Seated in his chair at the head of the hall, he began to speak. “I do nae make it a custom to derail the lives of me busy people with unnecessary meetings.” He stood up, and his strong voice echoed to the very last ear. “However, what brings us here today is dreadfully important. When I was sworn in as the laid of the MacGregor clan, I took an oath to protect me people.
Today, there is a threat to that promise. In under a fortnight, two young women have been killed. We have cause to believe that killer is in our midst.” There was silence as the laird looked around the large hall.
“The killer will be found. I assure ye. I have given orders for investigations to ensue, yet I have called this meetin’ to assure me people. Ye are in safe hands. Justice will be served. “
The people clapped for their clan chief, taking his promise of safety deeply to heart. When Ceana’s mother arrived home, she relayed the information to her two children.
Ceana nodded thankfully, but Alina looked unsure.
“Ye must have faith,” Ceana told her sister when they were alone.
“I worry deeply, Ceana,” Alina said.
“I know that ye do. Ye must give it time.”
“Do ye nae realize that the killer may have the perfect alibi?”
“What do ye mean?”
“An alibi means--”
“I know what it means. I want ye to explain.”
“We can ne’er suspect a person that can account for every moment of his time, can we?”
Ceana shook her head. “What if the killer can?” she asked. “He would ne’er be found.”
Fear settled into the pit of Ceana’s belly, but she pushed it away. It would do no good to be frightened. “Ye must nae think the worst, Alina.”
“I cannae help it. E’ery one is a suspect. Think of anyone. Think of Torcall.”
“Torcall?”
“Yea. He’s the farthest person from yer mind but, what if immediately after the feast, he followed Bridget and killed her. What if soon after, he moves to his uncle. His uncle would be able to vouch for his whereabouts. How will he e’er be found?”
Ceana’s heart beat fast in her chest. “That is preposterous.”
“Is it?”
Ceana gulped and nodded. “I have an ache in me head. I must lay down.”
Alina nodded. “Ye are nae yet well. Ye must be careful.”
Ceana nodded and quickly exited the room. Her heart beat fast in her chest. Alina’s words struck fear into her heart. Torcall? What if he was the killer?
Slowly, she started to fit the pieces in. he hadn’t shown up at Bridget’s funeral. Why else wouldn’t he? They had left him alone with Bridget that night. He has also said he known Celestine. What if he had killed Celestine then come to her as an alibi?
He had anger in him at the death of his parents. Was this him evening scores? He had said that he wanted to leave the clan. Was this how he planned to do it?
She gasped and sat on her bed with terror in her eyes.Was Torcall the killer?
“Nay, Ceana, do nae think such things,” she said to herself, trying to quell the thoughts that head sprouted. Suddenly, Ceana wished that she hadn’t hidden a lot of things about Torcall from her sister. She needed another opinion of someone who was not biased.
Her heart ached with thoughts. Torcall wasn’t like that, she told herself. He was kind and caring. Hadn’t he saved her from Tam when he didn’t have to? How could she consider something so awful about him? Yet he hadn’t flinched when they had seen the corpse.
A shiver ran down her spine, and the image of the body flashed in her mind again. She put her face in her palms and closed her eyes as tightly as she could.Was Torcall the killer?
Chapter Fourteen
