Part 17: Episode 2, Investigation: Two Brick Walls

Part 17: Episode 2, Investigation: Two Brick Walls





Off to the hotel! Another location we haven't been to yet.



Finding the room was easy enough, I guess. Maybe we counted windows.

Music: Happy People



Wow, ok. I'm going to skip commenting on that outfit. What's with the hands up in almost a boxer ready position, though?

Umm... hi. (Smooth, Wright, real smooth.)

Focus, dude.



He said, "Don't say nothing to that lawyer, pal!" Tee hee!

(Memo to self: thank Detective Gumshoe for making my job harder.)

Looks like Gumshoe may have out-maneuvered us here. She doesn't seem to be taking it seriously, though.



It's all so exciting I can hardly contain myself!

Ooh! Let me go freshen up so I can look the part of the beautiful eyewitness!

This entire episode has me suspicious of everyone, but so far April May is doing a convincing job of playing an airhead.



Gee, I wonder who that's going to be?



We're left free to examine the scene. There's an obvious drawer with something sticking out of it; I'll leave that until last.

The flowers are fake, as expected.

I know sunflowers and tulips, but that's about the extent of my floral knowledge.



Flowers and paintings; one of these days they will reveal something useful!

Ah. A still-scene painting. Wait, should that be "still life"?

Whatever. One of those is hanging on the wall.



The late summer sunlight streams through the window.

There's the Fey & Co. Law Offices building, of course.

You can see the inside of the room pretty clearly from here.

I think it would be a little difficult to recognize a face from this distance, though.

Good to know, hard to prove. Not that it matters when the police caught us with Maya at the crime scene anyway.



A simple bed.

It's been recently made. Nothing eye-catching here.



A bottle and two glasses are on the table.

Somebody must be staying with her.

Good information, if we can figure out who "somebody" is at some point.



Okay let's get a look at that drawer now.

(There's a screwdriver stuck in this drawer.)

(I wonder what's inside? Let's take a look...)

Music: Silence





Well the pose is the same but that expression is a bit more maniacal.

Oooh. Bad boy!



You wouldn't want to make me upset, would you?

(Upset!? I thought she was going to explode for a second there!)

(I wonder what could be inside the drawer?)

Music: Happy People



We're actually free to continue examining the room, but that drawer remains inaccessible...

(Hmm... what's inside I wonder?)

*cough* *cough*

(Maybe later...)



Instead, let's see if we can pry more information out of her directly.

Do you think you could tell me something?





I like a man with a big... vocabulary.

(Umm... *gulp* Better not encourage her.)



What did you see when it happened?

I don't suppose you could tell me about it? Pretty please?



If you want to know, you'll just have to come to court tomorrow, Mr. Lawyer!

(Oh boy.)

Yikes. That was a bust.



Maybe we can get her to open up about herself instead?

Um, could you... just who exactly are you?



N-n-no! Hey! I'm just doing my job here!

Tee hee! You know, you're cute when you blush.



Umm... eh heh.

Right... can you just tell me what it is you do?

Well...



(Oh boy.)

Strike two.



April's airhead act is clearly flustering Phoenix, but she's smart enough not to give us anything. I have the feeling we'll have to come back later, but let's keep trying.

I see there are two glasses on the table.

Is someone staying here with you?



You must be one of those famous detectives, like on television!

Oh, no, not me, I'm, er, just a lawyer!



Miss May doesn't like nosey little lawyers... Hmph!

(Oh boy.)

Well talking didn't work.



We've got some evidence, but...



How could I possibly give you any information in good conscience, hmm?

Anything we present just results in these same lines. April is definitely smarter than she's putting on here.



Probably. Definitely probably.



Well, that was pretty short. Let's give Grossberg Law Offices another shot.

Music: Silence



(Well, maybe I should just wait here for him to come back.)

With no other options for this investigation, Phoenix is just going to wait around I guess?



Luckily, we don't have to wait long.

(If that wasn't the most over-the-top clearing of the throat I've ever heard!)



(We get this line even if we haven't been here yet to look for him.)



Hmm...? That badge on your collar...?

Ah, so you're a lawyer, are you now?

Y-yes, well... yes.

And what do you want?

I'm not particularly busy these days... Please, proceed!

He's not busy, so surely he'll take Maya's case on no notice?



That's a good point, too. Maybe everyone in this game is just full of shit.

Hmm? Something the matter?



Well, here I am, boy! What do you want? Out with it!

Um... w-well, sir, actually, it's about Maya. Maya Fey.



Well that's not a concerning reaction at all.

Ah... yes. Maya Fey. Go on.



A-cha-cha.

I'm really quite busy here, son.

Didn't you just say you weren't busy?



Maya got arrested last night, it's not like anyone had any notice!

W-wait a second!

How did you know the trial was tomorrow!?

Ooh, good catch!



A-anyway...



What a jerk. He's probably one of those lawyers concerned about win rates and doesn't take loser cases like ours.

(What's going on!? He refused me before I even got a chance to ask him!)

Well, it was kind of obvious what we were going to ask him, wasn't it?

(What do I tell Maya...?)

Music: Marvin Grossberg ~ Old Age, Regret, Retribution



Marvin gets his own soundtrack... though the title is somewhat concerning. There's nothing new in the office to examine, so let's just try talking to this guy.



Let's get straight to the point.



Hmm? Eh, ahem! Well, you see it's just... I'm busy, you see!



Hmm... ahem.

Mia trusted you... She knew her sister would be in good hands.



However!

I'm sorry but, I must refuse. Sorry. Good-bye.

Good-bye!? Are we getting kicked out early because I picked the wrong option first?



Fine.



*grumble*... Think not.

Excuse me? Are we about to get locked in here?



Music: Silence



Wh-what do you mean?

I'm terribly, terribly sorry.



Oh, no physical danger, just a citywide (at least) conspiracy.

Terribly sorry, m'boy.

Why!?

I... I cannot say.

...



What the hell is going on with this case?

(What's going on here!?)

Dammit Phoenix is mirroring me again.

Music: Marvin Grossberg ~ Old Age, Regret, Retribution



Apparently we're allowed to keep pestering this guy anyway.



...

She... worked here. A long time ago.

Quite the apprentice, that one.



Did you harp on her about the Court Record all the time?

She left one day, quite suddenly...

She had a mission, you see.

A "mission"?

You could see it in her eyes.





So confused right now. I don't expect this last topic to uncover anything, but here goes...

That's... quite a painting.

Ahah! You noticed!



Geez, man, it's a painting. It's nice, I guess?



Each of these exclamations came with a screen shake. Guy really likes the painting.

It's worth at least three million. I have no intention of parting with it, of course.

No, I won't sell it! Not even to you!

(I wasn't interested...)

It's not for sale!



Spending three million on a painting doesn't seem like a sound business practice. Maybe wealthy clients are more likely to sign on with you if they're impressed with your fancy office?



I tried presenting some evidence...



But got hit with the same brick wall as April. Mr. Grossberg has nothing to say about anything we can show him here.



I realized I'm behind on showing profiles, and what do I discover here but a surprise from a couple updates back. We only heard this guy mentioned briefly by Gumshoe, but apparently he's important enough for his own profile already.



Our totally geniune and not at all creepy witness.



And a rather senior attorney who doesn't seem as shaken up about Mia's death as he should be.



Mia's profile changes slightly to reflect her new status for this case.



Maya likewise has an update as we've discovered more about her.



Anyway, we're out of new locations to visit, and we haven't gotten any new evidence in awhile. I guess we should go tell Maya the bad news?