"Eugene, no, you are not coming with us! You are in no condition!"

Rapunzel stood, arms crossed, brows furrowed, alongside Eugene's bed. Stan and Pete stood nervously a few feet behind her, their gazes moving from Rapunzel to Eugene and back again.

Upon hearing what Rapunzel's and Cassandra's plan for the morning was, he'd insisted on going with them, stating he was worried about another attack on the princess. He'd managed to sit up and swing his legs over the side of the bed. The pained look on his face had brought the princess running to his side. Despite her admonishments, he'd continued to insist on getting out of bed. And now, Rapunzel stood in front of him, physically blocking him from attempting to stand.

"I can't just sit here another moment!" Eugene exclaimed. "I am a man of action! I am bored to death…"

Rapunzel's face turned pale as the word came out of his mouth. Eugene instantly regretted his word choice. He reached out and took her hand from the crook of her arm.

"I'm sorry, Rapunzel," he said, softly. "I'm going to be fine. I didn't die and not going to, not until I'm very old."

The blonde princess gulped and nodded. Eugene pulled her gently towards him to sit next to him on the bed.

"Rapunzel, I know you've been sitting up at night with me," he said. "You look absolutely exhausted. You're going to crash at some point. Let your father and the captain take care of the investigation."

"I can't do that, Eugene."

"Why not?"

"All this pain and death is because of me," Rapunzel said. "I have to make it stop. I can't let anyone else be hurt because of me. I'm not chained up in a tower anymore. I'm not some weak little maiden."

Eugene shook his head and sighed.

"Rapunzel, you have never been a weak, little maiden. Remember our first meeting?"

Rapunzel nodded.

"I'm glad you do," Eugene chuckled, rubbing a spot on his scalp. "I don't so much. You deliver a mean frying pan to the head. And you remember the last time we were in the tower, after Gothel had stabbed me? You stood up to her and forced her to let you help me. You were willing to give up your own life for someone you care about. That takes strength and courage."

"But, I was afraid…"

"Fear is a normal thing, you were able to overcome it," Eugene said, cupping her cheek with his hand. "You are brave and smart. You are anything but weak."

Cass walked into the room.

"Raps, I'm ready to head out. Max and my father are insisting on coming with us."

"The captain?" Rapunzel asked, slightly surprised.

"I gave him conditions," Cass told her. "He has to wear civilian clothes. No one from Struthers Street will want to help us if there is an obvious guard around."

"Cassandra, no!" Eugene exclaimed. "You can't encourage this! I mean, look at Rapunzel! She's pale, there are dark circles under her eyes! The princess with endless energy is exhausted! She needs to stay in the castle where it is safe and she can rest."

Eugene set his good leg firmly on the floor and grabbed ahold of the arm of the wheelchair he had been provided with.

"I'll go instead of Rapunzel," he grunted as he tried to maneuver himself into the chair.

Rapunzel put a hand on his shoulder, easily restraining the man in his weakened state, her mouth set in a grim line.

"I won't allow it, Eugene," she said.

The princess turned to Pete and Stan.

"He's not to leave his bed," she instructed them.

"Yes, princess," the guards chorused.

Eugene sighed and slouched his shoulders in apparent defeat. Cass and Rapunzel exchanged nods.

"But Eugene, there is something you could help us with," Rapunzel said. "You won't have to go anywhere to do it."

"What is it?"

"I was planning on doing it once we got back from Struthers Street," Rapunzel said. "This will save some time. You will interview the fifteen suspects we have for the castle mole."

"Fifteen, that many?" Eugene said.

"Everyone who was in the dungeon the day Pascal was left down there," Rapunzel said.

Cass pulled out a sheet of paper and handed it to Eugene. It had the fifteen names along with each person's job title.

"Unless you think you aren't up to the task, Fitzerbert," Cass mocked.

"Oh, I'm up to it, Cassandra," Eugene said. I'll weed out our snake in the grass."

"Good," Cass exclaimed. "And here's your first suspect!"

The lady-in-waiting hurried to where Pete was still standing. She placed her hands on his shoulders and pushed his towards Eugene's bed.

"Pete was named as one of the fifteen people seen in the dungeon that morning," Cass said.

"What?" Pete exclaimed. "You think I put the princess' lizard in the dungeon?"

"This is outrageous!" Stan cried, stepping in front of the younger guard. "You can't believe that Pete of all people would harm your little lizard?"

"And what are you talking about, snake in the grass?" Pete asked. "I heard you say something about that. Are you questioning my loyalty or something?"

Rapunzel, Cass and Eugene looked at one another. They realized that only the royal family and select castle supervisors knew of the hunt for a mole amongst the staff and the true reason for most of the staff being ordered to leave the castle. They had all been told that there was the possibility of further attacks after the intruders attacked the guard and killed the nurse. They had been told that they were being sent home for their own safety.

"Pete, Stan, I'm sorry," Rapunzel said. "There's been a lot going on that you haven't been told. Cass and I spoke to the prisoners in the dungeon to try and find out who left Pascal down there two days ago. I'm sure you both know about that."

"We're just trying to find the proverbial snake that drugged and dumped him there and to find out why he or she did it," Cass continued.

Up to that point, Cass felt it best to omit the fact that once they found whoever put the chameleon in the dungeon, they would find the palace mole. She didn't want either man to slip that a mole was suspected in the castle and that person to on the run. She realized that she had made a mistake in how they were going to handle questioning their fifteen suspects. They had taken for granted that many castle staff members were their friends and were nearly always around. They might not even be noticed when they were nearby and she, Rapunzel or Eugene might accidentally alert the mole, either by a loyal staff member overhearing them and telling others or by the mole his or herself overhearing.

But as usual, the blonde princess had her own, often naïve way of doing things. And as usual, she proceeded to totally derail Cass' plan.

"What I am about to tell you does not leave this room," Rapunzel said, trying to sound stern. "My enemies have a mole in the castle that is loyal to them. That is why most of the palace staff was sent home yesterday."

"I knew it," Stan said, slamming the bottom of his balled up right hand into the palm of his left. "I knew there was more to it than just fear of an attack."

"So you suspect me of being the mole?" Pete squeaked in distress. His eyes teared up. "I-I thought…I thought you trusted me."

Rapunzel hurried to his side and put an arm around his shoulders.

"I do trust you, but we have to ask everyone," she told him. "I'm also trusting you and Stan no to not tell anyone that we suspect a mole inside the palace."

"I'm sorry this whole situation right now is my fault," Cassandra said. "I should've been more sensitive in how I revealed to you that you were going to be questioned, Pete. I apologize."

Pete wiped his eyes.

"I forgive you. I won't tell a soul about the mole, you can count on me."

"You can count on me as well, princess," Stan said, saluting. "Just let me know how I can help. It makes my blood boil thinking that someone amongst us would betray the princess."

"Ask me anything you like," Pete said. "I would never harm the little lizard."

"I will leave your questioning to Eugene," Rapunzel said, stepping with Cass towards the door. "We are headed to Struthers Street. Stan, Pete, please make sure Eugene stays in bed. Bring anyone he needs to talk to here to his room and also, don't let him overexert himself."

The two guards saluted.

"Yes, princess."

"Captain…you look so different," Rapunzel exclaimed. "I like it."

The Captain of the Royal Guard stood ramrod straight next to Maximilian as they waited for the princess and Cass at the entrance to the palace stables. While the horse was outfitted in his usual bridle and saddle and his mane and tail were arranged in their usual style, the Captain was an entirely different matter. The middle-aged man was dressed in a white tunic with an unbuttoned brown leather vest over it, forest green breeches and brown leather, knee high boots. His head was bare, revealing his receding hairline.

"Thank you, princess," he said gruffly. "I just want to say, I don't think this is a good idea."

"It'll be fine, Captain," Rapunzel said. "I trust you and Max and Cass."

The Captain shook his head.

"Let's just get this over with. A the first sign of any possible trouble, we're coming straight back to the castle."

"So, Pete, why were you in the dungeons two days ago?" Eugene asked.

Eugene was sitting in his bed, propped up by pillows. Over his lap was a bed tray. On the tray Eugene had arranged a pen, an ink bottle and a brand new notebook. He had the notebook open. At the top of the first page was Pete's name.

Pete stood next to Eugene's bed, nervously scratching at his neck.

"I was covering for one of the dungeon guards who needed the morning off. I was there from 8 a.m. to noon."

"Who was the dungeon guard?"

"Mel Rose, uh Melody Rose, is her name," Pete responded, blushing.

"So, that's the girl's name," Stan said, loudly. "I've been trying to get the name of the girl he is sweet on from him for weeks."

Pete blushed an even deeper scarlet, but didn't respond to Stan's teasing.

"She asked me to cover for her for four hours, we're friends and I wasn't on shift until the afternoon, so I agreed. I got four extra hours pay and I could use the money."

"How long before that day did she ask you to cover her shift?" Eugene asked.

"The day before…I was on shift when she asked me. It was around dinner time."

"Where were you when she asked?"

"In the guards' dining room grabbing a bite to eat," Pete said. "I was on my meal break, I was there about fifteen minutes eating. She approached me during that time."

"Did she what she needed the time off for?" Eugene asked.

"She said it was an appointment…I think. I'm not sure. She was acting…different during the entire conversation. I don't remember exactly what she said, just that she wanted me to cover part of her shift."

"How was she acting different? What do you mean by that?"

Pete's face had returned to its normal pale shade while answering Eugene's previous questions. Now, it pinked again as the blush returned. He returned to nervously scratching his neck.

"I…well I…If Stan knows then probably everyone knows," Pete gulped. "I like her and she obviously knew because she was flirting with me that day and when I agreed she kissed me on the cheek. She'd never acted like that towards me before. I mean, she's always been nice and says hello, but nothing more than that. I've never said anything other than hello to her and she's never said much more than that to me."

Eugene's pen was scratching furiously as he took down all that Pete was saying. He wasn't exactly a writer so he was having to scramble to write fast enough to get everything Pete said onto paper. He wasn't going to worry about the ink blots, poor penmanship and spelling errors he was leaving in his wake.

"This is very interesting," Eugene said. "I'll have to talk to her."

"Why? She wasn't even there that morning," Pete said. "You can't suspect her."

"It's just odd timing," Eugene said. "Have you ever worked in the dungeons before?"

"Now that you mention it," Stan interjected. "That was the first time you've ever worked down there."

"Stan's right," Pete nodded. "The guards down there had to show me what to do. I was just trying to help Mel out. There are no rules forbidding a palace guard from working in the dungeon. We all fall under the supervision of the Captain of the Guard and receive the same training."

Pete's shoulders drooped.

"It really sounds like she was using me."

Stan put a hand on the younger man's shoulder.

"Aye lad, there's not been a man who has never been swayed by a pretty girl at least once in their life," he said comfortingly. "Don't feel too badly about it. Eugene and I know you didn't do anything to the lizard."

Stan looked to Eugene.

"Right?"

Eugene nodded his head.

"I believe you Pete, I just had to ask," he said. "You've given me a lot of good information so far."

"I just can't believe she would betray the royal family," Pete said glumly. "Also…that would mean I played a part in it."

"Even if she is involved in a plot against the princess," Stan said. "That doesn't mean you are. You were just trying to help her. She knew you were sweet on her and used you. You can't blame yourself."

"She may not be involved, too," Eugene said. "It could have all been a coincidence. She wasn't named as a person seen in the dungeons at all that morning."

Pete blew a sigh of relief.

"I just a have few more questions for you, Pete," Eugene said, turning a page in his notebook.

"Ask me anything."

"What did you do while you were in the dungeons?"

"They had me help with the hourly checks and then help serve lunch."

"You checked the entire dungeon?"

"Yes, all wings and all cells."

"Who was with you?"

"Hmm, there was Cpl. Glosser, Chester, Mabel and Paul. I don't remember their last names."

"That's alright, I can find them. Anyone else?"

"There was a nurse there at the beginning, but I didn't get her name. She was checking up on the Stabbington brothers. You gave them good bumps on the head the other night, Eugene."

Pete chuckled at his last statement.

"For lunch there were three kitchen staff. I only recognized the cook Jim. The other two were women I didn't know. I think I've seen them around, but I can't be sure of where or when."

"Who was with you the most?"

"Cpl. Glosser, I shadowed him on all my checks. He's a good guy."

"Anyone else you saw down there?"

"Mary and Sam were there with the nurse to protect her. Mary Cross and Sam Jenkins are palace guards."

"Did you see anything you found interesting? Was there anything that stood out to you?"

"Not that I could tell," Pete shook his head. "I hadn't worked down there before so I wouldn't know if anything was off."

"Did Cpl. Glosser comment on anything?"

"Being off? No, I don't recall him saying anything like that…Well, he did seem to not initially recognize one of the cooks, the female cook, not Jim."

"What did he say?" Eugene asked.

"He didn't recognize her initially is all," Pete said. "I don't remember what she said her name was, but once she did say her name and he saw her up close, he recognized her and everything was fine."

"Is there anything else you think might help me?"

Pete thought for a few moments and shook his head.

"No, everything seemed normal as far as I could tell."

Eugene closed his notebook.

"Thanks for your help, Pete," he said. "Now I just need to see what I need to do next."

He pulled out the list Cassandra had given him and looked through it. He pointed to a spot on the paper the two guards couldn't see.

"The kitchen staff there that day were cook James Kent, your Jim, cook Sadie Manning and server Candy Price. You said the woman Glosser didn't recognize was a cook? It wasn't a server?"

"Yes it was the cook, she specifically stated that she was a cook," Pete told him. "Now that I hear the names, Sadie is right one."

"Cassandra has her, and Candy, marked as nonessential personnel. You know, I think I'll start with them. Stan, Pete, could you please have Jim, Sadie and Candy summoned to my room?"

"Can do, it may take a little while if Sadie and Candy are not on palace grounds."

"That is not a problem," Eugene said lying back against his pillows. "This investigation stuff is making me tired."

"You look really tired, you should get some rest," Stan said. "We can ask these three kitchen workers any questions you need asked for you. You shouldn't exert yourself, the princess would be quite upset if she found out that we let you overexert yourself."

Eugene waved a careless hand at them, closing his eyes.

"I'll rest while I'm waiting to question the three kitchen staff. You said it could take a little while. Don't let them talk to one another before I speak to them please,"

The two guards shared a concerned look before Stan spoke.

"We'll go have those three rounded up."

Eugene dozed off shortly after Stan and Pete stepped outside the room to summon an additional guard.

"The other guard said you wanted to see me?"

Stan looked over the elderly cook who stood before him, a puzzled look on his face. James Kent hadn't been hard to find, he was on shift in the kitchen that very day.

"I really need to get back to the kitchens," he said, dusting some flour residue from the sleeve of his chef's jacket. "We are severely short staffed due to the king's decree."

"I understand," Stan said, nodded. "We are all short staffed at the moment. I tried telling the king that this will only weaken us not protect us."

The chef nodded.

"I've worked at this palace fifty of my seventy-two years and we've been under threat before, no one was ever sent away like this, maybe a few here and there, but not a significant number of the staff. It is highly suspicious if you ask me."

"I couldn't agree with you more, but the king's orders are the king's orders."

"Hah, a typical guard type you are," Jim cackled. "Now, tell me, why am I here?"

"Sir Fitzerbert would like a word with you, it won't take very long," Stan said, opening the door to the bedroom.

Jim gave Stan a quizzical look and walked through the doorway. Pete stood on the inside of the door.

"He's still asleep," Pete whispered to Stan. "Do we really want to wake him?"

"Yes you do," Eugene said, groggily. He sat up and rubbed at his face. "I heard the door open. It's squeaky."

The man opened his notebook and dipped his pen in the ink well.

"Please state your name and position," he said, his voice still croaky from disuse and sleep.

"Jim Kent, I am the senior cook in the kitchens," Jim said and pointed to his gray hair. "In more ways than one, clearly."

"You served lunch in the dungeon two days ago?"

"Yes, breakfast too."

"Who were you with?" Eugene asked.

"Candy and Sadie, the usual staff that go with me."

"Was there anything off about the times you were in the dungeon?"

Jim gave Eugene a long look, frowning.

"Why are you asking about that day?" he finally said.

"Do you have something to tell me?"

"Don't answer a question with a question, boy," Jim said gruffly. "I know that the princess' pet was found drugged down there that day. Why else would you be asking me about what I was doing there that day? I serve the dungeons every day I'm on shift. Do you think I have something to do with it?"

"Not necessarily," Eugene said. "But you might have seen something that could help us."

Jim sighed and looked at the floor.

"I didn't want to say anything, she is a good girl."

"Who?"

"Sadie Manning, my assistant cook. I took her under my wing when she started three years ago and was training her to be my replacement when I retire in a year or two. She'd never do anything to harm anyone, but…"

"What happened?" Eugene asked when Jim trailed off.

"She was acting strange that morning," Jim shrugged. "Like really strange. She didn't know off the top of her head recipes that I know she knew by heart. She didn't know the setup we use for the meal cart and she looked off. She said she just hadn't been able to sleep the night before and was really tired and forgetful and thought she was coming down with something. I trust her so I just moved on."

"What do you mean she looked off though?"

"When I first saw her, I thought she was someone else," he said. "It's strange I know, but she always has her hair wrapped up in a certain way, but that day it wasn't perfect like she always has it. Her hair is ramrod straight, but that day it was frizzy. Once she said she hadn't slept the night before I just put it off as her having an off day. She was wearing way more make up than usual and her voice was all croaky and she was speaking softly. She had said she thought she was coming down with something. She also was walking a little differently, you know, holding herself differently. That's why when I first saw her across the kitchen, I thought she was someone else."

Jim paused for a few moments.

"I'm making her sound suspicious aren't I? She would never harm a fly, you have to believe me on that. Why would she harm the princess' lizard? There's no reason for it."

Eugene finished writing in his notebook before speaking again.

"Did you notice anything odd while you were in the dungeon? Anyone acting strangely?"

"The corporal who was there picked up on Sadie too," Jim said, not directly answering Eugene's question. "I didn't see anything out of the ordinary while I was there."

"Thank you for your help," Eugene said. "You can return to your duties. Please, don't discuss this interview or its topic until after I've given you the go ahead."

Jim Kent nodded, but said nothing as he left the room. He looked crestfallen.

"I think we should just go directly to speaking to this Sadie," Stan said. "There's something clearly going on there."

"I agree," Eugene said. "We need to speak to Melody Rose. Have her brought in as well."

"Any news?" Eugene asked as Stan stepped into the room. The middle-aged guard had a grim expression on his face.

"Sadie Manning is dead," he said bluntly.

"What?" Eugene exclaimed, Pete gasped.

"The guard I sent to her chambers found her," Stan said. "He said the door was locked, but there was some splintering to the door jamb. He spoke to her landlord and he let my man into Manning's place. She appears to have been strangled. Our palace doctor went out already, it was Dr. Rios, anyway she said that Sadie has been dead for at least two days, maybe more. The guard spoke to her neighbors and no one could remember seeing her for three days. She was very outgoing and popular in her neighborhood and often played with the local kids. They noticed her absence, but didn't think much of it. They had no reason to think something was wrong."

Eugene belatedly began writing all that Stan had just told him. Suddenly, there was the sound of a scuffle in the hallway outside Eugene's room. Pete stuck his head out to see what was going on. Jim Kent pushed past the young man and rushed up to Eugene in his bed. The elderly man's face was pale and his eyes were wide with shock.

"I h-heard what happened to Sadie!" he cried shrilly, his hands were shaking. "They said she's been dead for days, murdered! The girl was my protégé, like a daughter to me! Who did this? Who did this? You have to know what's going on!"

Stan pushed up a chair and had Jim sit down. Eugene pored him a glass of water from the pitcher on his bedside table. Stan handed the water to the distraught man. Jim took a few sips from the glass.

"That's about all we know too," Eugene told him.

"Your questions to me about the day in the dungeon," Jim said. "And Sadie's death, they are connected, I know it. Why else would you ask? Sadie was dead before anything happened to the lizard! Whoever that was, she wasn't Sadie. I was right and that corporal was right too. Whoever that was, she put the lizard in the dungeon…Do…do you think she was an intruder like the ones that attacked the princess in the medical wing?"

Jim fell silent for a moment. His eyebrows slowly rose as the facts he knew ran through his mind.

"What if the person masquerading as Sadie was one of us? One of the palace staff members? They would have to know the lay out of the dungeons and they would have to know when and how we serve meals and who was responsible for serving meals."

Eugene and Stan shared a knowing look. Stan placed a hand on Jim's shoulder.

"How about I take to you to the medical wing and have a nurse set you up with a room and something to help you rest?"

"What you afraid I'll spill the beans about you looking for a traitor? Don't look so surprised you three. I'm not stupid. I put the pieces together. Someone has to be feeding information to the royal family's enemies for them to know so much about the family and their movements. Why else would most staff members be sent away if not to try and eliminate the leak."

"You are very wise," Stan told Jim. "I'm not afraid that you will spill the beans, I'm afraid that you will give yourself a coronary. You are beet red and I can see your heart beating in your neck. You need a chance to calm down."

Jim nodded and stood up.

"I'll take your offer of going to medical wing."

Once Pete had escorted the old cook out of the room, Stan turned to Eugene.

"I had one more thing to tell you before we were interrupted," he said. "Melody Rose is on duty in the dungeons as we speak. I've positioned two palace guards at the entrance to the dungeon. Her absence could have been totally innocent that morning, but she could have been involved just as easily. I'm making sure the news of the discovery of Sadie's body doesn't reach her until we have spoken with her. Would you like me to have her brought here now?"

"Yes, please."