Chapter 22
Chapter Twenty-Two
I was curious how an accountant and his wife from Sea Isle had landed an invitation among some of Scotland’s most elite.
Not that I was a snob about it. I only had an invite because of Ewan.
It just seemed odd that after everything that happened earlier in the week with the mistress that the couple was at Ewan’s mother’s gala.
Someone touched my arm.
“It’s me,” Mara whispered.
I turned to find her on the arm of her new friend.
“Do you remember, Teddy?”
I didn’t but I waved hello and smiled. “It’s good to see you again. Mara, you look beautiful.”
“That she does,” Teddy said good heartedly. “I’m a lucky man.”
She patted his tuxedoed chest. “Yes, you are.”
We all laughed.
“Did you see who was in the corner?” She threw her thumb in their direction.
“I was curious about that,” I said.
“The most likely scenario is this is one of her charities,” Ewan said. “She mentioned that during the interviews we did that she was involved with several and her main residence is here in Edinburgh. But I can ask my mother.”
“Or we could just ask Mrs. Burns,” I said. “Though, isn’t it odd he has his business in Sea Isle if they live here?”
“Aye, he said there was less competition in a small town. He didn’t like having to compete with the bigger firms here in the city. And he’d grown up there and knew his clients.”
“And it probably made it easier for him to keep a separate residence for his affairs,” I added
“You may be right about that.”
“Let’s go chat with them.”
“I told you he’s called in his solicitors,” he said.
“Right, but this is a social event, and we are only going to say hello.” I pulled Ewan along with me.
He seemed resigned. Of course, Mara and her date joined us. But before we reached them, a bell chimed and we all turned toward the stage where Ewan’s mother stood among the musicians, who had been playing.
“I’m sending a hearty welcome to our distinguished guests and thank you for supporting such a worthy cause,” she said.
His mother went on to talk for a good five minutes.
“As you enjoy your evening, please bid wildly on our auction items, and kindly make your donations. These children need our help, and we should be there for them.”
While she’d been speaking, I lost sight of the accountant and his wife.
“Do you see them?” I asked Mara and Ewan.
They shook their heads.
“I have an idea,” Mara said as she looked from Ewan to me.
“What’s that?”
“Why don’t we take a night off from the snooping, and just enjoy ourselves for once?” She grinned.
“I’m all for that,” her date said. “Though, I had no idea we were looking for someone. May I ask who we were snooping on?”
Ewan cleared his throat. The last thing he’d want was to share the case with a stranger.
“You make a good point. I wonder where Jasper is?” I said, changing the subject.
As if I’d conjured him, Jasper walked up to us. He was dressed in a tuxedo, as was the man with him.
“Whoa, you two look so handsome,” Mara said.
“I agree,” I added.
Jasper blushed a bit. “I know some of you have met David, but I wanted to introduce him to the rest of you.”
I smiled. David owned a coffee shop and also supplied the free-trade beans that Jasper bought for his shop. They did make quite the handsome couple.
There was a chorus of hellos.
“How are you?” I asked.
David smiled. He had red hair and freckles, and he was quite handsome in his black tux. He’d been in a flannel shirt and jeans last time I saw him. He’d been at Jasper’s shop making a delivery, and we’d been introduced. Jasper had said they weren’t dating but they looked like a couple to me.
Everyone shook his hand.
“Ewan’s mom is the one who is throwing the event,” I said, “which is why we are all here.”
“She has very good taste,” he said. “Everything is quite elegant. I haven’t been to something like this in years. I wasn’t sure my tux would fit.”
“But you look grand,” Jasper added. And then he blushed again when he realized he’d said the words out loud.
“Um, we were heading toward the auction items,” Ewan said. “Would you like to join us?”
The auction items were on the other side of the ballroom, and it took some time to make it through the crowded room. Thankfully, Ewan kept to the edges. He seemed to remember that I wasn’t so fond of crowds.
There were several tables lined up against the far wall where the items for auction had been set up. Everything from artwork to trips abroad were displayed on the various tables. We all separated.
After picking up my auction number at the table where people checked in, I found several folk-art pieces from local artisans that I bid on, as well as a trip to Spain. I’d never been there, and it might be fun to warm up during the winter months if I won.
By the time we’d finished, it was time to find some nibbles as Mara called them. Off the ballroom in one of the dining areas, several tables had been set up for people to sit down. The food was served banquet style, which I appreciated. I liked being able to pick and choose.
After grabbing an assortment that we would all share, we sat down at one of the tables on the far side. But in our direct path we could keep an eye on the accountant and his wife who seemed, once again, to be deep in conversation at the table next to ours.
They weren’t as angry looking as earlier, but still seemed tense.
“Isn’t that the partner of the man who died?” Mara asked.
“What man?” her date questioned.
Mara’s eyes went wide. “Oops, sorry, Em and Ewan. I wasn’t thinking.”
I nodded. “It’s OK.”
Ewan cleared his throat again. “We’re investigating a suspicious death of someone in our town,” he said. “As Mara said, that is the man’s business partner.”
“Is the woman his wife?” David asked.
Mara and I glanced at one another.
“Yes,” I said.
“What was that look?” David asked.
“We aren’t very good at keeping things under wraps are we,” I said. “No wonder you get so frustrated, Ewan.”
He chuckled. “If you don’t mind, I’d rather they didn’t think we’re spying on them,” he said.
“If I remember the gossip, she’s a bit of a social climber,” Mara said. “At least, that is what was going around the pub. She keeps a place in Edinburgh, and he prefers to stay in Sea Isle. His girlfriend has been staying in their summer cottage.”
“His girlfriend?” David said with surprise. “This sounds like one of my gran’s soap operas.”
Mara sighed. “Super sleuth, I’m not.” She turned to face Ewan and me. “Sorry.”
I shrugged.
“Well, everyone in town already knows the girlfriend was having a breakdown in my shop,” Jasper said. “Minerva, who has been helping Lulu, saw her in there. And I heard she’d helped take care of the wife after she had a run-in with the mistress. By late afternoon it was all over town.”
I wasn’t fond of it, but that was the way things were in a small town.
“I think I’ve seen him in the coffee shop,” David said.
“I never forget a face or an order. He must have been with the other woman when he was there. I remember she wore a weird sort of wig and had an insane order with about ten different items in one coffee. Don’t tell anyone, since I run a shop that serves coffee and source beans, but I’m not a fan of anyone who tries to cover up the taste of such a wonderful brew. ”
We laughed. “I couldn’t agree more,” I said. “I like black, like my heart.”
Everyone chuckled again.
“I remember thinking he seemed embarrassed how she kept going on and on. I honestly, thought she was his daughter.”
“Oh?”
He shrugged. “A vibe, that’s an American saying, right? She was pawing him, but he seemed embarrassed or annoyed. It was hard to tell which one.”
“He probably didn’t appreciate the pawing out in the open,” Mara said. “He dumped her when she told the wife about the affair. That was why she was in Jasper’s shop eating herself into a food coma.”
I’d told Ewan all of this, but he didn’t seem happy we were talking about the accountant and his marriage woes.
“Is something wrong?” I whispered. “Are you mad that we’re talking about them?”
He shook his head. “It isn’t that. Look at her face. I’m worried she’s been poisoned. She doesn’t appear well.”
I did as he asked, and he was right. She’d gone pale, especially around her mouth.
Suddenly, she stood.
And then she fell to the floor, her husband catching her before she hit too hard.
Ewan and I rushed over.
“Stand back,” I said, as I grabbed her wrist and took her pulse. It was strong, but she had definitely passed out.
“Do you know if she took anything?” I asked the husband.
“No, she didn’t,” her husband said. “One minute she was fine, the next she said she felt nauseous and dizzy. When she tried to stand, she fell.”
“Ewan, I need a damp cloth, and something to prop her feet above her head.”
Mara handed me a napkin that had been dipped in ice water. And Ewan soon came back with some pillows. A crowd had gathered around, and I glanced up at Ewan.
“Everyone, please stand back. The Doctor needs space.”
“I had mum call for an ambulance,” he said. “They should be here in fifteen.”
“I didn’t bring my doctor’s bag with me.” I leaned down to listen to her breathing. Everything seemed fine.
“Did she eat today? Do you know if she’s diabetic?”
Her husband shook his head. To his credit, he appeared genuinely worried about her. “She’s had a lot of stress the last twenty-four hours,” he said. “Could that do it?”
“Yes,” I said. “But she appeared ill just before she fainted. Did she say anything to you?”
“No. Only what I mentioned to you. It’s my fault. We’ve been arguing most of the night. It was just too much for her. I blame myself.”
Her eyes fluttered open but she appeared dazed. “What happened?” she asked me.
“You fainted,” I said. “I need to know if you’ve taken anything.”
“Like drugs? No. Of course not. I can’t.”
This time it was me who frowned. “Are you diabetic?”
“No. It’s—uh—” she glanced at her husband.