Wanted Man

A week passed (ingame: the next day), and winter came into full swing for one last time. The most inappropriate time, seeing that Daniel had lost access to his bed chamber over the general store and was camping outside!

And someone else came, someone equally cold and unwelcome as the snow: Marshall Reed, the investigator tasked with the table silver robbery.

Reed: "I see you injured yourself, O'Malley. Or got injured? You better tell me the whole story!"

Daniel: "Not much of a story. The ground was shaking and I got hit by a tree branch."

Reed: "Hm. A tree branch, you say? That would leave the same marks as a blunt weapon. Remove the bandage, so that I can check!"

Daniel: sputters

Reed: "You better do as I say. Mr. Phillips got kidnapped tonight, but he was able to slice the attacker with a kitchen knife before getting dragged away. If your injury were caused by a slashing weapon..."

Daniel: "It's not! And what's with the Phillips' streak of bad luck all of a sudden? First my argument with Mr. Phillips, then the silver and now this?"

Reed: "Makes one wonder, ey? Sounds like SOMEONE really has it in for them. Someone out for revenge. Someone like YOU, Mr. O'Malley!"

Long story short, Daniel had to present his head and then re-bandage it. Reed wasn't fully convinced, though, he promised (threatened...) to return.

(This is the result of the Quake Zone having triggered and my rolled event for today being "Spouse dies". Since Danny has no partner, I decided that his employer died instead.)

That night...

Daniel: "See, my campfire glitched and I have nothing to eat and..."

Vendor: "Your campfire did what, Mister?"

Daniel: "I have no idea! I can only ever grill one plate of sausages, afterwards they just don't heat up anymore."

Vendor: "That sounds mighty cursed to me. You should see a priest about that."

Daniel: "Yes, will do. First thing tomorrow. Meantime, can I get a discount, maybe?"

Daniel haggled the vendor down by 20%, alas, the cheapest meal was still 7 dollars, when he had only a single one to his name.

However, behind the food stall there was a table where the vendor had tossed the leftovers. Dignity apparently was a thing of the past for Daniel now...

To prevent a repeat of this situation, and because the snow had covered the praerie grass, forcing Daniel to buy horse food for 30 dollar, he had to end Maira's training early and return her to her owner to collect his wage. Well, I can't say that Plum was unhappy about that turn of events!

Speaking of Plum...

Keep your hands (and fangs!) off my horse, you... you... you cranky old bat!!!

Did I mention Danny is hot-headed? And also not a single fitness skillpoint so far, still he won. I'm proud of my boy!

The next morning Daniel called Marshall Reed over. He was sad, when he arrived - obviously from not having been able to collect enough evidence against Daniel.

Daniel: "So is that how detective work goes? You DECIDE on a culprit and don't stop until you can pile evidence on him? Instead of analyzing whether that one was guilty or not?"

Reed: "Mind your tongue!"

Daniel: "And you mind your neck, because there's a vampire on the loose in town! He tried to drain my horse tonight. I bet he also broke into the general store, took the silver and abducted Phillips. And he cursed my campfire!"

Reed: "So what now? You fancy yourself a detective? You gonna do my job now, SHOP CLERK? I'm warning you, don't! Get! Into! My! Way!"

The next day Daniel got a letter from the courthouse, stating that he owed a fine of 335 dollar and was banished for life from Magnolia Blossom City. Apparently the ambitious marshall had pulled a few strings, because the latter was far to drastic a sentence for a brawl.

And so Round 1 ended with Daniel and Plum leaving Magnolia Blossom City by boat with a little over 600 dollar in the pocket.

Note: Marshall Reed is another of my favorite sims. He usually ends up married to Daniel, so even though that probably won't happen in this chronicle, we won't have seen the last of him. Will Reed mellow with age or grow even worse? Time will tell.