Ive cooled down some, yes, Bruce said. Since no one threw them out in my absence, I thought another few days couldnt hurt too much.
Ah, Jonathan teased. It was the blonde, eh? What a beautyand what absolute hell on wheels!
She does have a way about her, Bruce agreed. But this isnt the first time Ive heard about this happening.
Your castle being taken over? Jonathan said, puzzled.
Bruce shook his head. This sort of thing in general. People going through what they think are private enterprises or legitimate rental agencies and winding up in a similar circumstance. I really want to find out what happened in this situation.
Like you said, it happens too often.
Yes, but this time it happened to be my castle that was taken over.
Come Monday, you can let those folks see all your records. They can bring their documents down, and well get someone on it right away. Unfortunately, sometimesespecially in this age of the Internetpeople can clean up their trails. He lifted his hands. I might have gotten started on it already, but they didnt want to hand over the documents.
Its all theyve got to prove anything.
Great. They dont trust the law.
Well, Bruce said, offering a certain sympathy. They dont trust me, either.
Ah, there we are! In the same boat, as they say.
Right. But actually, thats not why Im here, Bruce said.
Oh?
Bruce tossed the newspaper on Jonathans desk. Oh, that. Aye, oh, that!
Jonathan shook his head. Bruce, theyre not local girls disappearing.
But in the last year, two bodies have been found in the forest.
If you havent noticed, its a big forest, Jonathan re minded him.
Have you had men out searching? Bruce demanded.
This girl just disappeared, Jonathan reminded him. But yes, Ive had men out searching.
Right. The last two girls who disappeared wound up in our forest. We should be looking for this latest lass. Im willing to bet my bottom dollar thats where shes going to be.
Careful with that kind of prophecy, Bruce, Jonathan warned, sitting back. People will begin to think you know more about these disappearances and murders than you should. They do keep occurring when youre actually in residence. He raised a hand instantly. And that doesnt mean a damned thing. Im your friend and I know you. Im just telling you what someone else might think.
Bloody hell! Bruce cursed, his tone hard. Jonathans
suggestion was an outrage, and he was both startled and angry.
Sorry, Bruce, I didnt mean anything by that. Its just that youre getting obsessive. I understand, of course. But youre not what you were, Bruce. Time has gone on. Just because you struck it lucky once in Edinburgh doesnt make you an expert.
Bruce prayed for patience. Im not claiming to be an expert. But murdered women being discovered in Tillingham Forest does bother, seriously. And it should bother the hell out of you.
I know my business, Bruce.
Im not suggesting that you dont.
How can I stop a madman from kidnapping women in other cities? If you havent noticed, weve miles of dark roads around here, not to mention that whole companies of fightin men used to use that forest as a refuge! And again, this girl has just been reported as missing. Shes an Irish lass, might have just taken the ferry home.
Bruce rose. If she isnt found in a few days time, Ill arrange for a party myself to search the forest.
Bruce, mind that MacNiall temper of yours, please, for the love of God! Jonathan said. I told you, weve taken a look in the forest. Well go back and search with greater effort if she isnt found in the next few days.
Good. Bruce rose and started for the door.
Hey! Jonathan called after him.
Aye? Bruce said, pausing.
Did you close down your haunted castle tour for this evening? Jonathan asked.
Actually, no. Im joining it, Bruce said.
Youre joining it? Jonathan said, astonished. Youve never acted in your life!
Well, thats not really true, is it? We all act every day of our lives, dont we? Bruce asked him lightly.
Ach! Go figure! Jonathan said, shaking his head. Its the blonde.
Its the fact that they are in a rather sorry predicament, Bruce said. And they did do a damn good job repairing a few of the walls. See you on Monday.
He exited the office, leaving the newspaper on Jonathans desk. He knew what the front page carrieda picture.
She was young, with wide eyes and long, soft brown hair. She had originally hailed from Belfast, Northern Ireland. Apparently, shed intended to head for London. But shed never made it that far, discovering drugs and prostitution somewhere along the way instead. Shed gotten as far as Edinburgh, and been officially reported as missing when a haphazard group of friends realized that they hadnt seen her in several days.
News could die quickly, unless it was really sensational. The missing persons report on the first girl had run in the local papers and then been forgotten. Until Bruce had discovered her body in the forest while out riding, facedown, decomposed to a macabre degree.
Hed missed the notice about the second disappearance. But there had been no missing the fact of where the body had been foundTillingham Forest. Eban had found the second victim there, months later.
Prostitutes. Drug addicts. The lost and the lonely. Theyd needed help, not strangulation.
He sat in his car for a minute, staring out the windshield.
He was parked right in the center of town, where a fountain sat in the middle of a roundabout. Atop the fountain was the proud statue of a Cavalier. There was no plaque stating his name, or the dates of his birth or death, or extolling his deeds. But the locals all knew who the statue portrayedthe original Bruce MacNiall. And tonight, hed play his ancestor.
A sudden irritation seared through him. Youd think theyd give you the benefit of the doubt, old boy. But let time go by and now youre a herosuspected of killing the love of his life!
There really was no proof that Bruce MacNiall had killed Annalise, but it made for a good story. And just as some historians saw the Stuart champion as a great hero, others saw him as a fool willing to risk the lives of far too many in his own pursuit for glory.
The idea of Bruce MacNiall having killed his wife didnt sit well with him. And still, he had said that hed play the part. Life sure had it ironies.
Well, old fellow! he muttered, Ive never heard it proved that you did any such thing, but its entertainment these days, eh?
He threw the car into gear and started toward the castle on its tor.
Entertainment! Was someone killing prostitutes for fun?
He drove by the forest and slowed the car to a crawl. He knew that to find anything within it, theyd have to delve deep into the woods and the streams.
His heart ached for the girl. He knew she was already there, decaying in the woods. And he had known it as a certainty last night, when he had dreamed about seeing a body floating facedown.
Except in his dream, it had been the body of Toni Fraser.
5
Hey! What are you doing out here?
Toni turned to see that David had come out to the stables. She was a little surprised. David liked horses well enough, but usually when they came to him or happened to be where he was. Ryan was the expert rider in their crew.
She had been stroking the gorgeous black nose of Bruce MacNialls huge Shaunessy. The animal was mammoth and, she was certain, an amazing power when ridden. He was also well mannered and seemed to enjoy affection. Amazingly, he seemed to have nothing against Ryans geldingat least, not so far as sharing the same living quarters.
I was just out exploring, Toni told David, and thought Id come down here. I love that fellow Ryan boughthes a great horse for the money. But this guy she indicated Bruce MacNialls huge black hes really something. Of course, I still love our horse best, but he is gorgeous.
Yes. And imposing, just like his master.
The great Bruce MacNiall, who happened to ride in after we put our blood, sweat and tears into his place! Toni commented.
David grinned. Thats Laird MacNiall to you, so I understand, he teased.
She waved a hand in the air.
Well, the situation is pretty sad, he murmured. He strode across the stables then, coming to her side. He searched her eyes. You okay, kid?
Well, as okay as any of us, she told him.
David gave Shaunessy a stroke on his velvet forehead. Dont feel that you are to blame, no matter what happens. We all rushed into this. And if it seems that were giving you a hard time, its mainly teasingor the fact that its human nature to want to blame someone else!