The man shook his head, but his wife spoke. “Nay, he didnae ken her, but he wanted to.”
Francis’ ears perked up. “Oh?”
“He seemed to favor her attentions once upon a time, but Bridget fancied another man, Doug. She-”
“Turned him down,” Francis finished for her. It was just as he had suspected. That was two of the three girls that he had connections with. If that wasn’t incriminating, then what was? “Thank ye, very much. Is there anything else ye would have me ken?”
They shook their heads. “Nay,” they said together.
“Thank ye. We will see that justice is served.”
The couple nodded and was dismissed. Next, another couple walked in. They were Amanda’s parents—the third girl to die.
“Thank ye for joining me here. I am sorry about the death of your daughter.”
They looked younger than Bridget’s parents but just as grief-stricken. Francis could see that the woman was very young. She must have had Amanda in her early ages. She was beautiful, too; even her grief couldn’t take that away.
“I am sure that ye must have heard that we have a suspect in our hands. I will be straightforward,” he said, asking the question whose answer he was sure he knew.
“Did yer daughter ken Torcall?”
“Oh, nay,” her father was quick to respond. “‘Twas our son that did. We have had him by our house in previous times, but I do nae think that they were more than acquaintances.”
That was all Francis needed. “Thank ye,” he said to them. “Ye may go.”
When they left, he turned to the guard. Is me brother in his chamber?”
“Aye,” the guard responded.
“Let us go.”
Francis walked his brother’s chamber with his guards at his flanks and knocked before he stepped into it.
“Brother,” he greeted.
“Brother,” the clan chief acknowledged. “Tell me, how do the investigations fare?”
“Wonderfully,” he responded. “I spoke with the parents of the three women and have found that they all scorned Torcall.”
“All of them?” the king asked, shocked.
“All of them,” he lied. “Their parents were positive about it.”
“Did ye see them together?”
“Nay,” he shook his head. “‘Twas separate meetings for all three.”
“Do ye think the lad will confess with such evidence?”
“Nay,” Francis shook his head. “He is a headstrong one.”
“He will be put to death regardless, but ye must try for a confession. Offer him a deal, perhaps. Life in prison for a confession.”
“But ye said—”
“Ah ah, I am nae finished. When he confesses, he will be put to death. In me clan, no one will get away with murdering innocents. I am their clan chief, and I will protect me people.”
Francis nodded and exited.
