Page 23 of Death at a Scottish Halloween

“He wasn’t stabbed?” Ewan asked. It was a reasonable question.

“No. He has no punctures as far as I could see. The body was still warm when we arrived. I’m sorry I couldn’t save him.”

“It’s not on you. I’ll need cause of death soon, though. I’m going to wait until morning to inform Flora Duncan.”

“Given what she went through earlier today, that’s best,” I said. She would need all her strength in the coming days.

Abigail had brought over a stretcher. Jasper and Ewan helped us to rotate him on to one of our tables. We wheeled him to the autopsy room.

“We’ll do the prelims tonight and run some tests, but I’ll do the autopsy in the morning. It’s late and I want to be at my best.”

“That’s understandable,” he said. “I’ll need statements from all of you.”

“We can do that now,” I said. “As long as you can talk to us while we work.”

“I’ll start with Jasper, so you two can begin what you need to do.”

“Sounds good,” I said. “And thank you, Jasper. You were a wonder.”

“It’s always exciting to watch you work,” he said. “I’m sorry he’s—you know.”

“Me too.”

We suited up. Our DNA would be all over the body, as well as Jasper’s. But we would be careful about taking samples from his clothing and body.

It wasn’t long before the door buzzed, and I opened the door for Ewan. “Do you want to suit up? We can’t be too careful since we have no idea how he died.”

“I have a good account from Jasper. I can get yours and Abigail’s statements in the morning. Do you have an idea of about what time Flora Duncan can come see the body?”

I frowned. “This isn’t like a stab wound. From what we’ve seen so far, there is no outward cause. Until I can go through everything, I can’t say. But maybe late afternoon tomorrow.”

“OK.”

“Did you find out any more about why he was missing?”

“No. We’ve followed up with some of the estate sales he was visiting, and he had been there. One woman remembered him buying several pieces of estate jewelry and that he seemed like a nervous fellow. Her words. The last anyone saw, he was a few towns north of us.”

“So no idea why he showed up at my door in a cheap Dracula mask?”

“That’s a new one,” he said. “And no, I don’t have any answers in either case. Though I’m set to speak to the other Duncan’s boss on Monday. We had to make a formal request through his company because he’s technically on holiday. Tracking down his workmates hasn’t been any easier.”

“Do you think he was killed accidentally?”

I glanced up to find him frowning. “It’s not a coincidence two men with the same name have died. But why would he have come to your door?”

“I’m a doctor. Maybe he was in distress and I was easy to find on the internet. Maybe he thought he was having a stroke or heart attack. I mean, he’s young for that, but it is a possibility. Until we run some tests and examine him, I couldn’t say.”

“Abigail, since you need to work in the morning, Tommy can stay at mine. They’re having a good time, the last I heard.”

She smiled. “That would be grand, thanks. Feel free to have someone drop him here in the morning. He’s still winterizing the garden.”

“I can do that when I come back to take your statements. I sent Jasper home.”

“OK,” I said.

He hesitated at the door.

“What’s wrong?”