To solve the Forensic ME Protocol Public Bathrooms Case, you must find all 14 clues scattered across the main bathroom, the back storage room, and the manager's office. This involves a primary crime scene sweep, using your M.E. Protocol blacklight to uncover a hidden keypad code, and deducing a three-digit safe combination from office documents. Missing a single piece of evidence will prevent you from achieving a perfect case rating.
This guide provides a complete, step-by-step walkthrough to ensure you collect every piece of evidence methodically and crack every puzzle the grimy bathroom has to offer.
The Initial Crime Scene: Your First 7 Clues
The investigation begins the moment you step under the flickering fluorescent lights. The main bathroom area contains seven essential clues you must analyze before moving on. Do not interact with the keypad on the back wall until you have scanned everything here. The evidence is mostly concentrated around the victim, Boris "The Bull" Stoika.
Here is the optimal order for your initial sweep:
- Victim's Body: Your first interaction. A full scan reveals the cause of death (blunt force trauma) and establishes the victim's identity.
- Bloody Lead Pipe: Lying on the floor near the victim's head. Scan this to identify it as the murder weapon.
- Victim's Wallet: Found next to the body. Analyzing it confirms the victim is Boris Stoika, a known local enforcer.
- Cleaning Cart: The abandoned janitor's cart is suspicious. A scan reveals it's been recently used, but one bottle of industrial cleaner is missing.
- Broken Mirror Shard: A large piece of the shattered mirror on the floor. At first, it seems insignificant, but it's crucial for a later puzzle.
- Scuff Marks: Near the entrance to the last stall, you'll find prominent scuff marks on the tiled floor. Scan them to deduce a struggle took place.
- Suspicious Substance: A small, iridescent puddle near the drains. Analyze this chemical residue; it points to a hasty cleanup attempt with a substance not from the janitor's cart.
Once you have logged these seven items, your M.E. computer will confirm the primary sweep is complete. You can now turn your attention to the locked door at the back.
How to Access the Back Storage Room
The locked door in the main bathroom is controlled by a digital keypad. The code isn't written down anywhere obvious. This is the first real test of your M.E. Protocol tools. The solution lies with the broken mirror you examined earlier.
Using the M.E. Protocol Blacklight
Your multi-spectrum blacklight is the key. Equip it from your tool wheel and shine it directly onto the large, shattered bathroom mirror still hanging on the wall. While the shard on the floor was a clue, the main mirror holds the secret.
The UV light will reveal latent fingerprints that have been wiped away, but the cleaning agent has left a residue. Three numbers will glow faintly under the light: 3-6-2.
This is the code for the keypad. Enter 362 to unlock the door, which grants you access to the small back storage room and, more importantly, the manager's office.
A 4-panel comic showing how to use the blacklight to find the code 3-6-2 on the mirror.
Cracking the Manager's Office Safe
Inside the cramped manager's office, you'll find the case's central puzzle: a locked safe tucked under the desk. Finding all the clues to solve the Forensic ME Protocol Public Bathrooms Case hinges on getting inside this safe. The combination is a three-digit code derived from three separate documents found within the office itself.
You must locate and analyze these three files to get the numbers. They are not hidden, just spread across the desk and a nearby filing cabinet.
Infographic breaking down the three documents needed for the 4-8-5 safe combination.
Clue 1: The Employee Schedule (First Digit)
On the main desk, you'll find a clipboard with the weekly employee schedule. Scan the document. Your M.E. analysis will highlight that only one employee, a janitor named Frank, was scheduled to work in "Unit 4" (the bathroom block) on the night of the murder. The key number here is 4.
Clue 2: The Cleaning Log (Second Digit)
Next to the schedule is a spiral-bound cleaning logbook. Examining it reveals multiple entries for the day. However, your analysis will flag a single entry at 8 PM as anomalous. The signature is forged, and the time coincides with the estimated time of death. The second digit of the combination is 8.
Clue 3: The Financial Ledger (Third Digit)
In the open filing cabinet drawer, pull out the financial ledger. A quick scan of the pages will reveal a recent entry with a handwritten note next to it. The note points out a cash deposit discrepancy of $15. The final digit for the safe is derived from this number: 15. Since the safe requires single digits per entry, you use the constituent numbers. However, the game simplifies this—the game's puzzle logic often uses the most prominent number, but in this case, it's a bit of a trick. The actual third digit is 5. Some players report it being 1, then 5, but the most common solution is the final number.
With all three numbers, you have the safe combination: 4-8-5. Enter this code into the safe's dial to open it.
The Final Clues and Case Conclusion
Opening the safe gives you access to the two most important pieces of evidence in the entire case. These clues directly implicate the killer and reveal the motive.
- Clue 12: Security Footage Cassette: Inside the safe is a small VHS-C cassette. Analyzing it reveals erased security footage from the time of the murder. The act of deliberate erasure is itself damning evidence of a cover-up.
- Clue 13: Ledger Discrepancy Note: Tucked behind the cassette is a small, folded note from Boris Stoika to the manager, referencing the $15 discrepancy and containing a clear threat. This establishes the motive: blackmail.
With the safe cracked and its contents logged, there is only one piece of evidence left to find. Before you leave the manager's office, turn around and look at the floor near the doorway leading back to the bathroom.
- Clue 14: Muddy Footprint: A single, clear footprint is visible on the linoleum. A scan reveals a unique tread pattern and soil composition that matches samples taken from outside the building, but not from the victim. This proves someone else was in the office after the murder.
Collecting this final clue completes your investigation. With all 14 clues logged, you can now submit your report and receive the highest possible rating for the Public Bathrooms Case.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I missed a clue in the main bathroom? You can freely move between the bathroom, storage room, and manager's office. If you realize you missed one of the initial seven clues, you can go back and scan it at any time before submitting the case file.
Is the safe code always 4-8-5? Yes, for the Public Bathrooms Case, the safe combination is fixed and does not change on subsequent playthroughs. The documents and the numbers derived from them are always the same.
What happens if I submit the case with missing clues? Submitting an incomplete report will result in a lower case rating and affect your overall progress score. The game's narrative will reflect your sloppy work, with your superiors admonishing you for failing to conduct a thorough investigation.
Does the 'Suspicious Substance' clue do anything? While it doesn't unlock any doors or safes, the chemical residue is a required piece of evidence. It helps establish the killer's cleanup attempt and contributes to the narrative and your final score. It is not an optional collectible.
A Case Closed
While the Public Bathrooms Case is the introductory chapter of FORENSIC - M.E. Protocol, it sets the standard for the kind of multi-layered investigation required throughout the game. It teaches you to look beyond the obvious, use your tools creatively, and understand that the environment itself is a puzzle box. By following these steps and finding all 14 clues, you're not just closing a case—you're mastering the core mechanics that will lead you to the truth in the far more complex investigations that await.