no, I may be wrong

{if GM==1}{if SJ==0}{if SS==0}{if LM==0}"It doesn't really bring back much memories," I say in response to my sister Julia's question. "Maybe just a little," I add, still looking at the old photo.

"You said you recalled Mom a while ago. Does that photo reinforce the recollection?" she asks.

"Ah, my recollections were mostly the words she said and how I felt... and the images were vague, but I'd like to ask: How often did Mom change her hair color?"

My sister looks at me condescendingly. "Time's up. That question will be answered tomorrow."

"What? Just two questions? Come on, Sis. There's a lot of things I wanna know and you're ..."

"I said just a couple of questions, and a 'couple' means 'two'!"

"Ok, fine," I say, feeling slightly irritated as I exit Julia's room. I realize that I could search the internet if she wouldn't answer my questions. I head for my computer with renewed determination.

So, where would I start?{endif}{endif}{endif}

[HINT: There are at least five SPECIFIC branches (or options) linked to this chapter that you have to visit before the branch to stop searching and proceed with the story becomes visible. Also, any additional branch you visit, aside from the required five, increases the availability of options in succeeding chapters.]

Mom's maiden name was 'Samantha Johannson'. She worked as an accountant. But did she use Dad's surname, 'Smith'?

Or I could try searching for news about the lighthouse incident.

{if SJ==1}I type Mom's name in the search box and realize that about a dozen people are named 'Samantha Johannson'.

The first and second items are Facebook accounts. The third and fourth items are LinkedIn accounts. The fifth is an Instagram account, the sixth is a YouTube account, while the seventh is a Pinterest account. A row of images are displayed before the sixth item.{if item1==1}

The first link leads to a Facebook account with no photo, no friends list, no post, just a single like-- for a massage parlor in the same state I'm in-- the Pinetree Massage.{endif}{if item2==1}

The second link leads to a Facebook account with 271 friends, and a profile picture last updated about one year ago, showing a tanned redhead in a plaid tied cropped top-- who obviously doesn't look familiar. However, among her friends is my gaming buddy Harry.{endif}{if item3==1}

The third link leads to a LinkedIn profile of a beauty guide at Montani Cosmetics. The photo shows a brunette with hawkish features-- it's not someone I recognize, although adding more volume to her cheeks would make her look more familiar. The profile was last updated about two years ago.{endif}{if item4==1}

The fourth link leads to a LinkedIn profile of an HR intern at Prime Transport, a logistics company. The look in her eyes is quite intriguing-- like I want to know more about her. Unfortunately, the last update happened about 14 years ago.{endif}{if item5==1}

The fifth link leads to an Instagram account of a blond with lots of dog photos. She has less than a hundred posts and followers. She looks familiar, although I can't recall where or when.{endif}{if item6==1}

The sixth link leads to a YouTube playlist which was last updated about two months ago. Looks like we don't have anything in common.{endif}{if item7==1}

The seventh link leads to a Pinterest account with no profile photo. Looks like she's interested in recipes and nothing else.{endif}{if phlist==1}

The row of images proves to be mostly photos of an actress who looks just like my copper-haired mom. Her name is not Samantha, but she once played a character named Samantha. It's not likely that Mom's sister would now be an actress. Actresses usually make up their screen names, so it's just a coincidence that this actress named Scarlett has the same surname as Mom's. But wait, did Mom have a sister?{endif}{endif}{if SS==1}{if SSp2==0}I type Mom's married name in the search box and realize that about three pages of people are named 'Samantha Smith'.

On the first page, the first two items are Wikipedia entries. The third is a Britannica entry, corresponding to the first Wikipedia entry, and the fourth an IMDb entry, corresponding to the second Wikipedia entry. The remaining items on the first page refer to the same person in the first Wikipedia entry. This page definitely has nothing about my Mom.{endif}{if SSp2==1}I type Mom's married name in the search box and realize that about three pages of people are named 'Samantha Smith'.

The second page starts with a row of images. The remaining items are about the same person in the first Wikipedia entry on the first page.{if item2.1==1}

The row of images shows a variety of photos-- athletes, academicians, actresses... mostly actresses... and finally I see one closely resembling the photo of my auburn-haired mom. It is just a head shot, but I recognize the close resemblance. I excitedly click on the photo-- but the link is dead. I read the URL and realize it is a porn site.

What? I just can't believe Mom was a porn star! Although I haven't yet seen porn photos of her, I just can't get over the fact that her photo was linked to a porn site. Maybe it was just **** porn. But who would want to take ****? Was she a bad person?

Then it dawns on me that she was murdered-- and **** porn was just not enough.{endif}{endif}{if SSp2==2}I type Mom's married name in the search box and realize that about three pages of people are named 'Samantha Smith'.

The first item on the third page is a personal site. The remaining two are porn sites.{if item3.1==1}

The first link leads to the personal blog of a political analyst. The photo is of a bespectacled gray-haired woman. Obviously, she doesn't look similar to either of the mental images I have of Mom.{endif}{if item3.2==1}

The second link leads to a porn archive. Looks like all the videos tagged with Mom's married name were taken by an amateur, 15 years ago. They are mostly dark, although there are occasional well-lit scenes. The clips are slightly grainy and mostly from the man's POV, so his face is not seen at all. The woman has blond hair, but her face looks eerily similar to the photo Julia showed me. All the scenes were shot in an office setting. The woman had a different role in each video-- a secretary, an intern, an accountant, a manager-- and it was a different man, or rather a different cock at every scene.

If that was really Mom, it could be possible that she used a wig to cover her real hair color. I still am not really certain it is her, but I do not have anything else to provide more evidence.

But I can at least save the videos and add them to my collection.{endif}{if item3.3==1}

The third link leads to a Pornhub cam model's site-- she has black, kinky hair, a couple of body piercings, and a number of tattoos.

Mom sure didn't have kinky hair, but I'm now wondering whether Mom had any tattoo. If so, where? And what about body piercings?{endif}{endif}{endif}{if LM==1}I type 'lighthouse ****', followed by the name of our town.

The first page of the results contains links to five news articles.{if item4.1==1}

The first article mentions that two civilians, a male and a female, were killed in a shootout by the lighthouse. Two officers were wounded-- one in critical condition. This is somehow related to a money laundering case, as the female civilian was the accountant of the escort company under investigation, Perfect Pleasures. The article is dated eight years ago. There is no information regarding the identities of those who were killed or wounded.{endif}{if item4.2==1}

The second article mentions a boat chase that terminated at the lighthouse. Two undercover agents, a male and a female, and a female civilian were killed. Half a dozen officers were wounded. No identities were mentioned, but only that the suspects were part of a prostitution ring. The Gaslight Music Lounge was mentioned as a possible front. The article is dated twelve years ago.{endif}{if item4.3==1}

The third article covers the same story as the second article. Only this is published by another news company.{endif}{if item4.4==1}

The fourth article is entitled 'Love triangle may have led woman to kill identical twin sister'. The article goes on to say that the woman's body was dumped at the base of the lighthouse. The sisters both worked for the accounting firm, Solutions Group. The article is dated thirteen years ago.{endif}{if item4.5==1}

The fifth article references the same source as the fourth article. It does not provide additional details.{endif}{endif}{if CritTotal==0}

I really need to search the internet. I just feel the information is there somewhere.{elseif CritTotal==1}

That's some progress, I guess, but I need to know more.{elseif CritTotal==2}

Well, it looks like there are a lot of possibilities here.{elseif CritTotal==3}

I have to control my emotions. I should just focus on the facts.{elseif CritTotal==4}

The facts are complicated, but I need more.{elseif CritTotal>=5}{if SJ1==1}{if SJ4==1}{if SS1==1}{if SS3==1}{if LM2==1}

Finally, I think I have the basic details. Now, I need to go beyond the internet.{endif}{endif}{endif}{endif}{endif}{if SJ1!=1}

I may be going in circles. Let me take note of what I have learned.{elseif SJ4!=1}

I may be going in circles. Let me take note of what I have learned.{elseif SS1!=1}

I may be going in circles. Let me take note of what I have learned.{elseif SS3!=1}

I may be going in circles. Let me take note of what I have learned.{elseif LM2!=1}

I may be going in circles. Let me take note of what I have learned.{endif}{endif}{elseif@ GM==0}Please turn on GAME MODE.{endif}