The Disappearing Act

The Disappearing Act is a quest in Fallout 4.

Quick walkthrough

 * Accept the quest from Nick Valentine's office
 * Search Earl Sterling's house for clues
 * (Optional) Obtain the key to Earl Sterling's house (Vadim Bobrov was his friend and will give it)
 * Investigate the Mega surgery center
 * Obtain the key to the surgery cellar (obtainable from Doctor Sun if a Charisma check is passed)
 * Investigate the surgery cellar
 * Talk to Ellie Perkins

Detailed walkthrough
The quest starts after Unlikely Valentine has been finished.
 * Pick the Novice level lock to Earl Sterling's house or head to the Dugout Inn and speak to Vadim Bobrov to obtain the key.
 * Next go to Earl Sterling's house and look on the floor to the left of the sofa and pick up "Surgery Receipt"
 * Speak to Doctor Sun next to the Mega Surgery Center. There are a few ways of getting into the cellar: Examine the blood stain and pass two medium and one hard speech check, pick the advanced lock into the cellar or pickpocket the key from Doc Sun.
 * After going into the cellar talk to Doc Crocker, you can either end the conflict by passing one of two charisma check options for to arrest or end peacefully(Both will cause Doc Crooker to commit suicide) or kill him yourself.
 * Talk to Doctor Sun
 * Go back to Valentine Detective Agency and collect the approximately 200 Bottle Cap reward.

Quest stages

 * At the ending: I discovered what happened to Earl - Doc Crocker killed him during a botched surgery. I need to let Ellie know what happened.
 * Finished: I told Ellie what I'd found - Doctor Crocker killed Earl and Now he's out of the picture as well. She said she'd break the news to the folks at the Dugout Inn.