Alice Robertson is far too old and frail to navigate successfully the grand staircase of her ancestral home. But when her nephew returns to the house after an evening stroll, he sees that Aunt Alice must have attempted the descent one last time, with tragic results.

No one, particularly not the astute Inspector Long, is likely to believe Alice was murdered. After all, who would want the sweet old lady dead? But rumors will fly, and the grapevine says that hidden in the mansion are valuable family heirlooms. Someone has discovered them, recognized their value, and killed to get them...