David Jones: <Name>, I have to say, it feels good to have finally told the truth about my girlfriend, Zoe...
Jones: I shouldn't have kept my search for her a secret! I should have known you'd have my back, <Name>!
Jones: And I never expected the earthquake to unearth new clues about her disappearance! I'm feeling more hopeful than I have in weeks!
Jones: So I thought maybe I should spruce up my apartment a bit, y'know, for when we find Zoe! She can't come back to a pigsty!
Jones: There's an art gallery that I read about in the newspaper, it's called "Gallereea di Valereea." Modern art's back in style, they say...
Jones: I know it's early in the day, but I'd like to take a look at the artwork before the gallery gets too busy. Wanna go with me?
Jones: Great! Let's head over to the gallery!
Chapter 1
Investigate Art Gallery.
David Jones: <Name>, I don't know much about art, but I know murder when I see it! Someone impaled this woman on a piece of metal sculpture!
Jones: Well, at least there is no question that the sculpture was the murder weapon!
Jones: Oh, look! She has a name tag. It says, "Valereea Valz?!" Like "Gallereea di Valereea"? She must have been the owner of this place!
Jones: Who'd hate modern art so much they'd want to kill a gallery owner?
Jones: Maybe this kerchief could tell us something. There appears to be blood on it. And what is all this hair? Do you think you could get a sample?
Jones (queasy): Whoa! Are the organs coming out of that mini fridge real?! I'm gonna hurl...
Jones: Whew... that's a relief. They're just plastic... I'll leave you to look through that fridge, <Name>. I'm going to get some fresh air...
Examine Tiny Fridge.
Jones: What is artsy about a bunch of fake organs in a fridge? I definitely wouldn't have bought that!
Jones: But at least you found a business card in that fridge!
Jones: Looks like the card belongs to Sean Rubio, and it says that he was our victim's assistant! We'd better speak with him.
Ask Sean Rubio about the victim.
Jones: Sean Rubio, we found your business card. So you worked for Valereea Valz?
Sean: Yes! Yes, I did! And now there's so much to do! I have to call so many artists and buyers! She'll kill me if I don't!
Jones: Mr Rubio, you do realize that Ms Valz was murdered, right? She would be incapable of killing you...
Sean: Oh yes, of course... I came in as soon as I heard the news... This is all such a shock. It hasn't really sunk in...
Jones: Since you were her assistant, can you tell us about her plans for today? Anyone she may have had a meeting with?
Sean: Well, she was planning on going to the art store, Hawtee and Sons, to complain in person about a bad delivery.
Jones: We'll go check out the art store and see if any feathers were ruffled. We may be in touch if we have more questions, Mr Rubio.
Investigate Art Supplies.
Jones: Well, <Name>, we know that the victim came here to complain about an incomplete order... Could that torn paper have something to do with that? Let's see!
Jones: And, hey, that's the victim on the front page of Grimsborough's local independent newspaper!
Jones: Wait. Isn't that the murder weapon behind her in the photo?
Jones: The rest of the front page is faded, but once you dust it, we'll probably get some important information for the investigation!
Examine Torn Paper.
Jones: Hmmm... this note you pieced together reads, "Astro, deliver this equipment to Valereea Valz."
Jones: Hey, maybe this note refers to the delivery that the victim came here to complain about...
Jones: This Astro guy must work here... We'd better talk to him!
Question Astro Hawtee about the victim's order.
Astro: Hello, I'm Astro Hawtee, how may I help you?
Jones (presenting his badge): Thanks for the warm welcome... We're with the Grimsborough PD, and we're investigating the murder of Valereea Valz and-
Astro: Valereea! She was murdered?!
Jones: Unfortunately, yes. I take it you two were close?
Astro (sweating): I mean, like, we never really talked much or anything. It was mostly her assistant who signed for deliveries.
Astro: She did come in today to complain about the botched delivery, but we sorted everything out! When she left, everything was cool!
Astro: Man... I can't believe I was talking to her just this morning and now she's dead...
Examine Faded Newspaper.
Jones: <Name>, I don't recognize this woman standing next to the victim in the photo, do you?
Jones: I guess we'd better head back to the precinct so that you can check the database for her identity!
Examine Unknown Woman.
Jones: According to the database, that woman standing next to the victim - and the murder weapon - is a certain Megu Hashira.
Jones: I've never heard of her, but it says that she's a famous Japanese art collector.
Jones: The rest of the front page did say something about an art sale... do you think Ms Hashira had purchased that sculpture?
Jones: We'd better track down this Megu Hashira and see what's what!
Ask Megu Hashira about purchasing the murder weapon.
Jones: Ms Hashira, <Rank> <Name> and I were wondering, did you purchase a metal sculpture from Valereea Valz recently?
Megu: Yes, I did. It's called "Flower Number 1"! And thanks for the reminder! I need to send a courier to pick it up!
Jones: Actually, your recent purchase was used to murder Valereea Valz earlier today, so it won't be in your collection anytime soon.
Megu: Are you telling me that Valereea Valz was murdered?! That is regrettable...
Jones: You're taking the news well... Did you and the victim have a reasonably good business relationship?
Megu: Certainly! I could always count on Valereea to make me aware of the hippest artists. And she knew my tastes, so she rarely steered me wrong.
Megu: It's a shame for the art business to lose such a consummate professional.
Examine Bloody Kerchief.
Jones: <Name>, we'd better get the hair sample you got from that bloody kerchief to Rupert!
Analyze Hair.
Rupert: <Name>, I'll get straight to the point as none of us here has nine lives!
Jones: Ok, Rupert... What have you got for us?
Rupert: Something a little hairy... Or furry, rather! The sample you collected from the kerchief at the crime scene was cat hair!
Rupert: As <Name> had guessed, the blood was the victim's. However, she was allergic to cats, which means the kerchief wasn't hers.
Jones: The killer was definitely wearing it then!
Rupert: Quite. This also means that your killer has a cat!
Jones: So the killer has a feline friend... Well, they certainly didn't plan the purr-fect murder, did they, <Name>?
Autopsy Victim's Body.
Martine: <Name>, who knew art could be so deadly?
Martine: The sculpture impaled Ms Valz right in the heart, which killed her almost instantly.
Martine: The body didn't tell me anything more, so I had a look at the murder weapon itself...
Martine: And I believe this was a crime of opportunity, as your killer clearly neglected to wear gloves: they left a substance on the metal!
Jones: What kind of substance? Anything that can help us track them?
Martine: Knowing <Name>, yes! Your killer left traces of ginger root on the sculpture.
Jones: So the killer wants to spice things up with some ginger, huh? See, <Name>? We're already getting warm!
Later, at the precinct...
Jones: To think, I was just planning on doing a little art shopping for the first time in my life and, instead, here we are investigating another murder!
Jones: But so far, I don't think we've met anyone who could want to impale the gallery owner!
Jones: Her assistant, Sean Rubio, was understandably in shock...
Jones: Likewise, despite getting in trouble with the victim for a bad delivery, Astro Hawtee seemed really distressed at the news!
RIIIING! RIIIING!
Jones: But her art collector client, Megu Hashira, literally bought the murder weapon before it was used to kill Ms Valz! That's a first!
Jones (on the phone): Sorry, <Name>... Jones speaking. Who's this?
Ramirez (on the phone): <Name>, it's Ramirez! I need help! Quick!
Jones: Ramirez?! What's going on?
Ramirez: Oh, <Name>, I wanted to help with your investigation, but I think I'm in trouble! I'm at the JJJ Junkyard, downtown!
Chapter 2
David Jones: I guess I'll have to redecorate my apartment another day, <Name>! We have a murder to solve!
RIIIING! RIIIING!
Jones: Someone impaled Valereea Valz on a metal sculpture, but we're not that much closer to knowing who...
Jones (on the phone): Sorry, <Name>... Jones speaking. Who's this?
Ramirez (on the phone): <Name>, it's Ramirez! I need help! Quick!
Jones: Ramirez?! What's going on?
Ramirez: Oh, <Name>, I think I'm in trouble! I'm at the JJJ Junkyard!
Jones: Hold tight, Ramirez! We'll get there as fast as we can!
At JJJ Junkyard...
Jackson: Now when I say git, I mean GIT! You have no business snoopin' around here!
Ramirez (sweating): Sir, let me assure you that this a serious legal matter!
Jones: Ramirez! What's going on here?
Ramirez: <Rank> <Name>! Jones! Am I glad to see you!
Ramirez: As I was trying to explain to Mr Jackson, I looked into Valereea Valz and saw that she'd visited this junkyard several times!
Jackson: And I told you that Valz lady getting murdered ain't got jack to do with my junkyard!
Jones (presenting his badge): Yeah, well, I'm afraid it's not up to you to decide, Mr Jackson. We have some questions for you!
Ask Jackson Jackson about the victim.
Jones: Now, Mr Jackson. How do you know Valereea Valz?
Jackson: Just like that durn PI, that Valz lady was always nosing around here! Picking up things and messing around with stuff.
Jackson: Once, that dang lady leaned on something and almost de-organized the whole place!
Jones: Messing up a junkyard would be quite an achievement! Did you ever speak with her?
Jackson: Sure did! Told her to git, just like I told your fella! She introduced herself as some kinda art person from some gallery or museum or some such nonsense...
Jackson: But I don't know nothing about no artsy, foo-foo-lah-dee-dah bidness! I just know junk!
Jackson: Now, lookie here, I'm sorry she's dead and all, but since the earthquake, I have a crevasse full of lava to deal with! Now y'all need to git off my property, dang it!
Jones: Oh, we'll "git" alright... once we've had a look around your junkyard!
Investigate Junkyard.
Jones: Well, I guess I shouldn't be surprised! That's classic you, <Name>! You're the only cop I know who'd be able to separate clues from junk!
Jones: Like that fancy satchel! I wonder if it could have been the victim's? Gotta open it up to find out!
Jones: And once you piece it back together, I bet that torn paper will give us another lead, too! Let's do this!
Examine Satchel.
Jones: Whoa, <Name>! You found a drawing of the murder weapon in that fancy satchel!
Jones: It looks like there's more written on the drawing! I'll grab your dusting kit so we can get after it!
Examine Faded Sketch.
Jones: Great job, <Name>! Now we know who made the sculpture that was used to kill our victim! And it's...
Jones: ... Meera Kat?! You mean the "artist" who made that super disturbing painting about the earthquake victims? She's really messed up...
Jones: Our murder weapon may be a flower, but someone like Meera may have bad sinister intentions when she made it! I say we call her in for interrogation, <Name>!
Question Meera Kat about creating the murder weapon.
Jones: Ms Kat, it appears that a creation of yours was used in a murder today! Valereea Valz was impaled with your "Flower Number 1" at her gallery.
Meera: Are you kidding me?! That's, like, only the best news ever!
Jones: Excuse me? The woman selling YOUR art in her gallery was murdered with it and you say that's "good news"?
Meera: Well, I mean, sucks to be her, but you can't buy publicity this good!
Meera: Between this and my charity gala stunt, my name will really be on the map!
Meera: Good timing, too! My cat was starting to get more views online than my art!
Jones: You better not have murdered Ms Valz to get famous because all that will do is put you in prison!
Examine Torn Paper.
Jones: YIKES, <Name>, look at that message! "Should I kill Valereea today?" This could be from our killer!
Jones: It's not signed, but what about those weird lines underneath the words? Could this be a code?
Jones: Good call, <Name>! Gabriel might be able to help! Let's get this paper to him!
Analyze Strange Note.
Gabriel: <Name>, thank you for the opportunity to revisit an old friend...
Jones: I'm confused, what does an old friend have to do with that paper asking if Valereea should be killed?
Gabriel: Well, you see, the lines on that paper are a hexagrammatic divination from the I Ching!
Gabriel: The I Ching is an ancient Chinese text for divination from the Zhou dynasty. It's often considered the oldest of the Chinese classic texts. I was quite familiar with it at university...
Jones: Ok... So those lines really meant something?
Gabriel: Yes! They were the answer to the question. The way this works is that you have to toss three coins to find out what the outcome of your... "venture" will be.
Gabriel: By adding up the amounts attributed to the heads or tails side of the coins, the killer worked out the sum, which gave them these six lines.
Gabriel: In this case, the result of the coin toss was positive. The lines indicate that killing your victim would lead to prosperity.
Jones: And right after, Valereea got skewered! This seals it, <Name>, this message was written by our killer! They did this I Ching thing and decided to kill her!
Jones: That's a new one! A killer that consulted an ancient Chinese divination system to determine whether or not to end up in jail!
Jones: We still need more evidence, but there's no need to consult any coins with you around, <Name>! Let's head back to the art store and see what we can find!
Investigate Shop Floor.
Jones: <Name>, if you think there's something in that box of art supplies, dig in! You've never been wrong before!
Jones: And you're right! That locked phone might have secrets for us! Let's unlock it!
Examine Art Supplies Box.
Jones: A rose in a box of art supplies? Was it for a still life painting?
Jones: Ok, enough joking around... The note says "Val, please take me back! Your boo, Astro."
Jones: Well, well, well... looks like Astro was a lot more to Valereea than a delivery boy...
Jones: And it looks like she broke up with him... We'd better talk to Astro again and get the whole story!
Ask Astro about his relationship with the victim.
Jones: So, Mr Hawtee... earlier, you failed to mentioned that you were involved with Valereea Valz...
Astro: What can I say? The wound is still fresh, and I'm pretty embarrassed about what happened...
Astro: Valereea dumped me! She said I wanted too much from her!
Jones: Uh, so she used you as a boy toy? That must have hurt.
Astro: That's not what it was! I loved Val, and I was pretty sure she loved me... even though she was allergic to my cat.
Astro: I just don't understand... The day she called it quits, my I Ching reading said "Coupling." We never should have broken up!
Astro (blushing): The stress of losing her has really run down my immune system. I'm downing raw ginger by the handful! I'll have to double the dose now!
Examine Locked Phone.
Jones: So the phone's unlocked and who do we see but the victim herself!
Jones: A selfie as her home screen... that's interesting... But we're going to need more than that!
Jones: I agree, <Name>, let's get that phone to Cathy so she can work her magic!
Analyze Victim's Phone.
Cathy: <Name>, I combed through your victim's phone, and all I can say is she wasn't the nicest person who ever lived!
Cathy: Boy howdy, did she have it out for her assistant, Sean Rubio!
Cathy: She sent him email after email, each more demanding than the last! It seems nothing he could do was good enough for her!
Jones: Did she get abusive? Or call him names?
Cathy: Well, she did call Rubio's cat "Spawn of Satan!" It's a wonder he didn't quit his job!
Jones: Maybe he thought murder was a better answer... I agree, <Name>, we need to talk to Sean Rubio again!
Question Sean about the victim's abusive behavior.
Jones: Mr Rubio, we found the victim's phone and, well, she must have been difficult to work with! She was really abusive to you!
Sean: Abusive? I wouldn't go that far. She was demanding, it's true. I had to eat a lot of ginger to stay in optimum health to keep up!
Sean: But it was all worth it! I learned so much from her...
Jones: Come on, Rubio, at some point you must've wanted to leave!
Sean: Well, from time to time, I admit... I considered it...
Sean: But whenever I consulted the I Ching about staying there, the reading was always "Great Accumulating." So I stuck around!
Jones: Seems like all you were accumulating was disrespect, Mr Rubio. I just hope it didn't push you over the edge to murder!
Later, at the precinct...
Jones: So now the truth is coming out... At first, it seemed like no one had a reason to want to impale Valereea Valz, but now it looks like quite a few people got hurt by her!
Jones: Astro Hawtee was madly in love with her and got tossed away for being "needy"!
Jones: Her assistant, Sean Rubio, was putting up with all sorts of abuse, but he still stayed at the gallery...
Jones: And then there's Meera Kat, who has already shown that ethics is just a word in the dictionary to her.
Gloria: Hey, <Name>! Did you just mention Meera Kat?
Gloria: Jackson J. Jackson just called to complain. She's at his junkyard throwing things into the lava-filled crevasse!
Jones: What?! <Name>, maybe she's trying to get rid of evidence!
Chapter 3
David Jones: <Name>, this investigation is almost as confusing to me as modern art!
Jones: But someone impaled Valereea Valz with a metal sculpture and we need to catch them!
Gloria: <Name>, we just got a call from the junkyard your victim went to!
Gloria: Apparently, Meera Kat is there, throwing things into the lava!
Jones: What the... is she trying to get rid of evidence?! <Name>, we need to get to the junkyard right away!
At the junkyard...
Meera (holding a doll): ... And now it's your turn, little dolly! Down into the lava you go!
Jones: Meera Kat, stop what you're doing and get away from that crevasse!
Meera: Ha! What, do you think I might hurt myself? Like I'm really torn up over Valereea or something? That's hilarious.
Jones: We're not worried about that, but we ARE worried about you getting rid of incriminating evidence! Take a step back!
Meera: I'm not getting rid of evidence, I'm doing research, you plebs! You think that art just makes itself?
Jones: Ok. That's enough. You've gone above and beyond to make yourself seem suspicious, Ms Kat, so you've won another chat with <Rank> <Name>!
Interrogate Meera about destroying evidence.
Jones: Now, Ms Kat, you'd better tell us the truth. Were you throwing away evidence?
Meera (holding a doll): I told you. I was working on a conceptual piece, filming the effects the lava has on these toys!
Jones: Uh-huh. Let me guess. The lava is melting them. You're a genius.
Meera: Look. I am not getting rid of evidence. And I didn't kill Valereea, okay? Though sometimes I really wanted to, believe me!
Meera: She FINALLY allowed me to have a show at her stupid gallery, but the way she set it up pretty much guaranteed that I would not sell anything to anyone!
Meera: My I Ching reading about that show kept saying "Obstruction," I should've listened to my gut instead of treating my stress indigestion with ginger!
Meera: But you know what? It doesn't even matter anyway. I have a huge project planned! You'll see! Everyone will!
Meera (holding her phone): And I'm done with this stupid junkyard anyway! I just got a tip on another crevasse for my research!
(Meera leaves.)
Jones: Yeah, well, she can say what she wants, I'm not going to take her word for it. I agree, <Name>, we should have another look around the junkyard!
Investigate Gas Pump.
Jones: Okay, <Name>, help me out. Why would anyone make a sculpture of an eggplant, and why would they write "V V is a cheat!" on it?!
Jones: And is that blood?! Oh... you're right, <Name>, it's just red powder!
Jones: I guess whoever wrote that message, they sure had a grudge against the victim. Maybe the powder on that "sculpture" could tell us more?
Jones: And what about that check! Our victim paid someone $10,000!
Jones: I agree, we need to figure out to whom she made that check! I'll grad your dusting kit, and we've got some work to do!
Examine Check.
Jones: That's weird. The check wasn't made out to a person, but a number? Maybe it's an account number!
Jones: But whoever and whatever the $10,000 is for, our victim must have had a change of mind: the check was cancelled!
Jones: Good idea, <Name>. Cathy will be able to help us understand what is going on with this check!
Analyze Check Recipient.
Cathy: <Name>, this cancelled check you discovered got me back to my old hacking days. I had to bend some rules to get to the bank records.
Cathy: The mysterious account belongs to Jackson J. Jackson!
Jones: Wait. Valereea Valz was planning on paying $10,000 to Mr Jackson?!
Cathy: Looks like it! But all my cyber-sleuthing can't tell me why she decided to cancel it!
Jones: Something's hinky here. Nothing in that junkyard is worth $10,000!
Jones: We'd better go get this story straight with Jackson J. Jackson!
Ask Jackson about the victim's cancelled check.
Jones: Mr Jackson, we need to know what really happened between you and Valereea Valz. <Rank> <Name> found the check.
Jackson: Gawl durnit! I thought you'd never find that trash!
Jones: Trash? It's a $10,000-check!
Jackson: And it's cancelled, fool! Valereea wanted me to weld a bunch of stuff for her roster of up-and-coming artists.
Jackson: She said she was gonna pay me, then she sent me a cancelled check. I don't play that!
Jackson: I worked for hours on her friends' "art" for nothing!
Jones: And did you confront her directly? Say, at the gallery?
Jackson: Nah. When she came around here the last time, I spat a mouthful of ginger on her and told her to git!
Jackson: That's the last I saw of her, and I say, good riddance to bad rubbish!
Examine Eggplant Sculpture.
Jones: Putting that red powder from the that eggplant sculpture under the microscope for a look might tell us who thought the victim was a cheat, <Name>! Let's do this!
Examine Red Powder.
Jones: So that red powder from the sculpture was a pigment for hair dye? Who has this crazy hair color?
Jones: You're right! Megu Hashira has super red hair!
Jones: So the famous art collector thought that the victim was a "CHEAT"...
Jones: We'd better have another word with Ms Hashira and find out what happened!
Question Megu about her graffiti.
Jones: Ms Hashira, we found a sculpture that you "enhanced" with some graffiti. So you thought Valereea Valz was a cheat?
Megu: SWINDLER! I'm glad she was impaled by her own garbage!
Jones: Well, that's a 180-degree departure! So that's why you were so calm when you heard she'd been murdered! What happened exactly?
Megu: Valereea sold me counterfeit art! That stupid sculpture was a replica. She might as well have sold me a new scratching post for my cat!
Jones: And did you tell her that to her face?
Megu: No, I sent that so-called art where it belonged: the JUNKYARD. And for my money, Valereea belonged there, too!
Later, at the precinct...
Jones: So we've gone from suspects feeling sad about Valereea's murder to suspects being happy she's gone!
Jones: Both Ms Hashira and Mr Jackson thought she was trash!
Jones: Still, even knowing that, it feels like we're no closer to catching the killer!
Jones: You're right, <Name>. In these circumstances, the best thing to do is to go back to where this all started: the gallery!
Investigate Art Exhibition.
Jones: What's that broken metal? Please piece it together quickly, <Name>! It could be important!
Jones: And this security camera may have filmed the murder! There's not a second to lose, <Name>, we need to unlock it!
Examine CCTV.
Jones: Now that the security camera is unlocked, we'll need to get it to Cathy!
Analyze CCTV.
Jones: So, Cathy, did the camera <Name> found on the crime scene record the murder?
Cathy: Yes. It was disturbing to watch... but ultimately useful.
Cathy: Unfortunately, the quality of the footage was really poor. What's more, the killer used that kerchief you found to hide most of their face.
Cathy: However, they couldn't cover their eyes, and it turns out your killer wears glasses!
Jones: Could the glasses have been part of the disguise?
Cathy: Unlikely. At one point the glasses fell off. The killer spent a bit of time looking for them to put them back on before fleeing the scene.
Jones: So, the killer wears glasses... Well, they clearly can't see <Name> is coming for them!
Examine Broken Metal.
Jones: Look at the plaque on that pedestal! It says, "Flower Number 1, Meera Kat!"
Jones: So this must be the pedestal that the murder weapon came from! We need to get this to forensics fast!
Analyze Pedestal.
Amir: <Name>, this pedestal you sent me had a lot of useful information, besides the title of the piece and the artist who made it!
Jones: We know that the killer had to have taken the murder weapon from this pedestal, so did they leave anything on it?
Amir: Well, when the killer removed the sculpture, they left a little something behind: a mixture of jojoba oil, argan oil and sweet apricot oil with a hint of lime and basil.
Amir: I recognized it right away. It's beard oil. Jasper, my boyfriend, used to use the same brand!
Amir: And it stands to reason that, since your killer left beard oil on the murder weapon, they have a beard!
Jones: We've got our beardy killer by the hairs of their chinny-chin-chin, <Name>!
After completing all the tasks...
Jones: Well, <Name>, we have everything we need to arrest Valereea Valz's killer! Let's do this!
Take care of the killer now!
Jones: Mr Rubio, you're under arrest for the murder of Valereea Valz!
Sean: What?! I would never have harmed her!
Jones: The evidence says otherwise. You left some of your beard oil on the pedestal where the murder weapon was.
Sean: I work here! Maybe I left it on the statue when I moved it!
Jones: Yes, you work here, which is why you knew exactly where the security camera was...
Jones: ... And why you hid your face with a kerchief when you killed Valereea! You left cat hair all over it!
Sean (sweating): You're just fishing here! You don't really know who killed her and now you're trying to trick me into admitting something! Well, it won't work!
Jones: We don't need you to admit to anything, Rubio. We have security footage that shows you picking up your glasses when they fell!
Sean: .........
Sean: Fine. I killed Valereea... and she would have been so disappointed that I was so sloppy that I got caught.
Sean: Even though the look of surprise in her face when I struck her was confusing to me, to be honest...
Jones: You thought she should have expected you to kill her?!
Sean: Well, yes, she was the one who told me that art was a cutthroat business. She told me that a person had to take what they wanted! So I did!
Jones: And what could you possibly want that was worth killing for?!
Sean: I really wanted her gallery, and now I have it! She always said a person should have ambitions!
Sean: I took her abuse year after year so that I could learn everything I needed to know to run a gallery of my own.
Sean: Since she never even entertained the possibility of taking me on as a partner, I did what I had to do. And it's what she would have done, too.
Jones: You clearly need help, Mr Rubio. Maybe the prison has an art therapy program. You're under arrest!
Judge Powell: Sean Rubio, you stand accused of murdering your boss, Valereea Valz, by impalement.
Judge Powell: I suppose this had nothing to do with her questionable taste in art...
Sean: Questionable?! How dare you? I did everything for that gallery, including picking the pieces!
Judge Powell: Well, then I hope you'll have fond memories of those days because they're over now.
Judge Powell: Sean Rubio, for the crime of impaling Valereea Valz, this Court sentences you to 25 years without parole.
Sean: 25 years?! But I did the art world a FAVOR!
Jones: Wow! Some people really let ambition get the better of them, huh, <Name>? But murder is no way to get ahead!
Jones: I sure didn't suspect Sean Rubio, I'll admit it. My money was on that millennial, Meera Kat! Her lack of empathy is really messed up.
Jones: Now that we've wrapped up this investigation, we need to get back to the search for my girlfriend, Zoe. You've given me hope again, <Name>!
On Shaky Ground (4/6)
David Jones: <Name>, we need to get back to the search for my girlfriend, Zoe!
Jones: I think there's another lead we could follow, and-
Gloria: Now, Jones, remember what the Chief said. You can't work the investigation on Zoe's disappearance, it's a clear conflict of interest.
Jones: So I'm supposed to just sit back and twiddle my thumbs while my girlfriend's missing?!
Gloria: Of course, not. You're supposed to talk to <Name>, so we can investigate for you!
Gabriel: Excuse me, <Name>, do you have a moment? I'd like to discuss one of the suspects from the investigation.
Gloria: Ok, <Name>, maybe you'd like to talk to Gabriel first. I'll let you decide.
See what Gabriel wants.
Gabriel: <Name>, I am concerned about this Meera Kat person.
Gabriel: She shows all the classic signs of psychopathy, from an obsession with fame to an opportunistic predation of tragedy and a complete lack of empathy.
Gabriel: According to what she told you when you last questioned her, she has another project brewing. I am very worried about what that project might be.
Gabriel: I know she had a show at Gallereea di Valereea. I want to look at what's left of that exhibit to get a better picture of what her next move is.
Gabriel: Would you be willing to escort me to the gallery and take a look?
Investigate Art Gallery.
Gabriel: Despite my misgivings about Meera, I admit that I find the toy stroller full of concrete chunks quite moving...
Gabriel: It depicts a loss of innocence after the earthquake. I only hope that this concrete wasn't from any of the post-quake rubble, but knowing what we know of Ms Kat...
Gabriel: But you think that there may be something hidden in among the concrete in that stroller? Please, have a look!
Examine Stroller Installation.
Gabriel: <Name>, you found a roll of film underneath all the concrete chunks in the stroller. I don't think that was part of the installation.
Gabriel: If these pictures were taken by Meera, they may tell us more about her plans. Let's send them to Cathy.
Analyze Roll of Film.
Cathy: Hey, <Name>... the film roll you sent me was full of some disturbing images...
Cathy: It looks like Meera Kat won't let anything stop her art! Not even an earthquake!
Gabriel: We've seen how opportunistic she can be through her earlier painting... How bad are the photos?
Cathy: Oh... bad... they are mostly of people stuck under the post-quake rubble.
Cathy: There's one with a hand reaching out for help and...
Gabriel: Don't worry, Cathy, no need to go further... you don't need to say anymore...
Gabriel: It's clear Ms Kat intends to keep on using this human tragedy as fodder for her art, regardless of people's trauma. We must speak with her at once!
Confront Meera about her shocking photos.
Gabriel: Ms Kat, we found your film roll. How many gruesome pieces of "art" do you intend to create out of this tragedy?!
Meera: Huh... I knew I had used two rolls, I was wondering where the other roll of film was!
Gabriel: You mean that there are more photos like the ones we found!
Meera: So what if there are two or 20 rolls? It's all for the sake of art! I drew from real tragedy!
Gabriel: More like, for the sake of your own career! Did you even stop to think of what people hurt by the earthquake might feel like, seeing those pictures?
RIIIING! RIIIING!
Meera: A girl's gotta eat! All of these photos will feed into my next big work!
Meera (holding her phone): And my promotional materials are almost ready at the art store! Sorry, I've got to take this call!
(Meera leaves.)
Gabriel: I am convinced now, more than ever, that Ms Kat is a very dangerous person!
Gabriel: If any of the photos she took are on her promotional materials, she could trigger all the earthquake survivors in Grimsborough into post-traumatic stress!
Gabriel: You're right, she mentioned her promotional material was at the art store! We need to go there before she can retrieve it! But can we grab a burger on the way? I'm famished!
Investigate Art Supplies.
Gabriel: We seem to have beat Meera to the art store! Good!
Gabriel: And this box has her name on it! These must be her promotional materials! Let's get this box unlocked to check!
Examine Locked Box.
Gabriel: Perfect! You got Meera's box of promotional materials opened!
Gabriel: I'm unsure of what the dragon blowing fire on Meera is supposed to represent, but at least there's no image from the earthquake on this poster! That's such a relief!
Gabriel: But you're right! The poster says that Ms Kat's next big show is sponsored by Megu Hashira!
Gabriel: I wonder if this art collector knows who she's associating with, what type of person she's supporting!
Gabriel: We'd better go warn Megu Hashira about this show!
Warn Megu about working with Meera.
Gabriel: Ms Hashira, <Rank> <Name> and I have come to express our concerns about Meera Kat. We believe that she is a dangerous person!
Megu: Oh, come on... she's not as bad as all that! You must see her behavior through the lens of art!
Gabriel: But she has photographed people trapped under earthquake rubble without the slightest concern for their well-being!
Megu: I am sure that she helped them as soon as she was done! Well, maybe not the dead ones...
Megu: Anyway, I have great hopes for Meera! She will go far with the right financial backing, and I want in on the ground floor!
Megu: You need to lighten up your outlook, <Rank> <Name>! Think outside the box! Here, try this!
Ask Jones about his girlfriend Zoe.
Gloria: Jones, I understand that it's hard to just sit on the sidelines while we look for Zoe...
Jones: I really just don't understand what could have happened to her... She was a harmless social worker. What could she have gotten into?
Gloria: Maybe it has something to do with what she was working on? Do you know anything about her last social working case?
Jones: Yes, she was looking into Trey Warner, one of her social cases who went missing after he visited JJJ Junkyard.
Jones: Then a few days later, Zoe apparently climbed into a black car and disappeared, but you know that already.
Gloria: Good point, <Name>! If the person Zoe was looking for was last seen at JJJ Junkyard, it would be smart to head over there and have a look around!
Gloria: Don't you worry, Jones! We're bound to get a lead soon!
Investigate Junkyard.
Gloria: This junkyard is worse than that Extreme Collectors TV show... ugh!
Gloria: But you did find something! That Bracelet's got the initials "T W"... like Trey Warner!
Gloria: We know he was last seen in this junkyard, this bracelet could help us understand what happened to him!
Gloria (smelling the bracelet): It has something on it. It smells kind of like that goop people put on their chests when they have a cold.
Gloria (hallucinating): .........
Gloria (sweating): Whoa... that was strange... we'd better get a sample of that goop for the lab! I think it may be a narcotic!
Examine Friendship Bracelet.
Gloria: Good job getting a sample of that goop from the bracelet, <Name>! Let's get it to Rupert!
Analyze Goop.
Rupert: Hello, <Name>! Good job on collecting that sample from the bracelet! It could have been quite dangerous!
Gloria: So that goop really was a narcotic? No wonder I felt all weird and woozy when I touched it!
Rupert: Oh most certainly! The substance in question has powerful sedative properties! And not at all the sort a person uses to get a good night's sleep!
Rupert: Clearly, someone intended to render Trey Warner unconscious not long before he disappeared!
Rupert: In fact, I found twice the dose of the drug hyoscine for a heavyset adult male in the carrying agent!
Gloria: Well, if someone wanted to knock out Trey Warner with this sedative, his disappearance could've been a kidnapping!
Gloria: And Zoe was investigating his disappearance... what if she saw something she shouldn't have? What if she was kidnapped too?!
Gloria: Well, it's not good news, by a long shot, but it's something... We'd better let Jones know!
Tell Jones we think Zoe might have been kidnapped.
Gloria: Jones, we may have a lead on Zoe... But it's not the best news...
Gloria: Trey Warner, the man whose disappearance Zoe was investigating... we found evidence that suggests he was kidnapped.
Gloria: And we're afraid that, when she looked into it, Zoe may have been kidnapped, too!
Jones: Kidnapped?!
Jones: I wasted so many weeks thinking she'd gotten into an accident, checking morgues and hospitals for a sign of her... at one point I even told myself she'd just left me!
Jones: By the time I realized Zoe's disappearance might be a criminal matter, it felt like all the leads had already gone cold...
Jones: Maybe Zoe was counting on me to rescue her, <Name>, and instead, I've let her down! What if- what if she's-
Gloria: Stop right there, Jones. We will find Zoe, alive!
Jones: I hope you're right. When I think I wanted to buy art! This is no time for home decorating!
Jones: Here, <Name>, that's all the money I have. Let's put it to good use, getting Zoe back home!
Later, at the precinct...
Gloria: Poor Jones. I can't imagine how he must feel, finding new leads on his girlfriend only to get told she might have been kidnapped!
Gloria: Of course, it's mostly conjecture at this point, but still, it doesn't look good...
Gabriel: Meanwhile, we'd better keep an eye on that Meera Kat! She's a bad egg...
Gloria: It seems that we have a lot of things to look out for, <Name>! Something tells me that we're not out of the woods yet!