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“This is a really nice layout,” Janet said.

“Thank you. It’s similar to the one I worked at in Edinburgh, with the exception of the delivery room,” Robert said.

Frederick looked at the pictures of the Highland cows on the walls. “This is great. You work with large as well as with small animals, I take it.”

“Yes. There are lots of cows, sheep, goats, and horses in the area. But I’m also caring for working dogs and pets,” Robert said. “And wolf shifters, of course.”

“I didn’t know Veronica had finished framing some of the photos,” Maisie said.

“Yeah, she dropped them by when you were doing aphoto shoot, and I hung what she’d finished up,” Robert said.

“Your photos?” Frederick asked Maisie.

“Aye.”

“They’re really nicely done,” her father said.

“Thanks.”

“Well, this is a beautiful clinic to work out of, and it’s so nice that your home is right next door,” Janet said.

“My sister has the manor house back that way.” He pointed out of one of the clinic windows. “Up the hill is the MacQuarries’ castle.”

“Just down the road is the inn.” Anne cuddled Mittens still.

“We want to live nearby too,” Frederick said.

“Yeah, we’re going to do it.” Her mom sounded so confident.

Robert knew they would manage it. “We’re so glad for it.”

Then they all returned to the house and took seats in the living room.

Frederick asked right away, “Okay, what about the guest at the inn who was murdered?”

Robert had wondered when her parents would ask about it. “We believe it was a wolf who was after the same woman as the murdered man.”

Frederick shook his head. “Doesn’t the wolf who killed Gus realize he has just signed his death warrant?”

“He probably doesn’t believe he will get caught at it,” Maisie said.

“Anne showed us the security video,” Janet said. “I sworeit looked like that one guy you ditched after you and Anne caught him kissing another woman.”

“You mean Jude Springer?” Maisie sounded as though she couldn’t believe her mother could identify him when neither she nor Anne had been able to. “He did lose his phone in our flower bed.”

“Aye, Jude. He had a rip in his pocket on his trousers in the back. The same exact place that the man in the video had. When I saw that, I immediately thought of him. What would be the odds?” Janet asked.

“How did you even notice that?” Anne was incredulous.

“She always notices things that need to be repaired,” their dad said. “If she sees someone wearing those expensive jeans that are ripped—”

“Distressed,” Anne said.

“Yeah, distressed alright,” her dad said. “When Janet sees someone wearing a pair of pants like that, she always wants to recycle them, sew them, patch them up, or toss them. When she saw Maisie’s boyfriend wearing pants that were torn, Janet bit her tongue and didn’t say anything until Maisie and he left on their date.”

“You would have made a great police detective,” Maisie said.

Janet laughed, but then her expression turned serious. “I can’t believe that guy you dated could have murdered your guest.”