Page 13 of The Highland Heist
Yet they weren’t.
Officer Todd relayed Johnson’s orders, and Officer Davis darted from the room.
“I’m sorry for the inconvenience, Mrs. Dixon,” Detective Johnson continued, addressing Lillias with a measured tone. “But as you were the last to see your husband, we will need to ask you a few questions regarding his death.”
Lillias nodded and sniffled, and Frederick, in perfect style, offered her his handkerchief.
“However, first things first,” Detective Johnson declared, pacing the room with an assessing gaze. “If a person posing as an officer responded so quickly to your cries and then conveniently knew exactly where to find me and my colleagues, we must consider the possibility that he was involved in Mr. Dixon’s demise.”
Grace admired Detective Johnson’s logical approach. From the wideness of his forehead, the sharpness in his pale eyes, his quick assertations, and his use of the worddemise,Grace was already rather impressed by the man. Of course, experience had taught her that first impressions could be misleading, but Johnson certainly carried himself with an air of credibility.
That was a very good start.
“What—what do you mean?” Lillias eked out the question. “Someone hadplannedto kill Tony?”
The detective tipped his head and studied her. “Coincidences should always be suspect when crimes are involved, Mrs. Dixon. Our goal is to sort out why and who. This was no mere happenstance of a crime.” He turned to the officer at his side. “Todd, would you make a sweep of the periphery and see if you note anything unusual?”
The older man, broad face pressed into a frown as if it didn’t know another expression, gave the room an assessing look before he nodded and left out the front door.
“Now”—Detective Johnson approached the group, his attention back on Lillias—”did your husband have any enemies?”
Grace nearly smiled. An excellent question—and one she would have asked had the detective not claimed it first.
“Enemies?” Lillias echoed, aghast. “Tony? Enemies?”
Her sharp tone roused Miss Cox, who shifted on the fainting couch, sitting up slowly. Her dark eyes darted between the speakers before landing on Grace, who offered an encouraging smile.
The poor girl’s frown only deepened.
“And who is this?” Detective Johnson nodded toward Miss Cox.
“Our maid,” Frederick answered smoothly. “She accompanied us from Italy after our honeymoon.”
Detective Johnson’s brows rose, shifting his attention from Frederick to Grace. “So you’ve onlyjustarrived?”
“Our ship arrived yesterday,” Frederick explained. “We stayed overnight at an inn on our journey from the harbor. My wife hasn’t seen her family since our marriage, and I thought this visit would be a fitting surprise before we returned to Havensbrooke.”
“Quite the surprise,” Detective Johnson responded dryly.
The man didn’t seem to hold the same lightheartedness as their dear friend Detective Jack Miracle did. Johnson certainly carried himself with more gravity.
“But why would you suppose Tony had enemies?” Lillias asked.
“If he didn’t have any enemies, Lillias”—Grace turned to her sister, the possibilities dancing through her mind—”Then someone planned to kill him for another reason. As Detective Johnson suggested, this was not a random act. Is there anything missing? Stolen?”
Lillias’ eyes grew wide, and her face paled all over again. “I—I don’t know. I’ve not had opportunity …”
Detective Johnson nodded thoughtfully and stepped closer to the body, lowering himself near the knife lying on the floor where Lillias had dropped it. “Is that the weapon?” His sharp gaze shifted to Lillias, who seemed to shrink under his scrutiny.
“Yes.” Her voice trembled so much that Grace gave her shoulders another reassuring squeeze. “It—it was in his—his chest.”
The detective studied her face. “I’ll ask a few more immediate questions, Mrs. Dixon, then allow you time to process the situation before my return.”
Well, at least if he was going to be more serious, he had a kind streak. That proved a very good characteristic for anyone, especially a detective, Grace thought.
The door opened, and Officer Todd reentered, looking a bit too red in the face for a casual walk about the premises, but he wasn’t the smallest of men.
“Anything?” This from Detective Johnson.
