Anime Murder 7
Tina Ryan pulls up at her garage in her flatbed truck carrying General Daniel McKay's crushed limo. Climbing out of the truck, she reaches into the cab and pulls out a crowbar. With a great intent, she begins pounding on the limo's door and smashing out windows.
At Headquarters, during the morning briefing, Andy crosses McKay off the suspect board stating that enough blood and brain matter to assume to death.
"Very few tuxedo men are around, possibly because they have no one to follow. Maybe except Reverend Bernie Knight.
"The Reverend, who was allegedly driving the limo, and is nowhere to be found," said Andy.
Day 19
Shute summarizes his killer track from the night before describing the flaming O.S.L logo and a piece of paper he brought back. Andy shows this piece of paper, which appears to be a logo or coat of arms for the O.S.L.
Team 1 will talk to the Mayor and see what he knows about the O.S.L. Team 1 will be run by Yahiko and Shute.
Team 2 will go and search McKay limo for clues. They will also try to find Rev. Bernie Knight and ask him about the accident. This assignment will go to Ash and Conan.
Yahiko and Shute meet Mayor Anderson at the Moonlight Cafe. He is clearly disturbed to hear the name O.S.L.
"When I was a kid, there were a lot of crime in Moonlight and that when he was a man in town with a O.S.L. logo tattooed on his arm who used to terrorize this town. He was serving this time he was released, but now, ironically, works at the caretaker in the abandoned institution in Philadelphia. The man's name is Raymond Cage and that he was a very bad man," said Mayor Erick Anderson.
Andy arranges for Shute and Yahiko to fly to Philadelphia to meet Raymond Cage's employer.
Ash and Conan go to Tina Ryan's garage to search the limo. Conan suggests that Ryan had a reason to kill McKay, to keep the 250,000 dollars. Conan and Ash tear the interior completely apart and all they find is a .357 shell casing.
In Philadelphia, Shute and Yahiko meet with Alex Lambert who works for Manchester Holding: part of a local bank that owns the closed mental facility that Raymond Cage is the caretaker for. Lambert takes them to the building. They find Cage hiding behind in the bowels of the building. Shute tells him about their findings and asks him what the O.S.L is.
"Order of Scarlet Lupine" said Raymond. Named after the flower that grows wild in the coast.
The O.S.L. was a secret organization in the late thirties and early forties made up of prominent business in the area, Doctors, lawyers, bankers, the Mayor, Chief of Police and etc. They ruled the town. They decided who would get to stay at Moonlight and who had to leave. They started business like the Fishermen's Cannery," said Raymond then he shows his tattoo and says he was a member. When Shute and Yahiko ask him to name other members he yells no and tells them to leave.
Outside, Shute connives Yahiko that they should go back inside and ask more questions. On the second attempt, they are more successful as Cage tells them of the O.S.L. headquarters at 1102 on Kiley Street second floor back at Moonlight. This is the info they need.
Conan and Ash begin their search for Rev. Bernie Knight at McKay's compound. The are with Janet Mitchell. The building is in shambles as tuxedo men have destroyed the interior. Many wander aimlessly around the facility like zombies, without their leader. The investigators finally find Bernie on his knees in deep prayer inside the Logic tank.
As they approach, Bernie yells at Janet for bringing them here. He then proceeds to tell them of the vision he had the night he was driving McKay's limo. As he remembers it, he was driving along a dark road when he was completely blinded by a bright light, like "Paul on his way to Damascus." Then suddenly "Bang! My faith returned." He then describes that everything went black. And when he woke up he was upside down and disoriented and there was water dropping on him, and he was "being baptized again."
"I couldn't feel my body, but that I could see McKay struggling and he was calling out for me. He said help me Bernie help me. Then I see an angel glide toward him. And the angel struck him down like a lightning boat," said Bernie.
Ash asks the Reverend to put on the outfit on and let Bernie talks to them.
"Bernie is dead and gone and the true Bernie has been resurrected," said Bernie then shouts at them to leave him now. And so they leave.
The Reverend continues, "That's why my angel killed him. That's why I killed the Smiths. I killed the Smiths to punish them for their sins….I killed them for God." He becomes hysterical. Randy Silver lunges at the Reverend and has to be restrained. Paul Dixon gets up and leaves the church. Others are startled and confused, as Bernie becomes fanatical. This revelation has surprised everyone.
Day 20
Morning Briefing. Andy informs the group that Ford has arrested Bernie for the murder for the Smiths and the others killed in Moonlight. Also, the .357 shell found in McKay's limo matches the other shell found the previous murders. He then assigns tracks.
Team 1 will go to Kiley Street and investigate the O.S.L. Headquarters and membership. They will then go out to the old fire road where Chief Ford has found an abandoned pick-up truck that matches the description given to them by the owner of the Hilton Hotel Lodge several days ago. Team Two will go to the Sunrise police station and interrogate Reverend Bernie Knight to determine whether he is indeed the Killer.
After being trained and expert in lock picking technique. Shute and Yahiko arrive at the O.S.L. Headquarters. Yahiko and Shute successfully pick the exterior lock to gain entrance to he building. Inside re another sets of door and they picklock the door then the next doors.
The final door reveals a giant meeting hall; dusty, yet undisturbed, as if the organization suddenly folded up shop and the room was left untouched for years. Adorning the walls are O.S.L. logos. In the middle of the room is a podium on which rests a book of rules for the secret society. The investigators also find what an old wire-recording spool, which they take as evidence. It is a recording of the final minutes from the last meeting of the O.S.L. "The O.S.L.," states Yahiko, "was a crime organization."
At Police Headquarters, Conan sits with Bernie in the interrogation room, while Ash and Ford watch via a closed circuit monitor.
"My father founded the church of Moonlight. My mother started the local church," said Bernie.
"I chased Carmen Rose and knocking her down and shaved her head. I grabbed a cord from the floor and wrapped around her neck and pulled until she died," said Bernie.
"That wasn't how Carmen died," said Ash to Ford.
"What about the Johnson murder?" ask Conan to Bernie.
"I beat him to death with a shovel. I stabbed Sandra Smith with a knife and laid her on the bed," said Bernie but all of his descriptions of the various murders are wrong.
"He maybe lying on purpose since it is clear the killer is a very smart person and he knows what he's dealing with," said Ash.
"I can't hold Bernie without any real evidence. There is no crime for being crazy, as long as he doesn't hurt himself or others," said Timmy Ford. Bernie is released.
Yahiko and Shute go out to the old fire road and find the stuff stolen from the motel room strewn all over the road. Among the items are a can of 16mm infrared film, a 16mm camera and a painting. Inside the painting they find a dusty black envelope. They take all of the items back to HQ with them.
Once at HQ, they open the envelope and find an old black and white photograph of a family standing around a table preparing for a meal. They decide it must be a photo of the Duchamps family. There are nine people in the photo. There is a circle drawn around the little boy at the center of the picture.
A knock at the front door brings the investigation downstairs. It is Janet, wearing Sandra's cheerleading sweater, who is concerned for Arnold Smith's safety now that Bernie has been released from jail. She says that Arnold has been hearing noises at night and is "totally freaked out."
"I'm is also scared for her own safety given how the Reverend has apparently turned on her," said Janet.
"Can all of you come stay with me and Arnold at the Smith house that night?" ask Janet. They agree.
The investigators reassure Arnold that everything is okay. Janet puts on a fashion show for everyone, modeling Abby's clothes for C.R. who calls her "Sandy." This seems to please Janet. After a while, Ash and Yahiko tells Conan and Shute that They will stay outside in the car and watch the house from the exterior and that she should stay with Arnold and not let him out of her sight.
Ash and Yahiko leaves and sits in Ralph's cab while Janet sit in Sandra's room and talk about how cute all the investigators are but Conan is the cutest of the group then kiss Conan in the lips.
"If Jim was still alive and old enough I would be his girlfriend," said Janet.
Ash calls to Conan on the radio and gets no answer. Concerned, he runs back inside and up to the room where he discovers that Conan's radio is off. He tells them to make sure he leaves it on. He leaves again to sit vigil outside.
Several hours have passed and it is now dark. The calm of the night is broken by the eerie green glow of the Killer's camera watching the house and Ash and Yahiko from across the street. Upstairs, Conan, Shute and Janet continue to talk in Sandra's bedroom. Suddenly, Arnold, who has been asleep, starts moaning. The girls run in to him and find him in extreme discomfort. Janet tells Conan and Shute to stay with Arnold while she runs down stairs to get some water.
Outside, Ash and Yahiko are unaware of the various events beginning to unfold. Suddenly, a gunshot rings out. Ash immediately calls to Conan on his radio as he runs up the front steps. He is concerned for Conan and Shute as it dawns on him that Janet could be the Killer they're looking for.
Conan finally answers him on the radio. Ash and Yahiko enters the house and tells Conan and Shute, who has come down the stairs to go back up and check on Mr. Smith. Ash and Yahiko starts checking the house and can not find Janet anywhere. Conan and Shute come back downstairs to help. They go into the kitchen and check the back door. Suddenly, she looks down and realizes that she is standing in a puddle of blood. The Killer has claimed his next victim.
Ford soon arrives and is quite upset that the Killer has pulled off a murder right under the noses of the investigators. A .357 shell casing is found in the blood. Laura arrives and takes Arnold back to the diner. The 4 investigators feel partially responsible for what happened.
Day 21
In the morning briefing, Andy too says things are heating up and the Ford's is understandable. The Killer could have been in the cellar waiting the whole time. Katie points out that everyone who has tried to help them has been killed. The group still feels that the Reverend is a very strong suspect. Conan recalls Rusty telling her to be aware of the "whore of Babylon," Janet, thus giving him another motive for her murder.
The investigators discuss their findings from the day before. They feel the unexposed infrared film belongs to the Killer, as it is the type of film that's been used to photograph the murders at night. Andy also asks them why they think the photo is of the Duchamps family? Angel points out that in the lower left hand corner on the back of the picture, it reads "Duchamps family Thanksgiving Dinner, 1940." Further, there are nine people in the photo, which the lighthouse keeper says was the number of people in the Duchamps family.
Conan suggests that the little boy, circled in the photo could be the Burnt Man as the photo was taken one year before the Burnt Man said he was burned and fell into the ocean, which was in 1941. He further feels that the Burnt Man placed the photo in the back of the painting in the motel before he killed himself. Somehow, the Killer knew it was there and was searching for it.
Andy turns his attention to the black and red envelopes that were found at the diner that morning. The Killer question in the red envelope reads: What bible chapter says: "When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous and terror to the evil doers." Ash and Conan remember Reverend Rusty quoting this line during his interrogation and remember it is from Proverbs. However, they cannot remember the chapter and verse, which are what the Killer wants.
Ash gets up and leaves the room, returning a moment later with his bible. He turns to Proverbs and finds it, Proverbs 21 verse 15. Ash states he would be "kicked out of his church" if he missed that question. The answer is correct and the Killer removes Mayor Erick Anderson from the suspect list.
At 6:30PM the voting starts.
"The two people are going is Yahiko and Shute," said Andy then hands them their location maps.
"I will be going to the Moonlight High School," said Yahiko.
"I will be heading the old Fishermen's Cannery," said Shute.
"Before you enter the booth you will choose the two people who is going to play the killer's game," said Andy.
Yahiko enters the booth. "So this is my fifth time going out so I would know what to expect so I would make this quick. I have a girl at home named Tsubame and if I die tonight then just tell her that I'm in love with her and I will always be with her when she needs me at anytime," said Yahiko then it's Shute's turn.
"This what I get for sending Yahiko five times so I understand this. I may not have much to say except the people at home I might have to leave like my girl named Sayla. If I die tonight then tell Sayla that I love her and I will be with her in spirit," said Shute then at 10PM they went out barefoot.
Shute is dropped off up at the hill from the cannery building and he hikes down the road and enters though an open doorway.
Outside the high school, Neil Sanchez wishes Yahiko good luck. He enters the back of the gymnasium and crosses the basketball courts. Giant shafts of light pierce the otherwise a pitch-black gym. In the locker room, Yahiko is startled by the crash of some sporting equipment behind him. But there is no one there. He crosses the dark room towards the showers, which are on. As He turns the corner, she sees the telltale signature of the Killer, a giant Lupine "X." She heads towards it.
Shute walks down a short corridor that empties into another large building. Across the room he sees a metal barrel with a fire burning in it. It is sitting next to a concrete wall with a hole in it. Below the hole is an "X" made with bloody Lupine flowers.
Yahiko enters the shower and reaches for the flowers. The blue glow of the camera hurtles towards Yahiko. Yahiko screams and falls to the floor. Flash. Bang. Yahiko is dead.
Shute looks into the hole and sees the now familiar O.S.L. logo painted on the giant metal door of a vault. The vault door is shut and there is a combination lock.
Moments later, footsteps coming from the stairs and Shute appears in front of Ash and Conan.
"Few weeks ago the investigation started out with 10 investigators. Now they're only 3. Now soon or later you got to figure out who the killer is. Reverend Bernie Knight, Randy Silver, Tina Ryan, Paul Dixon and Kelly Baker," said Andy.