Page 37 of The Midnight Secret

‘David, stop,’ she said, catching him by the arm. ‘You mustn’t be rash. Until you can be sure.’

‘Why are you so resistant?’ He frowned. ‘This would get Donald off the hook!’

‘I know – and that’s all I want. But if you make an accusation that can’t be supported, who knows what Norman mightdo? If he doesn’t come for you, he could...he could take it out on Jayne.’

For the first time, David slackened.

Mhairi went on. ‘If there’s anything Donald’s experience with the police has shown me, it’s that you need to have proof. And Norman must have an alibi or else they’d be looking at him too.’ She shrugged.

David’s eyes began to shine, a small smile growing on his lips. ‘No, he doesn’t.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘I don’t know where he was the night of the murder, but I do know Jayne wasn’t at home with him.’

‘How do you know?’

‘Because she was with me.’

‘What?’

‘Aye. Jayne and I spent that last night in the burial ground together, sleeping beside Molly’s grave. We didn’t want her to be alone.’

Mhairi’s mouth fell open. For a moment, she had thought perhaps there was more to David’s friendship with Jayne than anyone had realized. He was clearly protective of her...

‘Don’t you see, Mhairi? Even if he was at home that night, he can’t prove it. Norman doesn’t have an alibi!’ He nodded. She could see that he was agreeing with the internal dialogue in his head, his instincts growing bolder.

‘David—’

‘I’m going to the police as soon as I get back.’

‘David, no.’

‘Aye. It’ll kill two birds with one stone: clear Donald from the investigation, and protect Jayne. You know as well as I do that for as long as she’s under the same roof as him, she’s not safe. She’s living not just with a monster, but a murderer.’

‘You don’t know that! For all you know, he was at home all night, even if she was out with you. You’ve got to check with Jayne before you do anything. She’ll know what Norman told the police.’

‘It doesn’t matter what he said,’ he argued. ‘Jayne can’t possibly be his alibi if she was with me. And if he can’tprovehe was at home that night – then that, along with his reputation for violence, has to make him a person of interest or whatever it’s called.’

Mhairi stared at him, seeing his desire – his need – for revenge. It was, after all, a dish best served cold. He wanted to point the police towards Norman for a crime he might not have committed, to punish him for one that he had.

‘...Did you tell the police you were with Jayne that night?’ she asked.

For the first time, David faltered.

‘...Well? Did you?’

‘No.’

‘Why not?’

‘Because she asked me not to. She said it could be awkward to explain. That people might...’

‘So then, you lied to the police too?’

‘...I was protecting Jayne, Mhairi. I was protecting her then and I’m protecting her now.’

Was he? Or was this vengeance for being kept apart from Molly in her final few months of life? Mhairi stared back at David, seeing for the first time how much he hated Norman – enough to put him in the frame for murder. She had always loved him like a brother, and he felt like blood to her, but he had been right earlier. How well do we ever really know our friends and neighbours?

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