Part 89: Blackwell Epiphany - Update 15 (Part 1)

Update 15

Yesterday, we discovered that Peter's sister Maggie was camping out in his apartment. Hopefully she can help us to learn something about Peter in order to help him become aware of his death.

Maggie's Theme



We rejoin Rosa as she knocks on Maggie's door again. Joey is hanging around inside for some reason.

... Sure. Fine. You got me.
Why couldn't you just tell me that before?
Because I'm trying to get HEALTHY. Working through the program. Admitting I have a problem. Just like my sponsor says.
All that is the first step. I'm still working on the rest.
Talking about Peter? That's step five. I'm not ready. It's nothing personal. I just need to avoid thinking about him for a while.

I assume that Peter dying affected Maggie in a pretty dramatic way, if she's in the middle of grief counselling and was found at a drug den.



Rosa raises a good point.

...
It's just temporary. I've nowhere else to go.
And besides. What difference does it make? He's gone. He had a stupid accident, and now he's gone.

Rosa is still concerned that Peter falling off the bench may not have been an accident, given what we know about the deaths of the other members of the Grace Group.

That's just it, Maggie. It might not have been an accident.
...



Maggie isn't having a bar of it.

Whatever you are thinking. No. I need this to be over. You understand?
Then we need to talk. You can call your sponsor, if you want to.
*sigh*
Screw my sponsor. Let's do this.

She walks inside and allows Rosa to follow.



At least we finally got inside! Rosa asks about Peter.

Why is Peter such a sore subject with you?
That's between me and him. Or his ghost. Or whatever.
It might help to talk about it.
I'm still working through the program. Talking about it is step number five. I'm not ready for it yet.

Well, if we were hoping to learn about Peter, this might have been the wrong place to come. Rosa makes some small talk instead.

So what are you watching?
I dunno. Some animated thing. Not normally into cartoons, but the ratings say it's good.
Is it?
I guess. They changed the main character's voice after the first episode, but it's not bad.
Keeps my mind off... well, the stuff you keep bringing up.

Hahaha, I guess that's a sly dig at Sande Chen being replaced by Whittaker after Legacy



Rosa decides to see how far she can push Maggie about Peter.

Just what I was told. That he was fixing a lightbulb and fell off the ladder. I remember thinking it was a pretty stupid way to go. Especially for him.
How do you mean?
Did you know the guy? He was obsessed with health. To die just falling off a ladder...
I always thought he'd outlive the world.

Rosa then asks about Maggie's father.

Could you tell me about your father? He opened the gym, right?
Sure.
Could you tell me anything else about him?
If you want to know about him, you'll have to ask him yourself. Here's his address. He's always home.
Can't you tell me anything about your father?
I told you. Ask him yourself.

Hm. I guess that would be easier. Hopefully he won't be quite so unwilling to talk about Peter.



We'll check him out in a minute, but for now, Rosa keeps asking questions. I guess it took us long enough to actually get Maggie to let us in, so we may as well ask question while we can!

What, those circlejerk meetings my brother went to?
You know about it.
Yeah, I know about it. Peter was a mess before he joined that group. If you ask him, he would say it helped him find himself.

That's what they all seem to say about it.

Did it?
Who knows? I thought it was a cult. Might have been better if it was.
Why's that?
Look. Never mind. Peter found himself. Good for him. I just have to focus on myself.

You know, I had assumed that Maggie was just upset about Peter dying, but it actually sounds like she dosen't really like her brother very much here.

Do you know what happened at these Grace Group meetings?
No. Peter never said and I never asked.



Rosa keeps asking questions to see how much Maggie knows.

Look, I don't need a priest. I don't need to be saved. I just need to get healthy.
I'm not asking you to see him. I'm asking if you know him.
Oh. No. I don't know him.
Have you ever heard the name "Benjiro?"
Benjiro? No. Sounds Japanese or something.



Hahaha, Rosa can't help herself with this question

Oh yeah? What about her?
Um. I don't know much, really.
Then why did you ask?
Forget it.

Rosa changes the subject back to Peter.

How long was Peter working at the gym?
About... twenty years? Never thought he'd do it.
Why?
Dunno. He seemed to drift around for a long time. He was a teacher, waiter, construction worker, you name it. Then one day he decides that taking over Dad's gym is what he Has To Do. Now the gym is a neighborhood staple. Made it more popular than Dad ever did.
Good for him, I guess.

She's definitely wasn't a big fan of Peter. If anything, it sounds like she resented him. I guess because he made a success out of himself, while she seems to have floundered bigtime.



I think we're close to done here.

I haven't spoken to him in years. I never wanted to. But here I am. Surrounded by all his gym crap. I suppose if I want to get healthy, this is the place to do it.
Tell me about yourself.
Uh uh. Opening up is step number five. I'm nowhere near ready yet.
Well... I'd better be going.
Sure. You know the way.

I'm pretty sure Maggie had issues with Peter. Rosa and Joey take a trip back to their apartment to nut this one out.



Didn't Maggie give you an address? We probably should check it out.
Maggie doesn't seem all that eager to talk to me.
Don't take it personally, sweetheart. I don't think she's eager to talk to anybody. Maggie couldn't be more different from her brother. Wonder what happened to them.

Joey has his own theory.

Is it just me, or does Maggie scream "Daddy Issues"?
Maybe. Whoever her father was, we should find out more about him.



No time like the present, I guess! Rosa and Joey head to the address that Maggie gave them, but...

Wait. This is Greenwood Cemetery!

...it leads to the cemetery? Ahh. I see what's happening here.

Greenwood Cemetery



I guess Maggie's father must be dead. Rosa looks at Joey.

He looks on edge. I don't think he likes being in places like this.
She doesn't look nervous to be here. I suppose it says something that this isn't the spookiest place we've ever been.

The two of them chat about their surrounds.

Funny that we've never been to a graveyard before. I mean, considering.
Not really. Spooks generally avoid thinking about death. But in a place like this? It's hard to think about anything but.

Greenwood Cemetery re-uses the Gothic Bridge theme, which seems to be making a late comeback in the hotly contested "most re-used Blackwell themes" competition!



Joey is really put out about this place. Rosa walks up to one of the nearby gravestones.



Aha. I guess Connor was the father of Peter and Maggie. Judging by the date of his death, I assume Peter took over Field's Gym after Connor passed away.



Rosa and Joey continue chatting.

Let's hope it has a good ending. It must be nice to work in your family's business.
That's what you do, isn't it?
It's not the same thing.

Hahaha



This place is covered in snow, and you know what that means!

The dead got enough problems without you trampling all over them.
Sorry.

Maggie's Theme



Rosa heads back to confront Maggie about sending us on a wild goose chase.

Yep.
Why didn't you just say that, instead of sending me to the cemetery?
The only person to visit Dad was Peter. And he can't do that anymore. I figured Dad could use the company.
Really.
No. Not really. I told you. There are things I can't talk about yet.

I guess Maggie didn't visit her own dad's grave. And it's obviously not through a lack of thought. Something is going on there.



Once a year. On the anniversary of Dad's death. Peter was a damn saint.
Can you tell me about your father?
He died over twenty years ago. I don't see how it's relevant to Pete.

It's obviously relevant to something. Rosa decides to learn a bit more about Connor.



First of all, she checks in with Cory.

Let's see. Our records from back then are a bit spotty, but can't hurt to check. Hm. No. Nothing comes up, but it's a VERY common name. Is there anything specific you can tell me about him?
He was in the army.
Huh. Then there might be something in the Veteran's Association records.
Aren't those public?
Not everything. But fortunately for you, I can access everything.

Cory starts to tap away on his keyboard.

Okay. Archived records... "Connor Fielding..."



Looks like he's hit a snag.

What's wrong?
Idiots. They had no idea how to archive data back then. I can only look him up by service number. You don't know it, do you?
I don't. Sorry.
Well, once you know it, let me know.

I guess that gives us something to search for, though I doubt it will be just lying around.

Field's Gym



In the mean time, Joey tries checking in with Peter.

It was over twenty years ago. We all have to move on.
That's my plan, Peter. So tell me about your dad.
My dad? He built this gym from the ground up. He was a military guy. It was hard for me to relate to him, until I joined him in the running of this place. He might be gone, but... he lives on here. I make sure of it.

Joey then lets Peter know about Maggie squatting at his place.

So did you know your sister is staying in your apartment?
She is?
*sigh* Of course she is.
She probably fell off the wagon again. Just... stay out of her way.

Sounds like Maggie has been a problem for a while.



Okay, we really want to get Rosa inside the gym, for reasons probably not yet obvious. We'll just go with the usual adventure game explanation of "because it's there."

Now, Peter's card is sitting next to Maggie, but Rosa can't just reach over and grab it. So instead, Joey blows it onto the ground. He tries blowing it across the room, but...

No good. The rug's too thick.

...he can't get it to move over the carpet.



Instead, Rosa lets herself in and pulls off another one of her incredibly transparent attempts at being sneaky

Sure. I guess.

She bends over and swipes the card.

Thanks.
Smooth.



On our way out, Rosa checks her phone where she finds yet another email has arrived, this time from creepy old Doctor Quentin who wants to meet up with her. I've got bad news for you, Doc, we're apparently banned from Bellevue From the sounds of things, Rosa hasn't bothered to speak to him at all since Legacy. I don't blame her, that guy was a dick.

(continued next post...)