The Things We Keep Side Job Walkthrough (MOUSE: P.I. For Hire): Letter Location, Objectives, and Rewards

The Things We Keep side job in MOUSE: P.I. For Hire (quest overview)

The Things We Keep is a Wanda Fuller side investigation on Tinsel Avenue, introduced during the “Once Upon A Time… By Tinsel Bros.” main mission. In this optional quest, Wanda asks Jack Pepper to investigate the disappearance of a friend, effectively turning over evidence on the movie studio lot. It is the third side job in the game (after “Show Some Culture, Jack” and “Blueprints, Please”) and one of 14 side jobs needed for the Real Deal Gumshoe trophy. Completing all tasks for Wanda including this quest rewards valuable coins and helps uncover story clues about a missing screenwriter.

How to start The Things We Keep side job (Wanda Fuller location)

To activate The Things We Keep, you must first begin the Tinsel Avenue case (“Once Upon A Time…” by Tinsel Bros.). Then visit the Mouseburg P.I. Office hub and talk to Wanda Fuller. Talking to Wanda in the office (her icon appears on the compass) will trigger this side job. This step must be done before progressing too far into the studio mission; Wanda will not remind you later.

The Things We Keep side job requirements (main mission unlock)

This side quest only becomes available after you start the main mission “Once Upon A Time…” (the film studio segment). It is technically missable if you finish that main mission first. You can safely play through the Tinsel Avenue street and even enter the studio sets, but do not complete the final main objectives until you have spoken with Wanda and collected her items. According to guides, you should complete everything up through the theatre sequence (the Pyrotechnist sub-objective) before finishing the main case, because once the main mission ends the side job is locked out. In short: accept the job early, then proceed with the studio, or risk losing the side quest.

The Things We Keep side job objectives (what you need to do)

In The Things We Keep, Jack has two main tasks to fulfill Wanda’s request. First, after the initial street combat on Tinsel Avenue, look for a burning overturned truck and snap a photo of the wreckage. Then advance into the movie studio’s “family show” set (a staged house interior) and fight through the enemies. At the far end of the set, you must locate and pick up Wanda’s missing letter (a small envelope). Collecting that letter and returning it to Wanda completes the quest. (The studio also contains an extra collectible locket, detailed below, but only the letter is required to finish the side job.)

Where to find Wanda’s Letter in The Things We Keep (exact location)

Wanda’s Letter is hidden in the family show set on Tinsel Avenue. Specifically, after clearing the enemies in that set, go to the small kitchen area (south corner of the room) and look at the white bookcase against the wall. The letter appears on the bottom shelf of that bookcase. In other words, search the cupboard shelves, one will have a small envelope labeled “Letter to Wanda.” That is the primary spawn point for the missing letter (see image below).

Wanda’s Letter not spawning? alternate letter locations and checkpoints

The letter’s spawn point can vary, so if it isn’t on the bookcase shelf, check the other possible spots. Another common location is behind the bar counter in the set. You should also inspect the floor around the exit: sometimes the envelope lies on the ground by a crate near the door. (Some players have even reported finding it on a pile of rope just outside the exit door.)

In short, if you can’t find the letter on the shelf, search behind the bar and next to any boxes or crates in that final hallway. Because its appearance is random, you may need to reload or backtrack to the last checkpoint before the set and try again if you still can’t locate it. The key is to clear the area completely, then systematically check each of these spawn points.

The Things We Keep on Tinsel Avenue: movie set area walkthrough

The quest takes place on the old Tinsel Avenue movie lot, specifically the “family show” stage set. After the street battle, Jack enters a soundstage designed like a 1940s TV living-room/kitchen. This area features multiple layouts and scripted hazards: the ceiling will collapse and drop stage props as enemies swarm. Jack must push forward while taking cover from falling scenery.

Guides note that you need to clear all enemies and navigate through successive sections until you reach the back of the stage. Eventually you will pass a set piece with a bar and couch. Just beyond that (through a small doorway) is where Wanda’s letter can be found. In summary, fight through the studio’s multiple rooms and reach the far corner of the set, that’s where the letter is located.

The Things We Keep combat section tips (clearing the shootout fast)

In the Tinsel Avenue studio sections, enemies continuously spawn, so stay aggressive and use heavy firepower. Try to keep moving to avoid being surrounded, and use Jack’s grappling whip to gain height or evade. Although the hot pepper power-up appears in the later medieval set, you can use it (if you reach it quickly) to wipe out crowds. Otherwise focus on weaker foes first and save ammunition for the larger thugs. Taking out enemies quickly lets you avoid the scripted falling scenery. In short: use cover and crowd-control tactics to mow down attackers, and push steadily forward to finish the combat sections without wasting time (then head straight for the letter).

The Things We Keep collectible route (grab the letter before leaving)

After clearing the family-show set, double back to loot Wanda’s clues. First pick up the letter from the bookcase shelf as above. Then head toward the exit; just before the door, turn and look behind the radio against the wall. There you can find Betty’s Peculiar Locket (a necklace collectible on a shelf). Collecting this locket isn’t required to complete Wanda’s quest, but it is a nice extra item if you want 100%. In summary, the optimal route is: clear enemies, grab the letter off the shelf, then grab the locket behind the radio before you leave the studio.

The Things We Keep side job reward (coins payout and completion)

Once Jack has Wanda’s letter, return immediately to Wanda Fuller in the PI Office to turn it in. Completing The Things We Keep nets you 150 coins as a payout. (No other item reward or schematic is given – just the cash.) As soon as you speak to Wanda with the letter in hand, the side job will be marked complete and the coins added to your total. This 150-coin reward is fixed for finishing the quest and is the same for every playthrough.

Fast completion path for The Things We Keep (minimum backtracking)

For speed, focus only on Wanda’s objectives. After accepting the quest, clear only the enemies needed to advance. Immediately after the street fight, snap Wanda’s required photo of the burning truck, then avoid detours: go straight into the studio. Inside, don’t wander into extra rooms, punch through the set toward the final hallway.

Once you reach the family show set, stay on the main path to the bookcase shelf. Grab Wanda’s letter on the first pass. Then exit without exploring side areas (except to collect the locket if you want). In short, kill waves, take the photo, rush to the back of the stage to pick up the letter (and locket), and then immediately return to Wanda for 150 coins. This avoids any unnecessary backtracking or missed spawns.

The Things We Keep quest chain explained (how it fits the side jobs list)

The Things We Keep is the third side job of 14 in Mouseburg. It follows Wanda’s other early tasks and is given during Mission 6 (Tinsel Bros). It must be done in sequence like the others (you’ll see Wanda’s icon on the compass when it’s available). Completing it grants 150 coins and counts toward the “Real Deal Gumshoe” completion trophy, which requires finishing all fourteen side jobs.

In context, this side job is one of Wanda’s many errands (similar to “Show Some Culture, Jack” and “Blueprints, Please”), and it must be done before you wrap up the studio case. All side jobs in MOUSE: P.I. for Hire share the same pattern: accept at the hub, do the task during the main mission, then return for a reward.

The Things We Keep side job step-by-step checklist (quick guide)

1. Talk to Wanda Fuller at the PI Office after starting the “Once Upon A Time…” mission to accept The Things We Keep side job.
2. In the Tinsel Avenue street section, defeat the first wave of enemies and photograph the burning overturned truck (prompted by Wanda’s quest).
3. Enter the film studio sets and clear through them. Progress to the “family show” set (old TV kitchen set) at the far end.
4. Search the bookcase in the south corner of the set and pick up Wanda’s letter from the bottom shelf.
5. (Optional) Before exiting, collect the Peculiar Locket behind the radio in the hallway for an extra collectible.
6. Return to Wanda Fuller at the PI Office and hand in the letter. The side job will complete and you’ll receive 150 coins.

The Things We Keep video walkthrough (full run with letter pickup)

Full visual walkthroughs exist on YouTube for this side quest. For example, GamersPrey has a complete “The Things We Keep” side-job video guide that shows the entire sequence and exactly where to pick up the letter. In that video the letter is grabbed at about 10:45, confirming the locations above. Watching a full walkthrough can help you see Jack’s path through the studio and ensure you grab the letter and locket in one run.

All MOUSE: P.I. For Hire side jobs guide (links to every side quest)

You can find comprehensive guides for every side job in Mouse P.I. For Hire on sites like PowerPyx and NeonLightsMedia. These sites cover all 14 side quests step-by-step. For example, PowerPyx’s “All Side Jobs Guide” lists each side investigation (including The Things We Keep) with screenshots and reward information. NeonLightsMedia also has a full side-jobs walkthrough. These guides are useful for seeing the context of The Things We Keep alongside the other side quests (they also confirm this one’s objectives and rewards).

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. How do I start The Things We Keep side job? 
   You start it by talking to Wanda Fuller in the PI Office hub after you trigger the “Once Upon A Time…” mission.
2. What main mission unlocks this quest?
   It becomes available once the Tinsel Avenue case (“Once Upon A Time…” by Tinsel Bros.) begins. You must begin that mission; it won’t appear before then.
3. What are the objectives I need to complete? 
   First, defeat the street enemies and photograph the wrecked truck as Wanda requests. Then clear the studio sets and retrieve Wanda’s letter from the bookcase shelf in the family show set.
4. Where is Wanda’s letter located? 
   Wanda’s letter (small envelope) is on the bottom shelf of the kitchen-area bookcase in the family-show set. Check that bookcase first.
5. What if the letter doesn’t appear on the shelf?
   It can spawn elsewhere. If it’s not on the shelf, also check behind the set’s bar counter and on the floor by any crates near the exit. Some players have found it on rope by the exit. Clearing the room and reloading a checkpoint before the set can help if it still fails to spawn.
6. What reward do I get for completing this side job? 
   You get 150 coins for handing Wanda the letter. No other items are awarded for this side quest.
7. Is The Things We Keep side quest missable? 
   Yes. If you finish the main Tinsel mission before returning to Wanda with the letter, you will lock yourself out of the quest. Make sure to do Wanda’s job before ending the main case.
8. Do I need the Peculiar Locket from behind the radio? 
   The locket is an additional collectible (Betty’s necklace) and is not required to complete Wanda’s quest. You can grab it for completionist sake, but only the letter itself is needed for Wanda’s side job.
9. How many side jobs are there in total? 
   There are 14 side jobs in MOUSE: P.I. For Hire, all of which must be completed in one playthrough for the trophy. The Things We Keep is the third of these, and finishing it counts toward that total.
10. Where can I find guides or walkthroughs for every side job? 
    Web guides from PowerPyx, NeonLightsMedia, and others cover all side quests. The PowerPyx “All Side Jobs Guide” lists each optional investigation, including The Things We Keep. YouTube channels like GamersPrey and TrophyHunters also have video walkthroughs for each side job.

Conclusion

The Things We Keep is a short but critical side job in MOUSE: P.I. For Hire. By following the steps above: speak to Wanda, photo the truck, fight through the studio, grab the letter (and locket), and return to Wanda, you can quickly complete it for 150 coins. It fits in the larger chain of Wanda’s errands during the Tinsel Avenue mission and must be done before finishing the main case. Keeping an eye out for the letter’s spawn points ensures you don’t miss it. Completing this job (along with all other side quests) unlocks full completion rewards and contributes to the Real Deal Gumshoe achievement.

Sources and Citations

1. PowerPyx – Mouse P.I. For Hire All Side Jobs Guide
   https://www.powerpyx.com/mouse-p-i-for-hire-all-side-jobs-guide/
2. Selphie1999Gaming – Mouse P.I. For Hire: The Things We Keep
   https://selphie1999gaming.com/game-guides/mouse-pi-for-hire/mouse-pi-for-hire-the-things-we-keep-where-to-find-the-letter-for-wanda/
3. NeonLightsMedia – Mouse P.I. For Hire Side Jobs Guide
   https://www.neonlightsmedia.com/blog/mouse-pi-for-hire-side-jobs-guide
4. IntoIndieGames – MOUSE: P.I. For Hire “Once Upon A Time…” Walkthrough
   https://intoindiegames.com/walkthroughs/mouse-p-i-for-hire-once-upon-a-time-by-tinsel-bros-walkthrough/

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