Interrogation

It was late afternoon when Captain Pilsner was shown into an elegant drawing room in the palace to find both the Duchess and the Count present.

“Ah Pilsner, want have you found out?”

“Well Sir, I’m not sure he is the culprit, but I can’t be certain till we find the servant girl Juli, and she seems to have gone missing. I’ve asked the servants to check the palace”

The Duchess interrupted “Juli? is that the new servant girl?”

“Yes Madam, only thirteen and been working here a few months”

“I remember her, she convinced Konrad to put a whole gold crown in the widow’s collection”

“A very generous gesture Maria, now Captain tell me exactly what you know”

“Well..”

Suddenly there was a knock on the door and a sergeant entered and saluted smartly “Urgent news sir”

“Carry on”

“Well sirs, it appears that the girl Juli left the palace this morning with a note for Herr Doctor Tölpel and hasn’t returned”

“Send men round to the doctor’s to collect her”

“Already in progress, Sir.”

“Very good sergeant”

“But sir, no-one in the palace sent her”

The Count leapt up and ordered “Close the city gates and turn out the guards, find the girl”