Chapter 31
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
CAT
My heart hammers as DS Sinclair leads our unusual procession through the Glen Garve Resort’s staff corridor and towards Craig’s office. This is it, our one shot to clear Robbie’s name. Since my breakthrough last night, I’ve rehearsed my points, gathered our evidence, and now I just need to make everyone listen.
Robbie walks beside me, his jaw set in that determined way I’ve come to recognise. His hand finds mine and gives it a quick squeeze.
“Ready?” I whisper.
He nods once. “As I’ll ever be.”
I shoot a quick glance over my shoulder at PC Muir, who’s taking up the rear. Her expression is professionally neutral.
Ahead, Sinclair stops at Craig’s office door, knocks twice, then opens it without waiting for a response. Robbie, Muir, and I file in after him.
Craig sits behind his desk, looking more tired than imposing. Johnny hovers by the window, and then there’s Samantha, perched on a chair with perfect posture, her appearance flawless and her uniform so crisp I’m surprised it doesn’t crackle when she moves. The tight bun at the nape of her neck doesn’t have a single hair out of place, but I don’t miss how her fingers clench around her handbag when she spots Robbie.
“What’s he doing here?” she demands. “I thought he was banned from the premises.”
“Mr MacDonald is here with our permission,” Sinclair explains. “As part of our investigation.”
Samantha’s perfectly shaped eyebrows rise. “I thought you had concluded your investigation?”
“We’ve been advised that new evidence has come to light.” Sinclair glances at me and Robbie. “Apparently, all will become clear shortly.”
I take this as our cue. “It will.” I step into the centre of the room and give Robbie a quick tug so he moves with me. All eyes turn to us. “Robbie, care to kick things off?”
He clears his throat. “Sure. Let’s start with what we know. Things were stolen from three different guest rooms. My keycard accessed each room around the time the things were taken. And my fingerprints were found on Mr Harrington’s signet ring.
“About the ring, I’ve already admitted to DS Sinclair and PC Muir that I did touch it. I panicked and lied at first—stupid, I know—but I thought the truth would make me look guilty. What happened is this. When I cleared out my locker, the ring... just fell out of it. Johnny was there—he can tell you how shocked I was.”
Johnny nods emphatically. “He really was! Besides, if Robbie had put the ring there himself, he wouldn’t have let it clatter to the floor the way it did. No, he’d have quietly slipped it into his pocket. I know my brother, and he was as surprised by the ring as I was.”
Samantha snorts. “Is this why this meeting was called? So Robbie’s own wee brother can swear he’s innocent?” She flips her gaze to Sinclair and Muir. “I’m sure you’ll forgive me for saying he doesn’t exactly scream ‘reliable witness’. And besides, as Robbie himself said, the keycard logs show he went into the rooms.”
“They do,” I agree. “Pretty incriminating, right? Except... there’s something we should really clear up. Specifically, the claim that Robbie’s keycard was used to access Ms Laurent’s room on the day her diamond earrings went missing, an allegation he denies. Officers, could one of you please confirm for us all the date and time that Robbie supposedly entered Ms Laurent’s room?”
Muir consults her notes. “Monday the twelfth of August at fourteen fifteen.”
“Thank you. But in that case... could someone please explain this?” With a flourish worthy of Sherlock Holmes himself, I produce a letter and hold it out to Muir. “For the benefit of everyone else, could you tell us what this is?”
Puzzled, Muir takes the letter from me. Her confusion only deepens as she scans it. “It’s... a speeding ticket. Addressed to Mr MacDonald. There’s a photograph of him here on his motorcycle.”
“And the timestamp?” I prompt.
She blinks. “Fourteen seventeen... on Monday the twelfth of August.”
“Just two minutes after he allegedly entered Ms Laurent’s room,” I point out. “And yet here he is, nine miles away from the resort. Meaning it couldn’t possibly have been Robbie who went into Ms Laurent’s room.”
Sinclair walks over and grabs a hold of the letter. “Let me have a look at that.” A moment later, he lets out a low whistle. “Bloody hell.”
“I went to pick up some washers for a repair,” Robbie explains. “Fairly routine. I didn’t remember it until Cat noticed the time on the speeding ticket was too close to the time on the keycard records.”
The room falls silent as the implications sink in. Sinclair studies the letter more carefully.
“I’ll need to verify this,” he says, “but if it’s legitimate...”
“It is,” I assure him. “And it proves someone else used Robbie’s keycard—or made it appear that way in the system. Someone who knew his routines, who had access to the resort’s security system, and who had a motive to frame him.”
Samantha shifts in her seat, a bead of sweat visible at her temple despite the room’s air conditioning.
“Someone with financial problems, perhaps?” I suggest. “Someone who recently received final notices on several bills? Someone who, despite these money troubles, still bought a nine-hundred-pound handbag last month?”
Samantha’s face drains of colour before flushing a deep red. “How did you...? That’s private information!”
“But it’s true?” I press.
She stands abruptly, smoothing her skirt with a trembling hand. “My personal finances are none of your business. And they have nothing to do with these thefts!”
“Don’t they?” I tilt my head. “Because it seems to me that someone with mounting debts might be desperate enough to steal valuable items from guests.”
“This is ridiculous! And who are you to question me anyway? You’re not staff, you’re not the police.” Samantha turns to Craig. “You’re not seriously listening to this, are you? I’ve worked here for fifteen years without incident. Meanwhile, he ”—she jabs a finger towards Robbie—“has been trouble since day one.”
Craig’s expression is unreadable as he looks between Samantha and his son.
“People aren’t always what they seem,” Robbie says. “For example, Samantha likes to present herself as a stickler for the rules, but she’s not above breaking them when it suits her.”
Samantha’s lips press into a thin line. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“No?” Robbie raises an eyebrow. “So you’ve told my da about your relationship with Drew? Because I’m pretty sure resort policy says you have to disclose something like that, especially when there’s a power imbalance.”
The silence that follows is thick enough to chew on.
“You and Drew?” Craig says, leaning forwards, clearly stunned.
Samantha’s composure crumbles further. She sinks back into her chair, eyes darting between Craig and the door as if calculating an escape route. “I... that’s... it’s relatively new,” she stammers. “I was going to mention it.”
“Were you really?” I fold my arms. “Or were you keeping it quiet because there are other things you’re hiding too?”
“This is outrageous!” Samantha’s voice rises. “So I’m seeing Drew and I forgot to fill out a form. That doesn’t make me a criminal!”
“No,” I agree. “But it does show you’re willing to break rules when it suits you. And who’s to say where you draw the line when it comes to secrets?”
I glance at Craig. “By the way, while we’re on the subject of disclosure, I’m dating Robbie.”
Robbie chokes on a laugh and shoots me a look that says, Really? Now?
I shrug, giving him a small smile before turning back to Samantha. “Like your trip to Inverness on the nineteenth—the one you didn’t tell anyone about, not even Drew. What was that for? Nipping off to flog the stolen goods, perhaps?”
“Of course not! And what I do in my free time is none of your business.” Her carefully constructed facade is crumbling. She’s cornered and desperate, and I can see the gears turning like mad behind those wild eyes.
Johnny’s phone buzzes. He checks it then, without a word, walks over to the door and opens it.
Drew stands in the doorway, looking confused and a bit wary. His eyes widen when he spots Robbie. “Sorry, am I interrupting something?”
“Not at all.” Johnny gestures for him to enter. “In fact, your timing is perfect. Thanks for coming.”
Drew hesitates before stepping inside. The room feels smaller with another person in it, and I notice how his eyes dart from Robbie to Samantha, who’s gone very still.
“Welcome, Drew,” I say. “We were just talking with Samantha about the thefts around the resort—and the secret sexual relationship she’s been having with you.”
Drew’s cheeks redden.
“Samantha was about to explain to us why she made a trip into Inverness on the nineteenth,” I add. “A trip she’s been oddly secretive about.”
“I don’t have to tell you my personal business!” Samantha objects. “What is this, an interrogation?” She glances at the officers.
“No, you don’t have to tell us what you were up to,” I agree. “But your refusal to talk is sure making you look guilty.”
“All right, fine! You want to know what I was doing? I was selling my grandmother’s brooch to pay bills. Happy now? My divorce left me in debt, and I’m too proud to ask for help.” She glares at me. “But that doesn’t make me a thief.”
“No, but framing Robbie does.”
“I didn’t frame anyone!” Her voice rises an octave. “If anything, you’re the one trying to pin this on me!”
Drew shifts uncomfortably, and I turn my attention to him.
“Drew, we know Robbie couldn’t have taken Ms Laurent’s earrings. He was miles away when his keycard was used. Someone else went into that room but made it look like it was Robbie.”
Drew’s eyes flick to Samantha then away again. It’s brief, but I catch it.
“Someone who knew the resort systems,” I continue. “Someone who knew when Robbie would be off-site. Someone who might have been passed over for promotion in favour of Robbie.”
Drew’s face flushes. “That’s... you can’t just...”
“You’re right!” Samantha shrieks suddenly. She stabs a finger at Drew. “It could have been him! I wouldn’t have the first clue how to break into a guest’s safe or anything like that. But someone in maintenance would. They know all the tricks!”
“Samantha, what are you talking about?” Drew’s voice is strained. “I-I haven’t done anything!”
“You’ve always been jealous of Robbie,” Samantha insists. “You’ve moaned about him to me countless times. Maybe you framed him to get his job!”
For a moment Drew just stares at Samantha, speechless, then his confusion morphs into anger. “You’re not fucking pinning this on me. It was your idea! You’re the one who said you needed money for your debts. You’re the one who suggested taking Mr Ashford’s watch because ‘the old fool wouldn’t even notice’.”
“And we’d have got away with it if we’d stopped there! But once you started pinching things, you couldn’t stop, could you? The money from selling the watch would have been enough to solve my problems. I didn’t need the other stuff!”
They glare at each other, the air between them crackling with tension and betrayal. Then, as if simultaneously realising what they’ve just admitted to, they fall quiet, their faces paling.
“I...” Drew starts, faltering. “I didn’t?—”
“I think we’ve heard enough,” Sinclair says, his expression grim.
“Fucking hell, Drew,” Robbie mutters. “So you were in on it. I thought we were mates.”
Drew scowls. “Mates? You were promoted over me, even though I’ve been here longer. And why? Because your daddy runs the place.”
“Excuse me?” Craig stands, his chair scraping across the floor. “Robbie was promoted because he was the better candidate. No other reason.”
Robbie looks at his father in surprise, clearly not expecting this defence.
“Better candidate?” Drew scoffs. “He’s only here because of nepotism. Everyone knows it.”
“That’s just not true,” Craig says firmly. “Robbie has a natural talent for the work. He can fix things I’ve seen others struggle with for hours. He earned that promotion.”
Something shifts in Robbie’s expression—a softening, a realisation that perhaps his father has seen and valued his skills all along.
“Well, it doesn’t matter now, does it?” I interject, unable to resist a moment of triumph. “Game over, you two. Looks like you’re not as clever as you thought.”
“This is your fault,” Drew snarls, his eyes fixing on me. “We’d have got away with it if it wasn’t for you!”
He lunges forwards so suddenly I barely have time to flinch. But before he can reach me, there’s a solid thud , then he stumbles back, blood streaming from his nose. Robbie stands between us, his right hand clenched into a fist, his chest rising and falling with controlled breaths.
My heart stutters. In the chaos of the moment, the significance of what just happened hits me. Robbie, who swore off violence seven years ago, just broke that vow. For me.
“That’s assault!” Samantha shrieks, pointing at Robbie. “You all saw it! Officers, arrest him! He can’t just punch people!”
“It was clearly self-defence,” Craig says. “Drew was going for Catriona. Right, sergeant?”
Sinclair clears his throat. “Er... aye, that’s right, Craig. Self-defence.” He glances at Muir, who nods in agreement.
“But there are two people here who need to be arrested,” Craig adds.
The officers move forwards, handcuffs at the ready.
“Samantha Drummond, Drew Miller, you are under arrest on suspicion of theft and attempting to pervert the course of justice,” Sinclair says. “You do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence.”
As the cuffs click around their wrists, Robbie remains positioned protectively in front of me, his broad shoulders creating a barrier. I peer around him, watching as Samantha turns on Drew, her face contorted with fury.
“This is all your fault!” she hisses. “If you’d just been satisfied with the watch, we wouldn’t be here. But no, you had to get greedy!”
“Me? You’re the one who came up with the whole plan in the first place!” Drew retorts, blood still trickling from his nose.
They’re led away, bickering and blaming each other.
Sinclair pauses at the door. “Robbie, your bail conditions are lifted. We’ll need to take a statement from you—for the record—but we’ll get these two to the station first.” He hesitates then adds gruffly, “I owe you an apology. We were wrong about you.”
Sinclair closes the door behind him, leaving just Johnny, Craig, Robbie, and me in the suddenly quiet office.
Robbie turns to me with a look of disbelief. “You did it.”
Before I can reply, Johnny bounds over and pulls Robbie into a tight hug. “I knew you’d clear your name!” He hugs me next. “Thank you for helping my brother when I couldn’t.”
Craig rounds his desk and comes over too. “Yes, thank you, Catriona.” He glances between Robbie and me. “You said something about being Robbie’s... girlfriend?”
“Aye, that’s right.” I squeeze Robbie’s hand.
Craig nods. “We’ll need to talk more later, then. But first, Robbie, you and I need to talk, man to man. Johnny, Catriona, could I ask you to step outside for a few minutes?”