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“I think we can rule out power.” Ellery said. “Lara’s struggling to make a comeback. I don’t think she’s posing a threat to anyone musically or personally.”

“Revenge,” Stanley said. “The family of the woman she killed isn’t satisfied with eleven years in prison. Neither would I be.”

“If you’ll look at your dossiers,” Nora advised with strained patience. “I’ve covered this angle extensively.”

Ellery, along with the others, scanned Nora’s notes while Nora gave them a verbal overview. “It seems the stories that were carried in the media didn’t give a completely accurate picture of the circumstances of Shumway’s death. The poor woman had been in and out—sadly more out than in—of psychiatric treatment for most of her adult life. Her parents are deceased. Her siblings disowned her.”

“Why?” Ellery asked.

“Dawn claimed she’d been robbed of her share of the money and property her parents left to be divided between her and her siblings. According to the family, no amount of paperwork or proof could otherwise convince her. Eventually, she began threatening her nieces and nephews, whereupon her family cut all ties with her.”

“Did none of that come out in the trial?”

“It was ruled inadmissible, according to the article I read. The family professed sadness but not surprise at her death.”

Ellery nodded, returned to reading. The nameJames Sutherlandpopped out from the lines of text.

At the same moment, Hermione asked, “James Sutherland. Was that the boy who won the music scholarship but…”

“Killed himself by mixing a bottle of vodka with a bottle of pills? Yes,” Nora said.

“Terrible,” Kingston murmured, and the others agreed.

“Perhaps itwasn’tsuicide?” Mrs. Ferris suggested.

“As a matter of fact, we don’t know that it was,” Nora answered. “James didn’t leave a note and his death was ultimately ruled accidental.”

Ellery repeated, “Accidental?”

“Yes. But that may have been out of consideration for the family. It seems the consensus of his friends was that he’d been severely depressed.”

“I remember something about this,” Stanley said. “It was over a girl, right? That was the rumor.”

Nora said, “There was never any official mention of a girl.”

“You mean, no girl was named?” Stanley asked.

“Correct.”

“Butweknow who the girl was.” Stanley looked at Ellery.

Ellery said, “Lara suggested that James might be somebody on the island with a grudge against her. She obviously doesn’t know he’s dead.”

“What about his family? What about his friends?” Hermione objected. “They might feel they have reason to hold a grudge.”

“They might,” Ellery said. “But if you’re angry enough to kill someone, do you wait more than twenty years to do it?”

“This is the first time Lara’s returned to the island,” Edna pointed out. “The first time they had the opportunity.”

Nora said briskly, “The family moved from the island after James died. I don’t believe that could be a factor.”

“After all, Larahasn’tbeen killed,” Kingston said thoughtfully. “She’s had two close calls that might or might not be accidents. She’s either very luckyorit’s possible she had forewarning.”

“A publicity stunt!” For once Mrs. Ferris echoed the thoughts of everyone else.

She didn’t even miss a beat.

Ellery considered Jocasta’s earlier comment. He considered the likelihood of being concerned enough to hire someone to find out the source of death threats, yet not keep a single copy of those death threats.