Quick Links
Mission stories (formerly known as opportunities) have been a staple throughout Hitman's World of Assassination trilogy, allowing players to take part in enthralling narratives within the game's levels that lead them to their targets. When marketing began for the trilogy's third and final instalment, Hitman 3, a particular mission story in Dartmoor was front and centre.
The mission 'Death in the Family' sees 47 travel to a typically overcast England, where he has to infiltrate a historic manor to kill Alexa Carlisle, one of the all-powerful heads of the villain organisation, Providence. The aforementioned mission story - 'Means, Motive, And Opportunity' - sees you impersonate a detective to investigate a murder, a la Knives Out, and is by far one of the game's finest. This guide will walk you through the entire story, and every achievement connected to it.
|
Note: This guide will contain spoilers for the Means, Motive, and Opportunity mission story. |
How To Start The 'Means, Motive, And Opportunity' Mission Story
If you've already reached a sufficient mastery level on Dartmoor, you can actually start as the detective. Assuming you haven't, though, just pick the default spawn and bring a lockpick and some coins. This will put you right behind where the detective begins; he approaches the main gate and introduces himself to the guards before heading through. If you head along the wall to the right of the gates, there's a broken-down section of wall you can vault to get onto the mansion's grounds.
Once you're over the wall, cross the river at the shallower section, and wait in the bushes just uphill. As the detective passes, use your coins to lure him into the bush, where you can take him out and steal his outfit (earning the 'Elementary, My Dear Diana' achievement/trophy). In the detective disguise, no one will be suspicious of you, and you can go pretty much anywhere on the map, so it's plain sailing on the stealth front from here.
Make your way towards the mansion, where there's a button prompt to have a staff member escort you to the door, where you'll be frisked. Once inside, you meet Carlisle, who explains the case to you; her brother Zachary has died, and she suspects foul play. With that, she leaves you to her own devices and instructs you to speak to the butler, Mr. Fernsby, if you need anything. Press the button to start the investigation with Fernsby, and he'll lead you to Zachary's room.
Once you get there, you'll notice a new section for the room on your intel screen, with a counter for the clues you've found. More of these appear throughout your investigation, and there's a discovery challenge that requires you to complete them all, so we'll walk you through where every clue is in each room.
Where Are The Clues In Zachary's Room?
Zachary's room has six clues, which are found as follows:
- Use your camera to scan Zachary's body to get some information about the time and manner of his death.
- Scan the whisky on Zachary's bedside table to confirm that's how he ingested the poison.
- Inspect his laptop on the desk.
- Read his suicide note on the table next to the fire for a handwriting sample.
- Pull out a book on the bookshelf next to the mirror to open a hidden passage.
- Go into the secret passage and inspect the mansion floor plan.
Once you're done in Zachary's room, you must return to Fernsby to unlock the rest of the mission story. He'll give you information about the family members that could be rather suspect, as well as about their rooms. To cover everything, you'll have to visit every room and speak to every family member, so we'll deal with the interrogations first, then go through the rest of the rooms.
Where To Find Patrick Carlisle
Patrick can be found in the library off to the left of the main hall, where he alternates between playing pool and taking phone calls. As with all the suspects, you'll need to talk to him three times, and the most important piece of information he gives you is his alibi, which you need to confirm.
Make your way to the staff room on the other side of the ground floor and you'll find an upset-looking Rosie sitting in a chair. Speak to her, and she'll confirm Patrick's alibi, clearing him of any suspicion.
Where To Find Edward Carlisle
The next stop is the dining room, where you'll find Edward Carlisle, along with a handwritten speech he's prepared sitting on the dining table. Scan it to check his handwriting against the suicide note, then speak to him the required three times.
Where To Find Gregory And Emma Carlisle
Head across the hall to the sitting room, where Gregory is sitting on the couch. Ask him about his whereabouts and suspicions and he'll confirm Edward's alibi, eliminating both his brother and himself from suspicion.
Emma is pacing the sitting room, so after finishing up with Gregory, interrogate her as well.
Where To Find Rebecca Carlisle
Rebecca paces too, alternating between the sitting room and the trophy room, so if she's not with Robert and Emma, she'll be across the hall. Ask her your questions, and you're done with the interrogations. Her alibi is that she was a conference call in her room, so let's start the searches there.
Where Are The Clues In Rebecca's Room?
As with all the bedrooms, Rebecca's is marked on your map, so go upstairs and use your lockpick to get in (if you don't have one, you can find a crowbar by the greenhouse outside). Here's how to find the clues in Rebecca's room:
- Scan the journal by the fireplace to learn her handwriting does not match the suicide note.
- Check the laptop on the table in the middle of the room to confirm her alibi.
These are the only clues in Rebecca's room, and they clear her from suspicion.
Where Are The Clues In Emma And Gregory's Room?
The only two remaining suspects are Emma and Fernsby, so we'll investigate the former's room first. Here's how to find the clues:
- Scan the shoes and footprints in the corner by the wardrobe.
- Pick up the greenhouse keychain behind the suitcases.
- Pick up the cane by the fireplace.
- Read the letter on the bedside table, which reveals that Emma is actually Alexa and Zachary's niece and that they killed Emma's father Montgomery.
Where Are The Clues In Mr. Fernsby's Office?
Keep the cane with you and go downstairs to Fernsby's office, where you can find the clues by doing the following:
- Get Zachary's half-burnt diary out of the fire, which reveals he planned to confess to the aforementioned murder of Montgomery, which he and Alexa planned so that she could be the heir to the Carlisle empire. The diary also implicates Fernsby, and the handwriting also doesn't match the suicide note, confirming it was faked.
- Pick up Fernsby's list from the desk; his handwriting does not match the suicide note either.
- Pick up the lethal pills from the window sill. They do not match the poison that killed Zachary.
The last room to investigate is the greenhouse, but before heading down there, go back upstairs to the pictured location, where you can use your cane in a 'mysterious switch' on the ground to access another secret room. At the back is a letter from Montgomery, revealing he wanted Alexa to become heir anyway, meaning his murder was in vain.
Where Are The Clues In The Greenhouse?
The last bit of investigating you need to do is in the greenhouse, out the back of the house. Here's how to find the clues it contains:
- Walk up to the broken distillation equipment. It's a good idea to repair this (using the wrench from the nearby fountain), as doing so will come in handy later.
- Scan the book of poisons on the table.
That's the last of the clues, so upon finding these ones, you'll unlock the 'House Cleaning' achievement.
How To Get The 'A Matter Of Loyalty', 'A Matter Of Justice', 'A Matter Of Guilt', and 'Another Death In The Family' Challenges
With this, your investigation is done, and you've not only learned that Emma was the killer and that she plans to kill Alexa Carlisle next, but you've gathered sufficient information to convince Alexa that Fernsby was the murderer, or that Zachary really did kill himself, should you so wish. Make your way inside and talk to Fernsby to have him take you to Alexa.
You'll be led upstairs to Alexa's office, where you can take a seat opposite her. She'll ask for your conclusion, where you can choose one of three options. Save here, so you can quickly get back to this point to choose the options you don't pick the first time around.
Accusing Zachary - 'A Matter of Guilt'
If you accuse Zachary, explaining he felt guilty after learning he killed Montgomery for nothing, you'll earn the 'A Matter Of Guilt' feat, and as payment, Alexa will offer you the file you need as your secondary objective. Then, she'll step outside to the balcony and jump off, completing your primary objective.
Accusing Emma - 'A Matter of Justice'
If you accuse Emma, you'll explain that she thought Alexa was dead and wanted Zachary gone too, in order to ensure she and her husband inherited the estate, restoring it to Montgomery's bloodline as Emma and her mother believe it always should have been. Alexa will offer you the same payment, and you'll get the 'A Matter of Justice' achievement. You'll still need to take her out yourself - shoot out the chandelier while she's under it to get the 'I Find This Amoosing' assassination challenge.
Accusing Fernsby - 'A Matter of Loyalty'
If you accuse Fernsby, explaining that he did it to protect both himself and Alexa by preventing Zachary's confession from getting out, Alexa will understand, being grateful for Fernsby's loyalty and ultimately letting things slide. You'll achieve 'A Matter of Loyalty', you will once again receive the file, and Alexa will go downstairs to call a meeting in the sitting room. This meeting happens on its own eventually, but since you can trigger it this way, you might as well kill two birds with one stone.
At the meeting, Alexa intends to reassert herself as the head of the family, but while you were speaking with Alexa, Emma had been busy with the greenhouse equipment you fixed, and has poisoned Alexa's drink. The matriarch takes a sip of her whisky and perishes, earning you the 'Another Death in the Family' achievement.
Means, Motive, and Opportunity's branching nature means that covering everything can take a while, but it's a fantastically entertaining plot to unravel, and if you followed this guide, your investigation will have been thorough enough to get you all the achievements!