Mr. Merlot
You are the manager of the Eaton Hotel. You oversee almost all details concerning the hotel, from its staff to warding off the dim owner (Mr. Silveroak) from the scent of your hidden speakeasy. You make plenty of dough though much goes to your mob suppliers and back to the owner to keep him content. You know how to say the right things to please anyone and you're very effective in directing others.
You answer to Mr. Galliano – he supplies the hooch and more. When he’s in town he enjoys your speakeasy, too. You make sure he’s taken care of well.
The drinkmaster/chef is Mr. Adams. You make sure he is always supplying Mr. Silveroak with new “juices” (yes, they are alcoholic) especially on days/nights when you need him out of the way.
Mrs. Silveroak seems to be content with her bookmobile work.
Your bell hop is Porter Port – he helps guide the appropriate guests to their room and/or the speakeasy you house nightly.
Two maids: Miss Silveroak – the spoiled daughter of the owner, you have revealed to her the speakeasy, but you can’t afford to let her know anything else.
Miss Sauvignion is your main work-horse for cleaning up any major “dirt” in the hotel.
Last Tuesday a large fire destroyed the neighboring Getto Building resulting in several dead (and they seem to be find more bodies there each day since then). A portion of your hotel was also damaged by fire the same night. Mr. Silveroak has already made a public announcement of getting it fixed (costing $50K!) and two bricklayers (Mr. Vodka & Ms. Chianti) are already here to replace some of the damaged walls.
Late Tuesday night, you and Miss Sauvignion moved two bodies in the hotel to the basement. By Wednesday they had been moved (as per Galliano’s orders). While you’re completely against murder, you’re in so deep with Galliano that you couldn’t say no to adding to your dirty work.
Wednesday Mr. Blanc tried to get Silveroak to sign up for a fire insurance policy. Figuring this was another one of Galliano’s way of “protecting” you & the hotel, you convinced the owner to sign on. Even though it’s getting dangerous, you have been well rewarded financially.
Thursday Detective Pinot-Noir asked you a few questions about the Getto & Eaton fire. Because of its vicinity, he is staying at your hotel.
Last night a few guests came in late due to the late Excelsior Train and the storm (your room is near the check-in counter). You woke to the ringing of the bell at the counter and you slowly arrived to help them check in (Mr. Cabernet, Mr. & Mrs. Scotch, Mr. & Mrs. Bordeaux). They were all exhausted. They said everyone on the train had to stay at a nearby hotel as the train was stuck there in Wichita for a day or so.
This morning you noticed that Mr. J. Meister had checked in (by himself?).
Around noon Miss. Sauvignion brings you to Meister’s room and shows you a body with multiple stab wounds in the back and the knife still in him. You both assume this is another job you are to take care of and you both quickly move the body to the garbage chute for quick access to the basement. In the basement you move the body a few feet over to the main utility closet (the location where the past two were left).
90 minutes later a scream comes from the basement. You go down and find the detective and Mr. Blanc leaning over the unconscious Mrs. Meritage next to the body in the closet.
After everything is cleaned up and you and Mr. Blanc return Mrs. Meritage to her room for recovery, the detective has you write the note for each guest demanding all be there tonight so he can solve this mystery.
Be sure to appease the detective, but this is still the hotel that you run – feel free to see how folks are enjoying things as a way into learning more about what they know. If you can find a way out of this mess, the better.
Maybe Galliano would have help for you – was it his (or one of his goons) doing? Who was the dead guy? What was Mrs. Meritage doing down there?
You still have to keep Silveroak from discovering the speakeasy, though at this point, having that would be a lot better than being an accessory to a murder.