The Missing Ring

(append: ?sidebar)[ ''The Missing Ring'' an interactive mystery by (link-repeat:"Felicity Drake")[(open-URL:"http://www.felicitydrake.com")] \  (set: $randomimage to (either: "GMsRPJc", "p4CvWLb", "6KJ5nUj", "jqC8dIa", "MozMtFE", "ITV7n9Z", "adeaWDB", "6K7D1uG")) \(print: '<img src="https://i.imgur.com/' + $randomimage + '.png" height="36" width="36">') (if: (passage:)'s tags contains "donotshowheader")[]\ (else:)[\ (if: (passage:)'s name is "Inventory")[]\ (else:)[ [[Inventory]]] \ (if: (passage:)'s name is "About")[]\ (else:)[ [[About]]] \ {(link:"Save")[ (if:(save-game:"Slot A"))[Game saved!] (else:)[Save error]]} \ \(if: (saved-games:) contains "Slot A")[(link: " Load")[(load-game:"Slot A")]] (if: not ( (passage:)'s name is "Start" ))[(link-repeat:"Restart")[(set: $restart to (confirm: "Are you sure you want to restart?"))(if: $restart is true)[(reload:)]]] ]]

##Inventory (if: $inv's length > 0)[You are carrying: (for: each _item, ...$inv) [* _item]]\ (else:)[You aren't carrying anything. ] { (click:"phone")[(replace:"phone")[Your new iPhone.(if: $phonerecord is 2)[ Your phone has a recording of a conversation between Dad and Gran. You can listen to it, but you'd better wait until you're somewhere private.]]] (click:"slippers")[(replace:"slippers")[Fuzzy reindeer slippers. Undignified but soft.]] (click:"three sets of boots")[(replace:"three sets of boots")[Your dad's winter hiking boots (big). Your mom's winter hiking boots (small). Aunt Emily's fur-lined snowboots (fancy).]] (click:"Irene's boots")[(replace:"Irene's boots")[Irene's boots. You've... borrowed them.]] (click:"Gran's boots")[(replace:"Gran's boots")[Gran's L.L. Bean boots. They don't look as if they've been worn outside in the snow and salt.]] (click:"vest")[(replace:"vest")[A puffy orange insulated vest. Your Christmas gift from Gran. Super cozy. You might not ever wear it in public, though.]] }(link-goto: "Return", (history:)'s last)

It's almost midnight, and you're in bed with a dog-eared Agatha Christie novel in a guest room at your grandmother's house.(click: "bed")[ The blankets smell like mothballs. They've probably been tucked away in a closet since last Christmas; these days, Gran doesn't entertain as often as she used to.] You and your dad have this (link:"dumb")[awesome] Christmas tradition where you try to catch him eating Santa's cookies at midnight. Once, when you were six, you snuck downstairs and caught dad in his pajamas snarfing down a whole plate of the chocolate chip cookies you two had made together. That was how you learned Santa Claus wasn't real. Ever since then, it's been an inside joke between the two of you. Now you're fifteen, and you wanted to tell dad that you're(link:" too old for this")[(link:" ''way'' too old for this")[, like, maybe ten years too old for this]], but you didn't want to disappoint him. Plus it's nice to get a chance to hang out together and eat cookies, just the two of you, with no awful relatives. You can [[get out of bed|Bedroom1]].

You're in Gran's pink guest bedroom.(click:"pink")[ Gran lives in this big old (link:"mansion")[house (she hates it when you call it a mansion)] in Vermont. There are half a dozen bedrooms, but this one is distinguished by its extreme pinkness. It was Aunt Emily's room back in the day, and you kind of think someone ought to repaint it.](if: not ($inv contains "phone"))[ (link:"Your phone is on the bedside table.")[(set: $inv to $inv + (a: "phone")) You pick up your phone and slip it into your pocket. You just got an iPhone from your parents for Chanukah, and you never let it out of your sight.]](if: not ($inv contains "slippers"))[ (link:"Your reindeer slippers are on the floor.")[(set: $inv to $inv + (a: "slippers"))You slide on your reindeer slippers. They have red noses, and they're fleece inside, which makes the frigid hardwood floor a little more bearable.]] You can [[leave the bedroom|Upstairs Hallway1]].

You're in the upstairs hallway. It's dark! (if: $inv contains "phone")[You use your phone screen to dimly illuminate the hall. The [[bathroom|Bathroom1]] is down the hall. You can go downstairs to the [[foyer|Downstairs1]].]\ \ \(else:)[Gran knows the old house so well that she doesn't need a nightlight, but you're liable to (link:"stub your toe")[(link:"break your neck")[wake up the whole house by crashing into something]]. You'd better find a light somewhere. You can go [[back to your bedroom|Bedroom1]].]

Next to the sink are a bowl of decorative soaps shaped like seashells and a pile of (link-reveal:"fancy handtowels.")[ They're embroidered with an L, for "Lawson." You have never actually used them to dry your hands, not once in your life.] Above the sink is a huge gilt-framed mirror.(click:"mirror")[ You look at yourself in the mirror. You're wearing flannel pajamas with ice-skating polar bears on them. Wearing matching pajamas for the whole family is another one of dad's Christmas traditions. It's not very dignified, but at least you're warm.] You can go [[back to the hallway|Upstairs Hallway1]].

You tiptoe down the stairs into the foyer.(if: not($inv contains "slippers"))[ The slate floor of the foyer is like ice under your bare feet.] To the left, you see the faint glow of the Christmas tree in the [[parlor|parlor1]]. That's weird—you can hear voices. To the right, through the dining room, there are lights on in the [[kitchen|kitchen1]].

The massive Christmas tree takes up nearly half the room; the star at the top brushes the ceiling. Gran has a (link-reveal:"story for every ornament")[: this chipped porcelain angel from Great-Great Grandma Lawson, a crocheted snowflake by Great-Aunt so-and-so, this blown-glass nutcracker a present from Grandpa, this clay footprint from when Dad was a baby]. With eight people in the house, there's an excuse for a mountain of presents under the tree. It's obvious which ones were wrapped by (link-reveal:"Gran")[: a dozen different kinds of Christmas-themed wrapping paper, and hand-tied bows in thick satin ribbon]. And by (link-reveal:"you and your mom and dad")[: appropriately secular snowflake paper, so you can use it for both Christmas and Chanukah. Also slightly lumpy]. And it's obvious which ones are from (link-reveal:"Aunt Emily and Uncle Rick")[: envelopes, and not the fun kind]. There is a platter of chocolate chip cookies sitting in front of the cold fireplace. No sign of Dad, though. You can go back to the [[foyer|Downstairs1]].

The voices in the kitchen belong to Dad and Gran. Gran is never up so late. She's normally religious about being in bed by nine. You could go in and say hi. But there's a certain tone in your dad's whispered voice, something tense and urgent, that makes you want to (link-reveal:"eavesdrop.")[ You peek around the doorjamb and into the kitchen. Gran and Dad are sitting at the kitchen counter, talking with their heads close together. "We can retrace your steps from today," Dad says. "Check all the rooms you visited, see if you left it somewhere." "Don't you think I already tried that?" Gran replies. "It's gone, Jack. The ring is just gone." There's only one ring in the Lawson family that anyone could call (link-reveal:"''the ring''")[. Gran wears her engagement ring exactly twice a year, for her birthday and Christmas. She says it's too fancy to wear all the time, but she doesn't want it to just sit in a box. It's a lot of ring. Like a *lot*. It's a Lawson family heirloom, apparently, from back in the day when the family had serious money. You don't know enough about diamonds to say exactly what cut or carat weight the stones are, but Gran let you try it on last year, and you were surprised by how heavy it felt on your hand]. "We've got to tell everyone, so they can help look for it," Dad declares. "A thing like that shouldn't just go *missing*—" Then your grandmother starts to (link-reveal:"cry")[. You've never seen her cry before. She's not the soft and sentimental kind of grandmother. She does calisthenics every morning and mowed her own lawn until she turned seventy-five and didn't let anyone see her cry at Grandpa's funeral. It's horrible to hear her crying. It makes your heart crumble like feta cheese]. "Don't panic, Mom. We'll take care of this, all right? We'll look for it." Your dad is reassuring her, using the same tone of voice he uses with you. It seems to work; you see her dabbing her eyes with her sleeve and sitting up straight. You hear your dad's chair scrape on the tile floor. He's about to get up. You could go in and [[talk to them]]. Or you could just go [[back to bed]].]

You tuck yourself back into bed in the pink guest room. That sounds really bad. How could Gran just lose a massive diamond ring? She's turning eighty this year (she's already planning a birthday bash for the summer), but she's never seemed like she was getting forgetful. Mom, who's like half Gran's age, is always losing her glasses and forgetting her passwords. She's a little scatter-brained, and sometimes you are too. But Gran has the keen eyes and sharp mind of a warlord. She plans her spring cleaning with a five-page spreadsheet; she starts baking and buying for Christmas months ahead. You've never heard of her losing or forgetting anything. And you know for a fact that she's careful about the ring. She wears it only twice a year, and otherwise she keeps it in (link:"a safe")[a big metal safe built into her bedroom closet, with a serious-looking combination lock on the front]. You know that because last year, when she let you try it on, she took you into her bedroom and unlocked the safe in front of you. She's meticulous. How could she keep the ring carefully locked up in a safe for decades, and then just lose it? Either Gran's mind is starting to go—which is scary and horrible—or she's wrong. If there's anything you've learned from all those Agatha Christie novels you've been reading over winter break, it's that super-valuable heirlooms don't just go missing. [[They get stolen.|tomorrow morning]]

Christmas morning at Gran's house is 50% Norman Rockwell, 50% nightmare. At nine on the dot, breakfast is served in the dining room. Irene, Gran's housekeeper, serves French toast with real Vermont maple syrup and coffee and hot cocoa and chocolate shavings and homemade whipped cream; Gran has decorated the dining room table with her red tablecloth and special Christmas china and sprigs of holly. Meanwhile, Aunt Emily is standing in the foyer, screaming up two flights of stairs to the attic: "''Cody!'' Get down here! Everyone else is waiting on you!" And Uncle Rick is loudly saying grace *at* Mom, who stares right at him while she dips her French toast in syrup and chews. Christmas with the family would be awesome except for (link-reveal:"the whole *family* part")[. No, that's not fair. Your Mom and Dad are mostly good. Gran's lovely. It's pretty much just the aunt-uncle-cousin situation that's not ideal]. You help yourself to French toast and hot cocoa and a ton of whipped cream on top of everything and sit down next to Mom. Cody arrives a few minutes later, (link-reveal:"the very portrait of disaffected adolescence")[: greasy hair, greasy face, perpetual frown, t-shirt that clearly spent the night on the floor]. He's the only person you've ever seen make teen rebellion look *un*cool. "There's something I want to mention, while everybody's together," (link-reveal:"Dad begins.")[ "Gran's ring went (link-reveal:"missing")[(show:?missing)] last night. If everyone can help look for it, that would be great." |missing)[You realize that he said missing, not lost. Dad's an English teacher, and he likes to be precise about how he says things. (He corrects you literally every time you use the word 'literally' when you actually mean 'figuratively.') Does he also suspect that the ring was stolen? ]"What?" Aunt Emily cries, an octave too high. "*The* ring, the engagement ring? Mom, you didn't tell me!" "I only realized late last night," Gran murmurs. "I've just misplaced it—I'm sure it'll turn up." "*Misplaced* it?" Aunt Emily's eyebrows shoot up to her hairline. "That thing's got to be worth at least a hundred thousand dollars. When did you see it last? Where have you looked?" "Oh, sweetheart, I don't remember," Gran sighs. "I've tried to remember, and I've looked everywhere, but..." "How do you know it wasn't stolen?" Aunt Emily demands. An awful hush falls over the breakfast table. The only sound is Cody's fork scraping noisily over Gran's Christmas china. There—now it's been said out loud, and it can't be unsaid. You're just glad it wasn't by you. You look around the breakfast table at your family, and you realize that they're also the only suspects. Gran wore her ring at dinner last night; you saw that with your own eyes. And by midnight it was missing. Gran's house is in the middle of the Vermont woods, remote enough that you're pretty sure you would have heard a car driving up the gravel driveway, or seen the headlights. No one other than these eight people were in the house: (link-reveal:"Gran")[: with her best Nordic sweater and her hair all done up for Christmas morning, looking about as embarrassed as you've ever seen her. Obviously she didn't steal her own ring]. (link-reveal:"Dad")[: perpetually rumpled, blinking like an owl over his coffee, and frowning in a way that makes you instinctively feel you're in big trouble]. (link-reveal:"Mom")[: wearing a Star of David, which she only wears when she's going to see Uncle Rick, because it makes him uncomfortable, and watching the proceedings with her lawyer face on]. (link-reveal:"Aunt Emily")[: heavily shellacked with a full face of makeup, as always, and probably about to flip her shit gloriously]. (link-reveal:"Uncle Rick")[: a red-faced, puffy toad, storing up air for a big croak]. (link-reveal:"Cody")[: the human embodiment of a pout. Even this high-quality family drama hasn't interested him; his attention is fully on his French toast]. (link-reveal:"Irene")[: Gran's housekeeper and home health aide, in her usual uniform of neat black slacks and turtleneck, currently attempting to disappear into the kitchen without being noticed]. (link-reveal:"And you")[: Sadie Goldberg-Lawson, age fifteen, perfectly normal (relatively speaking). You didn't steal the ring, but no one else knows that for sure. To them, you're just as much of a suspect as they are to you]. If the ring *was* stolen, it was by one of these eight people. And if that's what happened, your family is going to explode spectacularly. No wonder Gran looks so pale. Aunt Emily raises her chin and announces, "So no one else is going to state the obvious? We need to call the police, and they need to search Irene's room." "*Emily*, that's—" your dad begins. "That's an obscene thing to say," your mom finishes for him. Probably not the way he was going to end that sentence. "I didn't—of course I didn't, Mrs. Lawson," Irene stammers. "You know I would never—" "No more of this!" Gran announces, standing and slamming her palm down on the table, making the plates clatter. "We are *not* doing this. Not on Christmas morning, not ever. (link-reveal:"Irene is part of the family")[(show:?irene)], and it's ridiculous to suspect her of anything." |irene)[Irene has been living with Gran for five years now, ever since Grandpa died. You only see her a couple of times a year, and she doesn't talk to you much, but she sees Gran pretty much all day every day. It's a little sad, but in a way Irene is more family to Gran than any of you are. It's not surprising that Gran would defend her. ]Gran sits back down and grips her mug of coffee, fixing everyone at the table with a (link-reveal:"ferocious")[(show:?ferocious)] scowl.|ferocious)[ For the first time, you understand all those stories your dad tells about how he and Aunt Emily were terrified of Gran when they were little.] "I know that none of you took the ring; there's nothing in the world that could make me believe that. I want all of you to forget the whole thing. We're not tearing the family apart over an *object*." "We can't just *ignore* it, Mom," Aunt Emily persists. "If we wait for it to just *turn up* again, then—then (link-reveal:"*whoever*")[(show:?whoever)] stole it will have time to hide it or sell it. We ought to get the police here right away, before the ring is gone for good." |whoever)[(By *whoever,* she means Irene. It's as clear as if she said her name. But whatever.)] "Maybe you're right," Dad begins, in a tone of voice that means he does not at all think she's right. "But we don't have to spoil Christmas morning for Mom and the kids, do we? Look, we're all planning on staying until the 30th, so there's no hurry. Even if someone *did* steal it, the ring isn't leaving the house. Let the police enjoy their Christmas, and if it doesn't turn up, then we can revisit this." "No hurry?" Aunt Emily snaps. "And if the ring never turns up again, are *you* going to repay its value to the (link-reveal:"estate")[(show:?estate)], Jack?"|estate)[ It's not very nice to talk about someone's *estate* before they're dead. Gran stares stony-faced down at her plate.] "''Emily''," Uncle Rick rumbles, and she falls silent, her cheeks puffed full of air in a silent retort. "We'll wait until tomorrow, then," Dad announces calmly, and Uncle Rick nods. (Mom rolls her eyes. You can practically *hear* her thinking: 'oh, good, the men have decided everything.' The only thing Mom likes less than Aunt Emily is the way Uncle Rick bosses her around.) "Now, can we have a nice Christmas morning together?" Gran asks, her voice wavering, [[and the topic drops.|opening presents]]]

you're in the dining room You can go to the [[foyer]]. There's a door leading to the [[kitchen]].

(set: $phonenotes = 1)The foyer is cold and a little imposing, dominated by a massive painted portrait of (link-reveal:"William Lawson Senior")[, your great-grandfather. He scowls masterfully down at you. When you were a kid, you were frightened of this painting—and maybe you still are, just a little. William Lawson Senior was Grandpa's father, the one who owned the quarry. He died long before you were born. Dad isn't William Lawson the Third, fortunately, because Grandpa decided not to pass on the name. He always said he wanted his son to be able to choose his own path in life]. Gran and Irene have done their best to warm up the room in spite of the painting: there are thick rugs on the slate tile floor, Christmas lights strung around the windows, and potted poinsettia everywhere. There's a (link-reveal:"coat closet")[(show:?closet)] here.|closet)[ Everyone's coats are stuffed inside, and there are a bunch of boots on the floor. You recognize your Mom and Dad's matching winter hiking boots. The fashionable fur-trimmed snow boots must belong to Aunt Emily; they match her red woolen peacoat.\ \ \(if: ((history:) contains "outside") and (not ($inv contains "three sets of boots") and (not ($ireneflag > 0) )))[ (link:"You can take the boots to compare them with the footprints.")[You take all three sets of boots. Hopefully no one will mind.(set: $inv to $inv + (a: "three sets of boots"))]]\ (else-if: $inv contains "three sets of boots")[ (link:"You can put back all the boots from the closet.")[(set: $inv to $inv - (a: "three sets of boots"))You replace all the boots where you found them.]]] There is a heavy wooden door leading [[outside]]. To the right is the (text-color:gray)[''dining room''].\  To the left is the [[parlor]]. There is a small door beneath the stairs leading to the [[back hallway]]. A grand staircase, dripping with garlands of pine and holly, leads [[upstairs]].

The Christmas tree twinkles in the corner, and Bing Crosby warbles sweetly from Gran's record player. The carpet beneath the tree is littered with empty boxes and torn wrapping paper.(if: ((history:)'s last is "Talk to Dad?") )[ Gran returns to the parlor and sits back down on the couch next to Dad.](else-if: ((history:)'s last is "Talk to Gran?") )[ Dad returns from the foyer, sits down on the couch next to Gran, and smiles at you.](else-if: ((history:)'s last is "foyer") )[ Dad and Gran are sitting on the couch together. As soon as you enter the room, they stop talking.(if: ($dadflag is 0))[ Real subtle.](else-if: ($dadflag > 1))[ At least now you know why.](else-if: ($phonerecord is 0) and ($dadflag is 1))[ (link-reveal:"Every time!")[ It's beginning to make you suspect that they're discussing something secret. Is this what your father is hiding? Under normal circumstances, you'd want to respect their privacy, but right now you can't let any secrets go un-snooped on. That's the awesome and terrible responsibility of a detective. (link-reveal:"You'd better find out what they're talking about.")[ You set your phone to record and leave it on the side table next to Dad and Gran, hidden beneath the edge of the platter of cookies. This isn't right, you know, but it's for a good cause. You can come back later to pick it up.(set: $phonerecord to 1)(set: $inv to $inv - (a: "phone"))]]]] On the side table next to Dad is a platter of Christmas cookies, including the chocolate chip cookies you made and an assortment of Irene's masterpieces. (link:"You can take one if you want.")[Yum! (either:"A chocolate chip cookie","A sugar cookie","A gingerbread cookie","A rum ball","Shortbread","A Russian tea cake")!]\ \ \(if: ($phonerecord is 1) and ((history:)'s last is "foyer") )[ (link:"Your phone is on the side table.")[You remove your phone from its hiding place and pocket it. You'll have to listen to the recording somewhere private.(set: $phonerecord to 2)(set: $inv to $inv + (a: "phone")) ]] [[Talk to Dad?]] [[Talk to Gran?]] You can return to the [[foyer]].

The snow is thick on the steps outside the front door. No one's been in or out of the house in a couple of days, so the snow should be undisturbed, but there are distinct footprints outside the door—leading away from the house and down the driveway. (if: $ireneflag is 0)[(link-reveal:"Uh-oh.")[ You had assumed no one left the house, so the ring had to still be in the house. But these footprints tell a different story. If you were Sherlock Holmes, you could deduce precisely how old the footprints are. But you're not; reading mystery novels has definitely not prepared you for this. You guess that the footprints aren't fresh, because their edges are soft with fallen snow. But they're not that old, either, because the shape of the prints is still deep and relatively clear. They definitely could have been from last night.] You need to find out who these footprints belong to. \ \(if: $inv contains "slippers" and not ($inv contains "Irene's boots") and not ($inv contains "Gran's boots") and not ($inv contains "three sets of boots"))[ You pull off one of your reindeer slippers and hold it above the footprint, comparing sizes. It's a little bigger, but not by much. If you had to guess, the footprints belong to a woman.] \ \(else-if: not ($inv contains "slippers") and not ($inv contains "Irene's boots") and not ($inv contains "Gran's boots") and not ($inv contains "three sets of boots"))[ You hover your bare foot above the snow. Cold cold cold! The footprint is a lot bigger than your foot, but then again, shoes are bigger than feet. You have no idea who could have made the print.] \ \(if: $inv contains "three sets of boots" and $ireneflag is 0)[ You take the three sets of boots from the foyer closet and compare them to the footprints in the snow. Dad's are way too big; Mom's are too small. And Aunt Emily's have a cute little heel. No matches.] \ \(if: $inv contains "Gran's boots" and $ireneflag is 0)[ You hold Gran's boots above the footprints in the snow. They're a little too big.] \ \(if: $inv contains "Irene's boots" and $ireneflag is 0)[ (set: $ireneflag to 1)You compare Irene's winter boots to the footprints in the snow. They're an exact match, right down to the tread pattern. There's no doubt these boots made the prints. For a moment, you're totally delighted. Wow! Look at you, finding clues! You're a regular Hercule Poirot! And then you realize what this implies, that Irene might have stolen the ring and snuck out of the house to hide it or dispose of it. If she's guilty, Gran is going to break her heart to pieces.]] \(else:)[You now know the footprints belong to Irene.] You can return to the [[foyer]].

kitchen Aunt Emily is here, fixing herself a drink. It's barely noon, but you can't really blame her. [[Talk to Aunt Emily?]] You can go to the [[dining room]]. There is a passageway to the [[back hallway]].

The back hallway is narrow and dark. It's part of what was, historically, the "servants' quarters." Of course Gran doesn't call it that; she finds the whole idea distasteful. Irene doesn't like to wear shoes in her room, so she has a little mat outside the door to her room. Her winter boots are lined up on the mat. \ \(if: ((history:) contains "outside") and (not ($inv contains "Irene's boots") and (not ($ireneflag > 0) )))[ (link:"You can take the boots to compare them with the footprints.")[You take Irene's boots. You'll put them back later.(set: $inv to $inv + (a: "Irene's boots"))]] \(else-if: $inv contains "Irene's boots")[ (link:"You can put back Irene's boots.")[(set: $inv to $inv - (a: "Irene's boots"))You replace Irene's boots where you found them.]] At the end of the hall is a little door leading to [[Irene's room]]. There is a passageway into the (text-color:gray)[''kitchen''] from here.\  You can return to the [[foyer]].

Irene's room is the smallest room in the house, but also the (link-reveal:"coziest")[. There's nothing more than a single bed, a plain desk and chair, and a soft yellow armchair, but everything is in perfect order. There's a row of books lined up neatly along her desk, a bunch of dried lavender in a cobalt glass vase on her windowsill, and an amateur watercolor painting of a river you don't recognize hanging on the wall. It's kind of peaceful in here]. Irene sits on her bed, staring at the gentle snowfall outside her window. Her eyes are red; she's obviously been crying. She looks like just about anything might set her off again. [[Talk to Irene?]] You can return to the [[back hallway]].

You're in the upstairs hallway. Your Mom and Dad are staying in (text-color:gray)[''Dad's old bedroom''].\  You're staying in [[the pink guest room|your guest room]]. Aunt Emily and Uncle Rick are staying in (text-color:gray)[''the main guest room''].\  [[Gran's room]] is at the end of the hall. The [[bathroom]] is down the hall. You can climb up the rickety stairs to the (text-color:gray)[''attic''], where Cody is staying.\  You can go back down to the [[foyer]].

Dad's old bedroom! [[Talk to Mom?]] [[upstairs]]

Your guest room, or Aunt Emily's childhood bedroom. It's very pink. Your suitcase is under the bed. (click:"suitcase")[All that's inside are a week of clothes and your new Sherlock Holmes collection.](if: $phonerecord is 2)[ (link:"You have some privacy here. You can listen to the recorded conversation between Dad and Gran if you want.")[(display:"Conversation between Dad and Gran")]] You can go back to the [[upstairs hallway|upstairs]].

Gran's room is the master suite, the largest bedroom in the house. She never locks her door; you hope she won't mind if you poke around a little. Her dresser is covered with (link-reveal:"old family photos")[. She has a lot of black and white photos of an unrecognizably young and handsome Grandpa, and a ton of cute photos of Dad and Aunt Emily as kids, back in the tiny apartment they used to live in before they inherited the Vermont house]. On her desk, beside her aging desktop computer, is her (link-reveal:"jewelry box")[. She probably took it out to see if she accidentally put the ring there, instead of the safe. It's unlocked and open, with necklaces and bracelets and rings strewn all around it on the desk. Although Gran has always been careful to lock up her engagement ring, the rest of her jewelry is costume, or semi-precious at best. You know this because she's proud to tell everyone that, to show off the relatively modest glass or Lucite pendants that Grandpa bought her, back when they were young and broke. You think she sees some romance in that]. (link:"The doors to her bedroom closet are neatly closed.")[You open the doors to her bedroom closet. Her shoes are neatly lined up in the closet, including a tidy pair of snowboots. (link-reveal:"They don't look recently worn")[. It's icy out. Gran used to go skiing nearly every weekend in the winter, but she stopped a few years ago. Apparently her doctor gave her a talking-to about how dangerous it would be if she fell, at her age. She's being more cautious now].(if: ((history:) contains "outside") and (not ($inv contains "Gran's boots") and (not ($ireneflag > 0) )))[ (link:"You can take the boots to compare them with the footprints.")[You take Gran's boots. She's probably not going to miss them.(set: $inv to $inv + (a: "Gran's boots"))]] \(else-if: $inv contains "Gran's boots")[(link:"You can put back Gran's boots.")[(set: $inv to $inv - (a: "Gran's boots"))You replace Gran's boots where you found them.]] At the very back of the closet, hidden behind a row of Grandpa's dress shirts, is (link-reveal:"Gran's safe")[. You try the handle; it's locked. There are no visible signs of tampering, no scratchmarks or, like, drill holes or anything. The only way someone could get into the safe is with the combination]. You wish you could investigate the safe more thoroughly, check out what's inside it and find out if anything else is missing... but you'd need the combination for that.] You can go back to the [[upstairs hallway|upstairs]].

[[upstairs]] [[Talk to Uncle Rick?]]

Next to the sink are a bowl of decorative soaps shaped like seashells and a pile of fancy handtowels.(if: $granflag is 1)[ Gran mentioned that she takes the ring off when she washes her hands. (link:"You ought to search around here.")[You search all around the sink, examining every tiny soap seashell and unfolding and refolding every fancy handtowel. You get down on your hands and knees and check the tiles and baseboards.(if: $inv contains "phone")[You even use your phone's flashlight to peer down the sink drain.] You find... zilch.]] Above the sink is a huge gilt-framed (link-reveal:"mirror")[. You look at yourself in the mirror.(if: $inv contains "vest")[ In the vest Gran gave you, you look like a big orange marshmallow]].(if: $phonerecord is 2)[ (link:"You have some privacy here. You can listen to the recorded conversation between Dad and Gran if you want.")[(display:"Conversation between Dad and Gran")]] You can go back to the [[upstairs hallway|upstairs]].

(when you're searching his room, it has to not permit you to leave until you've found what you're looking for) [[Talk to Cody?]] [[upstairs]]

[[attic]]

"Let me give you two some privacy," Dad offers. He grabs a handful of cookies and retreats from the parlor. (link:"Hey, Gran. Are you okay?")["Hey, Gran. Are you okay?" you ask. "I've been better," she laughs. "But I've been worse too."] (link:"When was the last time you saw the ring?")["When was the last time you saw the ring?" you ask. "Oh—this is embarrassing. I always put it back in the box, and then I put the box back in the safe. But I don't remember doing that last night." "Do you ever take the ring off while you're wearing it?" "Yes—I take it off whenever I wash my hands. I'm sure I took it off a few times last night. But when I take it off, I always put it in the same place, right next to the soap, and I'm very careful to put it back on." She sighs and rubs her face. "Besides—your father and I already practically tore the bathroom to pieces looking for the ring."(if: $granflag is 0)[(set: $granflag to 1)]] (link:"Can you tell me what you did last night?")["Can you tell me what you did last night?" She nods slowly. "It's a good idea to retrace my steps from last night. I've already tried it, but it's nice of you to want to help. Before dinner, I dressed in my room. I took the ring out of the safe and put it on. I wore it down to dinner. Then we finished dessert around nine, didn't we?" "That's right." "After dessert, I went into the parlor to chat with Emily." "Did you go to the bathroom between then, or wash your hands?" "Honestly, these days, half the time I walk into a room, I don't remember what I went there for. I don't have a chance of remembering how many times I went to the bathroom yesterday." "How long did you and Aunt Emily talk?" "Oh, at least half an hour. After that..." Gran frowns with the effort of remembering. "I went through the dining room and the kitchen to make sure everything was in order for Christmas morning. Then I went up to my room, took a bath, and put on my nightgown. I only realized that the ring was missing when I saw its box empty on my desk." "Where do you think you might have left it?" "I could have left it in the bathroom or the kitchen. Or I could have put it away in the wrong place without thinking. Or it could have slipped off my finger anywhere. I just don't know. Thank you for helping look for it, dear."] (link:"Why are you so sure no one took the ring?")["Why are you so sure no one took the ring?" you ask. "Sadie!" Gran shakes her head. "Because the seven people in this house are the seven people I love and trust most in the world. I wish you wouldn't poke around about this. There's *nothing* that could induce me to believe any of you took the ring." Maybe it would be better if you *did* let the whole thing drop. The ring is probably worth a ton, and it's not like the Lawson family has much of a fortune left, but Gran still has plenty to live on without it. Solving this mystery will only make Gran miserable, and maybe fracture the family forever. But can you and Gran and everyone really keep celebrating Christmas every year with someone who stole from her? With someone capable of stealing from their own family? Ignoring it won't make it go away. Plus, if you don't find the ring today, Aunt Emily will call the police, and Gran's going to like *that* even less than this.](if: $ireneflag is 2)[ (link:"What do you know about Irene's personal life?")["Gran, what do you know about Irene's personal life?" you ask. "Well, that's a question out of left field. Why do you want to know?" "I just realized that I've known her for five years, and I don't know anything about her! It would be a little embarrassing to ask now..." "You know, she can be very private about some things. I think she lived here for two, three years before she ever showed me a photo of her family." "Family?" "Her parents are gone, I think, but she's close to her siblings and nieces and nephews back home. Writes lots of letters, takes lots of long-distance calls, tries to fly back once every few years." "No husband, no kids?" "I certainly don't think so—wouldn't that be a secret to keep!" "Must be lonely to have all her family so far away. Do you know if she has any friends in town?" "She might. She goes into town very often for errands, and on her days off... but I can't tell you what she does. I don't mean to sound like I don't care about her—of course I do, and of course I would love to hear all about her adventures in town, but she never offered, so I never asked. I don't want her to feel pressured." "She goes into town on her days off?" "Oh yes, religiously. I think sometimes she goes into town in the evenings, too, after I'm in bed. I'm in bed so early these days—and the house must be dull as dishwater for a woman still in the prime of her life." (Irene must be at least fifty, but you suppose that from Gran's perspective, she's still young.) "I'm glad she gets into town so often." Gran's intel about her housekeeper's personal life is surprisingly thin, but you feel as if you've got enough information to try again with Irene.(if: $ireneflag is 2)[(set: $ireneflag to 3)]]] [[Bye, Gran.|parlor]]

You clear your throat to get Mom's attention, and she hurriedly stuffs her phone into the pocket of her sweater. She's always on that thing, and she never lets you use it, not even just to take photos. (link-reveal:"You don't ever wear an engagement ring. Do you have one?")[you ask. (Mom and Dad have matching plain gold bands, but Mom doesn't have an engagement ring. A lot of your friends' mothers wear something pretty sparkly.) "What? Am I a suspect?" Mom asks you, raising her eyebrows at you in a particularly lawyerly way. "Everyone's a suspect, right?" "Well—I guess I can't argue with that. And you started off with a good question, too, not too direct, trying not to make me defensive." "I can see it didn't work." "It'll probably work on your dad," she teases. "Anyway, I do have an engagement ring. I don't wear it because it's sentimental and not very durable. Your dad proposed with the most beautiful rosewood ring, but wooden rings don't hold up as well under daily wear, so I don't want to risk damaging it. I can't believe I've never showed it to you; we'll look at it together when we go home, okay?" "Gran's ring is an heirloom, though. Isn't the point of an heirloom that you pass it on to the next generation?" "You mean, did I want Gran's ring for myself?" Mom raises her eyebrows. "According to your father, at least, she actually offered it. Once we were getting serious, apparently, she asked him if he wanted to propose with the family ring. He said no thanks, it wouldn't suit my taste."(set: $momflag to 1) "So Dad turned it down *for* you. But did you want it?" Mom's makes That Face, the face of ultimate disapproval. Usually she saves it for when you throw something recyclable in the trash. "Sadie, you know me. Am I the kind of person who could walk around town wearing a giant diamond? I could never have worn that ring—never. "Why didn't she give the ring to Aunt Emily, then? I think she would definitely have worn it." "Sexism, probably," Mom answers cheerfully. "This is just a guess, so take it with a grain of salt, but Gran can be a little old-fashioned about some things. The ring came from the Lawson family, and if it goes to a son and daughter-in-law, it stays in the Lawson family. But even though Emily's her own daughter, she's a Walker now, so technically it's 'outside the family.' Patriarchy's not pretty, is it?" "Who do you think is going to inherit the ring, then?" "No idea. Cody's not a Lawson, and Gran probably thinks you're not going to carry on the *family name* either, so..." Mom shrugs. "Anyway, you know it's in poor taste to speculate about inheritances before someone's dead, right? You're certainly not going to ask Gran that question, I hope."] [[Mom and Dad's guest room]]

{  (set: $inv to (a:))   (set: $randomimage to "") (set: $restart to false)  (set: $phonerecord to 0) (set: $phonenotes to 0) (set: $dadflag to 0) (set: $momflag to 0) (set: $granflag to 0) (set: $ireneflag to 0)   -->}

You walk into the kitchen and say, "Hey, Dad, it's midnight!" "Oh, right—the cookies. Sorry, not tonight, Sadie. They'll still be there in the morning." This is the first time since you were six that Dad hasn't eaten Santa's cookies with you. Whatever's going on must be serious. "Well, it's past my bedtime," Gran says, standing and stifling a yawn. "I'd better go tuck myself in." "Night, Mom." Dad hugs her and stands in the foyer, watching her make her way slowly up the stairs. Normally Gran is like a sturdy old battleship, but right now she looks almost fragile. You go [[back to bed]].

[[emily and rick's guest room]]

When you sit down next to Dad, Gran stands up. "You can speak with your father privately if you want," she says. "I'm going to go powder my nose." (link:"How are you doing, Dad?")["How are you doing, Dad?" you ask. "I'm all right. Although this isn't the best Christmas ever, is it?" "It's okay," you answer automatically, because you don't want his feelings to be hurt. Dad loves everything to do with Christmas, and you and Mom try your best to keep the magic alive for him.] (link:"When was the last time you saw the ring?")["When was the last time you saw the ring?" you ask. Dad taps his fingers on his knees, thinking before he answers. "You know, I don't remember precisely. I noticed it when Gran came down to dinner, because Emily commented on it." That's true; whenever Gran wears the ring, Aunt Emily admires it. But then, she comments on everyone's jewelry, the flashier the better. "But after that, I can't say that I was paying attention. Sorry, kiddo."] (link:"What did you do last night?")["What did you do last night?" you ask. "After dinner? I went back to the room with Mom, and we read for a while." "When did you leave your room, and why?" "Gran knocked on the door and asked to talk to me. That was a little before midnight... maybe 11:45?" "So it's your assertion that you were in the guest room with Mom the whole time between dinner and 11:45?" "... wait a minute. Are you asking me for an *alibi*?" Dad sputters, and then he bursts out laughing. You don't particularly appreciate this; no one ever laughed at Sherlock Holmes. "You're a hoot. Well, you can ask Mom to confirm where I was, if you want." "Assuming you two aren't in on it together." "What? Sadie!" he laughs. He thinks you're joking, but you have to keep reminding yourself that it's not fair to assume that your parents are innocent just because they're your parents. You need to investigate them as seriously as anyone else in the house.] (link:"Who do you think took the ring?")["So, who do you think took the ring?" you ask, trying to sound casual. Dad glances over at the door to the foyer, as if he's making sure that Gran isn't nearby. "It's possible someone took it. I don't have any evidence, and neither do you, so..." He pauses and frowns at you. "Are you investigating, Sadie?" "Better me than the police, right?" You expect him to scold you and tell you to knock it off, but instead he just grabs a chocolate chip cookie and chews it while he thinks. "It's not necessarily a bad idea," he concedes. "If the ring is missing, we need to find it. And if the ring was stolen, then the best outcome is for the person responsible to return it to Gran before things get more serious." "I can help with that!" "Can you be discreet, Sadie?" "Of course!" "And if you find anything, you'll bring it to me or your mother right away?" he prompts. Naturally you can't do that, not if you're going to treat him and Mom as suspects. "I'll tell Gran. It's her ring, after all." "Fine," Dad agrees. "Don't get yourself into any trouble, okay?"] (link:"Why do you think someone would want to steal the ring?")["Why do you think someone would want to steal the ring?" you ask. "Hypothetically," he begins, "because we're not certain that the ring was stolen at all." "Right, hypothetically," you agree. "Hypothetically, Gran's ring has two kinds of value. Material and sentimental. So you'd be looking for someone who wants the ring because of its nature as a family heirloom, or someone who wants the ring because of its monetary value." That's a sensible beginning, but it's way too general. Who *doesn't* want money? "Do you know how much the is ring worth?" you ask. To your surprise, your dad draws back and frowns. "That's your grandmother's private information." "Do you know how much the ring is worth, *hypothetically*?" you attempt. "Sadie, I'm not joking around. I'm not going to talk about the monetary value of Gran's estate." (link-reveal:"Gran's estate?")[ Your Dad's Serious Voice is a little scary, but not scary enough to distract you from how weird he's acting. Why is he so stern all of a sudden? Why is he refusing to answer an obvious question that anyone would ask, if they were trying to solve this mystery? And why would he bring up Gran's *estate* out of the blue? Aunt Emily mentioned that too... You haven't lived with your father for fifteen years without figuring out his tells. The Serious Voice means that he's putting up a wall of authority, that he's hiding something from you.] "Then I guess I can't ask you who's going to inherit Gran's ring?" "That's none of my business, and it's certainly none of yours. Sadie, don't—" He pinches the bridge of his nose. "Don't interrogate Gran about this, okay? She deserves her privacy." "You mean about her will, right?" you ask. "What if she brings it up?" "She's not going to bring it up." You don't know why he's so confident about that. He's definitely acting weird.(if: $dadflag is 0)[(set: $dadflag to 1)]](if: $dadflag > 1)[ (link:"Who *knows* who is going to inherit Gran's ring?")["Who *knows* who is going to inherit Gran's ring?" you ask. You know that Dad won't tell you who is going to inherit Gran's ring. That doesn't matter now, since you already know. But he didn't say he wouldn't tell you who *else* knows. Dad groans. "I never realized, when I married a lawyer, that I would end up living with *two* lawyers." "I'm really just trying to help." "I know, Sadie." He rubs his face with both hands. "As far as I know, only Gran and I know the details of her will. I haven't told anyone—not even Mom. It's possible that Gran told someone without my knowledge, though." In other words, he can't be sure who knows. That's something you're going to have to keep an eye out for.]](if: $momflag is 1)[ "Mom mentioned that Gran offered you the ring to propose with," you begin. "Why didn't you take it?" "Wow, you've been poking around asking questions, haven't you? Two reasons. First, and most importantly, I thought your mom wouldn't wear it. Actually, I was kind of scared that if I proposed with some huge honker of an heirloom diamond, she would turn me down. Second, I wanted to propose with a ring I bought myself, something I chose by myself. I was the one proposing, not the Lawson family, you know?" "That's sweet." "Well, you know, I'm a romantic."] [[Bye, Dad.|parlor]]

This game is an excerpt released for IntroComp 2018. Please enjoy! You may encounter links that have been grayed out. Those represent parts of the game that have not yet been developed! Graphics are open source (link-reveal:"Twemoji")[(open-URL:"https://twitter.github.io/twemoji/")] by Twitter, licensed under (link-reveal:"CC-BY 4.0")[(open-URL:"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/")]. (link-goto: "Return", (history:)'s last)

After that, no one's in much of a mood for Christmas festivity. You all go through the motions of opening presents, eating cookies, reminiscing about Christmases past. Your Christmas haul includes: (link-reveal:"A gorgeous hardcover set of the complete Sherlock Holmes")[: from your parents, indulging your recent obsession with mystery novels. They already gave you a big present for Chanukah; this year it was your beloved new iPhone]. (link-reveal:"A super-warm insulated vest")[: from Gran. She always thinks you dress too lightly for the winter. It's puffy, utilitarian, and orange, basically the anti-fashion. But it's warm, and it's got pockets].(if: not ($inv contains "vest") )[(set: $inv to $inv + (a: "vest"))] (link-reveal:"And a donation in your family's name to the Salvation Army")[: from Aunt Emily and Uncle Rick, same as every year. You can't really complain, because it's for charity, but you wish they would have chosen a less homophobic organization, maybe something nice and normal and neutral like Heifer International. Plus you're 90% sure they specifically chose a Christian charity to annoy Mom]. Everyone seems almost grateful when the last present is unwrapped and they can politely excuse themselves. Family togetherness is a little difficult at the best of times, and this isn't the best of times. "Dinner's at six sharp," Gran reminds everyone as they stand to go. "It's lamb," she adds, a note of false cheer in her voice. Poor Gran. It's ridiculous for everyone to try to act as if things are normal. Nothing's normal here. Even if the ring is just innocently missing, the family's going to cannibalize itself with its suspicions. And if, as you suspect, someone took it... But it's going to be okay. You haven't read all those mystery novels for nothing. You're going to find the ring, and if there's a thief, you're going to catch the thief. And you'll put an end to this *today*, before Aunt Emily calls in the police—for Gran's sake. Sitting there in the middle of the crumpled wrapping paper, you whip out your phone and start making a list, so you can check your phone whenever you need a reminder about what to do next.(set: $phonenotes = 1) [[It's time to start your investigation.|foyer]]

(link:'"Hi, Irene. Are you okay?"')["Hi, Irene. Are you okay?" you ask. "Oh, Sadie—it's you." She sniffles. "I'm fine. What do you need?" "I don't need anything. I was just hoping to ask you some questions." "Oh."] (link:"When did you last see the ring?")["When did you last see the ring?" you ask. "Last night, right after dessert," Irene answers. That would have been around nine o' clock, as you recall. "I was clearing the dining room table; I saw your grandmother leave the table and walk into the parlor with Emily. I noticed she was still wearing her jewelry—I *think* she was wearing the ring. I didn't see her again last night; she went to bed before I was finished cleaning up after dinner." "Thank you. That's helpful." "Is it?" she asks, wringing her hands.] (link:"Who do you think took the ring?")["Who do you think took the ring?" you ask. "Your grandmother says she lost it," Irene says. "You live with Gran. Does she lose things often?" She falls silent, then shakes her head. "I don't know if anyone took it."] (link:"What did you do last night?")["What did you do last night?" you ask. Irene presses her lips together. "You think I took your grandmother's ring. Is that what you think?" "I don't know who took it. I'm asking everyone these questions." She shakes her head. "I am not the same as *everyone*. I have lived with your grandmother for five years, and still..." Looks like Aunt Emily's accusation at the breakfast table really hurt Irene. You can't blame her. Hasn't she earned everyone's trust, after all this time? If she wanted to steal from Gran, she's had plenty of opportunities over the years. On the other hand, a clever thief would wait until there was a houseful of suspects... Gran loves Irene, and would never suspect her of anything—but you can't let sentiment rule your list of suspects. Everyone is on it until they aren't. "I *have* to ask everyone. I'm even asking my own parents." You stare at her, waiting for her to object further. When she doesn't, you repeat the question. "What did you do last night?" "I cleaned up after Christmas Eve dinner. I did a little tidying and preparing for the next morning. Then I took a shower and went to bed." "About what time did you go to bed?" "I'm not sure... maybe eleven?" You don't have any way of verifying if that's true or not. You were awake until midnight for Santa's cookies, but after Christmas Eve dinner, you just stayed in your room until twelve.](if: $ireneflag >= 1)[ (link:"Can you tell me why you left the house last night?")["Can you tell me why you left the house last night?" you ask. Her face drains of color. "I didn't... how did you *know*?" she sputters. She's a terrible liar. That's good to know. "It doesn't matter how I know. Can you tell me where you went?" Irene buries her face in her hands, and for a moment you think she's going to melt down—but then she slaps her cheeks lightly, blinks away her tears, and manages to keep her voice even enough to say: "I can't tell you that, Sadie." "What? Irene—it's important. If you don't tell me, what am I supposed to think?" "I did not steal the ring. I did not hide the ring. I am telling you the truth, but I—but I am *not* obligated to tell you everything about my life." You consider that statement. Irene's life... her personal life, maybe? You don't know anything about it. Which sounds appalling, now that you think about it. You've known her for five years. You know she's originally from the Philippines, that she's been working as a housekeeper in the US for... actually, you have no idea how long. You don't know anything about her, which makes you feel like a real ass. Irene has never been anything but sweet and obliging; this is the first time she's ever shown a hint of steel. But she seems immovable. You're going to need some more information about her before you can get her to open up.(if: $ireneflag is 1)[(set: $ireneflag to 2)]]](if: $ireneflag >= 3)[ (link:"Who is your friend in town?")["Who is your friend in town?" you ask. (This is a gamble. Maybe she doesn't have a friend in town; maybe she just goes to town to watch movies or drink alone in bars. You don't know her life.) Irene stares at you for a long moment, then shakes her head. "I don't know how you know that. But since you do—yes, I was seeing my boyfriend last night." She stands, crosses the room to her desk, and plucks a photo out from its hiding place inside a book. (link-reveal:"She hands the photo to you")[: it's of herself standing next to a tan, middle-aged guy wearing a faded t-shirt that reads MARINO'S LAWN AND SNOW SERVICES. They look happy]. "Last night, I cleaned up after dinner, took a shower, and went to his place. I left the house around 10:30 last night and returned around 6:00 this morning. If you need to prove where I was last night, you can call him. Does it need to go that far?" she asks, her hands clenched at her sides. You feel almost certain now that Irene isn't the thief, but her obvious discomfort makes it a little harder to you to enjoy your triumph as a detective. Like, yeah, you uncovered the truth, but you also made a sweet and totally harmless person miserable. "No, I'm sure it doesn't," you answer. "Gran doesn't know?" Irene takes her photo back and hides it inside a book again. "I've learned to build a wall between my work and my private life. Because I live with my employer, if I don't protect my private life, I won't have anything for myself. Can you understand that?" "Of course—I'm sorry. I know I kind of crossed the line with you." Irene turns back to you, and for a moment you expect to be scolded, but her face just melts into a warm smile. "You're just trying to help your grandmother. Thank you for taking care of her."(if: $ireneflag is 3)[(set: $ireneflag to 4)]]] [[Bye, Irene.|Irene's room]]

[[Bye, Aunt Emily.|kitchen]]

You make sure the door is closed, then replay your phone's recording of a conversation between Dad and Gran. First you hear the sound of (link-reveal:"someone")[ (Dad, presumably)] rummaging for a cookie. "Hmph, so next on the list is—" he begins, mumbling around a mouthful of cookie. "Take your time, Jack, and don't talk with your mouth full," Gran admonishes. It's pretty fun to hear your dad get scolded by his mother. "Sorry." He clears his throat. "Next on the list is the house." "Do I need to get it appraised?" "No, don't worry about that. That's something that can wait until after," Dad says. *After*? After what? "Are you sure you want it to be sold?" "I think it's best. They won't be able to split it, after all, and the property taxes will just be a burden." It makes sense now: Dad is being so secretive about Gran's estate planning because *he's doing Gran's estate planning*. And Gran is planning on having the house sold off after she dies. But she didn't say *you* won't be able to split it: *you* as in Dad and Aunt Emily. She said *they* won't be able to split it. Who is *they*? "Emily won't like it," Dad warns. "And you?" "I'll miss this place—we all will." "It's just a building," Gran replies stoutly. "It doesn't own your memories." "I'm not disagreeing with you. Just—this is going to be hard on everyone." "Not on me. I won't be there for it," Gran jokes. "Mom!" Dad sighs. "It's going to be a horrible time no matter what. I'm afraid your decisions are going to make it harder on Emily than it has to be. Would you be willing to take more time to think about this?" "I might not see you again until the summer. I hope to be sunbathing and planting my tomatoes when I see you next, but you and I both know that at my age, nothing's guaranteed. I've made up my mind, pumpkin," Gran continues, her voice firm. "What I have is all that's left of the family money, and it ought to go towards the future. You and Emily have—well, you're already grown. You've got houses and retirement accounts, and you've both survived being young and poor. The grandkids—they've still got college, marriage, kids, and mortgages in their futures. I've made up my mind about this, Jack." You wish you hadn't listened to the recording. You didn't want to know about Gran's plans for her money. And you definitely didn't want to know that you and Cody are inheriting everything. There's no way you're talking about this to anyone. You weren't supposed to know any of this, and spreading this information around would be a disaster. But on the other hand: this sounds like a powerful motive. Mom and Dad and Aunt Emily and Uncle Rick aren't getting anything after Gran dies. If any of them know about the will and were counting on an inheritance, they might feel resentful. And if any of them really need the money, they'd know stealing was the only way to get it. Yikes.(set: $dadflag to 2)(set: $phonerecord to 3)

(if: $phonenotes is 0)[]\ (else-if: $phonenotes is 1)[ (link:"You can check your notes.")[(display: "Notes")](if: ($ireneflag > 3) and ($phonerecord > 2) )[ [[The End?]]]]

''To do:'' (if: $granflag is 0 )[Talk to Gran]\ (if: $granflag > 0 )[ ~~Talk to Gran~~]\ (if: $dadflag is 0)[ Talk to Dad]\ (if: $dadflag > 0 )[ ~~Talk to Dad~~]\ (if: (not ((history:) contains "Talk to Irene?")) )[ Talk to Irene]\ (if: ((history:) contains "Talk to Irene?") )[ ~~Talk to Irene~~]\ (if: (((history:) contains "outside") and ($ireneflag is 0)))[ Figure out who made the footprints outside]\ (else-if: ((history:) contains "outside") and ($ireneflag > 0) )[ ~~Figure out who made the footprints outside~~]\ (if: $ireneflag is 1)[ Talk to Irene about the footprints]\ (else-if: $ireneflag > 1)[ ~~Talk to Irene about the footprints~~]\ (if: $ireneflag is 2)[ Learn more about Irene]\ (if: $ireneflag > 2)[ ~~Learn more about Irene~~]\ (if: $ireneflag is 3)[ Convince Irene to talk to you]\ (if: $ireneflag > 3)[ ~~Convince Irene to talk to you~~]\ (if: $dadflag is 1)[ Figure out what Dad is hiding]\ (if: $dadflag > 1)[ ~~Figure out what Dad is hiding~~]\ (if: $phonerecord is 1)[ Retrieve your phone from the parlor]\ (if: $phonerecord > 1)[ ~~Retrieve your phone from the parlor~~]\ (if: $phonerecord is 2)[ Listen to your recording somewhere private]\ (if: $phonerecord > 2)[ ~~Listen to your recording somewhere private~~]\ (if: ($ireneflag > 3) and ($phonerecord > 2) )[ Hey, congrats! You've done just about everything there is to do in this excerpt.]

You've done just about everything there is to do in this excerpt! You figured out who made the mysterious footprints, and you learned Dad's secret. But what secrets are Mom, Aunt Emily, Uncle Rick, and Cody hiding? And where is the missing ring? You'll have to wait for the completed game to find out! **Thank you for playing! I am grateful for your time and feedback.**