Jeffrey Epstein was already in a tough spot when he wrote a note to himself in 2019. The former cellmate of Epstein, Nicholas Tartaglione, found the handwritten note tucked inside a graphic novel left behind in their cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center. Tartaglione discovered the note after Epstein was moved to another cell in July 2019.

The note was a simple message written on a piece of yellow paper torn from a legal pad. It read: "Time to say goodbye." The message also included a few lines that suggested Epstein was feeling the heat of ongoing investigations without any concrete evidence against him. Tartaglione said the note implied that authorities had been looking into Epstein for months without finding anything.

The note has been a mystery ever since it was discovered. Tartaglione gave it to his lawyers, thinking it could support his claim that he didn't harm Epstein. But the note's authenticity was later verified by handwriting experts. Court filings suggest that the document became entangled in legal disputes involving Tartaglione's defence team.

The note has remained sealed by a judge since then, despite its potential relevance to official investigations into Epstein's death. A review by the Justice Department's Office of the Inspector General in 2023 didn't include the note in its findings. Epstein's death was ruled a suicide by the New York City medical examiner, but reported security failures at the jail have left many questions unanswered.

Tartaglione has consistently denied any involvement in Epstein's death. He said he felt safe sharing a cell with Epstein, and prison records from the time support his claim. The note, though cryptic, offers a glimpse into Epstein's state of mind before his death.