Hints

Cut Papers

• Two separate documents have been cut up and put into the locked tin. You will need to separate out the pieces of these two documents from each other and then properly assemble the pieces in order to read the important information written on each document.

Fax

• Tara has written "Divide the data out into the number of roses on the ring" on the back of the fax above an encoded phrase. Have you found the ring yet? If not, try looking for the ring to see if it gives you any ideas on how to proceed.
• The "data" Tara is referring to are the letters of the encoded phrase. You will need to divide the letters of the code into a certain number of groups to read the encoded phrase. The ring will tell you the correct number of groups to divide the letters out into.
• This document contains some important information regarding the timeline of a certain suspect's movements on the night of the poisoning.

Notebook Page

• Whoever wrote this notebook page appears to have used two types of abbreviations in their entries. You can cross-reference these abbreviations with two other documents in the box to find out what each abbreviation refers to.
• You can cross-reference one of the types of abbreviations with some of the information on the exhibit brochure to figure out what these abbreviations refer to.
• You can cross-reference one of the types of abbreviations with some of the information on the map of the botanical garden to figure out what these abbreviations refer to.

Poison Plan

• Once you have put one of the two cut documents inside of the locked tin back together, you will see the phrase "Remember: The right edge of O over the center of X, if that rings a bell." Pay attention to that phrase; what do you think it is telling you to do?
• The word "ring" in the phrase "Remember: The right edge of O over the center of X, if that rings a bell." suggests that the ring can be used to solve this puzzle.

Postcard Puzzle

• The colored dots on the back of the postcard can be cross-referenced with another document to reveal a hidden message.
• Where else do the colors blue, orange, purple, yellow, pink, red, and white all show up in one place?
• The flowers in the drawing of bouquet are blue, orange, purple, yellow, pink, red, and white; just like the colored dots on the back of the postcard.
• Pay attention to the phrase "connect the dots". How can you use the drawing of bouquet to connect the colored dots on the back of the postcard?

Sticky Note

• The sticky note makes references to three elements: Months such as June and July, patterns such as dotting and cross-hatching, and gardening terminology such as planting depth and days to germination. Are there any other documents that reference this type of information?
• The sticky note can be cross-referenced with the information on all three seed packets.
• There are three separate hints written on the sticky note. This means that, once you figure out the code, you should have a three-character answer to the puzzle. Where would a three-character answer come in handy?

Reveals

Cut Papers

• Once the first of the two documents that has been cut up and hidden inside the locked tin has been assembled, it should look like this:

• Once the second of the two documents that has been cut up and hidden inside the locked tin has been assembled, it should look like this:

Fax

• The ring is hidden inside of the locked tin. The ring will provide you with key information on how to proceed in decoding the message on the back of the fax.

• There are three roses on the ring. This means that you must divide the letters of the following coded phrase into three separate groups:

  • CIHokaunslosdwonimotetwofanisenobdneomenynedioenfsmmkyy on fo ft ie cs e
• When you do, you should have something that looks like this:

• Note how there are a few places toward the end of the message where blank spaces are "counted" as characters.
• Once you've done this, you can separate all of the letters labeled "1", "2", and "3" into their own respective phrases.

• The encoded message on the back of the fax reads:

  • Could not find one of my notes
  • I know it was on my desk
  • Has someone been in my office
• According to Florence's testimony in the persons of interest profiles, her office was left unlocked on Tuesday night, somewhere between 7:10 and 8:30. This is the only period when her tea could have been poisoned.
• Tara arrived at the Fatal Flora opening at 6:55 and stayed at the event until 8:00 PM.
• According to the fax's time stamp, the fax was sent at 8:47 PM.

• The following line can be found in the first paragraph of the fax:

  • "I understand that you were quite occupied with giving a lecture this evening; I very much appreciate you choosing to miss the reception in order to speak with me for the past forty five minutes."
• This means that Tara's movements are accounted for from 6:55 - 8:45, which is the entire window for the poisoning.

• Dr. Tara Latour had no opportunity to poison Florence. Therefore, she cannot be the culprit.

Notebook Page

• The abbreviations on the notebook page, such as "D1" and "F7", refer to specific plants as they're listed under their respective exhibits on the map of the botanical garden.

• The notebook page's abbreviations refer to the following plants:

  • D1: Air Plant, Tillandsia lonantha
  • M1: Chamomile, Chamaemelum nobile
  • D6: Jelly Bean Plant, Sedum rubrotinctum
  • F7: Oleander, Nerium oleander
  • C8: Venus Flytrap, Dionaea muscipula
  • F10: Wolfsbane, Aconitum napellus
  • F2: Azalea, Rhododendron indicium
• These plants all correspond to the plants listed in Nancy's case notes as having been recently stolen.

• The initials on the notebook page, such as "SK" and "LR", each refer to Magnolia Gardens donors and members of the River Heights Garden Society, all of whose names are listed on the exhibit brochure:

  • SK refers to Samantha Kinkaid
  • LR refers to Laurence Rolf
  • ES refers to Ezra Streetman
  • GR refers to Gertrude Robertson
  • BH refers to Basil Howard
  • AF refers to Astrid Feverworth
• Each of the entries on the notebook page contains a name, an abbreviation for a plant, a time, a number, and an amount of money. This is because the notebook page is a sales ledger.
• Someone has been stealing plant cuttings and selling them to frequent visitors of the garden.
• The line at the bottom of the page, "I know it's a successful business model - Florence will totally have to say yet once she sees how much money 'Lara' has made for the gardens!" suggests the identity of the person who is making the sales.
• Where has the name "Lara" shown up elsewhere? Are the letters in that name reminiscent of the letters of any of the suspects' names? Which suspect is interested in making Florence pay attention to their business ideas?
• Heather Schall is the author of the notebook page.
• The "Lara" that the document's author refers to in the note at the bottom of the page is "Lara H. Lethesch", who is listed in the exhibit brochure as donating a significant amount of money to the opening of the Fatal Flora exhibit. "Lara H. Lethesch" is an anagram for "Heather Schall".
• Additionally, Heather mentions in her persons of interest profile that she had previously suggested the idea of selling plants in the gift shop to Florence. The note at the bottom of the notebook page reveals that the author of this document wished to do the same.
• According to Florence's testimony in the persons of interest profiles, her office was left unlocked on Tuesday night, somewhere between 7:10 and 8:30. This is the only period when her tea could have been poisoned.
• Heather's testimony confirms that she arrived at the Fatal Flora opening at 6:30. She stayed there until leaving the event with Gertrude Robertson at 8:10.
• An entry on the notebook page under Tuesday reveals that Heather was making a sale to GR (Gertrude Robertson) at 8:18 PM.
• Oliver's testimony confirms that Heather left Magnolia Gardens for the night immediately after making this sale, at 8:20.

• Heather Schall had no opportunity to poison Florence, and therefore cannot be the culprit.

Poison Plan

• There is a pink handprint on this document that matches the pink stain on the tea strainer bag that Nancy found in Florence's office. The pink stains can safely be assumed to be the poison.
• If you cross-reference Tara's research (the other document contained in the locked tin), with the information on this document, you will find that the leaves of Tara's experimental, genetically-modified strain of tomato were used to poison Florence. This plant is high in a dangerous chemical called solanine.
• In the checklist, as well as in this document, references are made to Sherwood's extreme tomato allergy. If Sherwood handled one of Tara's tomatoes with bare hands, their unusually high solanine content would send him to the hospital.
• In the checklist, as well as in this document, references are made to Sherwood's extreme tomato allergy. If Sherwood handled one of Tara's tomatoes with bare hands, their unusually high solanine content would send him to the hospital.
• Since the culprit had to have been bare-handed and since Sherwood would not be able to handle the poisonous tomato samples with his bare hands due to his allergy, it can be concluded that Sherwood did not have the means to poison Florence, and therefore is not the culprit.
• The ring is the "O" referenced in the line "Remember: The right edge of O over the center of X, if that rings a bell."
• Try to look on the page for all instances of the letter "X". Once you have located all of the "X"s, try lining up the right edge of the ring over the center of the "X" to see which words the ring circles.

• When placed correctly in relation to the "X"s throughout the document, the ring will circle the following words:

  • I'll
  • show
  • her
  • no
  • hope
• The encoded phrase is "I'll show her no hope".
• This phrase references a line in another document. If you find that line, it will provide you with the context you need to confirm the culprit's identity.
• In the internship evaluation form, Florence explains that she has "no hope" for Parker's future at Magnolia Gardens, and that she does not intend to hire him full-time once his internship ends.
• The poison plan consists of notes that were written by someone who was planning on using Tara's toxic tomato samples to poison Florence's tea.
• The fact that the poisoner references a criticism that Florence made to Parker as his motive for committing the crime confirms that Parker Sanderson is the culprit.

Postcard Puzzle

• Each of the colored dots on the postcard corresponds with a specific flower in the drawing of bouquet. To reveal the hidden message, you must connect each of the flowers to one another in the order the colors are given on the postcard. The shape that you make connecting these dots will be a letter. There are nine letters in this message in total.
• The first line of colored dots on the postcard is:

• Connecting the corresponding-colored flowers on the drawing of bouquet in that order makes the following shape:

• The second line of colored dots on the postcard is:

• Connecting the corresponding-colored flowers on the drawing of bouquet in that order makes the following shape:

• The third line of colored dots on the postcard is:

• The fourth line of colored dots on the postcard is:

• Connecting the corresponding-colored flowers on the drawing of bouquet in that order makes the following shape:

• The fifth line of colored dots on the postcard is:

• Connecting the corresponding-colored flowers on the drawing of bouquet in that order makes the following shape:

• The sixth line of colored dots on the postcard is:

• Connecting the corresponding-colored flowers on the drawing of bouquet in that order makes the following shape:

• The seventh line of colored dots on the postcard is:

• Connecting the corresponding-colored flowers on the drawing of bouquet in that order makes the following shape:

• The eighth line of colored dots on the postcard is:

• Connecting the corresponding-colored flowers on the drawing of bouquet in that order makes the following shape:

• The ninth line of colored dots on the postcard is:

• Connecting the corresponding-colored flowers on the drawing of bouquet in that order makes the following shape:

• The message hidden in the bouquet is "PERENNIAL".
• In the persons of interest profiles, Oliver states that he and Florence used the word "perennial" as an expression of enduring love when they were romantically involved.
• Oliver encoding the phrase "perennial" into this gift to Florence means that he is still in love with her and has no motive to poison her. Therefore, he cannot be the culprit.

Sticky Note

• The first line on the sticky note reads "[Dotted pattern] Jun-Jul height."
• If you look at the seed packet with the Danvers Carrots on the front, you will notice that, under the "Planting Times" chart, there is a dotted pattern next to the June-July month range. This plant's height is listed as 6 inches on the quick facts chart.
• The second line on the sticky note reads "[Cross-hatched pattern] Feb-Mar days to germination."
• If you look at the seed packet with the Swiss Giant Snow Peas on the front, you will notice that, under the "Planting Times" chart, there is a cross-hatched pattern next to the February-March month range. This plant's number of days to germination is listed as 8 days under the quick facts chart.
• The third line on the sticky note reads "[Lined pattern] Jun-July planting depth."
• If you look at the seed packet with the Sugar Belle Watermelons on the front, you will notice that, under the "Planting Times" chart, there is a lined pattern next to the June-July month range. This plant's depth is listed as 1 inch under the quick facts chart.
• The sticky note has given you the numbers 6, 8, and 1 in that order. Try to find a place where those three numbers might come in handy.
• The combination to the locked tin is 681. Input this number into the lock on the tin in order to access its contents.

Transcripts

Checklist

Handwriting A

• W̵i̵p̵e̵ ̵d̵o̵w̵n̵ ̵m̵i̵c̵r̵o̵w̵a̵v̵e̵
• C̵l̵e̵a̵n̵ ̵f̵r̵i̵d̵g̵e̵
• T̵a̵k̵e̵ ̵o̵u̵t̵ ̵t̵r̵a̵s̵h̵

 

Handwriting D

Hey, didn't we agree the break room was an allergen-free zone?
I got an unpleasant flare-up from the tomato spill left in the microwave. Assuming it was you for obvious reasons, Tara.

- S

 

Handwriting B

Apologies. I was busy with the FF lecture yesterday. Must've slipped my mind. Maybe you'd understand what it's like to have to multitask if you'd been promoted. For the record, though, it was regular tomato soup. Nothing from the lab.

- Tara

 

Handwriting D

I might not be nearly as busy as you are, trying to salvage that project of yours, but I find ways to occupy my time. Next time, bring clam chowder.

 

Handwriting A

Hi all! The microwave is clean now. How about we let bygones be bygones?
Great talk yesterday, Tara, btw. Perfect opening for a fantastically curated exhibit.

- Oliver

Drawing of Bouquet

• Nancy Drew sketched a picture of the bouquet that was left near Florence's office alongside the postcard.

• There are seven types of flowers in this bouquet, each with its own color. These flowers are described in relation to one another below, in clockwise order:

  • At the upper left-hand corner of the bouquet, there is a yellow flower.
  • Directly to the right of the yellow flower is a pink flower.
  • To the upward diagonal-right of the pink flower, there is a purple flower.
  • To the lower diagonal-right of the purple flower, there is a white flower. This white flower is directly to the right of the pink flower.
  • Directly below the white flower is an orange flower.
  • Slightly to the lower diagonal-left of the orange flower, there is a blue flower.
  • To the left of the blue flower, there is a red flower.

Exhibit Brochure

Next to the Azalea Entry → Nancy Drew's Handwriting

• Cuttings were stolen from this plant!

 

Next to the Bleeding Heart Entry → Nancy Drew's Handwriting

• I've seen this plan somewhere else

 

Next to the Lily of the Vale Entry → Nancy Drew's Handwriting

• I think I recognize this plant too...

 

Next to the Oleander Entry → Nancy Drew's Handwriting

• Stolen cuttings

 

Next to the Wolfsbane Entry → Nancy Drew's Handwriting

• Cuttings stolen

Fax

Back → Handwriting B

• Divide the data out into the number of roses on the ring.
• CIHokaunslosdwonimotetwofanisenobdneomenynedioenfsmmkyy on fo ft ie cs e

Map of the Botanical Garden

Next to Event Space 1 → Nancy Drew's Handwriting

• Reception was held here

 

Next to Event Space 2 → Nancy Drew's Handwriting

• Tara had her talk here

 

Near the Small Room Next to the Gift Shop → Nancy Drew's Handwriting

• Heather's "office"

 

Next to the Unused Greenhouse → Nancy Drew's Handwriting

• Found the notebook here

 

Next to the Lab Space → Nancy Drew's Handwriting

• Tara and Parker work here

 

Next to the Third Office to the Right in the Hallway of the Administrative Building → Nancy Drew's Handwriting

• Tara's

 

Next to the Fourth Office to the Right in the Hallway of the Administrative Building → Nancy Drew's Handwriting

• Sherwood's

 

Next to the Fourth Office to the Right in the Hallway of the Administrative Building → Nancy Drew's Handwriting

• Sherwood's

 

Next to the Administrative Office → Nancy Drew's Handwriting

• Florence's

 

Next to the Break Room → Nancy Drew's Handwriting

• Kitchen

 

Next to the Greenhouse → Nancy Drew's Handwriting

• Oliver spends most of his time here

Notebook Page

Nancy Drew's Handwriting

• This page is from the notebook I found in the supposedly abandoned greenhouse. Seems to cover this past week!

 

Handwriting C

• SUNDAY

  • Laurence Rolf

    • 1:51 pm
    • $49.75
    • 5̵ ̵a̵i̵r̵ ̵p̵l̵a̵n̵t̵s̵,̵ ̵D̵e̵s̵
    • D1 x 5

• MONDAY

  • SK

    • $58.80
    • 3:27 pm
    • M1 x 6

  • LR

    • $18.91
    • 4:13 pm
    • D6 x 2

• TUESDAY

  • ES

    • $93.50
    • 9:46 am
    • F7 x 4

  • BH

    • $173.59
    • 12:00 pm
    • C8 x 9

  • GR

    • $60
    • 8:18 pm
    • F10 x 6

• WEDNESDAY

  • AF

    • $52.80
    • 1:05 pm
    • F2 x 2

• I know it's a successful business model - Florence will totally have to say yes once she sees how much money "Lara" has made for the gardens!

Poison Plan

Handwriting E

• I'll x figure this out on my own. Can't show x anyone what I'm doing.
• Swiped some research notes that should help me out.

• Latest readings on tomato samples:

  • 300 mg of solanine per leaf
  • 4 mg per gram in the fruit
• The fruit is way less dangerous. Better use the leaf.
• What's the right amount? Just need her x out of commission for a few months.
• Sherwood once told me he's so much more sensitive to solanine than a regular person that he can't touch any of the samples in the lab without gloves; skin to skin contact with regular tomatoes gives him a rash, but touching one of the samples in the lab would send him to the hospital for weeks. I bet he knows all about solanine. Wonder if I could ask and say it's for research...
• No x, still a bad idea to get him in on this. Need to figure it out myself.

• Just wasted a bunch of time trying to look through old lab reports for the answer when I could've just looked it up online instead. Here's what the internet told me:

  • 300mg is enough to make pretty much anyone feel terrible
  • Anything above 3mg per kilo of body weight is dangerous, potential fatality there
• F's weight: around 70kg???
• Better to underestimate. I'll say 60.
• 2mg per kg at 60kg = 120mg per day
• Tea canister = 30 servings of tea, she just drinks one cup per day, I hope x
• 30 x 120 = 3600
• 3600/300 (mg of solanine per leaf) = 12
• Need to grind up 12 leaves, mix them in loose leaf

• Remember: The right edge of O over the center of X, if that rings a bell.

Postcard

• [blue dot] → [yellow dot] → [purple dot] → [pink dot]
• [purple dot] → [pink dot] → [white dot] → [blue dot] → [orange dot]
• [blue dot] → [yellow dot] → [purple dot] → [pink dot] → [orange dot]
• [purple dot] → [pink dot] → [white dot] → [blue dot] → [orange dot]
• [red dot] → [yellow dot] → [blue dot] → [purple dot]
• [red dot] → [yellow dot] → [blue dot] → [purple dot]
• [purple dot] → [blue dot]
• [red dot] → [purple dot] → [orange dot] [pink dot] → [white dot]
• [purple dot] → [blue dot] → [orange dot]

 

Bottom → Handwriting A

• I know you made yourself clear, but please reconsider. If you connect the dots, you'll see where I stand.

Sticky Note

Handwriting E

• [dotted pattern] Jun - Jul height
• [cross-hatched pattern] Feb - Mar days to germination
• [lined pattern] Jun - Jul planting depth

Tara's Research

Handwriting B

• Objective:

  • Cultivate a water-efficient strain of tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) by reducing their required water consumption by 15% without significantly altering taste or quality.

• Results of Trial 1.3

  • Slight decease in water needs from last gen.

  • Solanine/tomatine levels are high at 300mg/leaf and 4mg/gram in the fruit - significantly above the threshold of safe consumption

    • Eating the fruit or leaves of even one tomato is enough to cause severe illness, symptoms comparable to nightshade poisoning.

  • In addition to regular tomato tar, the heat and oils of bare skin seem to cause a chemical reaction witht he acylsugars of the leaves. This causes the fruit and leaves, when handled without gloves, to emit a sticky pink substance that requires an acid wash to remove from skin - but does NOT come out of clothes.

  • Some samples have been lost due to poor temperature regulation & other avoidable mishaps.

• F isn't happy with the progress. I mean, neither am I, but she'll cut funding for this. What then? An external grant?
• *Check if the TS application is still open
• Would F put in a good word? No way.
• WHY couldn't S have gotten the director position? Dealing with his blatant nepotism would be a worthwhile trade to get Florence off my back.

• At least he'd give me more time to course correct.

Solution

• It is possible in this case both to eliminate each of four suspects who could not have poisoned Florence, and to confirm that one suspect is the culprit.

 

Dr. Sherwood Sanderson

• Tara's research (one of the two cut-up papers in the locked tin that must be assembled) stated that physical contact with the leaves of her experimental tomato samples will cause the leaves to ooze a viscous pink fluid that stains easily, but that this ooze can be avoided as long as the sample is handled using gloves.
• The pink stains on the tea strainer bag, Tara's research, and the poison plan all show that the culprit must not have worn gloves, as those stains can only be created by bare-handed contact with the samples.
• The author of the poison plan (the other cut-up paper in the locked tin) writes that Sherwood could not touch the samples gloveless without ending up in the hospital, since he already has a severe allergy and since these samples' high solanine content makes them particularly toxic.
• The existence of Sherwood's allergy can be verified by the checklist, where Sherwood discusses this allergy with Tara; he states that he broke out in a rash on the night of the poisoning after coming into contact with some tomato soup spills in the microwave.
• This interaction can be confirmed by Florence, who notes in the persons of interest profiles that she saw Sherwood scratching at his arms in the kitchen on the night of the poisoning.
• Sherwood did not have the means to poison Florence, and therefore could not have been the culprit.

Dr. Tara Latour

• The persons of interest profiles document notes that Florence's door was only unlocked from 7:10 - 8:30 PM. This is the only period that the culprit could have poisoned Florence's tea.
• As the persons of interest profiles document notes, Tara arrived at the Fatal Flore exhibit at 6:55 and left after her lecture at 8:00.
• The sending time on the fax is 8:47. In the first paragraph, Tara's contact thanks her for the 45-minute video call that just ended.
• This means that Tara was at the exhibit opening from 6:55 - 8:00, then went right into a video call with the Tom Swift Company from roughly 8:00 - 8:45. Tara's movements are accounted for during the entire window in which the poisoning could have occurred.
• Tara did not have the opportunity to poison Florence, and therefore could not have been the culprit.

Heather Schall

• Florence's testimony in the persons of interest profiles reveals that Florence's office was left unlocked on Tuesday night between 7:10 and 8:30 PM. This is the only period when her tea could have been poisoned.
• Heather's testimony in the persons of interest profiles confirms that Heather arrived at the Fatal Flora opening at 6:30. Heather stayed there until leaving the event with a botanical garden guest named Gertrude Robertson at 8:10.
• An entry on the notebook page under Tuesday reveals that someone was making a sale to a "GR" (Gertrude Robertson) at 8:18 PM.
• It is possible to confirm that Heather was the author of the notebook page in two ways.
• The first of these ways is through context: The author of the page is selling flower cuttings, and notes that they want to prove that this is a viable idea to Florence. Heather mentions that she herself wants to convince Florence that selling flowers from the gift shop is a good idea in the persons of interest profiles.
• The second of these ways is through discovering the identity of "Lara", whose name is referenced by the page's author. the name "Lara H. Lethesch" appears on the back of the exhibit brochure as a donor to Magnolia Gardens. "Lara" has donated money in the name of Felix Gallup-Torres, who Heather references in the persons of interest profiles as being Magnolia Gardens' former director and an advocate for Heather's ideas. "Lara H. Lethesch" is an anagram of "Heather Schall".
• Heather was donating the proceeds from her illicit flower-selling operation back to the gardens in Felix's name as a way to prove the viability of her idea to Florence; this is a scheme that would not benefit from Florence being poisoned.
• Oliver's testimony in the persons of interest profiles also confirms that Heather left Magnolia Gardens for the night immediately after making the sale to Gertrude Robertson, at 8:20. This means that all of Heather's movements are accounted for on the night of the poisoning, and she had no time to sneak into the administrative building to poison Florence's tea.
• Heather had no motive or opportunity to poison Florence, and therefore could not have been the culprit.

Oliver Whatley

• The encoded message received by cross-referencing the postcard and drawing of bouquet is "perennial". Oliver notes in the persons of interest profiles that the term "perennial" is indicative of his everlasting love for Florence.
• There are two poisonous plants pictured in the drawing of bouquet. Bleeding Heart and Lily of the Valley. While these plants can be dangerous as described in the exhibit brochure, the same document also notes that Lily of the Valley has a romantic context. Bleeding Heart, likewise, can be read as symbolizing heartbreak and love.
• These facts in context show that Oliver did not have a motive to poison Florence.
• Additionally, the back of the exhibit brochure lists out the members of the River Heights Garden Society, and it can be seen that, while Tara, Parker, and Sherwood belong to this group, Oliver does not. The ring in the locked tin has the RHGS's logo on it. The poison plan in the locked tin was clearly written by the culprit, as it describes in first-person a detailed plan to poison Florence. A message has been encoded in this document using the ring as a key. This suggests that only one of the three RHGS members could be the culprit, and Oliver is not one of those members.
• Oliver did not have the motive or means to poison Florence, and therefore could not have been the culprit.

Parker Sanderson

• The locked tin can be opened by cross-referencing the seed packets (x3) and the sticky note to reveal the three-digit code 681.
• Once the locked tin is opened, the ring, Tara's research, and the poison plan will be revealed. Tara's research and the poison plan have been cut into a total of 52 pieces (26 pieces each) and must be reassembled to be read.
• The poison plan, once assembled, will describe the culprit's plot in full: to use the leaves of Tara's solanine-heavy tomato samples to make Florence ill in order to get her out of the way for some time.
• However, there is also a hidden message in this document, hinted at by the phrase at the bottom, "Remember: The right edge of O is over the center of X, if that rings a bell."
• Placing the right edge of the ring over each instance of the letter "X" in the poison plan will circle each separate word of the phrase "I'll show her no hope".
• In the internship evaluation form, Florence says that she has "no hope" for Parker's future at Magnolia Gardens, and she states that she does not plan to hire him as an employee after the conclusion of his internship.
• In the persons of interest profiles document, Sherwood states that he was the only other person in the running for the director position against Florence. Both Sherwood and Parker state their admiration for one another and their enthusiasm for Parker to work at Magnolia Gardens in this document as well.
• Parker Sanderson is the culprit.