Part 20 (2/2)

”Aye!” the officer said gravely.

”In the forest again, eh?”

”Aye, again!”

”So...” Thayer said slowly, feeling a sheen of sweat break out on his upper lip. ”They found the missing girl?”

The officer suddenly frowned, shaking his head. ”Is that what you thought? Ach, well, and why not, since the other poor wee la.s.ses were found here,” the officer said. ”Nae, what they've found is a very old corpse... well, bones and pieces, at the least. They're thinking she was the wife o' the laird of the castle, but there are fellows in there now from the university, as well as from the law! That's all I know. So, if you've legitimate business up at the castle, you go on up. Take care around here, eh? They haven't found the poor la.s.s gone missing last in here as of yet, but with the discoveries made of late, well, they still may be doin' so. Aye, and if you can think of anything that you've seen around here out of the ordinary--other than a flock of Americans!--you be sure to tell the constable right away.”

The officer thought that he was amusing. Thayer cracked a weak smile.

”Seriously, report anything suspicious right away,” the officer said.

”Aye, right away,” Thayer promised him.

The officer patted the car's hood. Thayer gave him a wave, put the car into gear and started up the path to the castle.

He parked in the driveway and hesitated. He hadn't realized that he was sweating, that his palms were clammy, that he had been shaking inside, right down into his boots.

Did he look as flushed as he felt? he wondered. And why not? He'd just been told that a body was found in the woods.

He sat a second longer, then exited the car. He started toward the castle, then turned back and stared at the vehicle, and made sure that the locks had clicked.

He slicked back his hair, and started on in.

Actually, he told himself, there was a bit of a thrill to it all.

”I didn't catch you sleeping at this time--and under these circ.u.mstances?” Robert said, looking up as Bruce made his way down the stairs.

”Sleeping?” Bruce repeated. ”Ah, no.” Frankly, old chum, you just interrupted one of the finest moments in my life, Bruce thought dryly. Then again, he'd asked Robert to come by. ”Shared shower these days,” he said briefly. That kind of explained, with a grain of truth. He wasn't so sure Toni would want their intimacy either known or broadcast at this moment, so he went on quickly. ”Have you met the others?”

”I have,” Robert told him. ”Including Miss Fraser. She's the one with whom you share the shower?”

”Ah, yes.” Bruce grimaced. ”Where are they off to at the moment?”

”In the kitchen. The Glasgow fellow, Thayer, just returned. Everyone is talking at once in there, trying to tell him what's happened, and why the base of the hill is covered with police vehicles. When it winds down to a soft roar, Gina Browne is going to copy the doc.u.ments and give me the original ones. She's trying to pull up the corporation on the Internet again, but naturally, there is no such place anymore, so we'll have to get the cyber experts on it. You were right, their papers look absolutely legal and authentic, but I suppose that's not a difficult thing to accomplish, if you're of a criminal bent.”

”They're making copies here?”

”I guess you haven't wandered into Mrs. Browne's domain,” Robert said. ”She has a computer, printer, fax and mobile phone line. Quite an amazing display of 'have electronics, will travel,' actually.”

Bruce nodded, not really surprised. ”They trust you, then, I take it?” he queried.

Robert's eyes sparkled for a moment. ”Well, there is the fact that I'm accepted by the dozen crime scene experts down the hill, though I'm pretty sure that Mrs. Browne called Edinburgh and checked on my credentials.”

Bruce smiled ruefully. ”Well, good. I think they really believe that I own the place now, too.”

Robert arched a brow in amus.e.m.e.nt.

”Was anyone able to glean anything more from the site?” Bruce asked him.

Robert shook his head. ”Not at the moment. It appears that the remains must have washed up very recently. Darrow is actually excited, which is something I don't think he gets to feel often when he's found a body--or pieces of one. Due to our discoveries of the past, I made a very thorough search of the area myself. I guess I was actually hoping to find Annie O'Hara, but there was no sign of her--or anything else, for that matter. As for footprints, I could follow those of Miss Fraser, and the tracks of our officers, but nothing else. They were still scouring the area when I left--since all those men are there, it seemed a fine time for a very thorough search--but so far, nothing. Not a cigar b.u.t.t, a broken branch, nothing. Darkness is on us, though. The woods do need a good scouring, but Jonathan is right about one thing--it's a d.a.m.ned big forest.”

”That it is,” Bruce agreed.

Robert angled his head, regarding Bruce carefully. ”Jonathan got your goat tonight, didn't he?” Bruce offered his friend a slow, wry smile. ”The rumor that our local hero murdered his wife in a fit of rage and jealousy has been around for years. Perhaps it's true. Maybe these bones will turn out to be those of one of my ancestors. It's only Jonathan's pleasure at turning my blood kin into a monster that riles me.” He shrugged. ”We're still friends, I believe. Have been, all these years.”

”He's jealous of you, always has been.”

”That's foolish. I may own a derelict castle and bear the old t.i.tle, but it doesn't mean all that much these days.”

”I don't think if s the t.i.tle that bothers him,” Robert said.

”Then what?”

”Your reputation,” Robert said. ”For solving a national mystery, all those years ago.”

”I've been out of it for a decade.”

”And he's still a small-town constable.”

”Well, if he harbors ill will, it's his problem, and his foolishness,” Bruce said, shaking his head.

”So you won't be greatly disturbed... if this proves to be the long gone Annalise?”

”A mystery will have been solved,” Bruce said simply. ”Whatever it was, I can't change history.”

”Nae, not a one of us can do that, ancient or recent,” Robert said with a sigh, and Bruce knew he was thinking that if they could only catch the killer, they might well change the history of life for many a poor la.s.s. ”I've been invited to supper,” Robert told him suddenly. ”I was sent to retrieve you.”

”Ah.”

”But Miss Fraser is still upstairs?”

”I believe she'll be right down.”

”Is she doing all right?” Robert asked.

”Yes, she seems to be just fine. Come on, we'll head on into the kitchen.”

Robert was watching him somewhat strangely, but Bruce ignored the look and led the way. By the time they reached the door that led through the secondary hall, they could smell the succulent aroma of the meal. Pus.h.i.+ng through the doorway to the kitchen, Bruce found the table handsomely set, Gina pouring wine, Ryan at her side, Kevin carving the roast and Thayer and David rus.h.i.+ng about to find the proper bowls for the accompanying vegetables. With a tray of meat and tiny pearl onions in his hands, Kevin turned and saw Bruce.

”Laird MacNiall, thanks for coming down. I know it's been a sad and traumatic day, but while we live and breathe, we have to eat, right?”

”Right. It looks like a fine supper, Kevin,” Bruce said.

Kevin set the tray on the table.

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