Game 34: The Colonel's Bequest - Nice Night for a Walk

Laura Bow Journal Entry 3: "Why won't anyone listen to me? Not only is Gertie dead, but whoever killed her has more than likely got to Wilbur now! I must make Lillian listen before more family members get murdered. In the meantime I'm trying so hard to use the investigation techniques my father taught me in an attempt to solve this mystery. The clues I've found so far point to multiple guests, but there's one in particular that I'll be watching very closely indeed. Hopefully without them noticing, or I could end up as their next victim!"

 Time to fill in the details

My last post finished with the big question of whether or not Gertie had been murdered. I left the room to go and find out, but as soon as I did, I was shown a view of the veranda through the windows above the stairs. “Someone’s walking outside on the second story veranda! Who could it be?” Whoever it was walked from right of screen all the way across to the left, but it wasn’t completely obvious from the silhouette whether they were male or female. There are a few guests that I could rule out for the simple reason that this suspect walked uninhibited (Henri and Wilbur certainly don’t) and seemed pretty thin (Celie and Ethel are both much larger), but of course there’s a chance one of those characters is putting on their physical restrictions or pretending to be fat. Once I regained control of Laura, I went straight for the stairs and made my way down to the ground floor. However, my intention of finding out whether Gertie’s body was on the ground below her window was once again put on hold, when the image of my father appeared once I reached the bottom of the stairs.

 Seriously, this really does rule out a couple of guests

“One important tool a good detective uses besides asking questions of people is to selectively reveal information to THEM and listen to their response. If you “tell Gloria about Fifi”, you may receive additional information about Fifi, or at least what Gloria THINKS of her.” I’m assuming that Laura is recalling advice given to her by her father on a previous occasion, and not that her father is somehow communicating with her from afar. The only thing that made me think otherwise was Laura’s reaction after “hearing” this advice. “Thanks, Daddy!” Once the ill-timed advice session was over, I made my way through the billiards room and out the door to the outside world. Gertie’s body was indeed lying on the ground just outside the door! “Oh, dear! It looks as if Gertie has accidently fallen from her upstairs window and killed herself! Or... was it an accident?!” It took me a while to figure out how to examine her body more closely, as all my attempts were met with “Gertie’s dead, all right!”, but eventually I typed in “search body” and got a result. “You quickly examine Gertie’s body and see that she died of a broken neck. You can see no clues as to what might have happened.”

Yeah OK daddy! Now's really not the time for one of your telepathic lessons alright? I'm busy!

 That was a statement! Or...was it a question?!

I didn’t appear to be able to pick anything up, so I went back inside to tell someone about what I’d found. Gloria was still sitting in the billiards room listening to music, so I gave her the horrific news regarding her mother! “Mother??? Oh, no! It can’t be!” Gloria rushed outside to see for herself, only to come back in moments later. “You’re very mean! There’s NOTHING there!” I raced back outside myself to find that Gloria was telling the truth. Gertie’s body had disappeared!!! The killer, or an accomplice, must have come along and removed it already. I walked west to the screen beyond, hoping to find some clue as to where the body had gone, but instead came across Clarence and Wilbur chatting outside the study. The progress clock appeared on the screen, making me forget all about Gertie and focus on what was going on between the two house guests. Wilbur: “I can’t go on with this any longer! I must tell him about...” Clarence: “Quiet! Let’s go into the house to continue this discussion.” Had I interrupted yet another juicy conversation? There weren’t going to be any hidden rooms nearby this time, so I did the only thing I could think of. I followed them back inside!

Haha...got ya!!!

...my eating disorder! I need help!"

I once again interrupted them in the study, and then again in the library, where Clarence suggested they go to the dining room. That worked for me, as that was a part of the house I could view from one of the hidden rooms. I moved the mirror in the hallway and entered the hidden room, then looked through the portrait eyes to finally see what these two gents were up to. Wilbur: “It’s just not right! We’ve got to tell him about it!” Clarence: “No! It’ll work out, Wilbur. I’ve got some plans.” Wilbur: “How are you going to replace that hundred grand we took from Henri? Where would YOU get that kind of money?!” Clarence: “I know people. I can do it...trust me.” Wilbur: “Why were we so stupid as to buy into a racehorse, anyway?! And to use Henri’s money! We should’ve known better!” Clarence: “It would’ve worked out, Wilbur. It wasn’t our fault that &$@*% horse broke his leg!” Wilbur: “All I can say, Clarence, is you’d better do something fast... because if you don’t, I’m ‘fessing up.” Clarence: “I’ll handle it, Wilbur! Just don’t be stupid and say something!” Well, well, well!!! Now I knew what the racehorse scam was that Gertie threatened to tell Henri about! I might just tell him myself!

 It's difficult to see in this image, but the killer walks past the windows in the study and again later in the dining room.

 Don't say nothing? Does that mean I should say something? Oh I'm confused!

Act II had already been filled with drama, and it was only 8:15! Since I’d had more hidden room success, I decided to check out the other rooms now so as to avoid interrupting any further discussions. When I looked in on the billiard room, I once again witnessed Clarence and Gloria at each other! The progress clock ticked over to 8:30, and I watched as Gloria told Clarence she wanted to end their marriage. Clarence: “Are you joking or something? That’s ridiculous!” Gloria: “No, dahling. I’m not joking. I have a new beau...he’s a director.” Clarence: “Yeah, well... I have to think about this! See you around... sweetheart!” That’s not the response I would have expected from someone who’s just been told his partner is seeing someone else. It was made even stranger when I walked into the billiard room to record whether either of them were still there, only to find them quite happily playing billiards against each other. I set my disbelief aside, and continued spying on rooms. I was beginning to wonder whether the majority of the game’s progress would be made by listening to dialogue from within the hidden rooms, and that concern wasn’t allayed when I looked in on Ethel in parlor.

 Way to rub it in!

 Let's not let breaking up get in the way of a good game.

Ethel was clearly very drunk! Not only was she slurring her words, she was also having a full on conversation with Polly the parrot! Ethel: “YOU know how shey all feel ‘bout me, don’cha, Polly?” Polly: “AWWK!” Ethel: “Wellll, I don’ care what shey think! ‘Specially, Gertie and shat connivin’ daughter o’ hers! I shink I’ll have ‘nother drink...okay, Polly?” Polly: “Have a drink...AWWK!” I walked into the parlor with the intention of asking Ethel about Gertie and the handkerchief, since I’d noticed she’d had one in her hand during her conversation with Lillian in Act I. Unfortunately she was just too drunk to make any sense, so that interrogation was going to have to wait. Having now spied on all the rooms that I could, it was time to go hunting for the other house guests. I knew that Ethel was in the parlor, and Clarence and Gloria were in the billiards room, but the current whereabouts of everyone else was unknown. I made my way upstairs to check all the rooms, stopping to look in the previously empty closet at the top of the stairs on the way. To my great surprise, an arm came from out of the darkness, and pulled me inside, apparently killing me in the process. “That’s what you get for being such a snoop, Laura!” The Colonel’s Bequest is right up there with Space Quest for killing off the player with no warning, yet the unavoidable deaths are not as fun, making them feel a little more annoying.

 Teehee...you said shat!

 And they say alcohol isn't a gateway drug!

I restored, and made my way back up to the first floor. There I found Henri in his room, unwilling to answer any of my questions as usual. Lillian was nowhere to be found in our room, so I moved onto Rudy and Clarence’s. I walked in on Rudy and Fifi having some sort of scuffle! It wasn’t completely clear whether Rudy was trying to sexually assault her or threaten her about her relationship with Henri (or something else), but the result was Fifi slapping him and shouting “Leave me alone, you, you...CAD!” She then left the room, leaving Rudy standing there holding the side of his face. He quickly recovered and sat down on the sofa to have a drink, so I asked him as many questions as I could to see if I could figure out what was going on. As you would expect, he wasn’t very forthcoming. I left, and made my way up to Fifi’s room on the top floor. I’d thought that seemed a likely place for her to go given the circumstances, and that’s exactly where I found her, sitting in front of the mirror brushing her hair. As with Rudy, she seemed unwilling to talk about what just happened, but at least I could mark down her whereabouts.

 

CAD? Computer Aided Design? Well I guess that's accurate when you think about it!

 Unfortunately his eyeballs appear permanently focused on your ample curves Fifi.

I made my way to the kitchen to see whether Celie was still there doing chores, only to find that Lillian and Jeeves were too. Not only that, but the progress clock ticked over to 8:45! Jeeves quickly left with what looked like some food on a plate, going outside through the doors to the right, but Lillian and Celie were having a discussion about something or other. Celie: “Now, now chile. It ain’t no use gettin’ yourself upset. Things have a way o’ workin’ themselves out.” Lillian: “I know, Celie...but, it just doesn’t seem right! Oh...hi, Laura.” What had they been talking about? I tried asking a couple of questions to see if I could get Lillian to tell me her woes, but got nowhere. I therefore told her about Gertie’s death, hoping that she of all people might believe me. “That can’t be true, Laura. I’ll go see!” Lillian left and came back a few moments later, saying “Oh, you’re just imagining things, Laura!” on the way back in. She too thought the handkerchief belonged to her mother Ethel though, so that did seem a lead worth noting. I had to wonder why this scene was so important though, as I doubted the clock had ticked over for no reason. Was I supposed to follow Jeeves?

 Where are you going at this time of night Jeeves? Can't you see the time on the gargantuan clock floating in the middle of the room?

No, I just really enjoy telling people that their relatives are dead. It's a fetish of mine!

I walked through the French doors into the night, finding myself standing next to Beauregard’s doghouse and two large doors leading down to the cellar. Jeeves was there, calling for the dog to come and get its dinner. So it hadn’t been a plate of food in his hand, it was a dog bowl! Beauregard wandered over to eat, while Jeeves walked south off the screen. I followed Jeeves for quite a few screens, and since I’ve not yet described pretty much anything outside of the house, this seems a better time than any. Note that I initially followed the butler as closely as I could, not stopping to check anything out in case I might lose him, but for the sake of this post I’ll act as though I had all the time in the world. The first screen I followed him through contained a well just off the side of the gravel driveway. I was able to bring a bucket of water up by winding the handle on the side, and was given a view of it from the lip of the well, but wasn’t able to retrieve anything or take the whole thing with me. Jeeves walked to the left of screen, so that’s the way I went too.

I'll just feed the dog before I go off to finish hiding my latest corpse!

 If Samara crawls out of the well, I'm outta here!

He walked through a garden path, straight across the front of the house, passing a statue of the colonel on the way. I didn’t seem to be able to do anything on this screen, so I once again followed Jeeves to the left of screen and across the other side of the driveway. I continued in this fashion, eager to find out exactly where he was going, only to find that he simply disappeared when I reached the next screen! At least that’s how it seemed the first time I went through this little chase scene. Long story short, if I walked to the left of screen to the south of a tree then I reappeared at an old carriage house and Jeeves was nowhere to be seen, yet if I walked just to the north of the tree I reappeared in front of a stable where Jeeves can be seen sliding the door open and entering. I too entered the stable, where I watched as Jeeves fed the colonel’s horse Blaze some hay. Once he left, I was able to explore, finding a saddle and a bridle hanging on the wall. Both of them were too heavy for me to carry, and I was also informed that Laura has “never been fond of horseback riding”.

 Where are you off to you deranged butler!?

So this is where you keep the bodies!

One thing I thought I might be able to pick up though was a lantern hanging just behind Blaze. I wasn’t able to reach it over the little fence, so I tried opening the gate. As soon as I did, Blaze rocked back onto his hind legs and kneed me in the head. Death came quickly! I restored, and this time tried patting Blaze first. I was able to, but it made no difference to the end result. Figuring there must be a way to get the lantern later on, I set out to see where Jeeves went next. We travelled north at this point, soon arriving at a chapel situated in front of a cemetery. Rather than entering the chapel through the doors at the front, Jeeves walked around the back of it before disappearing. I quickly followed, and soon found myself inside, watching as he lit the three candles on the wall. Once again there appeared to be nothing I could interact with in the room, so I left in pursuit of the butler. We walked to the east, along a path leading past a bell tower. There was a rope with a ring attached to it hanging inside the tower, so I tried to pull it, only to be told that “the short rope is too high for you to reach the ring”. I climbed the ladder up to the bell, but was told that it was rusted in place after years of no use.

FINISH HER!!!

A cemetery! I should have guessed you ghoul!

 I never...drink...wine!

 Oh come on Laura! You've got arms you know!

Jeeves continued to the east, passing through a pretty section with a statue of a satyr, and then back to the mansion. He walked behind it, reappearing on the screen where Beauregard was still snoozing in his doghouse. However, instead of entering the house proper, the butler opened the cellar doors and descended. What was he up to down there? Is this what I’d come to see? I followed him inside, only to find the room below was Jeeves' own bedroom! He’d already laid down on the bed for a nap, tired after completing his late night chores. I explored the cellar, but could only find a box of crackers on the dresser beside the bed. Jeeves nodded his head when I tried to take them, which was just as well as I had a pretty good idea where they might be useful. After all, Polly wants a cracker! I couldn’t get anything else out of the gloomy guy, as he kept telling me to leave every time I asked him a question. Was this whole scene there just to get me out of the house or had I missed something during our trip? Was Jeeves merely a distraction? Did something occur in the kitchen in my absence? (These are all hypothetical questions in case you're wondering)

Not to mention the rest of the scene

Oh this sort of thing never ends well!

What? Where are the bodies? No ritual sacrifices!? *Sigh*...back to the drawing board!

I re-entered the house, planning to find where all the guests were situated at 8:45. While confirming that Ethel was still getting pissed in the parlor, I took the opportunity to give a cracker to Polly. “AWWKK! Gonna tell him... tell him. Racehorse scam. AWWKK!” So crackers were the key to getting Polly to talk! I tried giving him more, but he didn’t seem to want to tell me anything else of interest at this stage. I wondered whether I should go and tell Henri about the scam, but that thought was squashed when I found the colonel missing from his room. I thought he might have taken the elevator down to the library, but instead I was confronted with the progress clock ticking over to 9:00 and the words “Act III” on the screen when I entered. Wilbur was there, sitting in the chair reading his magazine about racehorses as usual, and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. I recalled how things played out at the end of Act I, and decided the best course of action was to leave the room and then come back in. It worked, as I returned to find Wilbur gone, his chair knocked over and signs of a struggle on the floor! Had Wilbur been murdered too!? Stay tuned to find out!

 AWWKK! Where is he...where is he... AWWKK!

 Act III: Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire

This is what I make of Act II

• Lillian and Celie chat in the kitchen for the entire hour
• Ethel goes to the parlor and gets insanely drunk. She spends the hour talking to Polly the parrot.
• Henri stays in his room until 8:45, at which point he leaves for an unknown destination. I didn’t check the whole map (there are still lots of places I haven’t visited), but didn’t find him anywhere in the house.
• Fifi has an altercation with Rudy in his room, before making her way upstairs to her bedroom. Both Rudy and Fifi remain in their respective rooms for the remainder of the hour.
• Clarence has a discussion with Wilbur outside the study, but they take it inside when I interrupt them. They move to the dining room, where Wilbur threatens to admit that they stole $100000 from Henri. Clarence tells him not to do anything stupid, and that he would sort it out. Clarence then went to the billiards room, where Gloria tells him that she wants to break up. They then play billiards for the rest of the hour. Wilbur goes back to the library, where he is killed around 9:00.
• Jeeves starts in the kitchen, then goes outside to feed Beauregard. He then wanders away from the house and visits the stable to feed Blaze and the chapel to light the candles. He then enters his room in the cellar for a nap.

At this point Clarence seems the most likely suspect, having had strong motives for killing both Gertie and Wilbur. Gloria has now given him a motive to take her out too, so I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s the next to go. The only thing that has me worried is just how obvious it is, making me think Clarence is being set up as a red herring. We’ll see...

Laura didn't believe in the boogeyman until it was too late!

Session Time: 2 hour 00 minutes

Total Time: 4 hours 00 minutes

Note Regarding Spoilers and Companion Assist Points: I've written a set of rules regarding spoilers and companion assist points. Please read it here before making any comments that could be considered a spoiler in any way. The short of it is that no points will be given for hints or spoilers given in advance of me requiring one. Please...try not to spoil any part of the game for me...unless I really obviously need the help...or I specifically request assistance. In this instance, I've not made any requests for assistance. Thanks!