Anna Matheson grapples with guilt and shock as she stares at Edith Gerhardt’s corpse, reflecting on past memories of Edith and blaming herself for orchestrating the trip that has now led to two deaths. Hearing voices approach, Anna turns to find the six remaining passengers gathered, including Jack Lapsford, Sally Lawrence, Herb Pulaski, Seamus Callahan, Dante Wentworth’s absence implied, and Reginald “Reggie” Davis. Lapsford accuses Anna of murder, citing that everyone saw her hands on Edith’s throat earlier.

Anna insists she found Edith dead and did not kill her. Seamus asks if Anna left the car; Herb confirms he saw her pass his door and says he overheard a heated exchange between Anna and Edith, quoting Edith warning, “You should be afraid of what’s coming.” Anna maintains it was a confrontation, not an argument, and reiterates that her goal is to get everyone to Chicago.

When asked if anyone else passed, Herb says only Anna did. Seamus presses Anna on whether she saw anyone; Anna denies it, despite having earlier thought she glimpsed her brother, and asserts Edith was alive when she left. Reggie Davis enters the observation car, kneels by Edith, and notes there are no ligature marks on her neck, contradicting the appearance of strangulation by curtain cord.

Reggie posits suffocation, pointing out Edith’s smeared lipstick as a clue. He suggests a nearby cushion could have been used. He checks the chair cushions and finds one with a pale pink streak on the underside that matches Edith’s lipstick, concluding the killer likely forced Edith down and smothered her with it.

Seamus questions why the cord was used. Anna concludes it was to frame her, given everyone saw her hands at Edith’s throat earlier. Reggie agrees with her assessment that the scene was staged to implicate Anna.

Anna challenges Reggie’s cover story, deducing he is not an insurance salesman and did not board the wrong train. Reggie admits the deception and produces a badge, identifying himself as Special Agent Reginald Davis of the FBI.