AN EDDY OF MISPLACED PASSIONS, or the paradoxical death of Mr. James Camden

Questioning Daisy E., part 2

The dective wanted to be satisfied for uncovering the mode with which the scene had been set up, confirming someone had, in fact, been working to kill Mr. Camden, he really did. In reality, he was so close, yet so far from understanding it all. If he hadn't been in such a good mood from the mental stimulation he'd been missing, the dejection would have hindered his intellect too much to know how to carry on.

The only way forward was now to insist upon details until he could find the one to unlock the right door. That is why he regrettably called in the maid once again: there was one tiny element that her testimony had revealed it that could have meaning, not to mention the mystery of the broken bottle, and the infiltrated non-wine beverage. There was much to discuss.

"Don't apologize, Mr. Alderton. As I said, if I could end this with my words! How may I be of help?"

"I was curious, Miss E., why did you tell me about the person you saw outside, in the garden?"

"I... I'm not sure, mister. I didn't even remember I said that until you mentioned it just now."

"There must be a reason why your mind thought it important enough to add to the story. There must be something peculiar about it."

"What do you mean by that, mister?"

"I mean that seeing a woman, or man, outside when there is a party going on in the dressing room on the house is not strange, it's expected. You must know this place well, so you surly know to go cry somewhere you wouldn't be seen, without even needing to think about it."

She quieted down, with a pondering look on her face, which distracted her countenance from the distress of the moment. "Now that you say this... So much happened, I didn't put any value in this, so irrelevant it seemed in comparison to the rest... But it was indeed a strange sight, because you see, mister, the woman I saw came out of a door located in this very room that not many know about, only those who spend a large amount of time in the house would. It is covered in some draping, that's why it is invisible to most."

"A hidden door! Can you show me it, please? And are you sure the one you saw was a woman?"

"I am most certain of it. Of course I can show you." And she started up, moving with swiftness toward the backside corner on the left, before putting to the side the aforementioned drapery, revealing the mysterious passage to the garden.

Alderton opened it, went out. Again, there wasn't much to see, yet there was one thing to feel: the earth was humid - it had rained earlier in the day. He turned back around, looked down on the doorstep, to see a bit of dirt right inside the room. If Felix Beckwith had been truthful, that could not have been Miss Camden's fault, as she had come in from the main entrance after being out. A new, farfetched, idea started forming in his head. "The kitchen has a window facing the garden... "

"Yes, mister."

"Can you take me to it, miss? Passing from outside here. We'll need a candle, I believe."

The young woman cast aside her confusion, obliging the request. A candel was taken, and off they went, circumnavigating the building, while he looked closely at the ground, until they arrived at the destination, at which Alderton knelt down to inspect it. There was a well trimmed bush of wild berries there, ruined on one side by a couple of broken branches. He got up again, looked into the kitchen: the bottles on the counter were visible from there, however, they were unreachable. The window was closed, making it impossible for him to test it, yet it wouldn't be unbelievable that a tall man with long arms could get to the counter easily by standing with his chest touching the sill.

"Miss, would I be wrong in assuming that everyone else on the staff was on duty when you came in the kitchen and saw the broken bottle?"

"Yes, Mr. Alderton. Do you... do you think that some stranger infiltrated the house?"

"No, of course not. Don't worry yourself with such thoughts, in any case. Let's go back inside, you mustbe freezing out here."