Part 47: Case 4 - Turnabout Goodbyes - Investigation (Day 2) - Part 3
Case 4 - Turnabout GoodbyesInvestigation (Day 2) - Part 3
We should probably go talk to Larry about that air tank we found, given the flags.

: What about it?

: Have you ever seen this before?

: Huh? Me? N-no. Never. Who the heck would go diving in the middle of the winter!

:
(There's something about the way his eye twitched when I showed him the tank... I think I'd better pursue this line of questioning a little further...)

: Say... is this air tank yours?

: Wh-why would I have a thing like that?

: It's just like the string of flags around your Steel Samurai there.

: ...!

: M-must be a coincidence! There're strings of flags everywhere these days!

: L-like elementary schools! A-and used car dealerships!

: You used this to go diving in the lake, didn't you?

: Wh-why the heck would I go diving in the lake!?

: Wait!

: You... you're not...

: You're not saying I had something to do with that murder!?

: N-no, not at all, just...

: Hey, you watch it buddy! I'm not saying anything until my lawyer gets here!

: Larry... Nick is your lawyer.

: Well, Larry? She's right.

: Bah! A-anyway, I never seen that air tank! Okay?

:
(Yeah, right... Larry is hiding something, I can tell...)

: You used this to inflate that, didn't you?

: I-inflate what!?

: What else? That big puffy
Steel Samurai!

: !!! ...

: N-now why would you go asking me a question like that.

:
(Looks like I hit the nail on the head.)

: ...

: Right... right... Actually, umm...

: See, the compressor I always use was on the fritz. So I tried using the tank to inflate it, just once. And, er, it didn't go so well.

: It "didn't go so well"?

: Er, yeah.

: Do you think you could be a little more specific?

: C-c'mon... Look, it's embarrassing so I really don't want to talk about it...

: Tell us! Tell us!

: ...

: Fine.

: Whatever. It's like what I said, the compressor was busted. So I took the tank and tried to fill the Samurai up with that.

: And then...

: And that tank there took off like a rocket. And it took my poor deflated Steel Samurai with it!

: It sure scared me out of my gourd, that's for sure.

: Umm...

: So, the tank and the Steel Samurai you were trying to fill up flew away...

: What happened next?

: Well, all that happened on the 20th or so.

:
(The 20th... a week ago.)

: Now, as far as I could see, the tank went flying out into the lake. So I went out every night in a boat looking for it. I mean, Kiyance gave me that Steel Samurai after all!

: And when did you find it?

: Just the night before last!

:
(The night before last... was the night of the murder!)

: Actually, I was here on the night of the murder.

: But, you see, I went home before midnight.

: So you didn't know about what happened?

: No...

: That's too bad...

: It's not all bad. We've solved one mystery at least.

: A mystery...?

:
(Maybe we should go tell her...)
Good plan, Nick.

: Well, Mister Lawyer? I've got the info y'all need!

: It's not going to be that easy to find him, you know.

: You'd better hurry or you won't have that info in time for the trial tomorrow!

:
(Uh oh...)
Either of the other two works, though.

: Huh? Gourdy? Oh, we found him already.

: What!? I haven't seen any monsters yet!

: Y-y'all for real!? Gourdy really exists!?

: Wait!

: Lotta... There is no such thing as Gourdy.

: Wh-what!? How can y'all be so sure!

: R-really, Nick!?

: Y'all got some proof Gourdy don't exist!?
We'll be going from the 'We found Gourdy' option but they're essentially the same. If we say we have proof...

: Of course I have proof.

: No fair, Nick! It was when I went to the bathroom, wasn't it!?

: That's when you made contact with Gourdy!

: What're y'all doing with an air tank?

: This... is Gourdy.

: Umm... scuze me?

: Wh-what exactly are you saying, Nick?

: There's a stand near here... a hotdog stand.

: About a week ago, an idiot, who happens to be a friend of mine, tried to fill it.

: Apparently, it made a pretty loud "bang" when it flew...

: A "
bang"...?

: At the same time...

: This photo!

: Wait... So... you're saying that Gourdy...

: ...

: ...

: Well, that's a fine way to ruin a gal's dreams.

: I'm sorry, Lotta.

: Nah, it's okay, you win. I'll give you your info, like I promised.

: Poor Lotta...

: So, tell us this "information" you have.

: A promise is a promise, I guess...

: I overheard the cops around here saying something about the witness tomorrow... They said he's
the caretaker of the boat rental place up the path here.

: Boat rental...?

: Just an old guy, living all by himself. Y'all should go check it out.

: Thanks, Lotta! We will!

: Let's get cracking, Nick!

: Hold on.

: Something else?

: Yeah... the night of the murder. My camera clicked
twice, you know.

: ...!

: Well...

: I figured it wouldn't be much use as evidence, so I kept it to myself.

: Well, it might not be helpful at all, but...

: Here, take it.

: Bye now. Y'all take care.

: Time for me to pack up and leave.
She leaves.

: Poor Lotta...

: It's all Larry's fault. The legend still lives on, I guess.

: The "legend"...?

: Yeah, the legend of Larry, familiar to all who know him for any length of time... "When something smells, it's usually the Butz."

: Hmm.

: Someone should whip that Butz into shape.
So, let's check out that boat shop.

: Hey. Nick!

: This is the boat shop that Lotta was talking about!

: You're right. Doesn't seem to be anyone around at all.

: Well, let's go check it out anyway!
There's nothing new to look at, but there's somewhere new to go.

: Eeek!
He sways back and forth constantly when he isn't talking.

: Where have you two been! I've been worried sick.

: ...

: N-Nick... you handle this.

: Uh, I think I'll leave this one up to you, Maya.

: Meg!

: Y-yes!?

: Finally made up your mind, have you?

: M-my mind?

: You'll run the pasta shop when I'm gone?

: P-pasta?

: Glad to hear it, glad to hear it! You make your old man proud.

: How'm I supposed to keep this place running, an old man like me?

: N-Nick! What was that!?

: A parrot... the one on that perch.

: Keith!

: Y-yes!?

: I leave the "Wet Noodle" in your capable hands, sonny.

: N-Nick? What's the "Wet Noodle"?

: Um, based on the available evidence, I'd say it's the name of his pasta shop.

: That's a relif, isn't it, Polly?

: "Hello! Hello!" *squawk*

: Ayup...

: ...

: He fell asleep...

: I guess he's relieved.
While he's napping, we can look around.

: Looks like a kitchen unit. It's pretty clean. Funny, he doesn't look like the type who'd keep things tidy like that.

: You're forgetting, Nick...

: He's running a pasta shop, here!

: Wow... what an amazing parrot that is.

: Good morning!

: "..."

: Hello!

: "..."

: He ignored me!

: What, you forgot, Meg? You gotta call her name first!

: Her name?

: Polly! How ya been!?

: "Hello! Hello!" *squawk*

: See?

: Neat! So the parrot's name is "
Polly"!

: Too bad all she can say is "hello"...

: Har har har! Old Polly can say lots of things!

: You just need to know
the secret words!

: The "secret words"...?

: Look, Nick, he has an electric blanket on his table! Looks warm!

: That's a great idea, we should do that at the office.

: We can sit down with our clients, snug and warm, and drink hot cocoa!

: And what, talk about murders?

: Aw, you're a party pooper, Nick!

: Wow, there's a lot of various fish in Gourd Lake, aren't there!

: ...? Something's funny, Nick. All these fish are saltwater fish.

: This fishing pole looks expensive.

: Wow, he has a television in here, too.

: Look, a little safe! Hmm...

: ...

: It's locked.
Next time: Trying to talk to the crazy old man.
Lei No. 3.770, de 4 Novembro de 2009, Diario de Mato Grosso do Sul, de 5.11.2009 (Brazil) (translated) posted:
Article 1. Cell phone companies installed in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul must provide a 50% (fifty percent) discount on their rates to citizens suffering from disturbances in the timing and fluency of speech.