Molly sat on the edge of the tearoom stage, steadied by Juan and Angela, moments after Juan’s alarmed cry revealed the Fabergé egg’s display case was empty despite a ten-million-dollar sale. The room descended into pandemonium as attendees surged, equipment toppled, and staff shouted conflicting orders. Mr. Snow ran out, Steve tried to control the crowd, and appraisers Barry Beagle and Stanley Brown stared at the vacant case.

Detective Stark entered with two officers, locked down the room, and assessed the smashed order of the set, bidders, and the centered but empty display case. She exchanged brief words with Molly, Juan, and Angela, confirming they had been present, then pressed Steve for the original footage from the live shoot. Stark demanded eyewitness clarity, but no one volunteered helpful observations.

Onstage, Detective Stark examined the display case and noticed the stage’s brass floor outlet beneath it. Angela and Molly identified it as the central vacuum port, the Silent Sucker 2000, installed during a prior renovation. Angela proposed that someone had deliberately left the stage port open and, when the lights went down for the auction, attached a hose to the connected greenroom port to suction the egg from the case.

Molly led Detective Stark, Angela, and Mr. Snow through the concealed door to the greenroom to confirm the corresponding vacuum outlet. Angela explained she had vacuumed both the stage and greenroom the night before and noted her recent events role. Stark then asked where the vacuum’s collection canister was located.

The group proceeded to the utility closet outside the tearoom, where Molly identified the central canister—the “belly of the beast.” Detective Stark opened it, but the egg was not inside. Instead, a small white card lay atop the debris inside the canister.

The card bore a typed message: “Dear Molly, Find the egg and you die.” The note established a direct threat against Molly, escalating the situation from theft to a targeted intimidation, and leaving the egg’s whereabouts unknown.