Read Online No Stranger to Death: A Scottish mystery where cosy crime meets tartan noir: Borders Mysteries Book 1 by Janet O'Kane - Free Book Online Page B

she managed a polite smile when she saw the policeman standing on her front step. He must have recognised Kate’s car this time, because he showed no surprise at her presence when Zoe led him into the kitchen.
    ‘Hi, Erskine.’
    ‘Hello again, Kate.’ Mather folded his coat and draped it over the back of the wooden chair before sitting down.
    ‘Do you want some coffee?’ Zoe asked. Without waiting for his response, Kate poured a mugful and slid it along the table. She offered him neither milk nor sugar, and he did not ask for them.
    ‘Would you prefer to speak to Zoe alone? I can go into the sitting room.’ Despite this offer, Kate repositioned herself so she could see Mather’s face as well as Zoe’s.
    ‘This is Doctor Moreland’s home. I’m happy for you to stay if she is. I was just passing and remembered a few more questions I needed to ask her.’
    No one just passed Keeper’s Cottage . Zoe felt certain he had been hoping Kate would be there. ‘Of course I don’t want you to go, Kate.’
    Turning her attention to Mather, she asked, ‘The body – was it Chrissie Baird?’
    ‘Dental records have confirmed that it was.’
    ‘Told you,’ Kate said, looking a little too pleased with herself. ‘How did she die?’
    Mather hesitated. ‘I can only tell you what’s going to be public knowledge.’
    Zoe and Kate nodded in unison, urging him to continue.
    ‘She incurred an injury to her head.’
    Both women stayed silent, expecting more. Eventually, Zoe said, ‘So she wasn’t alive when she was put in the bonfire?’
    Mather did not respond.
    ‘You’re not sharing everything, are you?’ Kate said.
    ‘Tell me there was no smoke in her lungs,’ Zoe said.
    ‘There was no smoke in her lungs.’
    Kate and Zoe started to speak at the same time. Mather held up a hand. ‘As I said, I can only tell you what we’re making public. Please don’t ask for more details.’
    ‘All right,’ Zoe said. ‘But can you explain why the body didn’t burn up? Even taking account of the rain, there was still a lot more of her left than I’d have expected. Nearly everything else was reduced to ashes.’
    Again the response from Mather was unsatisfactory. ‘She’d been wrapped up tightly in something.’
    ‘What?’
    ‘I can’t say.’
    ‘When did she die?’ It felt like they were playing some ghoulish parlour game .
    Kate broke in before Mather could reply. ‘I’ve been thinking about that. Chrissie was seen going about the village on Sunday morning with her poppies. And they didn’t finish building the bonfire until Sunday afternoon, although he wouldn’t have risked putting her in during daylight anyway. I realise the site can’t be seen from the road, but it’s overlooked by the pub –’
    ‘And is completely open to anyone walking across the field,’ Zoe added.
    ‘So she must have been killed after Sunday lunch,’ Kate continued, ‘then kept somewhere and put in the bonfire during Sunday night. It gets dark very early now, so that could have been any time from about four o’clock.’
    ‘You’ve given this a lot of thought,’ Mather said.
    Kate looked indignant. ‘Of course I have. This is my home. As I told Zoe, no one would travel to Westerlea just to hide a body in its Guy Fawkes bonfire. The murderer must come from around here, and as I know nearly everybody, I probably know him. It could be someone I drink with in the pub or speak to in the shop, or perhaps my children go to school with his.’
    Her voice had become very loud. Mather made a slight downwards gesture with his left hand, and for the first time Zoe noticed he wore a narrow silver band on his ring finger.
    Kate frowned but her tone became softer; their old signal still worked. ‘I can’t ignore what’s happening in my own community.’
    ‘I appreciate any ideas you can pass on to me, but that’s where it has to end,’ Mather said.
    ‘You should be pleased we’re trying to help.’
    ‘I have a team of experienced