Part 38: Case 4 - Turnabout Goodbyes - Investigation (Day 1) - Part 2

Case 4 - Turnabout Goodbyes
Investigation (Day 1) - Part 2

First, checking our current profiles.









Now, on to the investigation.





: Yup. I'm not sure it warrants a "wowsers," though.
: Hmm. Probably not.
: But hey, look at that snack stand!
: "Samurai Dogs"...?
: I wanna Samurai Dog! Please!
: I bet they're great!
: With a name like Samurai Dog, how could they not be?
: They're a little behind the times, though. The kids are all into "The Pink Princess" now.
: I mean, like, y'know!?
: (Nope.)

Let's look around.



: Wow. Gourd Lake is really big.
: Yeah.
: Say, Nick. Why is it called "Gourd Lake"?
: Oh. Well, a long time ago, they used to grow gourds here.
: Whoa! No way!
: I was sure it was because the lake looked like a gourd when viewed from above!
: You know, like an hourglass shape?
: Well, it is shaped like a gourd, actually. But that's just a coincidence.
: Oh. Okay.



: The trashcan is empty. At least the place is well maintained.



: A lineup of plastic benches. I guess the idea is you buy a dog and eat it here. I doubt anyone would sit here and eat on a day like this. Except maybe Maya... if she had a Samurai Dog.





: ...and it goes "pop." Yeah, I know the ones. You see them a lot around New Year's.
: Hey, Nick! It might be a clue!
: Let's take it.
: C'mon, admit it. You just want to pop it, right?
: Was it that obvious?



: I suppose it couldn't hurt. Huh? Where'd it go?
: I already put it in my pocket.





: A hotdog stand. It's closed... The Christmas fringe looks a little half-baked. The banner reads "Samurai Dogs"... Somebody needs to redecorate.

That's all we can see here for now.







: Look... someone's camping!
: They've got guts, camping at the scene of a murder.
: Hey, hey, Nick!
: If they were camping here last night, they might know something about the murder!
: (That's true...) Good call, Maya. Let's go talk to them.

Well, first we look around.



: Hey, Nick!
: What, don't tell me you're hungry again?
: No, no.
: I was just wondering, why are camping pots and pans made of aluminum?
: ... They didn't talk about that in any of the law books.
: So, there's no law saying they have to be made out of aluminum, then!
: (I'm not having this conversation...)



: This SUV has seen better days. It's dented all over. I can't believe anyone would drive their car down here.



: The trees grow quite thick here. Further back, the trees fade into the shadow where the sunlight can't reach them.



: The sign says "No Camping." Funny place to pick to pitch your tent.
: Wait, what if the sign said "No Setting Tents on Fire"?
: ... I don't think they have signs like that.
: Oh...



: There's food and some magazines on the sheet. It takes a pretty tough skin to camp in this cold.



: This camera has a mic and some sort of attachment. It must take pictures when triggered by a noise.
: Wow! Cool! Let's try it out!
: *cough*
: "Hi, I'm Nick!"
: ... Maybe I'm not saying it loud enough.
: "HEY! I'M NICK!!!"
: ... Huh.
: NIIIIIIIIII... ...IIIIIIIIIICK!
: Will you stop that?
: Maybe it's broken?
: D-don't kick it! Maybe it isn't set to respond to voices?



: The party popper...?





: ... Yep. It responded.
: Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaw!



: Eek!





: Look what ya done now! There goes a whole roll of film!
: Ah? Wha... huh? S-sorry!
: Sorry's nice but it don't pay my bills! Y'all know how much a roll of that film costs!?
: I-I'll pay you back!
: What were ya'll thinkin' settin' off a party-popper in a place like this?

Not my fuckup, that ya'll.

: Uh... well...
: What!



: Yeah, I know how y'all Yanks think! "I say, those southern folks talk with that exaggerated drawl, why they must be dumb!"
: Well let me tell you, just because I might be dumb don't mean we all are!
: N-Nick, help!
: And who are you, now? Her chaperone?
: Yeah, uh, no, rather, uh... we're sort of... friends?
: Jus' figure out what y'all are gonna say and say it for bejeezum's sake!



: (Oh boy... I guess we should pay her for the film...)
: Watch it!
: Yes ma'am. (On second thought, I'll pay later...)
: I'm really sorry!

We can ask her stuff, but all the responses are the same.

: Umm...
: What!? Can't ya see I'm changin' the film on my camera here!
: Someone--I'm not namin' any names--but someone used up a WHOLE ROLL.
: Sorry...
: (That didn't work... I wonder if I have anything to show her that would get her attention...)

So we get out our badge.



: Huh? Aren't badges supposed t' be all shiny and impressive? You a cop or something?
: Umm... I'm a lawyer.
: Wh-what!? Y'all ain't gonna try and pull one o' them lawsuits on me over that film now?
: Cause I'll have y'all know I'm a fighter and I wrassled meaner lookin' things'n you!
: N-no, that's not it at all. We're here investigating a murder that took place here, on the lake.



: ...





: (Finally! Some cooperation!)
: You too. Y'all can come out of hiding now. I won't bite. Hard.
: (Come to think of it, where did Maya get to?)
: S-sorry... I-I was feeling a little overwhelmed. The culture gap and all...
: Never you mind, honey. I kin' talk Yank for ya if... ahem... if it pleases you?
: Th-thanks. I think I'll be okay.
: Great then! I'm Lotta. Lotta Hart, but y'all can call me Lotta! I'm here photographing meteor showers for a research project.
: Mighty pleased ta meet ya!

Now we can ask her questions.



: Oh yeah, when was that murder, anyway?
: I ain't seen much television lately.
: It happened late in the night on Christmas Eve.
: That so? Christmas Eve?
: A man on a boat was shot... Did you see anything?
: Well, lemme see. A boat, ya say? I reckon I mighta seen one... not sure though.



: I seen enough boats to choke a mule. Kinda hard to remember which I seen when.



: So, what is it you do, Lotta?
: Huh? Me?
: Hah hah. Y'all don't really want to know that, do ya?
: Actually, I'm a research student at Country U., right in the heart of the heartland.
: Wow! Neat!
: Nick! She's a research student at a university! Country U.!
: Uh... so I hear.
: So, when did you come up here?
: Hmm, lemme see... I guess it was 'bout three days ago.
: What are you photographing?
: D-didn't I tell y'all that already? Meteors! Yep, meteor showers!
: (Falling stars...?)





: Y'all better know it! It's German-made. A genuine Solingen!
: (Isn't that where they make knives...?)
: Umm...
: So, what's that device you have stuck to the camera?
: Huh? Device?
: It started moving all by itself when I fired my party popper...
: Oh that? That triggers the shutter whenever it detects certain sounds. It's programmed to pick up loud noises right now.
: A programmable camera! Neat!



We can immediately present the camera, too.

: Lotta?
: Yeah?



: Ayup.
: Actually, the victim in the case we're researching--he was shot with a pistol.
: A pistol...?
: Right. Now wouldn't a gunshot make a similar noise to our party popper...?
: I guess it would.
: Your camera... didn't get a picture of the murder, did it?
: ...
: Hey! Y'all are pretty bright!
: Huh?
: I see what yer sayin'...
: Tell ya what, I'll have a look-see at my film.
: It would have been a photo taken late last night...
: I checked 'em once, don't remember if there was anything on 'em though.
: But what if I got sumtin'! I could be witness to a genuine murder! Yeehaw! I'll go check that film. Y'all come back now, y'hear?

She leaves.

: She went inside her SUV.
: I guess we should come back later...

So let's find somewhere else to poke for a bit.







: A boat rental shop. Closed for Christmas it seems. I guess a murder taking place on one of the boats won't be good for business, either.
: Boats... I've never ridden on a boat.
: Really? Well, how about we go out on one when the trial is finished?
: Hey, good idea! You bet!

Let's look around a bit.



: There's more forest off that way. I doubt I'd find any helpful clues in there.



: A small boat rental shop. Doesn't look like anyone is around. They're probably closed because it's Christmas.



: There are some boats floating at the dock. Was one of these boats used in the murder, I wonder?
: Nick?
: Huh?
: I changed my mind. I don't really want to go for a boat ride.

...and that's all there is to see in this area! So let's go visit the cops.







: I guess Detective Gumshoe is still in that meeting.



: Thanks for coming down, pal!
: Detective Gumshoe!
: We just finished the meeting. For better or for worse...
: (I get the feeling we're in for some bad news...)



We'll look around to delay the bad news.



: These are the detectives' desks. There are computers and files on each one. Funny, they're a lot tidier than I'd expect. I guess the detectives don't spend a lot of time at their desks.



: Hey, is that the police department's mascot...?



: It was my idea! I made it! It's my mascot!
: I... see. How nice.
: I'll get him assigned mascot of the Criminal Affairs Dept. if it's the last thing I do!
: Um, good luck!



: That must be the chief of the detectives here. He's glued to his computer screen.
: Wha...!? "Gourd Lake...!" "Gourdy sighted"!!! I don't believe it!
: (Shouldn't you be reading something more important...?)



: A poster of a female police officer... Wait, no. That's the latest "Babes in Uniform" calendar. My bad.



: That must be one of the detectives. He's mumbling something to himself.
: "All right, hands against the wall, all o' you... Don't even think about escaping! I got eyes in the back of my head!"
: ... He must be doing image training for arrests.

So, let's talk to Gumshoe.



: Do you know anything about the victim yet?
: No, no... Still can't I.D. him.
: Has Mr. Edgeworth said anything?
: Not a word.



: So, how did the meeting go?
: I can't tell you, pal! You're a lawyer!
: T-true...
: ... Y'know... I don't know what to believe anymore. Sure, Mr. Edgeworth's human like you or me.
: Still...
: I get the feeling that if he'd done something wrong, he wouldn't go hiding it. That's just the kind of guy he is.
: Why can't anyone else see that?
: So, they think that Mr. Edgeworth did it...?
: Well, the trial's starting tomorrow, as scheduled.
: I see...
: ...
: Umm... hey, in the end you did tell us about the meeting!
: ... Don't got telling anyone else, pal.
: Y-yes, sir!
: And... do me a favor! Stand by Mr. Edgeworth!
: He needs help, and you're the ones to help him! I'm sure he's got some reason why he won't talk to us.
: Thanks, Detective Gumshoe.



: Detective Gumshoe... How come you trust Mr. Edgeworth so much?
: Well, I'd think that was obvious. We got a strong working relationship, us two. We trust each other, and that's how it works.
: A "working relationship"?
: See, Mr. Edgeworth always gets his defendants declared "guilty" every time.
: Yeah, his methods might be a little extreme at times. But... there's a reason!
: He trusts our investigation, see? He trusts us to get the right man! That's why I work extra hard, pal. We've got to earn that trust he places in us.
: I see...
: Mr. Edgeworth is a man you can trust... And you have my word on that!



: I was wondering, did you ever get that autopsy report?
: Oh, that? Yeah, I made a copy for you.



: Thank you.
: ...Nick?
: Huh?
: CAn you show me that photo of the victim?



: That face...!
: Someone you know?
: I... I don't know.
: I just have this feeling that I met him somewhere a long time ago. ...

The badge has been surprisingly useful lately, so we try that, too.

: Sorry, I'm drawing a blank right now.

Next time: Backstory.