Part 25: Case 3 - Turnabout Samurai - Investigation (Day 2) - Part 2

Case 3 - Turnabout Samurai
Investigation (Day 2) - Part 2





: You again!
: Eeeek!
: How rude, acting like you've seen a ghost!
: You... certainly got back to your post quickly.
: Oh the police took me away, they did. They pulled out a spare Steel Samurai costume! Told me to "put it on." Can you imagine? How could I, a sweet little old lady, wear a giant suit like that?
: Mr. Powers is pretty tall...
: As soon as they saw there was no way I could wear it, they let me go.
: (I guess that would rule out her being the murderer.)
: Anyway!
: Know this, whippersnapper! This old lady NEVER forgets a slight or insult! And you won't get any information out of me! My lips are sealed!
: You sure are talking a lot for someone with sealed lips.
: Starting now! One, two, three, mmmph!
: (This lady's too much...)





: Umm, about that kid you said you saw...
: If I see him again, I'm taking him down!
: N-Nick! Look at her eyes! She's serious!



: About the director, the one who was here on the day of the murder...
: If I see him again, I'm taking him down!
: Nick! I think she's losing it!





: H-hey! Wait!





: Hey, um, kiddy-o! What's yer name, sport?
: I'm not a kid, so don't talk to me like that!
: H-huh!?
: But you... You are a kid! What a rude little brat. That's no way to talk to an adult!
: I don't see no adults here! Hippie fashion chick!
: H-hippie fashion...?
: Nick... I think I'm being mocked.
: (You got to hand it to Maya, she's pretty sharp. And pretty mad...)
: I'm Cody! Cody Hackins.





: So you're a fan of the Steel Samurai?
: How dare you utter that name, evildoer!
: What do you mean? We're on the Steel Samurai's side!
: H-hah! Hah hah! You can't fool me!
: Okay... then what's the last line said by the innkeeper in Episode 8?



: Hmph... not bad, kiddy-o.
: Watch it!
: (What are they doing!?)



: Say, you heard anything about the incident the other day?



: You were here, weren't you?
: ...
: Did you see anything...?
: He... he...
: ?
: He... always... The Steel Samurai always wins! Always! Yeah, I saw 'em! I saw everything!
: What!?
: But... but no way am I telling you losers!
: Wha--!? Wait...
: Lemme go!
: ... He's gone.
: Huh?
: Something fell off the table when he bumped into it on his way out.



: Why was this sitting there, I wonder?



: Anyway, what was that kid saying?
: He "saw everything"...





: Where's that old windbag?
: Odd of her to leave her post...



: Nick! That was her!



: Y-yeah. Sounds like she's chasing after that boy.



: Uh oh, she tripped!
: (Maya sure looks happy...)



: Hey, hey, Nick. Now's our chance! Let's check out the guard station!
: Good idea.
: ...
: Oh!
: This is it, Nick!



: The key to that trailer in Studio Two!
: We'll be borrowing this, right, Nick?









: ... It opened.
: Great! Let's go, Nick!
: (She seems eager all of a sudden...)
: Well, you first, Nick!
: (Ah, not THAT eager.)







: Eek! S-someone's in here!
: Names.
: O-our n-names? Um, w-we're WP's lawyers, and, um...
: I see. ...
: A-and who might you...?
: Dee Vasquez. The producer.
: (Dee Vasquez... She's quite beautiful.)

Let's take a look around.



: An old movie poster. "'Dynamite Samurai' starring Jack Hammer." I guess Mr. Hammer used to be quite the star.



: "'Samurai Summer' starring Jack Hammer." This poster's quite old.
: Wow! It's been years since I saw that show! It was one of those typical summer romance stories... but it was great!
: A typical summer romance... with a samurai on a horse?



: Another old movie poster. "'The Singing Samurai' starring Jack Hammer." What the hell do samurai sing about? Chopping off heads?
: Oh. My. God. That movie was the best! It's about a samurai who sings his way to fame and fortune!
: Mr. Hammer was a very accomplished singer, you know.
: Singing samurai stars... What's next? Ninja ballet?



: It looks like they were designing a set to use for the Steel Samurai show. They've got some figures for how much the set costs... I can't believe they spend that much money on these sets!



: The glass is frosted. I can't see outside. This far into October, the dimming daylight makes it feel like winter's coming.



: This is where they had that meeting. There are documents and paper cups scattered around.



: Nothing in here that could be a clue. Just some paper cups and crumpled documents.

Now, let's question the producer.



: I was wondering if you could tell me about the day of the murder.
: ... ...
: M-Ms. Vasquez?
: Script.
: E-excuse me?
: Script. I'm looking for a script.
: A s-script?
: "The Steel Samurai, Episode 13." I need it.
: Umm... could we ask you a bit about the day of the murder?
: I need to read it. ...
: ...
: ... (We're getting nowhere fast.)



: Um, w-we'd really like to ask you about the Steel Samurai!
: ... ...
: Ms. Vasquez?
: It's on TV. Every week. That's all I have to say about that.
: N-Nick! She's telling us to go watch TV!? The nerve of her!
: Hey, don't get mad at me.



: About the director... Sal Manella, was it? What, er, exactly is his role here...?
: Perhaps I didn't make myself clear? I'm looking for a script. I can't be bothered with anything else. ...
: Nick?
: Are all people in the entertainment business this... weird?
: It's startin to look like it.
: Nick, let's get out of here. Isn't there someplace else we have to check?
: Y-yeah.
: Wait.
: Y-yes?



: W-why do we have to do your errands...!
: ...
: ...
: ...
: I... I don't think I like her. *sniff*
: Don't cry. She'll take it as a sign of weakness. Alright. We'll give it to him if we see him.



And the badge...

: I'm not interested.

...oh. Well...I guess we might as well deliver that note.



If we present the memo...



: Huh? "Bring the script for Episode 13"? Episode 13... where did I put that one? ...
: I must have left it somewhere... *sweats* U-uh oh... My ass is p0wned if I don't find it... *shakes*
: Nick...
: It might be quicker to just look in all the places where he's likely to have been.
: I agree.

Well, that was unhelpful. At least there's some stuff to look at that I forgot last time.



: Mr. Powers's bag. I wonder what's inside?
: Hey!
: Supermarket tabloids? Wow. I'm kind of shocked.
: Maya! Leave those alone! (Wolf Men Found On Mars...? I'll have to buy that issue!)



: There's a bunch of snacks on the table. They must give these to the employees.
: H-hey! Nick!
: W-what now?
: Th-the snacks! There was twice this much here before!
: Ah. I, uh, I ate them. They were past their expiration date anyway. ROFL!
: ...
: (She's biting her lip and staring at me with tears welling in her eyes...)

Anyway...





: Let's find what we need and get out of here quick, Nick.



: Hey! Look! That's the chair the director sits in! I've always wanted to sit in one of these.
: (The director...!) Maya... Take a look around that chair for me, would you? Remember that script the director was talking about? Didn't he say he'd left it somewhere?
: Ahah!



: Good work!





We present the script...



: Ah.

We hand it over.

: ...
: ... Umm... uh... You're not going to talk to us?
: Quiet. I'm reading.
: ...! Just you hold on! What's the big idea!? Who do you think you are anyway!? And, and do you even know who we are!?
: ... Powers's lawyers?
: Umm... right.
: Am I a suspect?
: N-no, it's just, well, no, but...
: ... You wanted to know about the day of the murder?



: Y-yes. Anything you could tell us would be a big help.
: ... You know there was a meeting here at noon?
: Yes. With the director and the people from the network...
: Correct. Now, listen closely. None of the people in this trailer that afternoon went to Studio One. It was impossible for us to leave.
: Impossible? Why?
: The path was blocked.
: The... path?



: On the day of the murder, the path that leads here was blocked?
: You saw Mr. Monkey on the way here, correct?
: M-"Mr. Monkey"?
: The monkey with the broken head.







: They didn't start moving the head out of the way until after 3:00. It was after 4:00 by the time the path was unblocked. Capice? Everyone in this trailer was stuck here until the path was cleared. Stuck in this trailer. Stuck until after 4:00. Hammer died at 2:30. Thus, none of us could have gone to Studio One.
: W-what!?
: It's true. A crane came just after 3:00 to move the head. We called some people in to clear the way. I'm sure they'd corroborate my story,
: B-but wait! What if the head fell over after 2:30? Then you could have gone to Studio One!
: 2:30... the time of death. ... Very well. Come.





: When it wasn't broken, it announced the time... in "ooks." One "ook" per hour. Ook ook ook ook. Always with the ooking.
: (It IS a monkey, after all.)
: Check its head. The clock inside stopped when it broke.
: ...! Nick, it's stopped at 2:15.
: 2:15...?
: That's right.



: Therefore, we're innocent.
: Mr. Hammer died in Studio One at 2:30...
: See? Good bye.

She leaves.



: What do we do, Nick?
: There isn't anyone besides WP who could have killed Hammer!
: It's over... We're finished!
: (It sure doesn't look good. Guess we should head back to the office and plan our strategy...)

Next time: Doomed?