All you have to do is read the story. Then, once you get to the end, you can decide who you think did it, and find out if you're right! Ready? LET'S GO!
You're a savvy detective in the 1920s (JUST GO WITH IT, IT'LL BE FUN!!!) You step outside your office one morning to some particularly bone-chilling news...
"Extra, extra! There's been a murder!," yells the paper boy.
The victim? Jeremiah "Sad Jerry" Howell, dedicated bartender at the speakeasy downtown.
But who killed Sad Jerry? You're the only detective who can solve this case. Time to start interviewing suspects.
First up: the home of Ms. Virginia Shaw. She lives alone in a modest home and has never married. "I never even knew Sad Jerry. He's a bartender, and I don't drink at all," she says. You leave her house empty-handed.
Next, you venture to the back room of a diner, which is a known hangout spot for local gangsters. When you mention Jerry's name to the first two gangsters you see, they scowl and refuse to answer any questions.
You ask another gangster for a minute of his time. "Sad Jerry owed me $20 for a bet he lost, but that doesn't mean I killed the guy." You show yourself out.
That night, you go undercover at the speakeasy where Sad Jerry worked. Someone near you says to their date, "I hear Jerry and the trumpet player, Sid Sawyer, got into a brawl last night, before he disappeared."
You turn your attention to the jazz singer, Verna Leach. You notice the lyrics of her song, especially one particular verse: "I loved you, Jerry / You stopped lovin' me / I had to do it / Don't you see?" You start to wonder about what this means, but...
The owner of the speakeasy taps you on the shoulder. He seems oddly cheerful. "I see you're a detective. I wanted to welcome you to my establishment. I know it's prohibition, but everyone needs to have a little fun, right?" He offers you a glass of champagne, but you refuse and continue looking around.
You see a woman lounging in the corner, listening to the music. It's Virginia Shaw!
Instead of approaching her, you decide to wait till tomorrow to return to her home.
The next morning you head over to Virginia's house again. "Extra, extra! Murky mixologist murder remains unsolved!" yells the paper boy. You can't help but feel annoyed– not only because this seems like a jab at your detective skills, but also because of the inconsistent alliteration in that headline.
"I admit it, I lied," says Virginia when you arrive. "I go to the speakeasy sometimes, and I drink. I know Jerry. But I swear, I know nothing about what happened to him! I just got nervous is all. I was home the other night, honest."
When you get back to your office, someone is waiting for you, an aspiring actress named Pauline Price. She claims she has a tip pertaining to the murder. "I go to the speakeasy sometimes when I have the money, so I've seen Jerry before. About a week ago," she says, "I saw Jerry driving up to the old Hyde Manor. I remember, because I hear they almost never have visitors there. It was him for sure."
It's hard to tell whether Pauline is sincere, or if she's just trying to jumpstart her fame by getting involved in the case. You thank her and she goes on her way.
You decide to follow this lead on the off chance any of it's true. You head to Hyde Manor, a massive estate. When you bring up the murder to the widow Geraldine Hyde, she appears to be shocked. "Jerry was here just a week ago. He was delivering...well, he was delivering some of his home-brewed moonshine. I swear, it's to die for. I can't believe this has happened."
You meet Geraldine's daughter, Ada, on the patio. She's in great spirits. "Yes, Jerry visited. He was such a doll, so handsome. I tried to get him to stay, but he seemed...busy. Such a shame! So handsome."
As you're walking back through the house, you see one of the maids, Miriam, and decide to ask her if she's seen anything peculiar lately. "No," she laughs, polishing a vase vigorously.
You creep downstairs to the kitchen, where you find another maid, Mabel, who is mopping. She looks worried and possibly even upset. You ask her the same question. "I haven't seen anything...nothing at all," she says quickly. You leave the house.
