The Haunting of Elm Manor/Transcript

Main Article: The Haunting of Elm Manor

Ramirez:  , call an exorcist: the haunted house on Elm Street has killed someone! David Jones: Ah, not more crazy talk... What are you on about this time, Ramirez? Ramirez: The haunted house of Grimsborough, Elm Street, has just killed it's owner! I tell you, that house is evil! Jones: Ramirez, there are no ghosts or haunted houses.  debunked it once with The Ghost of Grimsborough, and they'll prove you wrong once again!

Chapter One
'Investigate Haunted House. ' (Before investigating) Gloria Fernandez: NO! NO! Hector! MY HUSBAND! The house... it killed him! Gloria: The house started shaking, the doors rattled, and then the screams... It locked me out and I could only listen, helpless, as the house took him! Jones: Ramirez, get her out of here! She's obviously in shock! Ramirez: See, I told you! I told you the house was haunted! We should all leave this house before it kills us too! Jones: C'mon, , keep your head on straight: no ghosts, no haunting, just a possible homicide. Are you ready for this? (After investigating) Jones: What are the odds that a chandelier that looks to be in perfect condition would suddenly fall just as Hector Fernandez was walking under it? Jones: I agree, , we should treat this as a murder and not as the result of a haunted house. Jones: Let's send the body off for autopsy. Nathan's a rational man, so hopefully, he'll quickly dispense of any possibility of the death being caused by the supernatural. Jones: I've got a feeling this case is going to be shrouded in mystery. How about we search through that basket? We might find something of interest. Ramirez:  , the victim's wife was in such a shock that the paramedics had to heavily sedate her. She won't be available to talk for quite some time. Ramirez: On the other hand, Margaret Littlewood wants to talk to you. She said as their neighbour, she might be of help. Jones: Ah, I could have guessed Margaret was their neighbour: I can smell her cookies from here!

'Autopsy The Victim's Body. ' Nathan: Some things are clear: your victim was killed by the chandelier when it fell and CRUSHED his body. Nathan: However, it crashed down with such an inhuman force, it's... well, it's almost supernatural. Jones: What do you mean "supernatrual"? Nathan: I calculated the impact velocity of the fall, and given the chandelier weighs 220 lbs and it fell from 13 feet: IF it had fallen naturally, it couldn't have crushed Hector like it did. Jones: Oh come on, don't tell us you also think this murder is the work of a haunted house! Nathan: Of course not. But for now, I don't have any scientific lead, apart from traces of petrouleum jelly smeared on your victim's clothes. Nathan: So IF Hector was really killed by a human being and not by a supernatural force, THEN your killer is in contact with petroleum jelly.

'Talk To Margaret, The Victim's Neighbour. ' Margaret: Here, have a cookie, fresh from the oven! Thank you for coming to see me,  : as Hector and Gloria Fernandez's neighbour, this is also of my concern. Margaret: I mean, it's just so awful, isn't it? I heard the house come ALIVE as it tortured Hector. I heard his screams or torment and then a loud crash. Margaret: And my poor dog, Astrid, she couldn't stop barking... I tell you, living next door to that haunted house is a real nightmare. Jones: Thanks for the cookie, Margaret. But as for the house, we really don't think it is actually haunted. Margaret: Of course it is! That house eats people's souls! I'm just glad Hector started going to church before this tragic happening. Margaret: Even though you can't suddenly turn up at church and expect immediate salvation... But I guess he's finding that out for himself right about now. (After talking to Margaret) Jones: Haha, that's so true, : cookies are my greatest weakness! Jones: And I agree, it is suspicious that someone who never went to church suddenly kept going there... Why did our victim suddenly feel so religious? Jones: Good idea, the easiest way to solve this mystery is by going to the church ourselves!

'Examine Basket. ' Jones: This seems to be a family photo of the Fernandez's. And our victim has his eyes scratched out. Nope, that's not creepy at all. Jones: ...Aw, I didn't know the Fernandez had a baby boy. Camilla Brown: They DID have a baby boy, UNTIL the house killed him. Jones: Argh, you can't creep up on people like that! Camilla: I'm sorry, Officers, but as a housekeeper it's my duty to walk around noiselessly. Jones: So you're the housekeeper... And wait a second, did you just say the house killed their baby boy?!

'Question Camilla About Her Job As The Victim's Housekeeper. ' Jones: Let me get this straight, Camilla: You're the Fernandez's housekeeper, and you're telling us the house killed their baby boy?! What happened exactly? Camilla: What do you think happened? The spirits of the house killed the baby boy in this very wing! Camilla: Since then, Mr Fernandez closed this wing off because the hauntings were strongest in this side of the house. Camilla: But if you ask me, the Fernandez should never have moved here in the first place. It's their foreign blood that angered the spirits of the house. Jones: Uh, so it's a racist haunted house? Camilla: Mock me all you want, but house killed the boy out of anger! And when Mr Fernandez refused to leave, the house took him too! (After talking to Camilla) Jones: Brrr, Camilla's just as creepy as this house... and I can easily understand why the house scares people. Jones: You're right, : the fact that both the Fernandez's baby then Hector died in this house definitely help feed the rumours that the place is haunted. Jones: And Camilla said that Hector closed this part of the house off because he believed in the hauntings. Well, that explains why it looked like such a run-down mess... Jones: But if Hector was so scared of this part of the house... why the hell did he go back there? Jones: Sadly, we can't ask his wife because she's still in too much shock from her husband's death. But hopefully the answer will turn up soon enough.

'Investigate Chapel. ' Jones: Margaret told us Hector kept coming to this church before his death. Now we need to figure out WHY he suddenly kept coming here... Jones: And so if you think this broken device might be the key to answering that, , then would you mind piecing it back together?

'Examine Broken Device. ' Jones: Although you managed to perfectly piece back together this device you found in the church, I still have no idea what it is. Jones: But luckily it's got a name on it: "Father Von Pratt". Let's go ask him what this device is for!

'Quiz Father Von Pratt About The Mysterious Device You Found. ' Father Von Pratt: Oh my Lord, Hector Fernandez is dead? I failed him! I failed to save him in time from that house! Jones: Please, don't tell me even you believe that house is haunted? Father Von Pratt: The house isn't haunted, it's POSSESSED! Hector came to me a few weeks back, he was a haunted man. He said the house talked to him, hungry for his soul. Father Von Pratt: He told me of such truly terrifying events. I begged him to move out, but he refused. So I proposed to try and exorcise the house. Father Von Pratt: I went to his house to monitor the level of paranormal activity with my Geiger counter and the levels were through the roof! Father Von Pratt: Officers, stay away from that house. It is full of evil. DO NOT RETURN THERE!

'Later That Night... ' Jones: I'm completely lost, . Everyone around us believes that house killed Hector and his baby boy... and what if they're right? Nathan:  , I've got fantastic news: the victim just spoke to me from beyond the grave!

Chapter Two
Nathan:  <Name>, I've got fantastic news: the victim just spoke to me from beyond the grave! Jones: WHAT THE?! Nathan: Calm down, I meant from beyond the morgue. You see, I did some digging... through the victim's brain actually... Jones: That's so gross, Nathan. Nathan: And that's when I noticed anomalies in the brain's neurotransmitters due to a psychoactive drug. Nathan: The drug in question would induce sickening nightmarish visions. My guess is your killer wanted Hector to believe the house really was hanted. Nathan: I'd need a fresh sample of the drug to be sure, but I think it's a mix of exotic plants.. which can only be found at the greenhouse. Jones: Nice one, Nathan! C'mon, <Name>, let's hurry and close off the greenhouse as a crime scene before it gets contaminated! (After talking to Nathan) Ramirez: <Name>, I just got off the phone with the psychologist. She says Gloria Fernandez, your victim's wife, is now in a stable enough condition for questioning. Jones: Thanks for the heads up, Ramirez. Your call, <Name>: should we talk to the victim's widow or search the greenhouse first?

'Talk To Gloria About Her Husband's Death. ' Jones: Mrs Fernandez, we're so sorry for your loss. Gloria: I moved into the house a joyful wife and a blessed mother, and it took both my loves away from me! Gloria: After the house killed my baby boy, I begged my husband to leave but he couldn't find a buyer: nobody wanted to buy a haunted house! Gloria: My husband foolishly hoped an exorcism would finally get rid of the evil spirits.. oh but how wrong he was. Gloria: And now I'm left all alone, with nothing to live for. I hope the house hurries up and kills me too! (After talking to Gloria) Jones: Poor Gloria, losing both a husband and a child... both apparently killed by the supernatural happenings of the house. Jones: I think you're onto something <Name>, what if the killer used people's belief that the house was haunted to try and get away with Hector's murder? Jones: If we found out more about the circumstances surrounding this child's tragic accident, it might help us solve this whole mystery. Jones: Churches usually keep birth and death registers. With a bit of luck, we might find out the real cause of death of the Fernandez's baby boy.

'Investigate Greenhouse. ' Jones: Good job, <Name>! It looks like this pestle and mortar were recently used to pulverise some plants... maybe like the ones used to drug our victim! Jones: Would you mind collecting a sample so that we can find out which plants were crushed up in the mortar? Jones: And since when has the greenhouse doubled as a flower shop? There's a note written on the bouquet's wrapping paper: "To Gloria, my love for you is as eternal as your beauty". Jones: Aww, Hector must be behind this. But you're right, it is odd that he never sent the bouquet. Jones: And since we know the killer was here, we need to treat everything as possible circumstantial evidence. Let's start by sweeping the paper wrapping for prints.

'Examine Mortar. ' Jones: Good work, <Name>! Let's not waste any time and send this sample you collected from the mortar you found in the greenhouse over to Nathan! Jones: Hopefully, this fresh sample will allow Nathan to learn more about the true nature of the hallucinogenic drug the killer used on Hector!

'Analyze Plant Substance. ' Nathan: I analyzed the substance you collected from the mortar in the greenhouse, and it was a composite of several exotic plants. Nathan: Each of these plants is benign when studied apart, but when combined they make an extremely potent hallucinogenic drug, the same substance ingested by Hector. Nathan: This particular drug would target the epinephrine neurotransmitters and induce strong audio and visual nightmarish hallucinations in Hector. Jones: Like what exactly? Nathan: Imagine you're walking around your house when suddenly the walls would start moving, shadows would become ghastly specters, everyday sounds would become deathly wails. Nathan: This drug would have tormented Hector, driving him insane with fear, and with his own home having turned against him, there was nowhere for him to seek refuge! Nathan: For the killer to have created such a powerful drug with just a few plants, it's obvious that they are highly skilled in gardening.

'Examine Flower Bouquet Note. ' Jones: Great job, <Name>! Now that you've recovered this set of prints from that bouquet's paper wrapping, we should send them over to the lab. Jones: Hopefully that way we'll be able to confirm whether Hector made this bouquet for Gloria, or whether it was someone else.

'Analyze Fingerprints. ' Alex Turner: The fingerprints you collected from the bouquet in the greenhouse belong to... Charles Parker, the Historical Center's botanist! Jones: Gloria's husband is barely dead and Charles is already planning to woo her with flowers and love notes? He's not wasting any time! Jones: We haven't seen him since the tragic death of that young man who wanted to travel to Australia. Well, it certainly seems Charles has been keeping busy.

'Interrogate Charles About His Flower Bouquet For Gloria. ' Charles: Yes, I'm not ashamed to admit: I'm madly, hopelessly in love with Gloria Fernandez. And if love is a crime, then I'm guilty! Jones: Couldn't you at least try and wait a little longer than two hourse to pass since her husband's death before sending her the first bouquet? Charles: I was going to send that bouquet to her as a secret admirer. The fact that it coincided with Hector's death is just a happy accident. Jones: A happy accident?! It's her husband you're talking about: Can you imagine the grief Gloria must be going through?! Charles: Please, Gloria was wilting away with that man. It's a sin how he ignored her and now he's been punished for it!

'Investigate Pews. ' Jones: Good job, <Name>! You're right, we should search through that chest to see if there are any documents that could be of interest to us. Jones: And look at this note: "Pay me back you fraud or experience my wrath!" It's followed by a string of numbers but some are faded. Jones: I don't know what it has to do with our "haunted house" but we DO know Hector came to this church and this note is menacing enough not to ignore. Jones: Great idea, <Name>! If we recover the missing numbers, they might find out to be even more telling than a signature.

'Examine Chest. ' Jones: Your intuition was correct, <Name>! This chest does contain the city's death register. Now let's see if it recorded baby Fernandez's death. Jones: Here it is: Aurelio Angelo, the son of Gloria and Hector Fernandez. The cause of death is unknown; it only states that the child was found dead on a staircase at his home. Jones: What a tragedy, but there's no mention of any supernatural causes... So why does everybody keep saying it's the haunted house that killed him, just like with Hector's death? Jones: We can't ask Gloria anything more about her baby's death, it'd be too hurtful. But maybe Margaret, as their neighbour, might be able to recall what happened.

'Ask Margaret About Details Concerning The Fernandez's Baby's Death. ' Margaret: Yes, I remember Gloria and Hector Fernandez's son: Aurelio. He was always smiling and he loved Astrid here... and then the house took him. Jones: What happened exactly? Margaret: Before I go on, I must warn you that few people can bear to hear this ghostly tale, so are you certain you want me to continue? Margaret: Very well. On the night of Aurelio's death, the house became alive with evil! All the mirrors broke into a thousand pieces and there were the most terrifying screams... Margaret: ...And apparently, when it all stopped, Hector found his sweet baby boy lying on the stairs. He had smashed right through them. Margaret: The doctor said he accidentally fell from the top banister, but we all know it was the house that took the poor little soul! (After talking to Margaret) Jones: I guess sometimes believing the death of a child was due to something supernatural that couldn't be stopped is the only way to emotionally cope... Jones: But you're right, <Name>, I'm also more and more convinced that Hector was killed by a real person who used this story of the haunted house to cover up the murder.