(Gossip) Chat about her visit with Tallula

You had to get Dee to warm up to you somehow or this was going to be a long week. You two were both detectives anyways. It was ridiculous to be so adversarial-- if anything, you and she ought to be partners solving this together. You proposed pooling the information you'd learned so far, so that you could work the case hand-in-hand.

The woman paused with one hand on her notebook, like a cowboy preparing to whip a gun out of its holster. "It sounds like you want an exchange. What do you have to give me?"

You reminded her that both of you had talked to Tallula earlier today. It might make sense to exchange what the two of you had learned doing so. As a show of good faith, you went over everything you remembered in detail: the way Tallula had looked upset, but not surprised, when she walked in on you. Everything she'd explained about being the only one certified to visit the third floor. The way Tallula had seemed mostly unqualified for that task.

Dee stared at you for a moment longer, then shook her head. "Not really anything useful. But I do thank you for offering them. I am glad that you have done... at least a little detective work."

Still pretty insulting on her part. You asked if she wanted to share what she'd collected talking to Tallula.

"She's in love with Wanda Croft."

You raised both eyebrows and felt your jaw drop. How had she managed to get Tallula to admit that?

"I didn't. She didn't admit anything. You can just tell. Her reaction when she came in the room. That emotion you couldn't quite place? There was probably some disappointment there. Jealousy. She felt betrayed when she saw Wanda engaged in illicit behaviors with someone else. Plus, the way she's been singularly attending to Wanda? It goes beyond servant behavior. The other servants aren't doing anything like that. It's probably love."

That made sense... but if that was the case, it made Tallula less suspicious, right? There was no way someone in love would hypnotize the one they loved to do... that... with a stranger.

"I have theories," Dee continued, patting her notebook delicately with one hand. "The first is that Wanda challenged her to do it. Or dared her. These fit Wanda's modus operandi. She loves to toy with others. Play games with them. Tallula wouldn't be the kind of person to be comfortable with something like that. Wanda would pull it out of her."

That was a really interesting theory... pretty out there. Pretty speculative. But highly intriguing.

"Second possibility: something went wrong. Tallula and Wanda were involved in some sort of ritual or magic experiment. It messed up. Wanda became infatuated with you. Tallula can't say more because she's scared to reveal her role in it. Whatever the case, the maid's suspicious."

It was interesting to see how Dee allowed magic to work into her theories-- she was definitely a believer. You were too, after what you saw in the study. Finally, you had to ask: was Tallula more suspicious than you, given these theories?

"No."

You slapped your forehead in agitation.

"Those are just a few theories. Still fairly far-fetched. Yours isn't that far-fetched at all. You hypnotized her with one of her own artifacts. To make her service your penis. Pretty straightforward. All this? Our talking? A slapped-together cover-up." She gave you a stiff bow, then turned to head down the stairs. "It was good talking to you, though. Got my thoughts together. Still suspicious. Sorry."

There was nothing more to say to her. At least you'd managed to scrape together a few hints about Tallula before the dinner bell rang.

--A new clue has been obtained!--

--Another's suspicion of you rises!--

--Check notes in the game tab--