Page 12

Chapter Twelve

Jasper stomped into the room. “Someone tried to kill you,” he said angrily. Then he glanced at my leg and the ice. “Why didn’t you tell me? I heard the kitchen staff talking about someone killing the doctor. I nearly had a heart attack. Have you figured out who it is? I’ll murder them myself!”

I burst out laughing and so did our friends.

“What?” Jasper stared at us as if we’d lost our minds. Maybe we had. These days had been weird. The last thing I’d expected at Angie’s wedding was murder, attempted murder, and bodily harm.

“You scared us to death,” Abigail said. Then she giggled.

We needed a bit of stress relief.

“Is it broken?” He moved toward the bed and looked down at my leg in the tub of ice.

“Not as far as we can tell.” I smiled at him. “I’m okay,” I said.

He put a hand against his chest. “One of the kitchen staff said someone threw a gargoyle off the roof at you. But they didn’t know if you were alive. What happened?”

Mara explained.

“Is your leg going to be all right?” He sat down in the chair where Abigail had been.

“Yes,” I said. “It will be sore for a bit, though.”

“Tell me what you need.”

“Macarons,” Mara said quickly.

This time Jasper joined the laughter.

“I just made some fresh ones for tonight’s event. You can be my taste testers.”

“Happy to help,” I said. “You could keep an ear out with the kitchen staff, and let us know if anyone has seen anything odd. At this point, Ewan has talked to everyone, but he’s the big boss. They might be more willing to talk to you all.”

“We need to know if anyone saw someone up on that balcony in the covered garden,” Abigail said. “It’s a big castle, but we have so many people here. They may not have realized what they saw. There are several rooms that open out onto that balcony.”

“True.”

“I’ll bring you some sweets and sandwiches,” he said. “Anything else?”

“Coffee,” I said. “It already feels like a very long day.”

“It wouldn’t hurt for you to rest a bit,” Abigail said. “I feel as if I should stay and look after her,” she said to Mara. “Can you check on Tommy for me?”

“That isn’t necessary,” I said. “I’ll rest better on my own.”

“What if you need the ladies?” Abigail asked. She had a point. I wasn’t sure how I’d be walking on my own.

“Go check on Tommy. I’ll be okay for a bit,” I said. “Mara can help me until you get back. Feel free to bring Tommy with you if need be.”

I went through the pictures Ewan took of my leg. Since the leg was frozen, it was a good time to examine it. I pressed gently as I made my way down the bone.

As I neared my ankle, at the lower part of the calf, I hissed. It wasn’t broken, but the inflammation was severe.

I’d be stumbling about for a while, but I’d live.

My hands shook.

Someone had tried to scare me or kill me. I’d been brave in front of my friends. I didn’t want them to worry.

Hiding in my room and locking the door had a certain appeal.

After an early dinner, I used a cane Ewan had given me, to get around, and Jasper’s shoulder to make it to the exchange of gifts. This was part of the bridal ceremony, but everyone was dressed casually.

Abigail had wrapped the leg, to help keep the swelling down. If I never saw another tub of ice, I’d be happy. The good news was that, as disgusting as the bruising looked, the cold had kept the swelling to a minimum, although I’d be soaking it again before bed, and off and on for the next twenty-four hours.

The room we’d been in the night before had been rearranged. The snow still beat against the windows, but I tried not to notice. For some reason, the wintery weather banged against my nerves like steel claws on a chalkboard.

Snow like this wasn’t unusual here. I had to get used to it.

Maybe it was being trapped with a killer.

Any good therapist would advise me to distract myself. I focused on the crowd. The sofas and chairs had been moved into a circle. The bride’s and groom’s chairs were decorated in an array of flowers. There were several tables of gifts behind them.

I took one of the cushioned chairs with an ottoman so I could keep my legs up. Even with the soft cushioning, the bruising on my calf was tender. Mara sat on one side, and Abigail on the other. Jasper sat next to Mara.

“Any news,” I whispered as people sat down.

“I have some gossip, but not here,” Mara said.

“I do as well,” Abigail said. She put a hand up to hide her mouth from the crowd. “Keep an eye on Tiffany’s reactions. She was seen by two of the staff near the garages the day Robbie was killed.”

“And the groom has some answering to do,” Jasper said. “No one remembers him being at the stag after one.”

I frowned. We’d talked to Damien and Angie, and he hadn’t mentioned leaving. Why did we keep coming back to the same people?

Motive.

No one had more at stake than the groom.

Damien was as nice as they came, but I wasn’t sure how far he’d go for Angie.

“Oh my,” a woman said from beside me. I glanced up to find one of the stepmothers staring down with a worried look on her face. “Are you quite done in?”

I’d lived in Scotland long enough to understand her, though her brogue was heavy. She was much younger than the others, so I assumed she was the current wife of Angie’s father.

“I’ll be fine,” I said. “Just a bit of bruising.”

“Lucky you.” She shook her head. “Or maybe not. With things falling out of the air, that is. I’m beginning to wonder if any of us are safe. Even with the constable here, it’s a bit much.”

Ewan had wanted to keep the accident quiet, so of course everyone in the castle seemed to know.

“May I ask what you heard?”

“That someone shoved a gargoyle on you, and you almost died.” She shook her head again. “I bet it scared the life out of you.”

“It’s an old castle,” I said. “Things happen. It probably just fell. Those avalanches shook the place hard.”

Her eyebrow rose. “I heard a boot print was found. Be careful—they might not miss the next time.”

It was the way she said it that surprised me more than anything.

“Ta,” she said with a quick wave.

What had she meant by that? Was she someone concerned? Or the killer?

Now I was the one imagining things. What reason would she have for keeping Angie and Damien apart?

None. No motive. Move on.

A bagpiper played, and it was all I could do not to jump at that first note. Breathing deeply, I turned my head to watch the bride and groom come in while the piper played. When they reached the back of the decorated chairs, two of the groomsmen bowed and then made a ceremony out of making way for the bride and groom to enter the circle.

Everyone clapped as the pair entered together. When they sat, the piper stopped.

“Presentation to the piper,” one of the groomsmen shouted. He handed the bagpiper an envelope and a small, wrapped box.

The man nodded to the groomsmen, though he did not dip his head too far. His furry hat would have fallen off.

“Presentation to the bride,” another groomsman shouted.

“That’s the dentist,” Mara whispered. “I talked with him at dinner. He and Damien were friends at university, and he adores Angie. He believes she’s the best thing that ever happened to his friend. He’s very kind.”

He was handsome and smiling jovially at the couple.

After making some wavy arms with his hands, he clicked his heels together and turned with military precision.

Everyone laughed.

The stepmoms were laughing—except for the current one. She wore a smirk, as if she deemed the groomsmen’s behavior silly.

Interesting.

I wasn’t sure how much of this was a traditional part of the gift-giving ceremony or the men of the wedding party were having a bit of fun.

Damien pulled a red Cartier box from the back pocket of his jeans.

Angie gasped. “I told you no more jewelry. I don’t need things like that from you.”

Her tartan-making business was quite successful, and she’d always been mindful of her fiancé’s wealth. She didn’t want people thinking she wanted to marry him for his money.

“It’s tradition, luv.” He opened the box.

Her hand flew against her chest. “A Luckenbooth.” She sniffed.

“What is it?” I whispered.

“A heart-shaped brooch, but he’s put it on a diamond necklace.”

Tears streamed down Angie’s cheeks as she held it up. Even in the low mood lighting of the room, the necklace shimmered. She turned and Damien put it around her neck.

“You have my heart; now you’re wearing it.”

Whew. I hoped he wasn’t guilty of murder. He loved her so much.

She turned back and they kissed. It went on a bit long for such a big audience.

Mr. Carthage cleared his throat. It was the first time I’d noticed he’d arrived. He’d missed out on several of the events. He did wear a scowl on his face, so there was that.

Angie’s mom and stepmothers twittered over the gift. Even the one I’d been watching winked at Angie. Maybe I’d misread her.

“Presentation from the bride to the groom,” another groomsman boomed. Half of us jumped. He did a twirl and leapt like a ballerina before sashaying back to his seat.

The room bubbled with laughter.

“Is that a part of this ritual?” I asked.

“Nay,” Abigail said. “They’re having a bit of fun with it.”

“The dentist said they had plans to make everyone laugh tonight,” Mara added. “They wanted to get the wedding festivities back on track and have a bit of fun.”

“It’s working.” I shifted in my seat.

Tiffany smiled as she handed Angie two big boxes. The grin was genuine. After setting the boxes in Angie’s lap, the two women hugged. Tiffany kissed her cheek.

When Tiffany sat down, she smiled again.

“Gah. Why does she look so happy? This doesn’t make sense,” Mara said.

“I was thinking the same thing. Seems like she is happy to be a part of the whole thing. That was genuine.”

“You’re right. Maybe we have it all wrong.”

Marianne wasn’t smiling, though. She appeared closer to tears. She’d pulled the cuffs of her bulky beige sweater over her hands, one of which was fisted.

“What’s this?” Damien shook the box Angie handed to him. He smiled at her.

“Not quite as glamorous as what you gave me, but it is also from the heart.”

He made a big deal of opening the first box. Then he pulled out a beautiful white shirt. Even from a distance, it was easy to see the fine fabric.

“That’s the traditional shirt to go with your kilt.”

“Did you make this?” Damien asked in awe.

The sweetness of the moment, caught in my throat. He was every bit as excited over the shirt as she had been about the necklace.

Angie had nabbed a good one, and I couldn’t see him as a killer. A guy who appreciated handiwork like that. However, I didn’t mentally cross him off the list quite yet.

“Aye, I did.”

“It’s quite fine, luv, quite fine.” There was no mistaking he meant every word.

He put the shirt over his shoulder.

She handed him another box.

“This was enough, luv.”

Angie smiled at him. “Open it.”

He opened the other box and pulled out layers of tartan. This gift I recognized as a very fine kilt.

“Oh, luv, it’s our clan. It’s perfect. So beautiful, my love. Thank you.”

He put the kilt back in the box and then pulled his bride into his arms.

Once again the father-in-law cleared his throat.

Everyone laughed at him.

I’m not sure I’d ever seen two people more in love.

“Presentation from the groomsmen,” another one of them yelled. He did jumping jacks and then a burpee. The crowd howled with laughter and applauded his efforts.

The groomsmen had been correct. Everyone needed this night of levity.

The gift was a beautiful brass and glass clock.

“Traditional gift,” Abigail said from beside me. She looked at her watch. “I need to check on Tommy,” she said. “I’ll find you later.”

She left, and the gift giving went on for a few more hours. My knee and calf ached by the time everything was finished. While everyone gathered for cocktails at the other end of the room, I decided to head back to my room to ice my leg.

Abigail met me at the door, tears streaming down her face.

“What’s wrong?”

“I can’t find him.” She sobbed.

“Who?”

“Tommy,” she said. “He saw the killer and now he’s missing.”

Oh. No.