Page 91 of Death at a Scottish Halloween

I should have known. Abigail was always prepared.

A half-hour later, I was free from the hairdo and makeup. I felt much better in my favorite unicorn pajamas. These were the ones I’d gotten for Christmas last year. My friends encouraged silliness. It was good for me.

I sat down at my desk and jumped when the front door buzzer went off. I glanced at the screen. From what I could see, it was a woman. I pushed the speaker. “Can I help you?”

“Please, I’m hurt,” she cried out. I recognized the voice. It was Isobel.

I ran for the door, and Abigail came sliding into the lobby. She was dressed in jeans and a sweatshirt.

We opened the door.

Isobel’s face was covered in mascara, and she sobbed as she stumbled inside.

“What happened?”

“I tripped and hurt my ankle,” she said.

“Here,” I said. “Sit down.” We were in the lobby, but no one was here but Jasper and us. It didn’t matter where I treated her.

Abigail rushed away. She came back with everything I needed for an exam. She was a wizard that one.

I gently probed the right ankle. It was swollen and already turning a myriad of colors.

Abigail handed her some wet wipes for her face. Under the makeup and mascara a red mark was on her cheek.

“What happened?” I asked as I carefully pulled off the booties she wore. “Did someone hit you? Was it Baird?” I had no tolerance for that sort of thing.

“No. I told you, I fell. Really, I did. But he was so angry. I was scared. He would never hurt me, but he started smashing things in the caravan. I just ran. He kept saying, I did it all for you. I did it all for you. I don’t know what he means.”

“If he touched you, we need to report him,” I said. “Men can’t be allowed to hurt women like that. I know you feel protective of him …”

“I feel the same way about abusers. It wasn’t like that. It was more he was upset with himself. I really did trip on the steps of the caravan, and my face hit the door knob on the way out. I swear, he didn’t touch me. I think I scared him. I just ran down the mountain, and … then I slipped again, and twisted my ankle. I thought I broke it.”

“Good news is that I don’t think that’s the case, though we’ll take a scan of it to make certain.”

“It really hurts,” she said, as I touched her ankle.

“We’ll get you cleaned up and put some ice on it.”

I touched her cheek, and she winced away again. It did look like she hit something, there were no fingerprints or knuckle marks.

At least, there is that.

“I can’t believe how clumsy I was. But I just wanted to get away. I feel bad in a way. He had too much to drink, and he was upset over seeing Robert and his men.”

She wiped her nose, then continued, “I swear, he would never hurt me. I know that, but my stupid shoes were wet, and I slipped on the steps. My brother always said they were a death trap, and he meant to fix them. I remembered what you said—if I needed anything—and I couldn’t think of where else to go.”

“You came to the right place,” Abigail said. “The doc will have you fixed up in no time.”

Thunder boomed outside, and we all jumped.

“I made it just before the rain,” she said. “I’m sorry. I really am to come so late. My mind—”

“As Abigail said, you made the right choice. Let’s get you fixed up.”

By the time we finished with the scans, and taped up her ankle, it was nearly midnight. We put her up in one of the surgery suites for the night.

“The beds are more comfortable than they look, and it’s a good idea to keep that foot up. We’ll also ice it off and on,” I said.