Chapter 15
Chapter Fifteen
As I pulled up behind the pub, my mind still whirled with facts and questions. My friends and I had talked all the way home, and we were confused by what we’d discovered. After I turned off the car, we sat there a minute.
“My mind will never calm down. Do you two want a drink? It’s on me,” Mara said.
“I can do one pint,” Jasper said.
“Sure.” There was no way I could go to sleep any time soon. I stuffed the papers into my bag. I wasn’t leaving evidence in my car.
It was late on a Tuesday, so the pub wasn’t too busy. Mara waved us over to our favorite corner booth. As we sat down, I noticed the first Duncan’s sister and Baird at a booth eating dinner.
“Is that the sister of the artist?” Jasper whispered as he followed my gaze.
I nodded.
Mara brought over three pints, and some chips, which were the shoestring type called French fries here in Scotland. They were salted with vinegar, and I could eat buckets of them. She moved her head to the side indicating she had seen Isobel and Baird.
“So much for spilling the tea about, uh, stuff,” Jasper said.
“I think we all need time to digest what we heard today, anyway,” I said.
“Any ideas on how it all fits together?” Mara kept her voice low.
“No. Like I said in the car, I have the facts. My brain just hasn’t put it together yet.”
“I’m still glad you let us go along with you,” Jasper said. “After watching all those mysteries together, I feel like our little crew is getting better with each case.”
I smiled. I loved that they felt like such a part of my work. I was about to say something, and Mara put her hand on my knee under the table. I glanced up at her and found Isobel and Baird standing at our table.
“We’re sorry to interrupt,” Isobel said.
I was surprised they hadn’t been banned from the pub, given the trouble Baird started. But then Mara had a soft spot for people who had lost loved ones. As did we all.
“It’s OK,” I said.
“I know you said you’d let us know when we could—I’m trying to make arrangements.” Her eyes watered and my heart hurt for her. “I wondered if you knew a day? We stopped by your office earlier, but Abigail said you were on a call.”
Abigail probably had more information about timing than I did. And she was still testing.
“If you come by tomorrow afternoon, I’ll have some answers for you. The last I checked we were still running more tests.”
Baird handed Isobel a tissue from his pocket. I was glad he was there for her. His temper the other day had worried me, but I probably wouldn’t keep my cool if I thought someone killed one of my friends.
“Do you have any idea who may have hurt him? There are so many rumors in this town. We know they were talking to his boss again. But I can’t believe …
I just don’t understand why someone would kill him.
I keep saying that, but I can’t get my head around the fact he’s gone. ” Tears streamed down her cheeks.
“Everything you’re going through is absolutely normal when someone experiences this level of trauma. I wish I had more answers for you. I also know the Constable and his team are working diligently to find who did this.”
“Do you know if maybe they meant to kill the other Duncan?” Baird asked. “We heard more rumors about that, and we met his widow and daughter at your place. It’s weird, right? That they had the same name.” He was obviously confused.
“I’m sure the Constable explained that when we’re in the middle of an ongoing case like this, we have to be certain of all the facts. That takes time. I know it isn’t what you want to hear. When I was going through my husband’s sudden death, all I wanted was answers. It was torture waiting.”
“Oh. I’m sorry for your loss,” Isobel said. She really was a kind person.
“Thank you, but I only say that because I want you to know I understand how important finding out those answers is to you.”
“I don’t understand why there need to be so many tests. He was stabbed, right?” she asked.
“Yes. But we’re testing for DNA and other fibers. We’re much more thorough than you might expect for a small-town doctor.” I smiled as I said it.
“Thank you. I’m grateful for everything you’re doing. I’m sorry if we’re bugging you.”
I shook my head. “You are not bothering me. I understand. You two get some rest. I’m hoping I’ll have more answers for you tomorrow.”
“Have a good night,” Baird said as he guided her away. Then he turned back. “I apologized to your grandfather and grandmother, but I’m sorry for my temper,” he said to Mara. “No excuses. I was wrong to react that way. I—”
He looked like he wanted to say more.
“No excuses,” Isobel said. “It was wrong.”
“She’s right. Goodnight,” he said. They left.
“Sometimes I think having a patisserie is hard work, and then I see something like that. I don’t know how you do it, Em,” Jasper frowned. “You were so good with them.”
“Unfortunately, I have a lot of experience dealing with worried family members and friends. We moved so fast in the ER that I made a point of trying to be compassionate on what is sometimes the worst day of someone’s life.”
“His poor sister is soul crushed. I don’t think she could have hurt him,” Mara said.
“I don’t disagree. She and Baird are suffering.”
OK,” Mara said. “We’re all thinking the same thing, right? One of the Duncan’s was killed accidentally?”
“I’m not ready to say. You’re right, it’s too much of a coincidence, and we heard some news tonight that might link them. But then we have alibis and other things that have already been sorted.”
“I think it’s that awful boss guy. He had such a sweet wife. Do you think she knows how awful he is?” Jasper asked. “From what you’ve said, he has to be the prime suspect. And he told her that he was in Edinburgh, but we know he’s here in town.”
“I keep wondering if he killed his aunt to get the property,” Mara whispered.
We stared at her.
“What? Don’t look at me like that. The wife said the aunt’s death was sudden. We know he’s not exactly a nice guy. I can spot them. You know I can. It’s why I didn’t bar Baird from the pub. That guy had it coming.”
“Mara,” Jasper and I said at the same time.
“You don’t even know him,” I said. “You adored his wife.”
“Right. And she’s the first lovely woman to end up with a jerk husband?”
“She makes a good point,” Jasper said.
“It’s all happened so fast,” Mara said. “The aunt only died two months ago, and they sold all of her stuff. She probably had hidden the ring. That Robert found out it was accidentally sold, and then somehow discovered it was bought by a Duncan Craig.”
“And maybe he thought it was the Duncan who worked for him,” Jasper added. “Who would ever think there were two of them?”
I pursed my lips. I’d been mulling over the same thing all the way home tonight. Not about the aunt but the mistaken name.
“I’m not saying you aren’t on to something. I’ve been considering the same possibility. It could be the boss didn’t see the guy who bought the puzzle box that we think the ring was in. And he’s tall enough. But Ewan says he has an alibi. And how did he find out it was a Duncan Craig?”
“Look at the sales sheet on your phone,” Mara said. “It listed the names by the items.”
She was right. I’d forgotten about that.
“Robert might have an alibi, but what about one of his cronies? Isn’t that what you call the bad guy’s henchmen?” Jasper asked.
I smiled. He really was into all this. “Or. They could be lying for him. I don’t know much about that side of things. I need to talk to Ewan about it. If there were other witnesses.”
“He could have hired one of them to kill the Duncans,” Jasper said.
Mara shrugged. “Or we could have one of those things where the killers switch up the murders. They kill for one another.”
“Ewan would tell you to lay off the murder mysteries,” I said.
We all laughed.
“The thing is, I don’t know for certain that the second Duncan was murdered.” I held up a hand when they both opened their mouths. “Trust me, I get it. But Ewan would tell us to follow the facts. I’m still waiting for tests to come back. The DNA on the cuffs may help us figure that out.”
“Yes, but the rumor is he was scared to death,” Mara said.
I rolled my eyes. “You did not hear that from me,” I said.
“No. I think it was Lulu. She was in here for breakfast with her friends. One of them has a nephew who works on Ewan’s team.” Her eyes went wide. “Do not tell him. That poor guy could lose his job.”
“The secret is safe with me,” I said.
“Well, friends, it was a fun day, but I have to get to bed,” Jasper yawned. “I have an early morning. Walk you, home, Em?”
“Yes. Thank you both again for today. It was fun having you with me.”
“It was just as fun for us,” Mara said. “This case is so curious.”
“I couldn’t agree more.”
An hour after Jasper walked me home, I straightened my desk. If I left it a mess, Abigail would do it for me the next morning. I wanted to save her the trouble. I’d made notes on my appointments for the next day, and I was feeling very accomplished.
I headed to the kitchen for a snack, when I heard a noise out back. The kitchen looked out onto a cemetery that was several hundred years old when this building had been a church. This time of year, I’d discovered it was a popular hangout for kids and teens. They liked to scare one another.
It took me a while to become used to the view so close to home.
At least the neighbors are quiet. I made that joke often when I felt shivers down my spine. This house was old and made a great deal of noise, especially when it was windy. Since we were by the sea, that happened a great deal.
There was a strange sound I couldn’t define. I turned off the kitchen light and stared out into the inky darkness. If the kids had walked by the security light, it should have come on.
A familiar shiver went down my spine. I never ignored that feeling. I ran back to my office and grabbed my pepper spray from my purse. Then I called Ewan. I’d learned my lesson about heading into danger. I needed back up.
“I’m on my way to yours,” he said.
“There’s someone in the back in the cemetery. I thought it was kids, but they’ve avoided the security lights.”
“I’m five minutes out. Stay on the line with me.”
“No problem,” I whispered.
“Do not open the back door, but do you see anyone?”
“No.” There was a flash of light. “Wait, someone has a flashlight. They are going to the backdoor.”
He grunted. “Almost there.”
“I thought you said five minutes,” I whispered.
“I’m moving fast. Get into the autopsy room and stay there. They won’t be able to get in.”
My throat had gone dry. The back door was right across from the autopsy room.
I did what he said. As I passed the back door, the handle turned.
“I’ve called the police,” I yelled. “They’ll be here in seconds.”
The doorknob continued to turn. “If you’re after the ring, it’s at the station. I don’t have any of their belongings.”
The knob popped back into place. I was desperate to see who it might be, but I didn’t dare open the door.
“If you want to run into the Constable, please feel free to stay. I’d very much like to know who you are.”
There were footsteps, and it sounded like they were running away.
I sagged against the door, and then there was a big bang on it.
“It’s me,” Ewan said. “Are you OK?”
I was proud I hadn’t screamed. “Yes,” I squeaked out as I opened the door. “Did you see them?”
He shook his head. “Akif is checking the mountain path. Did you see who it was?”
“No. It’s not unusual for kids to be back here, but I don’t think it was them this time.”
“Why do you say that?” he shut the door behind him.
“They were trying to come in the backdoor. They turned the knob. There are so many bolts on there now it would have taken them awhile. But I had this creepy feeling and I …”
“What?”
“I yelled out that I didn’t have any of the dead men’s belongings here. I said if they were after the ring, it was at the station. Then the doorknob stopped turning.”
“I told you to go into the autopsy room. How would you have protected yourself if they came in?”
I stuck the pepper spray in the waist of my jeans and pulled my sweater over it before I’d opened the door. I didn’t want to get into trouble for having an illegal weapon.
“I would have been in autopsy with several sharp tools at the ready, and behind a well-protected steel door with top-notch security, thanks to you.”
His phone rang.
“Akif, any luck?” he put his phone on speaker.
“Several boot trails. Some are smaller like kids, but I see two adult male-sized boots, and they’re fresh. Do you want a cast before it rains?”
“Yes. Thanks. Do you want me to organize that?”
“I’ve got it, Constable. Is the doctor OK?”
“She is. Thanks. Let’s also get prints on the back door. They tried to come inside.”
“We’ve got it,” Akif said. He hung up.
“Those boots could belong to anyone. There is a gate to get into the cemetery, it’s a public space.”
“Akif wouldn’t have pointed them out if they weren’t fresh. He’s good at tracking, it’s one of the reasons I wanted him on the team. He’s had great success with search and rescue. It took some convincing, but he didn’t like raising his girls in the city, so we had that going for us.”
I took a deep breath. “I like him, and his family.”
“They’re good people. I want to check the perimeter.”
I laughed.
“What?”
“That sounds so military, but I get it. And thanks for coming so fast tonight.”
“I was already on the way. Henry and Abigail are still helping with the corn maze, or he would have been here as well.”
“I forgot that starts tomorrow night. I’ve never been a fan of mazes.”
“Oh?” he appeared surprised. “Why is that?”
“I can’t get anywhere without GPS, no sense of direction. It’s one of my things.”
He laughed.
“That’s not nice,” I said.
“Isn’t like that,” he said. “Good to know you aren’t perfect.”
I snorted—big time. An extremely unladylike sound. “Me? Perfect? Not even on my very best days, Constable.”
His phone rang, and I jumped.
“Sorry. I’m still nervous, I guess.”
He put a hand on my shoulder, the warmth of him soaking through my sweater. “I’m going to have a look around, and I’ll be right back. But I’ll come through the front door.”
“OK.”
He left, and I locked the back door again.
Someone had been after that ring, but who?
I only had one man in mind.