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Hey y'all! Welcome to the Alternative Culprit Files! Part four!
Treasure In The Royal Tower
Dexter's Ending
Nancy inserts the key into the floor, praying that all the running around tracking down medallions that she had done was worth it. All of a sudden, the key twists, and a circular section is taken out of the floor before descending down. Then, a column rises up, and on it...
"The diamond!" Nancy whispers to herself.
"Nice gem you got there Nancy..." A gruff voice comments, and Nancy turns to see Dexter standing there, admiring the multi-karat marvel in front of him.
"Oh, hello Mr. Egan. How'd you get up here?" Nancy asks, confused.
Dexter merely glowers at her.
"By following you." He responds, rather brusquely.
"H-" Nancy tries to reply, but she is cut off by something spraying in her eyes.
"AHHH!" Nancy screams, as her eyes feel as though they are ready to burn off. She sees Dexter still standing there, with a can in his grasp.
"Pepper spray. Ms. Lane tells me to keep it around for crooks - ironic, huh?" Dexter explains, giving a cruel, growling laugh. "Dont worry, it won't blind you or anything - just keep you here long enough for me to make a mad dash for it with this big old rock."
"S-So you're the one behind everything?" Nancy asks, struggling to form words while the pain still clouds her vision. "The library? Locking me outside?"
"The library...right, I had to make it look like someone else tore up the place looking for the treasure...drew attention away from me. As for you...don't take it personal, kid. I saved you, didn't I? It was just a little scare, to spook you off the case." Dexter responds, in that always rough tone.
"B-But why?" Nancy questions.
"My whole life, I've been at this castle. I'm tired, kid. Tired of this place, tired of the memories, tired of the guests, tired of that French yapper in the ski rental booth. I figured if I could make a lot of cash quick, I could leave, finally." Dexter explains, his voice getting almost...teary at some points?
"Wh-" Nancy begins to ask, but Dexter cuts her off.
"I'm gonna stop you there. I got places to be - unlike you. Maybe one day you'll make it out of here, maybe not. Not my problem anymore." And with that, Dexter hurries off down the tower stairs.
Ironically, it is at this moment that Nancy regains her vision. Blinking her eyes, she takes a look at her surroundings.
"I've got to stop him!" She whispers to herself.
(Bad Ending)
Nancy stares helplessly at her surroundings, unsure of what to do or where to go. She hears Dexter's footsteps grow fainter and fainter, then the distinct "CLANK" of chains being pulled...
She looks at the painting of Marie Antoinette she had chipped away at earlier.
"Looks like its just you and me now...forever." Nancy sighs, resigning herself to her fate.
(You have failed)
(Good Ending)
Nancy pauses for a moment, but then remembers...
"The button!"
She dashes forward and presses the stone button at the top of the stairs, then hears the stairs retracting, and, of course, Dexter's loud yell as he falls straight into the tower's built-in dungeon.
She walks down until she is standing directly above the section of missing steps, then looks down to see Dexter glaring up at her.
"I should have left you out in the snow...kid."
Dear George,
Turns out that grumpy old Dexter was also a full-fledged vandal! He staged the library's destruction, while he continued on his search for the diamond he had learned of by snooping through Jacques' things. Dexter, tired of being tied down to Ezra Wickford and his legacy, wanted escape...perhaps jail will provide that for him?
(Insert Regular Jacques Ending)
(Insert Regular Hotchkiss Ending)
Lisa was excited to have a juicy story for her article, and even more excited to be able to have the first scoop on Dexter's arrest. She wrote me to say she got a promotion, and she's off to Cancun, Mexico, for some sun and sand! After all the snow we've seen, I can't really blame her.
As for me, I took my chance to finally go skiing - turns out, I'm more handy on the chairlift than anything.
Can't wait to come back home!
Love, Nancy.
Jacques's Ending
Nancy inserts the key into the floor, praying that all the running around tracking down medallions that she had done was worth it. All of a sudden, the key twists, and a circular section is taken out of the floor before descending down. Then, a column rises up, and on it...
"The diamond!" Nancy whispers to herself.
"Sacre bleu! I-I finally found it!" Nancy turns at the sound of a voice to find Jacques, admiring the diamond's shine.
"Jacques? How'd you get up here?" Nancy asks, perplexed.
"Following you, of course, Ms. Drew" Jacques replies, flashing a charming smile.
"How-" Nancy begins to ask, but she is cut off by some powder being blown into her eyes.
"AHHH!" Nancy screams. She looks through her hazy vision to see Jacques, his smile replaced by a wicked sneer.
"Leftover dust, from the boxes, you see? Very handy, non?" Jacques explains. "It will wear off soon, no worries! Just a little distraction while I make my grand escape, with the diamond, of course."
"But...why? Why would you do this?" Nancy coughs out, her vision blurry.
"It is my legacy, Nancy. This diamond belongs to me, and it...it can fix everything! With this, Isobel, she will be swept off her feet, and I, her dashing savior!" Jacques explains, an unhinged edge to his voice.
"So you were..." Nancy begins to question him further, but she's cut off by his scoff.
"You think I have the time for your questions? Non! Perhaps one day they shall find you up here, Nancy. A very beautiful tomb, you know? Au revoir!" Jacques sneers as he backs away, before sprinting down the stairs.
Ironically, it is at this moment that Nancy regains her vision. Blinking her eyes, she takes a look at her surroundings.
"I've got to stop him!" She whispers to herself.
(Bad Ending)
Nancy stares helplessly at her surroundings, unsure of what to do or where to go. She hears Jacques's footsteps grow fainter and fainter, then the distinct "CLANK" of chains being pulled...
She looks at the painting of Marie Antoinette she had chipped away at earlier.
"Looks like its just you and me now...forever." Nancy sighs, resigning herself to her fate.
(You Have Failed)
(Good Ending)
Nancy pauses for a moment, but then remembers...
"The button!"
She dashes forward and presses the stone button at the top of the stairs, then hears the stairs retracting, and, of course, Jacques's loud yell as he falls straight into the tower's built-in dungeon.
She walks down until she is standing directly above the section of missing steps, then looks down to see Jacques glaring up at her.
"Why could you not have just been a typical American girl?"
Dear George,
Can you believe what Jacques was willing to do to get his hands on that diamond? He tore apart the library to keep everyone distracted, while he went on his real search - for the medallions that would unlock the treasure he had immense knowledge about. Apparantly, he felt the diamond belonged to him, and he was going to use it to give Isobel the proposal and wedding she had been demanding. Suffice to say, he doesn't need to worry about her anymore...
(Insert Regular Dexter Ending)
(Insert Regular Hotchkiss Ending)
Lisa was excited to have a juicy story for her article, and even more excited to be able to have the first scoop on Hotchkiss's arrest. She wrote me to say she got a promotion, and she's off to Cancun, Mexico, for some sun and sand! After all the snow we've seen, I can't really blame her.
As for me, I took my chance to finally go skiing - turns out, I'm more handy on the chairlift than anything.
Can't wait to come back home!
Love, Nancy.
Hotchkiss's Ending
Nancy inserts the key into the floor, praying that all the running around tracking down medallions that she had done was worth it. All of a sudden, the key twists, and a circular section is taken out of the floor before descending down. Then, a column rises up, and on it...
"The diamond!" Nancy whispers to herself.
"I can't believe it! It's so exquisite!" Nancy turns to find the voice belongs to Professor Hotchkiss, staring intently at the diamond.
"Professor Hotchkiss? How'd you get up here?" Nancy asks, perplexed.
"Oh, I followed you, dear. Wasn't easy, of course...you're quite slippery, Fanny." Hotchkiss explains, smiling sweetly.
"Rea-?" Nancy begins to ask, but she's cut off by something sharp and thorny being sprayed into her eyes.
"AHHH!" Nancy screams, as her vision grows blurry. She can barely make out the shape of the Professor, except instead of a sweet smile, she now sports a sneer.
"Pepper spray, dearie. Quite handy, wouldn't you say? Oh, you'll be quite alright in a bit - enough time for great escape!" Hotchkiss explains, her tone as kooky as ever.
"Why? Why are you doing this?" Nancy hacks out, her vision still fogged up.
"I am a scholar, Mandy! This - This diamond could be my magnum opus! I'll be known all over, the vindicator of Marie Antoinette's jewel! The history! The intrigue! Doesn't it make you positively loopy, Nina?" Hotchkiss explains, her voice almost fanatical in nature.
"But wh..." Nancy tries to question her further, but Hotchkiss merely tuts.
"I'm afraid I must be going, Lindy. Thank you for the journal, dear. Ta ta!" Hotchkiss quickly takes, surprisingly agile for someone her age.
Ironically, it is at this moment that Nancy regains her vision. Blinking her eyes, she takes a look at her surroundings.
"I've got to stop her!" She whispers to herself.
(Bad Ending)
Nancy stares helplessly at her surroundings, unsure of what to do or where to go. She hears Hotchkiss's footsteps grow fainter and fainter, then the distinct "CLANK" of chains being pulled...
She looks at the painting of Marie Antoinette she had chipped away at earlier.
"Looks like its just you and me now...forever." Nancy sighs, resigning herself to her fate.
(You Have Failed)
(Good Ending)
Nancy pauses for a moment, but then remembers...
"The button!"
She dashes forward and presses the stone button at the top of the stairs, then hears the stairs retracting, and, of course, Hotchkiss's loud yell as he falls straight into the tower's built-in dungeon.
She walks down until she is standing directly above the section of missing steps, then looks down to see Hotchkiss...smiling...up at her.
"I'm afraid I'll never get you that tip now, Mandy..."
Dear George,
Who would've thought sweet old Professor Hotchkiss could be behind acts so sinister? Turns out, she'd been combing the castle for clues to the diamond she knew about thanks to her years of research. She staged the robbery in her room, and even tore apart the library in her frantic search. I suppose she wanted so badly to be the authority on Marie Antoinette, that she didn't consider how harmful her methods ended up being.
(Insert Regular Dexter Ending)
(Insert Regular Jacques Ending)
Lisa was excited to have a juicy story for her article, and even more excited to be able to have the first scoop on Hotchkiss's arrest. She wrote me to say she got a promotion, and she's off to Cancun, Mexico, for some sun and sand! After all the snow we've seen, I can't really blame her.
As for me, I took my chance to finally go skiing - turns out, I'm more handy on the chairlift than anything.
Can't wait to come back home!
Love, Nancy.
Authors Note: Sorry for the insanely long delay for this chapter. I will be continuing this series, and I hopefully won't take as long between chapters again. Thanks for reading!