Silence follows Judd Dodge’s death as Seamus Callahan covers the body and the group reels. Jack Lapsford demands the train stop, but Anna refuses, insisting the nonstop plan stands. Determined to salvage her mission, Anna pivots to finding the killer herself and accuses the assembled guests, arguing the murderer must be aboard.

Examining Judd’s martini glass, Anna detects gritty residue and a sharp chemical odor and concludes Judd was poisoned. Dante Wentworth, who mixed the martinis in one shaker and let guests choose glasses, argues he could not have targeted Judd because all drinks were identical and randomly selected. The group reconstructs the order of selection: Sally Lawrence first, Herb Pulaski second, Jack Lapsford third, and Judd took the last glass.

Lapsford reveals he avoided one glass because of a smudge on its inner rim, implying the glass itself—not the liquid—was tainted. Dante confirms he did not inspect glasses before service, supporting the theory that poison was applied to a single glass. Anna notes this could mean pre-placement by someone earlier in the evening, but also that the lounge was empty post-departure, keeping suspicion on those present.

Anna verifies Herb Pulaski and Judd Dodge were alone in the lounge before others arrived, then orders pocket and bag searches. Seamus frisks Herb, Lapsford, Dante, and Sally, while Anna inspects their belongings; nothing resembling poison is found. Edith resists being searched until Anna conducts a pat-down herself. Provoked by Edith’s barbed remarks about Anna’s parents, Anna momentarily loses control and grabs Edith’s throat before Seamus pulls her away; Edith is unharmed, and the search still yields nothing.

With no confession and no evidence recovered, Anna declares no one may leave the lounge. After nearly twenty minutes of tense silence, footsteps sound outside the forward door. A man in a gray flannel suit opens the door, revealing there is an unexpected ninth person aboard the Phoenix.