Part 2: Tooth 2. A Granite Replica.

Tooth 2. A Granite Replica.

Previously on Carte Blanche...



Edgar's Stats

Naiveté 11
Spying 1
Taxidermy 1



: We enthusiastically head to the agency.



: Although, an optional talk with the landlady might prepare us for hearing more of Jeannine.



: You seem to be here pretty often, Mrs Malaki... ...do you live in this building too?

: Holy Christos! Are you mad?! With the rotten floors, the wallpaper peeling off and the shoddy plumbing? I would probably end up eaten by rats during my sleep!

: So I guess telling you about the problems with the floors, the plumbing, the wallpaper and the vermin is useless?

: What could I ever do about it? Ever since the death of my beloved husband I'm just a poor widow living in eternal mourning. But you... YOU! You are a strong, well-built gentleman! You could certainly take care of these small repairs!



: This particular conversation has an immediate follow up you hear by talking to her again.



: If I may, how long have you been mourning your husband?

: My poor husband! May he find peace up there! He left this world so quickly! Ah! It all began when I was still very young...

FADE TO BLACK

: ...and that's how we ended up here. He worked so hard to offer us a good standard of living...

FADE TO BLACK

: ...and that's when I suggested we invest in real estate...

FADE TO BLACK

: I think Edgar is dozing off.

: I had told him many times not to touch these baklavas, but he was so stubborn!

: That's how he died? Food poisoning?



: She leaves, and so should Edgar, now that his will to live is sufficiently low for detective work.





: This time we can actually take a look around the office. The mysterious door is ready for examination and opening.

: I wonder where this door leads to. An interrogation room, perhaps? Or the armoury? A secret exit for emergencies?

: You're not at the movies. This is the darkroom to develop pictures.

: Yes, Jeannine responded to Edgar's internal monologue. How will she react to us opening the door?

: Don't you go near this door!



: Ew. Well, Edgar's desk is right there behind Jeannine. What's his take on his workplace?

: Well, it was worth graduating from University to end up on a school bench!



: Wonderful. As far as I know, Bitterness has no use in the game. [Bitterness] increased by experience.



: Here's Isaac. It's Jeannine's pet iguana. I could pet it right now, but I won't.
There a few more minor items in the office such as the file cabinet in the corner.

: A file cabinet, like all file cabinets.

: And there's a picture on the wall next to the clock.

: Looks like Gaspard was once a water polo player. That adds a new colour to the portrait of his already complex personality.



: What's with people reading Edgar's mind? Before tackling Gaspard proper let's chat with Jeannine.



: Isaac? The iguana? Are you nuts?

: Don't you like animals?

: Yes, of course, but...

: Those who don't like animals don't like people either. Would you like me to tell the boss you don't like him?

: Alright! Alright!



: This sausage-rich appendage strokes the lizard a few times too many.



: You're sure he's alive?

: Yes, he always takes a nap after his cigarette.

: The iguana smokes!?

: Everybody does!



: Now and forever Jeannine is available for small talk. We should definitely know her better.



: We would be able to see better in the office.

: And put Isaac on a diet? Never!

: The least we can say is you certainly know how to tackle all the hidden facets of a problem...

: There's more small talk where that came from.

: Do you ever sleep or drink?

: I'd rather die.

: You surely have a strange sense of humor.

: What sense of humor?

: And the final small talk with Jeannine. Most characters have only one.

: You...

: No!

: But I...

: I said no! Don't you know that what a lady says no, it means NO?

: The etiquette lesson is over. Time to talk to the boss.



: It's a good thing you've joined us already. The first case is a classic. A husband got his hands on a passionate rendezvous note in his wife's things. Now he wants compromising pictures to justify divorce.

: We often get cases like that?

: It's the profession's bread and butter. It seems that God put the whole of world's spouses in heat to fill our pockets.

: I see...



: Yay! Edgar's first naiveté loss. The game loads a wrong character, probably because the locale of my OS is set to Russia.

: Jeannine will give you the incriminating message. You'll find the hotel's name and the time of the meeting on it. It's today, so there's no time to waste. She'll also lend you our picture camera to do the job.

: Alright. And the second case?

: My friend Telesphore was robbed of a valuable object. He runs an antique shop. I'd like you to begin the investigation on this case. (the VA actually says "I'd like to have you look at this case as soon as possible.") Jeannine will give you his shop's address. (VA: "Jeannine will give you the address of his store.")

: That's how most of the discrepancies go: same meaning, different sentence, or a word replaced by its synonym. I'll only point out the one or two cases when it's really off the script.

: You think I'll manage?

: Try! I'll be here to guide you, anyway. For now, I'll show you a few tricks of the trade. The first thing to learn is how to interrogate. Say I'm some kid and you're sure I stole your apple. Make me admit it.



: Surely, we can just ask politely.

: Wouldn't you have my apple, perchance?

: No.

: Damn. What about his conscience?

: You're a big disappointment, kid...

: So what?

: Family values?

: Give me back my apple or I'll tell your mother!

: Yeah you do just that... but you'll have to find her grave first!

: And that leaves...

: I know you have it. Give it back and I'll keep my mouth shut.

: Yes, that will work... To succeed in an interrogation, you gave to understand you subject's psychology. A street kid wants to keep out of trouble more than anything.



: Another important skill is observation.



: A can of dog food... An ordinary bottle opener... A granite replica of Jeannine... And a screwdriver. The tool, not the drink.

: Why is there a gra... Actually, I more curious to know which of the Jeannines is harder.

: Now cover your eyes for 10 seconds.









: You're given four options. If you manage to fuck this up...

: You'll have to do better than that you doofus!

: No need to be rude. I'll figure it out eventually.

: That's it! Well played. (VA: Bravo! You got it.) The tin can is missing and it was on the far left.



: We're learning a lot today!

: Now you have to learn the basics of deduction. For that, nothing beats a good old syllogism. If I tell you: all mean are mortal, and Socrates is a man. What do you conclude?



: What? All men are mortal?!

: How much did you pay for that diploma of yours?

: That's the stock answer to the wrong options here. So, let's skip them.

: Socrates is a mortal.

: Exactly. The proof being: Socrates is dead.



: The last basic competence I want to show you is searching. That is: to go through someone's private belongings. Practice by finding my magnifying glass in this office. Go ahead, big boy!

: I hope the cast of 15 Days hasn't stolen it yet



: Our new skill is paying off allowing us to observe the file cabinet in its natural habitat.



: The drawer does stand out.

> Examine

: A drawer is open.

> Search



: Magnificent.



: Why don't we check it out more closely before we hand it over?



: I also remembered that we've received a camera and a note.





: Still no money in our pockets, though.

: Did you find the magnifying glass?

: Yes.

: Good! Keep it, it might come in handy.



: Well then, you might as well look into these first cases. I'll be expecting a report around five pm.



: This stat sheet keeps getting better and better with each day.



: Both the shop and the hotel are available. Let's pay our mentor's friend a visit.





: I have a ring here which was worn by the late Marie-Antoinette herself!!



: I'm Gaspard's Lemaotre's new assistant. I understand that you were robbed?

: Wel... If Gaspard sends me a junior, I guess I'll have to do with it. To keep things short, I imported a big Mayan sculpture from Mexico. It arrived by cargo the day before yesterday. Last night, someone broke into the shop and stole it.

: What does this sculpture look like?



: I'll let you have the picture for your investigation.

: It looks huge!

: Yes, getting it in was quite and adventure.

: Doesn't it look more like and Olmec sculpture though?

: Yes, well, you know, I said Mayan to keep it simple. I guess I'll let you go on with your work. Tell me if you find anything.



: There isn't a lot Edgar wants to interact with. There's the amphora, the huge anchor, the display case and the suspicious traces on the floor and the left wall. Start with the amphora.

: A Greek amphora! I just love Greek amphorae. Let's see... This is probably Ares who... no, wait, it's Hermes, according to his shoes... What is he doing?! He's playing poker with a dog! A hundred dollars for this obvious forgery?!

: The anchor.

: According to the label, this in an anchor from the Pinta, one of the three ships of Columbus' first expedition. In my humble opinion, the presence of this artifact here and in such a good state of preservation is highly suspicious.



: There's a small inscription on it... 'Made in New Dehli' If Columbus really wanted to find a road to the Indies...

: ...he should have simply followed his anchor supplier!

: Edgar is so excited he says is out loud.



: We can put our skills to test against the suspicious zone on the wall.

: I'll bet there was something on the wall there once. The sun has faded the wallpaper's colours, except on this spot. It looks neglected. Telesphore should put something else up there.

: Edgar can also use observation on the footprints.

: Hmm... According to these muddy footsteps I would say there were actually two robbers.



: Both of those boost Observation by one. Now to Telesphore himself.

> Examine

: I always wanted to know what and antiquary looks like. Well now I do. If only someone had told me I was buying antiquarian spectacles...

> Talk > Wall

: Was there ever something on this wall, right here?

: My, you are right! There was a superb Byzantine icon there. It seems it was stolen as well.

: It's strange that someone would only rob these two things. What's the link between a Mayan sculpture and an icon?

: I guess it's your job to find out.

> Talk > Police

: Did you tell the police about the robbery?

: Yes, I notified the local police station. They told me a detective was on the case.

> Talk > Small talk

: That's an impressive collection of marble young naked men you've got on display. Archaic period, I presume?



: I beg your pardon?

: Err... The peaks I certainly know how to climb. In the old days, I mean.

> Talk > Small talk

: Where do you know Gaspard from?

: He came into my shop once, and like you, he immediately saw through my little game. I showed him the real stuff and we became friends.

: Video of the small talk with the new character. Like Gaspard, he seems to know English.





: Finally, right in front of our client is a glass case of stuff.

> Examine

: There's a nice collection of holy relics here... The last rock to hit Saint-Stephen... Pontius Pilates' hand soap... Judas' purse... A burnt stick from the burning bush... Wait a moment, that's ridiculous! I'm beginning to thing these forgeries aren't here by mistake. My thinking is that Telesphore is a crook and that his real business is swindling high society women with poor judgement. I hear the new fashion is to show your wealth by displaying lavish collections of prestigious antiques.



[Phone ringing]

: Please excuse me a moment...



: He turns and leaves by phasing though that curtain in the back.



: Now let's see...



: Hmm... What do we have here? A box full of 'unique' Marie-Antoinette rings! Telesphore, you devious old rat... I can see right through you!



: He's coming back...

: I can also try to search the case when he's here, but...



: But I don't think Telesphore would appreciate.

: You certainly are right, boy.

: Uh? What? But how... But I didn't say anything!

: Me neither.





: Weird.



: Just a reminder that Examination is interrogation, not a form of Examine.



: I get the impression some of your items might not be totally authentic.

: That's absolutely impossible!

: Please, Mr. Doucet, How could you have a box full of Marie-Antoinettes' rings?

: That's a misunderstanding! These are Marie-Antoinette style rings from the XIXth century. It was simply shorter to write, you know?

: I think I'll need more examination practice to make this crook admit.

: Indeed, that was our first skill check failure. They have their own dialogue recorded and I'll try to show that when I remember to.



: We leave, and a new location shows up on the map. However, this is when I remembered that Edgar still has no money, so he probably should try to close the saucy photograph case before proceeding.