Homicide Desk VI
The Quarter Moon Murders

Homicide Desk VI -- The Quarter Moon Murders

The first thing you need to be aware of is that the locations do NOT appear as flags for this case, which makes this one a pain in the buttocks for chasing down the locations.  This is also one of the more complicated cases in the game -- so you will need to take things slowly and with care so you do not miss anything important.

We start with another war flashback, this time in combat -- and you get shown up for being a total idiot...

-- Central Police Station --

The case begins with a new letter from the murderer, and when you examine it everyone but Rusty accepts that you are dealing with one killer in all the cases.  You work out the clues by readingf the envelope, letter, and book, and figure out that the fountain in Pershing Square is where he is talking about!

Drive to Pershing Square (marked by the flag on the map) and you will climb the fountain to find two more clues:

-- Second Excerpt: found on top the fountain

-- Social Security Card: found on top the fountain

On the map place a marker on the Hall of Records off Broadway near 2nd -- you should already have that landmark on your map because we passed by it several times earlier...  You can wait for him to figure out the clue for you if you like, but that will take several minutes, or you can just go directly to the Hall of Records -- your call!

Talk to the guard and follow his directions to get to the top, where you have to walk the chain without falling more than twice...  Taking it one step and a time is the way to do this, so you do not go unbalanced and fall at all.

When you get to the end you find the missing watch and another letter -- and then you have to swing the chandelier and jump or die!

When you are back at the bottom you can either wait for him to work out the clue, or you can go directly to the Public Library building at 5th and Grand Streets.

Getting to the top of the Library Tower

-- Public Library --

When you arrive at the Library it is obvious that you need to climb the tower -- so do this by the numbers:

01. Climb the drain pipe
02. Climb the scaffolding and wall
03. Climb the low scaffolding platform and then up the ladder
04. Cross the wooden plank
05. Climb the drain pipe
06. Climb the ladder
07. Hop over two gaps
08. Climb the ladder
09. Cross the wooden plank
10. Climb down the ladder
11. Hop down three short levels of scaffolding
12. Climb the ladder to the top
13. Walk around to the other side and find the clues

-- A religious medallion

-- Another message

You can wait for him to decipher it or you can proceed directly to the Westlake Tar Pits (on the map they are located at the question mark on San Marino Street in Westlake).  Mark that and then drive there.  I just let Rusty drive to save time...

When you arrive you discover that you need to get across the tar to the island -- not an easy task!

After you change clothes into the waders and overalls that are there, survey the path ahead -- anyplace with the group of posts sticking out is theoretically safe -- but you cannot stand for long before it getting unstable.

Getting to the Island

The following path will get you there, by the numbers:

01 Straight
02 Right
03 Left
04 Straight
05 Right
06 Right
07 Left
08 Left
09 Right
10 Left
11 Straight
12 Left
13 Straight
14 Left
15 Right
16 Straight
17 Right

When you reach the island examine the two clues:

-- The white show

-- The clue letter

You can wait for him to figure this out, or you can go straight to the County Art Museum on Hoover Street between 8th and 9th Streets!  Again I let Rusty drive to get there faster...

-- L.A. County Art Museum --

When you arrive you learn that you must go to the center of the maze -- to do that follow these steps:

01 Follow the signs to the entrance
02 Inside go to the first intersection
03 Go right
04 At the next intersection go right then immediately left
05 Go straight through the next intersection then follow the path to the center

1. Follow the path until it splits
2. Go right
3. Follow the path until it splits
4. Go right and immediately go left
5. Follow the path past the split

Examine the clues here:

-- Ring

-- Clue letter

You can either wait for him to figure it out, or you can go directly to the set of 'Intolerance' which is located at the corner of Francisco and 8th Street -- you should have that location discovered but if you do not look for the question mark...  I let Rusty drive again.

-- The Set of Intolerance --

When you reach the set you learn that you need to climb to the throne, and once again Rusty leaves the heavy lifting to you!

The stairs up are in the back, but try not to do any unnecessary falling or it will get you dead! (Chuckle)

Basically after you jump and the pillar starts to collapse you need to balance yourself until Rusty can slide you a board, and you can escape that perilous predicament!  When he says to make it to the next platform (after he places the board) let it tip forward and jump.

Walk forward and then slide down the ladder on the left, and when you get to the bottom walk around to the front of the throne and examine the two clues:

-- The E Ring

-- Another puzzle letter

The place is collapsing -- so RUN!

You can either wait until he figures it out, or you can go directly to Christ Crown of Thorns Church on the map -- it is located a little south of 9th street nearby where we are now!  If you have not discovered it yet, it is marked by a question mark...

Wrapping things up - but not nicely

-- Christ Crown of Thorns --

When you arrive you get to meet the real killer... Again.  Yeah, he looks familiar doesn't he?  Remember what I was saying about bartenders??

Sadly he does not want to be arrested, and you end up chasing him into the sewers, but first you break into the nearby house and find where he has been doing the killing.  Check out the surgical tools and the bathtub, then head down the ladder into the sewers while Rusty goes for backup!

Your objective is clear -- you need to kill Garret Mason!  Of course if you had listened to me a long time ago you would have had him in jail but nooooooo!

Chase him and do not get dead -- and eventually you will get to put a few bullets into him and make HIM dead!  Yay you!  Good one! 

Sadly when you emerge the Captain reveals that there will be no medals, no commendation, no nothing -- it is all political.  The man was the half-brother of the President of the US and no scandal will be allowed! 

You do get a promotion out of it all -- and you unlock the Achievement "The Simple Art of Murder" (15 GP) so you did not come out totally screwed, but still...