FLOORBOARD
You’re continuing your study of the McDermott House when you glance down and pause, mid-step. Something about the floor here is off. The line of the boards isn’t quite right. You kneel down for a closer look, and discover a hidden compartment! You reach in and retrieve a couple of items from the hollowed nook: a journal and a small case.
As you hold the journal, you get an uncomfortable twinge in your chest, like you just got caught mishandling a library book. It’s such a distinct sensation, you’re actually not all that surprised when an affronted *ahem* is coughed just over your shoulder. You look up to see a scowling young man standing next to the hidden floorboard compartment.
“What do you think you’re doing?” asks the figure, clearly trying to sound older than their appearance.
“Well, you must be Virgil Weber, Elsie’s brother.”
“Stepbrother, you mean. I’m Elsie’s stepbrother. What are you doing with my journal?”
“I need to know more about all this.”
“Ah, so you think you’re going to solve our murders?”
“If I tell you the truth, do you promise to help me? I saw what Charles – my stepfather – is doing with that candle. He’s planning on getting revenge on whoever killed Elsie! I didn’t do it, but I’m worried he thinks it was me! If I tell you what I remember, do you promise not to let him?”
“Just tell the truth. Charles won’t bother you.”
“Well… I was bored that day. I went for a walk in the neighborhood, and maybe I did something bad. Not awfully bad, I promise! Just some mischief. I knew I might get in trouble, so I ran home. My mom was leaving on some errand with that awkward Mr. Emmett and Aunt Jane. I hopped in to get away from the house, but the car broke down just a ways down the road! That’s when that strange fellow, Otto, happened to drive by, almost like he knew what would happen. It had started to storm, so he gave us a ride back. I don’t know why, but mom invited him in. That’s… all I can remember, promise.”
“Well, there’s my mom. She met Charles and that was that. He moved us down here real quick. Instead of being just me and my mom, now there are family dinners and they expect me to play baby games with Elsie and her dolls. Jane, Charles’ sister moved here after… After Rose got taken. She says she’s fine now, but she cries all the time over nothing. Then there’s Mr Emmett. He’s alright, I guess. Weird. He actually likes playing with Elsie. But he does know some good puzzles, and doesn’t try to talk to me like a baby just because I’m a kid. But we’re also stuck with that guy that smiles too much, the salesman that got caught here that night. Seems weird that he just happened to be there when the car broke down. Bad luck for him, huh?”
“Hah, that’s a nice way to put it. You sound like that doctor the school brought in. I guess you know what the school records all say. That I have “an innate temper likely inherited from the father” like that doctor announced? It’s not my fault those boys thought I was an easy target cause I was smaller and the new kid. Not to mention my dumb teachers at the school here. They just don’t get how boringly easy the work is. Or worse, sometimes they’re just plain wrong. Look, all I’m saying is, you don’t know anything about me, not really, just like those administrators.”
As you’re replacing the floorboard to make sure no one twists an ankle, you notice something taped to the underside:
As you hold the journal, you get an uncomfortable twinge in your chest, like you just got caught mishandling a library book. It’s such a distinct sensation, you’re actually not all that surprised when an affronted *ahem* is coughed just over your shoulder. You look up to see a scowling young man standing next to the hidden floorboard compartment.
“What do you think you’re doing?” asks the figure, clearly trying to sound older than their appearance.
“Well, you must be Virgil Weber, Elsie’s brother.”
“Stepbrother, you mean. I’m Elsie’s stepbrother. What are you doing with my journal?”
“I need to know more about all this.”
“Ah, so you think you’re going to solve our murders?”
“Well, you must be Virgil Weber, Elsie’s brother.”
“Stepbrother, you mean. I’m Elsie’s stepbrother. What are you doing with my journal?”
“I need to know more about all this.”
“Ah, so you think you’re going to solve our murders?”
“If I tell you the truth, do you promise to help me? I saw what Charles – my stepfather – is doing with that candle. He’s planning on getting revenge on whoever killed Elsie! I didn’t do it, but I’m worried he thinks it was me! If I tell you what I remember, do you promise not to let him?”
“Just tell the truth. Charles won’t bother you.”
“Well… I was bored that day. I went for a walk in the neighborhood, and maybe I did something bad. Not awfully bad, I promise! Just some mischief. I knew I might get in trouble, so I ran home. My mom was leaving on some errand with that awkward Mr. Emmett and Aunt Jane. I hopped in to get away from the house, but the car broke down just a ways down the road! That’s when that strange fellow, Otto, happened to drive by, almost like he knew what would happen. It had started to storm, so he gave us a ride back. I don’t know why, but mom invited him in. That’s… all I can remember, promise.”
“Just tell the truth. Charles won’t bother you.”
“Well… I was bored that day. I went for a walk in the neighborhood, and maybe I did something bad. Not awfully bad, I promise! Just some mischief. I knew I might get in trouble, so I ran home. My mom was leaving on some errand with that awkward Mr. Emmett and Aunt Jane. I hopped in to get away from the house, but the car broke down just a ways down the road! That’s when that strange fellow, Otto, happened to drive by, almost like he knew what would happen. It had started to storm, so he gave us a ride back. I don’t know why, but mom invited him in. That’s… all I can remember, promise.”
“Well, there’s my mom. She met Charles and that was that. He moved us down here real quick. Instead of being just me and my mom, now there are family dinners and they expect me to play baby games with Elsie and her dolls. Jane, Charles’ sister moved here after… After Rose got taken. She says she’s fine now, but she cries all the time over nothing. Then there’s Mr Emmett. He’s alright, I guess. Weird. He actually likes playing with Elsie. But he does know some good puzzles, and doesn’t try to talk to me like a baby just because I’m a kid. But we’re also stuck with that guy that smiles too much, the salesman that got caught here that night. Seems weird that he just happened to be there when the car broke down. Bad luck for him, huh?”
“Hah, that’s a nice way to put it. You sound like that doctor the school brought in. I guess you know what the school records all say. That I have “an innate temper likely inherited from the father” like that doctor announced? It’s not my fault those boys thought I was an easy target cause I was smaller and the new kid. Not to mention my dumb teachers at the school here. They just don’t get how boringly easy the work is. Or worse, sometimes they’re just plain wrong. Look, all I’m saying is, you don’t know anything about me, not really, just like those administrators.”