L'AFFAIRE VERA CRUZ
Written by Gilles Blancon


You have just been appointed Detective Sergeant in
the Crime Squad at Saint Etienne (Loire). As an
Officer of the Police and in your capacity as a Judicial
Police Officer, you are capable of leading any criminal
investigation.
No sooner have you taken up your new post when
you are called upon to investigate what the press are
fast terming - THE VERA CRUZ AFFAIR.
On the 8th August, 1986, you are notified by the
caretaker at the 'Forest' apartment block of the
discovery of a body. It has been provisionally
identified as one of the residents and, from the
caretaker's description, it is believed to be a case of
suicide with a shotgun as the weapon involved.
You and your team must go to the scene to ascertain
the facts. Once this is complete you will have to carry
out the actual investigation, using the methods at
your disposal.


LOADING AND START UP
The program is in two parts, once the first part has
loaded STOP THE TAPE.

MSX 1, MSX 2:
Cassette version: Press Shift during start up. Press
play on tape. Key RUN "CAS:" on the keyboard and
press RETURN. The program will load automatically
and once loading is complete stop the tape.
Disc version: Insert the disk and switch on the
computer and the program will load automatically.

AMSTRAD:
Cassette version: Insert your tape. For the 664 and
6128 key in | TAPE (To get |, press SHIFT and @
simultaneously) on the keyboard. Then for all
Amstrad cassette computers, press the CTRL key and
the small ENTER key by the numeric keypad. The
message RUN" will appear on screen. Press play on
tape. The program will load and run automatically.

Disc version : Insert the disk and key in | CPM (to get
|, press SHIFT and @ simultaneously) on the
keyboard.  The  program  will  load  and  run
automatically.

SPECTRUM:
Key LOAD"" on the keyboard. The program will load
automatically.

PRINCIPLE OF THE GAME
Has the resident at the FOREST really committed
suicide as the caretaker believes?

You must start your investigation by carrying out
routine inquiries at the scene of the crime. HOWEVER,
a word of advice, AN INVESTIGATION CANNOT END
WITHOUT EFFICIENT AND EXHAUSTIVE INQUIRIES.
These serve as a basis for research and often
evidence. Remember this ...


1. The Forest Residence: The scene of the Crime.
The victim is lying on the floor in the middle of the
room. As you study this macabre scene you notice
that various items are slightly disarranged. You
mustn't touch anything, but you are able to take
photos.

MOVING THE CAMERA - Use the cursor keys. TAKING
A PHOTO - Press COPY for Amstrad, INS for MSX and
SPACE BAR for Spectrum.

Make sure that you have made a note of ALL the
details and, when you are ready press ENTER. Disk
versions will load automatically, while on cassette
versions you will need to press PLAY on your tape
recorder. If you change your mind before the second
part is activated, press R and you will return to the
scene of the crime.

It is time to summarise the evidence and as you
speed back to your office you make a list of suspicious
details. Key in each piece of evidence, separating
each one with a space and, once the list seems
complete, press ENTER.


2. The State Police Force
The State Police Force is one of the oldest French
institutions since its origins date back to the
Marshalsea during Napoleon's time. Its experience
regarding judicial affairs has led it to computerise
very quickly, far in advance of similar services in
other countries.

This is one of the reasons why, in addition to
traditional methods (such as comparing evidence /
interviews / alibis, etc.) you can use the DIAMOND
COMPUTER NETWORK. Utilising this sophisticated
system, you will be able to communicate with other
police  services,  justice  departments,  prison
administrations and, of course, with the National
Police.


Access procedures for the Diamond Network.
Code M (Message)

A message addressed to any service must include the
code for that service and its base town. The message
must include the type of information required in as
much detail as possible.

The reply from the service contacted will arrive in the
form of a listing in a few minutes.

Code P (Printer)
If you have an 80 column printer you will not need to
take notes manually. All you have to do to keep track
of your evidence is to press the P key. To deactivate
press the same key again.

N.B.:	All messages must be confirmed by pressing
ENTER.


Services you can contact on the Diamond Network.

Another Police Squad
Computer Code GIE + name of squad.

If you want to contact the St Galmier squad (42) write
GIE St Galmier opposite 'ORIG', and then make up
your message in the form - INFORMATION ON 'xxx'
AFFAIR. If the squad you communicate with is
concerned with that particular case it will reply giving
you all the information in its possession. There is one
police squad per town.

District squad for judicial information.
Computer Code BDRJ.

There is one police squad per district (as opposed to
town) which will tell you if a particular person is
wanted by the police. You address your requests to
BDRJ  St  Etienne  in  the  following  way  -
IDENTIFICATION OF DUPONT LEON - and if this
person is wanted you will be told by whom and why.

Judicial Research and Comparison Centre
Computer code CRRJ.

The police force has a research co-ordination centre.
If you wish to know the record of someone known to
the judiciary or to make a comparison on a particular
object which could be a clue, you can contact this
service using CRRJ LYON and should compose your
message as follows - INFORMATION ON 'OBJECT'-
(as much information as possible) or ON 'A CERTAIN
PERSON' (Christian name and surname). If the person
has a record you will get a photograph and some
information.

Police Headquarters.
Computer Code PREF.

To get the name of the owner of a vehicle from the
registration number, you should address your
messages to PREF St ETIENNE (if it is 42 vehicle, the
number of a vehicle corresponding to a town) then
input the message IDENTIFICATION No 1111 AA 42,
for example. If the registration is useful to the inquiry
you will get the information you require.

Prisons.
Computer Code PRIS.

If you wish to obtain some information on a detainee
you  should  address  your  request  to  PRIS
BEAUMETTES or PRIS ST PAUL, with a message such
as - INFORMATION ON DUPONT LEON. If this is
useful to the inquiry you will quickly get a reply.

Police Station
Computer Code CIAT.

Certain police stations may have dealt with
something, or someone! , connected with your
investigation, it might be useful to contact them to get
additional information. You can call them up using,
for example CIAT MARSEILLE, then compose your
message to read - INFORMATION ON 'xxx' AFFAIR.


Traditional Methods.
Option S : Statement.
To hear someone's statement you need to know their
name and address (or where they can be found).

Option C : Comparison of Evidence.
You can compare an alibi or other evidence of one
person with certain facts collected during the
investigation. But this comparison can only be carried
out on the basis of a statement.

Option E : Various Examinations.
In your capacity as a Judiciary Police Officer you can
carry  out  different  examinations  such  as
graphological examinations or an Autopsy (e.g.
AUTOPSY VERA CRUZ).

Option A : Arrest.
If you are certain of someone's guilt, it only remains
for you to arrest him.

FINAL ADVICE : Watch out for arbitrary arrest. Have
you got all your facts right? Have you got an airtight
case?
In case of difficulty check your keyboard is in
capital letters.
Now it's up to you. Good Luck.

-- End of Instructions --

See VERACRUZ.GIF for a map of France showing various relevant towns & districts.

-- End of File --
