The room went completely silent, save for the rain lashing against the glass behind us.

“What did you say?” Luca asked, his voice narrowing.

“The digitalis,” I said, my heart hammering against my ribs. “You gave it to the kitchen staff three days ago. You told them it was a new herbal blend for Alexander’s heart.”

“You are losing your mind, girl,” Luca said, but his flashlight beam trembled slightly on the rug.

“I found the blue glass vial in your study, Luca,” I said. “The one you kept in the bottom drawer of your desk, behind the ledger.”

I reached into the pocket of my apron and pulled out the small, blue glass bottle I had taken from his room earlier that evening.

I held it up so the flashlight beam caught its deep blue color.

“Dr. Voss has already tested the residue in the teapot,” I said, looking toward the doctor.

Dr. Voss stood up slowly, her face pale but determined.

“She is correct,” Dr. Voss said. “The substance in the teapot was a concentrated derivative of digitalis. It matches the chemical traces in this vial.”