Part 25: Case 3 - Turnabout Samurai - Investigation (Day 2) - Part 2
Case 3 - Turnabout SamuraiInvestigation (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?
South Carolina Code Ann., Subsections 63-19-2420 and 63-19-2430 posted:
Loitering in a billiard room.
It is unlawful for a person under eighteen years of age to loiter in a billiard or pocket billiard room or to play billiards or pocket billiards in a billiard room unless accompanied by the person's parent or guardian or with the written consent of the person's parent or guardian.
[...]
Playing pinball.
It is unlawful for a minor under the age of eighteen to play a pinball machine.