Episode Five:
The Investigation Winds Down
As you and Inspector Abergavenny glance through Plants That Kill, the book you've just discovered, you notice that the crumpled lending slip bookmarks the page about Atropa belladona, also known as Deadly Nightshade. You need only to read the first paragraph before you feel yourself giving in to an involuntary shudder:
"Atropa belladonna is a Eurasian perennial with reddish, bell-shaped flowers that bear glossy-coated, black berries. Other names for the plant include belladonna, deadly nightshade, devil’s berries, naughty man’s cherries, death cherries, beautiful death, and devil’s herb. The plant earns its sinister nicknames, as its foliage and berries are extremely toxic, containing potent dosages of tropane alkaloids. Its most common name, belladonna, derives from Italian, meaning “beautiful woman.” Historically, women have used the herb’s oil to dilate and enlarge the pupils for seductive effect. But it’s best known as the plant of choice for assassins through history."
Stunned, you pass the book off to the crowd that is clamoring to get their hands on it. You pursue the detective, who has started to make her way to her makeshift office.
“Do you have anything more than hunches now, Detective?” you ask. “I mean, Keating was probably poisoned, right?” The detective sighs, fumbling with something in her pocket.
“Listen, I’ve got to get the toxicology report that was just faxed in. Until I have that in hand, I really don't have any concrete evidence that proves how Keating died. Take a look at my notebook if you want,” Detective Abergavenny says, "There's no shortage of suspects and motive, but so far there's nothing definitive that links any one suspect to the killing. Now if you’ll excuse me, I will be right back once I've looked at the toxicology report.” Detective Abergavenny presses her notebook into your hand, before going into her office.
“Detective Abergavenny, look what I found!” You say as the detective comes out of the room that has doubled as her office. You show her the empty bottle of Belladonna, and her mouth sets into a thin line.
“Well, that matches with the toxicology report, that’s for sure,” she says. “Here, you can take a look at that, and I’ll take this bottle over to the evidence table.”
You think about everything that the detective has written. Some have stronger motives than others, and some have means. But if Detective Abergavenny’s notes tell you anything, it’s that you have to consider both factors to come up with a suspect.
You’re milling around the room when you spot something, tucked deep inside the bookshelf next to the drink table. You draw closer, using the sleeve of your shirt to pick it up, to avoid putting your fingerprints on it. You flip it around to see the label, and your jaw drops when you see the word written on the top.
You know from the book that Belladonna can be difficult to grow, which would point to someone who farms regularly. But it’s easy to buy, so it doesn’t have to be one of the rich or influential people in the room who purchased the bottle. You scan the suspects; you have your ideas, but it could be any of them.
You think back on the evidence you’ve seen, the interviews you’ve heard, and the people you’ve met. You grab a spare sheet of paper, scribbling down the motives and the means you’ve gathered. You’re almost like an amateur detective yourself at this point, making connections between the different suspects. When you’re finished organizing your thoughts, you only have one more question to answer:
Who killed Keating Lancaster?
You look up from your paper. Detective Abergavenny has lined up the suspects at the front of the room. Helen Lancaster fidgets with the pearls around her neck, as Madelyn Greene scratches her arms. They all look pale, even Mary Lancaster, who you didn’t think would ever shut up. Detective Abergavenny surveys them all with a hard look on her face, her eyes steely. You find yourself leaning in, clinging to every word.
“I’m sure at this point, you’ve all seen the book of poisonous plants that was found on the premises,” Detective Abergavenny says. “Given that it was bookmarked to the page that contained information on the plant that killed Keating, and in accordance with the other evidence I have found today, I have reason to arrest one of you in this room today.”
The room waits in silence, and the entire world seems to be holding its breath until one suspect’s face goes ashen.
