Recap / Criminal Case: Grimsborough - Case 51: It All Ends Here

Jones: <Player's Name>, have you noticed how... tense King has been lately? I don't know what kind of pressure the Mayor has put on him, but I really hope it stops after the elections are over!

The long-awaited mayoral elections of Grimsborough have arrived, and Chief King orders you to work harder than ever in this very important day, hoping that nothing goes awry...

But of course that would be to easy, as you find out when you discover the body of Adam Bentley, the wannabe socialite you've meet throughout Maple Heights, shot in the head inside the Red Party Offices. Now it's up to you solve this crime, whatever it takes.

Tropes:

• Back for the Finale: Alden Greene, Zack Holden, Lola Vallez, Martha Price, Serena Johnson, Howard Johnson, and Tony Marconi all return as suspects for this case, which is the last one set in Maple Heights.
• Bad Liar: Lola.
  Lola: <Player's Name>, what a... what a surprise! I didn't expect to see you...
  Jones: Really? Because you look like you were.
  Lola: See, this is why I sing instead of act.
• Beard of Sorrow: Jones gets a Perma-Stubble in the Additional Investigation after Chief King's death.
• Blood-Spattered Innocents: Jones gets splattered with Chief King's blood after he kills himself.
• Boom, Headshot!: How Adam was killed. Chief King, his killer, latter does the same to himself.
• Captured on Purpose: Judging by how Chief King sends you to the Red Party Offices, the motivation he gives you to solve the case, and even how he asks you to investigate places where you end up finding important clues, it's obvious he wanted you to solve the case and try to arrest him, which gets confirmed in Case 55.
• Cliffhanger: The case ends with Stuart Huckabee, an old friend of King, appearing right in front of you and telling you to go to the Airport, where you'll find the answers not only about Adam's murder and Chief King's suicide, but also for all the murders that had been happening all across Grimsborough.
• The Climax: For Maple Heights and the mayoral elections Story Arc.
• Continuity Nod: The garden where Howard's first party was held and Halifax Hotel reappear as crime scenes.
• Dies Wide Open: Adam's body◊ is encountered like this.
• Disc-One Final Dungeon: Despite being a Wham Episode with a title that screams "Game's Finale", this case isn't actually the last one of Grimsborough.
• Downer Ending: At the end of the case, Chief King has committed suicide after killing Adam, you've got absolutely no answers about why he did it in the first place, and the only leads you've got are those from a mysterious man whom you don't even know can be trusted.
• Driven to Suicide: Despite Jones' pleas, Chief King shoots himself with his gun during his arrest.
• Election Day Episode: This case is set during mayoral election day. At the end of Chapter 3, is Howard who ends up winning the re-election.
  Jones: You know, <Player's Name>, I'm really glad the elections end today. I don't think I could have dealt with those bloody politicians one more day!
• Ending Memorial Service: In a way. The Additional Investigation (which is basically an afterthought of each case) begins during Chief King's funeral.
• Everyone Is a Suspect: This case is notable for containing eight suspects as opposed to the usual five, all of which have been very important during the district, including Chief King.
  Jones: Gee, I don't know for you but it feels like the entire city is going to end up on our suspect list this time!
• Exhausted Eye Bags: The next time we see Jones after King's death, he's got these.◊
• Explain, Explain... Oh, Crap!: Jones gets hit with this as he slowly realizes Chief King is a suspect for the case.
  Jones: <Player's Name>, what do you think about this? I mean, sure, King has always been fiercely protective of the Mayor...
  And he did tell us that we should consider the fact that three of Adam's "friends" had already been killed as a threat to Howard Johnson...
  Oh God, you're right...
  Chief King... Chief King is a plausible suspect!!
• Figure It Out Yourself: Chief King says you'll have to find your own answers as for why he killed Adam seconds before he kills himself.
• Graceful Loser: Martha doesn't get that distraught after Howard is declared the mayor, opting to keep working to make Grimsborough a better place regardless.
• Go Out with a Smile: Chief King smiles◊ just before he kills himself.
• Gut Punch: Finding out that Chief King murdered Adam is one thing, but he killing himself right in front of you before any answers about why he did it in the first place can be reached? Yeah, this case makes it clear that whatever's about to come in the final district won't be pretty.
• Heroic BSoD: Practically everyone in the team gets one during Chief King's funeral, but special mention goes to Jones and Cathy, the former staying totally serious in comparison to his usual bubbly attitude and the latter becoming a crying mess.
  Jones: I'm sorry, <Player's Name>, I shouldn't be so pessimistic. I just haven't been able to eat or sleep since... you know.

  Cathy: Please, <Name>, find the answers! My grandfather wouldn't have... He'd never have done what he did without a very good reason. And I need to...
  I need to know... I'm sorry, I c-can't...
• Heroic Fire Rescue: According to Howard, Chief King did this to rescue a child when he was just a detective, hence why he acquired a Medal of Valor. Jones can't wrap his head around how someone willing to risk his life saving a kid from a burning building would murder someone in cold blood and commit suicide.
• Insists on Being Suspected: Chief King congratulates you for suspecting him when you find out the murder weapon was a gun confiscated by him years ago, saying that he respects your integrity and justice should apply to everyone.
  Chief King: <Player's Name>, ask your questions. I mustn't get special treatment, I'm just another suspect!
• It Has Been an Honor: Chief King's last line just before his death.
  Chief King: Goodbye, <Player's Name>. Working with you has been a great honor.
  [BANG]
• Marathon Level: This case is notable for possibly being the longest in the franchise. Counting the Additional Investigation, it spans five chapters as opposed to the usual four, and you have to interrogate eight suspects when five has been the norm for the entire game.
• Mock Millionaire: You discover that Adam had been borrowing money from his "friends" to fit in the crew among Maple Heights and was getting really desperate to get more.
• One of Our Own: Chief King gets suspected in this case, and later turns out to be the culprit.
• Pretty Little Headshots: You find Adam's body with nothing more than a little hole on his forehead with some blood marks. Justified, since the killer was a sharp-shooter and Adam was relatively relaxed when assassinated.
  Nathan: It had been a while since you brought me such a cleanly killed victim, <Player's Name>. I appreciate the gesture.
• Quaking with Fear: When Chief King puts his gun against his head, you can see his arm shaking, notably making it the first instance of a character's sprite moving.
• Replacement Goldfish: Adam wanted to become this for Lola, dressing is his dead fiancé's clothes and imitating his voice to get close to her. Naturally, this made her uncomfortable, and so she tried to bribe Zack with provocative photos of her to get rid of Adam.
• Selective Obliviousness: During King's arrest, Jones refuses to believe it was him who killed Adam even after King himself confesses.
  Jones: NO! I refuse to believe this! WHY would you do this?! Adam would have never harmed the Mayor!
• Shout-Out:
  • In the Mayor's Desk scene, the dancing polar bear meme is on the computer screen, and some sticky notes are arranged in an interesting shape as well as a parody of a Game Boy.
  • In the Election Podium scene there's a caricature of Elvis Presley, a bobblehead of Abraham Lincoln, a stuffed animal resembling Mickey Mouse, and an Uncle Sam poster.
• Single Tear: Chief King gets these in both eyes◊ as he prepares to commit suicide.
• Skewed Priorities: As expected, Howard is far more concerned about what the press will say about Adam being killed on his own headquarters than his death.
• Spy Cam: You discover a hidden camera on the eye of a garden gnome that looks like Mayor Johnson of all things.
• Stunned Silence: Jones can't get himself to say anything after Chief King shoots himself, only managing to stare at his body as the chapter ends.
• Talking Down the Suicidal: Jones tries to do this while Chief King has his gun against his head. It doesn't work.
• Thousand-Yard Stare: Combined with Stunned Silence, Jones can only bring himself to do this◊ after King kills himself.
• Wham Episode: Probably one of the biggest examples of the franchise, which is saying something since it's coming from the first of eight seasons. Not only is Chief King revealed to be Adam's killer among a sea of of other shady or outright evil individuals, but he commits suicide right in front of you before any answers as for why he did it can be reached. This case is even more shocking in the desktop version, since you also find out that despite what the title may imply, this isn't actually the finale of Grimsborough, as another district appears in your map when you complete this case.
• Wham Line:
  • The following line, considering this is the first time a member of your own team has been a suspect during an investigation.
    Jones: Chief King... Chief King is a plausible suspect!!
  • Then there's this little gem said by Chief King much later.
    Chief King: Unfortunately, <Player's Name>'s right. I killed Adam Bentley.
  • And then, mid arrest:
    Jones: Then you'll have to talk to the Judge! You'll have to explain what happened!
    Chief King: (Pulling his gun and pressing it to his own head) I'm sorry. I will not.
• Wham Shot: The moment where you have to arrest the murderer and slowly realize that all of the Killer's Traits match Chief King...