Menewsha Avatar Community - View Single Post - Haunted Halloween III: Who Killed Bishop Crane? - Event over! Game is still on! Check first post for details!

12:47 AM

Interrogation of Nathan MatsuyamaX

Howdy: Alright sir, could we have your name and age please?

Nathan: Nathan Matsuyama. I’m twenty-seven years old.

Belly: Matsuyama is a Japanese name, is it not?

Nathan: Yes, I am of Japanese decent, on my mother’s side. My father was caucasian.

Howdy: What is your relation to the victim?

Nathan: I am… That is to say, I was Mr. Crane’s personal secretary.

Belly: Tell us a little about your background, Mr. Matsuyama. You say your father was caucasian, but yet you have a Japanese surname.

Nathan: My mom and dad weren’t married. I never actually met my father. He died before I was born, in a car accident. Then at birth, I was given my mother’s last name.

Howdy: It must have been tough, growing up with only one parent.

Nathan: I wasn’t much bothered by it. It’s all I ever knew. My mother was a single parent and she worked hard to make sure I’d have everything I’d ever need, so I never felt the full weight of that loss. I’m very appreciative to her.

Belly: Did you grow up in the area?

Nathan: No, I’m originally from out west. I moved here about four years ago.

Belly: For what reason?

Nathan: Work. I got a job in the marketing department at Crane Games.

Howdy: That’s an odd leap, to go from marketing to being a personal secretary.

Nathan: It came about by an odd meeting, actually. Three years ago, I was working late to complete some paperwork. I finished up for the night and headed down to the lobby. I had just stepped off my elevator, when the adjoining elevator opened. It was Mrs. Talbot, and she appeared to be angry.

Belly: Samantha Talbot, the CEO of Crane Games?

Nathan: Yes. I don’t think she saw me, cause she stormed past without looking in my direction. Also in the elevator was Mr. Crane. I assumed there had been a disagreement. The two are known throughout the company for their arguments behind closed doors. Unsure as to what I should do, I said hello to Mr. Crane. He looked at me and said, ‘You! Do you work here?’ I confirmed that I did, and he told me to go back upstairs to his office and retrieve a briefcase he had left behind. Well, you just can’t say no to the boss. There was a bit of fumbling on my part, as I had never been to the top floor. But I was finally able to locate his office and find the briefcase. I then headed back to the lobby, returned the case and he said, ‘I’ve also left my wallet. Go get it for me! It’s leather! Black!’ I thought he was being kinda harsh, not knowing then that was his usual manner of speaking. But I did as I was told. I went up, came back down, and he said, “It appears it may rain. Fetch my umbrella!’ Feeling a bit like a yo-yo, I complied once again, fearing he may have forgotten something else. But he took the umbrella and looked at me with those stern eyes of his and asked what my name was. I said, ‘Nathan Matsuyama, sir’ He then turned without another word and left. – I didn’t ponder it too much, thinking it would just be a strange story to tell my co-workers. But coming into work the next day, I was told to report to Mr. Crane’s office. When I got there, the office secretary handed me a stack of papers and a check, saying I would need to get a new suit. I asked what this was all about and she said Mr. Crane was taking me on as his personal secretary. So after all that, in truth I really had no say in the matter.

Howdy: And were you happy to become Mr. Crane’s personal secretary?

Nathan: [fidgeting] Well, not exactly. I would have preferred to stay in marketing. Thing is though, Bishop Crane wasn’t the kind man you just said no to. If I turned him down, I risked losing both positions. I did see it as sort of a waste of my abilities, but I thought the job would be easy enough, plus the pay was better.

Belly: Mr. Crane was known to be a lover of women. And someone of his importance should have had no problem getting a pretty little thing to be his secretary. Don’t you think it’s unusual that he would want a man for the job? Especially one he had only briefly met once?

Nathan: I asked him about that. Y’know, why hire me, when there are plenty of people, women specifically, far more qualified and willing to fill the position. He said, ‘Female secretaries have a limited shelf life. And it gets so bothersome to always have to teach every new girl the ropes.’ Fidelity wasn’t Mr. Crane’s strongest point, whether it be in work or play. And it wasn’t unusual for the two to cross, if you catch my drift. With a man, he needn’t worry. He also added that when we first met. he took one look at me and knew I wouldn’t cause him trouble. I wasn’t very flattered by that. He never said the words out loud, but I believe he thought I was weak willed.

Howdy: What exactly were your responsibilities as a personal secretary?

Nathan: A little bit of everything and anything, really. I was at his beck and call, twenty-four hours a day. I even had to move into the servant’s wing of his mansion. That part wasn’t so bad, considering the cramped studio apartment I was coming from. But the job wasn’t as easy as I expected. Mr. Crane was very demanding, and often not very thankful.

Belly: But after three years, there must have been some sense of closeness between you two.

Nathan: There were moments I thought that. But he didn’t let many people get close to him, let alone someone like me. Despite that, I think in these later years I knew him better than anyone. You hear these stories of the curmudgeon, who despite their harsh attitude always holds a kernel of goodness deep within them. But Mr. Crane, I think, was a selfish man, through and through. He was not above lying, and certainly didn’t think twice about breaking his word.

Howdy: It doesn’t sound like you were very happy. If so, why stay on for three years? You could have walked away at any time.

Nathan:. I would have, but I needed the money. See, shortly after I started working for Mr. Crane, my mom got really sick, real fast. The hospital bills quickly piled up, and her insurance only paid a small percentage of it. We don’t have anyone else. I’m the only one who can take care of her. I’ve been earning good money, and my mom sacrificed so much for me growing up, I thought the least I could do was tough it out with Mr. Crane for a few years.

Belly: How’s your mom now?

Nathan: She’s in remission, thankfully.

Howdy: Living in the mansion must have made you privy to some of the going-ons there. Have you met any of the Crane family?

Nathan: Some. Here and there. His brother Balthazar I only met tonight, but he seems like a nice enough guy. – Loretta is a fearsome woman. I don’t believe she likes me. But then I don’t think she likes most anyone connected with her ex-husband.

Howdy: She claims Mr. Crane tried to swindle her with a falsified prenup. Do you believe that?

Nathan: I wouldn’t put it past him. I do feel sorry for her. It’s an injustice to be denied what is rightly yours. Mr. Crane held a lot of sway in this town, but now that he’s gone, I think she may have a fighting chance at seeing some of that money.

Belly: Have you had many interactions with Brad Crane?

Nathan: [stiffening] Not a lot, no, which has been to my favor. I find it difficult to stomach Brad Cane.

Belly: Why’s that?

Nathan: [aggressively] There are fewer people in this world that are as spoiled and undeserving as him. It is a testament to the unfairness of our society when millions struggle to make ends meets, while arrogant, little playboys such Brad Crane piss away their days with their rich friends. [pauses] I apologize. It just kinda makes me sick.

Howdy: No need to apologize, Mr. Matsuyama. Now, after moving into Mr. Crane’s home, you continued to work with him at the company, did you not?

Nathan: That’s right.

Howdy: And you say that he and Samantha Talbot didn’t get along.

Nathan: They fought like cats and dogs. Thing is though, no matter how much the cat hisses and scratches, the dog will win out. Mrs. Talbot wanted to bring change to the company, and she could argue till she was blue in the face, but she was ultimately powerless.

Belly: Do you know why Mr. Crane had everyone gather here tonight?

Nathan: His important announcement. What it was, I couldn’t say. He was a secretive man.

Howdy: Can you tell us your whereabouts after boarding the ship?

Nathan: I was in my cabin for a while, and then I went down to the lower deck for a swim.

Belly: Were you alone?

Nathan: Yes.

Belly: A final question, Mr. Matsuyama. If you had to guess, who do you think may have killed Mr. Crane?

Nathan: Well, I can’t pretend he didn’t have his fair share of enemies, many of who are assembled here tonight. But right now my suspicions lie with Lucy.

Howdy: Lucy St. Clair?

Nathan: Yeah. In the time I’ve known him, I’ve seen Mr. Crane go through more than a half dozen women. I don’t think monogamy was in his vocabulary. But there was something different about Lucy. I really do think he had fallen for her. She on the other hand, I’m not so sure. – Right off the bat, you think about a wealthy, sixty-four year old man and a twenty-two year old girl, and you make natural assumptions. And you'd see how affectionate they were toward each other, and how she sparkles when she speaks about him. But Lucy spent a lot of time at the house, and living there I’ve caught instances when that bubbly demeanor seems to fall away. I think she’s actually very cunning, and more intelligent than she lets on. And I think perhaps Mr. Crane may have loved her enough to change his will.

Howdy: That’s food for thought. – Well, we appreciate your time, Mr. Matsuyama. You may return to the dining room and we’ll call you back if need be.

Nathan: I appreciate your efforts, and I hope this can all be over soon.

Belly: We’ll try our best.

[Nathan leaves]

Howdy: Geez, imagine having to cater to a sour old man night and day. Do you think he had to…

Belly: Wipe his butt?

Howdy: Ew, no! I was gonna say bring him breakfast in bed!

Belly: [shrugging] Oh.

Howdy: … But now I’m wondering.

Investigation Location: Pool

Peek into the urn.

Sheik Blue Swimsuit & Reef Swimshorts - Red
You feel a slight bit of trepidation that you are about to commit a social faux pas, but that urn is just begging for you to peek inside it. Rather than the final resting place for the remains of an old relative, though, you find that it's been acting as a receptacle for.. used swimwear? Yuck!

Check the poolside tables.
500g!
The various poolside tables set around the room are adorned with decorative items: a nice candle-holder here, a small potted orchid there. Several of them contain little ornamental trays in which poolgoers can deposit any items they don't wish to get wet while swimming. You're not finding any personal items or things that would seem to pertain to the murder, but after a full sweep of the room you do manage to collect a fair bit of pocket change.

Inspect the lounge chairs.

Life's a Beach
You're here to do a job, and you're going to inspect the hell out of these lounge chairs. You remove the cushions, pat them down. Go over the wood and steel frame with a fine tooth comb. And in the course of your inspecting, you realize that these things are pretty well made. They'd be perfect for the tropical vacation you're planning next week. You've already bought the umbrella and towels. Hmm, you wonder if there's a way to get one of these chairs off the ship.
(( Note: These will be sent out shortly.. ish. Shortlyish. Yeah. ))

Gaze at the stars.

EVIDENCE (+1 Raffle Ticket)
As you examine the stars painted on the ceiling over the pool, you're lost for a moment in the soothing effect it has on your being. But then you notice a faint tracing between some of them. It's quite distracting, once you've seen it. It looks like someone has attempted to form a constellation of some sort by connecting the dots. I wonder what it means?

Dive into the pool.

EVIDENCE [+1 Raffle Ticket]
A good detective knows no boundaries. A good detective will go to any length to seek out the truth. This is what you tell yourself as you step down into the freezing water of the swimming pool. What gives? Shouldn't this thing be heated at least a little? Securing your goggles, you bite the bullet and dive in. The pool is thankfully well lit and you do a visual sweep of the bottom. Nothings stands out as abnormal, but then something small and spherical catches your eyes. Reaching down you grasp the object, then bring it back up to the surface. It's a marble. A yellow, cat's eye marble. As there are no children on the ship, you wonder how that could have gotten there.

Visit the fountain.
700g!
From a distance, it's not so clear what the shrine-like feature in the room is. But taking a closer look, it reveals itself as a fountain. Not much to investigate, except for the large receptacle the water pours into. Peering inside, it's eerily dark and you reach your hand in with some hesitation. The water is bitingly cold and the basin is much deeper than it appears. But finally your hand grabs onto something. It's gold, and a sizable amount. That's a nice surprise. This must be a wishing fountain. -- You wonder what an old guy like Mr. Crane would wish for. Probably to be alive. ... Ohhhhh. Too soon?

Interrogation of Nathan MatsuyamaX<em>Note: Your scripts are turned off. Hover over this section to reveal content</em>

Where is everyone investigating?X<em>Note: Your scripts are turned off. Hover over this section to reveal content</em>

Interrogation of Nathan MatsuyamaX

Where is everyone investigating?X