Amy Lavigne’s Reviews > The House of Lurking Death: A Short Story > Status Update

As Hannah lunges for Miss Logan, she sets the bed on fire, and thankfully, Tommy is able to put it out. As he does, the doctor comes in. He confirms that the shock of the fire has killed Miss Logan, who was already fragile. He also confirms that there was also ricin in the glass they brought to him.

There are still a few questions that weren't answered but a nice wrap-up all the same.

Just as this is revealed Hannah jumps out with a torch! She heard the truth and she knew the truth. She had seen the older woman reading the book and saw what page she was reading. She knew that somehow the old woman must have killed her Mistress but couldn’t understand what it was. She knew that deep down that someone in her household killed her mistress (even though she was a "simple" maid).

She is pretty certain that Miss Logan has been doing just that. Working with her father, Miss Logan knew exactly how to extract it from the plants and how to use it. She poisoned herself so that she would not be considered a suspect. It was very important that Lois died first. If she did, Dennis would inherit all her money. Once he died, it would pass to his next of kin. Miss Logan was his father’s first cousin.

Tuppence has to ask Miss Logan one more question. Tuppence worked as a nurse in the War and she knows something about Syrum therapeutics. She tells Miss Logan that she knows a person can inject themselves many times over with small doses of something (ricin) and form immunities to them. An anti-ricin in this case, which would have saved the old lady from certain death.

When they returned from their walk, they stopped at the doctor’s house. He wasn’t home but a young boy answered the door. He had a note for Tommy left by the doctor. The note told Tommy that the poison was ricin. This all but confirms that the book Tommy took probably played a part in the murders. Which means it is definitely someone living in the household.

Tuppence ask casually if Tommy noticed “a lot of small red dots” on Miss Logan’s arm. Tuppence believed they were made by syringes. Tommy didn’t notice but suggested the doctor may have given her some shots. Tuppence agreed that could be a possibility, however, there were forty shots. Tommy suggested cocaine or something like it, though Tuppence noticed that Miss Logan’s eyes showed no signs of a drug habit.

Finally, they talk about the other woman that died, Esther Quant. Tuppence wonders what that woman was like. And Tommy suggests that maybe Esther Quant was involved. With no answers, Tommy and Tuppence are quite discouraged. They are aware that the police will soon take this case and hopefully get to the bottom of things. This is one of their first "real cases".

While they agree that there is a lot of evidence against Hannah, Tuppence has an idea. She asks Tommy if he liked Mary Chilcott. He said he did, but Tuppence isn’t so inclined. She find it odd that Mary wasn’t as upset as she ought to be. But Tommy brushes this away. He thinks if Mary Chilcott had poisoned people she would be quite upset with herself. And there doesn’t seem to be a motive for Mary either.

First Captain Radclyffe, could have poisoned his cousin. But if it was him, how does he then die of poisoning himself? Next, they look at Hannah, she is a “religious zealot” in Tommy's words. But they believe that she needs some help perhaps from the doctor. It seems to have come on quickly, Miss Logan seemed shocked to hear about it, which makes no sense. Though Tommy points out that it could be a sudden change.

The is something odd about the house, Tuppence can feel it. And she suggests a walk so she and Tommy and figure things out. Once they are out they drop off the glass with the doctor and walk around talking. Tommy still tells his wife how guilty he feels. He still thinks there could have been more done to save her. He is even more determined now to solve the case. They talk about each possibility individually.