Currently on Curtain Call...

At the Cadence in the present day, Julia works hard to raise enough money to buy the theater. She suspects the Board's president, Lloyd Andrews, told the media about the murder weapon and lied about it. She continues to dig up more information about the key players in Viola's life in the 1930s.

A letter from Viola and Hector reveals the true reason for the dissolution of their engagement - that their relationship was a publicity stunt, and Viola fell in love with someone else before she and Hector could go through with the marriage. Viola, knowing her mother's temper, had concerns about Olga's reaction to all of this.

Olga wrote a letter in December of 1933 warning Ira to stay away from her daughter. A series of notes passed between Viola and Evelyn reveal that Viola had been storing the bulk of her considerable fortune in the form of jewelry. Additionally, shortly after Viola and Hector broke up, Evelyn revealed to Viola that she and Ira had become romantically involved with one another, but Viola didn't seem to handle the news very well.

A scribbled note on the back of Ruth's train ticket shows that she is considering calling someone named Lawrence. Could she mean the renowned divorce lawyer Lawrence Kelley? Would a traditional woman like Ruth consider divorce?

Hints

Coded Letter

• This letter is encoded using a variation of a cipher you have already seen. Use the handwriting to determine who is writing this letter, and consider what cipher this person has used in past episodes.
• Pay attention to the usage of capital letters in the encoded portions of certain words. What do they suggest about how these phrases are written?

Newspaper Clipping

• The newspaper clipping mentions changes to the Eastern Boundary Railroad schedule.

Poster Proof

• This document features another variation of a cipher you have seen before. Pay attention to the positioning of the letters on the grid.

Script Notes

• The two people writing these notes are using a symbol to stand in for a specific type of letter. Use the handwriting and context clues to determine the authors.
• The writers are using a symbol as a stand in for all vowels. Look at each word closely and, using context clues, piece together the conversation. Look for names in the conversation and notice the lines that are highlighted by brackets. This will help you determine who are writing the notes.

Telegram

• This telegram, from Ruth to George, indicates that on November 6, she and the baby went to Tannersville and "arrived safely" sometime before 9:51 PM.

Train Ticket

• This ticket shows that Ruth took a train on the Eastern Boundary Railroad on November 6. Pay attention to the writing on the back of the ticket. What numbers could be helpful in deciphering the last phrase?
• The encoded phrase on the back of the train ticket is a shift cipher. The date written on the back of the ticket is an indication to use the number 6 for the shift. Shift each letter by 6 to decipher the message.

Train Timetable

• This timetable shows train times for the Eastern Boundary Railroad line. Consider where else this railroad appears in the episode.
• Ruth took a red line train on the Eastern Boundary Railroad to Tannersville, as is corroborated by her train ticket and telegram. Consider what time Ruth would have needed to board a train to arrive in Tannersville by 9:51 PM.

Reveals

Coded Letter

• The handwriting matches a previous letter from Viola, who writes using an Atbash cipher. This letter's encoded phrases are then spelled backward.

• The encoded portions, in order, read as follows:

  • Hector
  • We can't get married, Hector. I'm calling off the engagement.
  • marry you
  • in love
  • Falling in love
  • love
  • marrying
  • invested in me
  • moving on to a girl he can actually spend his life with
  • find love
  • Hector
  • arm in arm with our respective lovers
  • Hector
  • false romance
  • Your occasional scene partner and eternal friend
  • Viola
  • Mother
  • keeping her temper in check

Newspaper Clipping

• The Eastern Boundary Railroad Company announced changes to its schedule for maintenance. Red line trains did not leave Penn Station after 5:30 PM. Therefore, Ruth could not have taken the 6:20 PM train listed on the schedule.

Poster Proof

• This document uses a variation of the stage direction grid cipher. Decoded, Joe's message reads: "You check on Vi? She all right?"

Script Notes

• The conversation is between Evelyn and Viola. Viola's handwriting is recognizable from her letters, and she is addressed by name in the notes. The assistant's lines are highlighted with brackets. This is Evelyn's part, so the other person must be Evelyn.

• Decoded, their notes read:

  • Evelyn: Is that a new watch? It's stunning.
  • Viola: Thanks! It's my last three paychecks.
  • Evelyn: Geez louise, Vi. That doesn't seem responsible.
  • Viola: Mother taught me that paper dollars aren't as reliable as gems. She left Romania with her jewelry sewn into the lining of her coat, you know. Besides, a single gal's entitled to spoil herself a little.
  • Evelyn: Good for you. There's no need to wait around for a man to give you gifts. Speaking of fellas, what do you think of Ira?
  • Viola: Why do you ask?
  • Evelyn: Between you and me, we've been seeing each other for a little while. He says he's over the moon for me, but he wants to keep things on the sly for now. Apparently, he just got out of some fling. Plus, you know, us working together and all.
  • Viola: I hope he makes you happy. Listen, I'm not feeling too hot. I need to step out for a moment.
  • Evelyn: Oh, alright. I'll cover for you.

Train Ticket

• The coded phrase on the back of the ticket, when deciphered is: "Call Lawrence?"

Train Timetable

• To arrive by 9:51 PM, Ruth would have needed to take a train leaving Penn Station at 6:20 PM or earlier. Multiple people mentioned Ruth stopping in to the Cadence around 5 PM. Therefore, she either took the 5:20 PM or 6:20 PM train from Penn Station.