Page 100 of Death at a Scottish Halloween

“Em, are you OK?” He sounded so worried.

“I’m fine, but I know what happened to our second Duncan.”

There was a long pause. “Please don’t do anything. Wait for me to get back. Promise me.”

I laughed. I couldn’t help it. “I promise. I’ll be at my office. I’m going to make a copy of what I found and send it to you. I don’t know what we can do, but maybe harassment or something.” I told him what I’d seen.

“Right. An hour and a half and I’ll be back. Do not do anything.”

“OK.” Then I went digging for evidence. I knew there had to be more.

Three hours later, I stood on the other side of the glass, watching Ewan give Robert and Dorrie McClendon the evil eye. Robert was standing in as her council, even though he wasn’t a lawyer. I was surprised when Ewan allowed it. But he was a brilliant law enforcement officer, and he always had a plan.

“Can you tell me where you were on—” He gave her the date of the second Duncan’s death.

“At home,” she said. “My husband and I inherited a property, and I’ve been working on it.”

“Just say no comment.” Robert grumbled beside her.

She rolled her eyes.

“Right. So, you weren’t here in Sea Isle at any time that day?”

“No,” she said flatly.

“No comment,” her husband urged.

“I can speak for myself, Robert.” Her tone was biting and completely different than when Mara and I went to visit her. She was the last person I thought I’d find on those CCTV cameras. But she was there, chasing poor Duncan with an old-timey looking pistol. The poor man had been scared to death.

Ewan opened a thick folder on the table. Then he put the photo in front of her. “So you weren’t in front of the pub pointing a gun at our victim?”

She bristled. “Of course not.” But she didn’t sound so certain. “That could be anyone.”

Robert’s eyes were a different story. He was clearly surprised to see his wife with a pistol.

It wasn’t funny what she’d done, but the surprise on his face made me smile.

“Right. You weren’t there. Can you explain this?”

He showed the photo where she looked up at the camera. This time they both gasped.

It was the perfect moment.

“This is all your fault,” she said to her husband.

“My fault? You’re the one who threw out all my things along with a ring that could pay the mortgage for our Edinburgh house for months.”

“A ring you were saving to give to one of your latest flings. Idiot.”

“How did you know the victim had the ring?” Ewan intervened.

She shook her head. “No comment.”

“It’s better for you to be honest with me now. The court likes it when you do. They may be more favorable toward your case.”

“My case? What did I do?”

“These photos show us attempted robbery and assault with a weapon.”