Hanging by a Thread/Transcript

Chief Andrea Marquez: , I'm glad to see you. This message from the Puppeteer really worries me.

Andrea: "Hello, little puppet! I hope you'll like my show. After all, what would a Carnival be without a good puppet show?"

Andrea: This is an open threat that the Puppeteer will start killing again! And the Carnival is today! , I want you to patrol the parade with Frank, an-

Frank: Patrol the parade? I was looking forward to staying in and spending some quality time with my turtle...

Andrea: Frank, just do as I say, for once, will you? Yann is late for work again, and I'm tired of YOU answering back to me like an irreverent teenager. I'm still Chief of Police here!

Andrea: Sorry, . I don't mean you, of course. But you really must be alert, so the Carnival takes place without incident. With the Puppeteer's message in mind, we cannot leave anything to chance!

Andrea: I also need people to do a security check in the storage rooms. , you will make sure everything's alright. I'm counting on you!

Later, in the Carnival storage room...

Frank: I don't know what's wrong with Andrea today, she's like a nagging mom. I've never seen her like that before, she's really on edge and worried.

Frank: Oh, well. At least here in the storage room, we can have a little more fun, . What do you say we try on costumes, turn off the lights and scare each other?

Frank: OK, I get it, we're here to look around. Alright. Let's start with that pretty-looking marionette in the corner!

Chapter 1
Investigate Storage Room.

Frank Knight: What the... The victim's been all cut up and linked back together with chains! She looks like a morbid puppet!

Frank: You're right, this means it must be the work of the Puppeteer! I can't believe this: after ten years, the murders have started again!

Frank: Oh, wait a second... you're telling me the victim is Dinah Cooper, the jazz dancer? She was one of the first suspects you met in Jazz Town, wasn't she?

Frank: Poor girl... I know you won't let the Puppeteer get away with this, !

Frank: I agree , you should start by sending the body to Roxie.

Frank: And you found Dinah's bag? Let's have a look inside and see what clues we can find!

Frank: And whatever these pieces are, I trust you'll put them back together while I go get some fresh air. I'm feeling queasy.

Examine Broken Figurine.

Frank: You were pretty quick at restoring that dancer figurine, . This is why I always let you do the handiwork!

Frank: You're right, this dancer figurine has Dinah Cooper's name on it! And there's something written on the base...

Frank: It reads: "Freddie, I am an artist, not a toy!" An unfortunate choice of words from Dinah, given she ended up like a puppet.

Frank: Hm, you're right, we do know a Freddie. Isn't he the guy who organizes the Carnival?

Frank: And that's true, Freddie's parents were also killed by the Puppeteer! What a coincidence!

Frank: But what's this artist versus toy thing - was Freddie controlling her in some way? I agree, let's go see Freddie and find out!

Ask Freddie about the victim's message on the dancer figurine.

Freddie: Well.  , our paths keep crossing, often for unpleasant reasons. What can I do for you this time?

Frank: Dinah Cooper was just murdered. You could explain why she would accuse you of treating her like a toy for a start.

Freddie: Dinah was killed?! That's terrible! ... We were working together for the Carnival. I hired her to dance on the main float.

Freddie: But it turned out the woman had two left feet! I tried to teach her but she kept getting it wrong. She got annoyed and claimed I was too controlling, but I was just doing my job!

Frank: So Dinah claimed you were too controlling, only to end up strung up like a puppet. See where we're going with this?

Freddie: Dinah was murdered... by the Puppeteer?! You mean the killer has started killing again after all these years?!

Freddie: I can still remember the day the Puppeteer murdered my parents like it was yesterday... The poor girl, she didn't deserve to die like this!

Examine Dinah's Handbag.

Frank: Find anything useful in the victim's bag, ? Some kind of invitation?

Frank: Parties are always fun, but that invitation's half-erased. Do you think you can figure out what it's for, ?

Examine Faded Invitation.

Frank: Cool , you managed to retrieve the details on this invitation... It's for a booze cruise! Or steamboat party, or whatever you want to call it.

Frank: Oh, you're right, : this invitation was clearly addressed to our victim and could be vital in solving her murder!

Frank: It reads: "Welcome aboard the Abigail". Well, let's go check it out... I just hope you don't get seasick!

Investigate Deck.

Frank: Glad you picked up on those clues , maybe I should just let you do the work while I sit back and enjoy a boat ride!

Frank: But why did you pick up that champagne bucket? The bottle's missing, we can't even have a drink! ... Oh, you still want to look through it, ?

Frank: And nice, you also found a phone! People always leave private information on their gadgets. Good luck decoding it!

Examine Champagne Bucket.

Frank: Oh, you found a photo of our victim! She looks much younger though, wouldn't you agree? And look at the person she's standing next to... his face is all scratched out!

Frank: And... What the?! You're right <Name>, look at the man's hands: he's clearly a... PUPPETEER!

Frank: Dinah was turned into a puppet... And if she once knew a puppeteer, we need to find out his identity! Do you think you can run his profile through the database, <Name>?

Examine Unidentified Person.

Frank: So the person standing next to Dinah was a certain Blake Cooper? You're right, this must be her father... Ugh, he looks even scarier with all this face paint on!

Frank: To think a daughter could hate her dad enough to scratch out his face... I wonder if my daughters would do the same...

Frank: Ah, sorry <Name>, I'm okay... And that's true, not only did Dinah hate her father, but he's also a puppeteer. Let's go talk to him!

Ask Blake Cooper about his relationship with his daughter.

Blake: You're her to ask about that troublesome daughter of mine? Whatever trouble she's in, I don't care: we haven't spoken in years!

Frank: Well, whether you care or not, your daughter's just been murdered.

Blake: I'm not surprised. Dinah's always been a magnet for trouble: she ran away from home to a life on the stage and got herself pregnant.

Blake: Even worse, she wouldn't let me see my own grandson! She thought I was a bad father to her, so I didn't deserve to see Louie. Like she was a model mom, single and dancing in a bar!

Frank: <Rank> <Name> is right, how can you be so heartless: your only daughter's just been murdered and still you claim it's her own fault?

Blake: I gave up on my daughter long ago: she was uncontrollable! If only she could have been more like my puppets... Just one pull of the strings and they'd obey.

(After talking to Blake Cooper)

Frank: I agree <Name>, as Dinah's father and a puppeteer, Mr Cooper is already a prime suspect...

Frank: And he didn't even seem to care about his daughter's murder! You're right, serial killers are known to be heartless, I'm not saying he's the Puppeteer but we should keep an eye on him!

Examine Locked Cell Phone.

Frank: I'm impressed, you unlocked that phone you found on the steamboat way faster than I expected! And that guy looks familiar, doesn't he?

Frank: Oh right, now I remember: he's that nut we met during the Civil War reenactment!

Frank: I don't know how this phone fits into the current investigation, but you're right: we did find it on a crime scene so let's send it to the lab!