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MissionsupportingSide missionModerate

Raymond Chandler Evening

A side mission in Heywood in which V investigates Pepe Najarro’s concerns about his wife, Cynthia, and becomes involved in a tense confrontation with NCPD officers.

RoleSide mission focused on investigation, dialogue, and a potentially hostile encounter.
Statusreleased
Importancesupporting
TimeUnknown
  • Mission typeSide mission
  • Primary districtHeywood
  • Opening locationEl Coyote Cojo
  • Main activityInvestigation and dialogue
  • CombatPotentially avoidable
  • DifficultyModerateA practical editorial classification rather than an in-game rating.

The mission does not have a conventional boss fight. Exact reward and completion-time details are not verified in the supplied source pack.

Key takeaways

Keep the following points in mind before starting the mission.

  • Start at El Coyote Cojo The opening conversation with Pepe Najarro establishes the personal problem V is being asked to investigate. Listen to the full request before leaving so the next objective and the people involved are clear.
  • Treat the NCPD encounter as a dialogue scene first The officers connected to the dispute do not have to be attacked immediately. A calm approach preserves the non-combat route and gives V more information about what is happening.
  • The mission is not a standard gang-clearing gig Its progress depends on speaking to the relevant people and following the objective markers rather than searching for a large enemy compound. Combat is avoidable in the key confrontation if V chooses the appropriate dialogue responses.
  • Pay attention to the final conversation The information V gathers affects how the situation is presented to Pepe. The mission’s personal resolution is more important than any large-scale reward or boss encounter.

Raymond Chandler Evening overview

Raymond Chandler Evening is a Heywood side mission built around a personal dispute that quickly becomes an encounter with NCPD. Rather than sending V after a conventional gang hideout or a high-profile target, the mission begins with a request from Pepe Najarro and develops through conversation, observation, and a choice about how directly to intervene.

The mission starts near El Coyote Cojo, where Pepe Najarro asks V to look into a problem involving his wife, Cynthia. The setup has the tone of a small domestic mystery: Pepe is worried, the available information is incomplete, and V must decide how much to question the people involved before taking action. The early part of the mission is therefore more about reading the situation than clearing a combat arena.

As V follows the investigation, NCPD officers become part of the dispute. The confrontation can be handled through dialogue, but an aggressive response can turn the scene into a fight. This makes positioning and restraint more valuable than simply arriving with the strongest weapon available. Players who want the least disruptive route should exhaust conversational options before attacking anyone.

Raymond Chandler Evening is also notable for its relatively local scale. Its conflict is tied to people in Heywood rather than to a major corporate operation or a city-wide crisis, which gives the mission a grounded, street-level feel. The mission's central uncertainty concerns Cynthia's situation and what V chooses to tell Pepe afterward; those revelations and outcomes are kept out of this spoiler-light overview.

Where this sits

BriefingPepe explains the problem
InvestigationV follows the situation and speaks with the people involved
ConfrontationNCPD officers become part of the dispute
ResolutionV decides how to handle the information gathered
  1. 1Meet Pepe NajarrobriefingThe mission begins with the request at El Coyote Cojo.
  2. 2Investigate Cynthia’s situationinvestigationFollow the marked objectives and speak to the relevant people.
  3. 3Handle the NCPD confrontationencounterDialogue can prevent the encounter from becoming a fight.
  4. ●Resolve the disputeresolutionThe closing conversation determines how V handles the personal information discovered.

A compact Heywood investigation that moves from a personal request to a police confrontation and a final decision about disclosure.

Requirements

No unusual equipment requirement is associated with Raymond Chandler Evening. The mission is primarily driven by conversations and objective markers, although a combat-ready build is useful if the NCPD encounter becomes hostile.

  • RequiredAccess to HeywoodV must be able to reach the mission area around El Coyote Cojo in Heywood.
  • RequiredAbility to follow objective markersThe investigation advances through conversations and movement between marked locations rather than through a hidden puzzle.
  • RecommendedDialogue readinessRead the available responses during the police encounter before selecting an aggressive option.
  • OptionalCombat backupWeapons, healing items, and cyberware are useful if the confrontation turns hostile, but no special weapon is required.

Objectives

  1. Meet Pepe Najarro at El Coyote CojoSpeak with Pepe to receive the details of the personal problem he wants V to investigate.
  2. Investigate Cynthia’s situationFollow the marked route and use the available conversations to establish what has happened.
  3. Deal with the NCPD officersChoose whether to de-escalate the confrontation through dialogue or allow it to become a combat encounter.
  4. Return to the personal disputeUse the information V has gathered to decide how the situation should be presented to Pepe.

Walkthrough

  1. 01

    Meet Pepe Najarro

    Go to El Coyote Cojo

    Travel to El Coyote Cojo in Heywood and enter the marked area. The mission begins when V approaches Pepe Najarro, so do not leave after reaching the bar without locating him and starting the conversation.

    Location: El Coyote Cojo, Heywood

    TipIf the objective marker seems to point outside the venue, check the immediate area around the bar rather than assuming the mission has failed to start.

  2. 02

    Listen to Pepe Najarro

    Hear Pepe’s request

    Talk to Pepe and let him explain why he is worried about Cynthia. The conversation supplies the context for the next objective, and rushing through it can make the investigation feel less clear because the mission deliberately begins with incomplete personal information.

    Location: El Coyote Cojo, Heywood

  3. 03

    Investigate Cynthia’s situation

    Follow the investigation marker

    Leave the bar and follow the active objective toward the next meeting point. Stay within the marked route and interact with the people connected to the dispute; this is not a mission where searching for a large enemy base will advance the story.

    Location: Heywood

    TipUse the journal and the current objective if several nearby markers are visible. The correct route is the one tied to the active mission objective, not necessarily the closest icon on the map.

  4. 04

    Deal with the NCPD officers

    Approach the NCPD confrontation carefully

    When the investigation leads V into the police-related encounter, approach without drawing a weapon. The scene is structured as a confrontation rather than an automatic firefight, and starting combat can remove the quieter route through the objective.

    Location: Heywood

    Watch outDo not fire at the officers while attempting the dialogue resolution. An accidental shot, grenade, or hostile quickhack can make the group attack V.

  5. 05

    Resolve the confrontation

    Use dialogue before violence

    Select the non-aggressive responses while speaking with the officers and allow the exchange to finish. This route keeps the encounter focused on the dispute and avoids turning the mission into an unnecessary fight.

    Location: Heywood

    TipHolster your weapon before initiating the conversation and avoid using area-of-effect abilities while NPCs are still neutral.

  6. 06

    Defeat the hostile NCPD officers

    Fight only if the encounter becomes hostile

    If V chooses an aggressive response or the scene is otherwise turned hostile, defeat the attacking NCPD officers and then confirm that the objective has updated. Use nearby cover and avoid chasing enemies so far that V leaves the mission area.

    Location: Heywood

    Watch outThe mission can be disrupted if V abandons the encounter while enemies remain active. Clear the immediate threat before returning to the marked objective.

  7. 07

    Continue the investigation

    Complete the investigation

    After the confrontation, follow the updated marker and speak with the remaining person tied to the dispute. The important progression trigger is the conversation, so search for the interaction prompt if the objective marker places V close to the destination.

    Location: Heywood

  8. 08

    Resolve Pepe’s concerns

    Decide what to tell Pepe

    Return to Pepe when the mission directs V back to him and review the available dialogue. This closing exchange determines how V handles the information learned about Cynthia, so save beforehand if you want to compare the role-playing outcomes.

    Location: El Coyote Cojo, Heywood

    Watch outThe final conversation is the mission’s meaningful decision point. Once the dialogue is completed, the immediate opportunity to present the information differently is over.

    CheckpointMissable
  9. 09

    Complete Raymond Chandler Evening

    Finish the conversation and confirm completion

    Stay with the closing dialogue until the mission-complete state appears. If the journal does not update, remain near Pepe and check for another interaction prompt instead of leaving the bar immediately.

    Location: El Coyote Cojo, Heywood

    Checkpoint

Mission mechanics

Raymond Chandler Evening uses investigation pacing rather than a traditional combat loop. The mission advances by moving between marked locations and speaking with the people involved, so objective tracking and careful interaction matter more than damage output. The game does not require V to solve a separate environmental puzzle to uncover the central information.

The main mechanical fork is the NCPD encounter. Neutral presentation, a holstered weapon, and non-aggressive dialogue preserve the conversation route. If V attacks or causes an accidental hostile action, the encounter becomes a combat sequence; in that case, use cover and clear the immediate group before returning to the objective.

The closing conversation is the mission’s role-playing payoff. V has enough information to decide how directly to describe the situation to Pepe, and the available dialogue should be read as a decision about honesty and discretion rather than as a conventional upgrade choice.

What works and what does not

Strengths

  • The mission gives a small personal problem enough room to develop through conversation.
  • The police confrontation creates tension without requiring a large combat set piece.
  • The final exchange gives dialogue-focused characters a meaningful role-playing decision.
  • Its Heywood setting supports the mission’s grounded, neighborhood-scale tone.

Weaknesses

  • The mission provides less combat variety than a standard gig built around a hostile facility.
  • The investigation can feel unclear if the opening dialogue is skipped or rushed.
  • The outcome distinction is primarily narrative, so players seeking a major gameplay reward may find the conclusion modest.

Best uses

  • Play it as a dialogue and investigation mission rather than rushing toward combat.
  • Use a manual save before the final conversation if you want to examine the available role-playing outcomes.
  • Approach the police scene with weapons holstered to preserve the intended de-escalation option.

Choices and consequencesSpoilers

  • De-escalate the confrontation with the NCPD officers

    V can keep the encounter conversational and avoid an unnecessary fight, allowing the investigation to continue without immediately making the officers hostile.

  • Attack the NCPD officers

    The confrontation becomes a combat encounter. V must deal with the hostile officers before continuing the mission, and the scene no longer follows the quiet dialogue route.

  • Choose how directly to present the information to Pepe

    The final conversation determines whether V handles the personal dispute with greater candor or discretion. The choice changes the tone of the resolution rather than opening a separate major quest line.

    Spoiler

Checklist

  • Locate Pepe Najarro at El Coyote CojoThe mission does not progress until the opening conversation is completed.
  • Read the investigation dialogueThe context explains why V is following the situation.
  • Keep weapons holstered during the NCPD encounterThis helps prevent an accidental escalation.
  • Try the non-aggressive dialogue routeThe confrontation can be handled without immediately starting combat.
  • Clear the encounter if it becomes hostileDo not leave active enemies behind while trying to advance the objective.
  • Return to Pepe for the closing conversationThe final interaction contains the mission’s main role-playing decision.
  • Make a manual save before the final dialogueRecommended if you want to compare the available conversational outcomes.Optional

Failure conditions

  • V dies during the hostile encounterReload the latest checkpoint or save and repeat the confrontation with more cover and healing resources.
  • V attacks the NCPD officers while attempting dialogueThe scene can become hostile immediately. If the non-combat route is important, reload a save from before the conversation.
  • V leaves the active encounter areaMoving too far away can interrupt the encounter or leave enemies active. Remain near the marked area until the objective updates.
  • V leaves before completing the closing conversationThe mission may remain active until V returns to Pepe and finishes the required interaction.

On failure

The mission uses normal Cyberpunk 2077 checkpoint and save behavior, but the exact checkpoint placement is not verified in the supplied source pack.

Rewards

  • Mission completion rewards
    Completing Raymond Chandler Evening provides the normal progression and payment associated with a completed side mission, but the exact reward values are not verified here.
  • Combat loot
    If the NCPD confrontation becomes hostile, defeated officers may provide ordinary equipment or item drops appropriate to the encounter. Exact drop contents are not fixed in this article.

Characters in this mission

AftermathSpoilers

The resolution is personal, not a new combat arc

Raymond Chandler Evening concludes through the handling of Pepe and Cynthia’s dispute. Its most important consequence is the way V chooses to communicate what was discovered; the mission does not turn into a separate large-scale campaign after the closing conversation.

Trivia

  • The mission title references Raymond Chandler, the American writer strongly associated with hard-boiled detective fiction and private-investigator stories.
  • The mission’s structure echoes noir investigation conventions: a worried client, incomplete personal testimony, a potentially compromised authority figure, and a final decision about what truth to disclose.
  • Its setting near El Coyote Cojo places a small domestic mystery within one of Heywood’s recurring neighborhood spaces rather than in a corporate or military facility.

Relationships

characters

  • Pepe NajarroClientPepe Najarro asks V to investigate a personal problem involving Cynthia.
  • CynthiaSubject of investigationCynthia is at the center of the dispute V is asked to examine.
  • Bill JablonskyNCPD officerBill Jablonsky is involved in the police confrontation during the mission.

factions

  • NCPDFactionNCPD officers become involved in the mission’s central confrontation.