too many dramatic things have been happening in stardew valley. like, too many too many, and it’s enough to give finley a slight headache if they think about it too much. however, the death of someone like ismail haq? it felt like the fucking twilight zone. this just wasn’t something that happened in a quaint little town. it was out of the blue, and with no information having been given out surrounding the event, minds were only left to wonder at this point.
where were you on the night of tuesday, october 6?
they have no reason to be nervous. still, finley is the slightest bit as they settle into the chair. they lean back in a relaxed posture, putting on a polite smile. they’re at least good at hiding their nerves.
“well, since the bus just got fixed, i decided to take a trip to zuzu city, visit some hangout spots there. don’t get me wrong, the saloon is great, but i just kind of wanted to get away for a few hours, you know? different environment. anyway, i don’t exactly remember the time i got back. it was pretty late, but i took the last bus from zuzu to stardew, so... at whatever time that bus usually gets here.”
can anyone confirm your whereabouts?
“uh, not really. it was more a solo trip, so... yeah.” which isn’t the best response, but they didn’t know they’d be needing an alibi for their ONE temporary trip outside of the valley! “sorry about that. um... i don’t know if i threw away my bus tickets, but i can check around my house and see if i can find them. i’ll make sure to get them to you.”
what was the nature of your relationship with mr. haq?
they don’t mean for a chuckle, half amused and half jittery, to escape them at the question. when it does, they try to patch it up with an apologetic simper. “sorry, i don’t mean to laugh. it’s just... well, there is no relationship. i never knew him on a personal level. i mean, you know, i had my reservations about him. from what i had seen of him at the recent events joja sponsored, and what i’ve heard around town, he didn’t seem like the most... likable character. but that’s pretty much it.”
how often did you interact with him?
finley shrugs, nerves dissipating for a moment. “again, i didn’t know the guy. i don’t really think i ever talked to him... i think i flipped him the bird when he was presenting during his group’s turn at the summer extravaganza thing.” when they get a look from mayor lewis, they throw a look back, hands raising defensively. “what? i was expressing myself.”
when did you last see him?
they have to wrack their brain for an answer to that question. “i don’t know. it doesn’t seem like he was really all that crazy about hanging around the valley, so... i might have seen him around after the general store closed down. probably wanted to see it for himself.” there’s a bit of bitterness there, but they think they’re entitled to it. “i heard he had some kind of tantrum in the plaza? but i wasn’t there to see it.” unfortunately.
did anything seem out of the ordinary either in town or in your interactions with mr. haq prior to tuesday, october 6?
“hm... the town has definitely been going through it, but anything out of the ordinary in the town was kind of... pleasant. as you know, a lot of the community joined forces after the general store closed down, which was really nice to see. nothing that would garner something like this. everyone seemed united.” it was a nice thing to witness, to feel a part of something big, something important. “about ismail? him avoiding the valley like a plague seemed like the norm for him, so no, not really. there was the tantrum i mentioned earlier, but i wasn’t there for that, so i can’t say a lot about it.”
do you know anyone else who might have information pertaining to mr. haq’s death?
“i don’t know.” they answer, glancing up at mayor lewis, seeming at a genuine loss for a helpful answer. they give a small shrug. “i don’t know. i didn’t know him. none of the people i surround myself with were close to him that i know of.” they cross their arms over their chest, sighing and staring at the floor in thought. “maybe people who saw him that night, or... i don’t know, they might be of more help.”
do you have any other insights or information about the case that you wish to share?
what else would they be able to offer? this all felt so out of the blue. if it was someone from the valley’s older population, then sure, that made sense. but ismail? the guy had money, he seemed fit (not that finley noticed, mind you)-- whatever it had been, it surely wasn’t natural causes. there had been some rumors going on around town, but... no, surely that wasn’t it. everyone here was a little odd in their own ways, but not crazy enough to do something like that.
“i don’t have anything. sorry. i mean, from what i last heard, he seemed pretty angry about losing his job. maybe he... i don’t know, got himself into an accident or something. i’ve also heard he wasn’t a very good driver.” they wince. they don’t want to speculate about whatever happened to him; that seems... inappropriate. finley shifts in their seat, offering a small shrug. they just want to leave already. “but i’m sure you guys--or whoever is in charge of this--knows more about what happened than i do, so.” they stand up, brushing their hands on their pants before pushing the seat back into the table and giving the mayor a nod and a pursed smile. “i’ll go look for those bus tickets now. is that all?”
