An Author's Pen

**An Author's Pen** is the third case in the Workers Area that the player investigates and the third overall in Palm Heights.

## Plot

The victim was a locally famed author, Richard Delacroix, who was found stabbed in the eye by his own collectible writing pen, in his studio apartment on the edge of the district.

After the player and Inspector Hannah found the victim's body, they were thrust into a family dispute in which they learned Steven Delacroix was deeply jealous of his younger brother's relationship with their arrogant and selfish father, Vincent. The team also had to wade through a lot of evidence whilst also dealing with a crazed fan, an arrogant personal assistant and a rather ambitious novel publisher.

Richard's killer was his publisher, Leon Johnson who was enraged when Delacroix couldn't meet the unfair deadline set by the publishing company. The two men had a rather heated argument before Leon killed Richard by thrusting his collectible fountain pen into his right eye before then stealing his manuscript to finish it within the timeline. He was sentenced to twenty-five years in jail with no chance of parole.

## Summary

### Victim

* **Richard Delacroix** (stabbed in the right eye)

## Suspects

Steven DelacroixJane FletcherRita SomervilleLeon JohnsonVincent Delacroix
## Killer's Profile

* The killer owns an e-reader
* The killer has read Richard's *Serious Spies* novel series
* The killer has access to Plimpton Apartments
* The killer collects *Writers Monthly* magazines
* The killer is O+.

## Steps

### Chapter 1

* Investigate Richard's Home Office. (Clues: Victim's Body, Box of Old Letters, smashed device; Victim Identified; Richard Delacroix; Murder Weapon Registered; Fountain Pen; New Suspect; Jane Fletcher)
* Autopsy Richard's Body. (18:00:00; Attributes; the killer is O+)
* Examine Box of Old Letters. (1 star; New Suspect; Rita Somerville)
* Examine Smashed Device. (1 star)
* Analyse Smashed Device. (06:00:00; Attributes; the killer owns an e-reader)
* Ask Jane Fletcher about her employer. (1 star)
* Speak to Rita about her obsession with the victim. (1 star; Profile update: Rita owns an e-reader; New Crime Scene: Hotel Cyrus Reception; New Suspect; Vincent Delacroix)
* Investigate Hotel Cyrus Reception. (Clues: Guest Register)
* Inform Vincent Delacroix of his son's death. (1 star)
* Analyse Guest Register. (04:00:00)
* Speak to Jane about her relationship with the victim. (1 star)
* Begin Chapter 2. (No stars)

### Chapter 2

* Investigate Publisher's Office. (Clues: Torn Notepad, Worn-Out Photograph; New Suspect; Leon Johnson)
* Repair Torn Notepad. (1 star)
* Analyse Torn Notepad. (02:00:00; Attributes: the killer has read Richard's *Serious Spies* novel series)
* Examine Worn-Out Photograph. (1 star; New Clue: Unidentified Young Man)
* Identify Young Man. (1 star; New Suspect: Steven Delacroix)
* Ask Leon about Richard's life. (1 star; Profile update: Leon owns an e-reader and has read Richard's *Serious Spies* novel series)
* Inform Steven Delacroix of his brother's death. (1 star; Profile update: Steven owns an e-reader; New Crime Scene: Room 202)
* Investigate Room 202. (Clues: Smashed Photo Frame, Smudged Letter, Poker Card)
* Repair Smashed Photo Frame. (1 star)
* Examine Smudged Letter. (1 star)
* Take a sample from Poker Card. (1 star)
* Analyse Saliva. (12:00:00)
* Ask Jane Fletcher about the smashed Photo Frame in the victim's hotel suite. (1 star; Profile update: Jane owns an e-reader and has read Richard's *Serious Spies* novel series)
* Ask Rita Somerville about the threatening letter she sent to the victim. (1 star; Profile update: Rita has read Richard's *Serious Spies* novel series)
* Ask Vincent Delacroix about the poker card found in the victim's hotel suite. (1 star; Profile update: Vincent has read Richard's *Serious Spies* novel series)
* Begin Chapter 3. (No stars)

### Chapter 3

* Investigate Plimpton Apartments Reception. (Clues: Keycard, Stack of Mail, Signed Book)
* Analyse Keycard. (09:00:00; Attributes: The killer has access to Plimpton Apartments)
* Look through the Stack of Mail. (1 star)
* Uncover writing in Signed Book. (1 star)
* Speak to Leon about the victim's impending deadline. (1 star; Profile update: Leon has read Richard's *Serious Spies* novel series and has access to Plimpton Apartments)
* Question Steven about the autographed book. (1 star; Profile update: Steven has read Richard's *Serious Spies* novel series; New Crime Scene: Publisher's Archive)
* Investigate Publisher's Archive. (Clues: *Writers Monthly* magazine stubs, Bloodied Wristwatch)
* Analyse *Writers Monthly* magazine stubs. (12:00:00; Attributes: The killer collects *Writers Monthly* magazines)
* Obtain a sample from the Bloodied Wristwatch. (1 star: New Clue: Blood)
* Analyse Blood. (15:00:00; Attributes: The killer is O+; Profile update: Jane has access to Plimpton Apartments, Rita collects *Writers Monthly* magazines and Leon collects *Writers Monthly* magazines)
* Arrest killer now! (1 star)
* Move onto Additional Investigation. (No stars)

### Additional Investigation

* See how Vincent Delacroix is holding up. (1 star)
* Investigate Richard's Home Office. (New Clue; Locked Safe)
* Unlocked Locked Safe (1 star; New Clue: Legal Files)
* Analyse Legal Files. (09:00:00; Legal Files identified as Richard Delacroix's Will)
* Give Vincent Delacroix his son's will. (1 star; Reward: 1 burger)
* Ask Jane Fletcher if she is needing some help. (1 star)
* Investigate Room 202. (New Clue: Broken Musical Box)
* Repair the Broken Musical Box. (1 star)
* Return the musical box to Jane Fletcher. (1 star; Reward: Book Pin Badge)
* Speak to Rita Somerville about her criminal record. (1 star)
* Investigate Publisher's Office. (New Clue; Locked Computer)
* Unlock Locked Computer. (1 star; New Clue: Damaged Files)
* Analyse Damaged Files. (06:00:00)
* Return to Rita Somerville with proof of her record. (1 star; Reward: 20,000 coins)
* Move onto the next case.

## Trivia

* This is the first case to feature all three chapters and all nine crime scenes.