When you entered the ball everything seemed completely fine except for the fact that everyone was in formal attire nothing seemed out of place. As the night grew later you get up to get a small portion of the food they were serving.
Nothing seemed weird or abnormal so maybe its not necessary to actually be a detective rigth now. you thought. Just 10 minutes later you hear a scream, a loud one, very loud. everyone gathers outside to the courtyard but its so dark you can hardly see a thing
That's when you look to where everyone is gathered and you see that someone has been murdered. But this wasn't just anyone it was the head of hotels he was a powerful man. And now he lay there with the entire party looking at his body. But why? How? Everything seemed fine just five minutes ago and now you were staring down at the dead man. This is horrible.
The police show up and they escort everyone to the ballroom where a message was written on the walls. "[[six more days-> choices 1]]" and a signature you don't recognize. you have to find this person or people. But right now you had no answers to what or who had done this. But what could this mean? everyone looks so scared and you notice that half of the people that were here gone. They must have left. But you had other things to worry about.
Welcome to a fun murder mystery that is up to you to solve, while reading this interactive fiction find clues and answers leading you to the murderer!
Here's a description to get you started on the case!
It is late spring the usual time of the ball at the grand hotel, you are a detective and have received an invite for this gathering.
When you are there a murder is committed but the person who did it? Well that is up to you to figure out.
A series of people have been taken and it is your job to save them and figure out who did it to keep anyone else from danger.
But you have to hurry make sure you make the best decisions to lead you to the answers you need by the end of the [[week->passage2]].
Six days.
As you see the police take care of everything, you ask them if you can investigate the crime scene. They agree as long as you stay out of the way. If only they recognized your significance for this case, you could really help them. You make your way to the crime scene and you see that there are three tools
* [[A shovel->choices 2]]
* [[A rope->rope path]]
* [[And leather gloves->leather gloves]]
Choose which one you would like to investigate(set:$item to "rope")
You have decided to investigate the rope you see near the crime scene, its too dark to see anything here. So you need to go inside but somewhere where no one can see you. You look at the $item and see that there is paint you bring it closer to your face to get a better look and you smell something familiar. This paint is familiar you have used it before this exact color to. At least the message was not written in blood that would be bad. A second whiff of the smell and you remember, being in this place, it was a paint store. But there are so many paint stores across town. You only have enough time to look at one of the two paint stores in the town.
There is the Murphy paint store
and the Willow tree paints co.
both of them are each on opposite sides of town. But which will lead you to the answer for this question, Who is the person who used the rope for the murder of the prince and why?
[[Murphy paint store->paint store]]
[[Willow tree paints->willow paints]]Great! You chose to investigate the leather gloves. Could the murderer have used these. You walk out making sure nobody sees you. You get in your car and drive to your office room at your apartment.
You put the Gloves in one hand and they look new black and shiny. But they had a scent to it that smelled odly good.
It smelled almost like your [[aunt's oils->smelly oils]] she made and also like one of the [[scents at the perfume store->perfume]]Great! The next day.You take a cab to the murphy paint store hopping to find the reason behind this. As you enter the store the news is on in the backround of the colorful painted wall. A missing person found today at 1:36 pm on the dot. Thats where you have to go next but first the paint on this mysterios rope. You see someone typing something on the computer in front of you. "Excuse me miss" you say. "How can I help you ma'am" she says. "I was wondering if I could ask you some questions.
[["Could you tell me if there are any records of anyone buying this?"->answer]]
[["Do you have an idea of where this person was off to next?"->answer 2]]
[["Have you heard about the murder that happenned last night"->answer 3]]
[[Goodbye->next]]You walk into the willow paint store, you hear the news playing on the TV screen on the wall to your left. The news reporter is talking about a reported missing person at exactly 1:36 pm on the dot. You don't know why you remembered but it seemed important at the time. You look over and see a young lady working at the front and talking to a customer on her phone. She looks over to you and says goodbye to who ever she is talking to on the phone and puts it up.
"Good afternoon ma'am" she replies with joy in her voice."Good afternoon" you reply. "What can I help you with?" she asks. "I was wondering if I could ask you some questions about a murder case that happenned last night" you say. "I don't know about that I'm only supposed to help you find paint, its kinda my job" she says worried. "It's nothing much just a few questions, thats all it won't hurt" you say trying to convince her into telling you. "Well okay fine"
[["Was there anyone that came in here to buy a red paint maybe looking suspisious?"->answer1 B]]
[["Do you know where this person was off to next?'->answer2B]]
[["Do you know why they needed to buy it?->answer3b]]
[[Goodbye->next]] "Could you tell me if there are any records of anyone buying this? you ask.
"I'm sorry ma'am but i'm not allowed to share that information with you", he says. "But I need to know, why you care?" he asks you. "
I'm a detective and I am investigating a murder case". you reply.
"The murder that happenned last night?!" he says shocked. "Yes and I really need your help to figure out who has used a $item during the murder". "Well in that case I do have something, someone wearing a black hoodie that covered theri face came in yesterday while I was on my day shift around 9:38 am and..." he says looking worried," they left a paper with writting on it" he hands you the note written in pen. You look at the note,"11 baywood creek 6"
It looked like an adress for somewhere but you couldn't figure out [[where->paint store]]
(set:$item to "note")"Do you have an idea of where this person was off to next" you ask the man. "No idea, but I overheard a small part of the conversation he was having on the phone as he finished paying he sounded a little scared like if he didn't get the paint he would be executed or something" he said laughing al little. But this was no laughing matter this person buying the paint could not have been the [[murderer->paint store]] he was ''working for them''."Do you think they could have been the murderer?" you ask the man.
"I mean I'm no pro at this kinda stuff but he did not seem like the murder type" he replies "But maybe he had something to do with it he was the most suspicious person I've seen all week and I have seen it all, from karens, to rude moms, and-" , "I'm sorry but I need to get going now", you cut him off before he keeps talking.
"[[Thank you->paint store]] for you help" you say. "No problem" he replies.
You make your way to Wellsbury where a person was last seen today at 1:36 pm. You see police investigators surounding the area. You are going to have to make your way around them.
As you get closer to the area you stop at park, where all of the police were. You notice something on the floor; a piece of paper next to a tree in the area.
"E.PW" you recognized these initials. They have popped up before.
Who could this be?
Before you ask yourself any questions, you see something else on the paper
An adress
11 baywood creek
But this was not in the city.
This was out of [[town->adress]].
Will you take this [[clue->adress]]?
Or [[leave->ending but only the beginning]]?"Was there anyone who came in here to buy red paint, maybe looking suspiscious?" you ask. "Well you have to be a little more clear with that question a lot of people buy red paint for some reason", she says.
"But there was a man who came in here yesterday at 8:40 something and he came in looking at the paint wall but didn't find what he needed", she says. "I'm sorry I guess he didn't need it".
You thought that was interesting but also why there are so many shades of red here you have lost count already. Was he looking for a specific place? "Do you know where this person was off to next?" you ask. "I really don't know but would you like to check the security cameras from yesterday?" she asks. "Sure", you say.
She logs into the computer and shows you the recordings. You notice that the time during the recordings was in fact around 8:40 so this person was not lying and could probably be trusted, right?
"See, the man just came in, looked around and left", she said. "I really don't understand why they do that just get the paint", she said annoyed. She kept talking about other things but you were to concentrated to hear. You notice something in the recording. "Stop", you say. "Go back", you tell her. "Look right here", you point to the side of the screen. There is a drivers liscence on the car that the man was driving. You grab one of the sticky notes and write it down. "Well, what are you going to do with that?"she asks you. "I'm going to find the murderer", you say."Do you know why they needed to buy it?", you ask the lady. "I don't know, but whenever people come in here to buy something I never really ask what its for as long as we are getting business", she says.
Well this answer was not at all helpful, but after looking at the recordings it seemed a little obvious that this man was definetely a little sketchy. But no murderer would go inside a store they definetely sent this guy in here.
"Well, thank you for your help" you say
"Of course, anytime"
You walk out of the store and go on the next stage of the case.
(set:$item to "flashlight")
Nice! You have decided to investigate the shovel you see near the crime scene. You grab the $item from your bag and look at the shovel. You notice that this shovel was definetely not new it had run down edges and scratches all over it. You slide you hand over to the edge and notice something on the handle. Initials. Someones initials were written on the handle. The writting was almost identical as the mesage shown last night and the same initials too. Could this be the murderer's?
"E.P.W" you said to yourself. Did the murderer use this?Or could it be a coincidence? But you need the next part of your plan. Who could you go ask questions to?
You could either go ask a [[Security guard->Security]] or a [[Gardener->Gardener]] who were working there during the ball.
You decide to ask John, one of the security guards the next day around 12:50 pm.
He would definetely know who was coming in or out of the buildings.You look around and notice that all the workers seem of no emotion . But someone around would definetely have answers for you.
Yous see John patrolling the outside of the ballroom where hundreds of people were just yesterday. You decide to walk up to him and ask about this person with the shovel and anything that would lead you to some answers. Because so far you really had nothing, you needed this answer, for the sake of the people who might be in potential danger of this criminal.
[[Hello sir, I would like to ask you some questions if that's alright-> answer1a shovel]]
[[Do you know anything about the person who came in here with this?"->answer 2a shovel]]
[[Do you think this person could have been the murderer?"->answer 3a shovel]]
[[Goodbye->next]]
You decided to talk to the gardener the next morning around 12:45 pm. You look outside hoping to find a gardener still there. Hopefully they all didn't just leave after the murder. It looks like no one else is there. Could this be the end of the road for you? But as soon as you begin to doubt that you'll find someone. You spot a worker in the corner of the flower area, on the other side of the crime scene.
"Hello ma'am!" you say to grab the worker's attention. "Yes?" she asks looking in your direction. "I was wondering If I could ask you some questions?" you say not trying to make her upset of any kind.
"Of course" she replies. "How can I help?"
[["Do you know anything about the person who came in with this?"->answer1b shovel]]
[["Do you know who these people are?"->answer2b shovel]]
[[Goodbye->next]]
"Hello sir I would like to ask you some questions if that's alright" you ask the security guard, John. "Why do I need to answer?" he says.
Is he upset or something he seemed not in the mood. Maybe some small talk would ease him up a little.
"So did you watch the game yesterday?" you ask not knowing at all if a game had happenned. He looks eager to answer as you finish your sentence."Yes I did I can't believe the chiefs lost by 26!", he looks at you as if you knew what he was talking about. "Yeah.." you say. "So.. could you answer some of my questions?" you ask hoping that the sports question helped at all. "Sure, what do you need me to answer about?" he asks as if I were holding him back from going home.
"It's about the murder that happenned to your boss"
He looks like he lost one of his bestfriends, that sad they must have known each other well.
"Fine I'll answer"
[[Go back ->Security]]
"Do you know anything about the person who came in with this?" you say pointing to the shovel in your hands.
"How is this shovel at all useful to you?" he asks instead of answering your first question.
"I think it migth be important to the investigation" you reply. "Now, answer my question" you say. "Well I can't say I saw anyone come in with a shovel that would be ridiculous" he laughed but this was not funny this was a murder.
"If your not gonna help then why bother trying to answer the questions!" you snap. "Fine but I didn't see anyone come in with that" he says. "But I did see a woman come in who looked diffrent than everyone else" he says. "She was wearing all black but it wasn't like sweatpants or anything like pants and jacket while every one else had dresses and tuxes". "She looked like a spy but I didn't think anything of it she was one of my bosse's friends I've learned to trust these people no matter what" he says looking down. "I didn't suspect anything until I saw him dead... outside".
Could this lady be the murderer? Or was she just part of the big heist?
[[Go back->Security]]
"Do you think this person could have been the murderer?" you ask. "I don't know anyone could be a suspect or maybe more than one person was in on it" he says looking confused. He doesn't have the answers I need. But maybe the lady does.
"Who was this lady who you thought was suspiscious?" you ask. "Her name is Barabra Lewis, but don't say anything about me telling you any of this..." he says. "That could put me in danger if she's in on it" he says looking betrayed. But how could you blame him one of his closest friends died and he thinks he was betrayed by another.
"I need to tell you something" he pauses, "There was something on the news... someone went missing at 1:36"
"Where?" you ask
"Wellsbury avenue" he says. That was the busiest places in the city.
"Thank you for your help, John" you say
"Happy to" he says and walks away.
[["Wellsbury avenue-> worse]]
Everything was getting [[worse->Security]]
You decided to go visit your aunt to see if she sold anything to the person who had these black gloves. You drive over to her house and walk to the front door. After you rang the doorbell, she answers and greets you. You and your aunt don't live far apart but you rarely ever visit her and you have no idea why.
"Welcome!" she says when she sees you. "Hello, Aunt Julie!" you say greeting her. "Come in", she says letting you go in to her house.
"So, what are you here for, would you liek to buy some of my new citrus oils?" she asks."Actually no, I was wondering if i could ask you some questions" you ask her."Of course, what can I do?" she replies.
[["Did anyone with these on buy any of your oils?"->answer1b gloves]]
[["Goodbye, Aunt"->answer2b gloves]]
(If you picked this, probably go back it won't lead you anywhere :)
Nice! You decided to go to the best perfume store in the city. It wasn't big at all just a small little store with high quality fragrances. Could the scent from the gloves be from this very place?
You walk in and go straigth to the young woman helping a customer find a scent. Once you see that the older woman leaves you walk up to the young woman who is working.
"Hello ma'am could I ask you some question anout something?" you ask her trying to not share a lot of information with a stranger.
"What about?" she asks
"The murder" you say. You watch her and her eyes get big with fear and worry
"Are you some kind of detective?!" she says almost telling the entire store
"Yes and I need your help" you tell her. Her face immidiatly eases
"Okay, What can I do?"
[["Was there someone who came in here with these?->answer1a gloves]]
[[Do you know what this person was trying to do?"->answer3a gloves]]
[[Goodbye->next]]
"Do you know anything about the person who came in with this?",you say as you point to the shovel. "I actually do I saw a woman and a man come in and the man was holding that in his hand, they both looked pretty sus though" she said wiping her forehead.
"Why?" you ask. Who could these people be? "They both looked a little like spies from a movie, they were all dressed in black and definetely gave murder vibes, but not the ones who actually did it" she said. "I would say they looked pretty sketchy [[indeed->Gardener]]]"."Do you know who these people are?" you ask. Maybe this could lead you to the next clue to your case. "I only know one of the two, the woman her name is Barbra Lewis or something like that" she said. "I only know because she comes out here a lot she's pretty famous for getting into these parties".
"Well thank you for your help, but I have one more question, where can I find this woman?" you ask the lady.
"I don't know but If anyone knows it's my bosse's business friend, Mike Wester, but he works accross town" she starts writing on a left over receipt she had.
"Here" she says handing you the paper
[["Hope this helps"->helps]], and you left
You take a taxi into the city and stop next to a big screen TV playing at the front of a furniture store.
You read the title.
"A reported missing person last seen: Wellsbury Avenue"
Could the murder and this disappearance be[[ related->Gardener]]?"Was there someone who came in here with these? you ask the lady. You point to the gloves and she seems like she's debating whether or not to tell me anything
"I actally did see somone come in with them on her hands" she says. You stop really quick. "Her?" you ask the lady. "Yes a woman came in here in all black like she was from a movie" she tells you.
"Did she just buy something?" you ask her. "No she came in and and used one of the perfumes and sprayes it all over her, including her hands".
"Interesting.." you say. "Did you get her name?" you ask the young woman.
"yes" she says
"[[Barbara Lewis->perfume]] I think" she said.
"Do you know what this person was trying to do?" you ask the woman. "I'm sorry but I don't" she says looking really sad she couldn't help.
"But I would guess she was at the ball, based on what she was wearing" she said.
"But she was dressed in all black she probably looked suspiscious" you tell the woman. You were confused what was she trying to say
"Exactly" and without another word she left to help another customer.
And know it made sense she had something to do with it
You [[leave->next]]
"Did anyone come in here with these?" you ask your aunt as you point to the gloves. "Did they buy anything from you at all?" you say."I'm sorry but I haven't had a customer with those on" she says.
"Why, did you think someone did?" she ask you. "Yes, these gloves have a smell to it that remind me of one of your oils" you tell her. "Can I see the gloves?" she asks you. You let her take the gloves and she smells them. "They do smell like one of my oils but this one that I smell is out of stock I won't be able to give you one, I'm sorry"
"I hope you can figure it out though"
"Thank you"
You stay for a little longer and hang out with your aunt.
The news is on the TV: A missing person reported Last seen on Wellsbury Avenue 1:36 pm
"I'm sorry but I have to go" you tell your aunt. Before she could say anotehr word you were already out of the house. You were on your way to the site.
Going to your aunt's house didn't help you and now you feel like a step behind from where you should be on this case.
But your still going to figure something out.
It's not over yet. You can still go to the site on Wellsbury avenue to look for clues if it's related to your case or not.
But you had a feeling it [[definetely ->next]]was.
You get into your car immidiatly and rive off to the adress. You only had 3 and half more days to solve this. You needed to get there fast.
As you get there you see the house. It looks abandoned an old and creepy.
A part of you really doesn't want to go but you have to.
You walk up to the door and think of knocking.
But then you hear someone talking. They sounded angry. You lean in closer to the door and hear the voice a bit more clear than before. It was a woman talking
But who was it?
You already had an idea.
It was [[Barbara Lewis->barbara Lewis]], It had to beYou go to the back of the house and see a window. You see that it's already open, so you decide to climb through. As you enter the house you hear the voices a little closer.
You scan the room making sure they weren't behind you.
You walk into the room that you hear the voices from.
"Barbara!" you yell. Without a second thought, you immidiatly
She looks at you with anger in her eyes.
You walk up to her unaware of the man on her right.
"Who are you working for?!" you yell. "Why did you do this!?"
You corner her. So she can't leave.
"I'm sorry!" she cries."I have no choice!" she yells. "He was gonna kill my family!"
You stop for a second HE?
Was this man in charge of the murder and dissapearance of both of the people?
"Who is he?" you ask her.
She looks scared when she says
"[[E.PW->ending but only the beginning]]."
This story isn't exactly finished yet. Sadly I only got to two days in to the investigation there is still more to be done.
But I hope you enjoyed playing the beginning of it! If you want you can restart and pick a new path it will be different!
Thank you!