Rat Poison !

Nancy hung up the phone slowly . Several emotions washed over her ---- triumph, confusion, sadness, all jumbled together . She remembered vividly the image of Eleanor that first night, kneeling over Nila's unconscious form, one empty glass tipped over on the carpet, another in Eleanor's hand . How quick it would have been for her to switch those glasses ---- a matter of seconds !

Other images crossed Nancy's mind . The sneaky way Eleanor had disposed of the rat poison . After all, rat poison was a common household item, and no one at the time had suggested it was the cause of Nila's illness the night before . Why should Eleanor have looked so furtive, so guilty, about throwing it away ?

Eleanor hiding after listening in on Nancy's private conversation with Pierce . Eleanor, who knew Nancy was a detective before any of the others .

And it was Eleanor, Nancy remembered, who'd told her about the newspaper article, who'd led her to Jack's house, where they'd found it, and who'd been standing next to the wastebasket where Nancy had found the greasy rag . . . . .

The pieces were certainly beginning to fall into place . And yet, Nancy didn't feel entirely happy about it . Eleanor Pierce did not seem to be...