witness/m2.transcript

Somewhere near Los Angeles. A cold Friday evening in February 1938. In this
climate, cold is anywhere below about fifty degrees. Storm clouds are swimming
across the sky, their bottoms glowing faintly from the city lights in the
distance. A search light pans slowly under the clouds, heralding another film
premiere. The air seems expectant, waiting for the rain to begin, like a cat
waiting for the ineffable moment to ambush.

The taxi has just dropped you off at the entrance to the Linders' driveway. Th!
e
driver didn't seem to like venturing into this maze of twisty streets any more
than you did. But the house windows are full of light, and radio music drifts
toward you. Your favorite pistol, a snub-nosed Colt .32, is snug in its
holster. You just picked up a match book off the curb. It might come in handy.
Good thing you looked up the police file on Mrs. Linder's death. Her suicide
note and the newspaper story told you all you know about the family. The long
week is finished, except for this appointment. But why does an ominous feeling
grip you?

The WITNESS: An INTERLOGIC Mystery
Copyright (c) 1983 Infocom, Inc. All rights reserved.
WITNESS and INTERLOGIC are trademarks of Infocom, Inc.
Revision number 23 / Serial number 840925

You are now in the driveway entrance.
You are standing at the foot of the driveway, the entrance to the Linder
property. The entire lot is screened from the street and the neighbors by a
wooden fence, except on the east side, which fronts on dense bamboo woods. The
house looks like a mixture of a California bungalow and East Asian influences.
From here you can see the driveway leading north and, beyond that, the front
door.

What should you, the detective, do now?
>WALK NORTH

You are now on the driveway.
The driveway, paved with peastone, runs from the entrance at the south end in a
curve to a two-car garage at the east end. North of you is the front porch, the
entrance to the house.

What next?
>N

You are now on the front porch.
The front porch is in an alcove, sheltered from the weather by the walls and
overhanging roof. A yellowish electric light hangs near the closed front door
to the east, giving you a dim view of the driveway to the south and the front
yard behind a gate to the north.
The gate is closed. A door bell glows at you, almost daring you to ring it.

What next?
>N

Too bad, but the front gate is closed.

What next?
>OPEN IT

Okeh, the front gate is now open.

What next?
>N

You are now in the front yard.
You are in the front yard of the Linder property. Most of the space is occupied
by a kitchen garden full of vegetables and herbs. A wooden fence surrounds the
yard on the west and north sides. To the east is the house, with a French door
and two windows. To the south is a gate that leads to the front porch.

What next?
>LOOK THROUGH THE WINDOW

(Which window do you mean, the kitchen window or the bedroom window?)

>KITCHEN

The window is damp and foggy, but you can see someone in the kitchen inside.
Suddenly, a clap of thunder rolls across the hills nearby.

What next?
>KNOCK ON IT

Someone looks up at you inquisitively.
Someone shouts "Go to the front door!"

What next?
>GO TO THE FRONT DOOR

You are now on the front porch.

What next?
>RING THE BELL

Someone turns off the radio. You hear footsteps inside the house. Then the door
swings open.
"Good evening," says a smiling face, "I am Phong. Please come in." He leads you
into the house and closes the door behind you.

You are now in the entry.
Here in the entry is a small Shinto shrine, with a hanging scroll and an
arrangement of flowers, as well as a coat closet and a platform for storing
shoes. You can see a hallway to the east. The front door, on the west wall, is
closed.
Phong's straight black hair and folded eyelids make him obviously Asian, but no
definite nationality. His open, almost gentle face holds a quick smile and eyes
that seem to miss nothing. He carries his stout body lightly, but you can see
great strength under his light shirt and dark trousers. You guess his age at
about fifty, but who knows how many lifetimes of experience he carries?
Without warning, lightning flashes outside, and a few seconds later thunder
rattles the house.

What next?
>ASK PHONG ABOUT MR LINDER

"Frankly, Detective, I can't say I like him much. He always promised me wealth
here in America, but I've never seen it. I could manage the Asian branch of his
business if he'd let me. If I had any money, I'd quit on the spot and return
home."
Phong says, "I believe the Linders are in the living room. Please follow me."
He leads you into a hallway and turns left. This hallway seems to run the
length of the house, from the garage at the south end to the living room at the
north. There is enough warm yellow light flooding from the living room for you
to see a few doors on each side of the hall. As you get near the living room,
you hear voices talking, half-loud and fast.

You are now in the living room.
A huge fieldstone fireplace on the south wall holds a blazing fire, filling the
living room with warmth and light. Grouped in front of the fire are a
glass-topped coffee table and a rattan davenport and club chair, with cushions
covered in a print showing bamboo plants in the style of Japanese
brush-painting. A lamp with a printed shade and a telephone sit on the table.
On the north wall are a liquor cabinet and a console radio made of
light-colored wood. A single door in the east wall is closed, and at the west
end of the room is a double door.

"Excuse me, sir," says Phong, "but the detective has arrived."

Monica stops talking and looks at you sharply. She is a woman in her
mid-twenties. Her grey eyes flash, emphasizing her dark waved hair and light
but effective make-up. She wears a navy Rayon blouse, tan slacks, and tan pumps
with Cuban heels. She acts as though you were a masher who just gave her a
whistle.
Linder stands at least six foot, with a powerful frame but quick actions, like
a cat. His eyeglasses sit on top of his head, where thin strands of long black
hair go here and there, mostly combed backward. His wide-set hazel eyes size
you up quickly from within their pouches in his ruddy face. He wears a silk
peach-colored Mandarin shirt and chocolate trousers, impeccably tailored and
laundered, but sweat gleams on his high forehead, and he looks as though he
hasn't slept much lately.

Linder turns to you and says, "Detective, am I glad to see you! This is my
daughter, Monica, and of course you've met Phong already." He looks at a wrist
watch with a gleaming silver bracelet. "I see you're a little late. I'll be
with you as soon as I finish my drink."
Mr. Phong heads off to the south.

(Aren't you getting tired of seeing "What next?" and "You are now in the ...."?
From here on, the prompt will be much shorter.)

>ASK LINDER FOR A DRINK

"I think we both need one."  And so you both have one.

>LINDER, TELL ME ABOUT THE THREAT

"I'll explain all that shortly, after I finish this drink."
Rain begins to fall outside in a sprinkle.

>TURN ON THE RADIO THEN SIT ON THE COUCH

You turn on the radio, spin the dial and find an Amos 'n' Andy serial.

You are now sitting on the davenport.
The rain outside is falling heavily now.
Linder gulps down the rest of his drink. "Well, Detective," he says, "I'm
anxious to get on with our business. Let's you and I go to my office so we can
talk undisturbed." You are on your own feet again.
He takes you by the arm and leads you through the hallway. Just south of the
entry, he opens a door to the east and leads you through it.
(office)
This is obviously the office of Mr. Linder's company, Pacific Trade Associates.
At the west end of the office, a massive desk of teak and mahogany faces toward
the window. It has no drawers, but the top is covered with piles of letters,
some newspapers, a telephone, and various souvenirs from the Far East.
Behind it is a large ornately-carved chair, like a cruiser escorting a battle
ship. A simple wooden chair, polished smooth by visitors, flanks the desk on
the other side. On the north wall is a lounge, upholstered in green velvet and
a bit lumpy, with a framed wood-block picture hanging over it. On the outside
wall, next to a door and window, stands a grandfather clock, ticking
relentlessly. A file cabinet stands in the corner.
The door to the interior hallway is open.
A cat is sleeping in the corner.
Linder sits down in the carved chair.

>PET THE CAT

The cat purrs a little louder and curls one paw.
"If you'll just take a chair, I'll explain what this is all about."

>TAKE A CHAIR

(Which chair do you mean, the wooden chair or the carved chair?)

>THE WOODEN CHAIR

You are now sitting on the wooden chair.
Linder begins his story. "My late wife, may she rest in peace, got involved
with a young man named Stiles. Naturally I tried to stop this affair, but
without much success. Since my wife passed away, this Stiles fellow has gone
off the deep end, I'm afraid, and blamed me for her death. I tried my best to
ignore him, but he seems to have lost his senses. This morning I received this
note and decided to ask your help." He hands the note to you.

>READ IT

The note is written in a spidery hand on fine rag paper. It says:
"Linder --
Since Virginia died, I've lost too much sleep because of you and your
harrassments. The time has come to put this matter to rest once and for all.
I'll be seeing you sooner than you imagine.
              -- Stiles"

>ASK LINDER ABOUT STILES

"All I know about Stiles is that he's a writer of some kind, and sometimes he
plays bit parts in films. I've never really met the man."

>ASK LINDER ABOUT VIRGINIA

"It's still too painful for me to talk about, I'm afraid."

>LINDER, TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF

"You've probably read about me in the papers. In fact they just published
something about me when I won that award. And I've heard lots about you. That's
why I asked you here."

>HELP LINDER

You'll have to be more specific.

>GIVE THE NOTE TO THE CAT

You can't give a threatening note to a cat!

>SEARCH ME

You'd do a much better job if you stood up.
The rain outside begins to taper off.

>STAND UP

You are on your own feet again.

>SEARCH ME

You find nothing unusual.

>SEARCH THE ROOM

(You'd do better to examine or search one thing at a time. Searching a whole
room or area thoroughly would take hours. A cursory search would take about 7
minutes, and it might not reveal much. Would you like to do it anyway?) (Answer
YES or NO.) >YES

The rain storm outside has passed now.
The clock chimes once to mark the half hour.
Your cursory search revealed nothing new.

>SEARCH THE DESK

You find nothing unusual.
Monica bursts into the office, wearing a felt hat and wool coat, and struggling
to get her driving gloves on. She glances icily in your direction and then back
to her father. "I'm off to the pictures with Terry, Dad. Good-bye." She hugs
him briefly but firmly, burying her head in his shoulder. He pushes her away
and says, "You're leaving now?! I thought you'd be talking to the detective
here. What about the threat on my life?" He has the hurt look of an orphan pup.
She answers, "You don't need me here. I need to get away now and then. I'm not
like Mother, you know." Tears well up in her eyes but she brushes them away
before they drop. She turns to leave.

>MONICA, WAIT!

Monica stops and turns toward you.
Monica is acting impatient.

>MONICA, TELL ME ABOUT STILES

"Oh, that lover boy thinks he's a smooth apple, all right. If you ask me, he's
just a harmless grifter."
Monica is acting impatient.

>TELL ME ABOUT THE MOVIE

(said to Monica)
"I think we'll see 'Dead End'. Terry wants to check out this guy named Bogart."
Monica is acting impatient.

>TELL ME ABOUT TERRY

(said to Monica)
"That has nothing to do with why Dad asked you here."
Monica is acting impatient.

>SHOW THE NOTE TO HER

"I don't know anything about it, shamus."
Monica looks more nervous. "I really must go now, or I'll be late for the
film." She hugs her father again and dashes out the door.
Monica heads off to the west.

>FOLLOW HER

Linder says with frustration, "I wish you wouldn't try to go off while we're
trying to talk."
Outside somewhere, a car roars to life and speeds away.

>ASK LINDER ABOUT TERRY

"I can't help you there."

>ASK HIM ABOUT THE MOVIE

"That has nothing to do with why I asked you here."

>EXAMINE THE NOTE

The note is written in a spidery hand on fine rag paper. It says:
"Linder --
Since Virginia died, I've lost too much sleep because of you and your
harrassments. The time has come to put this matter to rest once and for all.
I'll be seeing you sooner than you imagine.
              -- Stiles"

>ANALYZE THE NOTE

You haven't met Sergeant Duffy yet tonight. You'll need his help to do that.

>FIND DUFFY

Sergeant Duffy is probably at the station, working late as usual.

>PHONE DUFFY

The night clerk at the station says he'll give Duffy your message.

>ASK LINDER ABOUT THE NOTE

"Yes, that's the note that Stiles sent to me."

>FIND PHONG

You last saw him about half an hour ago.

>PUSH THE BUTTON

Linder grabs your wrist and looks you hard in the eye. Then a wide smile breaks
out on his face as he lets go. "Sorry if I'm rough, but I don't want any
interruptions right now."

>SIT ON THE COUCH

(You can't see any couch here!)

>LOOK AROUND

(office)
This is obviously the office of Mr. Linder's company, Pacific Trade Associates.
At the west end of the office, a massive desk of teak and mahogany faces toward
the window. It has no drawers, but the top is covered with piles of letters,
some newspapers, a telephone, and various souvenirs from the Far East.
Behind it is a large ornately-carved chair, like a cruiser escorting a battle
ship, where Linder sits imperiously. A simple wooden chair, polished smooth by
visitors, flanks the desk on the other side. On the north wall is a lounge,
upholstered in green velvet and a bit lumpy, with a framed wood-block picture
hanging over it. On the outside wall, next to a door and window, stands a
grandfather clock, ticking relentlessly. A file cabinet stands in the corner.
The door to the interior hallway is open.
A cat is sleeping in the corner.

>EXAMINE THE CLOCK

This is a full-blown "grandfather" clock, seven feet tall, run by weights and
regulated by a pendulum, whose dial shows day, date, and phase of the moon
besides the time. According to the dial, today is Friday the 18th, the moon is
just past full, and the time is now 8:52 p.m.

>LOOK AT THE PICTURE

There's nothing special about the picture.

>SIT ON THE LOUNGE

You are now sitting on the lounge.

>ASK LINDER ABOUT THE CLOCK

"I've always admired elaborate machines, and that's the finest example I could
hope to own."

>GET A DRINK

You are now carrying the drink.

>DRINK IT

You could drink this stuff all night, but you have work to do.

>SMOKE A CIGARET

You light up a Camel, take a deep drag, and watch the smoke drift through the
air. A few more puffs, and you're ready to go to work again.

>LINDER, TELL ME ABOUT MONICA

"She's a loyal and intelligent girl. I'm very proud of her."
The clock chimes 9 times to mark the hour.

>TELL ME ABOUT PHONG

"He and I go back a long time. Met in Asia, you know. And since I spend as much
time there as here, he takes care of the house for me. A fine fellow, and I
trust him implicitly."

>TELL ME ABOUT THE PICTURE

"I can't help you there."

>TELL ME ABOUT DUFFY

Sergeant Duffy is probably at the station, working late as usual.
You hear the door bell ring.

Linder looks toward the window and says, "I don't think Phong has answered the
door bell yet." He reaches toward the butler's button and at the same instant
shouts "Stiles!" You turn around and dimly see a figure outside. Suddenly there
is a flash of light and an explosion, and the window falls into dozens of shiny
shards. The cat bolts and disappears somewhere. The figure outside turns and
runs before you can see the face. When you turn back around, you see Linder
slumping down in his chair, with a bloody stain spreading across his silk
shirt. He teeters on the edge of the seat, then falls onto the floor, quite
dead.

>STAND UP

You are on your own feet again.

>OPEN DOOR

(Which door do you mean, the office door, the back door, or the grandfather
clock?)

>BACK

You'll have to unlock it first.

>UNLOCK IT

Okeh, the back door is now unlocked.
Suddenly Phong enters the office. When he sees that Linder has cashed in his
chips, he turns away for a minute and bows his head.

>OPEN IT

Okeh, the back door is now open.

>GO OUT

(office porch)
You are standing on a small concrete slab outside Linder's office. A sign
between the door and the window reads "PACIFIC TRADE ASSOCIATES". To the north
is a tidy lawn, extending east to the edge of the woods. A path of stepping
stones leads south to the back gate.
You notice some fresh foot prints heading east.
You hear the door bell ring.

>FOLLOW THEM

You would probably get lost in the woods. Even with a path to follow.

>S

(office path)
You are on a path made of stepping stones, which leads from the back gate at
the south to Linder's office at the north. In the east you can see a thick
woods. To the west is the side yard.
There's a muddy handgun here.

>PICK IT UP

You are now carrying the muddy handgun.

>N

(office porch)

>IN

(office)
The body of Mr. Linder is still crumpled in a heap on the floor.

>EXAMINE BODY

The blood on Linder's shirt has clotted and turned dark.

>EXAMINE GUN

(Which gun do you mean, the muddy handgun or the snub-nosed Colt?)

>MUDDY

The gun is muddy from the ground, but you can see it's just a cheap low-quality
handgun.
Suddenly your assistant, Sgt. Duffy, appears from out of nowhere. "Detective,
I'm glad you're safe! I thought I should come here on the streetcar, in case
you needed help. I'm familiar with the house, since I was here to help
investigate Mrs. Linder's death. Just as I walked up tonight, I heard a shot!
The next thing I knew, this man, who calls himself Stiles, burst out of the
woods behind the house. Naturally, I put the nippers on him and brought him
along. I've stowed him in the living room. I'll stand by to help you." He
scurries off to go about his work.

>DUFFY, ANALYZE THE MUDDY GUN

Sergeant Duffy, quiet as a mouse, walks up and takes the muddy handgun from
you. "I'll return soon with the results," he says, and leaves as silently as he
came.

>W

(hallway)
This is the south end of a hallway that runs the length of the house. At the
far end, to the north, you can see the living room; immediately to the south is
a door. Other doors on both sides lead to other rooms.
Mr. Phong, off to the north, ducks into a room to the west.

>N

(hallway)

>N

(hallway)
This is near the middle of the central hallway. At the north end, you can see
the living room; to the east and west are bedroom doors. The door to the east
is open.

>N

(hallway)
This is the north end of the central hallway. Just to the north, you can see
warm yellow light in the living room.

>W

(kitchen)
The Linder kitchen is full of electric appliances: range and hood,
refrigerator, mixer, toaster, clock, and so on. Several white steel cabinets
make for plenty of storage space. To the north is the dining room, to the east
the hall.
Phong is here, opening a can of worms.

>ASK HIM ABOUT THE WORMS

"I didn't think you had any interest in gardening! Those little babies are the
best thing for the clay soil around here. You can just order them by mail and
open them up when they arrive."

>LOOK IN THE FRIDGE

Too bad, but the refrigerator is closed.

>OPEN IT

You open the refrigerator and see a bunch of cold food.

>CLOSE IT

You'd have to be more clever to do that to the bunch of cold food.

>CLOSE THE FRIDGE

Closed.

>N

(dining room)
A table and benches, built out of blond wood for six people, sit in the middle
of the room. On the south wall is a swinging door that leads to the kitchen,
and on the east wall a double door to the living room. Through a French door on
the west wall you can see the front yard.

>E

(living room)
Stiles is fastened to the davenport, looking sullen.

>TALK TO STILES

Mr. Stiles is listening.

>TELL ME ABOUT LINDER

(Which Linder do you mean, the late Mrs. Linder or Mr. Linder?)

>MR

(said to Mr. Stiles)
"He's a smooth operator. I can think of many people who'd like to plug him. Not
me, of course. I still don't understand why he sounded so urgent when he called
me today and asked me to come here tonight."

>I

You are carrying:
  a threatening note
  a drink
  a telegram
  a pair of handcuffs
  a snub-nosed Colt
  a match book

>SHOW HIM THE NOTE

"Holy smoke! That sort of looks like my writing, but I didn't write it."

>ASK ABOUT VIRGINIA

"Virginia was a special woman. Repressed for years. I think that, if only ...
Say, I don't have to answer your questions!"

>LOOK AT HIS SHOES

They're pointed wing tips with sensational welt features, but a bit shabby and
more than a bit muddy.

>SHOW THE GUN TO HIM

"That has nothing to do with me."

>SHOW THE MATCH BOOK TO STILES

"That's my phone number! Linder must have jotted it down the day we had lunch
at that restaurant, when he first offered me money to leave town."

>WAIT FOR DUFFY

Time passes...
Suddenly, Sergeant Duffy returns with the muddy handgun. For a moment you muse
on his almost magical appearances. "The gun has recently been fired, and it
contains traces of cheap gun powder." With that, he leaves, handing you the
muddy handgun as he whisks away.
It's now 9:42 p.m.

>SHOW THE GUN TO STILES

(Which gun do you mean, the muddy handgun or the snub-nosed Colt?)

>MUDDY

"I've never seen it before. Anyhow, I don't like guns."

>Q

(If you want to continue from this point at another time, you must "SUSPEND"
first.) Do you want to stop your investigation now? (Answer YES or NO.) >YES