacket you find a handgun. It’s fully loaded and the safety is on. The gun appears well cared for. It’s a fairly recent model, one from the last couple years. You take it and the contents of his pockets with you so the body can be moved without you losing access to the evidence. And if nobody, at the end of all this, is using that five hundred dollars...<<set $lookedatbody to 1>> <<if $lookedatroom is not 1>>[[Take a closer look at the rest of the room.]]<<else>>[[Ask Ida a few questions.]]<</if>>

You emerge from the room. Ida is waiting in the hallway. “I need to ask you some questions,” you say. “Of course,” she says, worrying her hands. “Ask away.” <<if $walkmethroughlastnightida is not 1>>[[Walk me through last night.]] <</if>>[[What do you know about the victim?]] [[Did you see anything unusual?]] [[When was the victim last seen alive?]]

Ida follows you back downstairs. Ennis and Annie are talking quietly to each other. Squeegie has helped herself to the bar. Vaedra is more or less where you left them, looking bored. And Frank is over by the door talking to Biggs. “So whattya bench, big guy? 300? 350? Small buses?” Frank has a very strong accent of some sort or another. Biggs ignores him. “Your loss.” Frank shrugs and heads back to the bar to pour himself a drink.<<set $askedaboutring to 0>><<set $peopletalkedto to 0>><<set $peopleaccusedofring to 0>><<set $poisonaccusations to 0>><<set $ringaccusations to 0>> [[Call the mayor to have the body removed.]] [[Go look at the cars.]] [[Talk to a suspect.]] [[Take a look around the hotel.]]

“Well, it’s been pretty eventful around here, I can tell you that. Last night during lunch Mr. Lovell comes rushing downstairs ranting about how somebody robbed him, accusing all of us of being responsible. //All// of us, not so much as a howdy-doo. Of course everyone denied it. I have no idea whether somebody even did rob him, but it didn’t endear him to any of us. “And that was just the top of it. He went out to have a smoke, and when he came in he went back upstairs and Mr. Frank followed him. Then there was such a ruckus-- they got into a fistfight! We all go rushing upstairs and I’m real worried about someone getting hurt or breaking my doors or paintings or some such, I was yelling for them to stop so Mx. Vaedra goes and pulls a handgun and steps between them saying break it up gents. They stopped fighting but Frank was yelling about Lovell, saying he was trying to break into Ennis and Annie’s room so there was a whole nother argument there. Now I don’t know what really went on but I do know it took everyone a while to simmer down after that. “And then after dinner I served everyone drinks, and Lovell goes and accuses Ms. Squeegie of stealing from him in particular. Called her a ‘filthy juggalo junkie,’ saying she probably took it to buy drugs, and I coulda told him that was a bad idea cause she got right up in his face, took her own drink and crushed the glass in her hand. I added that glass to her tab, course that’ll be the least of your worries-- Anyway, she said, ‘You better not turn your back around me, scum,’ and stormed off upstairs. Frankly,” she leans in close to you, speaking quietly, “I think she seems awfully guilty cause of that.” “That’s what I’m here to figure out. Please, continue your story,” you say. “Right. Well, she goes upstairs, and then we hear this awful loud music. The kind with all this screaming and screeching and banging noises. She was just blasting the stuff. Set my nerves right on edge, and I wasn’t the only one. Ennis was looking like he might faint. He took himself and Annie upstairs right after that. I didn’t see them again til morning. And then Frank went upstairs shortly after them. “Vaedra and Lovell both stayed and had a few more drinks. Lovell more than a few. He tried hitting on them but they weren’t having any of it, put that notion right out of his head and after a little decided to call it a night too and went on upstairs. Lovell stayed for another drink or two before he went upstairs. I cleaned up the bar and Squeegie was still blasting that awful music, so I went and told her to quiet it down. I ran into Frank in the hallway, said he was going out on a walk, humans being diurnal and all. But anyway, I had to pound on that door for five minutes before Squeegie even heard me. She finally answered and agreed to turn it off so folk could sleep. “Then I went to bed myself, woke up round dusk and made breakfast for everybody. Lovell didn’t come downstairs to get any so I went up and knocked on his door and that’s when I found the body.” “You didn’t hear a gunshot at any point?” “No, I didn’t hear much of anything but that blasted music all evening.”<<set $walkmethroughlastnightida to 1>> [[Do you know any of the guests?]] <<if $whatdidheaccuseyouofstealingida is not 1>>[[What did Lovell accuse everyone of stealing?]] <</if>>[[Did everyone stay in their rooms except Frank?]] [[Do you own a gun?]]

“Well, he was an unpleasant bastard for one thing. Accused us all of stealing from him, got into tiffs with both Frank and Squeegie, and he had to be put right back in his place by Vaedra when he was flirting with them this morning. Not to mention it was his fault he got into those fights in the first place, what with Frank accusing him of breaking into Annie and Ennis’s room, and him insulting Squeegie to her face. I don’t know much about juggalos, but I do know pissing one off is a straight up bad idea. That sort likes killing. I’m surprised she didn’t do it right there at the bar. His blood might’ve been easier to get out of the hardwood than the carpet ... Anyway, not a popular fella in the least, and he’d only been here for a day. “I can’t really think of anything else unusual about him, other than him checking in in close succession with Vaedra and Frank. I don’t usually get this much business in one night, let alone this much excitement.”<<set $whatdoyouknowaboutthevictimida to 1>> [[Did he seem to have relationships with any of the other guests?]] [[What order did he, Frank, and Vaedra check in in?]] <<if $whatdidheaccuseyouofstealingida is not 1>>[[What did Lovell accuse everyone of stealing?|What did Lovell accuse everyone of stealing?2]]<</if>>

“Let’s see... well, there’s a human in my hotel, Lovell accused all of us of stealing from him, I saw Squeegie crush a glass to shards with one hand, and not to mention we were treated to the most awful music blasting from her room. Besides that... well, I don’t know if it counts as unusual, but those two little moirails ate like they were half starved. First night they were here was the first time in a long time I had to go and cook seconds. Frank ate more than I expected him to, too, for a little guy, but I don’t know nothing about humans, maybe they’re all like that. At least that time I was prepared, expecting it from the kids, and Squeegie and Lovell on account of them both being larger folks. I swear, if this group was any hungrier I’d go into the red on groceries. “Vaedra, Frank, Lovell, and Squeegie all got real nice rides, too. It’s not often I get so many rich folk staying here, especially all at once. Their cars are all out in the side lot, if you want to see for yourself.” “Can I take a look in the cars?” you ask.<<set $didyouseeanythingunusualida to 1>> “You’ll have to ask each guest if you wanna go in them. But help yourself to Mr. Lovell’s.”<<if $whatdidheaccuseyouofstealingida is not 1>><<set $whatdidheaccuseyouofstealingida to 1>> ”What did Lovell accuse everyone of stealing?” “I don’t fully remember what with everything that’s happened-- a ring? A watch? Money? Something from his room, certainly.” “And he was very upset about this?” “He was madder than a human scorned. I don’t know if it was over the thing he lost, or just about somebody robbing him.”<</if>> <<if $walkmethroughlastnightida is not 1>> [[Walk me through last night.]]<</if>><<if $whatdoyouknowaboutthevictimida is not 1>> [[What do you know about the victim?]]<</if>><<if $whenwasthevictimlastseenida is not 1>> [[When was the victim last seen alive?]]<</if>><<if $whenwasthevictimlastseenida is 1 and $walkmethroughlastnightida is 1 and $whatdoyouknowaboutthevictimida is 1 and $didyouseeanythingunusualida is 1>> [[Go back downstairs.]]<</if>>

“That’d be this morning. He stayed downstairs later than the other guests drinking, I don’t know when exactly it was he went up to his room. I’d guess around 8 or 9 in the morning. That was the last I saw of him, I don’t know if anyone else ran into him after that.”<<set $whenwasthevictimlastseenida to 1>> <<if $walkmethroughlastnightida is not 1>> [[Walk me through last night.]]<</if>><<if $whatdoyouknowaboutthevictimida is not 1>> [[What do you know about the victim?]]<</if>><<if $didyouseeanythingunusualida is not 1>> [[Did you see anything unusual?]]<</if>><<if $whenwasthevictimlastseenida is 1 and $walkmethroughlastnightida is 1 and $whatdoyouknowaboutthevictimida is 1 and $didyouseeanythingunusualida is 1>> [[Go back downstairs.]]<</if>>

“Personally? No, I don’t. Ms. Squeegie checked in three nights ago, Annie and Ennis a couple nights ago, and the rest of them checked in last night.” “Have any of them talked about what they’re doing here?” “All of them say they’re just passing through. That’s what people say when they wanna be all vague. Squeegie was the only one who gave me any sort of detail when we were chatting about it. She says she’s a traveller, goes wherever she feels like, world is her oyster as mandated by her gods and all that. So just passing through, but not all cagey about it.” “What about Frank? What’s he doing in a trolltown?” “He didn’t mention. Just passing through, like I said. Actually what he said was he’s here to enjoy the lovely view, but that’s just as much bullshit. Ain’t nothing to see out here, unless he meant, you know.” She adjusts her breasts in her low cut dress. “He’s a flirty bastard.”<<set $doyouknowanyoftheguestsida to 1>> <<if $whatdidheaccuseyouofstealingida is not 1>> [[What did Lovell accuse everyone of stealing?]]<</if>><<if $dideverybodystayintheirroomsida is not 1>> [[Did everyone stay in their rooms except Frank?]]<</if>><<if $doyouownagunida is not 1>> [[Do you own a gun?]]<</if>><<if $doyouknowanyoftheguestsida is 1 and $whatdidheaccuseyouofstealingida is 1 and $dideverybodystayintheirroomsida is 1 and $doyouownagunida is 1>><<if $whatdoyouknowaboutthevictimida is not 1>> [[What do you know about the victim?]]<</if>><<if $didyouseeanythingunusualida is not 1>> [[Did you see anything unusual?]]<</if>><<if $whenwasthevictimlastseenida is not 1>> [[When was the victim last seen alive?]]<</if>><<if $whenwasthevictimlastseenida is 1 and $walkmethroughlastnightida is 1 and $whatdoyouknowaboutthevictimida is 1 and $didyouseeanythingunusualida is 1>> [[Go back downstairs.]]<</if>><</if>>

“I don’t fully remember what with everything that’s happened-- a ring? A watch? Money? Something from his room, certainly.” “And he was very upset about this?” “He was madder than a human scorned. I don’t know if it was over the thing he lost, or just about somebody robbing him.”<<set $whatdidheaccuseyouofstealingida to 1>> <<if $doyouknowanyoftheguestsida is not 1>> [[Do you know any of the guests?]]<</if>><<if $dideverybodystayintheirroomsida is not 1>> [[Did everyone stay in their rooms except Frank?]]<</if>><<if $doyouownagunida is not 1>> [[Do you own a gun?]]<</if>><<if $doyouknowanyoftheguestsida is 1 and $whatdidheaccuseyouofstealingida is 1 and $dideverybodystayintheirroomsida is 1 and $doyouownagunida is 1>> [[What do you know about the victim?]]<<if $didyouseeanythingunusualida is not 1>> [[Did you see anything unusual?]]<</if>><<if $whenwasthevictimlastseenida is not 1>> [[When was the victim last seen alive?]]<</if>><<if $whenwasthevictimlastseenida is 1 and $walkmethroughlastnightida is 1 and $whatdoyouknowaboutthevictimida is 1 and $didyouseeanythingunusualida is 1>> [[Go back downstairs.]]<</if>><</if>>

“As far as I know, yes. Frank was the only one I ran into before I turned in, but someone else could’ve been up and about while I was asleep, or while I was still tending bar downstairs. If anyone left the hotel, it’ll show up on the security cameras, but those are only over the front and back doors, I don’t have any internal cameras.”<<set $dideverybodystayintheirroomsida to 1>> <<if $doyouknowanyoftheguestsida is not 1>> [[Do you know any of the guests?]]<</if>><<if $whatdidheaccuseyouofstealingida is not 1>> [[What did Lovell accuse everyone of stealing?]]<</if>><<if $doyouownagunida is not 1>> [[Do you own a gun?]]<</if>><<if $doyouknowanyoftheguestsida is 1 and $whatdidheaccuseyouofstealingida is 1 and $dideverybodystayintheirroomsida is 1 and $doyouownagunida is 1>><<if $whatdoyouknowaboutthevictimida is not 1>> [[What do you know about the victim?]]<</if>><<if $didyouseeanythingunusualida is not 1>> [[Did you see anything unusual?]]<</if>><<if $whenwasthevictimlastseenida is not 1>> [[When was the victim last seen alive?]]<</if>><<if $whenwasthevictimlastseenida is 1 and $walkmethroughlastnightida is 1 and $whatdoyouknowaboutthevictimida is 1 and $didyouseeanythingunusualida is 1>> [[Go back downstairs.]]<</if>><</if>>

“Honey, I’m a business owner. Of course I own a gun.” “What kind of gun?” “A revolver. I keep it in the desk while I’m working and in my room while I’m not.”<<set $doyouownagunida to 1>> <<if $doyouknowanyoftheguestsida is not 1>> [[Do you know any of the guests?]]<</if>><<if $whatdidheaccuseyouofstealingida is not 1>> [[What did Lovell accuse everyone of stealing?]]<</if>><<if $dideverybodystayintheirroomsida is not 1>> [[Did everyone stay in their rooms except Frank?]]<</if>><<if $doyouknowanyoftheguestsida is 1 and $whatdidheaccuseyouofstealingida is 1 and $dideverybodystayintheirroomsida is 1 and $doyouownagunida is 1>><<if $whatdoyouknowaboutthevictimida is not 1>> [[What do you know about the victim?]]<</if>><<if $didyouseeanythingunusualida is not 1>> [[Did you see anything unusual?]]<</if>><<if $whenwasthevictimlastseenida is not 1>> [[When was the victim last seen alive?]]<</if>><<if $whenwasthevictimlastseenida is 1 and $walkmethroughlastnightida is 1 and $whatdoyouknowaboutthevictimida is 1 and $didyouseeanythingunusualida is 1>> [[Go back downstairs.]]<</if>><</if>>

“Come to think of it, Annie and Ennis and Frank all seemed real wary, even before he accused them all of stealing from him. Even after that though, neither Vaedra nor Squeegie seemed to give a hoot til he was getting up in Squeegie’s face in particular. Frank’s got a good handle on his confidence, typical human, but I’m good enough at reading folk to know when someone’s nervy. But Annie and Ennis practically ran from the room the first time they saw him. You know, those two seem joined at the hip, even for moirails. I don’t think I’ve seen them apart since they checked in a couple nights ago.” “Was he doing anything in particular when he scared Annie and Ennis off?” “No, he was just at the desk, getting his room settled with me. They were coming down the stairs, and he looked over at the noise, and they both scampered right back up.”<<set $victimrelationshipstoguestsida to 1>> <<if $whatorderdidtheycheckinida is not 1>> [[What order did he, Frank, and Vaedra check in in?]]<</if>><<if $whatdidheaccuseyouofstealingida is not 1>> [[What did Lovell accuse everyone of stealing?|What did Lovell accuse everyone of stealing?2]]<</if>><<if $whatdidheaccuseyouofstealingida is 1 and $victimrelationshipstoguestsida is 1 and $whatorderdidtheycheckinida is 1>><<if $walkmethroughlastnightida is not 1>> [[Walk me through last night.]]<</if>><<if $didyouseeanythingunusualida is not 1>> [[Did you see anything unusual?]]<</if>><<if $whenwasthevictimlastseenida is not 1>> [[When was the victim last seen alive?]]<</if>><<if $whenwasthevictimlastseenida is 1 and $walkmethroughlastnightida is 1 and $whatdoyouknowaboutthevictimida is 1 and $didyouseeanythingunusualida is 1>> [[Go back downstairs.]]<</if>><</if>>

“Let’s see... he was first, then Frank, then Vaedra. All within a couple hours of each other, and all in the evening, before I’d even started making lunch.” “Did they seem to recognise each other at all?” “Well, Frank seemed real nervy just in general, though he was acting all flirty and macho. Might just be cause he’s a human in a trolltown, but it might have had something to do with Lovell, I don’t know. Vaedra I’ve no clue. They’ve got a real--” she waves a hand back and forth over her face. “Poker face. Didn’t seem nervous or excited or anything to me though. Just calm.”<<set $whatorderdidtheycheckinida to 1>> <<if $victimrelationshipstoguestsida is not 1>> [[Did he seem to have relationships with any of the other guests?]]<</if>><<if $whatdidheaccuseyouofstealingida is not 1>> [[What did Lovell accuse everyone of stealing?|What did Lovell accuse everyone of stealing?2]]<</if>><<if $whatdidheaccuseyouofstealingida is 1 and $victimrelationshipstoguestsida is 1 and $whatorderdidtheycheckinida is 1>><<if $walkmethroughlastnightida is not 1>> [[Walk me through last night.]]<</if>><<if $didyouseeanythingunusualida is not 1>> [[Did you see anything unusual?]]<</if>><<if $whenwasthevictimlastseenida is not 1>> [[When was the victim last seen alive?]]<</if>><<if $whenwasthevictimlastseenida is 1 and $walkmethroughlastnightida is 1 and $whatdoyouknowaboutthevictimida is 1 and $didyouseeanythingunusualida is 1>> [[Go back downstairs.]]<</if>><</if>>

“I don’t fully remember what with everything that’s happened-- a ring? A watch? Money? Something from his room, certainly.” “And he was very upset about this?” “He was madder than a human scorned. I don’t know if it was over the thing he lost, or just about somebody robbing him.”<<set $whatdidheaccuseyouofstealingida to 1>> <<if $victimrelationshipstoguestsida is not 1>> [[Did he seem to have relationships with any of the other guests?]]<</if>><<if $whatorderdidtheycheckinida is not 1>> [[What order did he, Frank, and Vaedra check in in?]]<</if>><<if $whatdidheaccuseyouofstealingida is 1 and $victimrelationshipstoguestsida is 1 and $whatorderdidtheycheckinida is 1>><<if $walkmethroughlastnightida is not 1>> [[Walk me through last night.]]<</if>><<if $didyouseeanythingunusualida is not 1>> [[Did you see anything unusual?]]<</if>><<if $whenwasthevictimlastseenida is not 1>> [[When was the victim last seen alive?]]<</if>><<if $whenwasthevictimlastseenida is 1 and $walkmethroughlastnightida is 1 and $whatdoyouknowaboutthevictimida is 1 and $didyouseeanythingunusualida is 1>> [[Go back downstairs.]]<</if>><</if>>

You use Ida’s office phone, an old pearly-handled thing, to call the mayor. She says she’ll send a couple guys over soon to haul out the body.<<set $bodyremoved to 1>> [[Continue the investigation.|Nevermind.]]

You go outside to the side lot to look at the cars. There are six cars parked. One of them is Ida’s, a lime green VW Bug with fuzzy dice hanging from the rearview. You’ve seen it around town before. Besides that, the lot includes: A black four-door Volvo in mint condition. The model’s from about ten years ago, but the car looks brand new. It has Louisiana plates. A Ford SUV spraypainted purple with colourful stencils of flowers, balloons, and such sprayed all over. Squeegie’s symbol is painted on the hood. It has Texas plates. A black Mercedes town car with no plates. It’s a recent model. Not a scratch on her. A light blue Ford Pinto that’s seen better decades. The door is dented in. Honestly, it’s a miracle it made it this far from civilisation without collapsing in on itself. It has Colorado plates. This year’s Toyota Corolla, black, with New York plates. You look at the car keys you took off Lovell. They bear the Mercedes logo.<<set $lookedatallcars to 1>> [[Check out Lovell’s car.]] [[Search a suspect’s car.]] [[Continue the investigation.|Nevermind.]]

All six suspects, and Biggs, are still gathered. [[Talk to Frank.]] [[Talk to Annie.]] [[Talk to Ennis.]] <<if $squeegieoffended is 1>>[[Talk to Squeegie.|Squeegie’s pissed]]<<else>>[[Talk to Squeegie.]]<</if>> <<if $vaedrapissed is 1>>[[Talk to Vaedra|Agree.]]<<elseif $vaedrapissed is 1 and $vaedrasearchedyourbag is 1>>[[Talked to Vaedra.|VaedraPissedBagSearched]]<<elseif $vaedrapissed2 is 1>>[[Talk to Vaedra.|Not alright.]]<<else>>[[Talk to Vaedra.]]<</if>> [[Talk to Ida.]] [[Nevermind.]]

You take yourself for a walk around the hotel. It’s small, only two stories, and smaller than some houses you’ve been in. On the first floor, apart from the lobby and dining room, are Ida’s office, a bathroom, the kitchen, a storage room containing some spare furniture, and Ida’s bedroom. Upstairs are the guest rooms in two rows, and a small storage closet. Facing the front of the building are rooms 1, 3, 5, and 7. Facing the back of the building are rooms 2, 4, and 6. Lovell was staying in room 5, which is across from the stairs. The storage closet holds cleaning supplies; it’s at the end of the hallway next to the door for room 2.<<set $lookedaroundhotel to 1>> [[Continue the investigation.|Nevermind.]]

Lovell’s keys open the Mercedes. Inside it’s pretty clean, just a couple cigarettes in the ashtray and jerky wrappers on the passenger seat. Also on the passenger seat is a mapbook of America. The car smells like cigarettes. There’s an almost-finished black coffee in the cupholder in a nondescript paper go cup. Inside the glove compartment is a small hammer used for breaking car window in the event of getting trapped, a slim jim -- the tool, not the jerky, some napkins, a pack of chewing gum, a flashlight, the owner’s manual for the car, a pair of aviators, and a couple boxes of bullets for a shotgun, including some shotgun shells. In the trunk is a car jack, a tarp, a spare tire, jumper cables, a gun cleaning kit, and a small toolbox with basic tools inside. Under the passenger seat you find a hidden, fully loaded shotgun. The safety is on and it has been well cared for.<<set $lookedatlovellscar to 1>> [[Search a suspect’s car.]] [[Continue the investigation.|Nevermind.]]

<<if $talkedtofrank is not 1>>You walk up to Frank. “I’d like to ask you a few questions. Can we talk in your room?” “Sure.” Frank downs his drink and sets the glass on the bar. He’s left handed. He takes you up to Room 3, which is next to the victim’s. “I mean, normally I’d say buy me a drink first but under the circumstances we can waive that little nicety.” His accent does not sound local. There’s a small canvas backpack on the table under the windows, but otherwise the room contains no personal effects other than cigarettes in the ashtray. Frank sits on the bed. “What can I help you with, Detective?” He lights a cigarette.<<set $talkedtofrank to 1>><<set $peopletalkedto to $peopletalkedto + 1>><<else>>”We meet again.”<</if>> <<frankshit>>

<<if $talkedtoannie is not 1>>You approach Annie. She glares at you, eyes narrowed. “I’d like to ask you some questions, in your room please.” “We’d all like things, wouldn’t we.” But she gets up and sulks upstairs. After unlocking the door to Room 1 and shutting it she crosses her arms.<<if $talkedtoennis is 0>> The room is tidy. There’s a duffle bag on the table underneath the windows. It’s open and looks to be mostly empty. There’s a bottle of pills on the nightstand.<</if>><<set $talkedtoannie to 1>><<set $peopletalkedto to $peopletalkedto + 1>> “Well, don’t just stand there.” She gestures agitatedly. “Ask away.”<<elseif $talkedtoannie is 1>>”Fine, let’s get this over with.”<</if>> <<annieshit>>

<<if $talkedtoennis is not 1>>Ennis looks like he might barf as you approach him but he takes a deep breath and straightens up. “Let’s get this over with,” he says, and leads you to Room 1.<<if $talkedtoannie is 0>> The room is tidy. There’s a duffle bag on the table underneath the windows. It’s open and looks to be mostly empty. There’s a bottle of pills on the nightstand.<</if>><<set $talkedtoennis to 1>><<set $peopletalkedto to $peopletalkedto + 1>><<elseif $talkedtoennis is 1>>”W-what now?”<</if>> <<ennisshit>>

<<if $talkedtosqueegie is not 1>>Squeegie pushes off from the wall without a word and sashays upstairs to Room 7. Inside it looks like a tornado has hit. It’s hard to believe she’s only been here three nights. The contents of several suitcases are strewn everywhere, mostly clothes. Lots of sparkly clothes. She flumps down on a pile of them. “So ask away, Copper.”<<set $talkedtosqueegie to 1>><<set $peopletalkedto to $peopletalkedto + 1>><<elseif $talkedtosqueegie is 1>>”Can’t get enough of me, huh?”<</if>> <<squeegieshit>>

<<if $talkedtovaedra is not 1>>Vaedra smiles pleasantly at you as you approach. “Hello, Detective. I suppose you’d like to ask me a few questions?” Their voice is light and their enunciation is perfect. “Yes.” “We can talk in my room.” They stand up fluidly and lead the way upstairs. They let you into Room 2, which is perfectly tidy, the only personal effect a leather backpack sitting on the dresser. They sit neatly on the bed. “How can I help you?”<<set $talkedtovaedra to 1>><<set $peopletalkedto to $peopletalkedto + 1>><<else>>Vaedra leads the way back upstairs to Room 2.<</if>> <<vaedrashit>>

“Ida, I’d like to ask you a few more questions.” “Ask away. I’d like to put this whole nasty business behind us.”<<set $talktoidasecondtime to 1>><<set $peopletalkedto to $peopletalkedto + 1>> <<idashit>>

[[Talk to a suspect.]]<<if $bodyremoved is not 1>> [[Call the mayor to have the body removed.]]<</if>><<if $lookedatallcars is not 1>> [[Go look at the cars.]]<</if>><<if $lookedatallcars is 1 and $lookedatlovellscar is not 1>> [[Check out Lovell’s car.]]<</if>><<if $lookedaroundhotel is not 1>> [[Take a look around the hotel.]]<</if>><<if $lookedatallcars is 1>><<if $searchedfrankscar is 1 and $searchcarannieennis is 1 and $searchedsqueegiescar is 1 and $searchedvaedrascar is 1 and $searchidascar is 1>><<else>> [[Search a suspect’s car.]]<</if>><</if>><<if $peopletalkedto is 3 or $peopletalkedto is 4 or $peopletalkedto is 5 or $peopletalkedto is 6>><<if $securitycameras is not 1>> [[The mayor’s office calls.]]<</if>><</if>><<if $askedaboutring is 6 and $havering is not 1>> [[Accuse someone of taking the ring.]]<</if>><<if $notmybusinessfrank is 1 and $frankhasphotoannieennis is not 1>> [[Break into Frank’s room and look in the hidden pocket in his backpack.]]<</if>><<if $canilookatyourstuffvaedra is 1 and $lookedthroughvaedrasstuff is not 1>> [[Break into Vaedra’s room and look through their backpack.]]<</if>><<if $notshotfromdoorway is 1>> [[Call the man from the little black book and tell him you have Annie and Ennis.]]<</if>><<if $anniebribed is 1>> [[Decide to take Annie’s bribe after all.|Accept2]]<</if>> [[I’ve solved it. Time to crack this case wide open.|Conclusion.]] [[Fuck this. Just blame someone.]]

“Well, let’s see. I arrived here around 10 and got myself a room. I dicked around my room for a bit, might have read, went down for lunch around 1 a.m. Pretty good food, and I was hungry. Then that Lovell chap comes storming into the dining area ranting about being robbed or some shite, pointing the finger at anything with a pulse. Right insulting. He goes out for a smoke and I hoped that’d be the last of it but he came storming back in with a look I know all too well on his face so I took it upon myself to follow him and sure enough he was trying to break into the kiddies’ room. I told him to stop and he shoved me, and well,” he smiles, an attractive sideways smile, “I don’t take kindly to being shoved. So I punched him. Woulda done more but Vaedra broke it up and I know better than to argue with a person with a gun. “I told the kids that he was tryin’ ta break into their room and everyone started shouting. Lovell didn’t like the shoe on the other foot, with us all accusing him, said he had a right to look for his stuff but left soon after in a huff. I did too. Needed some air so I took myself off for a walk.” He pauses. Up close Frank looks young, mid twenties if you are any judge of human age. He’s fidgety, one foot crossed over his knee, tapping a rhythm in the air. His hands are calloused at the fingertips, the nails painted black. He blows out some smoke. “Where was I? Oh, yeah. So we all had dinner, everyone minding their own knitting, just enjoying the good food and some peace. Ida serves us drinks and that’s when Mr. Loudmouth starts it up again, accusing Miss Squeegie of selling his ring for drugs, insulting her religion, which if you ask me is a stupid thing to do with a juggalo, especially a big woman like her.” He shakes his head. “She gets right up in his face and--” Frank laughs a little, remembering, “Fecking smashes her drink tumbler in her hand and tells him to not turn his back when she’s around. What a woman.” Chuckles. “Then she storms upstairs and plays some grunge metal so loud I thought Ida was gonna have a heart attack. The kids took themselves off upstairs and I’d had enough of Lovell for one evening so I did too.”<<set $whathappenedlastnightfrank to 1>><<set $knowsaboutring to 1>> <<frankshit>>

“What time we talking? After I went upstairs?” You nod assent. “Uh, well, I went for a walk at one point, suppose the security cameras will back that up. Don’t rightly know what time. I don’t sleep well anyway and troll schedules take some getting used to.”<<set $doyouhavealibifrank to 1>> <<frankshit>>

“No. Never met him before.”<<set $didyouknowvictimfrank to 1>> <<frankshit>>

“Can’t say I’ve had the pleasure.”<<set $didyouknowotherguestsfrank to 1>> <<frankshit>>

He laughs. “In my lifetime? Sure. But I suppose you’re asking about the here and now. Other than Squeegie crushing that glass, can’t say that I did.”<<set $seeunusualfrank to 1>> <<frankshit>>

“You mean before we were all gathered for breakfast? I saw Ida in the hallway at one point. Squeegie turned off her music so I assume she was in her room. Can’t say about the others.”<<set $whereaboutsofotherguestsfrank to 1>> <<frankshit>>

“He said he was, but other than that, no.”<<set $victimbeingrobbedfrank to 1>> <<frankshit>>

“The Volvo. Ain’t she pretty?” <<if $lookedatallcars is 1>>“So you’re from Louisiana.” “Recently, yes.” <</if>>“Mind if I take a look around your car?” He shrugs. “Not much to see but knock yourself out.” He digs out his car keys from the pocket of his plaid pants and hands them over. “I assume you’re not going to steal her.”<<set $carkeysfrank to 1>> <<if $lookedatallcars is 1>>It’s tempting, but he’d know it was you and the mayor doesn’t want trouble. <</if>>You smile. “No.”<<set $whichcarfrank to 1>> <<frankshit>>

“Sure do.” “May I see it?” He grins sheepishly, reaches behind him and pulls a pearl handled Colt six-shooter out of the waistband of his pants, hands it over. “She’s an antique but she fires pretty true.” You check the chamber. It has six bullets still nestled inside. Nod, hand it back. He returns it to the pants. “Never know when you’re gonna need a gun.” “Do you run into trouble often?” “Yeah, trouble and I have a way of finding one another.”<<set $doyouownagunfrank to 1>> [[What do you do for a living?|What do you do for a living?F]] [[You planning to cause trouble here, Frank?]]

“Should I not be?” “It’s just a little unusual. We don’t get a lot of humans around here.” <<if $frankisheretohelpannieennis is not 1>>“I was passing through and it looked like a nice place to stop for a spell.” “Where were you headed?” “Vegas.” “You a gambler?” “You have no idea.” He chuckles and stubs out a cigarette before lighting another.<<if $frankisprivatedetective is 1>> “You said you were on your way to a case.” “Yes, but it’s in Vegas. Not like I go there every day.”<</if>><<elseif $frankisheretohelpannieennis is 1>>"I've already told you why I'm here."<</if>><<set $humanintrolltown to 1>> <<frankshit>>

“Belfast, Ireland.” He sighs and looks away. “And if you know anything about that place you won’t be askin’ why I left.” “Not much, no.” “It’s a war zone, mate. Not a place to grow old in if you know what I mean.”<<set $frankisfromireland to 1>> <<frankshit>>

He grins. “Boxing’s a hobby of mine, and punching assholes is a pleasure.” He rubs his wrapped hand absently, winces. “I think his face mighta been made out of rocks. Busted my hand up good.” “From one punch?” He shrugs. “I gotta glass knuckle from a prize fight a few months ago. It’s still healing up.”<<set $shinerisfromfrank to 1>> <<frankshit>>

“Certainly. I arrived here around midnight, perhaps a bit earlier. Lunch had not yet been served. I checked in, spent some time in my room refreshing myself after the drive, and then went downstairs when lunch was called. During lunch Lovell came downstairs and started yelling at everyone about how we had stolen his signet ring. There was some noise and confusion before he left in a huff, saying he was going to have a smoke. “We finished lunch, after which Lovell returned inside and went upstairs. Frank followed him. Shortly thereafter we heard a commotion from the upstairs hallway and all went upstairs to investigate, to find Frank and Lovell had gotten into a fistfight. Our lovely hostess was quite distressed at the potential destruction so I separated the two men with my gun drawn. They were quick to see reason and backed off of each other. At that point however Frank accused Lovell of attempting to break into Ennis and Annie’s room, which prompted another bout of confused shouting. “After that point I left to get some air and explore the town. I spent some time at the saloon playing pool, as well as walking around. I returned shortly before dinner. We all ate dinner together, and afterwards Ida served us drinks. Over drinks Lovell accused Squeegie of stealing his ring, which prompted her to threaten him, breaking a glass as a demonstration. After that she went upstairs and started playing grunge metal quite loudly. “Ennis and Annie also left the bar shortly thereafter, followed by Frank. They all went upstairs. I had another couple drinks, as I had no urgency to go to bed with music blaring. However Lovell attempted to flirt with me, which was rather unpleasant, so I decided to turn in for the evening. I went back to my room, took a shower, and then read until the music was turned off and I was able to sleep.”<<set $tellmewhathappenedvaedra to 1>><<set $knowsaboutring to 1>> <<vaedrashit>>

“No. I was alone in my room from when I left the bar to when I went down for breakfast.”<<set $alibivaedra to 1>> <<vaedrashit>>

“Not prior to last night, no.”<<set $knowvictimvaedra to 1>> <<vaedrashit>>

“No.”<<set $doyouknowotherguestsvaedra to 1>> <<vaedrashit>>

<<if $vaedrabribed is not 1 and $vaedrabribedring is not 1>>They smile gently. “Now isn’t that an interesting question.” “Are you going to answer it?” “Perhaps. What’s it worth?” <<if $vaedrawantsthering is 1>>[[Maybe I can get you that ring.]]<<else>>[[Someone like you’s in a town like this for a reason. Maybe we can strike a deal.]]<</if>> [[Offer them $50.]] [[Offer them $100.]] [[Offer them $200.]]<<if $lostgun is not 1>> [[Draw your gun on them.]]<</if>><</if>><<if $vaedrabribed is 1 or $vaedrabribedring is 1>> “As I said. Ennis put something in Lovell’s drink.” <<vaedrashit>><</if>><<set $haveyouseenanythingunusualvaedra to 1>>

“Not in particular. Squeegie, Annie, Ennis, and Frank all went upstairs before I did. I didn’t see them, though Squeegie was playing music, and it did get turned off by someone or other at some point. I was the first one down for breakfast in the morning.” “What order did the others come down in?” “They all came down more or less at the same time, shortly after Ida rang the bell to announce breakfast. Except Lovell, of course.”<<set $whereaboutsotherguestsvaedra to 1>> <<vaedrashit>>

“A signet ring was stolen from him, likely from someone else in this hotel. That’s all I know.<<if $vaedrawantsthering is 1>> And, of course, I need it back.<</if>>”<<set $victimrobbedvaedra to 1>> <<vaedrashit>>

“The Toyota.”<<if $lookedatallcars is 1>> ”So you’re from New York?” “I live there, yes.”<</if>> “Can I look through it?” “No.” You give them a look. They raise their eyebrows cooly. You wait. “We can play this game all night, if you like,” they say. “But I’m not letting you look through my car.”<<set $canilookatyourcarvaedra to 1>> <<vaedrashit>>

They take it from their pants pocket and show you, and open the chamber so you can see inside. It’s sleek and new and shiny, and it’s fully loaded.<<set $lookatgunvaedra to 1>> <<vaedrashit>>

“Did she now.” “That’s not an answer.” “And you didn’t ask me a question.” “Why did you leave your room in the middle of the morning?” “I didn’t.” “Did someone else enter your room?” “Not to my knowledge.” “What do you think Annie heard, then?” “I’ve no idea.”<<set $annieheardyourdooropenvaedra to 1>> <<vaedrashit>>

“No.” You sigh.<<set $canilookatyourstuffvaedra to 1>> <<vaedrashit>>

“My employer has interests here.” “I suppose I’m not getting anything more detailed out of you than that.” “You suppose correctly.” “Who’s your employer?” They smile enigmatically.<<set $whyareyouherevaedra to 1>> <<vaedrashit>>

“Oh, well done. Very astute. Gold stars all around.” You give them a look. They smile innocently.<<set $lookingforringconfirmvaedra to 1>> <<vaedrashit>>

“No.”<<set $didyoutaketheringvaedra to 1>><<set $askedaboutring to $askedaboutring + 1>> <<vaedrashit>>

They smile. “Well, if I did and I told you, that wouldn’t be very much fun, would it?” “I’m not here to have fun. I’m here to get to the bottom of this.” “I didn’t.” You give them a look. They smile calmly.<<set $didyoushoothimvaedra to 1>> <<vaedrashit>>

<<if $vaedrabribed is not 1 and $vaedrabribedring is not 1>>They laugh, high and cold and tinkling. “He was poisoned? Goodness. Not a very good night for Mr. Hewwen, was it? I didn’t do it. But I might know who did.” “Who?” “Now, now, it’s not exactly worth my while to tell you, is it?” <<if $vaedrawantsthering is 1>>[[Maybe I can get you that ring.]]<<else>>[[Someone like you’s in a town like this for a reason. Maybe we can strike a deal.|Someone like you’s in a town like this for a reason. Maybe we can strike a deal.2]]<</if>> [[Offer them $50.|Offer them $50.2]] [[Offer them $100.|Offer them $100.2]] [[Offer them $200.|Offer them $200.2]]<<if $lostgun is not 1>> [[Draw your gun on them.|Draw your gun on them.2]]<</if>><</if>><<if $vaedrabribed is 1 or $vaedrabribedring is 1>>They laugh, high and cold and tinkling. “He was poisoned? Goodness. Not a very good night for Mr. Hewwen, was it? I didn’t do it. But I think it’s safe to say Ennis did.” <<vaedrashit>><</if>><<set $askedpoisonvaedra to 1>>

“No.”<<set $vaedrabribelookatcar to 1>> <<vaedrashit>>

“No.”<<set $bribevaedralookatstuff to 1>> <<vaedrashit>>

“Excellent.” They hold out their hand. You give it to them. They examine it briefly under the light from the overhead lamp before putting it in an inside pocket of their shirt. “Now tell me what you know.” “I saw Ennis slip something into Lovell’s drink while Lovell was distracted arguing with Squeegie. A small amount of liquid from a bottle he had hidden in his hand. It was clear. I couldn’t smell what it was from where I was sitting. Lovell didn’t notice. Afterwards, he and his moirail went up to bed for the day. Probably some sort of poison, wouldn’t you agree?”<<set $vaedrabribedring to 1>><<set $havering to 0>><<if $vaedrapissed2 is 1>> “Are we even now?” “Yes, I think so.”<<set $vaedrapissed to 0>><</if>> <<vaedrashit>>

“Too bad.” <<vaedrashit>>

“Fine, take it.” They hand it over. “But if you point it at me again, I’m keeping it.” <<set $lostgun to 0>><<set $gunthreatenbiggs to 1>> <<vaedrashit>>

They just look at you. “Right.”<<set $whydoyouhavesomanygunsvaedra to 1>> <<vaedrashit>>

“Looking up phone numbers. As one does with phone books.” “You must have to look up an awful lot of numbers.” “What can I say. I’m a social person.”<<set $phonebooksvaedra to 1>> <<vaedrashit>>

They look at you cooly. “Use your imagination.” “You’re a really hardcore slug exterminator.” They laugh. “No.”<<set $saltvaedra to 1>> <<vaedrashit>>

“Occasionally I sleep in my car. It can be more practical than finding a hotel when you’re on the road.” “And you’re all about the practical, aren’t you.” They smile grimly. “Good guess.”<<set $blanketsvaedra to 1>> <<vaedrashit>>

“I’m not an //animal.”//<<set $vacuumcarvaedra to 1>> <<vaedrashit>>

“Ironing my clothes. It may come as a surprise but I don’t actually look this good without effort.”<<set $ironcarvaedra to 1>> <<vaedrashit>>

“I like to be prepared.” “For what?” They smile enigmatically. You sigh. “Yeah, yeah. Use my imagination.”<<set $geevaedrahowcome to 1>> <<vaedrashit>>

“I like to keep my whites nice,” they say, innocently. They probably do, but you doubt that’s the only reason it’s there.<<set $vaedrahasreadbleach to 1>> <<vaedrashit>>

“The technology isn’t standardised across America. Certain frequencies only work in certain parts of the country.”<<set $threeradiophonesmaybemore to 1>> <<vaedrashit>>

Their gaze sharpens. “You went through my things. Well, I can’t say I’m surprised.” “Are you going to answer the question?” “I think you’ve put enough together on your own. I’m going to give you a chance right now to return anything you may have taken from me, and then I’m going to go through this bag. If I have all my belongings, we can continue this encounter civilly. If not, I’m going to break your arm. Alright?”<<set $vaedrapissed2 to 1>><<set $ringsvaedra to 1>> <<if $stolefromvaedra is not 1>>[[Alright.]]<</if>> [[Not alright.]]<<if $stolefromvaedra is 1>> [[Return what you stole.]] [[Don’t return what you stole, but let them search.]]<</if>>

“Yes.”<<set $vaedrawantsthering to 1>> <<vaedrashit>>

“I have a lot of lovers. I’m not interested in displaying them.” <<vaedrashit>>

“Trust me, Detective. It’s better if you don’t know.”<<set $vaedraisscary to 1>> [[Let it drop.]] [[I need all the information so I can give the mayor a full report.]]

“I don’t think that’s any of your business. I assure you, it’s not relevant to your case.”<<set $vaedraisdangerous to 1>> <<vaedrashit>>

“I’d be very appreciative.” [[Okay, I’ll go look.|Okay, I’ll look for the ring.]]<<if $vaedrapacified is 1 or $vaedrapissed2 is not 1>> [[I’d like to ask you some more questions first.|I’d like to ask you a few more questions.]]<<else>>[[Can I ask you a few more questions?]]<</if>>

“Very perceptive. Alright. I need the ring.” <<if $knowsaboutring is 1>>“The signet ring Lovell reported stolen?” “Yes.”<<else>>”What ring?” “The signet ring Lovell reported stolen.”<</if>> “And if I find it, you’ll cooperate?” “If you find it and give it to me, I will cooperate.” “Okay, fine. Any idea who took it?” “No. The security camera footage will show if it was someone outside of the hotel. But I suspect it was one of the other guests; they would have the easiest time slipping upstairs unseen.” “I suppose there’s no point asking if you took it and this is some sort of test?” They smile enigmatically. “Darling, if I had it, I wouldn’t be here.”<<set $vaedrawantsthering to 1>><<set $knowsaboutring to 1>><<set $askedaboutring to $askedaboutring + 1>><<set $didyoutaketheringvaedra to 1>> [[Okay, I’ll look for the ring.]] [[I need expedience -- offer them $50.|Offer them $50.]] [[I need expedience -- offer them $100.|Offer them $100.]] [[I need expedience -- offer them $200.|Offer them $200.]]<<if $lostgun is not 1>> [[I need expedience -- draw your gun on them.|Draw your gun on them.]]<</if>> [[Let’s just go back to my questions.]]

They arch a manicured eyebrow at the money. “You’ve got to be kidding me.” <<if $vaedrawantsthering is 1>>[[Maybe I can get you that ring.]]<<else>>[[Someone like you’s in a town like this for a reason. Maybe we can strike a deal.]]<</if>> [[Offer them $100.]] [[Offer them $200.]]<<if $lostgun is not 1>> [[Draw your gun on them.]]<</if>> [[Let’s just go back to my questions.]]

They sigh. “Very well. What do you want to know?” “You said you saw something unusual?” “Yes. After dinner this morning, while Lovell was distracted arguing with Squeegie, Ennis put something in his drink. Some sort of liquid, I’m not exactly sure what it was.”<<set $vaedrabribed to 1>> <<vaedrashit>>

“Hmmn. That’ll do. What was the question?” “Did you see anything unusual?” “Ah, yes. After dinner this morning, Ennis put something in Lovell’s drink while Lovell was distracted arguing with Squeegie. A small amount of liquid from a bottle he had hidden in his hand. It was clear. I couldn’t smell what it was from where I was sitting. Lovell didn’t notice. Afterwards, he and his moirail went up to bed for the day.”<<set $vaedrabribed to 1>> <<vaedrashit>>

Your hand goes to your inner pocket for your gun. Before you know what’s happening you’re flat on your back on the ground with a very shiny pistol pointed in your face. “Nice try, dear,” Vaedra says. They reach into your pocket, pull out your gun, and put it in the waistband of their pants. “Now, are you ready to proceed civilly?” You nod, eyes wide. They lower their gun and sit back down on the bed. You shake yourself and get up. “You’re still intending to answer my questions?” “Oh, yes. But this is mine now.” They pat your gun neatly.<<set $lostgun to 1>> <<if $vaedrawantsthering is 1>>[[Maybe I can get you that ring.]]<<else>>[[Someone like you’s in a town like this for a reason. Maybe we can strike a deal.]]<</if>> [[Offer them $50.]] [[Offer them $100.]] [[Offer them $200.]] [[Let’s just go back to my questions.]]

“Marvellous.” [[Go back downstairs.|Nevermind.]] [[I’d like to ask you a few more questions.]]

“Very well.” <<vaedrashit>>

"Very well." <<vaedrashit>>

They arch a manicured eyebrow at the money. “You’ve got to be kidding me.” <<if $vaedrawantsthering is 1>>[[Maybe I can get you that ring.]]<<else>>[[Someone like you’s in a town like this for a reason. Maybe we can strike a deal.|Someone like you’s in a town like this for a reason. Maybe we can strike a deal.2]]<</if>> [[Offer them $100.|Offer them $100.2]] [[Offer them $200.|Offer them $200.2]]<<if $lostgun is not 1>> [[Draw your gun on them.|Draw your gun on them.2]]<</if>>

They sigh. “Very well. It was Ennis.” “How do you know?” “I saw him slip something into Lovell’s drink after dinner.”<<set $vaedrabribed to 1>> <<vaedrashit>>

“Hmmn. That’ll do. It was Ennis.” “How do you know?” “After dinner this morning, he put something in Lovell’s drink while Lovell was distracted arguing with Squeegie. A small amount of liquid from a bottle he had hidden in his hand. It was clear. I couldn’t smell what it was from where I was sitting. Lovell didn’t notice. Afterwards, he and his moirail went up to bed for the day.”<<set $vaedrabribed to 1>> <<vaedrashit>>

“Very perceptive. Alright. I need the ring.” <<if $knowsaboutring is 1>>“The signet ring Lovell reported stolen?” “Yes.”<<else>>”What ring?” “The signet ring Lovell reported stolen.”<</if>> “And if I find it, you’ll cooperate?” “If you find it and give it to me, I will cooperate.” “Okay, fine. Any idea who took it?” “No. The security camera footage will show if it was someone outside of the hotel. But I suspect it was one of the other guests; they would have the easiest time slipping upstairs unseen.” “I suppose there’s no point asking if you took it and this is some sort of test?” They smile enigmatically. “Darling, if I had it, I wouldn’t be here.”<<set $vaedrawantsthering to 1>><<set $knowsaboutring to 1>><<set $knowsaboutring to 1>><<set $askedaboutring to $askedaboutring + 1>><<set $didyoutaketheringvaedra to 1>> [[Okay, I’ll look for the ring.]] [[I need expedience -- offer them $50.|Offer them $50.2]] [[I need expedience -- offer them $100.|Offer them $100.2]] [[I need expedience -- offer them $200.|Offer them $200.2]]<<if $lostgun is not 1>> [[I need expedience -- draw your gun on them.|Draw your gun on them.2]]<</if>> [[Let’s just go back to my questions.]]

Your hand goes to your inner pocket for your gun. Before you know what’s happening you’re flat on your back on the ground with a very shiny pistol pointed in your face. “Nice try, dear,” Vaedra says. They reach into your pocket, pull out your gun, and put it in the waistband of their pants. “Now, are you ready to proceed civilly?” You nod, eyes wide. They lower their gun and sit back down on the bed. You shake yourself and get up. “You’re still intending to answer my questions?” “Oh, yes. But this is mine now.” They pat your gun neatly.<<set $lostgun to 1>> <<if $vaedrawantsthering is 1>>[[Maybe I can get you that ring.]]<<else>>[[Someone like you’s in a town like this for a reason. Maybe we can strike a deal.|Someone like you’s in a town like this for a reason. Maybe we can strike a deal.2]]<</if>> [[Offer them $50.|Offer them $50.2]] [[Offer them $100.|Offer them $100.2]] [[Offer them $200.|Offer them $200.2]] [[Let’s just go back to my questions.]]

They carefully go through their bag, take everything out, examine it, and then replace it. “Everything’s accounted for. I must say I’m //not// very happy with you right now. I suggest you do something to make amends.”<<set $vaedrasearchedyourbag to 1>> <<if $vaedrawantsthering is 1>> [[I’ll go find the ring.]]<<if $havering is 1>> [[I have the ring.]]<</if>><</if>><<if $vaedrabribed is 1>> [[I already paid you.]]<</if>><<if $vaedrabribedring is 1>> [[I got you the ring.]]<</if>><<if $returnedstole is 1 and $stuffbackvaedra is not 1>> [[I gave your stuff back.]]<</if>><<if $vaedrawantsthering is not 1 and $vaedrabribedring is not 1>> [[Someone like you’s in a town like this for a reason. Maybe we can strike a deal.|Someone like you’s in a town like this for a reason. Maybe we can strike a deal.3]]<</if>> [[Offer them $50.|Offer them $50.3]] [[Offer them $100.|Offer them $100.3]] [[Offer them $200.|Offer them $200.3]]<<if $lostgun is not 1>> [[Draw your gun on them.|Draw your gun on them.3]]<</if>>

“We seem to be at an impasse.” <<if $stolefromvaedra is not 1>>[[Fine.|Alright.]]<</if>><<if $stolefromvaedra is 1>> [[Return what you stole.]] [[Don’t return what you stole, but let them search.]]<</if>> [[Go back downstairs.|Nevermind.]]

<<if $stolemoney is 1600>> They laugh. “You’ve got a set of horns, I’ll give you that. Now, I’m going to check the rest of my things, and see if you’ve taken anything else.”<</if>><<if $stolemoney is 500>>They take the money back delicately. “Thank you kindly. I’m going to check the rest of my things and see if you’ve taken anything else.”<</if>><<if $stolemoney is 100>>They arch an eyebrow. “Really? //Really?”// They take the money back. “Alright, now I’m going to check the rest of my things and see if you’ve taken anything else.”<</if>><<if $stolemoney is 1>>They snatch the earrings from your hand indignantly and pocket them. “Now I’m going to check to see if you’ve stolen anything else."<</if>><<set $returnedstole to 1>> [[Alright.]]

They carefully go through their backpack, taking everything out methodically. After a bit they stop and look at you coldly. Before you can do anything you find yourself twisted around, arm pinned behind your back. As you shout out there’s a sickening crunch and pain splinters all down your arm. You cry out in pain and Vaedra kicks you in the back, knocking you to your knees. Your arm hurts like hell. Vaedra slings their backpack on and takes a running step off your back, forcing you flat to your stomach, and runs downstairs. You hear a lot of commotion and shouting. After a bit it goes quiet. Then you hear footsteps on the stairs and see Vaedra out the door leading Ida by gunpoint. She gets something from the storage closet and gives it to them. “Thank you kindly,” Vaedra says, and, gun still aimed, leaves the hotel. The mayor’s not gonna be happy about this. [[play again?|homepage]]

“See that you do.” [[Go back downstairs.|Nevermind.]] [[Can I ask you a few more questions?]]

“Pay me more.”<<set $alreadypaid to 1>> <<if $vaedrawantsthering is 1>> [[I’ll go find the ring.]]<<if $havering is 1>> [[I have the ring.]]<</if>><</if>><<if $vaedrabribed is 1>> [[I got you the ring.]]<</if>><<if $returnedstole is 1 and $stuffbackvaedra is not 1>> [[I gave your stuff back.]]<</if>><<if $vaedrawantsthering is not 1 and $vaedrabribedring is not 1>> [[Someone like you’s in a town like this for a reason. Maybe we can strike a deal.|Someone like you’s in a town like this for a reason. Maybe we can strike a deal.3]]<</if>> [[Offer them $50.|Offer them $50.3]] [[Offer them $100.|Offer them $100.3]] [[Offer them $200.|Offer them $200.3]]<<if $lostgun is not 1>> [[Draw your gun on them.|Draw your gun on them.3]]<</if>>

“That you did. Alright, well, as you’ve not stolen from me, I think we can let this one slide.”<<set $vaedrapissed2 to 0>><<set $vaedrapacified to 1>> <<vaedrashit>>

They sigh. “Don’t //remind// me that you stole from me. I tell you. People these days.”<<set $stuffbackvaedra to 1>> <<if $vaedrawantsthering is 1>> [[I’ll go find the ring.]]<<if $havering is 1>> [[I have the ring.]]<</if>><</if>><<if $vaedrabribed is 1>> [[I already paid you.]]<</if>><<if $vaedrabribedring is 1>> [[I got you the ring.]]<</if>><<if $returnedstole is 1 and $stuffbackvaedra is not 1>> [[I gave your stuff back.]]<</if>><<if $vaedrawantsthering is not 1 and $vaedrabribedring is not 1>> [[Someone like you’s in a town like this for a reason. Maybe we can strike a deal.|Someone like you’s in a town like this for a reason. Maybe we can strike a deal.3]]<</if>> [[Offer them $50.|Offer them $50.3]] [[Offer them $100.|Offer them $100.3]] [[Offer them $200.|Offer them $200.3]]<<if $lostgun is not 1>> [[Draw your gun on them.|Draw your gun on them.3]]<</if>>

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”<<set $vaedra503 to 1>> <<if $vaedrawantsthering is 1>> [[I’ll go find the ring.]]<<if $havering is 1>> [[I have the ring.]]<</if>><</if>><<if $vaedrabribed is 1 and $alreadypaid is not 1>> [[I already paid you.]]<</if>><<if $vaedrabribedring is 1>> [[I got you the ring.]]<</if>><<if $returnedstole is 1 and $stuffbackvaedra is not 1>> [[I gave your stuff back.]]<</if>><<if $vaedrawantsthering is not 1 and $vaedrabribedring is not 1>> [[Someone like you’s in a town like this for a reason. Maybe we can strike a deal.|Someone like you’s in a town like this for a reason. Maybe we can strike a deal.3]]<</if>> [[Offer them $100.|Offer them $100.3]] [[Offer them $200.|Offer them $200.3]]<<if $lostgun is not 1>> [[Draw your gun on them.|Draw your gun on them.3]]<</if>>

“That’s not going to cut it.”<<set $vaedra1003 to 1>> <<if $vaedrawantsthering is 1>> [[I’ll go find the ring.]]<<if $havering is 1>> [[I have the ring.]]<</if>><</if>><<if $vaedrabribed is 1 and $alreadypaid is not 1>> [[I already paid you.]]<</if>><<if $vaedrabribedring is 1>> [[I got you the ring.]]<</if>><<if $returnedstole is 1 and $stuffbackvaedra is not 1>> [[I gave your stuff back.]]<</if>><<if $vaedrawantsthering is not 1 and $vaedrabribedring is not 1>> [[Someone like you’s in a town like this for a reason. Maybe we can strike a deal.|Someone like you’s in a town like this for a reason. Maybe we can strike a deal.3]]<</if>> [[Offer them $50.|Offer them $50.3]] [[Offer them $200.|Offer them $200.3]]<<if $lostgun is not 1>> [[Draw your gun on them.|Draw your gun on them.3]]<</if>>

“That will suffice. Thank you, Detective, now, what would you like to know?”<<set $vaedrapissed2 to 0>><<set $vaedrapacified to 1>> <<vaedrashit>>

Your hand goes to your inner pocket for your gun. Before you know what’s happening you’ve been twisted around, arm pinned behind your back. “Bad idea,” Vaedra says in your ear. “Biggs //will// break you,” you say. “I can do a lot of things to you before Biggs gets here. If you’d prefer to avoid the recovery time I suggest you take a different tack.” [[Okay, fine.]] [[Call their bluff.]] [[Shout for Biggs.]]

“Not until you’ve repaired our fractured partnership.” <<if $vaedrawantsthering is 1>> [[I’ll go find the ring.]]<<if $havering is 1>> [[I have the ring.]]<</if>><</if>><<if $vaedrabribed is 1>> [[I already paid you.]]<</if>><<if $vaedrabribedring is 1>> [[I got you the ring.]]<</if>><<if $returnedstole is 1 and $stuffbackvaedra is not 1>> [[I gave your stuff back.]]<</if>><<if $vaedrawantsthering is not 1 and $vaedrabribedring is not 1>> [[Someone like you’s in a town like this for a reason. Maybe we can strike a deal.|Someone like you’s in a town like this for a reason. Maybe we can strike a deal.3]]<</if>> [[Offer them $50.|Offer them $50.3]] [[Offer them $100.|Offer them $100.3]] [[Offer them $200.|Offer them $200.3]]<<if $lostgun is not 1>> [[Draw your gun on them.|Draw your gun on them.3]]<</if>> [[Go back downstairs.|Nevermind.]]

“Very perceptive. Alright. I need the ring.” <<if $knowsaboutring is 1>>“The signet ring Lovell reported stolen?” “Yes.”<<else>>”What ring?” “The signet ring Lovell reported stolen.”<</if>> “And if I find it, you’ll cooperate?” “If you find it and give it to me, I will cooperate.” “Okay, fine. Any idea who took it?” “No. The security camera footage will show if it was someone outside of the hotel. But I suspect it was one of the other guests; they would have the easiest time slipping upstairs unseen.” “I suppose there’s no point asking if you took it and this is some sort of test?” They smile enigmatically. “Darling, if I had it, I wouldn’t be here.”<<set $vaedrawantsthering to 1>><<set $knowsaboutring to 1>><<set $knowsaboutring to 1>><<set $askedaboutring to $askedaboutring + 1>><<set $didyoutaketheringvaedra to 1>> [[I’ll go find the ring.]]<<if $vaedrabribed is 1 and $alreadypaid is not 1>> [[I already paid you.]]<</if>><<if $vaedra503 is not 1>> [[I need expedience -- offer them $50.|Offer them $50.3]]<</if>><<if $vaedra1003 is not 1>> [[I need expedience -- offer them $100.|Offer them $100.3]]<</if>> [[I need expedience -- offer them $200.|Offer them $200.3]]<<if $lostgun is not 1>> [[I need expedience -- draw your gun on them.|Draw your gun on them.3]]<</if>> [[Can I ask you a few more questions?]]

They lift your gun from your pocket and let you go. “I think we can call fair fair now, don’t you?” You nod grumpily, ,rubbing your arm socket. They tuck your gun in the pocket of their waistband.<<set $vaedrapissed to 0>><<set $lostgun to 1>><<set $vaedrapacified to 1>> <<vaedrashit>>

They sigh. “You’re right. It’s not worth my trouble.” They lift your gun from your pocket and let you go. “I think we can call fair fair now, don’t you?” You nod, rubbing your arm socket. They tuck your gun in the pocket of their waistband.<<set $vaedrapissed to 0>><<set $lostgun to 1>><<set $vaedrapacified to 1>> <<vaedrashit>>

As you shout out there’s a sickening crunch and pain splinters all down your arm. You cry out in pain and Vaedra kicks you in the back, knocking you to your knees. Your arm hurts like hell. Vaedra slings their backpack on and takes a running step off your back, forcing you flat to your stomach, and runs downstairs. You hear a lot of commotion and shouting. After a bit it goes quiet. Then you hear footsteps on the stairs and see Vaedra out the door leading Ida by gunpoint. She gets something from the storage closet and gives it to them. “Thank you kindly,” Vaedra says, and, gun still aimed, leaves the hotel. The mayor’s not gonna be happy about this. [[play again?|homepage]]

“Good choice.” <<vaedrashit>>

They sigh. “Someone with whom it is a very bad idea to mess.” [[Let it drop.]] [[Press.|PressVaedraJob]]

“Have you heard of the Apostate, Detective?” Your blood runs cold. The Apostate is a shadow of an assassin associated with the New York Troll Intelligence Bureau, one of the baddest gangs this side of the Pacific. “You work for the Apostate?” “I work for the Apostate’s boss.” Well, fuck.<<set $apostate to 1>> <<vaedrashit>>

<<if $whichcarfrank is 1 and $searchedfrankscar is not 1>>[[Search Frank’s car.]]<</if>><<if $permissiontosearchanniescar is 1 and $searchcarannieennis is not 1>> [[Search Annie and Ennis’s car.]]<</if>><<if $canisearchyourcarsqueegie is 1 and $searchedsqueegiescar is not 1>> [[Search Squeegie’s car.]]<</if>><<if $canilookatyourcarvaedra is 1 and $searchedvaedrascar is not 1>> [[Break into Vaedra’s car.]]<</if>><<if $searchidascar is not 1>> [[Search Ida's car.|Can I search your car?I]]<</if>> [[Nevermind.]]

The guy you talk to tells you the following: Annie and Ennis left the hotel at 2:15 a.m. and returned at 3:27 a.m. through the front door. Frank left the hotel twice, once at 2:17 a.m. and returning at 3:35 a.m., the second time at 9:03 a.m. returning at 9:45 a.m., both times through the front door. Vaedra left the hotel at 2:20 a.m. and returned at 5:40 a.m. through the front door. Ida went in and out from the back door twice, once at 2:30 a.m. and once at 8:40 a.m. to take out the trash, the second time lingering for a 20-minute smoke break, the entirety of which she was on camera. No one else entered or left the hotel.<<set $securitycameras to 1>> [[Continue the investigation.|Nevermind.]]

You think you know who took that ring. It was… <<if $frankaccusedofring is not 1>> [[Frank.]]<</if>><<if $annieaccusedofring is not 1>> [[Annie.]]<</if>><<if $ennisaccusedofring is not 1>> [[Ennis.]]<</if>><<if $squeegieaccusedofring is not 1>> [[Squeegie.]]<</if>><<if $vaedraaccusedofring is not 1>> [[Vaedra.]]<</if>><<if $idaaccusedofring is not 1>> [[Ida.]]<</if>><<if $biggsaccusedofring is not 1>> [[Biggs.]]<</if>> [[Nevermind.]]

Inside the pocket is a manila folder with a photo of Ennis and Annie. There’s nothing else in the folder.<<set $frankhasphotoannieennis to 1>> [[Go back downstairs.|Nevermind.]]

You leave the suspects in the main room and go upstairs to break into Vaedra’s room. It’s not difficult, the locks in this building are old. You go through their backpack, careful to take note of the arrangement of the items so you can put them back in the same semblance. The backpack is very neatly packed, and seems to hold quite a bit more than it appears to. Inside you find a few changes of clothes varying from t-shirt and jeans to waistcoat and slacks; a nondescript baseball cap; a half-empty thermos of sopor which you’d reckon holds exactly the legal limit; a sopor mask; a box of bullets for a handgun; a small gun cleaning kit; a small black leather-bound notebook with attached pen; a miniature flashlight (also black); a few condoms in a little pouch; a small makeup case packed equally full with lip gloss, eyeliner, mascara, concealer, eyeshadow, moisturiser, cleaning wipes, and a pocket mirror; a toothbrush and toothpaste in another little pouch, a bundle containing a hairbrush, comb, hair clips, bobby pins, hair ties, and hair cutting scissors; another small case with instruments for claw care including some black claw polish; a pair of aviators in a case; a steel water bottle; a small pair of binoculars; a tin with a few expensive looking teabags in it; a loupe in a protective case; a small and impersonal stationary set; a pack of cigarettes; an inexpensive though not gas station cheapie lighter; hair gel; a first aid kit; a couple sets of cufflinks; and a few other pieces of jewellery, all simple and elegant, including a set of custom-made steel fang augments. The notebook contains a lot of notes taken in a very neat hand in a language you don’t know, and can’t identify beyond probably eastern European. The first aid kit includes, on top of the expected, a suture needle and thread, and a small flask of whiskey. With the backpack empty you’re able to find a hidden pocket. It contains a manilla folder; a small unlabelled tin of pills stuffed with cotton to prevent them rattling; a small pouch also stuffed with cotton that contains 16 different quadrant rings of various values, blood colours, and quadrants; a lockpick set; a billfold with $1600; a small baggie of white powder hidden inside another pouch; yet another cotton stuffed pouch with a number of lapel pins in different shapes; and a silencer for a pistol. The manilla folder contains a small photograph of a heavy-looking gold signet ring and a piece of notebook paper with a few addresses written on it. It takes some doing to pack everything back in in the order it came out, but you manage.<<set $lookedthroughvaedrasstuff to 1>> [[Steal the $1600.]] [[Steal $500.]] [[Steal $100.]] [[Steal a piece of jewellery.]] [[Go back downstairs.|Nevermind.]]

You call the number once you’re alone. The man on the other end says he’ll pay you five thousand dollars if you hold the kids until he can send someone to pick them up. Annie puts up a fight but she shuts up easy enough when you threaten Ennis with your gun. You’re so busy trying to subdue the kids you don’t hear someone sneaking up behind you. One minute you’re standing, the next you’re seeing stars, lying on the hard desert sand. A sneakered foot kicks you over. “You bastard.” Frank is standing over you with a baseball bat in his uninjured right hand. You try to shoot him but he breaks your arm with the bat, making you drop the gun. Annie picks it up and shoots you. She, Ennis, and Frank leave you there to die. <<link "play again?">><<run UI.restart()>><</link>>

Annie reaches into her bra and pulls out a wad of money. She gives it to you. It’s mostly small bills, but there’s a lot of them. Not bad for a little side payment. “Your turn,” Annie says. “Go ahead, go on your merry way.” There might be something to be gained from continuing the investigation, but it’s probably best not to push it. [[Blame Frank.]] [[Blame Squeegie.]] [[Blame Vaedra.]] [[Blame Ida.]]

You’ve questioned everyone and learned as many facts as you think you’re going to. Now comes the moment to decide what happened. [[Who stole the ring?]]

<<if $frankisprivatedetective is not 1>>“Well, it’s a bit of a small town, in’it? Walked to that bluff and back. It’s a pretty sight. I love the warm desert air. Not like there’s a bar open at that time but I get restless. Don’t like just sittin’ around.”<<elseif $frankisprivatedetective is 1>> “I called my boss with an update. Told him I’d found the kids.”<</if>><<set $wheredidyougoonwalkfrank to 1>> <<frankshit>>

“No.”<<set $didfrankshootlovell to 1>> <<frankshit>>

“Well, now, that’s an interesting question. You mean he was poisoned as well as shot?” “Yes.” He raises both eyebrows. “Seems a lot of people here wanted him dead.” “What about you?” “I’m not sorry he’s dead but I don’t believe in killing just because it’s convenient.” “But it was convenient.” “I mean. For starters it’s a lot quieter around here, in’it.” “You didn’t really answer my question.” “Oh, didn’t I?” You give him a look. “I didn’t poison him, mate. You’re going to have to bark up a different tree.”<<set $didfrankpoisonlovell to 1>> <<frankshit>>

He sighs. “I’m a private detective.”<<if $frankisheretohelpannieennis is not 1>> You arch an eyebrow, smiling slightly. “Any cases at the moment?” “On my way to talk to a man about one.” “What sort of case?” “Missing person. He was vague.”<<if $humanintrolltown is 1>> “You said you were going to Vegas to gamble.” “I did plan to do some of that, too.”<</if>><<elseif $frankisheretohelpannieennis is 1>> "And you're here to help Ennis and Annie." "That's correct, yes."<</if>><<set $frankisprivatedetective to 1>> <<frankshit>>

“Wasn’t on my agenda at present.”<<set $troublenotonfranksagenda to 1>> <<frankshit>>

He looks at the ring on his hand. “Yes.” Gives it a nice smile. “I’m a lucky bastard.” “They a troll?” He looks at you. “Not that it’s your business, but yes.”<<set $frakismarried to 1>> <<frankshit>>

He looks at you appraisingly. “Suppose there’s no point in saying no.” “Got something to hide?” “Don’t like people poking in my privacy. But OK. Since you said please.” He gets up and gets the backpack, opens it. Pulls out a paperback novel, a romance with a title that covers the entire front cover. Three t-shirts, underwear, socks, jeans. Pouch with toothbrush, toothpaste, and a razor. Box of bullets. First aid kit. Flashlight, lockpick kit, handcuffs, pack of cigarettes, big hunting knife in a sheath, gun cleaning kit. “What’s in the pocket?” You point to a zipped pocket on the inside of the bag. He sighs. “Nothing important. Not really pertinent to this case.”<<set $showmebackpackfrank to 1>> [[I’d really like to see it.]] [[Decide it’s none of your business, at least for now.|Decide it’s none of your business.F]]

He says nothing for a few minutes. “I’m here to help them get to safety.” “Are they in danger?” “Yes.” “Was it from Lovell?” “Yes.” “Did you kill him?” “No. Wish I had. They don’t know I’m here for them, yet. Haven’t had a chance to talk to them. I’m asking you as a professional courtesy, don’t spook them, all right? I’m worried the man who really wants them will figure out Lovell’s dead and just send someone else.” “Who hired you?” “A friend of theirs who asked my boss for help. No one’s better at finding a missing person than me. Especially if it’s a troll.” “Why is that?” “I actually give a shit about trolls. And no one harms kids on my watch.” He frowns, a soft menace in his voice that doesn’t seem directed at you.<<set $frankisheretohelpannieennis to 1>> <<frankshit>>

“I’d prefer not to say.” “Someone in Louisiana.” “Yes.” “A troll?” “That would be a logical assumption, yes.” “If I talked to them it could corroborate your story.” “Not like it’d get me off the hook for murder, though, would it?” “No.” “So, I will decline your kind offer for now.”<<set $frankemployer to 1>> <<frankshit>>

“I didn’t ask. I don’t care. They’re kids.” “They’re not that much younger than you.” “They’re still kids.” <<set $othermanwantskids to 1>> <<frankshit>>

“No. The first I heard of it was when Loveless accused us all.” “You mean Lovell.” “I know what I said.”<<set $didyoutakeringfrank to 1>><<set $askedaboutring to $askedaboutring + 1>> <<frankshit>>

“Oh, //that’s// where I left it. Ta.” “You a woodworker or something?” “I dabble.” You look at them, not sure if you believe them. “Oh if you //must// know, I was using it to make a sign for my yard.” You nod. “What’s it say?” “Beware of alligators.”<<set $doyousmellsmoke to 1>> <<frankshit>>

He shrugs. “More often it’s a busted lip or knuckle, but you know. I mean, you’re a private eye. You’ve probably been shot.” “I’ve been shot //at//,” you say. He scoffs. “Huh. Guess some folk have all the luck.”<<set $frankisanattractivetarget to 1>> <<frankshit>>

He thinks about it for a bit. “Fine.” He unzips the pocket and pulls out a manila envelope, tosses it to you. You open it. Inside is a photograph of Annie and Ennis. “So you lied.” He shrugs, nodding. “Looks like.”<<set $frankhasphotoannieennis to 1>> <<frankshit>>

“Ta, mate, good to see professional courtesy still exists.“ <<set $notmybusinessfrank to 1>> <<frankshit>>

“Surely the other guests have told you already?” “I’d like it in your own words.” He sighs, then begins to talk very rapidly in an almost robotic voice. “We had lunch and one of the new guests was very rude and the human man said he’d tried to b-break into our room because he thought we’d stolen something?” His voice goes up a bit at that. “It was all very unpleasant. So Annie and I went for a walk to get away from the scene for a bit. When we got back it was almost dinner, and he was rude again so we went upstairs to get away from him. We stayed in our room all day and only went down when Ida sounded the bell for breakfast. Then she went up to get the rude man though honestly I wished she wouldn’t and came back down with the news he was … excuse me.” Ennis runs to the bathroom and retches. He closes the door and is in there for some time. He comes out looking shaky and sits on the bed. “S-sorry. Nervous stomach.”<<set $whathappenedlastnightennis to 1>> <<ennisshit>>

“Annie and I were both here. We didn’t leave until breakfast, at which point everyone else saw us too. Except, you know.” He looks a little ill.<<set $doyouhavealibiennis to 1>> <<ennisshit>>

He looks away. “N-no.” Looks at you again. “Just Annie.”<<set $doyouknowotherguestsennis to 1>> <<ennisshit>>

“No.”<<set $ennisdenieshooting to 1>> <<ennisshit>>

“H-he was poisoned? I thought he was shot.” He looks pale and a little sweaty. “Appears so. Did you do it?’ “N-no.” “You sure?” “W-what difference does it make? He was shot, right? That’s how he died.” “Well, yes.” “Well, then.”<<set $didyoupoisonvictimennis to 1>> <<ennisshit>>

You raise an eyebrow. “You //did// poison him.” “I did NOT!” he says, hotly. “I wouldn’t even know where to buy any. It’s not like they sell that kind of stuff to trolls.” He has you there. “You could have used something else, or stolen it.” He stares at you, mulishly. “I--didn’t.”<<set $ennisactingsupicious to 1>> <<ennisshit>>

“Not if you don’t call shouting and violence unusual, no.”<<set $unusualennis to 1>> <<ennisshit>>

“Just Annie. We stayed in the room from just after dinner until breakfast.” “Neither one of you left?” “No. Everyone was being so unpleasant we preferred to avoid them if we could.”<<set $otherguestswhereaboutsennis to 1>> <<ennisshit>>

“No. I’m not even sure he was robbed. He was just nasty and liked to yell as far as I could tell.” He plays with his fingers.<<set $victimbeingrobbedennis to 1>> <<ennisshit>>

“Th-the junker. The blue one with the dented door.” “Mind if I look through it?” “Um, no, but you’ll have to ask Annie for the keys. She does the driving.”<<set $whichcarisyoursennis to 1>> <<ennisshit>>

“Yes of course. I like staying alive.” “May I see it?” He opens up the nightstand drawer and hands you a fairly dated handgun. It’s fully loaded. You hand it back and thank him. He nods. Swallows. He’s shaking a little.<<set $doyouownagunennis to 1>> <<ennisshit>>

“W-we’re looking for a new place to live.”<<if $lookedatallcars is 1>> “Where you from? Car says Colorado.” “Yes. Denver. We--didn’t like it much. Too many humans.”<</if>> “Thinking of settling down here?” “M-maybe. Dunno yet.” <<set $whatareyoudoinghereennis to 1>> <<ennisshit>>

He goes very pale. “You--she .. “ Shuts up. You wait. He doesn’t meet your eye. “Ennis.” “He’s --he was--a very bad man we knew from before.” Said very quickly. “From Denver.” He nods. “He was the last person we wanted to see.”<<set $howdidyouknowvictimennis to 1>> <<ennisshit>>

He stares at you, eyes huge. “N-no.” “Seems like you’d have a good reason to.” He swallows. “Yes. It was me.”<<set $didyoukillhimennis to 1>><<set $ennisconfession to 1>> [[Tell the mayor it was Ennis.]] [[Continue your investigation.|Nevermind.]] [[Ask Ennis some more questions.|Talk to Ennis.]]

He looks at you in horror. “He--did?” “Was he after you?” He nods, slowly.<<set $pictureofmorailennis to 1>> <<ennisshit>>

“They’re for my nerves. I take them when I can’t sleep.” “Did you take any this morning?” “N-no.”<<set $whatarepillsforennis to 1>> <<ennisshit>>

Inside is a rifle, a box of bullets for the rifle, a few pairs of underwear, a couple full plastic water bottles, a tube of toothpaste, and a t-shirt.<<if $doyouownagunennis is 1 and $doyouhaveagunannie is not 1>> “You didn’t tell me you had a rifle.” “Th-that’s Annie’s.”<</if>><<set $duffelbagannieennis to 1>> <<ennisshit>>

He looks down. Nods. Looks up at you, pleading eyes. “I--wanted to give her an alibi.” “Do you think she killed Lovell?” “I don’t know.”<<set $anniesaidennistookpills to 1>> <<ennisshit>>

“No.”<<set $ennisdidnottakering to 1>><<set $askedaboutring to $askedaboutring + 1>> <<ennisshit>>

He starts to cry, nodding through his tears. “Please don’t send us back,” he sobs, throwing himself at your feet. “Please don’t tell anyone it was me. I was just trying to st-stop him from hurting us.”<<set $ennisconfessestopoison to 1>><<set $ennisconfession to 1>> [[Reassure Ennis.]] [[Tell the mayor it was Ennis.]]

“Please get up, kid.” He does, slowly, still sobbing. “You didn’t actually kill him. I’m just trying to get to the bottom of what happened. You’re not in trouble.” He looks at you, stil bawling. “T-thank you.” You nod. “I’m keeping the poison though. Don’t want you trying that again.” “I--wouldn’t but, OK. That’s fair.” He hiccups.<<set $reassureennisaboutpoisoning to 1>> [[Ask Ennis some more questions.|Talk to Ennis.]] [[Continue the investigation.|Nevermind.]]

He looks embarrassed. “Yes.” Holds his elbow. “It’s hard to find a place where two trolls are welcome, and anyway, places to live are expensive.”<<set $beenlivingoutofyourcarennis to 1>> <<ennisshit>>

“I waited for him to come upstairs. I listened at the door. I lied earlier, I did leave the room when I heard him. Annie was already asleep. I crept down the hallway with my gun drawn and pushed the door open and shot him where he stood.” “Where were you standing?” “In the doorway. I shot him and then hurried back to my room and replaced the missing bullet. The loud music covered the noise of the shot.”<<set $tellmehowmurderhappenedennis to 1>> <<ennisshit>>

The mayor asks Annie and Ennis to leave town and never return. As you are heading back to your office you see them drive off in the black Volvo with Frank. Annie gives you the finger out the window. <<link "play again?">><<run UI.restart()>><</link>>

Ennis looks very frightened. “No, n-no, it was me.”<<set $ennisdeniesanniedidit to 1>><<set $ennisconfession to 1>> <<ennisshit>>

Ennis collapses. “Please, please don’t hurt Annie. She was trying to protect us. The man he works for was never going to let us go.” He’s in tears.<<set $notshotfromdoorway to 1>> [[Promise him they won’t come to harm from you.]] [[Tell the mayor it was Annie.|Tell the mayor it was Ennis.]] [[Call the man from the little black book and tell him you have Annie and Ennis.]]

“Don’t worry, kid, I’m not going to let you get hurt.” “Oh, thank you so much.” He looks like he might faint.<<set $promiseennisnoharm to 1>> "Can I ask you a few more questions?" "Yes, yes, of course." <<ennisshit>>

“Y’all haven’t sussed it out yet? Some detective.” “I’d like to hear it in your words.” She sighs. “That guy was snooping through our stuff is what happened. First he comes downstairs ranting about some signet ring, and then that human says he was trying to break into me and Ennis’s room. We didn’t steal nothing from him. He was just picking fights all day. So we went for a walk to get away from him, but at dinner he was just at it again, so after dinner and we just went back upstairs. Hung out in our room til morning.”<<set $whathappenedlastnightannie to 1>><<set $knowsaboutring to 1>> <<annieshit>>

“Ennis and I went upstairs after dinner. He can vouch for me, I didn’t leave the room.” “Can anyone else confirm this?” “What, don’t you trust my moirail?” She curls her lip. “Everyone saw us go upstairs. Dunno if someone was watching our door like a creep, but if they were they could tell you we didn’t leave til evening.”<<set $anniesalibi to 1>> <<annieshit>>

“Sides Ennis? No. Don’t even remember half their fucking names.”<<set $anniedeniesknowingotherguests to 1>> <<annieshit>>

“You know, yeah, I have. That human was outside during the day. I saw him calling somebody on the payphone out front.” You walk over to the windows. Sure enough you can see the sidewalk outside the front of the building. On the corner there’s a payphone installed. You look back at Annie. “Wasn’t the only one acting weird either. That blueblood, Vanda or whatever? They’re staying across the hall, I heard their door open sometime early in the morning. Either they went back to their room real late, or someone went in there and didn’t come back out til I’d fallen asleep.” “When did you fall asleep?” “Dunno, real late though. Whole thing had me on edge.”<<set $unusualannie to 1>> <<annieshit>>

“Ennis was in the room with me. I dunno about everyone else, I heard some people in the hall going to and fro and such, dunno who though. Ennis and I didn’t leave until we heard the bell for breakfast.”<<set $otherguestwhereabouts to 1>> <<annieshit>>

“Yeah, he was yelling up a storm about somebody taking his signet ring. It wasn’t me, if that’s what you’re asking. Don’t even know if it really was stole or if he just wanted something to yell about.”<<set $victimbeingrobbedannie to 1>> <<annieshit>>

“Guess.” She snorts. “The blue one.” “May I look through it?” “Don’t ‘spose I have a choice, do I.” You don’t say anything. “Fine. Not like there’s anything we’re hiding anyway. But I wanna be there when you do. Don’t want you stealing nothing.”<<if $lookedatallcars is 1>> Frankly, you think stealing Annie and Ennis’s car would be a negative investment, but you decide to keep your mouth shut.<</if>><<set $permissiontosearchanniescar to 1>><<set $whichcarisyoursannie to 1>> <<annieshit>>

“May I look through it?” “Don’t ‘spose I have a choice, do I.” You don’t say anything. “Fine. Not like there’s anything we’re hiding anyway. But I wanna be there when you do. Don’t want you stealing nothing.” Frankly, you think stealing Annie and Ennis’s car would be a negative investment, but you decide to keep your mouth shut.<<set $permissiontosearchanniescar to 1>> <<annieshit>>

“There a troll alive that don’t?” “Please just answer the question.” “Yeah. Got two of em.” “May I see them?” “What for?” “The victim was shot. I need to know what guns everyone’s carrying.” “Fiiiiine.” She hikes up her dress and pulls a pistol out of her boxers. Holds it up to show you. It’s seen better days. Unless it’s into teenage girls, which it’s just about old enough to be. Then it’s probably having a real fine day. “May I?” “I ain’t handing you my fuckin gun.” “Show me the chamber, then.” She does. It’s half empty. “Did you fire it recently?” “Maybe, maybe not. Bullets ain’t that easy to come by when you’re a couple of broke lowbloods on the road. I let Ennis keep his topped up. He ain’t as good with his teeth as I am.” “Show me the other gun.” She puts her handgun back in her underpants and goes over to the duffel bag. She takes out a rifle and shows you. She also shows you the chamber, which is full.<<set $doyouhaveagunannie to 1>> <<annieshit>>

“Answering your dumbass questions.” “I meant what are you doing in town.” “Ennis and I ain’t settled down. We stop where we can.” “Anything special about this town in particular?” “Well it ain’t got any humans, cept for that weirdo staying here.” “Were you thinking about staying a while?” “Maybe. Dunno. Ennis and I didn’t really get a chance to discuss it on account of Mr. Shouty going and ruining everyone’s night.” “What about the night before he showed up?” “You expect us to decide where to settle on the first day? Dunno about you but this cow don’t milk that way, grownup.”<<set $whatareyoudoinghereannie to 1>> <<annieshit>>

“Yeah, that’s me. Real good twitchers.”<<if $didyouheargunshotannie is not 1>> “Did you hear a gunshot this morning?” “There were a whole lot of gunshots in the music the juggalo was blasting. Wouldn’t’ve been able to tell if one of them was real. Hey, mighty convenient, that.” “You think she’s responsible?” “I’m just saying it’s real convenient she was the one playing all that stuff what covered up the sound of the murder.”<</if>><<set $goodtwitchersannie to 1>> <<annieshit>>

She glares daggers at you. “Do I look like the kinda gal who’s frightened of much?” “Please answer the question.” “I didn’t know him. He was just some fuckwad and Ida’s imagining things.”<<set $anniedeniesbeingfrightened to 1>> <<annieshit>>

She narrows her eyes at you. “No idea. Must’ve been some kind of creepo.”<<set $victimhadpictureannie to 1>> <<annieshit>>

“Those are Ennis’s. He has trouble sleeping.” “Did he take one this morning?” “Yeah. Put him out like butter.” “You look like you haven’t got a good day’s rest in a while, either.” “I just look like this, asshole.”<<set $whatarethepillsforannie to 1>> <<annieshit>>

She glares at you, but goes over and holds the duffel bag open so you can see. Inside is a rifle, a box of bullets for the rifle, a few pairs of underwear, a couple full plastic water bottles, a tube of toothpaste, and a t-shirt.<<set $duffelbagannieennis to 1>><<if $doyouhaveagunannie is not 1>> You reach for the rifle. Annie catches your wrist, claws digging in. “What the fuck.” “My apologies. May I examine your rifle?” “No, fuck you. I’m not letting you have my gun.” “Show me the chamber, then.” She releases you and shows you the chamber. It’s fully loaded. “Do you own any other guns?” Annie hikes up her dress and pulls an old handgun out of her boxers. She shows you the chamber on that too. It’s half empty. “Did you fire it recently?” “Maybe, maybe not. Bullets ain’t that easy to come by when you’re a couple of broke lowbloods on the road. I let Ennis keep his topped up. He ain’t as good with his teeth as I am.” She puts the gun back in her underpants.<<set $doyouhaveagunannie to 1>><</if>> <<annieshit>>

She’s quiet for a few moments. “Who wants to know?” “The mayor of this town. She wants to make sure that if anyone comes looking for revenge, she can point them in the right direction and avoid a scene.” She’s quiet for a few more moments, arms crossed. “No,” she says eventually. “And neither did Ennis. Might’ve been the human, they were brawling earlier. Might’ve been the juggalo since he insulted her and all. Might’ve even been the highblood or that hotel owner for their own reasons. But I want you to hear me very, very carefully. It wasn’t either of us. And if your ears ain’t hearing that, maybe you don’t need them anymore. And if you’re gonna use that mouth of yours to tell lies about us, maybe you don’t need a windpipe to fuel it, neither.”<<set $didyoukillhimannie to 1>> [[I get the idea. I won’t make any accusations against either of you.]] [[That’s not gonna fly here.]]

“Poison? I thought the guy was shot.” “He was also poisoned.” “Really not his morning, huh.” “Did you do it?” <<if $annieconfession is not 1>>“Maybe I did. Maybe I didn’t. But if I did I sure as fuck wouldn’t say so.”<<elseif $annieconfession is 1>>"Fuck, no. I already told you I shot the guy. Why would I poison him too? Shit's wasteful.<</if>><<set $didyoupoisonhimannie to 1>> <<annieshit>>

She bites the inside of her cheek. “Ennis doesn’t know when to keep his fucking mouth shut,” she mumbles. You wait. “Alright, fine. We’d known him before, when we lived in Denver. He was involved with some gangs. I figured him being here was bad news.”<<set $knewvictimbeforeannie to 1>> <<annieshit>>

“Well maybe one of us remembered wrong.” “That seems unlikely.” “What do you think, then, midblood? He probably got his wires crossed, or he thinks there’s something to be gained by lying. He was dead asleep all through the night. He didn’t do it.”<<set $differentstoriesaboutpills to 1>> <<annieshit>>

“No. I don’t need to call trouble on me and Ennis like that.”<<set $annedidnottakering to 1>><<set $askedaboutring to $askedaboutring + 1>> <<annieshit>>

“Maybe. What’s it to ya?” “Just trying to put all the pieces together.” “Yeah well we don’t have a whole lot of money, you may have noticed with those deductive skills of yours. Car’s a roof over your head.”<<set $annielivingincar to 1>> <<if $inparkinglot is 1>> [[Search another car.|Search a suspect’s car.]] [[Go back inside.|Nevermind.]]<<else>><<annieshit>><</if>>

“Nope.”<<set $didyouheargunshotannie to 1>> <<annieshit>>

“I thought I did a couple of times but it might have been that loud music. It had a lot of banging noises in it.”<<set $didyouheargunshotennis to 1>> <<ennisshit>>

“See that you don’t.” She snorts agitatedly. “Any more questions, //detective?”// <<annieshit>>

“Oh yeah? Maybe I should give you a little preview. A little //taste// test.” She bares her fangs. They’re typical of her bloodcaste, not very large or sharp or impressive. Not even that far from human teeth. [[I get the idea. I won’t make any accusations against either of you.]]<<if $lostgun is not 1>> [[Draw your gun on her.|Draw your gun on Annie.]]<</if>> [[Try to calm her down.]]

A human’s an easy enough person to pin a troll’s murder on. You go back to your office and call the mayor. When she asks you for proof you tell her Frank owns the right kind of gun, doesn’t have an alibi, and he and Lovell were fighting the night before the latter was killed. It’s good enough for her. You get paid. You don’t see him leave town but you notice his car is gone the next day. A week later the mayor asks you to dispose of the kids’ car, as they apparently left town as well and abandoned it. You drive it to the junkyard and walk home through the early desert evening. You come to the conclusion they must have left with Frank, which either makes the guy extremely forgiving or extremely stupid. Oh well. Annie’s his problem now. <<link "play again?">><<run UI.restart()>><</link>>

The juggalo’s a real easy patsy. You go back to your office and call the mayor. When she asks you for proof you tell her Lovell insulted Squeegie shortly before his murder, prompting her to threaten him, and that as a juggalo there’s no reason she wouldn’t’ve followed through. It’s good enough for the mayor. You get paid. Squeegie gets run out of town and kills a couple of the mayor’s bodyguards on her way, severely injuring several more. She gets shot in return and while she makes it out of town alive, you’re not likely to ever hear what becomes of her. You stop by Biggs’s house while ze’s laid up and offer your condolences for the new hole in zir leg. <<link "play again?">><<run UI.restart()>><</link>>

Enigmatic bastard, but you’re good at bullshitting. You go back to your office and call the mayor. When she asks you for proof you tell her Lovell sexually harassed Vaedra, and as a highblood they couldn’t let such an insult from a rustie stand. It’s good enough for the mayor. You get paid. Vaedra gets asked to leave town, and does so quietly. <<link "play again?">><<run UI.restart()>><</link>>

Maybe not the smartest target, seeing as they’re friends and all, but then again maybe she’ll let Ida off the hook and you won’t be left with anyone’s blood on your hands. You go back to your office and call the mayor. She doesn’t even ask you for evidence, just says in an oh-so-sweet tone, “Let’s just keep that between us.” You get paid by a large man who’s very good at threatening facial expressions. Annie gets blamed for the murder and she and Ennis are asked to leave town. You see them drive off in the black Volvo with Frank. Annie gives you the finger out the window. <<link "play again?">><<run UI.restart()>><</link>>

Her hand goes to her waist for half a second before she slowly raises both hands instead, her eyes fixed on your gun. “I said that won’t fly here,” you say. “Yeah, okay, I get it.” She doesn’t take her eyes off your gun. “Maybe, um. Maybe I can offer you something a little better?”<<set $drawgunonannie to 1>> [[Like what?]] [[That’s not going to fly either.]]

“I’m not going to hurt you or your moirail,” you say. “I just want to get to the bottom of this.” “Yeah, and who’s gonna get hurt when you do?” “Is that a confession?” “It might be. Look. I have some cash. A hundred bucks or so. We were trying to make it last, but-- if your boss is the only one that cares, maybe you can just tell her one of the other guys did it. We can both walk away happy.”<<set $anniebribed to 1>> [[Accept.|Accept2]] [[Refuse.]] [[I’m not going to take your cash. I’ll lie for you anyway.]]

“Fine. You know what? Fine. I did it. Don’t know why you’re passing up a perfectly good bribe but I did it. I shot him.”<<set $annieconfession to 1>> [[Tell the mayor it was Annie.]] [[I’d still like to ask you a few questions.]]

Annie eyes you warily. “What’re you doing that for.” You shrug. “Sometimes I have morals.” She snorts. “Fine, if you wanna. But I’m keeping my eye on you.” Best wrap this up now. [[Blame Frank.]] [[Blame Squeegie.]] [[Blame Vaedra.]] [[Blame Ida.]]

“I knew he wasn’t gonna leave us alone so I got up while everyone was sleeping and broke into the bastard’s room and shot him. The locks are old, it wasn’t hard to pick.” “Where were you and he positioned?” “Why does that fucking matter? I did it, okay?” [[I need to know all the details.]] [[Tell the mayor it was Annie.]]

“He’s lying to protect me. He’s a good moirail but he’s also a fucking dumbass. You think a twitchy guy like him would be capable of murder? No. He’s a great guy but he’s a fucking pansy when it comes down to it. I’m the killer. Me.”<<set $annieconfession to 1>><<set $ennisconfessedannie to 1>> [[Tell the mayor it was Annie.]] [[I’d still like to ask you a few questions.]]

“Fine. I, uh. I came in and he wasn’t in bed yet. I was by the door. He started running at me and I shot him.”<<set $wrongsideofbedannie to 1>> [[Tell the mayor it was Annie.]] [[I’d still like to ask you a few questions.]]

“Is it my fault you think that? No. You know what you are is //picky.// You got a full confession dancing right in front of you but no, you gotta keep on pulling at the seams. Looking a gift horse in the fucking mouth is what you’re doing.”<<set $farsideofbedannie to 1>> [[Tell the mayor it was Annie.]] [[I’d still like to ask you a few questions.]]

“You just don’t know when to quit, do you, grownup? Funny, huh? That I’m smarter than you? Fine, not like I can stop you asking.<<if $drawgunonannie is 1>> You could at least lower your fucking gun.<</if>>”<<if $drawgunonannie is 1>> You lower it, though keep a hold on it.<</if>> <<annieshit>>

“We don’t have much but we got some cash. Bout a hundred bucks. We were trying to make it last, but-- if it’s only your boss who, uh. Who cares--” she swallows nervously. “Maybe, uhh... you can just tell her one of the other guys did it, and you can get paid by both her and me.”<<set $anniebribed to 1>> [[Accept.]] [[Decline.]]

“Fine, okay? Fine. I did it. I shot him. You got me.”<<set $annieconfession to 1>> [[Tell the mayor it was Annie.]] [[I’d still like to ask you a few questions.]]

Who do you think it was? <<if $ringaccusations is 0 or $ringaccusations is 1 or $ringaccusations is 2>><<if $frankaccused1 is not 1>> [[Frank stole it.]]<</if>><<if $annieaccusation1 is not 1>> [[Annie stole it.]]<</if>><<if $ennisaccused1 is not 1>> [[Ennis stole it.]]<</if>><<if $squeegieaccused1 is not 1>> [[Squeegie stole it.]]<</if>><<if $vaedraaccused1 is not 1>> [[Vaedra stole it.]]<</if>><<if $idaaccused1 is not 1>> [[Ida stole it.]]<</if>><<if $biggsaccusation1 is not 1>> [[Biggs stole it.]]<</if>><<if $lovellaccusation1 is not 1>> [[No one stole it. Lovell lied.]]<</if>><<else>> Sorry, you’ve exceed your number of guesses. <<link "play again?">><<run UI.restart()>><</link>><</if>>

This is incorrect. You have no proof or basis for this accusation.<<set $ringaccusations to $ringaccusations + 1>><<set $frankaccused1 to 1>> [[Guess again.|Who stole the ring?]]

This is incorrect. You have no proof or basis for this accusation.<<set $ringaccusations to $ringaccusations + 1>><<set $annieaccusation1 to 1>> [[Guess again.|Who stole the ring?]]

This is incorrect. You have no proof or basis for this accusation.<<set $ringaccusations to $ringaccusations + 1>><<set $ennisaccused1 to 1>> [[Guess again.|Who stole the ring?]]

This is incorrect. You have no proof or basis for this accusation.<<set $ringaccusations to $ringaccusations + 1>><<set $squeegieaccused1 to 1>> [[Guess again.|Who stole the ring?]]

This is incorrect. You have no proof or basis for this accusation.<<set $ringaccusations to $ringaccusations + 1>><<set $vaedraaccused1 to 1>> [[Guess again.|Who stole the ring?]]

Congratulations. Ida has shown a predilection for going through other people’s things and redirected many of your questions about the theft. She is indeed the thief. When you confront her she crumples and hands it over.<<set $idaaccused1>> [[Next question.]]

This is incorrect. You have no proof or basis for this accusation.<<set $ringaccusations to $ringaccusations + 1>><<set $biggsaccusation1 to 1>> [[Guess again.|Who stole the ring?]]

This is incorrect. <<set $ringaccusations to $ringaccusations + 1>><set $lovellaccusation1 to 1>> [[Guess again.|Who stole the ring?]]

It’s time to find our poisoner. [[Who poisoned Lovell?]]

You have all the facts before you, or as many as you’re going to get, and come to the conclusion that: <<if $poisonaccusations is 0 or $poisonaccusations is 1>><<if $accusedfrank2 is not 1>> [[Frank poisoned Lovell.]]<</if>><<if $annieconfessed2 is not 1>> [[Annie poisoned Lovell.]]<</if>> [[Ennis poisoned Lovell.]]<<if $squeegieaccused2 is not 1>> [[Squeegie poisoned Lovell.]]<</if>><<if $vaedraaccused2 is not 1>> [[Vaedra poisoned Lovell.]]<</if>><<if $idaaccused2 is not 1>> [[Ida poisoned Lovell.]]<</if>><<else>> Sorry, you’ve exceed your number of guesses. <<link "play again?">><<run UI.restart()>><</link>><</if>>

Frank is not your best suspect. You found no poison on him or in his car. He seems amused by your accusation.<<set $poisonaccusations to $poisonaccusations + 1>><<set $accusedfrank2 to 1>> [[Try again.|Next question.]]

Annie denies it hotly. You found no poison on her or in her car. She very likely did not do it.<<set $poisonaccusations to $poisonaccusations + 1>><<set $annieconfessed2 to 1>> [[Try again.|Next question.]]

Exhausted from a trying day, Ennis confesses to the crime tearfully and begs you not to tell anyone. He tells you he could not think of any way to keep Lovell from turning him and Annie back in. “Why does he want you so bad?” He shakes his head, pressing his lips together. “Is there something special about you two or something?” His eyes slide away. “It’s because of me,” Annie says from behind you. You turn. She goes and puts her hand on Ennis’s shoulder. “I’m a whatsit, savant. Mathematical prodigy. I’m really good with probabilities and shit. Real useful if you’re into gambling for a living.” Ennis looks at her, eyes huge. “Annie, you don’t have to--” She turns to you. “Come on, Detective, have a heart. That dude was never gonna just let us live our own lives.” Since this is not the cause of death you agree to say nothing. These kids could use a break. [[Final question.]]

Squeegie laughs in your face. While several of the things in her possession are capable of poisoning someone she has other, more shall we say interesting means at her disposal. She’s not the poisoner: it’s not her style..<<set $poisonaccusations to $poisonaccusations + 1>><<set $squeegieaccused2 to 1>> [[Try again.|Next question.]]

Vaedra had no poison on them and did have more than one gun. Poisoning would have been more trouble than it was worth. They didn’t do it.<<set $poisonaccusations to $poisonaccusations + 1>><<set $vaedraaccused2 to 1>> [[Try again.|Next question.]]

Ida has already stated she owns no poison, and a thorough search of the premises tells you she was not lying.<<set $poisonaccusations to $poisonaccusations + 1>><<set $idaaccused2 to 1>> [[Try again.|Next question.]]

It’s time to find out who struck the killing blow. [[Who shot Lovell, and why?]]

It seems a lot of people wanted this unpleasant man dead, but who actually pulled the trigger, and why? [[It was Frank.]] [[It was Annie.]] [[It was Ennis.]] [[It was Squeegie.]] [[It was Vaedra.]] [[It was Ida.]]

You conclude it was Frank who pulled the trigger because: [[It was self-defense. Lovell attacked him again.]] [[Lovell threatened Annie and Ennis, whom Frank was hired to protect.]] [[Nevermind.|Who shot Lovell, and why?]]

Annie has a hot temper, and motive. She killed Lovell because: [[She and Ennis needed to get away from him to start a better life.]] [[Annie needed cash, and Lovell had some. He caught her picking his pocket.]] [[Nevermind.|Who shot Lovell, and why?]]

Sure he has the constitution of wet toast but he loves Annie and would do just about anything for her, including commit murder. It was clear Lovell had to die because: [[Annie and Ennis needed to get away from Lovell to start a better life.]] [[Ennis wanted revenge.]] [[Nevermind.|Who shot Lovell, and why?]]

Squeegie killed Lovell because: [[He insulted her.]] [[She likes killing. It’s part of her religion.]] [[Nevermind.|Who shot Lovell, and why?]]

Ida killed Lovell because: [[He figured out she was a habitual thief and she shot him to keep that quiet.]] [[He caught her stealing the ring from him.]] [[Nevermind.|Who shot Lovell, and why?]]

Unfortunately, this is not correct. Although Frank certainly had motive in needing to protect the kids, he also had a busted up left hand and could not have pulled the trigger with any accuracy. Frank is not the killer. [[Accuse Frank anyway.]] <<link "play again?">><<run UI.restart()>><</link>>

Who cares who is really guilty if you get paid, right? You may not be the world’s best private eye but you’re all this town has, so they can like it or lump it. Frank leaves town, never to be heard of again, and you are five hundred dollars richer. <<link "play again?">><<run UI.restart()>><</link>>

While this is certainly true, this is an incorrect conclusion. Annie said she shot Lovell from the doorway, when the killer was across the room. If she had wanted to protect Ennis and really did do it, she would have gotten that part right. [[Accuse Annie anyway.]] <<link "play again?">><<run UI.restart()>><</link>>

Annie gets blamed for the murder and she and Ennis are asked to leave town. You see them drive off in the black Volvo with Frank. Annie gives you the finger out the window. A few weeks later Lovell’s grief-stricken matesprit shows up out of the blue and demands to know who killed him. The mayor is only too happy to tell him it was Annie, and the murderous look in the oliveblood’s eyes is enough to make you step back. You spend many restless nights wrestling with your conscience over siccing what well might be a cold-blooded killer on not only Annie, but Ennis and Frank as well, and after yet another terrible night decide to hang up your shingle for good and become a bartender. <<link "play again?">><<run UI.restart()>><</link>>

While this is true, Ennis did not shoot Lovell. He had already poisoned him so there would have been no need. Ennis is not the true killer. [[Accuse Ennis anyway.]] <<link "play again?">><<run UI.restart()>><</link>>

You accuse Ennis of murder. What does it matter, right? Unbeknownst to you Frank goes to the mayor and pleads Ennis’s case. He tells her of your unfounded accusations and sloppy work as a PI. The mayor fires you as town investigator. Frank, Annie, and Ennis leave town together. <<link "play again?">><<run UI.restart()>><</link>>

While this is true, she didn’t kill him. She doesn’t own a pistol and it’s unlikely any of the other guests would not have noticed theirs missing. [[Accuse Squeegie anyway.]] <<link "play again?">><<run UI.restart()>><</link>>

Squeegie rolls her eyes. “Just when I thought you might be cool, too.” You have no basis for this accusation, and Squeegie does not own a handgun. It’s also doubtful any of the others would not have noticed theirs missing. [[Accuse Squeegie anyway.]] <<link "play again?">><<run UI.restart()>><</link>>

This turns out to be a bad mistake. Not only does she not take it well, she shoots up half the town on her way out, including you. As you lie there dying you think it might have been smarter to accuse just about anyone else. <<link "play again?">><<run UI.restart()>><</link>>

Vaedra killed Lovell because: [[He sexually harassed them.]] [[They wanted the ring back.]] [[Nevermind.|Who shot Lovell, and why?]]

“Oh honey. If that was the case I’d be leaving a trail of dead bodies behind me wherever I went. Not that that wouldn’t be fun.” [[Accuse Vaedra anyway.]] <<link "play again?">><<run UI.restart()>><</link>>

Vaedra claps slowly. ‘Very good. And now, for the bonus round, how did I do it?” “Waited in his room and shot him, I expect.” “It was so //thoughtful// of Squeegie to play that music. I didn’t even need the silencer.” They pull a gun before Biggs can react. “I’ll be taking my ring and going now.” “What is it with that ring, anyway?” you ask. “Is it some sort sort of key?” Vaedra’s eyes narrow. “Let’s just say my employer really wanted it back.” No one tries to stop them as they leave. Congratulations! You solved it. You truly are a great detective. [[Go to the Epilogue.]] <<link "play again?">><<run UI.restart()>><</link>>

Vaedra leaves town quietly, and you rest easy at night, knowing that while there’s a small chance they didn’t do it anyone with ideas of revenge is going to be in for a rude awakening. Vaedra can take care of themself. <<link "play again?">><<run UI.restart()>><</link>>

<<if $vaedrapickpocket is 1>>You notice as you head back to the office the victim's wallet is gone. Still, t<<else>>T<</if>>he mayor pays you for a job well done. You do your duty and warn her <<if $apostate is 1>>about what you learned about Vaedra,<<else>>of your suspicions about Vaedra,<</if>> and how sending someone after them might not be the best of ideas. <<if $apostate is 1>>She looks a bit pale, but thanks you, and that's that.<<else>>She thanks you, and that's that.<</if>> It's her problem now. You enjoy yourself a fat wad of cash: sopor, dinners out, and you can even get your damn air conditioning unit replaced. Frank talks Annie and Ennis into going back to Louisiana with him. They drop the Pinto at the local junkstop on their way out of town. Annie doesn’t seem to trust Frank but when he mentions the friend who hired him by name she agrees. Squeegie hangs around town for about a week, carousing with the locals and causing mischief. The mayor seems relieved when she’s gone, though you find it unnaturally quiet for a while. The deer head mounted above the bar in the saloon will never be the same. Vaedra leaves town quietly with their prize. You're not likely to see hide nor hair of them ever again, and that's probably for the best. Ida's business recieves a boon for having a murder take place there, as it becomes the favourite town gossip for the next few weeks, though apparently the carpet stains are -- pun intended -- killer. You elect not to mention her thievery to the mayor. Everyone got what they needed, so there's no reason to risk ticking the mayor off. Besides, who knows what use any little piece of information could be... All in all, it was a good night's work, and another line on the list of reasons why you're in the right profession. You feel good about it, as you settle down to the smell of fresh sopor. Life's pretty good. <<link "play again?">><<run UI.restart()>><</link>>

While this is an interesting scenario, the timing doesn’t work. Remember, Lovell accused everyone of the theft at lunch, hours before he was shot. It’s also unlikely Ida would have risked moving it after that, allowing him a chance to accuse her. A smart thief waits until the coast is clear. In addition, Lovell was shot shortly after leaving the dining room and Ida was seen taking out the trash and having a smoke at that time, after which she was seen by Frank coming upstairs to ask Squeegie to turn off the music. Logical time of death was between 8:30 and when the music went quiet, around 9, as no one heard a gunshot, and Ida has an alibi for that time, thanks to her security camera. [[Accuse Ida anyway.]] <<link "play again?">><<run UI.restart()>><</link>>

What harm can it do? The mayor’s going to go easy on her old friend anyway. The mayor listens to you with steepled fingers and doesn’t speak for a bit. Finally, she says, “It seems to me that you, $Mx $lname, are not very good at politics and therefore not the sort of person I want on my team. You are welcome to stay in town if you must but as of now you are unemployed. Good luck to you.” <<link "play again?">><<run UI.restart()>><</link>>

“I was just looking forward to chillin’ you know? Maybe flirting with that cute human.” She giggles and twirls some hair around her finger. She has a girly way of talking that’s a bit at odds with her monster makeup. “And then that loudmouth bully decides to ruin everyone’s evening. First //everyone’s// a thief, and then pre-dict-uh-bly,” she drawls it out, “it got narrowed down to little ole me. I know guys like that, never gets to be the big cheese, always answering to someone else, so he’s gotta throw his weight around some other way. And I am sick of it. I am not a thief. I do not need to steal to buy my shit. He was an asshole and he made me mad.” “So you went upstairs and played your music loud enough to cover a gunshot.” “Not on purpose.” “Seems awfully convenient.” “Oh, right blame the //juggalo//.” She looks angry. “I’m just saying, it was very good timing.” “Well, what can I say honey? I am great at timing.”<<set $whathappenedlastnightsqueegie to 1>> <<squeegieshit>>

“No. If I had I wouldn’t have made it so quick. I don’t like guns. They’re too easy. I would have taken my time.”<<if $squeegiehasarifle is 1>> "I thought you didn't like guns." "Life is full of contradictions."<</if>><<set $squeegiedenieskillinglovell to 1>> <<squeegieshit>>

“Oh, please. Custom shoes, Mercedes? Hello. If he could afford that he could afford to send someone to do his dirty work. And no plates never says good guy. Ergo, he was the one that got sent.” “What makes you think he was here for work?” “No offense, Sweetie, but this isn’t the type of town guys like him visit for fun.”<<set $squeegiewouldmakeagoodprivateeye to 1>> <<squeegieshit>>

“Nope,” she says cheerfully. “Slap the cuffs on me, Danno.” “Danno?” She blows her bangs off her forehead with an exaggerated breath. “Honestly, does no one watch television? Get some //culture//.”<<set $teleivsionisapparentlyculture to 1>> <<squeegieshit>>

“Oh I had his number all right, but no, thankfully. Ugh.”<<set $squeegiehadlovellsnumber to 1>> <<squeegieshit>>

“Nope. Can I now?” “He’s dead.” “Exactly. He’s not gonna care.” “I think the mayor would find it in poor taste.” She rolls her eyes. “Well aren’t we la-di-dah.”<<set $didyouhootlovellsqueegie to 1>> <<squeegieshit>>

“Nope. Didn’t smoke, ice, or cap him, neither.” “Good to know.”<<set $didyoupoisonlovellsqueegie to 1>> <<squeegieshit>>

“No, but I’d liiiike to.” “Right.”<<set $squeegieishotforfrank to 1>> <<squeegieshit>>

“Honey, I have seen so much that it’d take a lot for me to call something weird. Though, hold on. I did suspect Ida of going through my things.” “What happened?” “I came in and she was holding one of my bras. She looked all guilty but I told her she could keep it if it fit. She needs //something// to hold up those ta-tas of hers.” She gestures with her own large breasts. “And you thought she was trying to rob you?” “Nah. I don’t care. Easy come, easy go. You just asked and I’d say holding another girl’s lingerie is weird all right.” “When was this?” “Oh, last night, sometime before lunch. Probably in here to clean.”<<set $squeegiecaughtidabrahanded to 1>> <<squeegieshit>>

“Nu-uh. I was too stoned to care.” She giggles.<<set $squeegiesastoner to 1>> <<squeegieshit>>

She rolls her eyes. “If you’re asking, did I rob him, the answer is no. You couldn’t pay me to touch his nasty shit. Everyone always blames me, you know? And it’s not fair.” She tears up a bit. “I don’t even care that much about my //own// stuff. And I have money. I don’t need his stupid signet ring.” “He mentioned it was a signet ring?” “Yeah, he was all particular about it. You took my signet ring, didn’t you you filthy juggalo. Fucker.” “I can see how that would be upsetting.” “It //is//!”<<set $victimbeingrobbedsqueegie to 1>><<set $knowsaboutring to 1>> <<squeegieshit>>

“Go for it, honey.” She hops up on the bed and watches you sort through her stuff. Everything is covered in the same heavy perfume, which barely covers the smell of sopor. It’s a heady mix. Under the many piles of clothes you find a boombox, an inflatable clown, a clown teddy bear, CDs, lots of makeup, several soda 2-liters filled with sopor--way over the legal limit, a sopor mask, a sleep mask that says I’m the Shit in rhinestones, a small case entirely filled with weed and catnip along with a small bag of white powder, a bong, a few empty pie tins, and a chainsaw, but nothing incriminating. “Mr. Bowsers!” She holds out her arms for the bear, which you obligingly toss her way. A small baggie drops off of the bear and onto the floor. Inside is a vial of clear liquid. “What’s this?” you ask, picking it up. Her smile fades. “Just a little something for dire situations.” “Is it poison?” She shrugs. “Yeah. So what?”<<set $squeegiehaspoison to 1>> [[The victim was also poisoned.]]

“Sure do.”<<if $squeegiedenieskillinglovell is 1>> “I thought you didn’t like guns.” “Life is full of contradictions.”<</if>> “Can I see it?” “It’s in the car.” “What sort of gun is it?” “A rifle.” She mimics sliding the chamber and squinting into the sight. “Kaboom!” She puts down the imaginary rifle. “I heard he was shot with a pistol, so I’m not your girl.”<<set $squeegiehasarifle to 1>> <<squeegieshit>>

“What are any of us doing here, really?” She catches your look. “Oh, you meant, what am I doing in town? Just drifting where the mirthful messiahs send me.” She places her hand dramatically against her forehead, flinging herself backward into her clothes heap.<<set $whatareyoudoingheresqueegie to 1>> <<squeegieshit>>

“Yeah.” She cackles. “In’it great? No loss there.”<<set $justdessertssqueegie to 1>> <<squeegieshit>>

“No. I don’t need to steal from no rustie.” “You have money, then?” “Why, you looking to blackmail me or something?” “You do anything worth blackmailing you for?” “In this town? Not yet. But stick around. It’s early days.”<<set $didyoutakeringsqueegie to 1>><<set $askedaboutring to $askedaboutring + 1>> <<squeegieshit>>

“Yes, I know, that’s Alfredo. You didn’t //hurt// him, did you?” “No.” “Oh, thank goodness. He’s a sweetie.” “He’s your pet?” “Nah, more like traveling companion. I found him in there one day and let him stay.” She leans in. “Do //not// try to take his Twinkies.” “I’ll remember that.”<<set $alfredolikestwinkies to 1>> <<squeegieshit>>

“Nope.” She giggles.<<set $didyouheargunshotsqueegie to 1>> <<squeegieshit>>

“No, but that’s hardly surprising. Doubt anyone heard anything over the music.”<<set $didyouheargunshotfrank to 1>> <<frankshit>>

“Sorry, no.”<<set $didyouheargunshotvaedra to 1>> <<vaedrashit>>

“Oh thank fuck.” She lets out a breath, and lowers her hands. “Can you, uh, maybe not point that at me? I’m gonna grab the cash.” You lower your gun, though keep hold of it. Eying you warily, Annie reaches into her bra and pulls out a wad of money. She holds it out. You take it. It’s mostly small bills, but there’s a lot of them. Not bad for a little side payment. “Your turn,” Annie growls. “You’re just gonna walk right on out of here, yeah? You done solved it.” Even if there might be more answers to be gained or money to be made in talking to the other suspects some more, it’s probably best not to push it. [[Blame Frank.]] [[Blame Squeegie.]] [[Blame Vaedra.]] [[Blame Ida.]]

Double-crossing the mayor isn’t worth a hundred dollars. Annie’s looking extremely nervous, biting her lower lip near bloody. “Fine,” she says. “I did it. I shot him.”<<set $annieconfession to 1>> [[Tell the mayor it was Annie.]] [[I’d still like to ask you a few questions.]]

“You think //I// had anything to do with this?” Hand to breast, dramatically. “Do I think someone who is refined is also capable of murder? Absolutely.” She seems flattered by this, as you hoped she might be, and calms down. “You got me all flustered. Let me think. I was in my room for the most part. I did go and ask Miss Squeegie to turn down the music, if you can call it that. And then of course I was making breakfast later on. I usually start that around 7 p.m. I might have been a few minutes late. But if you are asking did anyone see me, other than Mr. Frank that one time and probably the whole town hearing me asking Miss Squeegie to turn down that racket, the answer is no.” You check your notes. “And that was earlier, during the day.” “Yes.” “Thank you for your cooperation.” “You are quite welcome.” She still seems a bit miffed.<<set $idaalibi to 1>> <<idashit>>

“You must be joking. My ears are still ringing from that so-called music.”<<set $didyouheargunshotida to 1>> <<idashit>>

“Search //my// car? Lands’ sakes. Whatever for?” “Just leaving no stone unturned.” “I’m not sure I want you going through my personal effects.” “The mayor wants me to get to the bottom of this. You wouldn’t want suspicion lingering, would you?” She looks at you. “Fine.” She gets her car keys. “Fine. “ She hands them over. You have the feeling you’ll be hearing from the mayor about this, but you’re just doing your job. You search her very neat car and find a nice gold lighter, a fancy pen, and a leather bound notebook filled with shopping lists, but nothing incriminating.<<set $searchidascar to 1>> [[Search another car.|Search a suspect’s car.]] [[Go back inside.|Nevermind.]]

She stares at you, then storms over to the room and throws the door open dramatically. “By all means, root through my things as if I am a common criminal.” Squeegie snickers. Frank looks amused. Annie laughs shortly. You search her room. You find several romance novels, a pile of romantic movies, half-eaten boxes of candy and an astounding number of floofy slippers, but nothing incriminating. She does have one very nice painting you suspect is an original but she’s a friend of the mayor so you ignore it as it has nothing to do with this case.<<set $searchidasroom to 1>> <<idashit>>

She stares at you, indignant but her gaze falters a little and she blushes. “Of--course not. How DARE you.” “I think maybe you did.” “And I think you ought to confine your questioning where it belongs.” “You want to be the private eye now?” “I’m just saying, a man is dead, and you’re going on about trivialities.” “The ring belonged to the dead man. I think they may be related. Maybe someone shot him for the ring.” She looks at you, a little pale. “Y-yes. I suppose that makes sense.” “Do you have anything to tell me?” She sniffs. “Lunch will be late.”<<set $askidaaboutring to 1>><<set $askedaboutring to $askedaboutring + 1>> <<idashit>>

“Land sakes, of course not. If I set to murdering every guest I didn’t like I’d have to start my own cemetery.”<<set $dididashootlovell to 1>> <<idashit>>

“Goodness, no.”<<set $dididapoisonlovell to 1>> <<idashit>>

“No. I get too many guests who don’t like each other. You’d be here every other week.”<<set $nopoisononpremises to 1>> <<idashit>>

“Let’s see, lunch was at 1 a.m. and dinner was at 6 a.m., more or less on the dot.”<<set $soupson to 1>> <<idashit>>

She starts giggling uncontrollably. Holds up a hand. “Sorry, sorry.” Giggle snorts. “Man, he just did not get along with //anyone//, did he?” “Did you do it?” “No, but //damn//. Wish I’d thought of it. Hope it was painful.”<<set $squeegielearnslovellpoisoned to 1>> <<squeegieshit>>

“Yeah! Sweet ride.” “Mind if I search it?” “Depends.” “On what?” “You up to date on your shots?” She laughs evilly. “Nah, seriously, knock yerself out but don’t say I didn’t warn you.”<<set $canisearchyourcarsqueegie to 1>> <<squeegieshit>>

"Guess." "I haven't actually seen the cars yet." “Oh. Well it's the sweetest ride in the lot.” You raise your eyebrows. She sighs. "The purple SUV." “Mind if I search it?” “Depends.” “On what?” “You up to date on your shots?” She laughs evilly. “Nah, seriously, knock yerself out but don’t say I didn’t warn you.”<<set $canisearchyourcarsqueegie to 1>> <<squeegieshit>>

“Shooting in the dark there, aren’t you, friend. I have no use for a signet ring, sorry.” He even, kindly, lets you search him. He has his wallet, which he declines to let you search but is too flat to hold a ring of that type, and his room, which other than his backpack is empty. He does not have the ring.<<set $frankaccusedofring to 1>><<set $peopleaccusedofring to $peopleaccusedofring + 1>> [[Continue the investigation.|Nevermind.]] [[Accuse someone else.|Accuse someone of taking the ring.]]

“I already told you I didn’t, ya moron.” “Can I search you?” “Not if you wanna keep your hands.” <<set $peopleaccusedofring to $peopleaccusedofring + 1>><<set $annieaccusedofring to 1>> [[Continue the investigation.|Nevermind.]] [[Accuse someone else.|Accuse someone of taking the ring.]]

“What? No. I’m not a common thief.” Ennis blushes bright yellow with indignation. You search him and find a small bottle of clear liquid in his sweatpant pocket before Annie rushes into the room and punches you. “Get your hands off of him!” “A-annie, it’s … too late.” Ennis sinks to the floor. “What’s in the bottle, Ennis?” you ask, rubbing your face and glaring at his moirail. “It’s none of your business, is what it is,” Annie snarls.<<set $ennisaccusedofring to 1>><<set $peopleaccusedofring to $peopleaccusedofring + 1>> [[Continue the investigation.|Nevermind.]] [[Accuse someone else.|Accuse someone of taking the ring.]]

She’s livid. “You fuckers are all alike. Blame the juggalo. I am a highblood, OKAY? A high-fucking-blood who does not steal from common rusties. You can go fuck yourself.”<<set $squeegieoffended to 1>><<set $squeegieaccusedofring to 1>><<set $peopleaccusedofring to $peopleaccusedofring + 1>> [[Continue the investigation.|Nevermind.]] [[Accuse someone else.|Accuse someone of taking the ring.]]

They laugh. “Incorrect.” “May I search you?” “No.”<<set $vaedraaccusedofring to 1>><<set $peopleaccusedofring to $peopleaccusedofring + 1>> [[Continue the investigation.|Nevermind.]] [[Accuse someone else.|Accuse someone of taking the ring.]]

<<if $peopleaccusedofring is 3 or $peopleaccusedofring is 4 or $peopleaccusedofring is 5 or $peopleaccusedofring is 6 or $peopleaccusedofring is 7>>“You don’t have any clue what you’re doing, do you cupcake. Maybe you should ask the mayor for a different job. “No, I didn’t take it.”<<set $oops to 1>><<else>>She looks like she’s about to deny it, then crumples. “OK, yes, I did. I figured he was just such an unpleasant man he didn’t deserve such a pretty thing.” “I’m going to need it back.” She hesitates. “Oh, all right, I’ll go get it.” She heads upstairs and returns in a few minutes with a gold embossed man’s ring. It looks very old and is surprisingly heavy in your hand. The signet is in the shape of an intricate raised cross. “Don’t know why you need it now he’s dead but you caught me fair and square.” You thank her and pocket the ring.<<set $havering to 1>><<set $gotringfromida to 1>><</if>><<set $idaaccusedofring to 1>> [[Continue the investigation.|Nevermind.]] [[Accuse someone else.|Accuse someone of taking the ring.]]<<set $idaaccusedofring to 1>>

Biggs gives you a look. “Maybe you need to rethink that question.” Ze doesn’t raise zir voice but you realize this is both a pointless and dangerous avenue of questioning.<<set $biggsaccusedofring to 1>><<set $peopleaccusedofring to $peopleaccusedofring + 1>> [[Continue the investigation.|Nevermind.]] [[Accuse someone else.|Accuse someone of taking the ring.]]

Frank’s car is a little messy on the inside. It looks like he’s been in it a while. You find several empty Dr. Pepper cans, an ashtray filled with cigarettes, and a couple of stray napkins in the car proper, as well as a roadmap of the United States. On the back of the driver’s side sunshade is a pink post-it note with a note in girly handwriting that says Love you Sweetie Stay Safe with lots of hearts and Xs and Os. The passenger side inside roof is torn a bit, as if by a troll with tall horns. In the glovebox is a small notebook with a neatly handwritten series of notes on maintaining a 1986 Volvo, a flashlight with working batteries, a slim jim (not the kind you eat), a pack of chewing gum and several dum-dum suckers. Also another note that says don’t get shot this time, dumbass, with a spade drawn as a signature. It’s attached to a first-aid kit. In the trunk you find a wood burning kit, a baseball bat, a jack and spare, jumper cables, and some rope.<<set $searchedfrankscar to 1>> [[Search another car.|Search a suspect’s car.]] [[Go back inside.|Nevermind.]]

Annie goes outside with you and watches suspiciously while you go through her car. There’s mostly trash inside, a few plastic bags, empty food wrappers, napkins, empty soda bottles, and crushed paper cups. Looks like a few days’ worth of debris if they’ve been spending a lot of time in their car, and longer if they haven’t. You check the trunk; it’s empty. “Happy now?” Annie asks, arms folded. “Somewhat.”<<set $inparkinglot to 1>><<set $searchcarannieennis to 1>> [[You’ve been living out of your car?|You’ve been living out of your car?A]] [[Search another car.|Search a suspect’s car.]] [[Go back inside.|Nevermind.]]

Squeegie was possibly not joking about your needing shots. The front passenger side floor is filled with empty Faygo bottles. They’re filthy, sprinkled with ash from cigarettes and from the smell of it, blunts. The ashtrays overflow with butts. The glove compartment sticks and when you finally get it open a bunch of snakes in a can pop out, making you jump. Underneath the snakes are yet another gun, a gun cleaning kit, and a bunch of fake IDs, including one that identifies Squeegie as Susie Charm, snake wrangler. Great. You hope she doesn’t have an actual snake in here somewhere. There’s also a whole bounty of Bazooka Joe bubblegum. Bazooka Joe joke wrappers litter the car liberally. The passenger seat has a bongo drum, tambourine, empty fast food wrappers, and several CDs by groups of humans with long hair and mean or vacant expressions. There’s a broken bong you almost cut your hand on. Directly behind the seat you can see a rifle with a scope, possibly the only thing in this car that’s clean and well cared for. You decide to wear your gloves for the back. You are not sure how she fit five suitcases back here. There is a surfboard, a skateboard with three wheels attached, two lawn chairs, several more containers of sopor, a cooler filled with Faygo, a fishing tackle box filled with fishing tackle of all things, a few crumpled speeding tickets, and an entire nest of blankets that you now see is moving. You jump back as a big ugly sewer rat sticks its nose out, twitching. The two of you stare at each other and then the rat retreats back into the bedding pile. There is also a severed hand. You don’t know whose it is and you don’t want to know. You close the car up and retreat, feeling like you’d like a shower.<<set $searchedsqueegiescar to 1>> [[Search another car.|Search a suspect’s car.]] [[Go back inside.|Nevermind.]]

You go outside to the parking lot and approach the black Toyota. There aren’t any windows that show the view of the parking lot from the lobby, so you should be alright. You get your lockpicks out of your bag and set to work on the lock. Immediately an alarm starts blaring, and you almost drop your pick, swearing. You make out the front door opening under the racket and Biggs calling out, “Everything alright out there, Detective?” “Yep,” you call back sheepishly, and finish picking the lock so you can turn the damn thing off. Inside is spotless black upholstery. It looks //vaccumed.// There’s nothing in the cupholder, nothing on the passenger's seat, nothing in the ashtray, no garbage. The glove compartment is locked. You pick that too. Inside is a map of America, a hammer for breaking car windows in the event of being trapped, the owner’s manual for the car, and a pair of frameless sunglasses. Under the passenger’s seat you find two handguns and a rifle, all fully loaded, new, and well cleaned. You also find a slim jim (not the meat kind), a first aid kit, five boxes of bullets, and three separate mobile radio telephones. Under the back seat you find two wool blankets, a longer rifle, a shotgun, another handgun, a very pricey looking gun maintenance kit, another first aid kit, eight boxes of bullets, a bag of salt, a machete, and twelve phone books. The guns are all well cared for and fully loaded; the shotgun is loaded with salt. In the trunk you find a car jack, two spare tires, a toolbox with some basic tools inside, a set of jumper cables, two tarps, a large bottle of bleach, a woven blanket, a small vacuum cleaner, an iron, and an empty cooler. Everything in the car is very neatly arranged, slightly less so after you’ve gone through it. You go back inside. Vaedra’s blank expression is a great deal more murderous. “Detective,” they say, calm as you please, “A word, if you would.”<<set $searchedvaedrascar to 1>> [[Agree.]] [[Refuse.|RefuseVaedra]]

You follow Vaedra up to their room. They shut the door behind you. “I’m going to pat you down and search your bag now.” [[Agree.|Agree2]] [[Refuse.|RefuseVaedra2]]

“Very well,” they say cooly.<<set $vaedrapissed to 1>> [[Continue the investigation.|Nevermind.]]

You let them pat you down. They find your car keys and wallet, which they put back after a brief glance, as well as <<if $lostgun is not 1>>your gun and <</if>> the various vittles you keep about your person. They don’t give the victim’s wallet back. You catch their wrist. “That’s evidence.” “Now, now, Detective, be reasonable. You searched my car. You know what you’re up against.” [[Let them have the wallet.]] [[Don’t let them have the wallet.]]

“Then why on Earth would you agree to meet me upstairs? Really, Detective, do you think about things before you do them? Now, you’re going to take me out to my car, and if I find you’ve taken anything from me, you’re going to give it back, or I’m going to kill you. Alright?” [[Fine.]] [[Not happening.]] <<if $lostgun is not 1>>[[Point your gun at them.]]<</if>>

They smile. “There now, was that so hard?” They proceed to search your bag. They replace everything they take out.<<set $vaedrapissed to 0>><<set $vaedrapickpocket to 0>> [[Go back downstairs.|Nevermind.]]

They look at you coolly. “What is it, Detective? The cash? Are you truly //dedicated to justice?”// They laugh coldly. “You can keep the cash. Let me have the fake IDs.” [[Agree.|Agree3]] [[Refuse.|RefuseVaedra3]] [[Refuse, but give them the cash.]]

“Pleasure doing business with you.” They pocket the IDs. “Your bag, if you would?” You let them search your bag. They replace everything they take out.<<set $vaedrapissed to 0>><<set $vaedrapickpocket to 0>> [[Go back downstairs.|Nevermind.]]

They sigh. “You are making this tedious, aren’t you. Fine. Let me search your bag.” You let them search your bag. They replace everything they take out.<<set $vaedrapissed to 0>> [[Go back downstairs.|Nevermind.]]

They laugh. “You’re an odd one, aren’t you. Alright, I’ll take it. Now your bag, if you would.” You let them search your bag. They replace everything they take out.<<set $vaedrapissed to 0>> [[Go back downstairs.|Nevermind.]]

You get them past Biggs and out to the parking lot, more grumpy than anything else, as you didn’t take anything. They search the car, you keep an eye on them, and when they’re done they lock it back up. “Now was that so hard? Everything’s been accounted for.” You grunt and take them back inside.<<set $vaedrapissed to 0>> [[Continue the investigation.|Nevermind.]]

They sigh. “We’re going to do this the hard way? Really? How about this. You start cooperating, and I’ll start cooperating.”<<set $vaedrapissed to 1>> [[Fine.]] [[Go back downstairs.|Nevermind.]]

“Go fuck yourself.” [[Okay then.|Nevermind.]]

You pocket the entire money clip.<<set $stolefromvaedra to 1>><<set $stolemoney to 1600>> [[Go back downstairs.|Nevermind.]]

You pocket $500. If they don’t count it, it won’t be immediately obvious it’s missing.<<set $stolefromvaedra to 1>><<set $stolemoney to 500>> [[Go back downstairs.|Nevermind.]]

You pocket $100. They probably won’t even miss it.<<set $stolefromvaedra to 1>><<set $stolemoney to 100>> [[Go back downstairs.|Nevermind.]]

It feels just slightly too skeevy to steal a quadrant ring, so instead you take a valuable looking pair of sapphire earrings.<<set $stolefromvaedra to 1>><<set $stolemoney to 1>> [[Go back downstairs.|Nevermind.]]

yeah ok [img[http://media.discordapp.net/attachments/503486942747426816/696974956067684412/IMG_20200206_184516159.jpg]] [img[http://media.discordapp.net/attachments/503486942747426816/696974960555458580/IMG_20191226_030749067.jpg]] [img[http://media.discordapp.net/attachments/503486942747426816/696974941572300860/IMG_20200306_120732394.jpg]] [img[http://media.discordapp.net/attachments/503486942747426816/696974951869055036/unknown.png]] [img[http://media.discordapp.net/attachments/503486942747426816/696974948031266886/rinA1Vc5BIcWBszXgga207NAw_c8XJeunnolcoqA8ZLANg74mqSEI1GrJUuobNHNzEAPgkpltytLFBbVKXFJPJ1_wB6_Ee8Noa7t.png]] [img[http://media.discordapp.net/attachments/503486942747426816/696974955199594536/9Hs1ATqTJbMggZ3m64xHJdro679azauYxNdrMKEDwtrFTsbr1jzouePjT3sBsuGlzyqnkyMI-y3TNW6Qfz6MFRfIewJe_l2dTJD6.png]] [[main menu|homepage]]

this is a choose your own adventure. you play as the main character, and the choices you make influence the narrative. to navigate between pages, click the blue link corresponding with the question you want to ask or the choice you want to make. the solution(s) to the mystery follow basic logic within the worldbuilding. pay attention to what people say, how they say it, the fine details, and what you learn about the individuals and the world at large. sometimes taking an action or gaining new information will open up choices. sometimes making one decision will limit your other choices, either immediately or later on. so choose wisely! there is one "true ending" that can be gained by solving the mystery, and a lot of other endings to discover as well. no knowledge of homestuck plot events is necessary to succeed at & enjoy this game. [[homepage]]

This is incorrect. No one witnessed such a fight, nor was there any evidence of one. [[Accuse Frank anyway.]] <<link "play again?">><<run UI.restart()>><</link>>

If this had taken place the entire hotel would likely have heard, given Lovell’s love of loud confrontations. Incorrect. [[Accuse Annie anyway.]] <<link "play again?">><<run UI.restart()>><</link>>

This does hold some merit, in that Ennis said Lovell was a bad man and it was obvious they knew each other. But Ennis had already gotten his revenge in the form of poisoning the man. Shooting him would just be, well, overkill. [[Accuse Ennis anyway.]] <<link "play again?">><<run UI.restart()>><</link>>

While it is possible Ida is a habitual thief, given the evidence, there is no evidence that Lovell paid it any attention. In addition, Ida is the only person in the hotel with a solid alibi. It wasn’t her. [[Accuse Ida anyway.]] <<link "play again?">><<run UI.restart()>><</link>>

"I must say I’m //not// very happy with you right now. I suggest you do something to make amends.”<<set $vaedrasearchedyourbag to 1>> <<if $vaedrawantsthering is 1>> [[I’ll go find the ring.]]<<if $havering is 1>> [[I have the ring.]]<</if>><</if>><<if $vaedrabribed is 1>> [[I already paid you.]]<</if>><<if $vaedrabribedring is 1>> [[I got you the ring.]]<</if>><<if $returnedstole is 1 and $stuffbackvaedra is not 1>> [[I gave your stuff back.]]<</if>><<if $vaedrawantsthering is not 1 and $vaedrabribedring is not 1>> [[Someone like you’s in a town like this for a reason. Maybe we can strike a deal.|Someone like you’s in a town like this for a reason. Maybe we can strike a deal.3]]<</if>> [[Offer them $50.|Offer them $50.3]] [[Offer them $100.|Offer them $100.3]] [[Offer them $200.|Offer them $200.3]]<<if $lostgun is not 1>> [[Draw your gun on them.|Draw your gun on them.3]]<</if>>

"My boss.<<if $frankisheretohelpannieennis is 1>> I was telling him I'd found the kids.<</if>>"<<set $whowereyoucallingfrank to 1>> <<frankshit>>