Conjuring Up A Killing!

Location: Southwest Westminster

In this mystery you must solve the murder of spiritualist Thaddeus the Amazing. Meet Charles Dickens (1) near the park and train station in southwest Westminster.

Objective: Reach the séance

When you reach the Psychic’s House southwest from where you meet Charles Dickens, you walk in on a séance in progress. The lights flicker out, a “bang” is heard and the Psychic is found dead when they flicker back on a second later.

Objective: Inspect Thaddeus the Amazing’s body

Investigation Area: Psychic’s House

Clues: 7

Psychic’s House – Thaddeus’ Body: Find Thaddeus Smith’s body (2) slumped over in a chair at the séance table on the first floor of his house. His hair and clothing have been slightly scorched from the “explosion.” A bloody knife is stuck in his torso. There are five suspects (the séance attendees) about the room.

Psychic’s House – Timer and Flashpot: This item is found on the floor to the right of the body. It is a rudimentary timer with the charred remains of a fuse. The fuse leads to the empty plaster cylinder of what contained a non-lethal amount of gunpowder to produce a flash and smoke. This is evidence that the Psychic may not be legit and used props to enhance his show.

Psychic’s House – Client List: The list is found on a desk in the hallway at the top of the stairs on the second floor. All that is important is that Dr. Wilburn is missing from this list of clients, their addresses and a money amount per séances. It is unclear what a second column of money refers to. Why is the doctor not on the list?

Psychic’s House – Threatening Note: This item is found on the floor on the other side of the doorway near the desk and client list. “For the love of God, get his signature at the next session, or I swear I’ll expose you! —A. R.” Keep these initials in mind as you meet new suspects.

Psychic’s House – Old Note: The Old Note is found on the floor at the foot of the bed in the room on the second floor. It looks to be a week old. “I’ve found a tramp who lives on the street near one of the pigeons. The fellow smokes like a chimney and for the price of a few cigarettes he supplies me with all the information we need.” Sounds like the Psychic’s source for finding details on his clients, fooling them into thinking his information comes from beyond.

Psychic’s House – Receipt: Find this item on the second floor in the northeast corner under a small table near the fireplace. Theatrical Supply: Flash pot, 8 shillings. Proof that the flashpot was purchased by the “Psychic.”

Psychic’s House – Legal Papers: The Legal Papers are found on the second floor on a table near the windows, along the north wall. It’s an unsigned paper, which would enable Thaddeus Smith to act as Howard Roberts’ legal representative. Was the Psychic in cahoots with someone to swindle one of his clients?

Suspect: 5

Douglas: Speak to Douglas (3) standing closest to the entryway on the first floor of the house. Talk to him about Thaddeus and the Séance. He thinks Thaddeus is nothing more than a showman saying the more people at a séance the more dramatic it becomes. He doesn’t believe in the afterworld, but if it comforts his lady, Ursula, he sees no harm. Douglas is Lady Ursula’s butler.

Lady Ursula: Speak to Ursula (4) standing near the windows in the living room. She comes to séances after the death of her cat, Mittens. She wants to reach out to her dead cat and also has accepted her own fate as she is not well and does not have long to live. She wants her dead cat to decide to whom she should leave her inheritance.

Howard Roberts: Speak to Roberts (5) also standing in the living room but closer to the séance table than Ursula. Talk to him about Thaddeus and the Legal Paper. He’s been coming to séance after séance getting a number each time but never receiving the full multi-digit bank account number he needs. The psychic had promised today he would get the full number. If he had signed the legal paper it would prove to his father that he had absolute trust in Thaddeus.

Dr. Wilburn: Speak to the doctor (6) standing in the séance room to the left of the victim. Talk to him about Thaddeus and the Séance. He calls Thaddeus an incredible psychic but stumbles on his words and says he “…came to clarify his son’s…err ah… his personal financial matters.” He also says that Thaddeus predicted his own death.

Janice Asquith: Speak to Janice (7) standing in the séance room to the right of the body near the fireplace about Thaddeus and the séance. She’s convinced Thaddeus was genuine. He had all sorts of personal details of her comings and goings that she believes he could have not otherwise known had he not been a psychic. She said he was going to put her in contact with her sister. Now ask her about her dead Sister. She was hoping that her dead sister would help her decide if she should get married to a certain fellow or not. She’s referring to Mr. Everett Boyd.

Now there are three new investigation areas available on the map: Lady Ursula’s House, Asquiths’ House, and Robert’s House.

Objective: Continue your investigation

Investigation Area: Roberts’ House

Clues: 3

Roberts’ House – Sydney Newspaper Clipping: Find this clipping (8) on a corner table on the first floor of the Roberts’ House. This is in the back right corner near a window. The article describes another story exactly like your mystery unfolding only it happened a year ago. A Psychic (Felix Magnus) predicts his own death at his next séance and reveals to his clients that their family members were using him to swindle them. There was also a doctor present at this event attending as a client.

Roberts’ House – Paper: Find this paper (9) on a small table with drawers at the top of the stairs on the second floor. There are three incomplete bank account numbers crossed out: “Bentland bank? A7?; Bank of Kent? 270?; York Bank? A72?” These are signs of someone trying multiple, incomplete account numbers at multiple banks.

Roberts’ House – Note Added to Father’s Will: Find this note (10) on a small table next to a bookcase in the bedroom on the second floor. It’s an amendment to add to the father’s will specifying, “the bulk of my fortune is safely secured in an account, the particulars of which will be communicated by word-of-mouth to my son.”

Suspect: 1

Anne Roberts: Speak to Anne (11) standing in the middle of the room on the first floor. She is Howard Robert’s sister. Talk to her about Howard Roberts, the Séance, and the Legal Papers. She feels the séances are a waste of her brother’s time. She thinks that him giving the psychic power of attorney is very unusual. She also says that her brother inherited a large amount of their father’s money but some was hidden in a secret account and her brother is obsessed with getting to it. She feels it can’t be a significant amount of money there. Her initials match those on the threatening letter found at the Psychic’s house.

Objective: Continue your investigation

Investigation Area: Lady Ursula’s House

Clues: 3

Lady Ursula’s House – Boston Newspaper Clipping: When you walk into Ursula’s front door you can find this clipping (18) to your right near the fireplace. It’s yet another story of a Psychic foretelling his own death dated seven months ago. Roberto Magnifico. It’s the exact story as the last and what seems to be the story you are in now. The family traduced the victim with the psychic’s help and death by explosion. What are the odds?

Lady Ursula’s House – Letter: Under the bed on the second floor is the letter (19) to Douglas from an accomplice, someone who found yet another story on a psychic predicting his death at a séance. The writer is convinced that they will be exposed at the next séance just the way the others were. The writer demands a way out.

Lady Ursula’s House – Lady Ursula’s Will: On the third floor, on top of a bedside desk is Ursula’s will (20). It reads, “To Miriam, my maid, and to Douglas, my butler, I leave my Belshingham china…I leave my dear cat Mittens all my remaining worldly goods, in the hope that they bring him even a small portion of the joy he has brought me.” Scrawled in a margin is: “Whatever will I do now that my dear Mittens is no more?” How do you think this makes the maid and butler feel? All that money to a cat!

Suspect: 1

Miriam: Speak to Miriam, (21) the maid on the first floor. Speak to her about Lady Ursula, Douglas, and Mittens. Mariam and the butler, Douglas, are to be married. She says he’s waiting for a little nest egg; he says he’ll have some money soon. She says since Mittens has passed on, Lady Ursula has been going to the psychic to find out what to do with that money she left to the cat.

Objective: Continue your investigation

Investigation Area: Asquiths’ House

Clues: 4

Asquiths’ House – Diary: There’s an open, third-story window on the south side of the home. Find Janice’s diary (12) under the head of the bed on the third floor of the Asquiths’ house. Diary entry: “I have some affections for Everett, but I don’t think my sister would approve of him. She always bade me to strive for more than that which merely appears directly in front of my nose. If only father weren’t urging me otherwise!” This is Janice’s diary and she writes about her dead sister.

Asquiths’ House – Business Letter: Find this business letter (13) on the floor on the second level of the house. It’s among scattered books below a bookshelf in the study. The very interesting letter reads, “Mr. Everett Boyd’s business plans appear to be sound. As long as he has no other pressing obligations, I believe that—if your daughter accepts his proposal—the money you settle on the happy couple would mean the success of Mr. Boyd’s venture and your daughter, Janice, would live a comfortable life.” It’s important to note that her father is a suspect in this room.

Asquiths’ House – Coat: This Coat (14) is on a coatrack at the front door. There’s a letter in a pocket, “Boyd, dear lad, if you don’t get me the money by the end of the month, you will be in a heap of trouble. The kind of trouble that hurts. Need I say more?” Boyd needs money quickly. Could this be why he wants to marry Janice?

Asquiths’ House – Cigarette Butts: Exit the house through the front door, turn right and find the cigarette butts (15) on the ground near the alley. They seem to have been left by a vagrant. You can still smell the tobacco smoke. The tobacco scent is a trail that leads to another investigation zone, the street corner. Do not follow it yet, instead, interrogate the nearby suspects.

Suspect: 2

Colonel Asquith: Speak to Janice’s father, Colonel Asquith (16), on the second floor of the house. Talk to him about Thaddeus and Sister (his daughter). He’s furious with the psychic for taking advantage of his daughter’s love for her departed sister. “With Thaddeus gone, things can get back to normal” is what he says. And continues, “Janice’s engagement to Everett Boyd can be announced at last!” Talk to him about Engagement and he talks about Boyd’s success, not his daughter’s happiness.

Everett Boyd: Speak to Janice’s betrothed, Everett Boyd (17) on the first floor near a bookshelf. Talk about Thaddeus, the Engagement, and business. He calls Thaddeus a swindler and is upset he is causing a delay to his marriage to Janice. When asked about business, he mentions an investment he can make in a local brewery. He’ll use the family’s money to invest and make a fortune, he says.

Objective: Continue your investigation

Investigation Area: Street Corner

Suspect: 1

Billy: Follow the cigarette scent from the Asquith House to Billy (22), the vagrant (heavy smoker) on the street corner to the north. Ask him about Tramp and he admits that’s him. He says some bloke comes about so often and gives him a silver sixpence to tell him everything about the people in that house. Ask him Who. He said a regular looking fellow that he’s seen go into the office down the street. This opens the last investigation zone.

Objective: Continue your investigation

Investigation Area: Office

Clues: 4

Office – Note: All of the clues are on the top floor of the office. The note (23) is on the floor below the window on the right as you enter the only room on the top floor. “She says the account number is A72 at Kentish Bank.”

Office – Business Cards: Several business cards (24) are on a piano stool beside the piano. They’re for a medical doctor. All are identical except each is printed with a different name. Sounds like the doctor is suspect.

Office – Thaddeus’ Note: This note (25) is on the floor under the window on the southeast corner of the room. It reads: “W. Arrive after the others as usual. It will deflect suspicion. Also, make certain that we get a big flash this time—they must be convinced it’s enough to kill me! —T. the Amazing.” Sounds like the doctor was in cahoots with the Psychic, which could explain how his death was declared at other séances, but the Psychic continues onto the next town to pull another scam.

Office – Client Files: The damning files (26) are on the table on the west wall of the only room on the top floor. They contain details regarding Thaddeus’ clients. For example: —”Wants cat to tell he should inherit.” —”Janice’s sister called her ‘Sissy.’” —”The cat loved to play with Lady U’s teaspoons.” —”Wants you to tell her that her sister approves of the marriage.” —”Knows acct number. Needs his signature to access.” Information, no doubt, obtained by the paid spy, the Vagrant.

Investigation Area: Psychic’s House

Accuse:

Douglas: You can get more information from the suspects in the Psychic’s House now, but it’s apparent now who done it. Accuse Douglas of the murder.

Motive

Spiritualist Thaddeus Smith routinely swindled not just his clients, but his clients’ friends and families! In city after city, Thaddeus and his confederate, “Dr.” Wilburn, lured in those desperate to speak to the departed in the after-world. But the swindlers were doubly paid, first by their clients, then by those close to them, who wished to manipulate them! In such a fashion, Miss Anne Roberts hoped to gain legal authority for her brother in order to remove funds from a secret bank account; Mr. Everett Boyd wished to ensure his marriage to Janice Asquith would take place in order to gain a lucrative settlement; and Lady Ursula’s butler, Douglas, wished to have her dead cat counsel her to leave her fortune to[md]Douglas himself!

But none of these accounted for Thaddeus’ odd quirk of enjoying giving a good lesson to his fellow swindlers once he’d emptied the coffers of his clients. Thaddeus then habitually exposed these manipulators before escaping by feigning his own death! This was corroborated by the supposed Dr. Wilburn, purporting to be simply one more client. But on this occasion, Anne realized the coming exposure, and enticed the butler Douglas (the only swindler present at the crime scene) to murder Thaddeus in the dark! Farewell Thaddeus! You may now speak to those in the after-world at your leisure!