Page 97 of The Boathouse By the Loch

As a law student, Melissa had been intrigued by the story that Robyn had uncovered. Things like that didn’t happen in the small town of Aviemore. It was quite unheard of. Melissa had offered to look into it. Robyn had readily agreed. But then she’d started to get cold feet over what exactly Melissa might uncover.

Robyn’s fears weren’t unfounded after a conversation with David’s sister-in-law, Annie. Robyn had discovered that it wasn’t actually David who had shot the intruder, but Annie. She’d been on a rare night out with friends when they too had passed Duncan’s store and had noticed the light. She’d ventured inside to discover David bleeding from a gunshot wound, and surprised the burglars, one of whom had dropped the gun they were carrying. Annie had picked it up and fired the gun. The question was: why had David lied to the police?

It was obvious. David was protecting his sister-in-law. She was a mother of a small child, his niece. She couldn’t go to prison. So David had stepped up, and lied to the police that he had fired the gun when he had not. He’d risked a conviction and a prison sentence for Annie. Luckily, neither of those things had happened. David’s brother, Joe, was none the wiser as to what had really happened that night.

And neither was Melissa. Not yet, anyway. But worryingly, when she’d asked Melissa to drop it, she’d suspected she would not, especially when it had turned out that the small law firm in Aviemore she’d started working for as a trainee solicitor after graduation might have handled David’s case. Robyn didn’t knowfor sure. All she knew was that when she’d let slip to him that she knew what had happened, David had told her –I was charged with manslaughter, but a very, very good lawyer got me off – self-defence.It had sounded as though it was a local firm of solicitors.

Robyn remembered her response. She’d been so relieved. She’d then asked him if that had been the end of it.

He’d hesitated before answering, sayingyeah, of course, but avoiding eye contact. Although she’d said to him she didn’t want any more secrets between them, she still had a strong suspicion that there was more to the story – something even Annie didn’t know about.

And now Robyn had been worried that if Melissa was working for the same local firm, she now had access to those files, and could look through past cases.

Robyn hoped she didn’t look at David’s. It was still playing on Robyn’s mind that there was something David hadn’t told her. Whatever it was, she didn’t want Melissa to find out first.

Robyn stared at the place-setting with Melissa’s name on. She made a mental note to ask her not to bring up anything to do with the robbery at the party – especially not in front of David, who had no clue she’d looked into the circumstances surrounding his so-called accident. She did not want anything ruining the lovely meal she was having with friends, and the little party on the lawn by the loch afterwards.

‘Robyn!’ David called out. ‘Are you making a cup of tea?’

Robyn switched on the cooker and stepped out of the kitchen, calling up the stairs, ‘I’m doing it now.’

‘Good, because Judith has come over a little faint.’

‘What?’ Robyn ran up the stairs to find Judith sitting on an armchair in the lounge, with David fanningher with an old newspaper.

‘What happened?’ Robyn ran over and knelt down beside her. ‘Are you all right?’

David said, ‘I suspect it’s been rather a long day, and I bet the food on the plane was rubbish.’

‘There wasn’t any food on the plane,’ said Judith, gulping down air.

‘No food? Did you have lunch?’ asked Robyn.

Judith shook her head, staring at her.

‘Well, that’s it then,’ said David confidently. ‘What you need, Judith, is a hearty meal.’

Robyn ran downstairs as soon as she heard the kettle boil. A moment later she reappeared, carefully carrying a steaming mug of sweet tea across the lounge to where Judith was sitting.

Percy was being very good and had retreated to his dog bed to one side of the log burner.

Robyn handed her the tea. ‘Sip this. It will make you feel better.’ Robyn hoped it would. The last thing she wanted was for Judith to miss the party, and meeting all her friends. Thinking of meeting friends, Gayle would be arriving any minute to do Judith’s hair. Surely, Judith wouldn’t be up for that. Robyn said as much.

Judith lowered the mug. ‘You’re right – I’m not up for that.’

Robyn got her phone out from the back pocket of her jeans. ‘I’d better let her know that you won’t be—’

Robyn halted at the sound of a car turning up in the driveway. ‘Oh, dear. I think that’s her.’

Judith sat up. ‘I want to meet her.’

Robyn frowned. ‘I thought you said you didn’t feel up to having your hair done?’

‘Never mind that,’ said Judith. ‘I need to speak to her.’

Robyn stared at her. ‘Well, all right. I’ll go and answer the door.’On her way out of the room, Robyn motioned for David to come with her.

‘What did she mean, sheneedsto speak to her?’ Robyn asked David in a hushed voice as they walked down the stairs.

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