"Yes, I will."
"OK--come with me. I'm going to get some medicine from the
infirmary, and we'll take it to Della's room."
Della Drummond's room is a bed of luxury--a huge private one with a
four-poster bed and plush furniture--plus a private piano and a
stocked bookcase (that last one makes you feel a twinge of envy.)
Della, a pale, blonde girl with wide blue eyes, is lying in the bed
and whining as Mrs. Kent tries to give her broth.
"No...I don't want that...I can't eat that, you insolent
fool...oh! Eck! Who is that...get him out of here!"
You look up to see a shabbily dressed servant with a soot-smudged
face, a welt-printed left cheek...and very familiar green eyes.
"Is that..." you mouth to Nurse Johnson as the servant
begins to work at the fireplace.
"Yes," she mouths back. "Under assumed name Richard
Flavisham. Do me a favor, OK...I'm going to tell Della you're a friend
of mine who is learning medicine from me. Pretend to watch what I do
while I give her the medicine, but really snoop. Look on the
nightstand or in its drawers, or sneak over to the
desk...anything."
You follow the nurse's instructions and find something in the desk--a
note that reads--
FKHOVHD--IUDPH ODUNHQ WRQLJLW.
A note, you think, in some sort of code. You put it in your pocket and
look again--you see a silver pen with the initials D.D. on it. Should
you take it as evidence or leave it lest you be accused of
stealing?
"I will," you say. "Anything to solve this crazy
mystery."
