George — The Publishing Magnate

Who you are

You've made your name in private circles as a successful publisher and promoter, but you've recently tasted the public spotlight — you helped a famous aviator publish his autobiography, and you discovered you liked being adjacent to fame a great deal. Now you want more of it. You're beginning to realize that there's more to life than money — though money is precisely what's going to get you there.

You're also — though you wouldn't phrase it this way — a man who has always shaped the narrative of the people around him. You can see a story a mile off. You can see how to make a story sell. You can see how to end a story so that it sells twice as much.

Your catchphrase: "a story sells itself." Drop it at least once per act — whenever someone mentions an event, or a person, or fame, or a book. Say it with the confidence of someone who has never considered that he might be wrong. Delivery tic: deliver it smugly with a single tap on the tabletop. Thomas will quote every catchphrase during the reveal — make yours land.

How to play

• Don't show anyone your sheets.
• You can lie. And you will — you're a murderer.
• You hired Thomas to tamper with Emilia's plane. Do not reveal this. The Conclusion reveal is when it comes out.
• Bribe. Be bribed. You especially want the other guests to pay Thomas, so the money can't be traced back to you.
• Solve the mystery. Well — deflect from yours. Name the other one (the Hindenburg bombing) to redirect attention.

Intro — open when Thomas reads the Hindenburg broadcast

You've already dispatched one of your reporters to cover the story, of course. My, what an opportunity. You heard it was caught on film — fantastic news indeed. Maybe you should write the novel. There will surely be one. Hell, you might do a book for each passenger — Emilia wasn't the only celebutante aboard. Hopefully there are some real tragic tales tucked in there.

Still — first things first. Telegram the hospital. Find out if Emilia's all right. They said more survived than didn't. It would terribly mar your plans if she were one of the unlucky ones. The money is one thing. All the work you put in is another. Besides — you rather like her.

The Saucy Soiree. Small's Paradise. You and Emilia had your own night in a back hallway — not the love of your life, but not nothing either. On the way out, you saw Bessie coming out of the hallway opposite yours, rumpled, lipstick all over her. You saw the woman she'd been with — the bartender. You filed the memory away. A story sells itself.

Act 1 — The Engagement Party (London) — open when Thomas announces Act 1

This will be your first public experience as a couple with Emilia. A good deal more shaken up than she let on after the Hindenburg, the whole ordeal has brought her closer to you. She seems a little on edge — keeps giving strange glances at the other guests. You're glad Bessie was amenable to inviting you as a pair, though you had to call in your last favor. Still, if things go according to plan, the payoff will be well worth the cost.

You are, tonight, the speech-giver. Eddie has asked you — his old friend — to open the proceedings. Make it awkward. Make it a little too honest. Laugh at your own jokes.

Your toast. Deliver with insufferable flourish and pomp — trying a little too hard for a British accent but not really having one:

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the celebration of the engagement of our dear friends, Bess and Eddie. I always knew these rapscallions would settle down with a similarly suited, salacious partner — and while I was a little surprised they found each other so quickly (heck, the divorce wasn't even final when they threw their little soirée), I'm certainly not surprised it's taken them more than one try at marriage! [knee-slapping, awkward laugh] Most of you were there the night they met, though I dare say I don't remember you all being there to expect it. These two certainly know how to entertain, and they have made no shortage of, well — friends, shall I say. Seriously, folks — it's a big show of love for the happy couple to make it official. We all know the sacrifices they're making to be together, and it's a testament to how strong their feelings are that they are actually tying the knot. So please join me in a toast to the gorgeous pair — to Bessie and Eddie. [champagne toast] And hey — if the second-go doesn't work out, I'm sure the third time's the charm! [yuk yuk yuk] Oh — and finally — our hearts go out to all those who perished in yesterday's tragic accident. We all know someone who was impacted by the disaster. We know the good will come with the bad, and so tonight we will remember lost friends fondly — tell tall tales about them, embellish their deeds, good and mischievous alike, spinning them into daring fights and legendary acts of bravery.

(After the toast, mingle.)

Remember:

• People know you're always after a story. They don't always know the hand you have in making the story.
• You and Emilia had a tryst at the Saucy Soiree. She's wonderful. Quite the catch.
• You saw Bessie leaving the back hallway at the Soiree. Lipstick-smudged. She was not alone. You saw whom she was with. You intend to remind her of this, quietly, tonight.
• There are recent high-profile employment changes worth filing away — who's making a career change lately? Spencer's been chasing Commander for years. Eddie is officially retired from the navy.
• A lot of riff-raff turn out for these affairs. Best to defend both your own and Emilia's honor — or, alternatively, craft an image for her without betraying your own, which would sell a great many papers either way.

What you want to find out:

• Who hooked up with whom at the Saucy Soiree? (You know one pairing. There may be more.)
• Everyone had a good time that night. Who really took to the liquor? That always makes for good copy.

Hush money (received): Bessie owes you $5 tonight for your discretion about what you saw at the Saucy Soiree. Collect it.

Your catchphrase: "a story sells itself."

Act 2 — The Whaling Agreement (Seville) — open when Thomas opens Act 2

Things are coming together very nicely. You are well into high society now — you've been invited to interrupt Eddie's honeymoon, if such a thing can be imagined. Though he seems to have invited an extraordinary number of people to this foolish whaling thing. The man's a bit too proud of himself. Fine. Let him.

Best focus on finishing arrangements with Emilia. That's where the real money is — for you, at least.

Remember:

• You're making sure all the "arrangements" are ready for Emilia's big flight. You've been calling New Guinea at odd hours. The language and the time difference are a growing frustration, but the pieces are in place.
• You are setting up interviews with Emilia's more famous friends. You want comments on record before the flight and after — but the ones you really want are the before quotes. They'll be worth more in hindsight.
• Thomas, the BBC reporter, has been drinking on the job again. Hardly appropriate for a man in front of a camera. But for what you want from him, convenient.
• You're staying at Hotel Alfonso — naturally. As the most beautiful hotel in Seville, it makes sense Eddie and Bessie are here too. It's a little odd that they have their chauffeur staying in the hotel as well. Hardly worth the expense.

What you want to find out:

• Did the Whaling Agreement go through? Were there last-minute problems?
• What do the other guests know about Emilia's route?

Private task: Continue finalizing your plan with Thomas. He'll need to be paid, but the money can't be traced to you — arrange for other guests to cover his fee. Don't get caught negotiating.

It might be prudent: Not to overshare about the "surprise" you're planning for Emilia's flight. The fewer people in the know, the better.

Your catchphrase: "a story sells itself."

Act 3 — Takeoff from New Guinea — open when Thomas announces Act 3

All your plans are at a head now. Emilia will start on the last leg of her flight — but she won't make it home. Not if Thomas does his job right. He says he can rig the fuel gauge to not warn her that half the fuel is already gone. What does this man really know, anyway? Well. There's no connection to you if he does fail. You've just got to make sure he gets his cash from sources that can't be traced back to you.

It's not that you don't love her. You do. But you can love other people too, and it's going to be a whole lot easier to do so once you start raking in royalty checks from the coverage of her death.

Remember:

• Your plan: Thomas drains half the fuel from the plane's tank, and tampers with the gauge so it still reads full.
• A little risky to have Thomas involved — the man's drunk half the time — but better than dirtying your own hands.
• You ran into Josephine last night. She said the plane was fine. But if anyone asks: maybe you misheard her.
• Eddie and Emilia had dinner, alone, last night. You knew about it. You wonder if Bessie did.

What you want to find out:

• Who might suspect you, and what can you do about it before they speak up?
• Who can you plausibly point at instead? Hint: there was an earlier attempt on Emilia's life, at the Hindenburg. You have an inkling who was behind it, and they make a wonderful distraction.

Hush money (mandatory): You need the other five guests to collectively pay Thomas $15 to "pull the trigger" (which has, narratively, already happened). For an additional $35 he won't expose you as the client. Total goal: $50 to Thomas, from guests other than you. You cannot pay him directly without risking exposure. Negotiate.

Your catchphrase: "a story sells itself."

BREAKING NEWS (when Thomas reads it):

FAMED AVIATOR IN TROUBLE. REPEATED RADIO CONTACT HAS GONE UNANSWERED. AUTHORITIES FEAR THE WORST. LAST SPOTTED NEAR HOWLAND ISLAND, FLYING AT TOO LOW OF AN ALTITUDE. PILOT AND CO-PILOT PRESUMED DEAD.

Emilia has come back as a ghost. Of course, since you committed the murder, it would be best to deflect attention onto someone else. You have a useful card to play: the earlier attempt on her life, at the Hindenburg. You have suspicions about that one. Use them.