In [day 24.5](https://steemit.com/writing/@deeanndmathews/the-posture-of-innocence-day-24-5) of *The Posture of Innocence,* Lieutenant Longstreet lays out a case he is working that is baffling him -- but a sudden cascade of thought occurs that Captain Lee orders him to pursue.  In the "Morning Mist" Freewrite, we will see the case become clear ... 

To get totally caught up on *The Posture of Innocence*, here are [the prologue](https://steemit.com/writing/@deeanndmathews/day-730-5-minute-freewrite-sunday-prompt-harbor-cruise-and-the-prologue-to-the-posture-of-innocence), [day 1](https://steemit.com/writing/@deeanndmathews/day-730-5-minute-freewrite-sunday-prompt-harbor-cruise-and-the-prologue-to-the-posture-of-innocence), [day 2](https://steemit.com/oc/@deeanndmathews/the-posture-of-innocence-day-2), [day 3](https://steemit.com/freewrite/@deeanndmathews/day-732-5-minute-freewrite-tuesday-prompt-gut-feeling-and-the-posture-of-innocence-part-3), [day 3.5](https://steemit.com/freewrite/@deeanndmathews/day-733-5-minute-freewrite-wednesday-prompt-damp-conditions-and-the-posture-of-innocence-day-3-5), [day 4](https://steemit.com/freewrite/@deeanndmathews/day-732-5-minute-freewrite-tuesday-prompt-gut-feeling-and-the-posture-of-innocence-part-4), [day 4.5](https://steemit.com/oc/@deeanndmathews/day-734-5-minute-freewrite-thursday-prompt-red-tongue-and-the-posture-of-innocence-day-4-5), [day 5](https://steemit.com/oc/@deeanndmathews/the-posture-of-innocence-day-5), [day 5.5](https://steemit.com/oc/@deeanndmathews/day-735-5-minute-freewrite-friday-prompt-bundling), [day 6](https://steemit.com/writing/@deeanndmathews/weekend-freewrite-10-26-2019-single-prompt-option-and-the-posture-of-innocence-day-6), [day 7](https://steemit.com/writing/@deeanndmathews/day-737-5-minute-freewrite-sunday-prompt-step-out-of-the-shadow-and-the-posture-of-innocence-day-7), [day 7.5](https://steemit.com/writing/@deeanndmathews/day-738-5-minute-freewrite-monday-prompt-no-added-sugar-and-the-posture-of-innocence-day-7-5), [day 8](https://steemit.com/writing/@deeanndmathews/day-739-5-minute-freewrite-tuesday-prompt-represent-and-the-posture-of-innocence-day-8), [day 9](https://steemit.com/writing/@deeanndmathews/day-740-5-minute-freewrite-wednesday-prompt-cold-person-and-the-posture-of-innocence-day-8), [day 9.5](https://steemit.com/writing/@deeanndmathews/the-posture-of-innocence-day-9-5), [day 10](https://steemit.com/writing/@deeanndmathews/day-741-5-minute-freewrite-thursday-prompt-peak-and-the-posture-of-innocence-day-10), [day 10.5](https://steemit.com/writing/@deeanndmathews/the-posture-of-innocence-day-10-5), [day 11](https://steemit.com/writing/@deeanndmathews/day-742-5-minute-freewrite-friday-prompt-community-garden-and-the-posture-of-innocence-day-11), [day 11.5](https://steemit.com/writing/@deeanndmathews/the-posture-of-innocence-day-11-5), [day 12](https://steemit.com/writing/@deeanndmathews/weekend-freewrite-11-2-2019-single-prompt-option-callous-and-the-posture-of-innocence-day-12), [day 12.5](https://steemit.com/writing/@deeanndmathews/the-posture-of-innocence-day-12-5), [day 13](https://steemit.com/writing/@deeanndmathews/day-744-5-minute-freewrite-sunday-prompt-knee-and-the-posture-of-innocence-day-13), [day 13.5](https://steemit.com/writing/@deeanndmathews/the-posture-of-innocence-day-13-5), [day 14](https://steemit.com/writing/@deeanndmathews/day-745-5-minute-freewrite-monday-prompt-sea-level-and-the-posture-of-innocence-day-14), [day 15](https://steemit.com/writing/@deeanndmathews/day-746-5-minute-freewrite-tuesday-prompt-trophy-and-the-posture-of-innocence-part-15), [day 16](https://steemit.com/writing/@deeanndmathews/day-747-5-minute-freewrite-wednesday-prompt-dread-locks-and-the-posture-of-innocence-day-16), [day 16.5](https://steemit.com/writing/@deeanndmathews/the-posture-of-innocence-day-16-5), [day 17](https://steemit.com/writing/@deeanndmathews/day-748-5-minute-freewrite-thursday-prompt-retirement-and-the-posture-of-innocence-day-17), [day 18](https://steemit.com/writing/@deeanndmathews/day-749-5-minute-freewrite-friday-prompt-nail-biting-and-the-posture-of-innocence-day-18), [day 19](https://steemit.com/writing/@deeanndmathews/weekend-freewrite-11-9-2019-single-prompt-option-towel-and-the-posture-of-innocence-day-19),  [day 19.5](https://steemit.com/writing/@deeanndmathews/the-posture-of-innocence-day-19-5), [day 20](https://steemit.com/writing/@deeanndmathews/day-751-5-minute-freewrite-sunday-prompt-mushroom-suit-and-the-posture-of-innocence-day-20), [day 20.5](https://steemit.com/writing/@deeanndmathews/the-posture-of-innocence-day-20-5), [day 21](https://steemit.com/writing/@deeanndmathews/day-752-5-minute-freewrite-monday-prompt-helmet-and-the-posture-of-innocence-day-21), [day 22](https://steemit.com/writing/@deeanndmathews/day-753-5-minute-freewrite-tuesday-prompt-greens-and-the-posture-of-innocence-day-22), [day 22.5](https://steemit.com/writing/@deeanndmathews/the-posture-of-innocence-day-22-5), [day 23](https://steemit.com/freewrite/@deeanndmathews/day-754-5-minute-freewrite-wednesday-prompt-lentil-soup-and-the-posture-of-innocence-day-23), [day 23.5](https://steemit.com/writing/@deeanndmathews/the-posture-of-innocence-day-23-5), [day 24](https://steemit.com/writing/@deeanndmathews/day-755-5-minute-freewrite-thursday-prompt-homemade-waffles-and-the-posture-of-innocence-day-24), and [day 24.5](https://steemit.com/writing/@deeanndmathews/the-posture-of-innocence-day-24-5)!

![the posture of innocence, little version.png](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmSjgb5t7LyZoqyMTYvRaNw868X5V7d58QSQ6Z2xwnZsV9/the%20posture%20of%20innocence,%20little%20version.png)

Lieutenant Longstreet sat for a long time, thinking, the light coming into his mind slowly, like on an early March morning … the morning mist still winter-thick, but with spring approaching, and the sun beginning to be able to power through once again … his face slowly came to bright clarity on the matter, and to Captain Lee, that was as moving as any sunrise.

The lieutenant went back to his “true set,” and pulled up one photo from it, taken at the time of the initial investigation.

“It's a good photo – it will probably magnify and enhance without creating too much pixel noise,” he said, and put the work in – and there it was, big enough for it to be scrolled through in detail.

“Right here,” he said, “the little footstool behind Mr. Lovelace's body.  Look right there at the corner, Captain – and Mr. Black.  I thought that a suicide note would have been conclusive if we had it, but I knew we didn't, and I remember first seeing this photograph and wondering if somehow it was overlooked.  I knew that the room had been thoroughly searched, and that the police and Mr. Lovelace's daughter had arrived at the same time, and no one had reported seeing a note on any of the tables.  But look right here – why should there be blood splatter on every part of this footstool but right there?”

“Intriguing,” Captain Lee said.  “Something small might have been sitting on that corner that was removed without the police noticing.”

“Something small enough so with one fold, it might have been secured for a long time in an obvious place,” Mr. Black added.

Lieutenant Longstreet thought for about a minute, then jumped out of the chair –.

“That large and conspicuous locket!  The account said she ran to the body upon seeing it and knocked into the footstool, bursting into tears by her father's shattered head, then fell out, presumably fainting, beside him, face down – but that would have given her plenty of opportunity to put that note in her big locket!”

“And carry that evidence around for 13 years, in plain sight,” said Mr. Black.  

“Go across the street, now, to the county courthouse, and ask in my name to see Judge Lorelei Brown,” Captain Lee said.  “Take with you the summary of the the case as it stands, and see if she will not give you a search warrant so you may obtain Miss Lovelace's locket.  When you present the warrant, tell Miss Lovelace that you already know what she has done, and although it will cost Mrs. Lovelace $20,000,000, it will go easier for Miss Lovelace in the end if she takes off the locket and just hands it to you at once.  Go now, Lieutenant.  Be back by 1:00 if you can.”

[Day 25.5 is up](https://steemit.com/writing/@deeanndmathews/the-posture-of-innocence-day-25-5)