The Poisoned Tea

"THAT WAS NOT what I expected, honestly," Spade commented, whistling lowly.

The group hadn't really known what to expect when Miles had shown up with the news yet they still dutifully followed him as he led the way back to Hartley's office. When they stood outside the door, however, and finally laid eyes on what Miles had been talking about, they finally realized the severity of it all.

Right in front of the door where broken shards of porcelain laid were holes about the size of splashes and water droplets. It wasn't big enough for anyone to fall though, of course, but the carpet had been burned right through to a sustainable size.

The edges of the fabric had been frayed as though it was held in front of an open fire. The only thing Alice knew could produce a similar effect was acid, and a very strong one at that.

"That is disturbing," Alice commented, eyeing the damage with distaste. "How did that even happen?"