Page 27 of A Very Bookish Murder
Ross had gone home while Ally was doing breakfasts on Sunday morning and came back mid-morning after the women had left.
‘I have an interesting snippet of news for you,’ he said with a grin as he and Ebony settled themselves in the kitchen.
Ally looked at him expectantly.
‘When I took Ebony out for a walk, I saw one of your Craigmonie suspects sneaking out of Owen Jones’s camper van!’
‘What? Who?’
‘Can’t remember her name. The gloomy-looking one – the one you weren’t keen on?’
‘What, Laura? Average height, straight brown hair?’
‘I’m pretty sure that’s her,’ Ross confirmed. ‘Now, I don’t suppose she was visiting to give him writing lessons, particularly as she came out of the van with her clothes over her arm and then finished getting dressed. Not much room in those vans, you know!’
‘Laura’s been sleeping with Jodi’s husband?’ Ally murmured slowly, trying to digest this information. ‘Oh my God!’
‘I thought you’d be interested,’ Ross added with a grin.
‘That’s something that Amir will also be interested in,’ Ally said, amazed.
Everything was falling into place now: Laura! Laura, the not-very-friendly one. Laura, who didn’t socialise. Of course she didn’t socialise – because she was visiting her lover. Owen hadbeen here for almost a week now, and Laura had her own room at the hotel. The other writers, Morwenna and perhaps Della had left, so no one would know if she was in or out.
Ally deduced that Laura must have been Owen’s lover for some time, and the only obstacle standing in her way to wedded – or otherwise – bliss, was Jodi, Owen’s wife who, perhaps, had some sort of hold over him or refused to divorce him. Perhaps Jodi sent him some of her royalties on condition he remained single? But why would Laura care?
Ally thought again of what Desdemona had said about the prime motives for killing. Jealousy and hatred came to mind, and perhaps Laura qualified on both counts? Had she come on this course purely to kill Jodi, and Owen had then joined her once he knew his wife was dead? Had it been meticulously planned? A set-up job!
Ally removed the board from the wall, turned it over, moved Della and Penelope down an hour and placed Laura at twelve o’clock.
The earl made a surprise visit on Sunday mid-morning.
‘Good to see you, Hamish,’ Ally greeted him as he sat down in the kitchen, ‘and how’s Magda?’
Hamish rolled his eyes. ‘The poor girl is very uncomfortable because these are big babies. And she doesn’t want me anywhere near her! Only a few more weeks to go, thank God.’
He was in for a bit of a shock because, as most women knew, even one baby could, temporarily at least, wreck their routine, and two were impossible to imagine.
‘Isn’t this weather glorious?’ Hamish added, looking out through the window.
The weather was indeed glorious. The clouds had disappeared overnight, the temperature had shot up, andeveryone in Locharran has begun to shed their coats and sweaters. Not that they ever trusted the weather to stay that way because, in this part of the world, the temperature could drop by ten or fifteen degrees overnight, for no specific reason, and so these cast-offs could not be packed away for the summer months, as they might be further south. Most highlanders eyed the sky in the morning with mistrust, and then prepared for the worst.
‘Yes, it’s surprisingly warm for May,’ Ally agreed, wondering when she’d ever get time to tidy up her straggling garden.
‘What I’ve really come for,’ said Hamish, ‘is to find out what’s happening with your ladykillers.’
Ally laughed. ‘Ladykillers! What a brilliant name.’
‘Well, one of them must definitely be a ladykiller, I would assume,’ Hamish said.
‘They’ve all decided to stay on for another week,’ Ally said, ‘with the possible exception of the Irish lady, who hadn’t decided when last I spoke to Callum. She’s one of the chief suspects too. Anyway, all the others seem to be enjoying it here.’
Ally suddenly had an idea. ‘Perhaps you wouldn’t mind if I suggested they take a walk up to the castle, just to see it at close quarters? They’ve all remarked on how magnificent it is.’
‘Certainly,’ Hamish confirmed. ‘In fact, why not bring them up this very afternoon while the sun is shining. Perhaps show them around a bit…’ He hesitated momentarily. ‘Show them the gardens maybe? I know! Why don’t we have a picnic on the lawn above the Italian garden? Do you think they’d like a picnic, Alison?’
‘I’m sure they’d love a picnic. But you really don’t have to go to these lengths.’
‘Yes,’ confirmed Hamish, ‘that is what we’ll do. We’ll have a picnic for you, Ross and the ladykillers in the castle gardens athalf past three. I’ve checked the weather and it’s set to be fair for the next couple of days.’
