Page 44 of Death at a Scottish Halloween

“Tell me everything.” He stared at me.

I sighed. Then I went and grabbed my things and put them on the barstool beside me.

I gave him an abbreviated version while Mara put bowls of stew and crusty bread in front of us.

“They’d been over there talking for some time before Em came in,” Mara said. “But we both heard the boss tell the other men thanks for not telling you something. It had to do with the rig.”

“I’ll speak to them again tomorrow. Robert McClendon, the boss, has several complaints against him from former employees. And we found reports on Duncan’s laptop that are making me look twice at him. Even though his friends gave him an alibi.”

“You’re actually sharing info about a case,” Mara said. “It’s a miracle.”

He chuckled. “Well, I know Em shares most everything with you. And you do have your ear to the ground. But I thought I told you both to be more careful. Em, you put yourself in the middle of those two, didn’t you?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know about the boss guy, but Baird wouldn’t hurt me. And you’re right. He’s mourning his friend. It was written all over his face. There is a lot more to that story. Seems Baird used to work on one of that guy’s rigs. There was definitely bad blood between them.”

“I’d say that’s a given since Baird tried to rearrange the man’s face,” Ewan said.

“So this all could be about something that happened at work? The other Duncan is just a coincidence?”

I didn’t believe in coincidences and neither did my friends.

“Or are we looking at two separate killings?”

“You think the second Duncan was murder?” he frowned. “I thought you said it was accidental poisoning. That’s what’s in your report.”

“You didn’t make it to the last page. The adrenaline spike indicates he was scared to death.”

“That may be hard to prove,” he said.

“I don’t disagree, but we need to know who it might have been, right?”

“Agreed.”

“We are running more tests and thanks for sending down the handcuffs. I had the idea that maybe he tried them on and then had a hard time getting them off. That may have caused the marks on his wrists. At least, I hope so. I don’t love the idea that he was tied up for any reason.”

“I remember those, and I hope you are right.”

I took a bite of stew.

“Have you been shopping at Lulu’s?” He changed the subject.

“Yes. I picked up a few things. Before the event tonight, I’m heading up to take some gifts to Flora and Elsie.”

He turned to face me, his eyebrows going up into his curls again.

“They’re mourning, Doc.”

“I know. I’m not going to question them.” At least, not outright. “ I remembered how I felt when my dad died. I bought asweet gift for Elsie and a little something for Flora. Lulu helped me pick them out. I feel so sorry for them being away from home and dealing with so much.”

“I offered to send them home with one of my officer’s, but she doesn’t want to leave without her husband.”

“If her husband was murdered, it’s safer for her to be with Mrs. Beatty. After what happened last year, that place is a fortress.” There had been a murder or two related to some of her guests and she’d doubled her security after that.

“I should get going,” I said.

“Hey, Doc?”

“Yeah?”