I heard the crying of a young woman before knocking on the housekeeper's door. She lived in a remote wing of the first floor, far away from the commotion of the entry.

 

"Miss Flora, my name is Detective Dent, and I'd like to speak with you."

 

"Go away, Detective! I have nothing to say to you!"

 

"We must speak at once, ma'am. Please open the door, or you'll leave me no choice but to fetch the key from Mr. Grady."

 

For a long moment there was silence, then the sound of drawers being opened and closed. Finally, the lock clicked. A young blonde haired woman in a plain grey dress opened the door.

 

"May I come in?"

 

She said nothing, but pulled the door open and walked to sit on her bed. The room was small and austere. Her bed was made of a simple metal frame, and the bare walls were painted in a sterile white.

 

"Are you feeling well, Miss Flora?"

 

"Yes, I am fine."

 

"It doesn't seem so to me. I heard you crying from outside your door."

 

Her upper lip curled. "You were spying on me?"

 

"Not spying. Just investigating. Has something upset you?

"No. And I think you should leave."

 

"This is quite possibly a murder investigation, Miss Flora. I need you to be honest with me. Where have you been since this afternoon's meeting?"

"Well, I was busy cleaning the bedrooms of the guests, and then I helped Mrs. Lawrence in the kitchen. Mr. Grady requested that I clean all the guests' rooms today. So, after dinner, I finished Mr. Dawson's, which was the last of them, before realizing what was happening in the rest of the house."

 

"So you were alone for most of the day?"

 

"Yes."

 

"Did you encounter anyone while cleaning?"

 

"Only Mr. Flanders. He came into the War Room around 4 pm when I was making his bed."

 

"Did he say anything to you? How was his demeanor?"

 

"He's a very cold man. Apparently he had asked that his room not be cleaned, but I never got that message. His yelling made me uncomfortable, so I left."

 

"Very good, Flora. Before I go, I'd like to look through your dresser drawers. Do I have your permission? A search warrant is already on its way, I can assure you."

She lowered her eyebrows but nodded permission.

 

The young lady owned few articles of clothing beyond her formal attire. However, in the bottom drawer, below her neatly pressed grey uniforms, I found a set of black lace lingerie. Inside the lining of a garter I found a small, rectangular note.

 

Unfolding it carefully, the textured paper appeared to have been torn from a pad. A forest scene had been lightly stamped along the bottom edge, tropical birds in both corners.

 

Written in black ink, the note read: