Chapter 19
Chapter Nineteen
Jasper and I rode with Ewan down to my office. I texted Abigail and told her I could use her help. She and Tommy had most likely snuck out before the rest of the crowds. I hated to bother her, but she would be upset if I didn’t, and I needed scans of the kid’s arm.
She texted that she was already there. Tommy had forgotten his handheld game in my kitchen. She would have everything ready when we arrived.
The kid sat sullenly in the back with Jasper, holding his arm. It was most likely broken from the position of the ulna, but I wouldn’t know for certain until he took off his shirt.
By the time we made it down the mountain, he was several shades whiter. There were a man and a woman waiting for us outside my office.
The woman wagged a finger at him. “What did you do this time?” She too was British, and very angry. “I can’t believe the police are calling us again.”
The man next to her, patted her shoulder. “Give him a chance, luv.” He was Scottish and had a heavy brogue.
“Mr. and Mrs. Henderson, this is Doctor McRoy, she thinks your son’s arm may be broken. We need permission for her to examine.”
The woman’s eyes flashed widely. “He’s hurt?” Her tone had changed.
“He was injured while fleeing police,” Ewan said in that authoritative way of his. “Which we can discuss once he’s been sorted by the doc.”
The woman sighed but stared daggers at her son.
Inside, Abigail was at her desk. “Exam One is ready,” she said. “Are you the parents?”
The couple nodded.
“I’ll need one of you to fill out these forms.” She handed them an iPad. The mother took it.
Everyone, including Ewan tried to follow us into the exam room. “You can wait out here,” I said to Ewan. “And only one parent at a time. There isn’t room for more.”
“I’ll go,” the mother said.
“I’ll fill out the forms,” the father said.
Abigail and I helped the teen onto the exam table. We slid off his hoodie, which thankfully had a zippered front, but the long-sleeve Henley had to be cut off. He stared down at the floor. I wasn’t sure if he was ashamed or trying to keep from crying out in pain.
“The right ulna,” I said. The bone wasn’t poking through the skin, but it was close. He’d probably done it by pressing his hands out to break his fall.
“I want to know what happened,” his mother said. This time there was no emotion in her voice. “Why were the police chasing you? We moved here to get away from all that,” she said. Then she sighed again.
“I don’t know,” he said. But he couldn’t look her in the eye.
“I could tell her,” I said.
His head snapped up. “I’m sorry,” he said. “It was a hundred pounds. I couldn’t say no. And it was for a laugh. She said she wanted to scare her friend, you. I thought it was just for fun.”
“What are you talking about?” his mother asked. “Who gave you money to do what?”
Interesting. He said it was a woman. Who would use a kid like this just to scare me? It certainly wasn’t any of my friends.
“The witch,” he said. “She gave me a hundred pounds to follow the doctor and scare her,” he said as if that made all the sense in the world.
“Tonight?” The mother asked. “I thought you were at the costume contest. That’s what you told me.”
“I was, mum. I’m talking about the other night,” he said.
“Before you accosted me in the maze, I guess. Tell me exactly what she said.”
“Follow the doctor and ask her where it is. Then tell her what you said. She was angry with me that you didn’t say anything. She was only going to give me half, but I told her I’d go to the police.”
“You said it was a woman; can you tell me what she looked like?” I asked. Then I held up a hand. “Hold that thought. We need some images of that arm.”
“I’ll get the chair,” Abigail said.
His eyes went wide again. “The chair?”
“Just a wheelchair to take you back to the lab. We can’t risk you falling again.”
He appeared relieved. “She was dressed as a witch. She had a fake nose and a black wig under her pointy black hat. I don’t know who she was. I was bored and thought it was—like I said. I thought it would be a laugh. But you were so scared, and then I felt bad. I’m sorry.”
As far as confessions went, this one hit home for me. He was just a kid who had been manipulated by an adult. Still, I had a feeling Ewan would scare him straight.
His mother followed Abigail back to the imaging center.
His father and Ewan sat in the waiting room.
“I’m sorry,” the dad said. “He isn’t a bad kid, but trouble seems to find him.”
Ewan had said that more than once to me.
“I thought moving here would end the troubles. I had a promotion on the rigs, and my wife wanted a new start here in Scotland. We wanted to give him a chance to be in a place far from the violence in London.” He put his hands on his head.
“Sounds like someone took advantage of him,” I said. “An adult offered him money.”
“But he knows better,” the father said. “What’s he doing taking money from a stranger? We should all be safe here.”
“You are,” I said. “Thanks to Ewan and his team of officers, Sea Isle is extremely safe. But no place is perfect.”
“We let him go off on his own that night because we didn’t see any harm at a small country fête. Only my son.”
I smiled. “Like you said, some of us are more likely to find trouble.”
“She knows what she’s talking about,” Ewan said under his breath.
“So what happens now?”
“He resisted arrest,” Ewan said.
The father shook his head again.
“But it depends on if the doc wants to press charges. It could be considered assault, what he did.”
“I’ll understand whatever you decide,” the father said.
“I have an idea,” I said. “I don’t think he’ll learn anything if we sweep it under the rug. But Ewan has several programs for youth. I’ll leave you two to discuss it. I need to get things ready to set that bone.”
An hour and half later, everyone left, except Abigail. “Tommy’s asleep in the guest room. Do you mind if I take the couch?”
“Of course not,” I said. I didn’t mention that Ewan had parked himself there for the last several nights.
“I know what he did to you was wrong, but I feel sorry for him,” she said. “His mother was furious with him. Do you know what the authorities will do to him?”
“I’m not pressing charges, but Ewan suggested a night in the cells. And he’s forcing the kid to do volunteer work at the church.”
She grinned. “Whatever Ewan has planned, it will help that boy,” she said.
“I agree. I wish he knew the woman. Who would do something like that? Is she a part of our current case? Or is she someone I made mad?”
“Who? You’re nice to everyone,” she said. “Your patients love you.”
“I’ve been wracking my brain. We haven’t had any difficult patients lately.”
“No. Like I said, they all adore you. I bet it has something to do with this case. The question she told him to ask you, that’s telling, right?”
“It is. Like she was hoping I might say something that would lead in some direction. I bet it was about the ring. But only a few of us know about it.”
“Who is involved with the case? You have Flora, but I know she was at the Inn with her daughter. Henry had to relieve Akif that night. There’s Isobel, but I can’t see her doing something like that. Why would she?”
“I agree. She’s so upset over her brother, but she doesn’t blame me. Though maybe I can ask for an alibi for last night. Ewan may know. But you’re right, I can’t see her doing that and for what reason? My brain hurts.”
“That’s understandable. It’s been a long day.” She yawned.
“I’ll get the blankets and pillows for you,” I said.
“I know where everything is.”
“Yes, you do. Goodnight then.”
I texted Ewan to let him know Abigail and Tommy were here.
After a quick shower and fresh pajamas I climbed into bed. It was chilly up here year around, but I didn’t mind. I loved lying under a ton of blankets. Now getting out from under them in the morning was another thing.
I stared at the gabled ceiling for an hour. Then I sat up and turned on the lamp. I had a stack of books on the nightstand. Everything from forensic psychology to my Agatha Christie favorites. I pulled out the Official Police Service of Scotland Procedural Guide.
Six hours later I woke up with my glasses askew on my face, and the book heavy on my chest. The clock said it was four in the morning, which was not my usual wakeup time.
There was a noise downstairs. I was out of bed in seconds and traipsing down the stairs with my trusty baseball bat.
It had traveled across the pond with me when I moved here.
Then I’d ordered three more to keep around the practice and my home.
I also, unknown to Ewan, had a taser, but I was afraid to use it. I kept it in my desk drawer, though.
My heart was in my throat, as I crept into the living area. It was dark, but there was a light from the kitchen. There was a lump of blankets, and I assumed Abigail was still fast asleep.
Whoever was in the kitchen was trying to be quiet.
I slowly moved to the doorway and found Ewan and Tommy seated at the table eating a sandwich.
Ewan nodded toward me. “Tommy made breakfast,” he said.
“What are you doing here?”
“I was checking the perimeter and saw the light on in the kitchen,” he said.
“This early? Did you sleep at all?”
“I only need a few hours.”
“Sandwich?” Tommy asked without looking up. He’d made them peanut butter and what looked like jam. The contents were on the counter.
“Those look so good, but it’s a bit early for me. Thank you, though.”
“Welcome,” he said staring at his food.
I grinned. He was such a great kid. Well, technically a man, now. But there was innate sweetness in him. I swore that was what made him so great with flowers and animals.
I made myself an espresso. By the time I was done, Tommy was out the back door and headed for his garden and greenhouse. It may have been my place, but those things belonged to him in my head.
I put another cup of espresso in front of Ewan. I’d never seen him turn down a coffee, and he took it gratefully.
“Thanks,” he said.
“Welcome,” I said like Tommy did.