Chapter 4: Cards on the Table

The toxicology report confirmed what Nora had suspected: Holt had been killed by a synthetic compound that mimicked cardiac arrest, virtually undetectable without specific testing. The compound was experimental, not yet available commercially, which narrowed the field considerably. Only Camille Voss, as a physician with research connections, would have had reliable access. But access was not proof, and Nora had learned long ago that the obvious suspect was often a carefully constructed distraction. She interviewed each guest again, this time armed with knowledge of the hidden passage. Their reactions were revealing. Victor feigned surprise poorly. Priya seemed genuinely shocked. Edmund went pale and asked for water. Camille maintained her professional composure but her hands tightened around the arms of her chair. Desmond simply smiled and said he had always wondered what was behind that fireplace. 'The jack of diamonds,' Nora said to each of them. 'In poker superstition, the jack of diamonds is called the one-eyed jack because the card shows only a profile. It represents someone who cannot see the whole picture. Holt chose that card deliberately as he was dying. He was telling us something about his killer.' She laid her evidence on the table like a poker hand. The chemical expertise pointed to Camille. The knowledge of the hidden passage pointed to Edmund, who had visited this house for decades. The financial motive pointed to Victor. The professional desperation pointed to Priya. And Desmond's three-hour private meeting remained unexplained. 'What did Holt tell you during those three hours?' she asked the poker player. Desmond studied her for a long moment. 'He told me he was dying. Naturally. The cancer was terminal, and he had perhaps two months remaining. He invited me because he wanted to play one last game.' The room shifted. If Holt was already dying, the motive for murder transformed entirely.