by Hannah Reed
But could the timing be any worse? “Rhona Selkirk’s body is in Morag’s trunk,” I said.
“Let’s open it together then.”
Leith took the key from me, turned it in the lock, and I heard the latch release.
Watching with dread, my stomach lurched as he opened the trunk to reveal the inside.
Rhona’s tiny body was lying on a sheet of black plastic, her hands tied behind her back, her mouth taped shut. And her eyes were open wide.
My fingers groped to find a pulse at her neck.
Then she blinked, not once but several times.
Relief flooded over me, I ripped off the tape covering her mouth.
“About time,” she crabbed.
Chapter 24
Four of us gathered at the Kilt & Thistle, each with a pint of ale to celebrate the end of a difficult case. Vicki, Sean, Leith and myself. We’d added an additional chair to the table for the inspector’s arrival as he was running late.
“The doctor’s name has been cleared,” Vicki said. “But the story is out.”
“I was afraid of that,” I said. “He’s ruined.”
“Not necessarily,” Sean offered. “He’s planning tae do an interview with the newspaper, confront it head on. He says he’ll let the villagers decide based on his work so far as their doctor. He’s confident that this will pass.”
“Good fer him,” Leith added. “It might even be a relief fer him tae have it out in the open. Hiding a secret like that takes its toll.”
He smiled at me and his blue eyes sparkled.
We’d had the talk and discovered that we’d both felt the same way about each other. But we’d built emotional shields to protect us from making the same mistakes as we’d made in the past. The two of us carried baggage that would have to be addressed.
However, just recently, Leith had conquered a raging storm that threatened his life, and I’d defeated a murderer in hand-to-hand combat. If we could accomplish those daring feats, we could overcome something as simple and easily diagnosed as commitment issues.
As Sir Walter Scott once said, For success, attitude is equally as important as ability.
And right now, I was full of attitude.
And besides, life really was good. Mia Woodward was behind bars, Andy would be serving jail time for his latest shenanigans, and the inspector had warned him to stay clear of Glenkillen once he’s released. So, the village is free from both of them.
A familiar piano riff played from my cell phone, announcing a text from Ami. “A happy ending for you!!!”
“A happy beginning,” I replied, smiling over at Vicki, who I was sure had been gossiping with Ami while I helped Jamieson book Mia Woodward. News travels fast.
I feel sorry for Mia Woodward,” Vicki said. “A troubled teenager, a disturbed adult.”
Sean nodded. “Her parents convinced her tae seek help after her brother died. She even did some time as an inpatient. It’s clear that none o’ it helped.”
I didn’t feel sorry for her. Maybe with time I could look back with more empathy, but the woman had tried to kill me. And she would have done the same to Rhona.
Speaking of the aging spitfire, I saw her bang into the pub with her big red purse and that blue-tinted hair. She marched over.
“When do I get my badge?” she said to Sean, hands on hips.
My mouth fell open.
Sean gave me an apologetic grimace. I gave him a dark questioning one.
“You were busy with…ye ken…the case and yer new boyfriend,” he explained to me. “And the inspector approved another special constable tae help share yer duties, lighten yer load.”
“My load is fine,” I insisted.
“I took it upon meself tae offer Rhona the position. Trial period, o’ course.”
“It’s Constable Selkirk tae you,” Rhona told him. “And I need some weapons tae carry in my handbag.”
That’s not happening anytime soon, I thought.
“Well, what are ye doing sitting around on yer derriere,” she said to me. “I’m here fer training.”
Leith laughed. “Sit down, Constable, and join us in celebration.”
“Celebration of what?”
“A long life fer all of us.”
Rhona took the chair reserved for the inspector. “Now that is worth celebrating.”
Leith squeezed my hand under the table.
Before long, the inspector joined us, nabbing another chair and placing it beside me, Leith on one side, the inspector on the other.
Jamieson winked at me and addressed Sean, “So when are ye going tae break in the new constable?”
“Me? Not hardly. Tis up tae Eden.”
“I don’t think so,” the inspector said. “Ye recruited her, ye train her.”
Sean glanced at Rhona. “As long as ye know who the boss is, that being me.”
“We’ll see,” she shot back.
Officer Stevens and Constable Selkirk teaming up?
What could possibly go wrong?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Hannah Reed is the national bestselling author of the Scottish Highlands Mysteries, including Off Kilter, Hooked on Ewe, and Dressed to Kilt. She is also the author of the Queen Bee Mysteries. Her own Scottish ancestors were seventeenth-century rabble-rousers who were eventually shipped to the new world, where they settled in the Michigan Upper Peninsula. As Deb Baker, she pens a Yooper series. Visit her website at Queenbeemystery.com
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Cover Art Design: Breanne Brennan