Episode 4

Currently on Curtain Call...

In the present day, the Board informs Julia that it has received a lucrative offer for the Cadence Theatre. A buyer has offered 7 million dollars for the Cadence. Julia begin a desperate series of fundraising attempts in order to keep her family legacy intact.

Song lyrics written by Ira reveal his feelings about Viola and Evelyn. Toward the end of his relationship with Viola, he indicated through is lyrics and code that he knew it wouldn't work and that he wanted her to stay away. In a song written shortly before Viola's death, he indicates through his lyrics and code that he wants to marry Evelyn and nothing would get in the way of that.

A police report reveals Olga's repeated attempts to find her daughter after Viola's disappearance, as well as Olga's propensity for committing violent acts while blacked out under the influence of alcohol. The same report suggests that Evelyn harbored some resentment toward the star.

Meanwhile, Hector tried to make amends with Olga, apparently at peace with his breakup with Viola and her desire to find true love.

A cut-up man annotated by Joe reveals that the Sentinel lockbox was hidden in one of several locations across the theater. Who did the lockbox belong to? Where and why was it hidden? What was stored inside it?

Hints

Blueprint

  • If you piece together the torn map fragments found in the cigarette case, you will find a familiar code written on the map.
  • This is a variation of Joe's stage direction puzzle. Pay attention to how the letters "PQR" are written in the stage right square and build out the rest of the alphabet around them.

Interlude NYC Article

  • This article mentions various restaurant and show openings that occurred during the week Viola was murdered. Use this with another component of this episode.

Newspaper Photo

  • This photograph shows Hector at an event on the night of Viola's murder.

Police Report

  • The report number in the top-left corner of this police report shows that it is the missing page from the previous police report in Episode 2. It sheds light on Ruth and Evelyn's opinions of Viola.

Returned Letter

  • Notice that the returned letter is in a sealed envelope, indicating it was never opened by its intended recipient.

Song Lyrics

  • Pay attention to the titles of each song. They each provide an instruction for how to read further into the lyrics.
  • In the song lyrics for "Odd Endings", the title is a hint to look at the last letter of each odd-numbered line: 1, 3, 5, etc.
  • In the song lyrics for "My First and Last", the title is a hint to look at the first and last letter of every line.

Reveals

Blueprint

  • When deciphered, the code reads: "Some hiding places for the Sentinel."

Interlude NYC Article

  • In the police report from Episode 2, Hector mentioned attending an event. Compare the newspaper photo on the website to the "Food & Dining" events in the Interlude NYC article. Use Logic and process of elimination to determine where and when Hector attended his event.
  • In the police report from Episode 2, Hector mentioned attending an event. Compare the newspaper photo on the website to the "Food & Dining" events in the Interlude NYC article. Use Logic and process of elimination to determine where and when Hector attended his event.

Song Lyrics

  • The last letters of the odd lines in the song "Odd Endings" spell out "stay away".
  • The first and last letters of each line in the song "My First and Last" spell out "Evelyn will you marry me".

Solution

  • Hector Roland had neither motive nor opportunity to kill Viola. He can, therefore, be eliminated as a suspect.
  • In the police report, Hector claims to have exited the Cadence Theatre around 5:30 PM to arrive at an unnamed event at 6 PM.
  • Hector's alibi can be corroborated through careful scrutiny of the newspaper photo taken of him on the night of November 6 and by cross-referencing this photograph with the Interlude NYC article, which describes a number of restaurant openings that took place on the same night. November 6, 1934, was a Tuesday. The listings describe six restaurants opening that took place on the night of the murder. Through process of elimination, it is possible to ascertain which opening Hector was at, at what time, and how far he was from the Cadence at the time of the murder.
  • Hector could not have been at Prima Donna Primavera, because he was not photographed in white-tie attire. The listing specifies that nobody was allowed inside if they did not adhere to the strictly white-tie dress code.
  • Hector could not have been at Noodle Mood, because the restaurant served only Southwest-style macaroni after 5 PM. Multiple people's testimonies in the police report confirm Hector was still at rehearsal at 5 PM and he was photographed eating a plate of spaghetti and meatballs.
  • Hector could not have been at Lily and Laurel, because Lily and Laurel boasted a freshly picked lily at every table. Hector's table was decorated with a rose.
  • Hector could not have been at Antonio Felloni's Cinema and Cannoli, because that establishment served only cannoli. Hector was photographed with a plate of spaghetti and meatballs.
  • Hector could not have been at Gorlami's. That restaurant's opening was postponed by one week due to a burst pipe.
  • This means that Hector had to have been at The Cancio. The red rose on the table and the pasta dish in front of Hector line up perfectly with the establishment's menu and decor. Additionally, since the restaurant ran out of pasta sometime before 6:15 PM, Hector could not have shown up late. There was no time for Hector to have killed Viola at 5:57 PM, scrub her dressing room of the evidence, place her body in the trunk, hide the trunk in the attic, change his clothes, travel seven blocks, be seated, order, and receive his pasta before The Cancio ran out of pasta.

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