Part 97: Charles Jeunet

Music: Resolution


Tell me. What were you up in here?
I was...



Now you listen here.



Why can't you tell me?

Why can't you tell me?
Because I don't want to.
Besides, it has nothing to do with you.
Charles, you're not helping yourself, you know.
You're acting really suspiciously. Now tell me!


And loop. Just like with Betty, we have to hold our tongue here.



Don't press

...
Okay, here goes... I'm just a little shaken up.



Yellow question means that this isn't actually a confrontation then

I'm embarrassed that you found me, Mr Hyde.

Music: Gusty Town


What don't you want other people to know?

What don't you want other people to know?
I don't want them to know that I'm working on a script in here.
A script? For what?
It's a screenplay for a movie, actually. I plan to enter it into a screenplay competition.
A screenplay?
And you're writing it in here?
Why can't you do it in your own room?
Don't ask me that.



There's only a couple of days until I have to submit it.
Please, Mr Hyde...
Let me continue to use this room until then.
Don't tell Mrs Patrice.
Mr Hyde...



What do you mean by more authentic?

What do you mean by more authentic?
Billy left his old typewriter in this room and I'm writing my screenplay on that. It's the key to making me look like a pro to the people who check the entries.
Are you serious?
Could you possibly make any less sense if you tried?
The typewriter Billy left in this room... It's not a standard one. It's very special. He's now a top Hollywood screenwriter, but when he started out, he used this very typewriter.
There's something very special about it, like it has some sort of power. That's why I'm using it to write my screenplay on. I'm sure it's going to guarantee my screenplay will be successful!

This was actually mentioned in Chapter 6. In the novel. Which pretty much nobody reads.

If it's the typewriter that's so special, can't you just take it to your own room?
No. I have to write it in this room.
What made you believe in all this superstitious stuff?



What is this your one big chance?

Why is this your one big chance?
Because if this screenplay doesn't make me successful,
I'm going to have to leave my university and return to France.
Is that so?
I made a promise to my grandfather. If I can't make a name for myself during my year here. I have to return home. Then I'll have to take over the family business.
The family business?
Does that sound strange to you, Mr Hyde?
Not really, I'm just surprised that someone of your class is living in a place like this.
It's unexpected, that's all.
Did you choose this place so you could study how other people live their lives? Or were you just curious about something?
Neither. I searched for this place and decided I have to live here.
You did?



What do you mean by secret?

What do you mean by secret, Charles?
Well, Mr Hyde, you know that there was an incident here, right?
You know, back when it was a hotel?



Yeah, seems like it

What kind of incident was it?
A murder.
When this place was still a hotel 13 years ago, somebody was murdered here.
(So he knows about the murder of Kathy McGrath?)
How come you know about that?
I heard the story from my grandfather before coming to study here.
He visited LA on a number of occasions in the past on business.
He even stayed here a few times. He knew that on the final day of the building functioning as a hotel, somebody was killed. I was in awe of what he told me...
When I came to LA, I investigated the place that was once a hotel,
and discovered that, not only was it now an apartment building,
but also that the murder case had never been solved!



Hoo boy... There's going to be plenty of minefields with that...

And that's the reason you chose to stay here.
Precisely.
I see.
Charles...
As this means a lot to you, and it's your big chance and all... I'm gonna keep your coming in here a secret.
Thank you, Mr Hyde!
I'm sure this is going to become a wonderful story.



It's about a murder inside a closed-down hotel.
The murderer is a member of the hotel front desk staff. He conceals the evidence on the fourth floor of the hotel.
I've been using Mr White from room 306 as my basis for the killer.
Something about him fits the profile of a killer, don't you think?
I'm sure he'd be thrilled to hear that.
I suppose I won't know unless I ask him.



There's still room for an accomplice.
Don't even think about it.
Come on, it'll be fun!

If anything, Kyle should've been the detective. Like in Martin's novel.

Besides, I know what you've been up to.
What does that mean?
I know that you sometimes go up and have a look around the fourth floor.



What?

Frank does that too, you know!

Don't worry, though.
You're not the only person who likes looking around up there.
I've been up there lots of times, too.

You probably should model the accomplice after yourself.

What the hell for?
I started going up there a while back, when I was looking for inspiration for my story.
I took an 8 mm camera with me and did some filming, too.
I caught something really interesting when I was up there.
Yeah? What did you saw?
I'm sure you'd like me to tell you, so I'll make you a deal.
If tell me what you were looking for when you went up there,



Look how glad Charles is to get one over Kyle

You got yourself a deal. Now, show me the film.

*They both exit the room*

Music: Overstepped Memory


Charles will be our companion until we get to Room 305. It's a very short time, but it's still longer than Mila's.

(So this is Charles's room.)



Music: Ace of Diamonds
Charles...
Show me the 8 mm film you took on the fourth floor.
I will, but don't forget our promise.
You have to tell me what you're looking for when you go there.
The same as you.
I don't understand.
I'm investigating an incident that happened here quite a while ago.
That's why I've been spending time up on the fourth floor.
The incident you're talking about, Mr Hyde... When did you find out about it?



Just after I found out we'd all be leaving this place, I learned that something terrible happened here in the past.
I mean, would you believe it? Just days before we'll all be out of here, I get caught up in an ancient case I know nothing about.
So there you go, the reason why I've been going up to the fourth floor.
Hmm...
That's quite interesting, but...
There's one more thing I'd like to ask you.
I haven't got all day, you know, kid.
Why are you so keen on finding out about such an old case?
I mean, I'm interested because I want to use it as the basis for my story,
but what about you, Mr Hyde?
I've always been the kind of person who enjoys solving problems.
I used to be a detective, after all.



Someone who didn't know about our past?!

Were you really a detective?
Yeah, I was. Up until four years ago, anyway.
I guess the reason I'm so keen on this case has something to do with my detective instinct.
So now you're a detective salesman!
I had no idea you were such an interesting person. If you don't mind, I'd like to hear more about your past next time.
Listen kid, I don't care if you find me interesting or not, my past is nothing special. You should stick to the unsolved case that happened here instead.

If your past is really uninteresting, there wouldn't be a game about it

Now, show me the film you took, Charles.
Just a moment, Mr Hyde.



Sorry about that. Well, here it is, my 8 mm film. Just like I promised.



Can you make out what's on it, Mr Hyde?



It looks like somebody's been caught on camera.





But I wonder who it could be?
It's a shame this film doesn't show us their identity. Who'd be up there on the fourth floor so late at night, anyway?
I'd really like to know who they are and what they're doing.
You and me both, kid.
Judging from their build and the kind of clothes they've got on, I'm sure it's a guy.
What with that fire door up there serving as fairly good security,
I'd have thought most people wouldn't be able to get in.
So... You think the person on this film is someone already living in this building?
It's certainly a possibility.
You could be right.



I know a way we can learn the true identity of the person on this film. There's a way we can find out right away!
And how are you gonna do that? Magic?
No, photographs!
To help me get the characters right in my story, I took photos of the interior here. When I did that, I occasionally caught some of the tenants in the shots.
Time you showed me those photos, I think.
I have some developed ones right here.
There's one still in the camera, though.
Not developed, huh? That's not gonna help us much. What if that's the crucial one?



You can do that?
Sure I can.
I've got everything we need right here and we can use the bathroom to do it in.
There's one small problem though. My red lamp is broken.
Mr Hyde, do you have anything we could use instead?
Something like your red lamp, huh?
That's not gonna be easy, but no harm in having a look around.

It's finally time for another Audience Challenge. Can you figure out what we need and where to find it?

This is a very tough one and it took me a long time to find it in my first playthrough. Hint: It's located somewhere in Kyle's room.