Something you wouldn't want to see in the middle of the night.
In the midst of the chaos and riots brought by Hurricane Zelda, Chief Marquez puts Frank and the player on patrol to reduce damage done to the streets. There, they find the corpse of escaped convict Scott Lee Allan, tied to a chair inside of a theater and eaten alive by rats.
Tropes:
- Abusive Parents: Scott beat up his son and sent him to them military because he was gay.
- All for Nothing: After spending most of the case looking for her stolen fortune that Scott robbed, Veronica's money and bearer bonds ends up being destroyed by rats, leaving her penniless once again.
- All Your Base Are Belong to Us: The team is forced to leave the police station after the rioters break in and destroy it.
- Asshole Victim: Apart from being an escaped convict who stole the Blade family's fortune, Scott was also a bully who tormented Freddie during his childhood and his cellmate Andre for no reason, beat up his son for being gay, and looted Ethel's business even after she liberated him of his cuffs and gave him a place to stay.Kitty: I wore diamond hot pants to his trial and I intend to toast his death with a glass of Gold Stag, sugar!Freddie: I know it's going to put me at the top of your suspect list, <Player's Name>, but I don't care. I'm glad to hear that Scott died. He deserved the death he got!
- Bizarre Taste in Food: Ethel Hubcap, one of your suspects, regularly mentions how she makes food out of the animals she exterminates with her pest control business, such as raccoon, squirrel, and rat pie, or termite punch.
- Bread, Eggs, Breaded Eggs: After solving the murder, Frank says that he's going to either get a beer or go to bed... or perhaps he'll have a beer in bed.
- Call-Back: Freddie Alonzo and Veronica Blade reappear as suspects.
- Cliffhanger: The case ends with Hannah informing the team that, somehow, Hurricane Zelda has accelerated, and instead of taking a few days to reach Jazz Town, is about to strike right now.
- Con Man: We discover that the reason why Veronica is an Impoverished Patrician is because Scott convinced her father to invest on a fake business deal, robbing the Blade family of their fortune.
- Continuity Cameo: In the Looted Station scene, there's a framed photo of Jones among the debris, as well a picture of Freddy Stewart's corpse.
- Contrived Coincidence: During the Additional Investigation, Freddie tells Yann that his parents were murdered by The Puppeteer during the Jazz Town Carnival too, being the first victims of the Serial Killer.
- Crisis Catch-and-Carry: In Chapter 3, Amy is attacked by the killer in the police station, so Russell is forced to carry her all the way to the evacuation center in the midst of the chaos.
- Cure Your Gays: The victim attempted to do this to his own son by sending him to military camp.
- I Didn't Mean to Kill Him: Andre, Scott's killer, only wanted to force Scott to tell him where he had hid the money he stole from the Blade family by torturing him with rats, but they ended up killing him.Andre: I only meant to torture him, I swear! I just wanted him to tell me where the money was! And once he had told me, I tried to untie him, but...But the rats... the rats were so hungry... I couldn't get them off him! They ate... They ate him alive!
- Drag Queen: Kitty LaBombe, one of your suspects, is a drag queen who was disowned by Scott, the victim, because he couldn't accept his son dressing as a woman and being gay.
- Devoured by the Horde: Scott was eaten alive by a horde of rats.
- Eaten Alive: Scott was tied up and covered with Rat Attract, a substance used by pest control experts to attract rats. The result was, of course, this.
- Gilligan Cut: When the police station starts being looted by the rioters and the exits get blocked, Frank says there's no way they're escaping through the garbage chute. Cue everyone covered in trash after a screen transition.
- Got Volunteered: This happens to Frank after the team escapes from the police station.Chief Marquez: But first I need a volunteer to go back in the station and assess the damage.Hannah: I nominate Frank.Roxie: Yep, me too. Thanks for volunteering, Frank.Frank: What?!
- One of Our Own: Subverted. The player encounters the substance that was used to attract rats in Frank's locker and he's momentarily suspected, but his innocence is quickly proven by Yann.
- Shout-Out:
- The case's title is based on Of Mice and Men.
- Andre Roche sports a "cut here" tattoo on his neck, just like Trevor Philips. He also resembles Mackenzie Crook.
- Skewed Priorities: During Andre's trial, Judge Dante is more concerned about how he fed rats with human flesh, which he says is bad for digestion, rather than the gruesome nature of the murder.Honorable Dante: Who knows how many rats are scurrying around Jazz Town tonight with upset stomachs! You ought to be ashamed!
- Swarm of Rats: The victim was devoured by about fifty rats according to Roxie.
- Trash Landing: The team is forced to do this after the police station gets invaded by the rioters.
- Urban Hellscape: Jazz Town becomes this thanks to Hurricane Zelda, as residents have started rioting, looting, and destroying everything on sight, including the Police Station.Freddie: It's been chaos in town ever since they evacuated most of the population! People think they can do whatever they want!
- Wounded Gazelle Gambit: Andre Roche, the killer, likes to act cowardly and fragile whenever you speak to him even after killing Scott and attacking Amy.
