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[Thrax]

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The Constable of Papua sat in the downstairs office of Pier 39 and looked over the list of suspects in the murder of Jana, the cook. The forensics of the Healer revealed foul play: Jana's neck was bruised and broken and she was heavily medicated by some kind of drug unknown to the Healer. Thus the murder inquiry was set in motion. Scar's list was short, but it comprised some well-known public figures:

Grand Duchess Molly and Duke Will topped the list.

Having nearly poisoned the Duchess, and at the very least making her a public spectacle of ridicule, it was not, in his mind, beyond comprehension that the Duchess, or Will, may have tipped someone to provide some payback. In interrogating Poppy, he knew she had, at least in part, expressed her dismay with Jana in their presence. Thus instead of blaming Poppy, they may have blamed Jana for the fiasco.

There was Poppy herself. She and Jana were friends and on good terms, until, that is, the night of the abortive meal. Poppy had been totally embarrassed and had nearly lost her job. He could not dismiss her as a potential murder suspect, even though there were none of the usual signs in her behavior.

He also knew Jon Silverthorne's ship had docked briefly in town during that time. There was unofficial trade with him as he sailed the Black Crow into Papua from various ports of call from time to time. Jon was known to be quite the ladies' man and Jana was seen with him on occasion. In fact he and Jon had literally ran into each other at the Inn, one of them entering as the other one was leaving her room. It could have been a passenger of his ship who, being drunk or careless, took her life accidently or otherwise. Scar liked Jon and was under strict orders to let him have a run of things so he wasn't going to press it with Jon. Still, he wanted to talk to him about the incident.

Liza the Innkeeper was a suspect, but she had no motive really. She had lost a fine chef and one of her "girls." It was common knowledge in Papua that Liza allowed her workers to rent their rooms for purposes other than living quarters. Jana was a favorite among many of the single, and sometimes married, townsmen, but now the money flow from that source was effectively staunched. He marked through her name.

Scar folded the parchment and tucked it into his obi. He decided to call on the Grand Duchess first.