1 - Gus as journalist or private eye

Gus Mac Pherson's studio

There is a knock at the door. Gus wakes up, and goes to open it.
In this first part of the game you personate Gustave Mac Pherson, called Gus, a former private detective in New York, with strange and unusual cases as his speciality.

Assailed by the supernatural , nasty visions he always gets when he is in contact with violence and because he has even became the suspect in a murder case, he has left New York for Paris and spends his time only painting.
When he opens the door he gets one of his weird visions. He sees two young persons being killed in their bed. The murderer leaves them sitting upright with their heads in their hands.

The woman presents herself as Sophia Blake. She wants to hire Gus as private detective.
Here you have your first choice Shall you take the case or not.
Say that you only want to paint. Refuse to take the case. Stick to this decision and don't take the case. (The other alternative, that you directly accepts the case, is described in Part 1a. )
She gives you her calling card and leaves.
Of course you regret your decision when she has left. Go to the telephone and ask for Sophia's number. She asks you to meat her at Alexander, a restaurant. Look at the map in inventory. You have two addresses, My Studio and Alexander. Click at Alexander to get there.

Talk to Sophia and choose your questions to get as much information as possible.

She tells you that her sister and her husband has been brutally murdered in Hotel Orphée here in Paris. The murder has been done exactly as in Gus' vision some minutes ago. She wants Gus despite her knowing his problems back in New York or rather just because she knows them and his nickname "Spooky". Some friends at the Pinkerton Agency has been talking about Gus.
Talk about your fee. You'll get 500 in advance and 500 each day. The police is involved and Inspector Lebrun in the 8:th district is in charge.
Ask more about the Whytes. They travel in grand luxury and are bringing a fmily heirloom, still nothing of value was found in their apartment. Sophia says the heirloom is an old bust that her sister always brings everywhere.

You had better start your investigation as soon as possible. Sophia mentioned some friends at Pinkertons. Walk to the phone and use it. Choose sending a telegram to Pinkertons asking them to check up about Sophia Blake. It will take some time but don't forget to look at the mat at your door whenever you get home.
Go to the bedroom part of the studio.

Look at the table and take your sketch-book

Then open the cabinet an take your camera.

Police Station

It is high time to hear what the police has done in the case. Get the map and choose Police Station,
When you get there, a woman, Mrs. Hellion is talking to policeman Beauvais, about her son who is missing. She promises Beauvais to bring him a bottle of red next time. This seems to please him.

Talk to Beauvais. It does not matter which lines you choose they all lead to his asking you if you have a drink, just one for the road. You realize you'll have to buy a bottle at a bar somewhere to bribe Beauvais.

Hotel Orphée

Look at the map in inventory. Now there are four locations listed, Alexander, Orphée Hotel, Police Station and My Studio. Click at the hotel Orphée to go there.
When you get there the man in the reception is talking to a doorman who complains that the suitcases are heavy ant that the lift does not function. The man does not notice Gus instead he starts to read a paper.

Walk to the sofa and take the paper. Choose Documents in The notebook to read the article about the murder.
Enter the bar to the right and talk to Nicholas the bartender.
Save the game before you start the conversation, Then you can redo it if you are not satisfied with the outcome.

Tell him you are a PI and flatter him that he could be your assistant if he answers your questions. Make him tell about the thunderstorm, about the broken lift and about the strange man sitting all night at a table by the window. End the conversation by asking for a bottle of red.

Use the lines : My name is..., Yeah, a real detective..., If you agree to help..., Tell me about the evening..., What do you mean... , And bang..., Just call it a hunch..., I had this feeling..., Can you tell me any more..., Give me a bottle of red...
If the last line is gone talk to Nicholas again and you will be able to buy the wine.

Go to the reception and talk to Isidore Petit who is the manager of the hotel.
Here you have three choices. You an pretend being an insurance agent or a journalist. You can also tell the truth, that you are a PI.
Choose this time to be a journalist or tell the truth and admit that you are a private detective. (The other choices are described in Part 1a)

Choose which lines you like for the rest of the conversation. Either you get thrown out or he gives you some information about Mrs. Loiseau

Police Station

Now you have a bottle of vine. Return to the police station and talk to Beauvais.
Gus gives him the bottle and in return Gus gets the map about the case. Look at it in inventory and read all there is.
It contains the autopsy report, commentaries from Inspector Lebrun and the depositions of two witnesses, Isidore Petit and Mrs. Loiseau.
The Autopsy Report shows that death was caused by decapitation, that the murderer used a thin but extremely sharp weapon and that the man was killed before the woman. Traces of an unknown opium derivative was found in their respiratory systems.
Lebrun's commentaries says that a gold coin was found in each of their mouths. The victims were still warm but with traces of early rigor mortis. A fine purple powder was found on the floor. The gold coins and the powder has been sent to forensic for analysis.
The Whytes had only been four days at the hotel, but the reservation was made a month ago.
They were said to be travelling in luxury but there were no valuables at all found in their room. The motive of the crime is therefore recorded as theft.
There were no documents either and no relatives has been found.
Due to the violence and unnatural nature of the crime, a pathologist Dr. Franck Kaufner has been asked to draw a psychological profile of the murderer.
Two witnesses have been heard, Isidore Petit the hotel manager and Mrs. Loiseau, a guest in the opposite room.
Petit testifies that the Whytes returned to the hotel about 11 p.m. At about midnight Mrs. Loiseau advised Petit the door to room 507 had been left open. Petit went there, discovered the murder and called the police.
He mentions two specific facts.
A man came wanting to see the Whytes the night before their death .
The on duty bellboy Théo Malet resigned.
Petit's description of the suspect: No glasses, small dark eyes, large mouth, thin lips, boxers nose.

Mrs. Loiseau testifies that the whytes returned about 11 p.m. and that she, in he hour that followed heard singing from the room. When she was about to take her dog for a walk around midnight she saw a man coming from room 507 and running down the stairs. Noticing the open door she contacted the receptionist.
Mrs. Loiseau's description of the suspect: Square face, short straight hair, flat medium sized ears.

Talk to Beauvais again when you have read all the files in the map. Use the lines: Am I right in thinking..., If Inspector Lebrun..., I would like to speak...
You'll learn that Lebrun only sits brooding about the unknown man from the restaurant and that you only can see Lebrun if you can provide a drawing of the suspect.
Go on talking about Dr. Kaufner. Beauvais does not seem especially keen on him. The Chief of Police has invited Kaufner himself.

Dr. Kaufner's House

Look at the map. You now has Dr. Kaufner's address. Go there to find out his role in the investigation.
A man shows you the way to Kaufner's room. It seems to be intricate.
When you enter the room Kaufner is contemplating a big golden egg that looks valuable. Talk to him about anything you like. It all comes to the point that he thinks the murderer is a victim too, that we all are victims of our past.

Hotel Orphée

Now there is a big crate in the reception. Pass the crate and walk to the stairs. Try to go upstairs. Gus says that he must use a ruse to get there. Return to the front side of the crate and click at it. Gus hides inside the crate.
After a little while a bellboy takes the crate upstairs and leaves it there. Gus gets out.
Go to the rooms at the left side and look at them. Both 505 and 507 are locked. Lock close at the lock of 507. Gus says he needs to find a way to open it.
Walk towards the stairs. A lady opens the door to room 506 and asks you in. It is Mrs. Loiseau.

Leave the room. Walk down to the reception and talk to Petit about Mrs. Loiseau, She might be a bit nutty but she is one of his best customers and has been here more than a year. He does not believe that the evil she talks about is supernatural. All evil, according to Petit, is human.

Enter the bar and talk to Nicholas.
Ask him about the man who was sitting at the window the night of the murder.
Nicholas tells you that he saw the man talking to Malet and giving him money. Then at about 11 p.m. he vanished just before storm broke.
He describes the man as very tall, with a thick black moustache, square face and dreadful eyes.
Ask about Malet and you'll learn that he uses to hang around at the bistro Alambic in the 14:th district, betting away his wages.

Now you have enough details to draw a picture of the suspect.
Save your game. If you do something wrong you have a saved game to reload.

Get your sketch book. You have there a portrait of a man. At each side there are fore details that can be changed by clicking at the arrows.
To the right you can see the correct picture in the middle.
Short straight hair, small dreadful eyes, no glasses, flat medium sized ears, boxers nose, big thick moustache, large mouth with thin lips, square face.
When you thing you have the right picture, click at the pen to draw it.
Talk to Nicholas and show him the picture. If it is correct Nicholas says so.
(If something is wrong Nicholas does not recognize him at all. Reload you saved game and do the sketching again until Nicholas approves it.)

Go to Petit and show him the picture. He says he recognizes the suspect even if the picture is incorrect, it's only Nicholas you can trust. Go upstairs and show the picture to Mrs. Loiseau. She says there is a certain resemblance but there is no evil in the portrait.

Bistro Alambic

Look at the map. You have got a new place to visit. The Alambic. Go there.
You are met by a beautiful woman, Berenice, or Bébé as her friends call her. Gus asks her about Malet and she tells him that the boss, Hulot might know. Hulot is playing at cards in the other end of the bistro. Gus asks Bébé to come and see him sometime.

Turn around and go to towards the men you can see at the other end. They have more color than the surroundings. (If you want to save your game, do it now, because the conversations is in the middle of a video sequence.)
Hulot is playing with Malet who wins. Hulot wants to leave. He gets sight of Gus and asks him to join them. Then he leaves them alone.

If you have got the painting you can choose any lines. If the conversations stops just talk to Malet again, It all ends by your showing him the picture. He looks at it and immediately runs from the table.

Look towards the door. A man responding to the description of the suspect enters the bistro. Gus runs toward him but is blocked by Dr. Kaufner who is running in the other direction. The suspects turns and leaves and Gus follows. The man pushes at some barrels to prevent Gus from following him, and jumps onto passing tram while Gus falls on the rails. Gus sees him waving provokingly from the vanishing tram.

Gus' Studio

Bébé has obviously taken Gus invitation because the next morning we can see her and Gus in his studio. Gus worries because he don't know how to get hold of the man. He certainly won't return to Alambic.
Look at the door mat. There is no letter as yet concerning your request about Sophia

Bistro Alambic

You can always try to speak to Hulot and find out if he knows something.
Go to Alambic. Walk to the bar at the end of the bistro and talk to Hulot.
Start talking about Malet. Hulot does not thing Malet is guilty of murder. He saw Malet's face when he ran off and it was not guilt he saw it was fear.
Ask Hulot to get you a lock pick. You can choose any line, they all end in Hulot asking you for a favour in turn. He wants you to find the differences between two paintings, one original and one copy.
End the conversation.

Save the game. Go to the inventory and click at the painting. You get a full screen picture. Use the arrows to switch the pictures. On one of them five details are missing. Click at the spot where the detail is missing and you'll get a blur circle there. At the picture above the details are shown inside the red circles, at the right picture there is a blue circle where the detail is missing.
When you are satisfied with your markings exit close up.
Talk to Hulot. Tell him the work is done. If it is correct he gives you a lock pick. (If anything is wrong just reload your saved game and try again.)

Now you can open room 507 so go to the hotel. Now you can walk right up the stairs to room 507.

Hotel Orphée

Look close at the lock. You also get a picture of your five lock picks.
Number them 1-5 from left to right.
The lock picks can be placed at five different spots in the lock and at every spot be put in three positions, center, up, down or center, left, right. The pick is first placed in the middle. Click at it and it'll change position up, down middle and so on. When all five picks are placed click at the door knob. If a pick shakes wildly it is in the wrong spot. If it only shakes slightly it is in the right spot but in the wrong position. If it stays still it is both in the right spot and the right position.

Place the picks as shown at the left picture. If all picks are correct placed the door will open. Another weird vision strikes him. He sees a masked man putting a golden coin into a woman's mouth. Then there is turmoil and the vision vanishes.

You can see the bed in the background and the blood on the wall. Look around. Just in front of the bet there are some slivers on the floor. Look close and pick up some. Gus says it smells like ether but stronger and it makes his head spin.
Look close at the fireplace. In the bottom right corner you can see a ring. Take it. It has an inscription. "To Fay with love". Who is Fay, Mrs. Whyte's name is Ruby.

Police Station

Go to the police station and talk to Beauvais Show him the painting. He tells you that is Jacques Hellouin and that he shall talk to the Inspector. After a little while he is back and tells you to go to Lebrun's office.
Enter the corridor to the left. Then look at the first door to the left. It bears the name A, Lebrun. Enter.
When you have shown the picture to Lebrun choose the lines: In fact it is your..., Taking statements..., I am trying to help..., The portrait..., The Whyte case..., He has killed, again..., Maybe it is just...

You'll learn that Hellouin is a former cop who nowadays works as private eye. He lives in the 13:th district and he is in big trouble.
You'll also learn that Malet has been murdered. Decapitated just as the other two.

Hellouin's office

You now has Hellouin's address on the map. Go there. Walk to the end of the corridor and look closely at the left door.
Gus says he must find a way to open the door. You have no lock picks you must try something else. Return to the hotel. A hammer is now lying at the floor near the elevator. Take it. Go back to Hellouin's office and use the hammer on the door. Gus will break a pane and open the door.

Enter the room and go behind the desk. Look at the drawers at the right side. You can open both but start with the lower one, It contains a locked safe box. Gus says that it is double locked and can only be opened with a key.
Exit the close up. Then open the upper drawer. Search over the maps and click when you get a hand. Gus takes out as letter, looks at it and says it is from someone called Grégoire de Allepin. You don't have time to read the letter because Mrs. Hellouin enters the room carrying a food tray. She sees Gus and asks him what he is doing there. Talk to her.

Assure her that you don't want to harm her son and she'll tell you that he has hidden upstairs in the attic and reveals a hidden staircase.
Walk upstairs.
Gus arrests Hellouin for the murders but he declares himself innocent and starts telling his story.
He had just finished a very difficult divorcement case and was totally exhausted when he returned home and found the letter from Grégoire de Allepin. He knew there was money in it but he just didn't manage any more for the moment. But when his mother entered with a check from de Allepin Jacques decides to take the case.